Bryce Thatcher, innovator and inventor of hydration “packs”, is a dedicated adventure and endurance athlete who’s record ascent/descent of the Grand Teton of 3:06 still stands after 25 years. In 1986, he founded Ultimate Direction, which became the market leader for the ultra-endurance athlete market. He later sold this business to Sierra Designs of American Recreational Products where he worked until 2003. He then, co-founded Elite Creators, LLC. In 2004, he went to work with Penguin Brands, Inc., and Nathan Sports Products until 2010.

Bryce has worn his own packs for many of his own adventures: as a two-time All-American cross-country skier; while participating in an MSOQ adventure race in Lijiang, China; while pioneering “fast packing” on a record-setting run of Highline Trail in Wyoming’s Wind River Range; while making a record sub-9 hour self-supported solo ride of Utah’s, 103 mile White Rim Trail and in winning his Idaho and Utah State Cycling Time Trial titles. He is an avid trail runner. He has also created specialty packs for other great athletes specifically for their individual quests.

Bryce will always aspire to be an extreme endurance athlete. Not only because he loves pushing his limits but also because he feels it is key to keeping up with the evolving needs of the athlete and in furthering innovation and design. His ideas come to him in practice and develop intuitively from concept through marketing, in practice.