Best Women-Led Outdoor Brands to Support: Women-Led Wednesday 2026

The outdoor industry is full of incredible women doing incredible things. From designing ultralight backpacking gear to creating technical apparel that actually fits women's bodies, women-founded and women-led outdoor brands are bringing fresh perspectives, thoughtful innovation, and some seriously good products to the trail.

And while Women-Led Wednesday gives us a wonderful reason to celebrate these companies during the holiday shopping season, supporting women in the outdoor industry shouldn't be limited to one day of the year.

As someone who has spent years hiking, backpacking, guiding, and testing outdoor gear, I've seen firsthand how much thoughtful design matters. Sometimes the biggest innovations aren't the flashiest products or the newest materials. They're the simple solutions to problems that outdoor enthusiasts have dealt with for decades, often because nobody thought to approach them differently. That's exactly what makes so many of these women-led outdoor brands worth celebrating.

Whether you're shopping for a fellow adventurer, upgrading your backpacking setup, or looking to spend your money with businesses whose work you believe in, these are some of our favorite women-founded and women-led outdoor companies making a difference.

What Is Women-Led Wednesday?

Women-Led Wednesday is an annual movement that encourages consumers to support women-led businesses, particularly during the busy holiday shopping season. Held on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in the United States, the initiative shines a spotlight on female entrepreneurship and the companies helping shape their respective industries.

In the outdoor world, it's an opportunity to celebrate women who are building businesses, designing innovative products, creating jobs, and helping make outdoor recreation more accessible. But Women-Led Wednesday is about more than shopping. It's about recognizing the people behind the products we use and acknowledging the value of diverse perspectives in an industry that hasn't always represented everyone equally.

The best part is that you can support these businesses throughout the entire year!

Our Favorite Women-Led Outdoor Brands

Wild Rye — Best for Women's Technical Outdoor Apparel

When it comes to outdoor apparel that combines serious performance with a little personality, Wild Rye is one of our absolute favorites.

Wild Rye creates technical apparel designed specifically for women who mountain bike, ski, hike, and spend their lives outside. Their clothing prioritizes mobility, comfort, and practical performance without sacrificing color, creativity, or style.

What really sets Wild Rye apart is its attention to fit. For women with athletic builds, muscular legs, or curves, finding technical apparel that moves comfortably can be frustrating. Wild Rye approaches those challenges with designs built around how women actually move.

We've spent plenty of time wearing Wild Rye apparel, and the brand's versatility is one of its greatest strengths. Pieces originally designed for mountain biking can be equally fantastic for desert hiking, travel, and everyday adventures.

Why we love Wild Rye: Thoughtful women's fit, durable technical fabrics, bold designs, and apparel that performs across multiple outdoor activities.

Best for: Hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and active everyday wear.

Kula Cloth — Best for Backcountry Hygiene

Some of the most important innovations in outdoor gear are surprisingly simple, and Kula Cloth is a perfect example.

Founded by Anastasia Allison, Kula Cloth introduced a thoughtfully designed reusable pee cloth that helps outdoor enthusiasts manage personal hygiene while reducing reliance on toilet paper in the backcountry.

The antimicrobial fabric, waterproof backing, convenient attachment system, and colorful artist-designed prints make it an incredibly practical addition to a hiking or backpacking kit.

But what makes Kula Cloth especially meaningful is its connection to responsible recreation. Used and cared for properly, a reusable pee cloth can help reduce the amount of toilet paper people bring into the backcountry, supporting better Leave No Trace practices.

Kula Cloth has also built a wonderfully enthusiastic community around outdoor education, creativity, and celebrating time spent outside.

Why we love Kula Cloth: Practical innovation, reusable design, artist collaborations, and a strong connection to responsible outdoor recreation.

Best for: Hiking, backpacking, camping, and outdoor hygiene.

rabbit — Best for Women's Running Apparel

Running apparel should feel just as good on mile ten as it does on mile one, and rabbit has built its reputation around exactly that. Co-founded by Monica DeVreese and Jill Deering, this California-based running apparel company creates performance-driven clothing designed by runners, for runners.

