The world of outdoor business sure feels a long way from Silicon Valley. But make no mistake: technology has become the backbone of the industry, guiding everything from the way we run our businesses and communicate with each other to how we design new gear and battle climate change.

Here, we’ve collected and examined dozens of ways tech is transforming the outdoor industry to get a glimpse of how these advancements might shape the future of our work and play in the outdoors.

Tech is…Connecting Us

By Heather Balogh Rochfort

The Rise of Digital Memberships

When I co-founded WildKind, a virtual community to help parents get outside with their kids, a digital component wasn鈥檛 on my radar. My partner and I just wanted to provide guidance for families hoping to tackle outdoor adventures. We envisioned baby backpacking trips and mom-only bikepacking excursions鈥攏ot laptops and virtual community forums. But we dug into the data, and the numbers didn鈥檛 lie: digital subscriptions are booming.

We realized the power of the internet was twofold: it reached more families than we ever could with in-person-only instruction, and it allowed time-starved parents to consume the information in the small respites between bath time and lights out. This was confirmed when we launched in August 2020 and acquired 300 new members within two weeks, all eager to pay $99 per year to capitalize on virtual skiing and camping courses, members-only discounts from various outdoor brands, a digital forum, and discussion panels.

For their part, partner brands like Merrell and The North Face were excited to collaborate, since it gives them name recognition with an audience willing to spend a little money to get outside.

We鈥檙e not the only business to make the leap into digital memberships over the past year. Run to the Finish founder Amanda Brooks launched the Online Running Club in June 2020: more than 500 members pay $18 per month to gain virtual access to running coaches, workout programs, drills, and community. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an easy way to bring people together and help them get the support they need,鈥� Brooks said.

She also noted that membership is a successful entry point into her brand, which also sells products like books, T-shirts, and individual coaching. 鈥淭hey join at this affordable monthly rate, get to know me, and start asking what else is available. It鈥檚 enhanced the connection with my community, making them true fans.鈥�

And in outdoor media, 国产吃瓜黑料 (国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal鈥檚 parent company) launched its 国产吃瓜黑料+ membership earlier this year, which features perks like exclusive content across its publications, online education courses, a personalized feed, and access to Gaia GPS for navigation, all for $99 per year.

According to Gartner, a global IT research and advisory firm, digital memberships are a top trend, particularly subscription services: the firm predicts that by 2023, nearly 75 percent of direct-to-consumer businesses will offer one. Outdoor brands largely haven鈥檛 jumped on board yet, but Ralph Lauren provides an example of what this might look like: its membership (starting at $125 per month), which launched last year, allows users to select items for a 鈥渄ream wardrobe鈥� subscription box that includes four items for rent or purchase.

Are You in the Club(house)?

Launched in March 2020, Clubhouse is the latest in social media apps designed to emphasize real-time conversation via live audio content鈥攏o images, no curated feed, and no website. Users can pop into live chat rooms to listen to a variety of discussions as well as request to participate in the conversation.

According to Arial Macrae, marketing manager of Roam Media Inc., an adventure club that produces videos and mini-documentaries and boasts founding members like Jimmy Chin and Sasha DiGiulian, this is the crux of the platform: 鈥淚t opens the doors and gives fans access to your brand鈥檚 conversations and gives people the opportunity to speak up and be a part of it,鈥� she said. During the winter months, Roam hosted a weekly chat room highlighting a number of outdoor industry topics, from photography with Chris Burkhard to a series of panelists sharing their outdoor career stories.

Since Clubhouse is all live content, the commitment is minimal. 鈥淧ro endurance biker Rebecca Rusch joined a room while she was actively on a training ride,鈥� Macrae laughed. Unlike a podcast, Clubhouse allows brand consumers to actually participate with the people behind the logo and ask them real-time questions. In short, the interaction puts a friendly voice to the brand name.

While initially only available on iPhone, this invite-only app recently opened to Android users in May 2021, garnering a million new sign-ups within two weeks. It鈥檚 still relatively small with ten million total users, but it鈥檚 growing quickly. Thought leaders and brands who welcome one-on-one conversations with consumers are most likely to benefit from the app, so experts suggest that people in leadership create their own accounts rather than hosting from their business name. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of potential there,鈥� Macrae said. 鈥淭his type of direct access to a brand gives a personal touch you can鈥檛 find on other platforms.鈥�

The Insta-Success Formula

According to Kami York-Feirn, marketing manager for apparel brand Wild Rye, there are three core tenants to a successful business Instagram account: a consistent posting schedule, a relatable caption with a strong call to action (like an audience question), and video/reels content to appease the Instagram algorithms.

York-Feirn looked at some of the most popular posts so far this year from three industry accounts to help us understand what other factors can get people liking, sharing, and commenting.

Wild Rye’s formula for success: Fun hashtags + relatable caption + Monday post (one of the brand鈥檚 best days for engagement)

Patagonia’s formula for success: Environmental topic + short video + controversy

Unlikely Hikers’ formula for success: Relatable story + request for shares in the caption + relatable photo to encourage conversation and boost visibility with the algorithm

Slack Better

You know Slack. You love (okay, or maybe hate) Slack. But are you Slacking to your fullest potential? These three integrations take your work collaboration to the next level.

Donut: Get to know each other through virtual introductions, auto-scheduled 鈥渃offee dates鈥� between team members, and even a CEO lottery that randomly selects one person for a chat with the boss.

EventBot Calendar: Never forget a team birthday or meeting with this all-inclusive calendar that hosts your entire team鈥檚 events from within Slack.

HeyTaco: Give your coworkers a nod for a job well done via the only virtual currency that matters: tacos. Everyone gets five virtual tacos to award per day, and the app tracks a team leaderboard for extra motivation.

Tech is…Saving the Planet

By Tracy Ross

Unlocking Public Lands

In January, President Biden announced his 鈥�30 x 30鈥� vision to conserve at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and freshwater and 30 percent of U.S. ocean areas by 2030. One priority: boost outdoor recreation by encouraging the voluntary conservation of private land through which bordering public lands can be accessed. That offers the opportunity not only to protect a larger area of contiguous wildlife habitat, but also to open the door to public lands that may be difficult or impossible to reach.

