The Superior Hiking Trail is a trail modeled after the Appalachian Trail and follows the ridge-line along Lake Superior from Duluth to the Canadian Border. For this hike, we chose a popular and scenic section, called the Twin Lakes Trail outside of Silver Bay, MN.

This section is a rugged up and down but the vista’s are beautiful.  After a hot hike, with plenty of mosquitoes, the two highlights were a much needed refreshing swim in Bear Lake and the luscious ripe June berries and Blueberries to snack on.  A warning, that in the Summer and Fall, this section is extremely popular, so if you plan on getting a campsite, get there early.

Another unexpected pleasure was running into a couple on the trail out for a day hike. They noticed the new Bushcrafter pack and asked how it was holding up on the hiking trail. It was comfortable and carried all our gear. After they swapped stories about the history of all their Duluth Packs in the family it made me realize, when you buy a Duluth Pack, you become part of a community that supports the local economy and appreciates handmade lifetime gear. Thanks Scott and Cindy! It was great to meet new DP fans!

These photos were taken on Shirakoma Pond at Kitayatugatake in Japan.

Featured in these photos are our waxed Rambler Pack, Canvas Anorak, Plunge Mitts, Duluth Pack Snowshoe Bindings, Iversons Snowshoes, and our famous Red Toque!

 Thank you for the great photos! We love to see pictures of our packs from all over the world so send them in!

We’ve been getting new ideas from our customers for years and here is one of those ideas! This new bookbag is similar to our standard bookbag  just with an added safe padded compartment for your laptop. This durable bag is large enough to hold everything you will need for a day of classes, and still have room for your lightweight fleece jacket and homework. The adjustable shoulder strap makes this bag more practical to carry from class to class than any other bag. When loaded, it hangs nicely over the back of a chair or slides under your seat. Fold-over top flap is secured with two leather straps and high quality roller buckles. All book bag models come with interior pen and calculator pockets. From grade school to grad school, this handy book bag will help with the burdens.

The bookbag comes in durable 18 oz. canvas and comes in two sizes to fit a 15″ and 17″ laptop.

Whether on your way to the University of Minnesota Duluth, Yale, or the mall, this is the ideal book bag and carryall!

The holidays are fast approaching. The lakes up here are frozen, and the ice fishing tournaments have begun. After the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, the next step is to unpack our merino wool long-johns!

At Duluth Pack we love the Icebreaker merino wool, it’s no itch and no smell! It is a natural fiber that pulls moisture away from you to keep you drier,  AND, soft, soft, soft. Yes, icebreaker merino WOOL is soft! In Duluth the temperatures can plummet fast, merino wool  is the only thing we wear. Layers of merino wool are great too. Especially Up Nort!

So break out your icebreaker, pour some hot cocoa, and enjoy this holiday season with your family and friends!

Here at Duluth Pack we wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season and a Happy 2010! Get out and enjoy it!

Jeffrey S.

(Thanks Jeffrey! Great testimonial!  Can I “borrow” the phrase “touching a part of the past”?  Love it!)

Jeffrey S.

(Thanks Jeffrey! Great testimonial!  Can I “borrow” the phrase “touching a part of the past”?  Love it!)

I needed a good rugged attache to carry my daily stuff and be somewhat
presentable at meetings in the GMO’s office in one of the Iron Mines in NE
Minnesota.  My choice was a Duluth Pack product (see photo).  Well it
bounced around in the truck for many years in the pit then one day I
accepted an assignment to a be site representative for a gold prospecting
project on the Amazon River Basin.  ’Old Reliable’ carried the project
guidelines from NE Minnesota, to Ohio, through NY, to Rio de Janeiro,
Brasilia, Belem and finally in a square stern going up the Gurupi River to
base camp in Para, Brazil.  The attache made many trips from base camp to
Belem where a weekly TELEX report was sent back to Headquarters in Ohio.
It survived many dunkings in the Grupi River as well as the Amazon.

In the late ’90’s on assignment to the Para Iron Mines of Venezuela ‘Old
Reliable’ just about was confiscated by a mine manager because of its
ruggedness.