From lightweight running shorts and breathable tops to technical layers for cooler mornings, rabbit combines exceptionally soft fabrics, thoughtful fits, and practical details that make a difference when you're putting in the miles. Their apparel transitions beautifully between road running, trail running, hiking, and everyday movement, making it a versatile addition to an active wardrobe.

With a strong connection to the running community and a focus on comfort without compromising performance, rabbit is a fantastic example of women helping shape the future of outdoor apparel.

Why we love rabbit: Runner-focused designs, incredibly comfortable performance fabrics, thoughtful fits, and versatile apparel that works for everything from daily training runs to trail adventures.

Best for: Road running, trail running, hiking, and everyday athletic apparel.

Alpacka Raft — Best for Backcountry Packrafting

Few outdoor companies have had such a significant influence on their category as Alpacka Raft.

Founded by Sheri Tingey, Alpacka Raft helped transform packrafting from a niche pursuit into a more accessible form of wilderness travel. Tingey's design experience and determination to create better-performing lightweight boats helped establish new expectations for what packrafts could accomplish.

Based in Mancos, Colorado, Alpacka Raft is especially well known for its American-made boats, innovative designs, and commitment to building equipment capable of handling demanding backcountry conditions.

Their packrafts allow adventurers to combine hiking and paddling in ways that would be difficult or impossible with traditional watercraft, opening up entirely new possibilities for human-powered exploration.

Why we love Alpacka Raft: Category-defining innovation, specialized craftsmanship, repairability, and a remarkable woman-founded business.

Best for: Packrafting, wilderness expeditions, and multi-sport adventures.

BRANWYN — Best for Merino Wool Essentials

Sometimes the most important piece of outdoor gear is the one nobody sees.

BRANWYN focuses on performance essentials designed around women's comfort, movement, and everyday needs. Its merino wool bras and underwear offer an alternative to conventional synthetic undergarments, particularly for people who appreciate natural fibers.

Merino wool is naturally odor-resistant, helps regulate temperature, and manages moisture, making it an excellent material for hiking, travel, and multi-day adventures.

BRANWYN's approach emphasizes comfortable, functional designs that can transition between outdoor activities and daily life. For anyone who has struggled with uncomfortable sports bras, chafing, or synthetic fabrics during long days outside, it's a brand worth exploring.

Why we love BRANWYN: Natural performance fibers, women-focused design, comfortable essentials, and versatile pieces for active lifestyles.

Best for: Hiking underwear, travel, everyday wear, and merino wool essentials.

Garage Grown Gear — Best for Discovering Ultralight Cottage Brands

If you love discovering small, independent outdoor companies, Garage Grown Gear deserves a permanent place on your radar.

Founded by Amy Hatch, Garage Grown Gear has become an important destination for ultralight backpackers interested in innovative equipment from cottage manufacturers.

Unlike traditional outdoor retailers that focus heavily on established brands, Garage Grown Gear provides a platform for smaller companies producing specialized backpacks, shelters, accessories, clothing, and trail essentials. That means shoppers can discover creative products they might otherwise never encounter, while independent gear makers gain access to a much broader audience.

For ultralight enthusiasts, it's an especially exciting place to explore emerging ideas, niche equipment, and products developed by people deeply involved in the backpacking community.

Why we love Garage Grown Gear: Support for small businesses, innovative cottage gear, specialty ultralight equipment, and a woman-founded platform helping independent makers grow.

Best for: Ultralight backpacking, cottage gear, and discovering independent outdoor brands.

Farm to Summit — Best for Sustainable Backpacking Food

Farm to Summit brings a refreshingly thoughtful approach to one of backpacking's most essential categories: food.

Founded in southwest Colorado, the company focuses on creating flavorful dehydrated meals while incorporating ingredients sourced from farms and surplus produce that might otherwise go to waste.

It's a smart concept that connects outdoor recreation with local agriculture and a more resource-conscious food system.