The mapping app onX, which launched to give hunters a simple way to see whose land they were on, has been collecting data on these public-private intersections for more than a decade. So far, the team has identified some 16.4 million acres in 22 states that are currently inaccessible to the public because of surrounding private land. This info funnels into the hands of local, state, and federal land managers, who are using it to identify possible easements with the end goal of creating more access to public lands for all.

Building Urban Parks

The Trust For Public Lands (TPL) knows we have a critical green-space equity problem in our country, with studies showing that some 100 million of us鈥攊ncluding 28 million kids鈥攍ack access to local parks within walking distance. So TPL used 20 years鈥� worth of data to create ParkServe.org, an interactive map that shows exactly where green space is most needed in American cities. TPL also helps cities look for funding for park construction. And one of the best benefits, says Lisa Hwang, TPL鈥檚 managing director of strategy and innovation, is that anyone can join in the process of designing or creating a new neighborhood park.

Navigating Climate Change

Heat waves, wildfires, floods: we鈥檙e already living with the effects of a changing climate. Last year, Gaia GPS (owned by 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal鈥檚 parent company) introduced several free map layers that aim to help people deal with fire-related issues. Two wildfire maps give precise, real-time info about where fires are currently burning, based on NASA satellite heat detection data that鈥檚 fact-checked with firefighters on the ground.

Two more maps depict current and predicted air quality based on info from the Environmental Protection Agency鈥檚 AirNow program, which draws from several monitoring organizations to show where pollutants in the air pose a health hazard.

Sharing the Immigration Story

鈥淪torytelling has always been a powerful tool for social movements, and conservation is no different,鈥� said Christian La Mont, program and communications manager for Latino Outdoors. This past March, the nonprofit partnered with The National Audubon Society for a yearlong project called Mapping Migraciones. It weaves the Latino community鈥檚 migration and immigration stories together with the migratory paths of birds, combining the two into an interactive map that ties humans and nature together into an ongoing narrative.

Click on a bird鈥攕ay, a Swainson鈥檚 Thrush鈥� and see its migratory path from Central America to as far north as Canada. Then click on the name of a person, and see how he made his journey along the same route. 鈥淭he interactive map shows that migration is not only nuanced and natural, but also beautiful,鈥� said La Mont.

Lifelines for Firefighters

Wildland firefighters have one of the most dangerous jobs in the outdoors. But new developments are making their task a little safer鈥攁s evidenced by the tech used by a Montrose, Colorado, Helitack crew while fighting the 2018 Tabeguache Fire in the Uncompahgre National Forest.

Lack of connectivity and limited sight lines in steep canyons makes firefighting in the area extremely dangerous. But each crew member wore a 2.8-ounce goTenna Pro X tracking device, which shares location info among teams of firefighters via a broadcasting process called meshing.

Tracking devices pair to any phone using an app like ATAK. Firefighters can then use their phones to navigate to safety, tell tankers where to drop retardant, and report back to management teams.

Fire Incident management teams can then pair location info with the data service Cornea to get real-time maps showing the location of crew members, retardant drops, and the most dangerous parts of a fire. Cornea also collects and fuses data about fuels, weather, topography, watersheds, and the probability of fire spread from multiple sources.

The Upside of Drones

Drones get a bad rap for invading privacy and harassing wildlife, but that鈥檚 only half the story. The National Audubon Society said drones 鈥渄on鈥檛 just offer a safer way for scientists to observe their subjects; they鈥檙e often less costly, more efficient, and more precise than traditional approaches.鈥� Here are six ways the organization Conservation Drones, which built a low-cost flier (starting at $3,500) specifically for conservationists and scientists, is using these aerial machines for good.

1. Surveying heron populations under thick forest canopies in England
2. Flying aerial surveys along tidal creeks in the Bahamas to count sharks, rays, and sea turtles鈥攁ll creatures that are both threatened and difficult to monitor
3. Studying whales鈥� health with 鈥渟not bot鈥� drones equipped with petri dishes that hover at the whale鈥檚 blowhole to collect a sample of its breath, which includes discharge containing lung bacteria, viruses, and DNA
4. Monitoring the spread of invasive aquatic plants at Lake Carl Blackwell in Stillwater, Oklahoma
5. When equipped with thermal-imaging cameras on their undersides, identifying species like orangutans in Borneo, spider monkeys in Mexico, and riverine rabbits in South America to show health and range of populations
6. Using thermal cameras to detect and monitor 鈥減eat megafires,鈥� which destroy essential peat land ecosystems and are responsible for 15 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions

Tech is…Designing Gear

By Frederick Reimers

The Power of Three Dimensions

Silicon Valley 3D-printing firm Carbon has recently made inroads into the outdoor space with shoe soles for adidas and bike saddles for Specialized. Both feature latticework made from elastomeric polyurethane (EPU), which is remarkably elastic (capable of being elongated 250 percent before it breaks) and, in lattice form, great at returning energy. More importantly, Carbon can tune the latticework鈥檚 compressibility by location within the design, which can help accommodate the variances of, say, foot shape, or enable targeted cushioning.

And this fall, Osprey is using the tech to make a giant step forward in pack design. Along with a host of other new technologies, the UNLTD Antigravity 64 and Airscape 68 feature lumbar pads built by Carbon: the company鈥檚 tunable 3D printing allowed Osprey to make them more compressible on the top and front to create consistent and extremely comfortable contact with a wide variety of lower-back shapes. The latticework is also exceptionally breathable, grippy, and springy, so even under very heavy loads, the pack feels more secure and balanced.

The 3D-printing process was also a designer鈥檚 dream. With remarkable speed, it creates shapes impossible to make with injection molding. In just over a year, Carbon was able to iterate close to 100 different permutations of the design, all with far less waste than injection molding. Working with the emerging technology isn鈥檛 cheap鈥攖he packs ring in at an eye-watering $700鈥攂ut Osprey owner Mike Photenhauer said he wanted to showcase what鈥檚 possible in pack design 鈥渨hen price is no object.鈥�

Saving the World, One Shirt at a Time

A pair of Stanford professors founded the startup LifeLabs this year to create fabrics that combat climate change. According to the Department of Energy, if Americans would simply raise their thermostats 2掳C higher in summer and 2掳C lower in winter, it would save an average of 6,000 pounds of atmospheric carbon per household (about a 20 percent reduction in a home鈥檚 total energy use). Better temperature-regulating clothing could make that easier.

