MSR began in the spring of 1969 as the Mountain Safety Research newsletter written by founder Larry Penberthy, an engineer, inventor, and mountaineer. While independently testing safety gear for The Mountaineers nonprofit, Penberthy found that some climbing equipment failed at lower loads than their advertised specs.
Penberthy began independently evaluating climbing equipment and innovating ways to make it safer and easier to use, publishing his findings in his Mountain Safety Research newsletter and using the proceeds to support his fieldwork.
Soon after the company began designing and building its own climbing equipment, and in 1969 introduced MSR’s first-generation Snow Fluke anchors, a pair of Edmont cold-weather gloves, an Auto Belay Device that added shock absorption into a belay system, an ice screw that could hold 3,000 pounds, and a 10.5-millimeter double-braid climbing rope.
Today, MSR offers shelters, stoves and cookware, snow tools, water treatment, snowshoes and poles. It is owned by Cascade Designs, the parent company of MSR, Therm-a-Rest, Platypus, SealLine, and PackTowl outdoor brands.
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Contact
Mountain Safety Research
Cascade Designs Inc.
4000 1st Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
USA
(206) 505-9500
(800) 531-9531
fax:
(206) 682-4184
blog: The Summit Register
MSR In the News
Congratulations, Zalman, Our MSR Winter Gear Winner
Congratulations to Zalman from Portland, Ore., winner of an MSR Evo Snowshoe Kit, WindBurner Duo stove, and Operator snow shovel, thanks to MSR ($450 value). Read more
January 1, 2019
A Brief History of Outdoor Insulation: Essential #3
To celebrate extra clothing (#3 of the 10 Essentials), we looked at the origins of some classic outdoor insulation: wool and polypro baselayers, down and synthetic jackets, and ever-popular fleece. Read more
June 19, 2016
MSR Solo Stove, Tough Tufto Pants, UTMB Ultra Pack
A solo stove from Mountain Safety Research, bomb-proof scrambling pants from Bergans of Norway, and a super-niche ultra running pack from CamelBak: new gear was practically popping out of the booths on the second day of Outdoor Retailer. Read more
August 8, 2014
Origami Stove, Rocket Snowshoes, Toasty Rain Coats: OR Day 1
An origami-inspired stove, a snow saw with built-in avalanche hazard analysis tools, a carbon fiber snowshoe that weighs less than a paperback, and insulated down-filled rain jackets: more action from Day 1 of Outdoor Retailer. Read more
January 23, 2014
Outdoor Retailer Demo Day: A Winter Wonderland of Gear
Outdoor Retailer's Demo Day was packed with winter gear, including a hybrid touring snowshoe/ski, a ski for your fat bike, and new shovels from MSR. Read more
January 22, 2014
Trailspace Top Ten: Your Best Outdoor Gear
For Trailspace's Best Outdoor Gear List, we turned to you, our community members. We've compiled one ultimate gear list from your 24,000 reviews, featuring your best shelter, sleeping bag, stove, water treatment, multi-tool, light, navigation, trekking poles, backpack, and food and drink. Read more
December 5, 2012
Lah wins Sierra Designs tent and MSR stakes!
