Backpacking boomed in the early 1970s, driven by innovative products and enthusiastic activists, writers, publishers,‘ movers and shakers’ all. Mike Parsons shares with us an extract from his forthcoming memoir.
memoir extract Mike Parsons
The gear that got us there …. and back!
Backpacking boomed in the early 1970s, driven by innovative products and enthusiastic activists, writers, publishers,‘ movers and shakers’ all. Mike Parsons shares with us an extract from his forthcoming memoir.
A memoir from‘ machine top to mountain top’ by Mike Parsons, formerly Karrimor and KIMM / OMM, celebrating the innovative gear, charismatic innovators, climbers, runners, skiers, backpackers, retailers and photo-journalists, in the second golden age of British climbing, Himalayan exploration and adventure activities for all, 1950-1985.
The UK backpacking boom began in the‘ 70s. A mixture of innovation, new technologies, and people,‘ movers and shakers all’ who got things going and inspired so many. The origins of the hip belt and aluminium pack frame were in the USA in 1948 and the innovation by Camp Trails in the early 60s of low cost, high productivity designs and logistics. These new products were both a threat and later an opportunity for my East Lancs based Karrimor business.
ww " Hello, I’ m Peter Lumley, the editor of Practical Camper magazine." Bright and perky, he differed from the formally dressed trade people. He looked like a real camper, with his wellie boots and his‘ just spent a night out’ attire.
I was exhibiting my Karrimor packs in November 1972 at the COLA Camping and Outdoor Life Association, Harrogate exhibition centre.
This was the era of the family camping boom, reinvented by the French who designed frame tents with bug free inners and Campingaz stoves.
Peter arrived at the show looking like he’ d had a wet night in a tent. To my surprise, he explained, he had just done exactly that! But this was a business trade show and in that period, everyone was dressed formally in a collar and tie, and stayed in a nearby hotel to ensure they looked smart and smelled sweet in front of customers.
A strange contrast. So what was going on I wondered?
A new word,‘ backpacking’, came into the conversation.
“ Do you think the word‘ backpacking’ and the activity will catch on?” Peter asked. He had taken on the challenge of editing the summer focused‘ Practical Camper’ magazine by introducing backpacking to attract out of summer season advertising and broaden the readership.
“ I honestly don ' t know.” I said. Secretly, many of us were doubtful. Tom Waghorn, the editor of Climber and Rambler magazine, opined that“ such an Americanism will never catch on here in the UK.”
But catch on it did, not by accident but driven by a core group of participants around Peter Lumley and others. Writing books and articles, founding the Backpackers Club and creating a new community, generating new ideas, concepts, products, learning new skills. All driven by that ever important factor, enthusiasm!
Peter Lumley wrote‘ Teach Yourself
6 OUTDOOR FOCUS Summer 2025