I initially had a frustrating experience related to a missing waist belt and lack of clarity on the product listing. I want to update that after working directly with the team at Frost River. They followed through and made it right. The waist belt arrived as promised, and it's exactly what I expected. I also received clear clarification that the belt is intended more for stability than true load-bearing, which helped set appropriate expectations for how this pack is designed to perform. More importantly, I want to acknowledge how this was handled. Richard and the team took the feedback seriously, made meaningful updates to their product page to prevent future confusion, and went above and beyond with thoughtful extras and a handwritten note. That level of accountability goes a long way. The pack itself is outstanding--top-tier craftsmanship, materials, and build quality. In the end, they stood behind both their product and their customer, and I'm glad to be keeping it. read more

This is a pretty cool store, really gives you the rustic outdoorsy feels as you walk in and look around. Quality made products that also have some serious appeal to them as well, very nice looking and feeling. An easy store to get lost in, not lost as in cannot find your way but lost in the enjoyment of browsing and shopping. Some items are a tad on the speedy side BUT, you get what you pay for here. read more

Couldn't be happier. Richard was more than just helpful he demonstrated the differences in the paddles we were purchasing. Which was very appreciated. We also purchased choppers with liners and he demonstrated those as well. He was professional engaging and friendly. Richard made the purchasing experience informative, quick and easy. I really love going into a store and spending less than 30 minutes. read more

We had just had ice cream next door and decided to pop by Frost River as there was an open doorway between the two places. I didn't find what I was looking for but the staffer their did aid me as best he could. He was also quite knowledgeable about the store, their products and more. Had they had what I needed, I would have happily bought there. Most everything they sell is not only made in Duluth it's made in-the-store. Great super-local place to shop. read more

Frost River - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

Gayle is not a nature girl. In fact, her idea of roughing it is having to stay at a Best Western when the Westin St. Francis is full. Hence, she's happy to let me go off on my Earthwatch trips to those "cold and horrible" places, while she plans her next luxury getaway. I was recently reminiscing about 2 trips I made in College to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), and how I'd love to go again while seeing a little of North Shore Lake Superior along the way. Here immediate reaction was that I should feel free to do so, while she relaxed at some Lutsen-area resort. One way to dream about my next BWCA trip is to browse through the Duluth Pack or Frost River catalog, while consulting a good map of the area. Both businesses are out of Duluth, and offer reliable goods for your next hunting, fishing, canoeing, or other outdoor adventure. And their goods are made locally or in other parts of the good old US of A. The Frost River actually exists within the BWCA. With large and small lakes, beautiful falls, winding streams (and beaver dams), tough portages, canoeable rapids and adventurous options, this area is one of many inspirations for Voyageurs-related exploration and discovery in this magical area of the US/Canadian border. My guess is that Frost River was initially started by folks that split off from Duluth Pack. It also looks that Frost River hit some hard economic times in 2008 and has recently been reborn with either new owners and/or infused capital. J.W. Hulme in St. Paul recently went through a similar process. The biggest difference that I see between the 2 is that Frost River's version of their offerings includes a sturdy waxed canvas and leather combination that is hard to find outside of C.C. Filson in Seattle. This particular combination does a good job of both repelling water and allowing the fabric to breathe. I recently purchased some storage accessories and found the quality and practicality to be excellent. And if you look further within their online store, you'll be presented with may other great (and guaranteed) choices of canoe packs, tents and tarps, luggage, briefcases, shoulder bags, cabin accessories, tote bags, day packs, fishing and hunting stuff, bike Bags, and winter wear. And like Gayle, they will all improve with age and look great in camouflage. read more

Has a large selection of well made bags and rucksacks made with treated canvas and leather. Also carries some shirts, hats and hoodies. Nice little shop with friendly people. Great place to check out. read more

Frost River - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

These guys make some great stuff. I have ordered a couple bags and other odds & ends and everything has been top notch. The canvas and leather bags are hand made and absolutely amazing. On the three trips I have taken with my new duffle, I have had positive comments with several comments on one trip and people asking where they could get one. I travel often and no one has ever said anything about my bags before... Unlike Jason B, my customer service experience has been great with everything being packed nicely in the box (wrapped in brown paper with a Frost River sticker, like at the butchers) and all three orders have been shipped the day ordered. Also, my single return was non eventful. Highly recommended! read more

Frost River - Packing for a weekend trip. - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

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really ?? you're that excited about a WEEKENDER ?? actually, yes. put a FLITE BAG from FROST RIVER on my CHRISTMAS wish list this year and finally got to take it out for a spin. flew to NYC for a week of hanging out with my twenty-something son who was graduating with his masters from COLUMBIA. packed an astounding amount of stuff in my FLITE BAG including my pillow (always sleep better with MY pillow and NEVER travel without it), my MACBOOK, a couple books and a week's worth of clothes. everything fit with room to spare. extremely well made, well detailed and durable. really impressed with the quality of the design and workmanship. also, a very handsome bag that was made in the good, old USofA. read more

