These are the earliest Tupilak samples we have: third prototype in-house mock-ups. Despite the pins and webbing shoulder straps, the basic pack shape and many of the style lines are now becoming established. The Grappler™, cowl and internal roll-top are all in the early stages of evolution, but the DNA is there. It’s a slow start.

These are the first two packs we made which underwent significant testing: one with IFMGA Mountain Guide Matt Stygall, who used it full-time for six months of guiding and his own expeditions, and the other was thrashed by every staff member who needed a pack to use. While great packs, the required attention to detail wasn’t there and the lighter of the two fabrics wasn’t deemed tough enough. We changed fabrics, we changed factory: we underwent another huge round of prototyping and testing.

This is, now at Prototype 25, the first model which we deemed close to being finished. Many of the features are now confirmed and finalised, but numerous other details lacked refinement. This pack’s larger cousins were used all over the world by our Pro Team members Uisdean Hawthorn and Tom Livingstone. Further improvements were made until we made the best packs that either of them had ever used. A further ten prototypes were required to get from this prototype stage to the production models.