Osprey Joins New Ambassador Program for 
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers

Cortez, CO – December 5, 2013 – Osprey, a leader in creating top-quality, high-performance, innovative packs to comfortably and efficiently carry gear, has joined with other leading industry brands, including Vasque, NEMO Equipment, Leki and Darn Tough, to form the Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Ambassador Program. 

Spearheaded by Vasque, this new program will help ambitious thru-hikers reach their goal of completing the iconic 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail in its entirety through product support and VIP treatments. It will also provide a platform for sharing the thru-hiker’s tales from the trail with the general public. 

“The Appalachian Trail thru hiker puts a lifetime of use on their gear in a single season. They have long represented one of Osprey’s most important sources of product feedback, as we strive to make the best packs available to withstand the challenges of the trail,” said Sam Mix, Osprey Packs Outdoor Marketing Manager. “We’re excited to team with these exemplary outdoor companies and the AT thru-hiker on the launch of the AT Ambassador Program in 2014.”

Thru-hikers who would like to apply to be part of the AT Ambassador Program should visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NSDLDZ5. Applications will be accepted up until December 15, 2013, when the brands will begin evaluating candidates to narrow the team down to a predetermined amount of thru-hiking representatives. 

Final candidates will be announced on January 14, 2014, and the general public will be able to track the stories and adventures of all the AT Ambassadors via Vasque’s new website, www.findoutwhatswithin.com, which will be live in February 2014.

As an ATAmbassador, the thru-hikers will receive products and support from all of the brand partners. Once the ambassadors have been selected, brands will hold educational sessions with the thru-hikers to ensure they can answer questions from other thru-hikers about the products. 

Additionally, Osprey and the other brand partners will have a VIP lounge for the AT Ambassadors at the Appalachian Trail Days event, with massages, food, drinks, music and more. The brands will also present one additional VIP treatment further along the trail to show support for the ambassadors. 

Osprey, Vasque and the other brands involved in the AT Ambassador collaboration hope to expand the program to include thru-hikers attempting other long distance trails throughout the United States in the coming years. 

Osprey Packs

Independent, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, and still anchored by the design genius of company founder and owner, Mike Pfotenhauer, Osprey Packs has long set the standard for creating innovative, high quality gear carrying equipment. The collection includes packs and bags designed to help adventurers enjoy their outdoor, biking and travel pursuits.

The location of company headquarters in Cortez, Colorado, near the rugged San Juan Mountains on the edge of desert canyon country, provides a constant inspiration and a superb testing ground for Osprey products. Osprey also maintains a product development office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, near the factories where they manufacture their products, ensuring face-to-face relationships and transparency with their suppliers. In 2009, Osprey opened a design office in Mill Valley, California, a hub of design talent and the birthplace of mountain biking. All three of these offices play a crucial role in creating Osprey gear that lasts a lifetime.

To celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2009, Osprey launched the All Mighty Guarantee, an enhancement of a lifetime warranty that was already one of the most robust in the industry. Free of charge, the company will repair any damage or defect in its product – whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday. Every Osprey product reflects the company’s commitment to protectthe wild places its customers love to explore. For more information, visit www.ospreypacks.com.