Congratulations, Lah! You've won a Sierra Designs tent and MSR carbon stakes for your review of your VauDe Snow Cloud sleeping bag. Read more
July 30, 2012
Outdoor Retailer: Backcountry Camp Gear Preview
From stoves to shelters to headlamps, new equipment promises to make your backcountry campsite warmer, lighter, safer, and more comfortable. Here are a few highlights that make their debuts at Outdoor Retailer next week. Read more
July 28, 2012
MSR SureLock poles offer light weight in aluminum
When retailers saw MSR's new SureLock UL two-section poles, they immediately asked, "can't you do that in a three-section?" MSR did. It's the SureLock UL-3 for fall 2012. Read more
January 21, 2012
Day One: Alpine Gear, Water Purification, an Adult Carrier, and Artisanal Jerky
Highlights from Day One of Outdoor Retailer, including alpine climbing and ski touring gear from Mammut, new water purification from MSR, a PiggyBackPack carrier for kids and adults (!), and seriously artisanal Krave Jerky. Read more
January 20, 2012
Demo Day: Snow and Ice Packs, Tools, Traction, and More
The latest snow and ice gear we saw at All Mountain Demo day included snowsport and mountaineering packs, classic snow tools revisited, traction for winter runs, decadent energy bars, U.S.-made ski socks, and a backcountry pooch. Read more
January 18, 2012
Outdoor Retailer Gear Preview: On Snow
Here's our first OR product preview to whet your appetite. Since it's a winter show, we'll start with some backcountry snow gear. Stay tuned for full show coverage starting January 18. Read more
January 12, 2012
Winter Traction: An Introduction to Snowshoes and Crampons
The biggest difference between three-season and winter hiking is the walking surface. Snow and ice require traction aids such as snowshoes, microspikes, or crampons. Here's an overview of the options. Read more
December 6, 2011
See and Be Seen with Reflective Technology
Reflective technology can improve visibility, convenience and safety as days get shorter. Read more
November 4, 2011
Not-so-new-and-shiny backcountry stoves
While MSR was debuting three new stoves at Outdoor Retailer this month, the company, which has been building camping stoves for nearly 40 years, had a few other interesting models on exhibit. Read more
August 17, 2011
MSR Introduces Three New Stoves
MSR introduced three new stoves at Outdoor Retailer, including the liquid- and canister-fuel burning WhisperLite Universal. Read more
August 7, 2011
Outdoor Retailer: MSR Stoves Go Hybrid and Micro
Cascade Designs has loads of new gear for 2012: trekking poles, sleeping pads, tent accessories, and two new stoves, the small and light MSR MicroRocket and MSR's first hybrid-fuel stove, the WhisperLite Universal. Read more
August 1, 2011
Outdoor Retailer: Platypus, MSR, Therm-a-Rest
New hydration packs, tents, cookware and sleeping gear from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2010 Read more
August 10, 2010
Outdoor Retailer: New snowshoes for winter 2010/11
Read more
January 26, 2010
Outdoor Retailer: Snowshoes
We tested some of the top snowshoes available at the All-Mountain Demo, the intro to Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2010. Read more
January 21, 2010
Snowshoe Highlights: Winter of 2009-10
Trailspace highlights notable new snowshoes for winter 2009/10 and innovative upgrades to existing models. Read more
November 3, 2009
Outdoor Retailer: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
Read more
August 12, 2008
MSR HyperFlow revisited
Earlier this year I reviewed a prototype of the MSR HyperFlow Microfilter. Well, we've been testing a production HyperFlow, and the outflow coupling seems to be much stronger and better-assembled. Read more
August 4, 2008
First Look: MSR HyperFlow Microfilter
The MSR HyperFlow Microfilter, due in stores this spring, is a lightweight, cucumber-sized water filter that utilizes hollow fiber technology to provide remarkably rapid water filtration. Read more
January 16, 2008
Outdoor Retailer Day One: MSR
Read more
August 10, 2007
Integrated Canister Stove Showdown
In the beginning there was the humble campfire. Today the cutting edge of backcountry cooking technology is the integrated canister stove: a compressed-fuel burner mated to a specially designed pot and high-efficiency heat exchanger. We put three systems to the test.
Read more
January 17, 2007
2007 Backpacking Stoves Preview
Three years ago the JetBoil Personal Cooking System changed the way we look at backpacking stoves. It was only a matter of time before JetBoil’s competitors introduced their own integrated stove systems, and two of them made their debuts this week. Read more
August 13, 2006
2007 Tents and Shelters Preview
Check out a few of the new tents and shelters from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market that will debut in 2007. Read more
August 11, 2006
MSR Reactor: Revolutionary Stove System
MSR is claiming the second revolution in stoves with the Reactor, which they’re calling “the fastest-boiling, most fuel-efficient windproof stove system available.” Read more
August 11, 2006