Enter the company鈥檚 CoolLife fabrics, which are made from polyolefin (think kitchen cling wrap). The material allows 100 percent transmission of infrared radiation鈥攖he only known fabric to do so鈥攍etting body heat escape faster. LifeLabs invented the process of creating knit and woven fabrics from polyolefin: the trick, said LifeLabs CEO Scott Mellin, was to build yarn extrusion and knitting and weaving machines that could handle the material鈥檚 low melting temperature (122掳C versus nylon鈥檚 220掳C).

The company鈥檚 WarmLife fabrics use a different strategy, employing reflectivity to capture body heat. The concept isn鈥檛 new, but the WarmLife fabric is breathable enough for the reflective metallic nanocoating to cover 100 percent of its surface (in comparison, Columbia鈥檚 Omni-Heat reflective dots cover just a third of their items to maintain breathability). The result is a garment that requires 30 percent less insulation for the same CLO value. The tech hasn鈥檛 hit the market yet, but this summer LifeLabs is releasing 16 garments (insulating parkas and gloves, cooling leggings, and sleepwear) to investors, media, and influencers.

Artificial Intelligence Revolutionizes Bike Design

Imagine bike frames that look like they鈥檝e been built by a spider, with hollow, sinewy strands linking the handlebars, wheels, and bottom bracket. The frames are lighter for subtracting material, but according to the engineering software that created it, just as strong.

That鈥檚 the concept behind French gear titan Decathlon鈥檚 bike design project with software firm Autodesk, which has also partnered with component maker SRAM. The idea is that Autodesk鈥檚 Fusion 360 software can take inputs like weight, dimensions, and strength and then generate hundreds of potential designs in just a few hours, all theoretically capable of standing up to the demands of the design problem, even if they may be unusual in appearance.

The software can also learn as it goes, basing subsequent rounds of design on those preferred by the human engineers. Such designs are particularly suited for the elaborate shapes possible with 3D printing. For SRAM, it means printing a latticed aluminum crank arm that鈥檚 just as light and strong as a carbon fiber one, at a lower financial and ecological cost. SRAM is currently testing a few of those designs in the field, and the process bodes well not just for bikes, but also for climbing gear or any equipment that prizes light weight along with strength. Just as intriguing is another goal of Decathlon鈥檚 so-called 鈥渧ision project鈥� with Autodesk: to explore the process of custom-printing bikes according to a customer鈥檚 individual preferences and dimensions.

Upgrading Portable Power

Solar, not wind, has dominated the portable power scene because solar panels are so much smaller and lighter鈥攗ntil now. Enter the Shine Turbine. A marvel of efficient design, the device boasts an exceptional weight-to-power ratio compared to other portable renewable devices. The three-pound device, which launches this summer, is capable of generating 40 watts, good enough to charge a smartphone in as little as 15 minutes, and trumps water turbines, thermoelectric stoves, and even solar panels with a 13 watts-per-pound ratio. The Shine Turbine folds into a sleek package about the size of a liter water bottle and deploys in minutes. Designers solved challenges like dissipating the motor鈥檚 heat and capturing high power outputs while meeting size restrictions, but the Shine Turbine鈥檚 real triumph is in the blade design: they鈥檙e efficient enough to withstand 28-mph winds (minimum speed: 8 mph) while still folding snugly into the body.

Can Algae Replace Chemicals?

Quick, name a product you use that doesn鈥檛 include petroleum-based plastics and chemicals. Tough, right? But here鈥檚 some good news for reducing our petroleum dependence: design firm Checkerspot aims to solve the problem, starting with the outdoor industry. Growing out of work done at the University of California, Berkeley, Checkerspot develops oils derived from fermented microalgae. The company is currently working with Gore to create petroleum-free DWR, and a project with Swiss chemical firm Beyond Surface technologies has resulted in a microalgae-based wicking treatment that hits the market this year in garments by streetwear brand Pangea.

Checkerspot also supplies algae-based polyurethane for its own ski brand, Wndr Alpine. And there鈥檚 more on the horizon: the ski maker plans to develop its own line of greener packs and apparel incorporating the Beyond Surface coatings and algal polyurethanes for hard pieces like pack buckles.

Wearables Get Even Smarter

The future of fitness wearables looks increasingly detailed鈥攁nd some might say, invasive. Swiss company Core鈥檚 body temperature monitor has been used as a training tool by pro cycling teams for a few seasons, but it鈥檚 now available to the public. The device clips onto an elastic chest strap and sends continuous body temp readings to a smart device. Excess body heat saps an athlete鈥檚 power output, so such monitoring can help athletes strategize during competition, telling them whether to drop the hammer or back off until they鈥檙e cooler.

Also launched this spring: a partnership between Garmin and blood-testing company Inside Tracker that combines smartwatch data like blood oxygen and stress levels with the genetic biomarkers the company derives from periodic lab-administered blood tests. The result is customized training and nutritional advice鈥攍ike increasing your sleep or upping magnesium levels鈥攖o optimize performance.

Even more frequent exposure to needles is required for an upcoming glucose-monitoring system from Supersapiens. Based on existing technology made for diabetics, a needle pressed under the skin and adhered to the tricep is synced with a smartwatch or phone for live monitoring to help athletes stay optimally fueled.

Tech is…Running Our Businesses

By Cindy Hirschfeld and Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan, with reporting by Tatiana Walker-Morris

Personal Shopping Service

When Mike Peters decided to buy an e-bike earlier this summer, online retailer Curated connected the Denver shopper with an e-bike expert in Illinois, and the two texted for a few days. Peters liked the convenience of shopping on his own time, and that his expert felt brand agnostic鈥斺�淵ou could ask about any bike, not just the stuff they had in a store鈥濃�攕o he placed an order.

