About The Brown Buffalo

Innovation at The Brown Buffalo is driven by the people we serve and the people we teach. Our founder, Douglas Davidson, spent more than two decades designing for brands like Nike, The North Face, and Burton, and that foundation continues to guide how we think about function, durability, and purpose. But the real evolution of our work comes from the community that surrounds us today.

Over the years, our CANVASWORKER® workshop has become a gathering place for an incredibly diverse group of professionals; retired Navy SEALs, EOD specialists, a four-star colonel from SOCOM, Coast Guard members, retired FBI and NSA personnel, and a DEA specialist who builds custom gear for their branch. Many are active duty, many are veterans, and many are transitioning into new careers. What unites them is a shared respect for craftsmanship, precision, and gear that performs under pressure.

That community extends far beyond government and military circles. We’ve taught makers and designers from GORUCK, Nomadic, Nike, Lululemon, YETI, Blue Alpha Gear, Milwaukee Tools, Arc’teryx, Apple, Shark Ninja’s product group, and more. Some students have gone on to work at leading outdoor and carry brands; others have launched their own workshops or studios. Teaching these individuals from elite operators to world-class designers; creates a constant loop of feedback, perspective, and shared problem-solving.

Our founders experience designing for high-performance athletes from snowboarders and NBA players to alpine climbers like Conrad Anker also informs how we innovate. Understanding how gear must perform in extreme environments translates directly into the specialized work we do for government professionals and the daily carry needs of civilians. That same design discipline has led to custom solutions for units operating in places like Karachi and continues to shape the way we build our core line.

Every bag we make carries that same level of intent. Many are compatible with soft armor plates or integrate concealed carry support; features we don’t advertise publicly, but that professionals recognize instantly. Just as many in that world choose not to speak about their backgrounds, we design with the same quiet confidence. The people who know, know.

Being surrounded by this community of makers from veterans to product teams at global brands to local artists and engineers, keeps us in a constant state of refinement. We’re always improving materials, construction methods, pattern lines, and the tiny details most people never see but always feel.

The ConcealPack® is an example of this philosophy in action. It has earned awards, recognition, and a reputation as a benchmark in the carry world; a bag others are measured against. But we’re not interested in stopping there. Innovation isn’t a milestone for us; it’s the culture that defines who we are.