From Ötzi to JanSport: The Evolution of the Backpack
Dating back to approximately 3300 B.C., the oldest known backpack was unearthed in the Alps and is linked to Ötzi the Iceman, who was discovered in 1991. The inception of the modern backpack can be traced to the Civil War period. In 1865, Henry Clay Merriam secured a patent for a canvas pack featuring sheet-metal braces, followed by Camille Poirier's head strap design in 1882. Norwegian Ole F. Bergan introduced a curved metal frame in 1909, utilized by Roald Amundsen during his South Pole journey. The Trapper Nelson pack was developed by Lloyd F. Nelson in 1922. Gerry Cunningham pioneered zippered compartments in the 1930s and transitioned to nylon in 1967, the same year JanSport was established. Currently, 450 million backpacks are sold each year. Ötzi also possessed a 99.7% pure copper axe and bore 61 tattoos.
Key facts
- Oldest known backpack dates to 3300 B.C., attributed to Ötzi the Iceman, found in 1991 in the Alps on the Austria-Italy border.
- Henry Clay Merriam patented a canvas backpack in 1878, inspired by his Civil War service at Fort Blakely in 1865.
- Camille Poirier designed a pack with a head strap for canoe carrying in 1882 in Duluth, Minnesota; the design is still produced.
- Ole F. Bergan added a curved metal frame in 1909; his packs were used by Roald Amundsen on his South Pole expedition.
- Lloyd F. Nelson created the Trapper Nelson pack in 1922, inspired by Inuit packs.
- Gerry Cunningham introduced zippered compartments in the 1930s and switched to nylon in 1967.
- JanSport was founded in 1967 by Murray McCory and Jan Lewis, popularizing backpacks among college students.
- Approximately 450 million backpacks are sold globally each year.
- Ötzi had 61 tattoos and carried a 99.7% pure copper axe.
- Ötzi's last meal included ibex, red deer, single-grain wheat, and animal fat.
Entities
Artists
- Ötzi the Iceman
- Henry Clay Merriam
- Camille Poirier
- Ole F. Bergan
- Roald Amundsen
- Lloyd F. Nelson
- Gerry Cunningham
- Murray McCory
- Jan Lewis
Institutions
- Smithsonian magazine
- JanSport
Locations
- Alps
- Austria
- Italy
- Fort Blakely
- Alabama
- Duluth
- Minnesota
- Norway
- South Pole
- Alaska
- Seattle
- Washington