ISPO Award 2025: Kathmandu Trailhead Pack Redefines Personal Expression in Outdoor Gear

With the Trailhead Pack, Kathmandu challenges conventions in outdoor gear. Recognized with an ISPO Award 2025, the backpack merges technical innovation, sustainability, and a deeply human idea: self-expression. Designed in Ōtautahi Christchurch, the pack redefines the link between performance and personality. Its most distinctive feature is the badge zone — a seamlessly integrated badge panel that looks stitched on yet allows endless rearrangement. As the Kathmandu design team explains, “This first integrated badge panel in hiking gear: not just an add-on but seamlessly built into the pack. The badges attach to look like they’ve been stitched on yet can be rearranged endlessly to reflect your story and your latest adventure.”

The result is gear that tells a story, not just carries one. Every detail, from ergonomic shaping to soft-touch materials and clean daisy-chain lines, has been designed to feel complete — with or without customization.

Adaptability defines the Trailhead’s design. From city commutes to day hikes and ultralight overnights, it evolves with its user. Modular cords, pouches, and carabiners can be attached along carefully placed daisy-chains in over three million configurations. A dual-access roll-top closure and stowable hip belt make it easy to switch between urban and outdoor modes.

At just 900 grams, the pack is crafted from 100 percent recycled nylon, free of added PFAS. Breathable mesh panels add comfort, while the durable structure and modular system support longevity.

As a certified B Corp, Kathmandu integrates environmental and ethical responsibility throughout its production process. The badge panel uses a cleaner alternative to neoprene with non-toxic, solvent-free adhesives, and the packaging is biodegradable or recyclable. These elements show how sustainability is not treated as an afterthought but built into every stage of the design.

The Trailhead Pack goes beyond function — it celebrates individuality. The badge zone’s soft-touch, three-layer bonded stretch fabric makes personalization intuitive and risk-free. According to the Kathmandu design team, “The badge zone makes personalisation intuitive: badges attach as if stitched or adhered, but without any skills required and without risk of damage.”

Users can adapt their pack to a mood, a journey, or a life stage, even swapping patches with friends. For consumers, it’s a product that reflects who they are. For retailers, it’s a dynamic platform for engagement and repeat sales — each badge or accessory extending the story.

“The Trailhead Pack combines performance with personal storytelling,” the Kathmandu team adds. “Its integrated badge zone and modular accessories turn the pack into a customisable canvas, allowing users to express their identity while staying adventure-ready.”

Even without personalization, the pack remains balanced, stylish, and ready for any setting — a reflection of inclusive, adaptable design thinking.

For Kathmandu, the ISPO Award 2025 acknowledges both innovation and intent. “Winning this ISPO award is a credit to our design team in Ōtautahi Christchurch. It recognises the creativity and care that went into every detail, from the way the pack moves with you to the ways you can make it your own. And we can't wait to share how this product will keep evolving,” says Megan Welch, CEO of Kathmandu.

The Trailhead Pack embodies the evolution of modern outdoor design: a blend of adaptive function, sustainable craftsmanship, and personal storytelling. It’s not just equipment — it’s a companion that grows with every journey.

• PatchPort: Integrated Personalization System
• Adaptive Modular Design for Every Adventure
• Lightweight, Sustainable Performance Materials
• Built for Longevity and Circularity