CiloGear

100% American alpine pack maker in Portland, CiloGear designs the WorkSacks, a range of ultralight packs for technical mountaineering. Since 2026, commitment to exclusively recycled materials (Mountain Ocean Blue 40% recycled fabric). Approved by the world's best alpinists, with a weight-to-performance ratio that defies competition. Outside Online calls them 'the world's most rugged packs'.

The story of CiloGear begins in a Portland, Oregon living room. Graham Williams, a mountaineer frustrated by the packs available on the market, decided to sew his own. No business plan, no market study. Just a guy fed up with carrying poorly designed packs at altitude.

It's 2006. The mountaineering pack market is locked down by major outdoor brands. No one expects a Portland artisan in this niche. Williams doesn't care. He sews for himself, then for his friends, then for his friends' friends. Word-of-mouth does the rest.

What comes out of his workshop are the WorkSacks. Technical mountaineering packs designed for committed routes, not for Sunday hikes. Ultra-light, modular, built to withstand what high mountains inflict. The weight-to-volume ratio is one of the best on the market, an achievement when you consider that each pack is hand-sewn.

The proprietary Ninja Strap system allows the pack to be compressed or external gear to be attached with rare flexibility. It's also the kind of system that requires a learning curve. Novices grumble, but experienced mountaineers swear by it.

High-level climbers are not mistaken. Kyle Dempster, David Gottlieb, and other figures of global mountaineering choose WorkSacks for their first ascents. Several of these packs have accompanied some of the most difficult route openings on the planet. Alpinist Magazine drops the word "PERFECTION" in all caps. Outside Online calls them "the toughest packs in the world." In a field where words carry weight, it's an endorsement.

Production remains deliberately artisanal. No relocation to Asia, no outsourcing. Everything is manufactured in Portland, often by order. When major brands offshore to increase margins, CiloGear makes the opposite choice. The price reflects this, but so does the quality.

In 2026, the brand takes a step forward by completing its transition to 100% recycled materials. The Mountain Ocean Blue fabric, 40% recycled, becomes the basis of production. CiloGear now focuses on high-volume products and directs customers to its specialized retailers for the rest of the range. A consistent decision for a workshop that never sought to become big.

Small workshop, big respect. The formula hasn't changed since the first pack was sewn in that Portland living room.