The shopping experience at Curated, which launched in 2017 and sells gear for hiking, skiing, cycling, fly-fishing, and more, starts with a series of questions about experience level and gear preferences. Then the company鈥檚 artificial intelligence program matches the customer with an actual person to help them find the best product. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think people would ever want to buy a $2,000 pair of skis from a chatbot,鈥� said founder Eduardo Vivas. Though Curated has about 100 brand partners, the company will source any item a customer and expert choose.

Vivas said his business isn鈥檛 about steamrolling brick and mortar. Outdoor Gear Exchange (OGE) in Burlington, Vermont, is one of 25 or so retail partners that sell gear through the platform, lopping off a commission for Curated (OGE sends them 10 to 15 percent). 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit more than other affiliates that we work with, but [Curated] drives more in sales,鈥� said Ivan Tighe, director of fulfillment and communications鈥攖he platform drove 630 orders last January alone.

And on the brand side, Curated offers anonymized customer data to its partners quarterly, which clues vendors in to how they鈥檙e performing with different demographics or regions and shows them how often buyers pick their gear from the expert鈥檚 list of recommendations.

Affiliate Gear Sales

We鈥檝e all seen those dubious 鈥渂est of鈥� lists, compiled solely to get cash for clicks. But when established digital outlets pursue the affiliate sales game, do they risk eroding reader trust? Not necessarily. Media brands say they鈥檙e able to earn money from recommending products while maintaining editorial integrity.

For larger online pubs, that means having separate affiliate sales teams to deal with logistics while letting editors have the final say over what gets covered. At Lola Digital Media鈥攐wner of Gear Junkie, Switchback Travel, and other sites鈥斺�渢he editorial and affiliate linking are totally separate,鈥� said VP of commerce David Wilkinson. In 2020, the company produced $200 million in sales for retail partners and direct-to-consumer brands (Wilkinson declined to say what the partnership netted for Lola).

At Gear Patrol, where affiliate sales comprise about 20 percent of revenue, head of commerce Brian Louie said the editorial mission comes before the links: 鈥淩eaders can tell if something is forced.鈥� The same holds true at 国产吃瓜黑料 (a sister publication to 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal). 鈥淲e work to optimize the content that we are already creating for revenue,鈥� said Katie Cruickshank, senior digital marketing manager. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e not going to cover anything editorially just because there鈥檚 a good commission rate.鈥� Sales bring in some 10 percent of overall digital revenue.

Meanwhile, the increased sales channels and ability to track conversions warrant the revenue sharing for brands and retailers. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 the most powerful type of marketing on the internet today,鈥� said Wilkinson.

6 Workflow Apps We Love

You鈥檝e been hitting Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and all the Googles hard for the past year or so鈥攂ut they鈥檙e far from the only programs that make your work life easier. Have you met these standouts?

1. Trello. Collaborate with colleagues on to-do lists, set deadlines, and track shared projects. Free (basic); $10/person/month and up (advanced).
2. Canva. Design as a team with templates for everything from Instagram posts to logos. Free (basic); $10/person/month and up (advanced).
3. Otter Voice. Take meeting notes quickly with this live transcription app for computers and phones. Free (basic); $8.33/person/month and up (advanced).
4. Calendly. Schedule meetings by syncing your calendars and letting people choose from your available times. Free (basic); $8/person/month and up (advanced).
5. Mural. Play around with workflow diagrams, graphs, and even freehand sketching for remote teams. $12/person/month and up.
6. Harvest. Find out how much time you鈥檙e spending on specific projects with this time tracker app. Free (basic); $12/person/month (advanced).

The Biggest Gear Breakthroughs of All Time

By Amelia Arvesen

These ten innovations revolutionized the business of outdoor, according to gear historians and longtime industry members.

1927: Pin bindings.The groundbreaker here was the Rottefella six-pin binding. Before pin bindings, skiers used wicker and leather toe straps to tie wooden planks to their feet. Norwegian engineer Bror With鈥檚 clamp-and-spike invention keeps skis more secure and makes walking less cumbersome.

1937: Vulcanized rubber outsoles. This groundbreaker was the Vibram Carramato sole. Vitale Bramani was inspired to make leather boots better after friends died while mountaineering in 1935 in the Italian Alps, in part due to footwear that froze. Bramani beefed up the soles by incorporating a tread design traditionally used for automobile tires.

1968: Avalanche transceivers. Scadi was the first product in this new category. Avalanche experts were experimenting with different electromagnetic methods of locating buried people from above the snow when researcher John Lawton at New York鈥檚 Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory created a handheld device with the longest range and best accuracy yet.

1969: Internal-frame backpack. The Lowe internal frame pack was the first. In a basement in Colorado, Greg Lowe made the first pack that integrated the supportive structure into the back panel. It was first made of phenolic resin layers and later revised to aluminum frame bars. Hips and shoulders everywhere rejoiced.

1977: Expanded polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE) material. Gore-Tex was the pioneer in this category. While tinkering with the polymer, Bob Gore discovered it could stretch by up to 1,000 percent and transform into a new substance with tiny pores that allow air to pass through. His invention, later called Gore-Tex, is now a household name.

1977: Sports bra. Credit the Jogbra as the first. Ditching the impractical underwire of the past, Lisa Lindahl, Hinda Miller, and Polly Smith sewed together two jockstraps to make a more supportive and comfortable bra that they could wear while running and playing sports. Sports bras have come a long way since then.

1978: Spring-loaded camming device. “The Friend” was the groundbreaker. After Ray Jardine invented the first modern trigger-activated pieces of climbing protection, he kept them a secret because he didn鈥檛 want anyone to steal the idea. A climbing partner referred to them by the code name 鈥渇riends,鈥� and Wild Country still sells cams under the label.

1979: Synthetic fleece. The Malden Mills Polarfleece got there first. Replacing natural fibers from sheep, this synthetic material is softer, better at resisting water, and in some cases, much warmer. Patagonia was one of the first partners of Malden Mills, which has since rebranded as Polartec.

1989: Handheld GPS. The Magellan Nav 1000 was the first. The military was using pocket-sized GPS units long before 1989, but that鈥檚 when civilians could finally get their hands on one for a whopping $2,900. Garmin was a close second on the market. Over time, prices dropped, sizes shrunk, and features improved.

