In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Sarah “Mellow” Berkeley, founder of Symbiosis Gear, a pack-making company designed specifically for people with boobs. Sarah shares insights into her unique upbringing in a small log cabin in rural Colorado, her adventures on the Long Trail, PCT, Colorado Trail, and half of the CDT, and her journey to creating a backpack tailored for primarily women. We dive into the inspiration behind her patented S-shaped shoulder strap, the challenges of starting a business with no prior industry experience, the help she’s received from fellow members of the cottage industry, her plans for future expansion, and much more. 

We wrap the show with the announcement of the 2025 Badger Sponsorship, news of a hiker found dead near Mt. Whitney, a debate on when poop officially starts to smell like poop, and the Triple Crown of middle-aged happiness.

Topo Athletic: Use code “TREKWINTER15” at topoathletic.com.

Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com. 

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Interview with Sarah Berkeley

• New Symbiosis Gear Survey
• Symbiosis Gear on Instagram
• Symbiosis Gear Website

Time stamps & Questions

00:05:15 - Reminders: Apply for the 2025 Badger Sponsorship, join us for our live show in Austin, apply to blog for the Trek, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon!

00:09:07 - Introducing Sarah

00:10:33 - What’s your trail name origin story?

00:11:32 - Tell us about building a log cabin with your family

00:16:27 - How did you end up on the Long Trail?

00:17:50 - Did you bring any simple recipes from the wood stove to backpacking?

00:18:30 - Are you happy your parents created that experience for you?

00:20:30 - Was it psychologically easy for you to adjust to backpacking?

00:22:30 - What was the motivation to move to Leadville?

00:26:20 - Walk us through the early stages of getting into backpacking

00:29:35 - How did you manage the Long Trail with a dog?

00:31:45 - What caused you to stick with thru-hiking?

00:34:35 - Did you solve any gear problems going from the Long Trail to the PCT?

00:37:06 - Were you crafty at that point?

00:40:15 - What do you customize for your packs?

00:43:55 - What does the S-strap do?

00:47:15 - Is chafing a common issue?

00:50:00 - Discussion about the pack design

00:52:27 - Are other brands making female-specific packs?

00:56:10 - What are some common sizing questions?

00:58:45 - Who is your ideal customer?

01:04:30 - What do you see as the next way to open up the product offering?

01:08:00 - Discussion about Chaunce’s bags

01:12:00 - When did the lightbulb for this pack go off for you?

01:14:28 - What’s been the most intimidating part of this effort to tackle?

01:17:05 - What is the fabric on the pack?

01:18:05 - What’s it like to go from being new to having some reviews to support the product?

01:20:00 - Did you hike with Double Dip?

01:21:54 - Did you have other CDT hikers using your pack?

01:23:30 - Are the packs coming from a manufacturer?

01:26:05 - Have you connected with other manufacturers in the cottage industry?

01:27:30 - Do you have investors?

01:28:40 - What other frustrations do you have with female gear?

01:31:35 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance enhancing hack?

Segments

Trek Propaganda: 

• Missing Hiker Found Dead on Mount Whitney by Katie Jackson
• REI Announces Mass Layoffs and an End to a Beloved Program by Katie Jackson
• The Best Backpacking Tents for Thru-Hiking in 2025 by the Editors

QOTD:  At what point does poop actually start smelling like shit?

Triple Crown of middle aged happiness

Mail Bag

5 Star Review

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Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years.

A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Ben Love, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Liz Seger, Mud Tom, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Bonnie Ackerman, Chris Pyle, David, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Katharine Rudzitis, Lauren Cain, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Ruth S, and Spencer Hinson.