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We wanted to share with our customers a little of the history and philosophy of some of the brands we deal with to see some of the reason we choose them. It is information in the companies own words rather than our spin on it, we hope you find it of interest
About Swazi
Swazi has been designing and manufacturing high performance outdoor clothing for almost ten years. We started because, basically, we were tired of getting wet and cold every time we went out into the bush.
All of our products are made right here in New Zealand and we intend to keep it that way. Our people intimately understand the harsh conditions that can arise in the outdoors and as such ensure that each product that leaves our workshop is fully up to the task.
From the High Altai tops, across to the South east rainforests and up to the rolling tundra of the North, Swazi hunting clothing has been proven both by professional guides and hunters to be among the most practical, durable hunting clothing available.
Every item of clothing is exhaustively tested in New Zealand and in some of the harshest environments around the world before it is produced and released to market.
Our motto is: If we can't make the best product there is, we won't make it.
The Swazi Staff
Well, to start with, we're all New Zealanders and we all love the outdoors. We are passionate about what we do and that passion is one of the key things we look for when we hire our staff.That... and a sense of fun. You have to have fun. What is the point of working if you can't have fun while doing it?
This business is all about people. People make our product, people buy our product and people wear our product. If you look after your people you look after yourself. We believe in our staff and our staff believe in us.
That's why we are New Zealand made. And we intend to keep it that way.
About Fjallraven
Fjallraven is a classic company that has been around for a long time. For more than 40 years we have equipped outdoor enthusiasts with durable and dependable equipment. Functionality is important to us and runs like a red thread through everything we do.
Fjallraven was founded in 1950 when the founder, Åke Nordin, created a
backpack frame that would later revolutionize the world of outdoors. The
significance of this invention was that a broader public was able to carry
heavier loads when hiking, giving more people the opportunity to experience the
outdoors. This product marked the start of Fjallraven. Since then,
our product line has expanded to include not only backpacks but also tents,
sleeping bags and clothing.
Fjallraven has been developing tents since the 1960’s. Thanks to our long
experience in product development, Fjallraven has a wealth of in-house knowledge
and a wide range of successful styles. Our product developers and
technicians work together to turn new designs into functioning styles, ready for
the most severe weather conditions.
We also use our event Fjallraven CLASSIC to field test our products in harsh
conditions in order to get the right feedback that eventually results in a
Fjallraven outdoor product.
Fjallraven is, and has been for the last four decades, the leading outdoor company in Scandinavia with a strong heritage as the foremost innovative brand among users in the Swedish mountain world. The name Fjallraven/arctic fox derives from the founder Åke Nordin’s deep admiration for the small predator which lives in the Swedish mountains in the harshest of climates. The Arctic fox is a very smart animal, equipped with the best possible fur for survival. We still see a strong connection between our products and the Arctic Fox.
The Innovation Driven Company
Innovations that have been developed by Fjallraven:
1950: The first wooden frame for backpacks
1960: The first backpack with aluminum frame
1963: The world’s first Thermo® tent
1965: The G-1000® fabric and the Greenland Jacket
1966: The first Thermo Trousers with full-length zip
1975: The Gyro® frame for backpacks where the load is balanced
on your hips
1978: Release of Kånken, possibly the most sold daypack in the
world
1981: Gyrosoft, IGF, the internal gyro frame for backpacks
1989: Silhuett®, the sleeping bag with comfort of movement
2002: Tent features that makes pitching a tent so much easier
(Foxfoot and Easyglide) and provides more efficient ventilation to the tent (Stormwall,
storm-proof ventilation)
2004: DePendler, the world’s first daypack made to sit on
2006: Hydratic® IQ – an innovative and breathable
technique that reacts to heat and adapts and optimizes functionality
according to temperature
About Granfors Axes
A century of Axe forging 1902-2002
We would like to thank all those whom have worked at Gränsfors Bruks through out the last 100 years and shared their knowledge that is the base on which we now grow and develop. Age is not the important factor, what one can learn and how one uses that knowledge is. We all share in the responsibility to harness, use and protect the knowledge we obtained. Now it is the future we must look towards.
