The early days of our business Functional Design™ took place in Talkeetna, Alaska. Nestled between the Talkeetna, Susitna, and Chulitna rivers and two mountain ranges, Talkeetna is well known for its wilderness adventure. The town is a center of activity year-round with climbers, backpackers, skiers, fishermen, and rafters, but is best known as the staging ground for expeditions on Denali. I arrived in Talkeetna in 1981 with a heavy-duty treadle sewing machine and was soon stitching every imaginable type of gear: tents, sleeping bags, and expedition clothing. Mending eventually transformed into design as friends came to me looking for solutions to special problems.

The idea for the Sweetie Pie was conceived to fulfill a threefold problem that faced mountaineering couples: that of sleeping warm, reducing weight, and taking up less space in the backpack. Traditional zip together bags were heavy, bulky, and cold. The prototype Sweetie Pie Bag Expander was created and put to the test on a 120 mile (193km) back country cross-country ski trip across the Talkeetna Mountains. For the first time ever I slept warm and cozy while winter camping in spite of temperatures reaching -20°F (-29°C). I continued to use the Expander while pregnant and as the mother of an active toddler.

Functional Design™ moved to Seattle, Washington in 1997 and we received our patent in 1999. Families camping with small children, college students sleeping in dorms, musicians on the road, adventure cyclists, Boundary Water enthusiasts, backpacking newlyweds, one very tall man, and guides in expedition settings have all endorsed the design “for adventurers who support warmth, comfort, and snuggling.” In 2002 our Sweetie Pie Sleeping Bag Doubler received Backpacker magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award.

Functional Design™ is a web-based company with a commitment to conservation of resources. We do not send out catalogs or unsolicited mailings. Functional Design gives back to our environment and its people, globally and locally, by donating 2% to selected organizations.

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Enjoy!

Tracey Byrne


*US Patent Number: 5960492