I'm not going to lie -- I'm a Duluth Pack loyalist. So I've never even set foot in the Frost River store until this visit, when the people I was with insisted on going in. The store itself was different than I imagined, selling Frost River bags of course but also a variety of other outdoors and camping items. I will admit, I had more fun shopping there than I thought I would. I guess that'll teach me to have an open mind! The staff there was friendly and answered all of our questions knowledgeably. The bags were nice, but honestly I would probably still buy a Duluth Pack over a Frost River bag. Maybe I'm just biased. Still, that said, I did enjoy the stop and might be convinced to come back again. One thing that I absolutely loved was the work by a local blacksmith that was on display by the register. That was really cool and I could definitely see myself coming back just for those items. read more

This company does not respond via email to international buyers, I sent multiple emails with no response. If there is a warranty issue it's unlikely to be rectified. read more

The weekender valise is gorgeous and functional. I had initially placed a wrong order for carry on valise. Emailed frost river and Dawn called me back asap and fixed the order. Great customer service. Would order again. I also have a Manitou. Love it as my daily carry. read more

I bought the medium-size duffel for a trip to Iceland. It was billed as a carry-on, but when I got to the airport it was clearly not going to fit in the cabin, and I had to check it. When I tried to return the bag they would not accept it because it was used. They told me to sell it on Ebay or such. It's a good quality bag, but just not what they said it was. Oh, and when I tried to post a similar review on the company's website it was not approved. So the company is doubly untrustworthy. I will not deal with them again. read more

Frost River has some handsome bags, but their customer service was an abomination. Trying to return a bag for an exchange led to "Mark" firing off several snarky emails to me. I find that the sign of a poor organization, and for that reason they've lost my business. I suggest that you take caution with this company. read more

Frost River - This is how your bag gets shipped by the folks over at Frost River. - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Duluth, Minnesota

I ordered the Curtis flight bag as a gift for my fiancé. I added the leather shoulder pad with buckskin. He needed a nicer duffel to travel with, and he loves it. I was disappointed in the packaging though. It arrived folded up and stuffed in a mailing envelope. I was expecting a box or something a bit nicer. Delivery was disappointing, but the bag is nice... read more

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Top shelf. 1st quality goods that will last for generations. The folks at Frost River blend tradition, tried and true design with some functional twists to create outstanding products. Add in top shelf customer service and you have Frost River. On a Monday I ordered a Field Satchel...so what is special about that? I needed/wanted a modification to the bag. They were genuinely happy to accommodate the request at a "very" minor charge for what I requested. I assumed when I made the request it would take a couple weeks to get the bag in and out of production. Nope. they shipped the bag on Wednesday and I received it on Saturday. These folks may not be the biggest, but they are the best. read more

I'll admit I have a sickness. I bought one Frost River bag and was smitten with the craftsmanship, seductively utilitarian waxed canvas, and sweet sweet smell of S.B. Foot leather. Mayhem ensued. I bought a canvas lunch bag, keychain, dog leash, dog collar, and workshop apron. I still haven't gotten my fix and I am convinced that a flight bag is the only sane solution. All I know is Filson better watch out because Frost River can make some awesome goods. read more

Frost River makes some of the best soft goods out there. I LOVE their stuff! The quality is the best I've ever seen and the customer service is impeccable. I worked with Dawn Moen to get some things exchanged (wanted 2 smaller bags rather than the one bigger one I purchased) and it couldn't have been easier. Great Quality, Great People! My brother and I can't stop browsing their site for our next bag! Would recommend this company to ANYONE. I will be a Frost River LIFER! read more

Got a higher- priced, more fashion conscience Ernest Alexander overnight bag for Christmas. It has a liner in the bag, and more pockets. Made in the USA, Very nice, but overpriced. This was my first waxed canvas bag, and I really liked the material and the look. Started looking for other waxed canvas pieces for my wife and me, and ended up with a garment, flight, and duffel from Frost River. Very well made, and a great price and value, bags are spacious (But unlined), functional durable and lightweight. also, the dark brown canvas does not show very much wear when you have to check a bag ( those annoying black streaks from the baggage claim equipment ).lifetime warranty, made in USA are all pluses. Hopefully the last bags I will ever buy. read more

We saw their products at a Christmas show in Edina, and I decided to return the second weekend alone to make my purchase a surprise. To my dismay Frost River wasn't there the second weekend, so I contacted the set up person as I couldn't even remember the company name and I was determined to purchase the waxed canvas lunch tote. It was a big hit with my husband, and then the brass grommet, which holds it closed came off, falling into the bag (so we have it) but rendering the bag useless. Upon contacting the store, I was informed that even though it's 2 months old, (and was more than $50) there was no warranty in place. I would need to incur costs in order to get it fixed - both for shipping each way, and also if repair was needed. If it was determined to be a 'brass hardware malfunction' I would only need to pay for the shipping. Very disappointing, as it is a very cool bag, but I'll be sticking with Duluth Trading Company from now on. read more

