In 1929, Jørgen Jørgensen, a Norwegian outdoor enthusiast, began his search for durable outdoor equipment to perform in Norway´s harsh and rugged land. Today, four generations later, Norrøna is still a family-owned and run company. This is Norrøna´s history.
In 1929, Jørgen Jørgensen, a Norwegian outdoor enthusiast, began his search for durable outdoor equipment to perform in Norway’s harsh and rugged land.
Starting with simple innovations such as leather straps, canvas backpacks and cotton clothing, he set Norrøna’s direction: To search for the best in technical advancements and to create the ultimate performance products.
Today, four generations later, as traditional mountain life broadens, we are still a family-owned and run company based near Oslo, Norway. We inherit from our forefathers our passionate commitment to advance the boundaries of product function, with design-bred solutions to equip you with the highest-grade, weather-protective gear for your outdoor needs.
We control the ultimate detail with the promise to bring you excellence through experimental, technical perfection assisted by our dedicated testers. From concept to creation, our in-house team of designers and craftsmen are compelled to stretch the edges of innovation. We build touchstone products, establish construction techniques, and redefine the meaning of fit, fabric, function, and finish, based on our design principle of Loaded Minimalism™: great products made as clean as possible with all critical details.
Our drive for practical purity produces pioneering benchmarks. We created the original mountain tunnel tent, devised the standard monitoring system for backpacks, and were the first company to use Gore-Tex® in Europe.
Whether you climb, tour, telemark, ski or snowboard, our wide range of apparel, backpacks, and accessories salute the spirit of Norrøna to ensure its high-end, performance-driven products continue to work and inspire with integrity, innovation and above all, technical function.
Our vision is “Welcome to nature”, and we do this by executing our mission; creating the world’s greatest outdoor products and offer unique adventures through responsible business.
This is the beginning of our history.
1929
On the 29th of April, Jørgen Jørgensen starts up J.J Norrøna Sporting goods and leather factory. The ambition is to make outdoor products with the highest quality. This is the first building block of our company
1948
The company management is taken over by Bjarne Jørgensen, the second generation Jørgensen to lead the company.
1950-60
Norrøna is now a corporate company and complements trading in garden furniture and camping products. The Norrøna collection now consists of clothing, packs, tents, sleeping bags and accessories.
1971
Company management is taken over by Ole Jørgen Jørgensen, the third generation Jørgensen to lead the company.
Tomas Carlstrøm, climber, visionary, engineer and founder of Skandinavisk Høyfjellsutstyr is employed as a freelance product developer. Focus is directed towards active development of backpacks and mountain tents, as well as mountain garments. Functionality is now introduced as the second building block of the company, with the extreme user-driven product development.
1972
Norrøna introduces Ravneskar, the world’s first tunnel tent with front and rear openings.
1973
The introduction of the Stetind climbing backpack. Norrøna takes part in the expedition wave and introduces the Hadeng La backpack.
1977
Norrøna makes the prototype of Europe’s first Gore-Tex jacket
1979
The first winter climb of “Jubileumsruta”. On the trip, a prototype of the Trollveggen suit is tested. The first winter climb of “Svenskeruta” in Trollveggen is climbed by Hans Christian Doseth and Håvard Nesheim.
1980
The Stetind backpack with an anatomic carrying system is launched.
1982
A sleeping bag collection is developed.
1984
The “Great Trango Tower” expedition with Hans Chr. Doseth, Finn Dæhli, Dag Kolsrud and Stein P. Aasheim. Norrøna supplies a large number of garments and backpacks for the expedition
1985
Norrøna gear is used on The Norwegian Mount Everest expedition led by Arne Næss and The Mount McKinley expedition with Jan Westby and Stein P. Aasheim. Carl-Emil Petersen crosses Greenland on his own, with the Norrøna Arktis cotton garments.
1987
Norrøna presents its first hunting products.
