Macpac's international distribution is through third party companies in Europe, United Kingdom, Japan and Chile.

[1] Macpac's roots can be traced to New Zealander Bruce McIntyre, who began designing his own outdoor gear after he left university aged 19 in 1973 and started making his first packs in his parents' garage in Christchurch.

In 1975, he was involved with developing gear for a group of young men from the Canterbury Mountaineering Club who were heading to the South American Andes.

McIntyre, the managing director at this time, blamed a 40% rise in the New Zealand dollar and a slow-down in international travel.

Macpac has been a major sponsor of the New Zealand Alpine Team since 2013, and has a range of alpine-specific clothing and packs[6]