Our History

History may be our greatest asset at Cascade Designs. With more than 30 years under our belt, we have a rare sense of perspective on the outdoor industry. We've seen countless revolutions in gear—in fact, we engineered many of them ourselves—as well as numerous shifts in market trends. Through it all we've stayed ahead of the curve and on top of the game. It's this history that allows us to look on the past with pride and to the future with a thrilling sense of possibility.

The Cascade Designs story begins in the early 1970s, when public interest in backpacking was booming. More and more people were lacing up their boots, hoisting packs onto their backs, heading out into the hills, and sleeping under the stars. Two former Boeing engineers, avid backpackers themselves, had an idea: "Wouldn't it be great," they imagined, "if we could make it more comfortable to sleep out on the cold, hard ground?" So, together they created the world's first self-inflating camping mattress. They called their invention Therm-a-Rest®, and their fledgling company Cascade Designs.

Our Brands

Therm-a-Rest quickly became standard equipment for adventures worldwide. But for Cascade Designs it was just the beginning. During the past three decades, the company has grown into a family of brands, offering a wide variety of outdoor products and expanding into new markets. These brands include SealLine®, maker of portable storage products; Platypus®, specializing in flexible bottles and hydration systems; Tracks®, manufacturer of walking staffs and trekking poles; MSR®, a pioneer in innovative backcountry gear; and Varilite™, specializing in wheelchair positioning products.

Cascade Designs Today

Cascade Designs continues to refine existing products and pioneer new ones. Our single-minded dedication to quality has kept us atop the outdoor industry for more than 30 years. Paramount in this area are our in-house design, testing, and manufacturing teams. Because we oversee all elements of production, we can stand behind our gear like no other company, confident that Cascade Designs' are the longest-lasting, most technologically advanced products on the market today.

Not surprisingly, our employees are a collection of enthusiasts who understand the pull of the outdoors and what nature can teach us about ourselves. Our goal is to enhance your experience in the outdoors—whether climbing high peaks, camping with the family, or enjoying time at the park—and we are committed to providing you with exactly what they need to have the best experience possible.