BORN IN BEND: Rooted Deep in the Ultimate Outdoor Playground

"Born in Bend."

One of the most important phrases heard around the sprawling Packasport corporate office (just kidding, our office isn’t sprawling, nor is remotely corporate). So, what do we mean when we say, "Born in Bend?”

Well, Bend is a central Oregon city populated by 106,000 wonderful humans and this is where Packasport was first conceptualized, then later brought to life. The company was headquartered in Bend from 1993 to 2006 before moving corporate offices and manufacturing to the Eugene area, about 140 miles west of Bend.

There's good reason a place like Bend gave rise to a rugged, rooftop cargo box like Packasport. It's the lifestyle.

Bend is just 21 miles to Mount Bachelor, a ski area with 101 runs and more than 3,300 feet of vertical. The Deschutes River, a paddling, rafting and fishing all-star, runs through the heart of town. It's close to Smith Rock, known as the birthplace of American sport climbing. A mere 90 minutes from Bend is the McKenzie River bike trail, with a reputation as the best single-track mountain bike trail in North America. Not to mention, there are hundreds of miles of less famous tracks are in and around town.

Bend and Packasport are so closely aligned, that the parking lot at Bachelor is where a former operations manager of the brand found inspiration for redesigns and new products. The employee, reportedly, took his direction by looking at the vehicles parked in the lot owned by skiers and snowboarders.

As much as Bend residents (Benders? Bendenites? Bendonians?) love the outdoors, they love Packasport, too.

In a 2012 story in the Bend Bulletin newspaper, a local rack dealer noted that in the town, Packasport boxes adoring rooftops are so ubiquitous that people can "walk on 'em."

Maybe you long to live in a place like Bend (note: real estate prices have skyrocketed there since the COVID pandemic began: the average house price now tops $550,000), or maybe you’re just a visitor. Either way, when deciding on which cargo box to choose for your needs, it's good to know Packasport's DNA is derived from a place defined by active, healthy lifestyles – and we’ll NEVER forget that.