The story of ORTLIEB began in the spring of 1981. As young Hartmut Ortlieb was cycling across the lush green hills of southern England, the heavens opened, soaking his clothes as well as the contents of his bike panniers through and through.

Right then, a truck rumbled past him. While the rain was falling hard on the tarpaulin, the cargo remained dry. One thing is certain: this event is directly related to the birth of the first waterproof ORTLIEB pannier. The frustration of another night spent in a soaking wet sleeping bag was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, thus setting the creative process in motion. As soon as he came back home, Hartmut started designing a bag made of red truck tarpaulin and sewed it together himself on his mother's sewing machine. The flap was fastened with a piece of strap from a saddler and he purchased a few hooks at the local hardware store to attach the self-made bag on his bicycle.

Hartmut kept making improvements. More and more friends and acquaintances began showing real interest in his unique inventions and asking Hartmut to make a set of panniers for them. Soon the demand for his panniers became too high for a one-person operation, prompting friends and family to lend him a hand. In 1982, the ORTLIEB company was founded.
Through continuous innovation, the company has been growing at a rapid pace. ORTLIEB is now synonymous with durable, waterproof bags and backpacks. Ever since ORTLIEB was founded, all products have been produced exclusively in Germany and the goal has always been clear: anyone planning to spend their free time in nature should not have to worry about a factor they cannot control: the weather. Sure, nothing smells better than a fresh rain shower, provided that you and your gear stay dry!