What we take, how and what we make, what we waste, is
in fact a question of ethics. We have an unlimited responsibility for the Total.
A responsibility which we try to take, but do not always succeed in. One part of
this responsibility is the quality of the products and how many years the
product will maintain its durability.
To make a high quality product is a way to pay respect and responsibility to the
customer and the user of the product. A high quality product, in the hands of
those who have learned how to use it and how to look after it, will very likely
be more durable. This is good for the owner, the user. But this is good as well
as part of a greater whole: increased durability means that we take less
(decreased consumption of material and energy), that we need to produce less
(gives us more time to do other things we think are important or enjoyable), destroy
less (less waste).
One of the goals for Gränsfors Bruks is to make high quality durable products.
As proof of this goal, and to show that we have a responsibility for the
product, Gränsfors Bruks gives a 20 Year Product Guarantee. An
"AXE-GUARANTEE-CARD" is included in the AXE-BOOK which comes with
every axe. A qualification for the guarantee is that the advice in the AXE-BOOK
is followed.
About Ullfrotte
Ullfrotte Original is an international brand with a total concept for base- and mid-layer garments.Ullfrotte Original is a technologically advanced product that has evolved over years of intensive research and development. The garments are used throughout the world for work and leisure in demanding environments with tough requirements for comfort, performance and reliability.
Wool has a unique ability to hold and transport moisture while
keeping you warm in damp conditions. These properties make the material superior
for warm base-layer garments.
Ullfrotte Original is made from fine merino wool supplemented with man-made
fibres to increase the fabrics wear-resistance. The garments are knitted in
tubular form without seams on specially made knitting machines to give
exceptional comfort and good shape and fit.
Research and development
Ullfrotte Original is a total concept for thermal garments, mid-layer garments,
socks, gloves, hoods and linings. Intensive product development focusing on
function and comfort has positioned Ullfrotté Original on the world market.
We work with a large number of organisations, research institutes, test
laboratories, universities and raw material suppliers in many different
countries.
Tests and practical trials
Ullfrotte Original garments are tested regularly by SINTEF. The tests are
carried out both in laboratory environments and in test groups in different
fields, from forestry, fishing, road work and drivers to military and oil
platform personnel. Over the years several thousand practical trials have been
carried out with various test subjects in Germany, Norway, Sweden, Canada, the
USA and elsewhere.
Ullfrotte Original also undergoes tests in an Arctic climate at SINTEF’s
Svalbard field station. The purpose of the tests is to improve protective
clothing for demanding working environments. The results from SINTEF’s tests
lead our development work.
Knowledge on location
Some development work is done by acquiring knowledge on location. Expeditions
have been undertaken to Australia, New Zealand and other places to study wool
production. Agents and personnel are also trained each year in an Arctic climate
in co-operation with SINTEF.
This is Scandinavia’s largest independent research organisation. More than 60% of its approx. 2,000 employees are scientists. SINTEF helps large and small companies, particularly in industry and the public sector, to identify their problems, carry out research projects and follow up the results. SINTEF operates in an international market and handles about 4,500 projects per year.
About Helsport
FUNCTIONAL QUALITY EQUIPMENT SINCE 1951The beginning…
Helsport is a run Family company established in 1951 who introduced
their own sleeping bag and tent ranges early in the 1950`s. Helsport has proved
to be among the world pioneers in development of these products.
Our aim
Our aim is to develop functional high quality equipment for protection and
comfort under varying weather conditions.
If you choose Helsport, we hope this will mean more
enjoyment and pleasure in the nature. To reach this aim, we have to work very
hard to create new and better equipment through continually product development
and quality improvements.
Product development
Product development has always been very important to us. As part of this
programme we have worked on the following:
• close contact and consultation with normal and extreme users
• co-operation with test and scientific institutes
• product testing under extreme conditions
• to have our own expertise in production and product development
Tested under extreme conditions
– with great results!
Helsport have equipped a large number of expedition over many years,
some of them you find on next page. Using products over an extended period
and under extreme conditions is important, this has given us a lot of knowledge
about how to develop new products. As you know, in the Mountains the weather can
rapidly deteriorate from clear skies to a heavy storms.
