Brand Spotlight: Mammut

 Mammut Climbing and Outdoor Gear

A Proud Swiss Ropemaking Heritage 

Mammut has established a strong reputation as one of the leading alpine brands in the world. From carabiners, slings, helmets and belay devices; to mountaineering boots, technical clothing, packs and sleeping bags, Mammut makes high-performance climbing and outdoor equipment for the toughest adventures. Mammut is a major climbing brand, yet the origin of the company can be traced back to a small, traditional ropemaker in Switzerland. In 1862, Kaspar Tanner began making his own ropes in Dintikon, Switzerland, after finishing a 3-year apprenticeship and spending a few years in Germany honing his craft. He soon moved to Lenzburg, built a covered ropewalk for all-weather production and in the 1890s, brought his son Oscar into the business. This family run company, with a passion and commitment to building quality ropes, was the basis for the Mammut brand. 

The company grew over the next few decades and though it changed from a small family business to a large corporation, their focus on producing world-class ropes never wavered. In 1943, the Mammut brand was established. The company was named "Mammut," after the German word for mammoth, which symbolizes power and strength, two attributes important for climbers and their gear. The original logo, which eventually evolved into the iconic image of a mammoth emblazoned on the brand's clothing, footwear and tags, was adopted around the same time. This symbol was and remains to be appropriate, as Mammut's longtime mission is to produce high quality, innovative climbing hardware, ropes, and outdoor gear that is strong enough to withstand the rigors of Alpinism and climbing. 

Innovations in Rope Technology

Mammut's core focus has always been on ropes, so many of their innovations have been related to rope performance and construction. They have released revolutionary and celebrated ropes, such as the "Mammut Argenta", a nylon yarn glacier rope in 1952; as well as the "Mammut Everest," which was their first braided rope with a kernmantel construction in 1958. In 1964, Mammut reached new heights in the climbing rope industry, when they released the "Mammut Dynamic." The "Dynamic" was the first ever single rope to receive certification from the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation or UIAA!  Mammut has been a major player in climbing rope manufacturing since climbing first began to gain popularity as a recreational activity. While they have gained widespread visibility as an outerwear brand, as well as a larger stake in the climbing market with their carabiners, harnesses and other hardware, Mammut is still a committed to producing the best and most innovative ropes available for all types of climbing.

"Mammut Dynamic" Single Rope

Applying Climbing Expertise to Other Products

By the late 70s, Mammut had grown into a major climbing rope manufacturer and had the production and financial means to branch into the growing market of waterproof technical outdoor clothing. They began by introducing the "Altitude" line of Gore-Tex jackets and pants in 1978. This line was a success, and helped create momentum that led to a decade of high-performance clothing and gear production throughout the 1980s. In 1981, Mammut released a line of sleeping bags and additional clothing items, followed by innovative softshells, fleeces, thermal baselayers, harnesses and carabiners in 1984. At the of the 1980s, Mammut acquired a smaller company who specialized in manufacturing packs, as well as other companies with outdoor gear production resources and factories, which allowed them to expand and begin manufacturing new products. In 1995, Mammut released the "MammutExtreme" clothing line, as well as their first full line of packs.  

 By combining with or acquiring various outdoor gear manufacturers, through the years, Mammut has been able to successfully foray into new territory. Mammut utilized the experience and manufacturing knowledge of Ajungilak sleeping bags to build their own sleeping bag lines, as well as to incorporate innovative insulation technology into jackets and vests. They also took over the esteemed Raichle footwear brand, which moved the classic boot company back to its home country of Switzerland. Raichle footwear technology, design and vision lives on today in Mammut's hiking boots and mountaineering boots.  This commitment to clothing, climbing hardware, harnesses and other camping gear —in addition to their primary focus on rope manufacturing— has continued to shape the identity of the Mammut brand.

Mammut Today

 Today, Mammut continues to produce industry leading climbing hardgoods, harnesses, technical apparel, camping gear, footwear, and of course, ropes.  Mammut has been a leader in dry-treated climbing rope technology, pioneering technology like SuperDRY, which is applied to both the sheath and the core of a rope to repel dirt and water, as well as COATINGfinish, which also minimizes friction within the construction of the rope and increases durability. SuperDRY is available in all-around single ropes like the 9.5 mm Swiss Rope, the 9.2 mm Revelation, the 10.0 mm Sensor Duodess, while COATINGfinish can be found on technical ice, alpine and performance sport ropes like the 7.5 mm Twilight half rope and the Genesis 8.5 half/twin rope. Mammut approached dry-treatment technology with the same focus on quality and performance that they have brought to rope design for 150 years. The result is that Mammut now produces some of the most reliable and effective dry-treated ropes for any type of climbing.

Additionally, Mammut brings a strong commitment to sustainability to climbing rope production and design. In addition to supporting environmental and social improvement projects, participating in a public transportation initiative  at its headquarters in Switzerland and striving to use sustainable and low impact materials, Mammut ensures that all of their ropes are climate neutral. Mammut offsets all emissions generated during rope production by funding the construction and maintenance of  greenhouses and small hydroelectric generators in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas, which facilitates growing crops during the harsh winter months and reduces the need to transport food to the region. Mammut also strives to use recycled materials in their products. The 9.8 mm Transformer rope and Transformer slings are manufactured entirely from high-quality leftover yarns that are usually disposed of due to color variations. Both Transformer products are high quality, and feature unique multi-color designs as a result of the recycled yarn.

Outside of climbing, Mammut has also pioneered Airbag technology for ski and snowboarding packs. These bags are equipped with an airbag that inflates with the pull of a cord in the event that an avalanche breaks loose while skiing or riding in the backcountry. The inflated airbag keeps the wearer above the sliding snow, therefore preventing burial or blunt trauma from unavoidable hazards underneath the snow. The Mammut Ride RAS Airbag pack and other Mammut ski and ride packs are equipped with this amazing technology.

The Mammut Ride RAS Airbag Pack, 22L

Mammut also continues to make high performance technical alpine apparel, hiking and climbing packs,as well as hiking and mountaineering boots.  Decades of climbers and Alpinists have trusted Mammut to produce the gear that protects them in the mountains. They bring the same level of attention and commitment to quality to clothing, footwear and packs that they have always brought to ropes, which results in the production of some of the finest gear available for adventures in the mountains. 

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