2000: Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS). Before MIPS, helmets didn鈥檛 account for the rotational force the brain experiences in crashes and falls. A neurosurgeon and PhD student in Sweden added a thin layer between a helmet鈥檚 shell and liner for extra protection.

Enough with the Tech Judgement

By Alex Temblador

I鈥檇 been hiking through a forest, past waterfalls, and across creeks by myself for five hours in the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Natural Area near Chattanooga when my Garmin fenix 6S Pro Solar GPS watch died. I鈥檇 used it a lot the past few days鈥攖racking my hikes and watching for thunderstorms that threatened to flood me off Lookout Mountain鈥攁nd I hadn鈥檛 noticed that it needed to be recharged.

Not a minute later, my dad called and asked, 鈥淎re you still hiking?鈥� At the same time, a text from my mom came through, conveying the same concern. The safety tracking feature had turned off, and my loved ones were in the dark about my whereabouts.

I often hike, bike, trail run, or camp by myself all across the country. And as a solo woman of color, when I do, you can bet I鈥檓 always connected to the internet. You can catch me in front of a campfire with my laptop on my knees or checking my phone while hiking in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Passersbys have joked, 鈥淪top working鈥攜ou鈥檙e on vacation.鈥� Others boast about how they left their phone in their car.

These jokes and subtle comments speak to an old-fashioned way of thinking. See, outdoor purists will tell you that unplugged outdoor experiences are 鈥渞eal鈥� or 鈥渂etter,鈥� but that鈥檚 a limited and privileged perspective. And I鈥檓 over it.

Whether I鈥檓 camping with family at a lake in Oklahoma or glamping by myself in a treehouse near Austin, I always have my laptop with me and my hotspot active. As a freelance writer, I must be connected: I鈥檓 not yet in a position in my career where I can leave my laptop at home, even for a few days. Sometimes I need to finish an article before kayaking, or answer an email from an editor who鈥檚 offering me an opportunity for a high-paying, quick-turnaround piece.

I鈥檓 not alone in this experience. With the pandemic, many jobs went remote, and that gave people an opportunity to work while on the move. Technology, like Wi-Fi hotspots and solar generators, allowed people to work and enjoy the outdoors more than they鈥檇 ever been able to do before. Isn鈥檛 that the dream?

Of course I don鈥檛 want to bring my laptop to a cabin in the woods, but that鈥檚 where I am in my career, and I shouldn鈥檛 be judged because I鈥檓 not financially able to leave my technology at home. Even if I get to a point where I don鈥檛 need to work while outdoors, the reality is, technology and internet access make the outdoors safer for me.

With my phone and smartwatch, I can keep track of harsh weather conditions, ensure I don鈥檛 get lost, notify authorities in case of a medical emergency, or share safety concerns about a trail, tour guide, or campsite with other people. As much as we鈥檇 like to think that the outdoors is safe for all, women, people of color, the queer community, and many other underrepresented groups still face harassment, threats, and assault in the outdoors. We can mitigate this danger with technology and help ourselves and our loved ones feel more confident when we鈥檙e in nature.

Safety and career needs aside, I can think of a million other ways that connectivity has improved my outdoor experience鈥攏ot least, Googling 鈥渉ow to start a campfire鈥� while glamping in West Texas, or calling a friend to pick me and my foldable kayak up from a boat launch because I was unable to paddle upstream to my car. (And yes, I like pulling my phone out and taking photos of myself in nature鈥攕ue me.)

Instead of judging people for using the internet, laptops, phones, and other technology in the outdoors, we should toss those purist notions aside and cheer them on. Who cares if they鈥檙e online? The fact that they鈥檙e outdoors is what matters most.

The post How Tech Is Transforming the Outdoor Industry appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In a video posted to her Instagram Story this weekend, New York 14th Congressional District Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez divulged a tidbit about her personal life that has drawn excitement and attention around the outdoor industry in recent days.

The congresswoman is, apparently, an avid backpacker.

In her video, which shows Ocasio-Cortez toting an Osprey backpack on a sunny trail in New York, the congresswoman says that she takes time off and cares for herself by getting into the woods, a hobby she picked up after the storming of the U.S. capitol by rioters in January.

“After the insurrection, I felt like I really needed a practice to help ground me,” Ocasio-Cortez said in the video. “It was getting a lot harder for me to settle my mind in the immediate aftermath.”

She went on to shout out some well-known advocacy groups in the industry鈥攐rganizations that followers submitted as responses to the congresswoman’s posted question, “Favorite women, poc, lgbt+, LNT, conservation, etc camping accounts?”

Tagged with the response “Lots of recs here! Thanks, I’ll check them out and learn more,” Ocasio-Cortez promoted to her followers the groups and individuals Unlikely Hikers, Pattie Gonia, Indigenous Women Who Hike, and Outdoor Afro, among others.

Unlikely Hikers reposted the congresswoman’s Instagram Story to its main feed, commenting, “I鈥檝e got so much gratitude for this shout out in @aoc鈥檚 stories, along with all of my faves, and I鈥檓 thrilled to see her find peace and grounding in nature.”

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Gregory Mountain Products will debut a new line of plus-size packs in May, but the launch isn鈥檛 a one-off collection that company leaders hope will tap into some inclusivity fad and yield a temporary top-line boost. Instead, says the brand, this is a long-term play.

Gregory has fully embraced its role as the first pack maker to target hikers of diverse body sizes and shapes because the move makes business sense鈥攁nd because it鈥檚 the right thing to do.

鈥淕regory has made a substantial investment to pioneer this category of products in a comprehensive way out of the gate,鈥� John Sears, Gregory vice president, told 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal. 鈥淭o make good on our commitment to an entirely new category of packs, we felt obligated to make a substantial inventory commitment as well. We know it will take some time to get the word out, so regardless of whether or not we sell out this summer, I can tell you this is not a short-term commitment from Gregory.鈥�

Salt Lake City, Utah-based Gregory, a subsidiary of publicly traded Samsonite International SA since 2014, has been working on this project for years and announced the line last summer.

