About Us

Conceived on the Trail. Born in the garage. Tested in the elements. 

I’ve been an outdoor enthusiast for well over a decade. My first big solo adventure took me across America—from Oregon to Indiana and back (a random route, I know)—and it sparked a passion that’s taken me camping and hiking across Japan, through Europe, China, and countless wild camps here in my home region of Cumbria, England.

Over the years, one thing became clear on the trail:less is more. The longer you're out there, the more you realise what gear truly matters — and what just adds weight. I learned the hard way that buying cheap or average gear usually means buying twice. Quality gear may cost more up front, but pays you back in reliability, performance, and peace of mind.

And if you’re based in the UK, you’ve probably shared my frustration: while the ultralight gear scene in the US is thriving, Dyneema® Composite Fabric (DCF) products are hard to come by on this side of the Pond. Every time I’m over there I find myself envious of the selection available to American hikers — especially when it comes to minimalist, high-performance gear made with DCF.

So, I started making my own.

Raptor Packs was born in the garage, where I began crafting ultralight dry bags for personal use. The proof of concept came while hiking a section of the Cumbria Way with a great friend — in twelve hours of relentless heavy rain. At the start of our hike I gave him a prototype DCF roll-top dry bag to protect his sleeping quilt. By the end of the day, his other non-DCF dry bag made by a well-known outdoor gear brand failed.  The contents of that dry bag became wet.  The down sleeping quilt stored in the Raptor Packs prototype? Bone dry.

That was the moment I knew I had to share this gear with others.

Every Raptor Packs dry bag is now handmade in England using Dyneema® Composite Fabric, with tape-sealed seams for the highest level of water resistance, ultralight D-Flex hardware, and a clean, minimal design. It’s gear made for people who count grams, seek out backpacking adventures, and want gear that works —no matter the weather.

Thanks for checking out Raptor Packs. I hope our gear serves you well, wherever the trail takes you.

— James

Founder, Raptor Packs