1990
Erling Kagge and Børge Ousland used the Norrøna Arktis cotton garments on the Norwegian North Pole expedition.
1992
Erling Kagge goes solo to the South Pole with Norrøna Arktis garments. Per Einar Bakke, Willy Gautvik and Arild Vegrim are the first people crossing the Arctic Ocean from Siberia across the North Pole to Canada, bringing all supplies with them. For this extreme challenge, they chose shell clothing from Norrøna.
1993
Norrøna produces the first generation of the finnskogen hunting set in Gore-Tex, which later revolutionizes the waterproof hunting clothes market.
1995
The launch of the Norrøna Telemark jacket and pants in microfiber, which represents the first ski products from Norrøna.
1998
Norrøna launches its first Gore-Tex skiing products, the Colouir jacket, and pants.
1999
The Trango Pulpit expedition led by Robert Caspersen, Per Ludvig Skjerven, Gunnar Karlsen and Einar Wold. They wear Norrøna clothing and backpacks.
2000
Norrøna implements its third building block; design. Their building blocks now consist of quality, function, and design.
2001
The Norrøna collection now includes products designed for Ski/Snowboard, Multisport, Mountaineering, Outdoor, Hunting and Military.
In 2002, Norrøna summarizes their design philosophy to: Loaded Minimalism™. A philosophy that reflects their drive to design clean products with all critical details. They launch the world’s lightest PacLite jacket, and the first Gore-Tex PacLite generation 3 is developed in cooperation with Norrøna.
2003
With the launch of the vestveggen Gore-Tex XCR jacket, Norrøna is the first in Europe.to introduce jackets with glued zips.
2004
The launch of the lofoten concept takes place, introducing a radical new direction for freeride skiing. Could boldly colored Gore-Tex jackets and baggy skiing pants be a success? Yes.
2005
Jørgen Jørgensen, the fourth generation Jørgensen, takes over management of the company. Norrøna goes international and has its first stand at ISPO Winter 2005.
2006
Robert Caspersen is the first to ascend several peaks at Queen Maud Land. Børge Ousland reaches The North Pole, field testing the first edition of the svalbard Pro Shell.
2007
Børge Ousland´s expedition in Nansen’s footsteps to Franz Josefs’ land, tests and perfects the svalbard Pro Shell set. Norrøna launches the new lofoten collection, including the lofoten Pro Shell One Piece.
2008
fjørå (mountain biking), bitihorn (lightweight trekking) and /29 (lifestyle) collection are launched.
2009
The lyngen and svalbard collections are launched, including the signature svalbard Pro Shell set developed by Børge Ousland. Norrøna opens its first store in Oslo.
2010
The trollveggen and narvik concepts are relaunched, featuring the new trollveggen Gore-Tex pro Shell jacket, which wins the Red Dot products design award, 30 years after the first edition was launched.
2011
Norrøna opens its first store outside of Norway, in Stockholm.
2015
Norrøna´s CSR road map is launched. The company believes in full transparency. Norrøna donates 1% of sales to causes and organizations working to promote sustainability and environmentally friendly initiatives. Sustainability is the 4th building block of our company. Norrøna opens a partner store in Chamonix, France.
2017
The skibotn collection for freeride mountain biking and the unstad collection for arctic surf are introduced.
2018
At the Textile Sustainability Conference Norrøna is on the leaderboards of the 100% Club of Organic Cotton and the 100% Club of preferred down. Norrøna is also racing to the top with a number 2 on preferred wool and with a number 5 on recycled polyester
2019
Norrøna joins the organization Fashion for Good. Norrøna also opens its first store in North America in Boulder, Colorado. In December, the second American store is opened in New York City. What a way to celebrate our 90-year anniversary!
2020
A new chapter within Norwegian adventure travel begins as Norrøna and Hvitserk of Norway become one, creating Norrøna Hvitserk Adventures. Uniting Hvitserk’s 40- year adventure travel experience and Norrøna’s 90-year traditional craftsmanship traditions in outdoor gear results in a new player in the field of unique outdoor adventures in Norway.
