featured gear

  • Co-founders Nathan Ackerman and Austin Gongos

  • Engineers by training, Trampers by trade. We hiked on the PCT with our first homemade backpacks in 2018 and decided that we had something more to offer the Ultralight Community. We put our degrees to use by making gear that rides the line between lightweight and durable.

  • The Workshop

  • All products are made in Hancock, MI, a small town in Michigan's Upper Penninsula.

  • Our Custom Ultralight Frame System

  • We use carbon fiber arrow shafts for our frame stays. They are lightweight, strong, and readily available in most trail towns. On his flight to California, the airline broke all of Nathan's frame stays but he was able to buy new arrows and cut them to size before hitting the trail. He even carried an extra in case this happened again (it did not) and was then dubbed the trail name Robin Hood.

  • 3D Printing for Rapid Prototyping and Innovation

  • Our frames are secured with 3D printed brackets of our own design using biodegradable plastics. Our 3D printer allows us to design and manufacture new plastic hardware to incorporate into our designs. This is how we created a robust bracket that secures our frames onto the bags with as little weight as possible. The frame is easily removable if desired.

  • Quality Materials Yield Quality Products

  • Our products are made mostly of X-Pac (VX21). Originally developed as sailcloth, X-Pac exhibits high tear strength and abrasion resistance, both of which are key for a long distance backpack. X-Pac is comprised of four different layers laminated together. The materials include durable ripstop nylon on the outside for abrasion resistance, polyester strands to improve axial strength and stop tears, a PET film layer to make the fabric waterproof, and a taffeta backing to protect the PET.

Co-founders Nathan Ackerman and Austin Gongos

Engineers by training, Trampers by trade. We hiked on the PCT with our first homemade backpacks in 2018 and decided that we had something more to offer the Ultralight Community. We put our degrees to use by making gear that rides the line between lightweight and durable.

The Workshop

All products are made in Hancock, MI, a small town in Michigan's Upper Penninsula.

Our Custom Ultralight Frame System

We use carbon fiber arrow shafts for our frame stays. They are lightweight, strong, and readily available in most trail towns. On his flight to California, the airline broke all of Nathan's frame stays but he was able to buy new arrows and cut them to size before hitting the trail. He even carried an extra in case this happened again (it did not) and was then dubbed the trail name Robin Hood.

3D Printing for Rapid Prototyping and Innovation

Our frames are secured with 3D printed brackets of our own design using biodegradable plastics. Our 3D printer allows us to design and manufacture new plastic hardware to incorporate into our designs. This is how we created a robust bracket that secures our frames onto the bags with as little weight as possible. The frame is easily removable if desired.

Quality Materials Yield Quality Products

Our products are made mostly of X-Pac (VX21). Originally developed as sailcloth, X-Pac exhibits high tear strength and abrasion resistance, both of which are key for a long distance backpack. X-Pac is comprised of four different layers laminated together. The materials include durable ripstop nylon on the outside for abrasion resistance, polyester strands to improve axial strength and stop tears, a PET film layer to make the fabric waterproof, and a taffeta backing to protect the PET.
CTUG

Chicken Tramper's Mission

Here at Chicken Tramper, we strive to make durable and lightweight gear for people who love wild places as much as we do.

Our hope is to help get more people outside and instill passion for the natural world. We want our customers to love the gear they buy from us and to be part of our mission.

We want to keep wild places wild and encourage trampers everywhere to practice "Leave No Trace". For more information on LNT practices, please visit lnt.org.

Our Story