SheFly Amplify: Gear Up, Give Back™ for the The Outdoorist Oath

Last month, we introduced our new SheFly Amplify series with our first piece about Full Circle Everest. In case you missed it, SheFly Amplify will be a monthly feature celebrating a story, voice or initiative that we support (and hope you will, too!). We see it as our responsibility to use the platform we have as a brand to share, educate, and connect our community with important initiatives in the outdoor space (and beyond) that foster  inclusivity, representation, and accessibility. 

This month, we are featuring Outside’s Gear Up, Give Back™ program, which will donate all proceeds to The Outdoorist Oath, an organization that we care deeply about and are participating in!

What is Gear Up, Give Back™

Outside has teamed up with Bend, Oregon based company, The Gear Fix, to make it easy for the Outside community (or anyone with gear to spare) to donate their retired outdoor gear to support planet, inclusion and adventure through The Outdoorist Oath. Gear Up, Give Back™ shared the stage with SheFly earlier this year, also winning a 2022 Innovation Award at Outdoor Retailer in January! 

Many outdoor enthusiasts get a thrill from discovering innovative new gear, which means they also end up retiring some of their equipment simply because they’ve moved on to something that works better for them, has new features or enables better performance. This program aims to extend the lifecycle of existing products, make gear more accessible to more people and raise funds for a cause we can all get behind, in order to build a more sustainable and inclusive future together!

Why the Outdoorist Oath

All proceeds will go towards financially supporting The Outdoorist Oath. The Outdoorist Oath was co-founded in 2022 by Pattie Gonia, one of SheFly’s biggest role models, along with outdoor activists and visionaries Teresa Baker, José G. González, and Gabaccia Moreno. The Oath (for short) is an action-based commitment to planet, inclusion, and adventure.

It offers tools/education for inquiry, a shareable educational model, and the hub for a community that cares to build a better future.

The goal of the Outdoorist Oath is to educate all generations of outdoorists to build a more inclusive outdoors for planet and people. In acknowledging that we all have much to learn and unlearn, they are creating a community of outdoorists with a commitment to prioritizeing the intersections of planet, inclusion, and adventure through their outdoor experiences and to identify how they can uniquely show up for all three, in relationship, together, simultaneously.

How Does The Oath Work

The Oath has three pillars. 

Commitment 1 (Planet):  

I acknowledge that climate change is real and this planet needs allies. Therefore, I will take action for our planet and advocate for environmental justice.

Commitment 2 (Inclusion):  

I acknowledge that systemic oppression is real and that hatred, discrimination, and biases marginalize people. I will actively work to ally all people in the outdoor community.

Commitment 3 (Adventure): 

I acknowledge adventure looks and feels different for everyone. I will support a connection to the outdoors for everyone beyond what adventure means to me.

To get involved, you first sign up to participate in the free Oath workshop. Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to sign The Oath. Then it’s up to you to live The Oath by continuing to learn (& unlearn) and take action for people and the planet in order to shape the future of the outdoors! In February, the SheFly Co-Founders participated in a workshop and took The Oath. We are so grateful to be part of this initiative and hope you will join us. 

Actionable Amplifying

Donate Your Gear:

The process for sending in gear is very straightforward.

1. Prep your items for donation.
2. Pack up your pre-loved outdoor gear and apparel to be shipped to the Gear Up, Give Back program partner Gear Fix. Print your label. Print a pre-paid shipping label and send it in (for free!). Contact Outside if you have issues with printing your label.
3. Feel good & get rewarded! The Gear Fix will repair your equipment, sell it in their shop, and the net proceeds will be matched by Outside and Gear Fix and donated to The Outdoorist Oath!
   
   This page has additional info about each step and the kinds of items and brands they are accepting.

Take the Oath:

Sign up and share with your community. Every person who encourages another person to share this commitment counts!