Some highlights in product development
We are proud to show you some our innovations over the years. These
products are the basis of the collection you will find in this catalogue.
1964: Our first superlight sleeping bag for extreme conditions was tested with good results during the Norwegian Himalaya expedition.
1967: We introduced our first
lightweight mountaineering tent,
awarded with the Norwegian Design prize.
1970: Helsport introduced the world’s first tunnel tent.
1996: After many years of work, we introduced a completely new range of sleeping bags in 1996, and our model Alta gained the award for the best 3- season sleeping bag in Norway.
1997: We introduced a new tent, Rondane, the world’s most compact and light 3 man tent.
1999: We introduce Svalbard 3 in 1999, our flagship and testwinner through several years. Probably the tent that has spent most time on expeditions to the North pole.
2000
The sleeping bag Arctic Super was developed in co-operation with some
arctic expeditions. Used by -55°C. for weeks!!
2004
After many years of development we introduce
Helsport Fjellduk. Best result in large Norwegian test in 2004.
2004
Helsport introduce new backpack collection, with
a unique carrying system.
2005
As Rondane in 1997, Fjellheimen is a sensation.
We have improved the weight/volume ratio by 20 %. More space, less weight.
Good service for years
If you buy a Helsport product, you will also buy lifelong service and
support. It does not matter how old your Helsport product is;
we will do our up most to help you.
About Snugpak
In 1976 a deep-sea diver and a secretary noticed the US trend
for body warmers. They thought the fashion would catch on in the UK and they
wanted to be ahead of the trend when it did. Bryony Harris director and co
founder of Snugpak, taught husband Brett Harris, Company Chairman to sew.
Together they produced some experimental body warmers and jackets.
The couple both had full-time jobs so every spare minute of their leisure time
was spent making as many jackets as possible. With the help of outworkers a
cottage industry was born. In those early days production stood at 15 jackets
per week. In 1977 the couple decided to invest what money they had into G &
H Products Ltd (which later became Craghoppers) to gain more outdoor business
experience. Two years later they made the decision to branch out on their own
with Snugpak. Although still making jackets they realised that if the new
company were going to be successful they would need to manufacture products with
year round appeal rather than the seasonal body warmer. Sleeping bags were the
logical choice.
By 1984 the company had grown and the number of machinists had increased to
seven, by 1986 sales had grown so strong the company had to move to larger
premises. The company moved down the road to a Grade II listed old woollen mill
in Silsden where they remain.
Brett knew that the way forward for the company was through innovation. Man made
sleeping bags were traditionally bulky. He wanted to produce a cheaper, man made
equivalent to the expensive down filled sleeping bag.
In 1987 Snugpak launched their Softie 6 and 12 bags into the outdoor trade. The
two bags were the smallest synthetic bags on the market and sales rocketed.
Today the Softie range consists of many different models all based on this
initial idea but they have been constantly upgraded as new insulation and fabric
technologies have emerged.
When first launched in 1989 the Softie 3 Merlin sleeping bag caused a sensation.
A combination of insulation and a highly breathable space age reflective barrier
giving 0°c performance in just 750g and packing to the size of a cantaloupe
melon was a revelation. It has since been used on every permanently inhabited
continent.
The Original Sleeka jacket now being used worldwide by tens of thousands of
forces personnel is also from this era and is still the most popular and
arguably the most versatile jacket in the Snugpak range offering an ideal
balance between warmth, weight and pack size.
