Warp and weft are terms for the two foundational components used in weaving to turn thread or yarn into fabric. The warp is lengthwise yarn that is held stationary in tension on a loom while the weft is drawn through and inserted over-and-under the warp. Like the warp and weft are interwoven to create fabrics, MYSTERY RANCH and the non-profits we support have overlapping values and interwoven missions that when brought together, create an object of strength and dependence on one another.
It's better to give...
Some may say we’re soft in the head; others might observe we’re soft in the heart. Perhaps it’s a bit of both. But, as long as we’ve made backpacks, we’ve always sought ways to contribute to substantive issues, groups, causes, initiatives, organizations… that are doing the real work, fighting the good fight, helping those who – in our humble opinion – genuinely deserve support. In short, we’ve sought out philanthropic connections that are way more important than any of our highly engineered backpacks.+ Read More
MYSTERY RANCH isn’t an easy enterprise to explain. Though born in the Montana Mountains as a means to carry our gear for backcountry skiing, alpine cragging, or long-haul backpacking treks, we began reinventing ourselves in the early 2000’s to be more than just that. Though inextricably connected to our pursuit-of-fun roots, we began to – dare I say – mature with regards to our “target markets” and the possible higher-level applications of our products.
The Special Forces folks found us. Soldiers, serving our country, carrying absurd, monstrous loads, simply needed the best load-bearing technology available. Period. So, they came to us with one of our existing packs (spray painted black!) and asked if we might be able to build packs to meet their ultra-specific military applications. We said yes.
What unfolded, however, was way more profound to our business direction than a new customer. As we learned about their unique needs, the harsh environments and realities of actual use, and the all-to-often dire results that ensued, we found ourselves facing a brave new world. As such, the first cause we embraced was “Camp Patriot,” a Montana-based organization that helps to empower and thank wounded and disabled military veterans of all generations through their outdoor programs. Gut check, this took the lighthearted – skiing powder and bagging peaks – an ethos that had driven us to this point and gave us a whole new level of meaning, purpose, and opportunity to give back.
Fast-forward, we’ve since sought out other non-recreational users, like wildland firefighters, with whom to collab our Load Carriage® technologies with their this-ain’t-no-weenie-roast realities. And, through these relationships, we’ve found more extraordinarily worthy causes and organizations upon which to direct our philanthropy. For example, groups like the US Hotshots Association and The Smokey Generation have become obvious recipients of our giving.
As ethics-driven, backcountry hunters, of course we support the Wild Sheep Foundation, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and other kindred orgs. But the fight to keep Public Lands PUBLIC, guides our giving to some less apparent activists. You won’t find a political, numeric, or metric standard for the things we choose to support, but you’ll learn more about MYSTERY RANCH’s evolving ethos by the eclectic causes with whom we’re so humbled to support.
Bottom line, this isn’t about us... it’s about them. It’s our hope you’ll be curious and research these groups, learn about their important if not vital work, and become supporters yourself. In a chaotic world where purpose and doing the right thing might seem oblique, hitching our MYSTERY RANCH wagon to these causes is what ultimately fuels us. We invite and implore you to support those things that are ultimately important to you.