Ultralight Backpacking Gear for People with Boobs: Building an Outdoor Industry Business with Sarah Berkeley of Symbiosis Gear | See Her Outside Podcast
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Have you ever chalked up gear discomfort to your body being the problem: the chafing, the shoulder pressure, the hip belt that just won’t cinch down far enough?
It’s not you. It’s the gear. The outdoor industry has been designing backpacks for one type of body for a very long time, and women have been quietly adapting (and suffering) ever since.
Sarah Berkeley (trail name: Mellow!) is the founder of Symbiosis Gear, an ultralight backpacking gear company designing packs and accessories that actually fit women’s bodies. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Art + Design and previously worked as a professor of Photography and Digital Media. Sarah has hiked the Vermont Long Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Colorado Trail, and half of the Continental Divide Trail — and has been making things her whole life, from sewing her own clothes to helping build a 1,400-square-foot log house near Estes Park. She lives in Leadville, Colorado.
Sarah went through three backpacks on the Pacific Crest Trail before she decided to stop waiting for someone else to solve the problem! She founded Symbiosis Gear, an ultralight backpacking gear company built specifically for women’s bodies, and her story is a masterclass in turning personal frustration into a business that the outdoor world actually needs.
And speaking of building careers in the outdoor industry:
See Her Outside is partnering with Western Colorado University’s Outdoor Industry MBA — a remote degree program built for people who want to lead, build, and create in the outdoor space. If you’ve ever thought about building a career or business in the outdoor industry, WCU’s Outdoor Industry MBA was made for you.
Sarah and Angie talked about:
The heavy backpacking and camping gear Sarah started her outdoor adventures with
Thru-hiking the Vermont Long Trail solo and running into gear problems
Sarah’s journey to ultralight gear after meeting other hikers
Tips for solo hiking after experiencing urban assault
Going through three backpacks on the PCT and finally deciding to build her own
Gear and safety: The moment she fell through a snow bridge in the Sierra and had to make a fast call
Why the outdoor industry isn’t designing for women
How Symbiosis Gear fits differently: curved straps, adjustable sternum, and a waist belt that fits every body size
Lessons from building a product-based business and what’s ahead
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