History of Dakine

Dakine began in 1979 on the north shore of Maui. Rob Kaplan was first a surfer, but he was also a tinkerer who loved to make things. Soon, surfers were coming up with their equipment problems - usually broken surfing belts. After he had repaired enough belts, he started looking for a new kind of belt. The development in gear design helped windsurfers sail faster, jump higher and surf in more intense conditions. They established Dakine as one of the most trusted brands in the sport. While Dakine would maintain a presence on Maui, the headquarters moved to the mainland. Hood River was also at the foot of Mount Hood, where snowboarders and skiers from all over the world trained during the summer. Now, not only were we talking to some of the world's best surfers and windsurfers, but we also had world-class snowboarders and skiers coming in and out of the office. It was one of those snowboarders who led us to the first Heli Pack. He had come down from the mountain and walked into Dakine with a request: he needed a backpack that was only essential for his helicopter trips to Alaska. Dakine created a custom pack that had everything he wanted and nothing more. That favour for a friend ultimately turned into one of our most iconic products ever.