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When it comes to travel ski gear, there are plenty of options to choose from. Many of our favorite brands make quality duffels and backpacks, but when we stop to look around, it sometimes feels like we all have the same stuff. “Wait, is that my bag or yours?”
If you want to separate yourself from the crowd, you’ve got to step outside the box. Take Jossi Wells for example, who travels with the likes of Louis Vuitton. I doubt his bags get mixed up with his travel companions’ very often. While we can’t all afford to splurge on designer labels, we can be unique, and Frost River bags are a great option in that regard.
Based in Duluth, Minnesota, the company has been producing handmade softgoods since 2001 and has a pack, duffel or accessory for just about any application you can think of. All the pieces are made using domestic materials, such as leather from the S.B. Foot Tanning Co. in Red Wing, Minnesota, which has been in operation since 1872. And the backbone of all of Frost River’s products, the water resistant Martexin Original Wax canvas, that comes from the Martin Dyeing and Finishing company, which has been in business since 1838.
From travel luggage, to wallets and laptop sleeves, each piece in the line is handcrafted at the Duluth operation, where customers can peer into the workshop to see the leather getting cut and prepared before being sent to the second floor for assembly. Once there, artisans cut, clamp, stitch and rivet all the materials, molding them into products that exude old world character. The durable feel of the gear is supplemented by a classy look, brought on by solid brass buckles, snaps and D-rings.
Frost River produces over 150 different products (not including specific sizes) that range from duffel bags to dog bowls and everything in between. Accessories start at around $40 and luggage such as heavy duty duffels start at $140. For complete pricing and to browse the entire collection, head on over to frostriver.com.
