📍 Duluth, Minnesota
America's oldest canvas and leather pack maker. 144 years of heritage, handcrafted with a lifetime guarantee.
Visit Duluth Pack →On December 12th, 1882, a French-Canadian immigrant named Camille Poirier received patent no. 268,932 for a revolutionary invention: a canvas pack with leather straps and a unique tumpline—a strap worn across the forehead to distribute weight. That moment marked the birth of America's oldest canvas and leather pack maker, and quite possibly, the modern backpack itself.
"It's Duluth Pack. This is where it was founded. It can be too easy to move locations, to where there's less resistance and it's easier to do business. But this is who we are: we're Duluth through and through. That's our roots; our heritage; our history."
— Tom Sega, President/CEO
Camille Poirier arrived in Duluth from the Montreal area of Quebec in 1870, seeking a better life for himself and his young children after losing his wife. A skilled cobbler, he first opened a boot and leather shop, crafting straps, shoes, and boots with scraps and tools he had on hand.
As Duluth developed and adventurers began exploring north toward the Boundary Waters and the Canadian Shield, Poirier saw an opportunity. Combining his leather expertise with durable canvas, he designed a pack specifically for portaging and canoeing—a design so perfect that Duluth Pack still makes and sells the Original Pack to this day, unchanged from Poirier's 1882 patent.
In 1911, Poirier sold his business to the Alveson brothers, who owned Duluth Tent & Awning Company. They renamed it Duluth Pack and moved production to 1610 West Superior Street—where it remains today, over 113 years later. The 10,000 square foot production shop has never moved.
Every single Duluth Pack is still handcrafted by skilled artisans, not machines. It's slower, yes. But it means every stitch, every rivet, every detail gets human attention. The result is gear that doesn't just last years—it lasts generations, backed by a lifetime guarantee on all craftsmanship and hardware.
Founded in Duluth
Years of Heritage
Lifetime Guarantee
Made in the USA
Camille Poirier, a French-Canadian from the Montreal area, arrives in Duluth seeking a better life. He opens a small leather shop crafting boots, straps, and leather goods.
On December 12th, Poirier's patent for the Original Pack is certified. His revolutionary design features canvas, leather straps, and a tumpline—the great-great-granddaddy of modern backpacks.
Poirier sells the business to the Alveson brothers of Duluth Tent & Awning. The company is renamed Duluth Pack and moves to 1610 W Superior Street—its home ever since.
The iconic Canal Park Drive retail location opens, bringing Duluth Pack to the heart of Duluth's bustling waterfront district.
Duluth native Tom Sega becomes President/CEO. A lifelong fan of the brand (he still uses his 30-year-old briefcase), he commits to keeping production local and quality uncompromised.
Every pack, bag, and accessory is still handcrafted in Duluth by skilled artisans. The Original Pack design remains unchanged—because perfection doesn't need updating.
The Duluth Pack was designed with one mission: conquer the portage. The #3 size pack (24" x 30") sits upright in a canoe with its opening above the bilge water. The genius of Poirier's tumpline distributed weight across the forehead, letting voyageurs and adventurers carry heavier loads over longer distances.
But Duluth Pack is so much more than canoe packs now. From their Shell Purse (originally designed to hold shotgun shells) to briefcases, duffels, and everyday bags—A-list celebrities and weekend warriors alike carry Duluth Pack gear. Because when something's built this well, it transcends its origins.
"We're not trying to chase any trends. We kind of feel like we are the trend of high-quality canvas and leather bags and packs. Duluth Pack is true Americana—we won't change who we are, but we do need to innovate."
Fun fact: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Duluth Pack's craftspeople pivoted to make tens of thousands of medical gowns—keeping their staff employed while helping frontline workers stay safe. That's the kind of company they are.
Visit their flagship store at 365 Canal Park Drive, Duluth
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