History

70's catalog

Outdoor Products has continued to deliver simple, yet high quality and durable products at reasonable prices. The philosophy behind this approach is formed by its rather unique brand origin.

Famous Department Store

The father of the Altshule brothers, who founded the brand, sold military surplus items beginning in the 1950s and at the start of the 1960s he launched a retail outlet called “The Famous Department Store” in downtown Los Angeles.
It was the first department store on the West Coast to carry military surplus items as well as camping products, including RVs, and house equipment for repurposing military tarps into camping tents and backpacks. In the 1970s, the store was such a hit that it had to move the dedicated RV sales floor to another location, but the Altshule brothers noticed that there was a gap in their product lineup.
They did not necessarily overlook this aspect when purchasing; rather at the time no one offered durable, reasonably priced products for everyday use by outdoor enthusiasts.
As a result, using their equipment for repurposing military tarps, they launched the brand Outdoor Products in 1973. This led to a rather unique compilation for their initial lineup that included backpacks, sleeping bags, boot covers, rain ponchos and other items.

Famous Department Store

Although simple to make from essentially two sheets and minimal sewing, the “452” used highly durable cordura® fabric and YKK zipper. Together with a similarly made duffle bag, the “452” was sold in university coops across the United States during the mid 1980s. Its popularity grew to the point where the company had licensing agreements with all of the major professional sports teams in the MLB, NBA, and NFL

Factory

The “452” is a true masterpiece completely free of excess design language that paired perfectly with any fashion for people of any age.