Compass: Charting the Evolution of Outdoor Gear

Dana Designs History

        Home Brands History Firsts Classics Logos Links Books News Action About

Profile

Images

1976

Dana Gleeson moves to Bozeman, Montana from Boston

forms Kletterwerks to make packs

sales would reach $250,000 USD per annum

Renee Sippel-Baker starts work on sewing floor and later becomes production manager

1978

Kletterwerks is sold to business partners

starts Mojo Systems, making camera bags for photographers and film crews

Mojo Systems later becomes Quest Systems and sales would reach $1 million USD annually

1984

Quest Systems designs a collection of five packs for Marmot Mountain Works

1985

starts Dana Designs, with now business partner, Renee Sippel-Baker

1987

Dana Designs is incorporated, and Dana Gleason sells packs under his own name

Some of the Dana Design classics, like the Terraplane and Bomb Pack were originally Kletterwerks designs

1995

company is acquired by sporting goods conglomerate, Anthony Industries Inc.

Anthony Industries Inc. buys Garuda Mountaineering (tents)

Garuda tents are merged under the Dana Designs label by Anthony Industries Inc. Gleeson and Sippel-Baker retained

1996

Anthony Industries Inc. changes it name to K2 Inc.

K2 closes the three Dana production plants in Montana (Gallatin Valley, Livingston and Lewistown)

almost 300 staff are retrenched in the USA

production moves to Mexico and Sri Lanka

K2 acquires outdoor brand and pack maker, Wilderness Experience.

Dana Gleeson oversees product development for Wilderness Experience.

1997

Under Dana's tutelage, Wilderness Experience pack, the Moraine, wins Backpacker Magazine Editors Choice Award

Renee Sippel-Baker leaves K2

1999

Dana Gleason leaves K2

2000

Dana Gleeson and Renee Sippel-Baker launch new brand, Mystery Ranch, after non-competitive agreement with K2 expires

production is based out of China

20 employees and sales to 50 retail accounts

2001

K2 move Dana Design from Bozeman, Montana to Vashon Island, Washington

2002

Dana Gleason turns 50

2003

Mystery Ranch picks up some miltary contracts, including from Navy SEALs looking for his old Astralplane model

2004

Mystery Ranch stops overseas manufacturing to only craft packs in Bozeman, Montana, USA

K2 acquires the Marmot company (previously Marmot Mountain Works)

late in 2004 K2 announced they would be relocating Dana Design to Santa Rosa, California to operate under Marmot Mountain LLC

2005

Dana Designs is merged with Marmot

2006

Dana Designs as a brand name ceases to exist. Dana designed packs are rebadged with Marmot labels

2010

Mystery Ranch produces 30,000 packs for backpacking, military, hunting and emergency services

2011

Mystery Ranch staff number about 100

Mystery Ranch today

Dana Design (Japan) today