Horrible customer service and impractically designed goods. I bought a heritage black vintage pack for my fiance for Christmas 2017. We live in Seattle and so the waxed canvas a selling point. We have many other waxed canvas garments and bags, all of which work fine here. She just started using the bag recently, that is the reason for the delay. I called to speak with customer service a few weeks ago to inform them that the bag is poorly designed since the sides of the bag flop open/ out beyond the cover/ top flap. We tied a piece of cord between the rivets to prevent this, which makes getting large items in and out of the bag very difficult. Also, the front part of the opening droops out beyond the top flap/ cover if you don't have the bag filled with just the right amount and shape of items. This is a big problem because rain then pours into the main compartment AND rolls into into it from the hood. When I called customer service, they said that since it was past 30 days since purchase, there was nothing they could do/ I couldn't return it. After pressing them, I eventually got through to the product designer who offered to send me a bag liner and that would solve the problem. A week later the bag liner came and to my dismay, it was a large plastic bag, thinner than a ziplock. My fiance was very put off. I tried calling them back and emailing them and they said there was nothing they could do. I bought this expensive bag thinking I was buying from a made in the USA high quality goods company with world class customer service. Neither of those things turned out to be the case. I would highly recommend sticking with Tanner Goods, Duluth Pack and Filson. They all make bags that are actually high quality in the USA AND have great customer service. read more

Best backpack I've ever owned, and I sent it in for repair after wearing it to pieces for years. it came back good as new. Awesome customer service over the phone. read more

Durable, water resistant, and comfortable. When I wanted a modification, they were happy to work with me. The service was excellent as is the quality of workmanship. I pay for the product, not the name, and my pack is worth every penny. read more

I waited over four weeks for one bag. I get that production takes time, but in this day and age of Internet sales, I firmly believe a business has the obligation of notifying their customers if an order will take some time, especially over two weeks. Instead, they claim a generic statement they put in their website and emails "In stock items will be shipped right away. If we need to build something for your order, we'll get it on the list and out to you as quickly as we can." is sufficient notification. In other words, "your order may take time but we're not telling you for sure so you can just wait and maybe you'll get it soon, maybe you won't." So I canceled my order. When I told the store why, I was given "well, you could have asked." Yes, but the store could and should have told me. What was I supposed to say? "Sorry, your present isn't here yet. It may or may not get here in time for your trip." read more

I've recently purchased 3 different Frost River items, all nice looking and well made. BUT! All three showed some shortcomings in design. A firewood carrier used loose wood dowels as a handle, Loose enough that every time it was sat down to load the dowels moved out of place and had to be put back. It would be so easy to design a way to secure them. A shoulder bag had a strap that was much too short, they were willing to make a short piece to put in but that doesn't change the fact that it was much too short to begin. A bag like this was intended for things like birding and carrying gear and it doesn't work well to get in it or carry it when it's so high on your body. Last was a bike seat bag, nice size and concept but had a really weird gathering system for bag under the flap, no cord was included and it doesn't work without a cord and no instructions as how to lace it, The bag is also large and begs for a place to fasten it to the seatpost, It's just too large to sway and flap. Now when I asked about the issues and suggested improvements I was told "that's the way we always made it" How shortsighted can you get, essentially saying we're not interested in improving out designs, In short I've found the same snarky customers service others have mentioned, They need to be willing to take suggestions and admit that anything can be improved, read more

not impressed with shipping method arrived in a plastic bag, quality so-so, not as good as duluth pack

I had my eye on the Frost River Highway 1 Panniers for some time. I received them for Christmas, 2014. They are definitely beautiful and I was able to securely affix them to the top of the rack on my bike with the help of some twine. But I never felt like I could get the leather straps that attach to the bottom of the rack very tight despite the fact that I had them pulled as tightly as I could get them. The bottom of the bag always swung a bit, especially if there was a heavy load. I didn't think much of it, but sometimes the corner of the bag would rub briefly on a spoke after going over a bump. One day I had a tupperware full of food in bottom of the bag and I went over a bump and the whole thing got sucked into my brand new rear wheel, throwing it out of true and bending the rack and ripping a large hole in the pannier. I just don't think the design of these panniers is very good. I called the company and they were not rude but they clearly had no interest in letting me return them. They said they would fix them but I would have to pay, and had nothing to say about the design. I got the sense that others have complained about the same thing because they said they have helped other customers punch holes in the straps to make them tighter. I don't think that would have prevented this. I would definitely steer clear of these panniers. I'm out nearly $200 and even if I got these repaired I would not feel confident using them again. read more