Mud & Best Hydration Packs

Hey there, I'm Josh, founder and chief gear tinkerer at Orange Mud. Like so many of you, I've spent countless hours running trails, crushing ultras, riding gravel, and racing triathlons. Along the way, I've battled plenty of frustrating hydration packs and accessories that just didn't deliver—bouncy, uncomfortable, or simply unreliable. Modifying store-bought gear helped a little, but it was never quite right. So in 2012, I decided it was time to build something better from scratch.

It all started in my garage after one particularly annoying workout. Fueled by pure frustration (especially with sloppy handhelds and waist packs), I grabbed a gun holster, a tie-down strap, and an old waist pack, tore them apart, and Frankenstein-ed together our very first prototype: the HydraQuiver Single Barrel. A quick test jog later, I knew we were onto something—no bounce, perfect bottle access, built for real adventures. I walked inside, told my wife we were starting a company, that it'd probably cost about $50k the first year, and in the worst case, we'd end up with two perfectly custom packs worth $25k each. Oh, and we needed a name.

I'd always wanted to work my middle name, Clay, into something special (my wife vetoed it for our son's name), so I tried weaving it into the brand. Nothing clicked—until I thought back to my Kansas roots, where mud was just part of life growing up on in the country. "Clay" became "Mud," I paired it with my favorite color, orange, and Orange Mud was born. That same night, I went domain-hunting and snagged about 30 of them. Who knows—someday we might launch a vineyard, build custom bikes, or distill vodka. For now, though, in 2019 we spun up Seven Clay, our in-house embroidery, screen printing, and laser engraving side hustle.

Our Philosophy

It's pretty straightforward at Orange Mud: Create the most efficient, durable, and well-crafted gear possible—gear that solves real problems for everyday athletes like you. We've come a long way since that first bottle-based pack, expanding into vests, backpacks, handhelds, waist packs (yes, even those—now rock-solid and no-bounce), transition gear, and more. But we know we're not the smartest folks in the room, and that's where you come in.

Your feedback, reviews, ideas, and stories drive everything we do. If you've ever thought, "Man, I wish there was a pack that did THIS," tell us. We've turned customer suggestions into reality time and again, and we're always listening for the next great idea.

Thank you for being part of this wild, muddy adventure. Here's to more miles, smiles, and innovation ahead!

—The Orange Mud Team Innovation born from frustration. Gear built to explore, endure, and find adventure.