Cramming half a century of innovation into every pack, Osprey has turned 50! We took a look 'behind the seams' at the journey the brand has been on since its creation in 1974. Young, adventurous and frustrated by the quality of the backpacks he was using, Mike Pfotenhauer opened Santa Cruz Recreational Packs in California and quickly grew a reputation amongst backpackers and travellers for the craftsmanship of his custom-fit, made-to-order packs. He and his wife/business partner, Diane Wren, moved to Dolores, Colorado, and began working with a small team of skilled Navajo women who turned their sand painting and sewing skills into expert pack making under the brand name Osprey. Their skill and craftsmanship allowed Mike to turn his attention to innovating new pack designs. In 1991, Fortune Magazine profiled Osprey Packs in an article on "America's Best" and soon after production moved to a new facility in Cortez, CO as the company scaled up to meet demand. Osprey are based there to ...