2022
Norrøna launches their first ever trail running collection, senja. Specialized gear for trail running for all season use and any weather
2022
Located in the shopping street Sendlinger Strasse 24 in the heart of the Bavarian Capital, Norrøna opens a 400 square meters Flagship Store in Munich.
2022
Norrøna´s CSR work and roadmap is extended and our 10 goals for the future are shared with the launch of our 2029 Responsibility Roadmap.
2022
The launch of Norrøna Podcast – a place where we inspire and facilitate great adventures through storytelling.
2023
Norrøna acquires the luxury mountain bike hotel in Telemark, Norway, Norrøna Canvas Hotel.
2023
The launch of femund collection. A collection of timeless outdoor essentials, inspired by our heritage. Versatile, comfortable and long lasting, a natural element of the Norwegian “friluftsliv” lifestyle. Named after the beautiful and rugged area in central Norway, the perfect destination for the dedicated outdoor adventurer.
“Norrøna has had many different outdoor collections over the past 20-30 years: Amundsen, Nansen, svalbard, bitihorn and, recently, a collection simply called Norrøna. The idea with this last collection was to offer products that fit into all the other collections – into the core of outdoor life. But since we called it Norrøna, it was a bit difficult for people to understand the concept behind it.
Now we have taken the best from the bitihorn, svalbard and norrøna collections, renewed the design, thought anew about colors and added a wide range of new products. The result is Norrøna femund.”
Jørgen Jørgensen, 4th generation owner and leader of Norrøna
2023
Ambassador Hedvig Hjertaker becomes the youngest woman in the world to ski alone to the South Pole – at the age of 28.
2023
The opening of Norrøna House – an ideal hub for outdoor enthusiasts. The remodeled headquarters in Lysaker, Norway includes: Event spaces, an auditorium, a Flagship Store, and Norrøna’s first bar and café.
2024
With an average distance of 51 km per day, Vincent Colliard covered 1140km in 22 days, 6 hours and 8 min and broke the speed record to the South Pole. Read his interview here.
2024
In one of Boston’s most renowned shopping, dining, and entertainment districts, Newbury Street, we welcomed our 4th store location in the US Norrøna Concept Store Boston.
2024
As part of our mission to create the world’s best outdoor products and unique nature experiences, we announced that we are now planning to establish a small nature hotel for outdoor enthusiasts. Read more about Norrøna Senja and register your interest.
2024
Norrøna enters into a partnership with Bellona on the establishment of the Center for Marine Restoration.
Here, the environmental foundation will collaborate with researchers, technology developers, businesses, and local communities to address one of Europe’s biggest ecosystem crises. Read more about the partnership.
2024
Norrønas’s newest collection for freeride and durable touring, møre, hits the sweet spot between all our ski and snowboard collections.
Not just because our lyngen products have become increasingly lighter and the lofoten products increasingly more robust, but also because we want to explore an entirely new design direction.
The result is a lightweight, yet durable collection for freeride and ski touring.
2024
We announce the expansion of our adventure travel offerings with the upcoming launch of our unique sail yacht, Varg.
Imagine a vessel where stunning design meets the natural beauty of Northern Norway. With room for 6-8 travelers, we invite you to experience the perfect blend of adventure and luxury. Intrigued? Read more about Varg.
2024
December 19th, 2024 we opened our brand new Norrøna Concept Store in the heart of Zürich, at Löwenstrasse 32.
“Switzerland is an incredibly important market for us. We already have many satisfied customers in Switzerland, but both they – and we – have been missing a Norrøna Concept Store that offers our unique range and all our various collections for skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering, hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and surfing”, says Jørgen Jørgensen, fourth-generation owner and leader of Norrøna.
Visit Concept Store Zürich.
