Lowe Alpine (38 articles)
It's the 1930s when Ralph Lowe sets off with his uncle on a climbing trip to the Grand Teton Mountains. This is where his love for the mountains and the outdoor life started. All 8 of his children developed the same passion, especially Greg, Mike and Jeff Lowe became great climbers of their generation. Just like many mountaineers of the time, they struggled with the typical external-frame backpacks of the time. They were heavy, rigid and far too unstable to be a reliable aid on challenging routes.
Lowe Alpine: freedom of movement as the overriding credo
Influenced by their life outdoors, the three brothers knew what was important when climbing, hiking, hunting and skiing. One aspect, in particular, was in focus right from the start: freedom of movement. Only when the contents of the backpack are stowed away stably, sit compactly on your back, and you are not hindered by anything on the rock has it really done its job.
Greg Lowe, in particular, excelled here as a far-sighted tinkerer. He developed and tested, made changes, and tried again; he tinkered and felt what effect every detail had on his own back. The result was the Expedition Pac, the first backpack with an internal frame - a system that revolutionised the market and from which the legendary Cerro Torre was later to emerge, almost as the mother of the modern trekking backpack.
Right from the start, the Lowes didn't just concentrate on backpacks. Backpacks were always to be the main focus of business in the future. They developed many things that the brothers thought from their own experience were beneficial and did not yet exist. For example, with the L.U.R.P. (Limited Use of Reasonable Placements), the first portaledge tent ever used in the mountains.
Humble beginnings with huge inventive spirit
The Expedition Pac and the L.U.R.P. tent were among the first products launched when the company was founded in 1972. Mike Lowe had to borrow the 3,000 dollars to register Lowe Alpine Systems back then. A good deal, as the following years, would show.
Lowe Alpine was involved everywhere and set the trends. Developing the Hummingbird ice axe (the first modular ice tool), which would later be produced by CAMP, or the Spring Cam, the first clamp of its kind, not to mention the Footfangs, the first pull-over crampons with anti-stud plates - Lowe Alpine was in on the action and setting the trends.
Way ahead of the times with Lowe Alpine women's backpacks
In the backpack and bag sector, they have never resigned themselves to the given. We have Lowe Alpine to thank for the first padded camera bags and the first travel and suitcase backpacks. In 1979, far ahead of its time, the company launched the ND Range. A carrying system completely adapted to the female anatomy with adjusted back lengths and specially shaped straps.
If you're wondering what ND stands for, it stands for Nanda Devi, a mountain in India whose name means Goddess of Joy.
Lowe Alpine never stands still, but always keeps moving
This motto applies to the Lowe brothers. In addition to other groundbreaking developments such as the first plastic buckles or the legendary A.P.S. (Advanced Paralux System), an adjustable carrying system for trekking backpacks that is still celebrated by many adventurers today, the brothers themselves never stayed still.
Their greatest passion always remained the mountain. Developing new products was more or less an end to better equip their own tours. Spectacular ascents were simply part of the Lowe boys' life, and Greg Lowe's documentary Fall Line was even nominated for an Oscar in 1981.
Modern times, traditional values
In 2002, Lowe Alpine was sold to the Italian company Asolo. Nine years later, in 2011, the British outdoor group Equip acquired Lowe Alpine. The group also includes the British mountain and outdoor specialist Rab. Lowe Alpine is in good hands in this company because here, the company can continue to concentrate on what was always important to the Lowe brothers.
This is reflected above all in the design philosophy of the backpacks. Lowe Alpine has long been building packs for every need. Whether for leisurely hikes through the local mountains, mountain bike tours, long-distance travel, trekking adventures to the remotest corners of the world, or for every alpine challenge, you will find the right companion. Lowe Alpine wants to give you the best possible freedom of movement wherever you go.
The concept of freedom of movement is based on three pillars. Freedom of activity for you, freedom of movement with your equipment and freedom of action for a lifetime. Your Lowe Alpine backpack doesn't want to constrict you, whatever you do; it wants your gear to stay securely stowed, compact against your back to distribute the weight as comfortably as possible for you; and it wants to stay with you for a long time, giving you the confidence that you can rely on it, no matter what challenges your adventure throws at you.
Lowe Alpine sustainability: a holistic approach
Another significant value of Lowe Alpine is its understanding of sustainable behaviour as a company. For example, all products are free of fluorocarbon (PFC-free), and many backpacks are already made from a high proportion of recycled material. In addition, the group of companies around Lowe Alpine is climate-neutral and aims not only to offset CO2 emissions by 2030 but to reduce them drastically to achieve net-zero.
Through a careful selection of partners, supply chain optimisation, less packaging material, durable and repairable products and an honest engagement with the community, Lowe Alpine takes a holistic approach so that you can explore the world with a good conscience and a great backpack.