Who Invented the Backpack

Dick Kelty is the one who invented the backpack.

Kelty changed the world of hiking

Backpacks, much like television, radios and indoor plumbing, are one of those modern conveniences that most take for granted today. It's hard for many to conceive of a time when there weren't any backpacks because they have become so ubiquitous today, but back in the 1950's, these incredibly convenient catchalls were nowhere to be seen. That is until Dick Kelty came along and changed the game.

So, who invented the backpack? Dick Kelty did. As an outdoorsman, Kelty would avidly hike the countryside of the Sierras that surrounded his southern California Glendale home. Up until the time Kelty started experimenting with a more efficient way of carrying his hiking gear, most people that enjoyed hiking had to rely on military surplus stores.

That would have been alright, except the gear sold at military surplus stores were usually bulky and pretty crudely fashioned; hiking was not a particularly popular hobby back in the day. Like most inventors, Dick Kelty correctly assumed that there had to be a better, and easier, way to tote one's necessities. It's a good thing too, since, without him, who knows how adventure lovers would be carrying their gear through nature hikes?

During a hike in 1951, Dick Kelty and his friend Clay Sherman decided to shift the heavy load of their supplies from their shoulders to their hips. To do so, they slid the ends of their pack boards into the rear pockets of their jeans, and much to their surprise, discovered that this new way of carrying their loads was much more comfortable! This new way of carrying his necessities stayed with Kelty, and he decided to keep experimenting with this new design until he had perfected it.

The original design consisted of Kelty adding a hip belt to the usual wooden frame, but Kelty thought that he could improve the design even more. To that end, he changed the original wooden pack board material to a more lightweight, aluminum material, and changed the rucksacks to nylon.

His wife, Nena, custom sewed the rucksacks to fit the frames. From there, Dick Kelty began a home-based business, and in 1952, he sold 29 backpacks for $24.00, but the improvements didn't stop there. Over time, he added a padded waist, shoulder straps, and exterior zipper pockets.

In the early years, Kelty's friends in the Sierra Club were the ones that bought his newly designed backpacks. However, by the 1970's, outdoor activities such as hiking soared in popularity, and the backpacks Kelty had created had all but guaranteed monetary success. From there, these "Kelty" bags, as they came to be known, grew into a multi-billion dollar industry. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, you can purchase Kelty's gear at a wide variety of online shopping sites. Get started in your search by visiting:

• REI: Here you can purchase a comfortable sleeping bag that bears Dick Kelty's name.

• Back Country: At Back Country, you can purchase the Kelty Aria Messenger Bag, or the Kelty Treble Messenger Bag.

• Kelty: However, for all of these products and more, it may be best to visit the official Kelty website. There, you'll be able to find the appropriate gear to satisfy all of your hiking and camping needs.

Even though Mr. Kelty passed away in 2004, his contribution and legacy to all things outdoors cannot be overstated. Kelty not only made significant contributions to the hobby he loved, but he revolutionized it. One man literally changed the lives of millions of hikers, helping them enjoy the pastime they love so much even more, with greater comfort and style. In the world of hiking, Mr. Kelty is certainly a legend.

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