Frequently Asked Questions

You will receive an email immediately once your order is entered into our system. This means we are either grabbing your goods off the shelf or handcrafting your gear right in our Duluth, Minnesota store!

Once your item has left the building, you will receive a second email with tracking information and the carrier that will be delivering your package.

For expedited shipping, you will need to call our store before placing your order as we may not have your items in stock and will need to get to work right away on your handcrafted gear. 

Any orders received Friday afternoon through Sunday will not be processed until the following Monday (we're a family-run company, after all).

Heck yeah, we consider donation requests! We try to help out as many benefits and/or non-profit organizations a year as we can because we believe in giving back. To be considered, you need to fill our our philanthropy form*. We will review the information and get back to you as soon as possible. 

*It is important to submit the form at least a month in advance to allow for consideration.

We believe that quality handcrafted softgoods only start with quality materials. That's why all of our handcrafted packs, bags, and accessories are made from American-made, waxed cotton canvas, premium leather from Red Wing, Minnesota, and rugged hardware in classic, solid brass. 

The best way to care for your Frost River waxed-canvas bag or pack is to give it a life full of outdoor adventure! However, in between expeditions, our tough, enduring packs are easily pampered with these care instructions. 

Got a rip or a broken strap? Check out our repair care below. 

At Frost River, we pride ourselves on being a sustainable, renewable energy company. A repaired pack saves precious resources, so it goes without saying that we'll work with you to repair your Frost River gear as much as we can. 

After all, we build packs by hand and can take them apart and rebuild as needed. We can add patches, swap components, and help keep your trusty bag ready for your next adventure. 

Don't have a Frost River canvas bag? No problem. We can, and do, repair other canvas goods as well—just not during the busy holiday season. 

Drop us a line if you’d like a quote – frinfo@frostriver.com.

Well, that depends on which one you're looking for.

The actual Frost River is a remote waterway in the east central region of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, known for its variety and appeal to the adventurous. 

Frost River is also the name of our family-run workshop and store located in Duluth, Minnesota where all the “reliable softgoods” are made. 

Does a bear (you know what) in the woods? Heck yes we offer a guarantee! A lifetime guarantee to be exact—your pack will hold together as long as you keep working to wear it out. 

Get the specifics (and fine print) of our Guarantee.

Our packs and bags often run larger than expected. We have a pretty easy-going return policy though. Keep it fresh, try your new bag indoors before bringing it outside. As long as it’s new and in unused condition (as long as we can put it back on the shelf and sell it as new) we’ll exchange sizes and/or models with you. You’ll need to pay for shipping on your own though… Find more details on our Order Information Page.

Hey, we hear ya'. It costs a lot to make good stuff in this country. Which is why we work hard sourcing premium raw materials at the fairest prices. 

We also pay our employees honest, living wages to make reliable goods you can use for a lifetime. 

Our prices are all based on what goes into ‘em, not the maximum we think folks would pay. It’s an honest way of doing business.

That's because our goods don't go on sale. We don't run gimmicky sales because we believe that it's better to price goods right from the start. Please be careful of the websites that pretend to offer Frost River coupon codes, they are not real.

Read more on why we don't discount our goods, here.

Every once and awhile we open up our online pop-up, FrostRiverTrading.com to sell some of our one-of-a-kind, pre-patinaed and repaired goods at special prices. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know about the opening of our virtual pop-up shop.

We stand behind what we make and are proud to partner with other small businesses to offer Frost River gear to stores around the country and around the world. Visit us here to learn about setting up a wholesale account for your brick and mortar store. We make good stuff—you won’t be disappointed.

Let's put it this way, we make reliable handcrafted softgoods. We don't work in politics. So in a word, no, we do not take sides. Our owner, Chris Benson, feels it is important to provide employees the opportunity to express their individual opinions but has steadfastly maintained that Frost River as a business remains neutral on political issues.

The Boundary Waters is a beloved, Federally protected Wilderness in Minnesota. Our namesake stems from this magical outdoor adventureland (see “Where Is Frost River?” above to learn more). The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness inspires not only our customers but many of us here at Frost River—it's one of the important wild spaces in which many of us like to recreate and recharge in nature. 

Not to mention, Frost River started out by making canoe packs, purpose-built for the BWCA, and it’s a regional mecca of canoeing and deep woods. It’s part of our heritage, and we love it!

Easy! We’re right at a crossroads between Interstate 35 and Highway 53. Following either northwest (53) or northeast (I35 to Highway 61) will get you closer to the border and closer to canoe country. Check out maps or give us a call for more specifics!