Mountain Safety Research
| Company type | Subsidiary of Cascade Designs |
|---|---|
| Industry | sporting goods and outdoor gear |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington , USA |
Key people | Larry Penberthy, Founder |
| Website | http://cascadedesigns.com/MSR |
Mountain Safety Research, or MSR, is an American corporation founded in 1969 by Larry Penberthy, located in Seattle, Washington and owned by Cascade Designs.
MSR is a producer of camping, hiking and mountaineering equipment, such as portable stoves, water filters, snowshoes, snow tools, and tents. While specializing in lightweight and technical equipment, MSR’s gear is designed for a wide range of outdoor enthusiasts from novice to expert mountaineers.
History
MSR originally began as a newsletter in 1969 that covered topics around mountaineering safety. In 1973, Larry Penberthy (1916–2001) developed the MSR Model 9 camp stove, a design which was relatively efficient in cold weather.[1] He separated the stove burner from then small fuel tanks, and then pressurized auxiliary fuel bottles as the tank, and used a better wind screen. He also designed an ice axe that was supposed to dig into the ice better and stop a slide. Penberthy also introduced metal-shafted ice axes; metal axes have replaced earlier wooden-shaft designs.[2]
The company was acquired by REI in 1981.[2] In 2000, MSR merged with Edgeworks, the manufacturer of Moss, Walrus and Armadillo tents. Shortly afterwards these brands were discontinued and all tents by the company sold as MSR. In August 2001 MSR was acquired by Cascade Designs.
Innovations
- 1970 Eagle Ice Axe is first production Ice Axe with aluminum shaft
- 1973 MSR Model 9™ camp stove developed
- 1975 MSR uses lithium batteries in headlamps
- 1976 MSR incorporates “Pit Zips” into hard shell jackets
- 1984 MSR whisperlite is developed
- 1991 MSR Waterworks released
- 1995 MSR Denali™ Snowshoes utilize injection molded plastic snowshoe deck
- 2003 MSR MIOX purifier is introduced
- 2004 MSR® Hubba™ 1-person and MSR® Hubba Hubba™ 2-person tents utilize a one-pole hub and swivel design
- 2007 MSR Releases the windproof Reactor Stove system
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References
- ^ "Timeline". MSR corporate website. Archived from the original on January 31, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Mapes, Lynda V. (December 4, 2001). "Inventor, mountaineer Larry Penberthy dies". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
External links
- Mountain Safety Research website
- Mountain Safety Research Official Facebook Page
- Cascade Designs website
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