About Orange Mud
A Gun Holster, a Tie-Down Strap, and a Terrible Waist Pack
I'm Josh, and I started Orange Mud because I was tired of fighting my gear.
After years of running trails, crushing ultras, riding gravel, and racing triathlons, I'd had enough of hydration packs that bounced, leaked, and got in the way. Modifying store-bought gear only got me so far. So one night in 2012, after a particularly frustrating workout, I walked into my garage, grabbed a gun holster, a tie-down strap, and an old waist pack—tore them all apart—and Frankenstein-ed together the very first prototype: the HydraQuiver Single Barrel.
One test jog and I knew we had something. No bounce. Perfect bottle access. Built for how athletes actually move.
I walked inside, told my wife we were starting a company, and that in the worst case, we'd end up with two perfectly custom packs worth $25,000 each.
Why "Orange Mud"?
We needed a name. I'd always wanted to work my middle name—Clay—into something meaningful. Nothing stuck until I thought back to growing up in Kansas, where mud was just part of life. "Clay" became "Mud," I paired it with my favorite color, and Orange Mud was born.
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 Ideas. Our Gear.
Every product we make starts with a real problem—usually one you told us about.
Your feedback, reviews, ideas, and stories drive everything we do. We've turned customer suggestions into real products time and again, and we're always listening for the next great idea. If you've ever thought, "Man, I wish there was a pack that did THIS"—tell us. That's exactly how our best gear gets made.
More Than Packs
What started as a one-product garage operation has grown into a full line of hydration vests, running packs, cycling gear, transition wraps, and accessories—all designed, tested, and refined by athletes who actually use them. We also run Seven Clay, our in-house embroidery, screen printing, and laser engraving operation, because we like making things with our hands.
Based in Round Rock, Texas. Still founder-run. Still obsessed with building better gear.
Join the Adventure
Whether you're training for your first 5K or your tenth ultra, we build gear that keeps up. Come find your next favorite pack.
SHOP OUR GEAR