The History of Gear Project, with Bruce Johnson M.A.
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MSR

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My third book revealed the startling history behind MSR, a thriving Seattle-based brand that was founded in the late 60s.
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Larry Penberthy, an engineer, founded Mountain Safety Research for the original purposes of taking on mountain safety and wilderness access issues with existing entities such as REI and the National Park Service. Within a few years, his commitment to safety led to him starting to build and sell his own products. Perhaps best known for his iconoclasic metal-shafted ice axes and his new stove designs, he was a pioneer in many other ways as well. Use the link in "View Gallery" to access the full story, and be sure to read the book review at page bottom!
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GERRY MOUNTAIN PRODUCTS

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"To keep warm, put your hat on." Mr. Gerry Cunningham
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Before his death in 2010, Mr. Cunningham helped me write the book about him, his company and his innovations. In the picture, you see the little plastic gadgets named cord locks. Cunningham invented them in the early 50s and holds the patent. His gear, especially his tents, were favored by many expeditions in the 1950s and 1960s. He was also a pioneer in the Leave No Trace movement.
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STEPHENSONS WARMLITE EQUIPMENT CO.

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Pioneer: Jack Stephenson. An outdoor gear Inventor and notorious naturist with many big firsts since the late 1950s. Born Feb 1933 and deceased Feb 2017. He's a major Pioneer whose many serious contributions have been consistently under-rated, derided, copied or forgotten... And his company (recently relocating to Colorado) is still in business today! I give Warmlite a longevity and Made in America Award. his gear genius touched so many areas of gear design, he was decades ahead of his times. Picture with flowers is the centerfold of Warmlite's 1974 catalog.

Note: my sixth book "Peak Experiences" is available on Kindle for $3.99. It's a personal memoir about the consciousness-raising experiences that have illuminated many of us in the high mountains. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HU4J3PQ
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