Though she had worked for the company and knew the products, there were other facets of industry that she just didn't know about. Getting a handle on the financials was only the beginning. Since 1991, she has faced the closing of Tough Traveler retail stores, the skyrocketing costs of being a U.S. manufacturer and fierce competition. Even the quality of her own products has caused challenges. Their durability keeps customers from having to replace them.
Gold sees it as a mixed blessing.
Customers tell me that they often had to replace backpacks two or three times a year before they bought one of ours. Tough Traveler was founded in 1971 when Goldstein, himself an avid outdoorsman, became frustrated with his backpack options. He designed a lightweight but strong pack for himself and, pleased with the design, began to market it to local retailers. He got an order for six of those original packs, hired some help to manufacture them and never looked back. Today, the company's line of products includes not only luggage and hiking equipment, but also bags for musical instruments, briefcases and laptop cases, and a line of emergency medical bags used by emergency medical technicians and paramedics.