Third Annual Carry Awards :: Carry Hall of Fame Results

1st Place

CamelBak Hydration Backpack

Is it really 25 years? Before CamelBak thought to put an IV bag in a tube sock, water was something we kept in bottles and only accessed occasionally. While water bottles worked well enough on smooth surfaces, they were a nightmare for trail-riding and countless other pursuits where you didn’t want to take your hands off the controls.

Since those first CamelBaks, the evolution has been rapid. Better nozzles and access, better bladders, easier cleaning and now countless packs and housings to keep them in. But the design fundamentals are still remarkably similar, which speaks to how well those first solutions understood the challenges.

From dirt trails to race tracks, and ski hills to military exercises, CamelBak have changed the way we hydrate forever. They’ve launched an industry, created an awesome carry brand, and helped millions keep their concentration on their chosen pursuit.

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Highly Commended

These are the pieces that just missed out, and in most cases, by the smallest of margins. To them, we award a High Commendation. The below were of outstanding quality, displaying fine craftsmanship and design flair. With honour, we bow our heads in the upmost respect and kudos. If this were a dias, they’d be biting their teeth into silver medals, while their flags were hoisted into the horizon – a feat not to be overlooked. And I’m sure they’ll be back, to take it one notch higher, next year.

BabyBjörn

BabyBjörn’s first baby carrier, the “Hjärtenära” (Close to your heart), was released in 1973. BabyBjörn collaborated with paediatricians to develop the carrier as a tool not only to help with carrying a child but also one that would encourage physical closeness between parents and babies – and in so doing, strengthen the parent-baby bond. BabyBjörn added a sense of fashion to the functionality of baby carry and did much to popularize the “front pouch” style of carrying. Today, the design of the current Baby Carrier Original is based on BabyBjörn’s first baby carrier.

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Karrimor Whillans Alpiniste 1964

An iconic pack released in 1964 that massively influenced Britain’s outdoor industry and pack designs. Mike Parsons from British outdoor brand Karrimor created the pack on request from Don Whillans, a renowned British rock climber and mountaineer. In addition to its innovative design, the fact that the pack was also widely available in color (a reddish orange) also made it stand out from the many packs that were utilizing surplus army fabrics at the time.