Seattle-based entrepreneur and inventor of the modern backpack, Murray McCory, died last month at the age of 80.

He brought lightweight packs to millions of students and transformed the way they carried their textbooks to school.

After the death of Murray McCory, a founder of the outdoors equipment company JanSport, readers recalled how their backpacks served them on life’s journeys.

Murray McCory, a free-spirited outdoorsman who co-founded the rugged gear and pack company JanSport, designed a widely ...

The company's first product, the adjustable aluminum-frame backpack, revolutionized hiking equipment and set the foundation for what would become a global phenomenon. Over the decades, JanSport ...

That’s small enough to fit in a backpack! Getting the folding mechanism to work took some extra effort, with the non-linear Z-axis requiring special attention in the firmware. The printer runs ...

Learn more As a high school teacher, I've seen school backpacks in all states of disrepair, so I know how important it is to find a bag that is durable enough to be used day in and day out.

Whether you need to take a laptop to work or don’t want to be without it on vacation, the best way to keep it safe while comfortably carrying all of your essential gear is a quality backpack.

Murray McCory, who founded JanSport while a student at UW and whose lightweight backpack, revolutionized school life for millions of students, died Oct. 7 in Seattle.