About Weitläufer
Backpack Manufacture
WeitLäufer
Weitläufer is a manufacturer of ultra-light backpacks founded in 2018 and based in Emmendingen on the edge of the Black Forest. Here the backpacks are developed and hand sewn from the first design draft to the finished series product. High-quality workmanship and the use of robust yet lightweight materials have top priority.
Founder and head sewer is Alex Düren. In addition to his work for the online magazine BergReif, he makes sure that the backpacks are developed and manufactured in such a way that even after a few thru hikes they still can be enjoyed by their owners.
Who's behind this?
philosophy
The Weitläufer backpacks are developed for ultra-light hikers who like to hike for several days or several months with minimal luggage. This could be the 7-day hut tour or the 5-month thru hike! During development, however, it was important that the backpacks were not just trimmed to a minimum weight. Sensible functions and a long service life are just as important.
For this reason, only high-quality and durable materials from established brands are used, which represent an ideal combination of light weight and durability. What applies to fabrics also applies to the same extent to all other components of backpacks. From the yarn used to the buckles and straps.
production
From cutting to size, sewing and shipping, every step is carried out in Germany. All backpacks are 100% "Made in Germany". No model is produced in dark chambers in distant countries under dubious working conditions.
Currently, a large part of the work is carried out by us in the studio itself. The backpacks are therefore manufactured in a small series production. For capacity reasons, we unfortunately do not offer purely customer-specific backpacks. With three different sizes, but a very large part of the back lengths is covered.
biography
Alex is a mechanical engineer and web designer with a soft spot for high quality and handmade outdoor equipment. After working at the Fraunhofer Institute in Halle an der Saale and web agencies in Cologne, he took the plunge into self-employment in 2014 and launched the online hiking magazine BergReif.
So the enthusiasm for the mountains and the (long-distance) hiking could finally take a bigger place professionally. After many long-distance hikes and the crossing of the Alps from Munich to Venice, the longest long-distance hiking adventure to date followed in 2017 with the 1900 km long crossing of the Alps from Vienna to Nice.
Even before his departure, Alex had been sewing ultra-light backpacks for several years. Originally with the goal to get a suitable pack for his tall 197 cm height. With two ultralight backpack prototypes on his back, Alex and his girlfriend hiked for 4 months through the different mountain ranges of the Alps. From the Austrian capital to the French Cote d'Azuré.
After 100.000 vertical meters both in the ascent and descent and countless impressions later, the backpacks still made a very good impression despite their ultralight character. The following year saw the foundation of the Wanderrucksack Manufaktur WeitLäufer.
Do you have any questions about the backpacks or WeitLäufer in general? Then see if your question has already been asked by me under the "Frequently asked questions" was answered.
If not, please send me an e-mail to: info[at]weitlaeufer.de
The workshop in Breisgau