The brand partnered with Jenny Bruso and her advocacy group Unlikely Hikers鈥攁 community 鈥渇eaturing the underrepresented outdoorsperson鈥濃�攖o offer packs to those who have often felt excluded from hiking and backpacking.

Bruso said the new collection means plus-size hikers will no longer have to settle for gear that doesn鈥檛 fit. Moreover, she said, those consumers can now feel more comfortable in outdoor shops and on hiking trails that haven鈥檛 always been entirely welcoming.

鈥淔or years, I just had to make it work with gear that was uncomfortable, didn鈥檛 fit, and wasn鈥檛 safe,鈥� Bruso said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more than inconvenient; when gear isn’t made for you, you start to internalize that message after time, and it feels like you are not welcome or shouldn’t be out there in the first place. Gregory is changing that, and so far, the feedback I鈥檝e gotten online has been amazing. People are so excited to finally have a pack that fits well and is comfortable.鈥澨�

Gregory鈥檚 Push for Inclusive Gear

The brand鈥檚 plus-size collection includes 20 different pack styles for both men and women, plus two unisex packs, across the day-hiking, hydration, multi-day backpacking, and lifestyle categories. The products 鈥渁ddress sizing gaps and provide pack solutions for hikers and backpackers of all sizes,鈥� corresponding to the apparel equivalent of sizes 2x through 6x.

To create the packs, Gregory didn’t just resize various existing components. The brand actually created a new fit geometry that includes wider shoulder-harness angles, extended shoulder-harness lengths, and enlarged hip belts with a 40鈥� to 60鈥� range. The packs also feature hip-belt pockets in the front of the body for easy access on the trail.

The plus-size collection includes models called Katmai, Kalmia, Stout, and Amber in the backpacking category; Citro and Juno H20 hydration packs; and the Miwok, Maya, Nano, and Arrio day-hiking and everyday adventure packs. The packs will be available in May at select REI stores, select specialty outdoor retailers, and on gregorypacks.com.

Sears says the plus-size line is long overdue. And because the collection is the first of its kind, the brand isn鈥檛 measuring success by traditional metrics like profit margin or units sold鈥攁t least not in the beginning鈥攂ut rather by how much it can raise awareness that hiking and backpacking are for people of all shapes and sizes. Growing the sport, to Gregory, is just as important as growing revenue.

鈥淥ne of our core missions, just like the rest of the industry, is to simply get more people outside to benefit from everything the outdoors has to offer,鈥� Sears said. 鈥淭his means everybody, not just most people, so it feels a bit like we鈥檙e standing on the start line more than anything else. For now, we are focused less on sales targets, but instead define success as a strong awareness of our plus-size collection and increased and more enjoyable day-hiking and backpacking participation within this underserved consumer group.鈥�

But the cherry on top, Sears said, is about driving change throughout the industry to make gear inclusive. This launch is one of many initiatives that fall under the brand鈥檚 Gateway Program that was designed to expand outdoor opportunities for all. The company is now hopeful that its plus-size collection inspires other apparel and gear makers to follow suit.

As Sears explained, Gregory wants to 鈥渕otivate more brands to join us to make this a broader movement across all gear categories.鈥�

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Here’s something to wrap your head around. Despite the fact that the modern hiking backpack was introduced by Kelty in 1952, almost seven decades ago, a dedicated pack line for plus-size hikers has never existed in the outdoor industry. Countless innovations are made each season to improve fit, durability, and functionality for packs aimed at non-plus-size consumers, but the basic needs of an entire segment of the outdoor market have been overlooked for nearly three-quarters of a century.

From a business perspective, the omission is mind boggling.

The Salt Lake City brand听Gregory听has endeavored to help fix the problem with the development of the industry’s first dedicated line of plus-size backpacks, coming next spring. The new gear鈥攚hich will include 20 items across the day hiking, hydration, multi-day backpacking, and lifestyle categories鈥攚as created in collaboration with Unlikely Hikers, a group based in Portland, Ore., that defines itself as 鈥渄iverse, anti-racist, body-liberating outdoor community.鈥�

鈥淧eople of diverse body sizes and shapes have had to make it work with gear that wasn’t made for us for too long now. We鈥檙e out here. We’re climbing these same mountains, we’re thru-hiking these same trails and our money spends the same way,鈥� said Jenny Bruso, founder of Unlikely Hikers.

The team at Unlikely Hikers, led by Bruso, helped Gregory prototype and fit test products in the new line.听Members of the group will also be featured in marketing materials after the line launches. It’s an effort similar to Granite Gear’s recent听announcement of its upcoming Perimeter Series, but with a larger range of pack types and categories covered.

“This feels like the next step in the outdoor world,” said Kara Richardson Whitely, the author of Gorge听and a public speaker who听has been featured in The New York Times听and elsewhere for her work on size inclusion in the outdoor space

“As a plus-size hiker, there are so many obstacles to getting out in the woods,” Whitely said. “If you don鈥檛 look like a traditional thru-hiker, you’re conscious of that, and that’s a giant mental hurdle for many people in larger bodies. Every time I go out, I鈥檓 first overcoming the obstacles of my own mind. Whether or not my backpack fits is the last thing I want to be thinking about.”

In Whitely’s view, the industry has come a long way in its production of extended-size apparel in recent years, which heralded this new focus on gear. When she climbed Kilimanjaro for the first time in 2007, she says that, in terms of suitable gear, “there was nothing, just men’s stuff and maybe a few items for women in all the same color: gray.” In the years since, the industry has seen an uptick in extended-size apparel with a greater focus on style and consumer choice. Given that change, it makes sense that gear production would follow a similar path.

“Clothing was the first step,” Whitely said. “The apparel market has shown that there are people of different sizes and body types who want to be out in the wild, and a natural extension of that is the gear.”

Gregory’s new line will launch in Spring ’21 with two flagship packs, the Katmai 65 (men’s) and the Kalmia 60 (women’s), each available in two torso lengths for $279.95. The packs will be available at REI and select specialty retailers, as well as online. In Summer ’21, the line’s 19 remaining products will be available online and in certain retailers, though Gregory has yet not confirmed which stores will carry the entire line.

