Hidden Gems: Meet Kelly Belknap of Adventurist Backpack

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Belknap. 

Hi Kelly, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My wife Matilda and I started Adventurist shortly after college almost 5 years ago in 2017. Because Matilda is from Sweden, our lives consist of traveling back and forth between the U.S. and Sweden pretty often, and owning a good backpack is of course really important for flights, travel, etc. 

We married young at 23 and 19 years old, and being straight out of college we didn’t have much extra money to spend after booking tickets to Sweden or elsewhere (we’re definitely both travel bugs at heart and try to visit new places as often as possible), so when we first started looking for backpacks for our own travels, we noticed that there were really only 2 categories of backpacks – “high end” backpacks with good branding that cost upwards of $150-$200, or budget backpacks that you could find at Target, Office Depot, etc. and weren’t as good quality or fashionable as we were hoping for. After researching the backpack design/manufacturing process, we realized that branding was the only real reason that certain companies had such high markups – it was still extremely possible to design a backpack using high quality, water-resistant fabrics that could last a lifetime (or at least a good chunk of it) and not have to charge an arm and a leg for it. 

Not having any major plans after graduating, we decided to give starting our own company a shot, and Adventurist Backpack Co. was born. Fast forward 5 years, and it’s been an adventure to say the least. We’ve designed 5 bags in total since our launch, and have been fortunate enough for Adventurist to be featured in Outside Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Teen Vogue, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, and many other publications. We sell our backpacks on our website as well as seasonally with Urban Outfitters, and have teamed up with companies such as Google, Microsoft, and HBO Max in order to supply their corporate gifts or for events such as Google’s International Women’s Day conferences in NYC and Chicago. 

On the other side of Adventurist, we work with Feeding America in order to provide 25 meals to families in need across the U.S. for every backpack purchased. Since our launch, Adventurist has provided nearly 200,000 meals via food banks, after-school programs, and soup kitchens. You can find out more about the history of our social mission, and the details of our fight against food insecurity on our website www.adventuristbackpacks.com. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a bumpy (but fun!) road for sure. We basically had zero business experience, and everything along the way has been a learning experience. From designing our first backpack to working with a manufacturer, and learning how to market and sell a product – we’ve definitely had our fair share of anxiety working our way through these things, but in the end, it feels great to learn something new and feel confident and capable in our abilities moving forward. It’s been a big mix of trying new things, as well as figuring out what works so that we can keep replicating them and growing. 

We’ve been impressed with Adventurist Backpack Co., but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Adventurist Backpack Co. we design minimalist backpacks for travel, hiking, and everyday adventures. We offer high-quality, weather-resistant backpacks, and bags with a lifetime guarantee, all of which are less than $100. 

All of our bags are completely water-resistant, made with ultra-durable 1000D polyester and vegan leather, and are padded front and back for increased protection for electronics, camera gear, or other valuables. 

Each design blends the natural aesthetic of Matilda’s home country of Sweden, with the utility needed to explore without worry. During any adventure, rain or shine, we’ve got your back. 

We are proud to be a partner of non-profit Feeding America and to help the fight against food insecurity across the U.S. 

For every backpack sold, Adventurist provides 25 meals to families in need. 

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
We love living in Colorado, and as a native Coloradan, I don’t think I could ever live away from the mountains. Being in such close proximity to both beautiful nature as well as an awesome city (with so many great options for food/concerts/entertainment) definitely makes it our favorite place to be, and somewhere we plan to call home for as long as possible. 

Pricing:

• Adventurist Classic – $65
• Sidekick Crossbody – $39
• Weekender – $85
• Safari – $55

Contact Info:

• Website: www.adventuristbackpacks.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/adventuristbackpacks

Image Credits
August Sandstrom
Alexandra Kentsdottir