About Tracks

Tracks walking staffs and trekking poles help you walk smarter. They reduce the impact of each step you take so that weight which is normally carried by your lower body is transferred to your arms and torso, lessening the stress on your legs by 5–10 pounds or more. This means you get more power and traction going uphill, and save your knees and ankles when coming back down. On unstable and uneven terrain, Tracks makes it easier and safer to step from rock to rock, wade through swift currents, and get through slippery spots.

All Tracks staffs are hand-built with high-strength, lightweight anodized aluminum tubing. They are available as single walking staffs and paired trekking poles. Their soft foam handgrip stays comfortable hour after hour, while their adjustable wrist straps aid transfer of weight when walking. All but two models feature a molded flex tip that will bend, but not break, when jammed between rocks. This tip has a durable carbide point for improved traction on slippery logs and icy trails. A compact removable rubber foot fits over the tip for use in soft sandy soil and on city streets. So, wherever your feet take you, Tracks can make the journey easier and more comfortable.

The Cascade Designs® Story

Our History

History may be our greatest asset at Cascade Designs. With more than 30 years under our belt, we have a rare sense of perspective on the outdoor industry. We've seen countless revolutions in gear—in fact, we engineered many of them ourselves—as well as numerous shifts in market trends. Through it all we've stayed ahead of the curve and on top of the game. It's this history that allows us to look on the past with pride and to the future with a thrilling sense of possibility.

The Cascade Designs story begins in the early 1970s, when public interest in backpacking was booming. More and more people were lacing up their boots, hoisting packs onto their backs, heading out into the hills, and sleeping under the stars. Two former Boeing engineers, avid backpackers themselves, had an idea: "Wouldn't it be great," they imagined, "if we could make it more comfortable to sleep out on the cold, hard ground?" So, together they created the world's first self-inflating camping mattress. They called their invention Therm-a-Rest® and their fledgling company Cascade Designs.

Our Brands

Therm-a-Rest quickly became standard equipment for adventures worldwide. But for Cascade Designs it was just the beginning. During the past three decades, the company has grown into a family of brands, offering a wide variety of outdoor products and expanding into new markets. These brands include SealLine®, maker of portable storage products; Platypus®, specializing in flexible bottles and hydration systems; Tracks®, manufacturer of walking staffs and trekking poles; MSR®, a pioneer in innovative backcountry gear; and Varilite™, specializing in wheelchair positioning products.

Cascade Designs Today

Cascade Designs continues to refine existing products and pioneer new ones. Our single-minded dedication to quality has kept us atop the outdoor industry for more than 30 years. Paramount in this area are our in-house design, testing, and manufacturing teams. Because we oversee all elements of production, we can stand behind our gear like no other company, confident that Cascade Designs' are the longest-lasting, most technologically advanced products on the market today.

Not surprisingly, our employees are a collection of enthusiasts who understand the pull of the outdoors and what nature can teach us about ourselves. Our goal is to enhance your experience in the outdoors—whether climbing high peaks, camping with the family, or enjoying time at the park—and we are committed to providing you with exactly what they need to have the best experience possible.