“It鈥檚 one of those simple ideas that you look back on and say, ‘Why hasn鈥檛 anyone else done this?'” said Gregory VP John Sears. “We鈥檝e been experimenting with this for years. Finally, after we started working with Unlikely Hikers and heard stories from them, we said, it鈥檚 time. This is long overdue.”

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Just when the outdoor recreation industry seemed to be making serious progress on the complex issues of racial diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), the best efforts of a leading advocacy organization were stopped dead in their tracks. Despite its good intentions the initiative created by Camber Outdoors called the CEO Outdoor Equity Pledge ironically failed from the moment it was formally introduced by neglecting the very thing it was designed to do: bring people together.

Described as the 鈥渇irst of its kind,鈥� the Equity Pledge was meant to obligate the commitment of senior executives at more than 60 outdoor industry companies to address the interests of under-represented minorities as part of doing business. But the spirit of the document ignored the work begun by grassroots activists within the same communities the outdoor industry now aims to reach. Not only did Camber fail to ask people of color (POC) for assistance with the creation of its program, it co-opted the previous work of activist Teresa Baker, similarly titled the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge.

With virtually no direct engagement of the many outdoor-facing affinity groups, whose members include people across a broad spectrum of racial and cultural identities, Camber made a critical error that resulted in a lot of hurt feelings, professional embarrassment, and鈥攗ltimately鈥攖he resignation of its executive director Deanne Buck.

The Racially Charged Nature of the Topic Makes Companies Nervous to Commit to Action

Now that a bit of the dust has settled from the swirl of controversy a month ago, it鈥檚 possible to take a look around the cultural landscape of the outdoor industry and see where we might go from here.

A lot of angry rhetoric on social media and calls for Buck to step down sent ripples of genuine fear throughout the business community. Intimidated by the emotional sensitivity of this very complex issue, several outdoor industry companies have become skittish to start communicating with both employees and customers on DEI for fear of making a blunder. Many are afraid that they, too, might make an inadvertent mistake and suffer the same fate鈥攑ublic outcry and backlash鈥� as Camber.

One marketing manager of a major outdoor brand, who asked not to be named for this story, expressed profound reservations to even discuss it. 鈥淲e feel we have not made enough headway or tangible progress to be credible in the conversation,鈥� the manager said.

As Camber Outdoors continues to advocate for equitable workplaces under the direction of interim executive director Diana Seung, the Equity Pledge is still in effect. At the same time, Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge is growing鈥攖here are currently 34 signatories (11 have signed in the last month).

Many in the industry want to take direct action and work toward substantive compliance with whichever of the two pledges they have signed. Most, however, aren鈥檛 exactly sure how to proceed.

But rather than looking back over the events of the past month to discover what went wrong, those who are dedicated to moving DEI efforts forward hope to create and practice more effective ways to bring the industry together toward a common goal, an outdoor recreation community where everyone is welcome to participate.

鈥淚 want unity more than anything. I want to do away with this 鈥榯hat-side-verses-this-side鈥� conversation,鈥� said Baker. 鈥淲hat I want is for us to understand that we all care about these outdoor spaces and as such I think the more people at the table around the conversation on the protection of these outdoor spaces the better.鈥�

The Two Diversity Pledges Are Different, but Similar, and Can Co-exist

In principle, the two pledges have a great deal in common, but they鈥檙e also slightly different. Camber鈥檚 Equity Pledge emphasizes the priorities of professional organizations who tend to resist external regulation, Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge encourages direct engagement with the POC community and suggests a more transparent holistic approach.

Neither document contradicts the other. Therefore, it鈥檚 possible that both could exist in tandem as guiding practices for companies to employ.

鈥淚n an ideal world we wouldn鈥檛 need any pledge,鈥� said Seung. 鈥淗owever, the reality is that every company is at a different stage in their DEI maturity. I love Teresa鈥檚 pledge because it鈥檚 all-encompassing and challenges CEOs and organizations to focus on DEI efforts across the workplace, marketing, participation, and more. However, signing up for all of that can be intimidating for some organizations. I celebrate those CEOs who have signed her pledge but recognize it鈥檚 not for everyone.

鈥淥ur CEO Outdoor Equity Pledge focuses primarily on the workplace, which for many CEOs is a great stepping stone from the gender equity focus we had before. I think both pledges need to exist so that we can get as many people invested in this work to have the conversations around equity in the outdoors.鈥�

A Path Forward to a More Inclusive Outdoor Industry

As the U.S. population grows through the 21st century, it will soon shift to favor a non-white majority. It is anticipated that by the year 2045 most American citizens and residents will be people of color. If outdoor recreation is going to remain culturally relevant as this change occurs, many believe that the outdoor industry must change with it. 鈥淭he way we do that is connecting these communities of color to these outdoor spaces,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淎nd I think the outdoor industry can play a huge role in that.鈥�

As the collective voice for many different businesses and institutions, the Outdoor Industry Association is the most likely professional group to actuate efforts to encourage DEI nationwide. Baker believes OIA can lead its member companies toward a professional environment that reflects the diversity of the population as a whole.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to apply pressure to OIA, but they have a lot of freaking power. They need to do something at this point to help us come together,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ot fix it, because it鈥檚 not their job to fix it. But I think it鈥檚 their job to find a way to get us all talking.鈥�

Though traditionally focused on economic issues and regulations of the federal government, OIA has a vested interest in expanding the outdoor community to include more people of color, along with other under-represented segments of the population.

To date, OIA has left the job of workplace equity to Camber Outdoors and hopes to inspire its members to honor the principles of the Equity Pledge as well as Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge.

Gareth Martins, marketing manager at OIA, says all efforts to achieve DEI should be encouraged. 鈥淭here are no wrong answers on this journey. Any attempt to forge forward and start figuring this out is ultimately good for any brand,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we can鈥檛 do this from a perspective of fear. I think it would be a good task for OIA to provide messaging and guidance for our member companies on why they should take this journey.鈥�

What Exactly Does Progress in DEI Look Like?

