Osprey backpacks and outdoor equipment

Founded in 1974 by Mike Pfotenhauer in Santa Cruz, California, Osprey began as a small business focused on creating high-quality, custom-fitted backpacks. Over the decades, the brand became legendary in the outdoor industry for its innovation, lifetime warranty, and ergonomic designs, eventually moving its headquarters to Cortez, Colorado.

While the brand maintains its design and quality control roots in the United States, manufacturing was transitioned to Vietnam in the early 2000s to ensure consistent production quality at scale. In 2021, Osprey was acquired by Helen of Troy Limited, a major consumer products corporation, marking a significant transition from an independent private company to a corporate subsidiary focused on global expansion.