DAKINE
Dakine was founded in Hawaii in 1979 and currently calls Mt. Hood, Oregon home. They primarily produce backpacks, travel bags, accessories, outerwear, and clothing for people who love to surf, snowboard, skateboard, mountain bike, ski, windsurf, kiteboard, and travel.
Dakine got their start on the north shore of Maui. The founder Rob Kaplan was a passionate surfer but also loved to tinker with building stuff. Word spread about his creative hobby and soon other surfers were asking him to solve their gear problems. Most of the repairs he performed were related to leashes, so he set out to create a bombproof lease that wouldn’t fail. One year later is 1980, they introduced windsurfing’s first adjustable foot strap followed by a waist harness and eventually the sport’s first seat harness. These advancements helped windsurfers sail faster, jump higher, and ride in more intense conditions. It also helped them establish itself as a trusted brand.
In 1986, they moved their headquarters to the base of Mt. Hood in Oregon. Now world-class skiers and snowboarders were coming in and out of the Dakine office along with their standard crowd of surfers and windsurfers. They soon started creating winter specific products starting with the Heli Pack. Fast forward 19 years, they have grown into a huge winter sports and summer sports brand and once again another young sport popped up in Oregon. The sport was mountain biking and it was growing fast. Now groups of mountain bikers would come into the Dakine shop with problems looking for solutions. Request for ways to transport bikes on a tailgate, store a full face helmet while riding uphill, and pack a chainsaw, hammer, and set of loppers up a trail all lead to future products. Dakine backpacks and Dakine bags are some of their most popular products today.
They are responsible for creating the “first” products in many industries. Through the years, their approach has never changed. They want to build gear they are proud to give to their friends who love to be in the water and mountains as much as they do. They understand that if you want to make gear people love, you’ve got to love making it. Unlike most companies who try to look into the future to predict trends, Dakine understands that there are plenty of problems that currently exist which affect the time we spend in the water or on the mountain. They also realize that the best way to discover these problems is to get out in the water and in the mountains as much as possible. They test their new products, improve their new products, and then repeat that cycle season after season.
Whether you’re looking for a Deluxe Pick Up Pad, Hot Laps 2L Pack, Dakine clothing, Dakine mountain bike shorts, or just have a question about any of their products, jump on a call or chat with one of our expert Gear Advisors. You can email, chat, or call them at 951-234-7554 seven days a week. They are always happy to help, Keep Pedaling!!