Snugpak is the internationally recognised brand name of Brett Harris Ltd,
winners of the 2002 Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
About Lundhag
About Filson
| Filson - rugged quality for over
100 years Born in 1850, C. C. Filson inherited his father's pioneer spirit and love of the outdoors. After homesteading in Nebraska and roaming the country as a railroad conductor, he moved to the small city of Seattle, Washington in the 1890's. Filson's timing couldn't have been better. By 1897, the Great Klondike Gold Rush was on, and thousands of fortune hunters were stampeding into Seattle, headed north. Armed with a strong work ethic, a reputation for honesty, and several years' experience operating a small loggers' outfitting store, C. C. Filson was ready to stake his claim to fame. "TO OUR CUSTOMERS: if a man is going North, he should come to us for his outfit, because we have obtained our ideas of what is best to wear in that country from the experience of the man from the North -- not merely one -- but hundreds of them. Our materials are the very best obtainable, for we know that the best is none too good and that quality is of vital importance. YOU CAN DEPEND ABSOLUTELY UPON OUR GOODS BOTH AS TO MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP." C.C. Filson, 1914 Catalog The Gold Rush Years: 1897-1899 In 1897, Filson opened C.C. Filson's Pioneer Alaska Clothing and Blanket Manufacturers, specializing in goods to outfit the stampeders to the Klondike Gold Rush. Stories of harrowing experiences in the Yukon were widely reported. The diary of Hume Nisbet, 1897 painted this picture: "Try to recall your sensations on the coldest night you have ever known: try to intensify the most bitter ice blast that has ever pierced your marrow by a thousandfold; even then you will not be able to realize spring in the Chilkoot Canyon, far less midwinter on the Klondike." It was for these terrible conditions that Filson designed his goods. He owned his own mill and manufactured Mackinaw clothing, Mackinaw blankets and knit goods, as well as selling boots, shoes, moccasins and sleeping bags specially designed for the frigid North. Filson kept in close contact with his customers, improving his goods to meet their specific needs. The stampeders depended on Filson. In that era, clothing wasn't a matter of choice, but of survival. Tough, comfortable outdoor clothing for hunters and fishermen, engineers and explorers, mariners and miners. The Gold Rush faded into history, but Filson kept listening to his customers, and outdoorsmen kept coming to Filson for rugged clothes. Drawing from his past experience outfitting loggers, he soon added clothing for the timber industry, including the Filson Cruiser, the garment that was to earn Filson a place in history. Designed and named by C.C. Filson and patented on March 3, 1914, US Patent #1088891, the Cruiser has remained Filson's best selling item. Today, Filson has sold over half a million of this trademark coat. Worldwide reputation for honesty, quality and durability Filson continued to make his goods from the best materials obtainable, and guaranteed every piece of merchandise. If he didn't stock an item a customer needed, he custom-made it for him. Filson's name became synonymous with reliability, satisfaction and honest values. By the 1960s, Filson' reputation as the premier outfitter for outdoorsmen had spread around the globe. In addition to being stocked by retailers of quality outdoor wear, Filson garments were being ordered by mail from places as far away as Greenland. "The goods we quote must not be confounded with the cheap and vastly inferior grade with which the market is over-run. Such goods are not only useless for the purpose for which they are intended, but the person wearing them would be better off without them." Clinton C. Filson 1914 catalog What worked then, still works now Over the years, Filson's philosophy has never changed: make sure it's the absolute best. Clinton Filson spent a lot of time talking to his customers and refining his designs to their specifications. So it's not surprising that the items that worked then still work today, over 100 years later. Comfort, protection and durability never go out of style. |
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| 1897 | Klondike gold seekers come to C.C. Filson for rugged outfits to survive -50 cold. | |
| 1902 | Loggers line up for Filson's new clothing line for loggers. | |
| 1914 | Patent is granted for Filson Cruiser coat, still made and sold today. | |
| 1927 | Filson Cruiser becomes copied extensively when patent expires. | |
| 1941 | Filson expands its line of boots. | |
| 1945 | U.S. Forest Service commissions new water repellent garments, dyed Forestry Green. | |
| 1985 | Factory moves to Seattle's historic Pioneer Square, 5 blocks from original 1897 store. | |
| 1991 | Luggage line is re-introduced, made of Rugged Twill and Bridle Leather. | |
| 1996 | Fly fishing vests are introduced after 10 years of research and development. | |
| 1998 | New lodge-like store opens in historic building 10 blocks from original location. | |
| 2003 | Original Wool Shirt made of 100% virgin Merino wool is introduced. | |
| 2005 | New Recoil Pad Technology introduced in our Super Shooting Shirts and in several of Shooting and Hunting Outerwear products. New, easier to use website introduced. |
