Symbiosis Gear Creator & Owner Sarah Berkeley | Beyond the Trailhead Podcast Ep. 31

In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, I sit down with Sarah Berkeley, creator and owner of Symbiosis Gear, a woman-founded backpacking gear company making packs for people with boobs.Sarah’s story started on the Pacific Crest Trail, where she went through three different backpacks and still couldn’t find one that fit her body well. She saw men using small, sleek ultralight packs, but when she looked closer, the designs often didn’t offer the adjustability or fit she needed.So she reached out to a company with a simple design suggestion.They never wrote back.Instead of waiting for someone else to fix the problem, Sarah eventually built the pack herself.We also dive into:• Why many ultralight packs don’t work well for women’s bodies• The story behind Symbiosis Gear• What makes the Aspen backpack different• Why S-curve straps and adjustability matter• The reality of launching a product as a small brand• Ordering 500 backpacks and realizing that might be a lot• Getting scammed through a “try before you buy” app• Why women-specific gear still matters in the outdoor industry• The balance between listening to mentors and trusting yourselfThis episode is full of founder lessons, gear design insight, business mistakes, and honest conversation about building something that should have existed a long time ago.If you’ve ever worn a backpack that just didn’t feel like it was made for your body, this one is for you.Connect with Symbiosis GearWebsite: https://www.symbiosisgear.comThe Aspen Backpack: https://www.symbiosisgear.com/products/the-aspenFind a Retailer: https://www.symbiosisgear.com/pages/find-a-retailerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/symbiosisgearGarage Grown Gear: https://www.garagegrowngear.com/collections/symbiosis-gearListen to Beyond the TrailheadYouTube: https://youtube.com/@BeyondthetrailheadApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=72d97f11c5f64ea6Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetrailheadpodcastWebsite: https://obristimagery.comFor those asking about safety gear we use outdoors you can get 15% off Overwatch x Rescue with code BEYOND15.