On a trip into the Angel Falls area of Southern Venezuela I nearly lost
the bag when I missed-placed it on the DC-3 we were flying in.  I was
distracted because as we sat on the tarmac preparing for take off I
noticed a stream of oil running from the engine cowl atop the shroud to
the rear of the wing and puddling on the cement.  I called attention to
the leak to our German Flight Stewardess and her comment was ” we will add
oil before the return trip”.  Fortunately she remembered seeing me
boarding with the bag over my shoulder and returned it to me.

I retired in 2000 from mining but the bag and I are still great friends
and generally most days it is the first thing in my hand in the mornings
going out the door.  Duluth Pack probably would repair the piping no
charge to me but as the photo illustrates it would ruin its character.

Thanks Duluth Pack, I would probably purchase another one but I don’t
think I will need to.

Respectfully,

Joel E.
Section Manager Mining
Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota

For years, I have wanted a pack that combined modern features, traditional materials, old world craftsmanship, and unique improvements geared toward bushcraft and wilderness living. Well, I got tired of waitng and am very happy to annouce the Bushcrafter….a pack designed by me and made in the USA by my favorite pack company, Duluth Pack. Starting with tough 15-ounce canvas construction, the Bushcrafter Pack features padded leather/canvas shoulder straps, an adjustable sternum strap, a removable waist belt, a unique 18″ long axe sleeve, a drawstring closure for the main compartment, and a generous top flap with interior zippered map pocket that covers and stabilizes axe head when the pack is in use. Three nylon webbing side compression straps with quick release buckles stabilize your load and transfer weight to your hips when using the belt, while also making it possible to scale down or enlarge total capacity depending on season and space needs. The two vertical flapped front pockets are perfect for storing your tarp and small items you want to keep separate from the large, main compartment. There are full length sleeves behind each pocket that are perfect for folding and/or bow saws, trekking poles, etc. As with the ax sleeve, the idea is to have easy access to your tools without having to open your pack or remove your gloves. Available in Olive Drab. Other colors made to order (please call or email). Also available in waxed canvas. 25H x 14.5W x 10D: 3,625 cubic inches (fully expanded) + pockets. Made in USA.

For years, I have wanted a pack that combined modern features, traditional materials, old world craftsmanship, and unique improvements geared toward bushcraft and wilderness living. Well, I got tired of waitng and am very happy to annouce the Bushcrafter….a pack designed by me and made in the USA by my favorite pack company, Duluth Pack. Starting with tough 15-ounce canvas construction, the Bushcrafter Pack features padded leather/canvas shoulder straps, an adjustable sternum strap, a removable waist belt, a unique 18″ long axe sleeve, a drawstring closure for the main compartment, and a generous top flap with interior zippered map pocket that covers and stabilizes axe head when the pack is in use. Three nylon webbing side compression straps with quick release buckles stabilize your load and transfer weight to your hips when using the belt, while also making it possible to scale down or enlarge total capacity depending on season and space needs. The two vertical flapped front pockets are perfect for storing your tarp and small items you want to keep separate from the large, main compartment. There are full length sleeves behind each pocket that are perfect for folding and/or bow saws, trekking poles, etc. As with the ax sleeve, the idea is to have easy access to your tools without having to open your pack or remove your gloves. Available in Olive Drab. Other colors made to order (please call or email). Also available in waxed canvas. 25H x 14.5W x 10D: 3,625 cubic inches (fully expanded) + pockets. Made in USA.

Dear Duluth Pack,

When my oldest son, Ben, was preparing to start kindergarten thirteen years ago, I decided that he should have a sturdy backpack that would last him a few years.  So I purchased your large deluxe daypack for his school debut. He graduated from high school at the end of May this year, and has used theoriginal deluxe daypack as his school backpack for every year since kindergarten. We did have to return the daypack to you for a zipper replacement circa fifth grade, which you promptly returned to us with a new zipper at no charge.

Ben has decided he wants to continue with the tradition as he begins his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in September. I am sending his original backpack for a repair of the leather handle, so he can carry his books around the Madison campus this Fall.

I thought you might appreciate seeing some pictures of Ben and his backpack, so I’ve enclosed a few from his first day of kindergarten and his first day of senior year in high school. Please keep them as a testimonial of how truly rugged your products are.

Thank you for providing such a great tradition for my family. It’s not often you buy something that not only meets, but greatly exceeds your expectations.

Sincerely,

Barb and Ben

P.S. – Ben’s brother, Cole, has also followed in this backpack tradition.  He’s starting his junior year in high school, so you may be hearing from me again in a couple of years.