The Underrated Camping Brand Often Overshadowed By Coleman

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The story goes like this: In the early 1950s, a man named Dick decided to fashion his own backpack. He loved to hike with his wife, Nena, in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range, and wanted to design a backpack that he would personally prefer — light, ergonomic, and durable. Dick worked out the details in the garage of his Glendale home, while Nena did the actual needlework. Together, they created a small line of prototypes and sold them to fellow outdoors enthusiasts. More than seven decades later, Dick Kelty is still remembered as a pioneer in modern backpack design, thanks to the company the couple founded.

Kelty products are available around the world, but their impressive origins are overshadowed by the ubiquitous camping brand, Coleman. Now headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, Kelty reportedly has about 40 employees and earns roughly $22.7 million in revenue each year, compared to Coleman's 900-plus employees and hundreds of millions in annual sales. Kelty produces the kinds of equipment you might seek out at REI or Outdoor Gear Exchange (and Amazon, of course). You can also find Kelty at all-purpose box stores like Walmart and Target, but the general consensus is that Kelty makes more refined products, with upmarket prices to match.

"Kelty is more specialized and they have a repair policy, although both offer limited warranties," notes a Redditor on a thread about the two companies' tents. "Coleman tents are inexpensive for a reason. It also doesn't offer a full size rain fly. It just uses an awning. That alone makes [Kelty] a better choice. It should also last longer." That said, if you're the type to look for camping supplies at Dollar Tree , Kelty might not be your brand — or fit your budget. 

What started off as a series of homemade backpacks has evolved into a diverse catalog of outdoor goods. Backpacks remain a flagship product, but Kelty also specializes in tents, sleeping bags, and folding outdoor furniture. Kelty has a generous warranty program, and products have a reputation for lasting years. This does mean a higher price point: a simple Grand Mesa tent made for two people typically costs around $150, while a Coleman equivalent is more like $65. This disparity suggests very different priorities. Coleman might make you feel like royalty (especially at those prices), but Kelty will do you much better in the long run. 

Kelty's reputation for quality comes from their materials and design. Kelty was incorporating nylon fabrics and aluminum frames at a time when other companies were still making camping gear out of canvas. Kelty engineered padded shoulder straps and hip support that most backpacks didn't have. Today, natural down is a sleeping bag material known to keep you warm while camping in the cold, which is a Kelty specialty. As writer Mike Knispel wrote for Carryology: "The Kelty Pack changed [the traditional] equation. Suddenly, a weekend backpacking trip was accessible to average people."

Kelty products may also appeal to customers concerned about sustainability. The longevity of their bags and tents means you'll purchase fewer replacements over the years, and the company claims to use recycled materials and limit PFAS chemicals in production. Kelty helped found the Conservation Alliance in 1989; In collaboration with other companies, Kelty has raised more than $29 million for nonprofits with a conservation focus.