History of the Loring Pack Basket
Traditional Pack Baskets... Unique are the craftsmen who make them. So too, are the people who wear them.
The pack basket has been around for centuries. Native Americans used their surroundings to produce these baskets to fit their needs. Each was meticulously hand-crafted from only the best materials mother nature could provide to ensure a durable, long-lasting and comfortable way of carrying heavy loads. Today, many fine examples of these earlier baskets can be found in museums, a testament to their long-lasting durability.
Whether on the Appalachian Trail or in your nearest National park, you will see the traditional Pack Basket in use. Some of these are mass-produced imported recreations of the design, but across the U.S., craftsmen still exist who continue this fine tradition.
The finest Pack Baskets come from norther Maine, where the Penobscot Indians have the best materials to choose from, primarily Ash, which never becomes brittle. In the colder climate of Maine, Ash trees have a shorter growing season. This means the growth rings are smaller, producing a thinner, stronger strip to weave a superior Pack Basket.
The Loring Pack Basket company is adjcent to the Penobscot Indian Reservation in Old Town, Maine. It is here, along the winding Penobscot River, that making Pack Baskets has been a family Tradition for the Loring Family.
The selection of materials is vital to the quality of any basket. Each Loring Pack Basket is woven from only the best Ash available. Every tree is from the woods of Maine, hand-picked by the owner and craftsman, Wane Loring.
Like his father before him, Wane searches the Maine woods for quality Ash trees. Each tree must be straight, free of knots and growing in an ideal location. Other types of nearby trees, thickness of the forest canopy. and other factors impact the quality of each individual Ash tree considered for use.
There is a lot that goes into the construction of a Loring Pack Basket, and preparation of the materials after selection of the tree is the most time-consuming. Each log, or "stick" of Ash must be pounded to remove the strips that will make the basket. These strips are then split, the edges are cut to a uniform width and then, each one is scraped smooth. This final step gives the pack a quality unlike many other packs, a surface that is smooth to the touch,does not "grab" clothing, or give the wearer splinters.
We are not currently producing Traditional Ash Pack Baskets, however if you are interested in one, please contact us and we can discuss your needs.