1980, American physicist Ron Gregg had trouble climbing Mount McKinley. His mountaineering companion was invaded by ice and snow because he used a poorly designed snow cover, and his legs and feet were frostbitten more and more seriously. The companion was finally rescued by helicopter, and the mountaineering operation was suspended, but Ron immediately began to find a way to solve this problem, so as to avoid a recurrence of the tragedy in the future. As a result, a practical and warm snow cover -X-Gaiter was born, which can be used with various hiking boots. With the advent of X-Gaiter products, outdoor research company (hereinafter referred to as or) was established in 198 1.
operational research
As the name of OR implies, Ron has been focusing on researching solutions for the past 20 years, providing outdoor sports enthusiasts with practical equipment, such as his early development of anti-ice water bottle Parka and the first outdoor adventure first aid soft bag.
In the first ten years after the company was founded, it grew rapidly because of vigorously developing outdoor gloves, hats and snow covers. 1984, modular Mitts fingerless gloves once again caused a sensation in the industry. Moonstone velvet lining fixed with nylon fastener, GORE-TEX shell, "fool lanyard" to prevent gloves from losing, and multifunctional design to adapt to changing environment made it surpass other fingerless gloves at that time. Climbers who have been moving for many days can dry their gloves at night and put on dry gloves when they start climbing during the day. Seattle wide-brimmed hat rain-proof wide-brimmed hat, which came out in the mid-1980s, is OR's best-selling GORE-TEX fabric hat and has become a classic product still in production. Brooks Ranger Overboots, published in 1988, has been accompanying many explorers to challenge the world peak and polar cold environment for twenty years.
grow up
In the 1990s, the tentacles of innovation were extended to new areas. After a few wet and uncomfortable nights on a trip with a camping bag, Ron decided to innovate this portable camping equipment. OR's camping bag adopts a double-pole system, which provides multiple spaces, including the position where the head looks up at the starry sky, so that habitual outdoor insomniacs can enjoy it.
Or other products talked about by outdoor enthusiasts include crocodile snow cover, waterproof bag, female functional clothing named Wild Rose, soft shell gloves, the earliest soft shell coat in North America and WINDSTOPPER fleece hat, which won the Editor's Choice Award of BACKPACKER magazine in 1999.
With the growth of business volume, OR company moved its factory and office to Seattle, the Silicon Valley of outdoor brands, and opened a retail store to display a full range of products. In the early 1990s, the US government noticed OR's expertise and R&D ability, and OR immediately became a supplier of high-quality gloves and hats for the US military.
At the turn of the century, or ushered in an important stage of product structure adjustment, it has a series of products for men's wear, outdoor accessories and lightweight camping. After 20 years, it has grown into a trustworthy outdoor brand in the hearts of outdoor lovers all over the world. The newly added clothing products have made or taken an important step forward. Or no longer limited to the production of world-class outdoor accessories, but to provide users with products with good functionality and comfort from head to toe and from inside to outside.
postpone
On March 17, 2003, Ron and a friend were killed by an avalanche while skiing in British Columbia, Canada. The bad news shocked his family, friends or team, consumers and industry. As a core leader, Ron founded, operated and influenced his OR company. Even on the day of the avalanche accident, Ron was still testing new products. His death made the future of OR company confusing.
After months of weighing, Ron's heirs decided to sell or the company. Among many interested buyers, an outdoor sports enthusiast and a successful entrepreneur decided to accept the challenge and continue to write or a new glorious history. He is Dan Nordstrom, a Seattle native who has just retired from his famous North American retail family business. He is a hardcore skier, cyclist and mountain climber, and also a hardcore or product user. In June 2003, Dan Nord stron became the new owner of the operating room. In times of crisis, or escape being swallowed up by giant enterprises and disappear, innovation passion and outdoor bloodline can be maintained and developed.
wake up
Under the leadership of Dan, OR Company has regained its vitality after a short depression. The key is to adhere to Ron's creative passion and dedication to provide real functional solutions for human outdoor exploration activities. Since the summer of 2003, all departments of OR Company, from product development to customer service to marketing and logistics, have been adjusted and optimized. All product categories have been thoroughly split, and classic products have been upgraded and improved. Seattle straw hat won the editor's choice award of BACKPACKER magazine in 2005, and many second-generation classic products emerged, such as Altimets, Alibi gloves, DryComp Summit Sack, NightHaven, LightHaven, M's chaotic jacket, M's fanatic jacket, W's Enigma jacket and W's Solitude pants. Men's wear and women's wear are unified under the OR brand, which has become the focus of the company's research and development.
In 2003, the Lab Rat scheme was implemented for users. This scheme establishes a communication channel between product developers and end users, and thousands of users submit their feelings about their OR products, which has a great impact on the development trend of OR products. According to many feedbacks, the independent products were improved and a series of products were developed. The success of Lab Rat shows an important idea that OR insists on: We believe that our products can be improved infinitely by listening to and adopting every true and clear opinion of users on each product.
Adventure design, the core of OR brand concept, is vividly displayed in the functionality of OR products.
The glORy of or will continue.
In the winter of 2008, OR brand officially entered the China market. As the general agent of OR Chinese mainland, Shenzhen Himalayan Trading Co., Ltd. first set up a special counter for OR products in Beijing, and will expand widely in the industry channels, extending the glory of OR brand and products to the China market.