Organizations that support the interests of the outdoor POC community are eager to help. Danielle Williams is the founder of Melanin Base Camp, a social media network that encourages people of color to enjoy the natural world. Her website DiversifyOutdoors.com is the online home of Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge. With an eye toward changing the cultural landscape of the outdoor industry Williams has a clear vision of how the path of progress might be different. Throughout the outdoor industry she wants to see broader representation in professional settings.

鈥淧rogress looks like paying fat, queer, and POC talent and photographers industry rates. Progress looks like diversifying boards of directors and empowering black, brown and indigenous folks within outdoor organizations,鈥� she said. 鈥淧rogress is recruiting MBAs from HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) and changing your organizational culture to ensure your company is a place where diverse people and diverse ideas can thrive. Progress looks like refusing to work with ad agencies, PR firms and media production companies that do not reflect the diversity of your customers.鈥�

With this kind of input, Camber is getting a good idea of where its efforts need to improve. Seung said recent conversations around the industry have prompted her organization to recognize its complicity in the same problems it had hoped to correct.

鈥淲e needed to hear the criticism and feedback around how our approach ignored the voices, experiences, and contributions of people of color and communities who have not had a seat at the table,鈥� Seung said. 鈥淲e are moving forward and dedicated to doing the equity work required to help drive positive change with eyes wide open.鈥�

Working Together on DEI Is Critical: Everyone Has a Part to Play

But with much work still ahead, some suggest that the responsibility of diversifying the outdoor industry cannot fall exclusively upon a single institution. Lise Aangeenbrug is the executive director of the Outdoor Foundation (OF), OIA鈥檚 philanthropic wing. Charged with the mission engaging young people and their families to become stewards of the natural environment, she knows, like Camber, her organization can鈥檛 do the work of DEI alone.

鈥淭he industry needs to see this as a continuum of work that鈥檚 all related and fits together,鈥� Aangeenbrug said. 鈥淚 work on the side of getting kids and families outdoors and creating diversity, but in my mind that doesn’t work unless there’s also internships, recruiting, and marketing. The foundation cannot solve this problem. None of us can. What the foundation can do is work on a piece of it. But the industry really needs to embrace a much larger view of this.鈥�

One way OF is embracing its piece of the challenge is the Thrive 国产吃瓜黑料 pilot program, launching in at least four cities across the country later this summer. The initiative aims to support local networks of youth development agencies, schools, and outdoor adventure groups such as the YMCA or the Boys & Girls Club and provide repeatable experiences that can reinforce an interest in the outdoors that鈥檚 culturally relevant to that community. The Outdoor Foundation has received about $2 million contributed by OIA member companies to make this happen.

鈥淥ur plan is to scale up over time to 16 places where we make the investment. I think it’s important to note that we鈥檙e not doing the work. We’re fueling it with funding from the outdoor industry,鈥� Aangeenbrug said. 鈥淭his isn’t going to overnight-change the diversity of who goes outside, but it can bring attention and dollars to the issue. And really get communities to see the benefits of kids and families getting outside.鈥�

Direct engagement opportunities within under-represented communities can serve to raise awareness for the values of outdoor recreation. Over time, with the help of affinity groups like Outdoor Afro, Latino Outdoors, Brothers of Climbing, Unlikely Hikers, and others the outdoor industry can inspire a new generation of enthusiasts that reflect the changing face of the American public. By working through partners on the ground who have solid relationships with the communities they aim to reach, companies are also creating a diverse pool of potential job applicants POC job applicants, individuals with authentic experiences that may emerge from these groups.

The Changing Face of the Industry

Major players in the industry like The North Face are preparing to welcome this new demographic of employee candidates into their workforce. Reggie Miller, senior director of global inclusion and diversity at the VF Corporation says he looks forward to hiring from a different pool of job applicants in the future.

鈥淲e have publicly announced our commitment to achieving gender parity at the director level and above by 2030, and 25 percent representation for people of color in the U.S. by that same year. By reaching these goals, we will inevitably develop a workforce that looks more diverse than we do today,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淏ut again, we aren鈥檛 doing this for the optics; we鈥檙e doing it because our workforce should reflect the diversity of the global consumer populations we serve.鈥�

Though many companies are inspired to do the work of DEI, it鈥檚 never easy to know where to begin. Despite its size and market presence across the nation even a retailer like REI struggles to better represent the interests of its customers and employees.

鈥淧art of the inherent challenge in diversity efforts is that there鈥檚 no single 鈥榬ight way,鈥欌�� said Laura Swapp, REI鈥檚 director of experiences marketing. “But we can鈥檛 get stuck. Eventually you have to pick a path and move, knowing the path will always change.鈥�

Perhaps with a better understanding of how its efforts can more proactively serve under-represented communities in the outdoor industry, Camber, OIA, OF and other organizations can start designing programs and systems that are responsive to the ever changing landscape of our cultural reality.

But any journey begins by taking that first step. For some, signing one of the two CEO Equity/Diversity pledges is a good place start. By formally declaring a commitment to changing their business practices companies, they can steer themselves in the right direction, but moving this intention forward may require some professional help.

Angelou Ezeilo is the founder and CEO of the Greening Youth Foundation, a nonprofit that prepares young people of color for professional careers in federal bureaus of land management as well as private sector outdoor industry companies.

In order to avoid an embarrassing failure that might discourage or inhibit forward progress, she suggests starting slowly with manageable goals. Ezeilo recommends first making small internal changes, such as creating programs for cultural sensitivity training. With a working understanding of offensive behaviors or the potential for unintended micro-aggressions, companies can define an inclusive workplace.

Senior management has to model good professional etiquette as an example of the corporate culture from the top down. And whenever possible, veteran employees should act as mentors to help guide the careers of new hires from different backgrounds, so that they are not only made to feel welcome but given the tools and opportunities they need to be successful in the organization.

But this kind of institutional change will take a lot of time and effort. As a first step on the journey of DEI in the outdoor industry companies both large and small can begin by creating an environment where everyone is happy to come to work.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to start somewhere, so start quietly at first,鈥� Ezeilo said. 鈥淎uthentically do the work on this thing that you鈥檙e creating and make sure before you take it out to the public or to social media that you’ve got a majority of the major kinks worked out. Then grow it from there.鈥�

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