Rather than treating backpacking meals as an afterthought, Farm to Summit emphasizes creative recipes, quality ingredients, and a genuine connection to the places where its food originates.

For hikers who care about both flavor and the environmental impact of their purchases, Farm to Summit offers a compelling combination.

Why we love Farm to Summit: Farm-sourced ingredients, food-waste reduction, creative recipes, and a strong connection to local agriculture.

Best for: Backpacking, camping, lightweight trail meals, and sustainability-minded adventurers.

Skida — Best for Colorful Outdoor Accessories

Skida proves that technical outdoor accessories don't have to be boring.

Founded by Corinne Prevot, Skida began with handmade hats for fellow skiers and grew into a recognizable outdoor accessories company known for its colorful prints and practical designs.

From lightweight headbands to insulated neck warmers and winter hats, Skida creates accessories that work for skiing, running, hiking, and everyday adventures.

The brand's personality is part of its appeal, but its products are designed to be genuinely useful. Comfortable materials, functional construction, and versatile designs make Skida accessories easy additions to an outdoor wardrobe.

Why we love Skida: Creative prints, functional cold-weather accessories, a woman-founded origin story, and products that make practical gifts.

Best for: Winter hiking, skiing, trail running, and outdoor gifts.

Good To-Go — Best for Gourmet Backpacking Meals

For backpackers who refuse to sacrifice a good meal simply because they're miles from the nearest kitchen, Good To-Go is an excellent choice.

Co-founded by chef Jennifer Scism, Good To-Go approaches backpacking food with a culinary perspective. Instead of relying on basic combinations of starches and seasoning, the company develops flavorful meals inspired by recognizable dishes and global cuisines.

Its dehydrated meals are lightweight, convenient, and designed to be prepared with hot water, making them well suited to backpacking and camping.

Good To-Go also offers options for different dietary preferences, helping more outdoor enthusiasts find meals that work for them.

And if you've ever finished a demanding day on the trail wishing your dinner tasted a little less like emergency rations, you'll appreciate the attention given to flavor.

Why we love Good To-Go: Chef-developed recipes, interesting flavors, convenient preparation, and backpacking meals that make dinner something to look forward to.

Best for: Backpacking, camping, travel, and food-focused adventurers.

NoSo Patches — Best for Outdoor Gear Repair

Outdoor gear gets damaged. Jackets snag, sleeping bags develop holes, and lightweight fabrics eventually show signs of wear. But a small tear doesn't have to mean replacing an otherwise perfectly functional piece of equipment.

NoSo Patches makes gear repair easier and a whole lot more fun with adhesive patches designed for repairing damaged outdoor fabrics.

Available in a variety of shapes, colors, and designs, these patches turn an ordinary repair into an opportunity to personalize your equipment.

It's an especially appealing concept in an industry where sustainability conversations often focus on purchasing new products rather than extending the life of what we already own.

For hikers, backpackers, and anyone who puts their equipment through serious use, NoSo Patches are a useful addition to a repair kit.

Why we love NoSo Patches: Accessible gear repairs, creative designs, waste reduction, and a practical way to extend the life of outdoor equipment.

Best for: Repairing jackets, sleeping bags, backpacks, and compatible technical fabrics.

Why Supporting Women-Led Outdoor Brands Matters

The outdoor industry has historically been shaped by a relatively narrow range of perspectives, particularly when it comes to equipment design, product development, and leadership. And while the industry has made meaningful progress, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Women-founded and women-led outdoor companies bring additional perspectives to the table, often recognizing problems that have been overlooked or inadequately addressed by more traditional manufacturers.

Consider the impact of a product like Kula Cloth, which addresses an everyday backcountry hygiene challenge, or a company like Wild Rye, which develops technical apparel around women's movement and fit rather than treating women's clothing as an adaptation of men's gear.

These aren't simply products marketed toward women. They're examples of what can happen when different experiences influence design decisions. Of course, being woman-founded doesn't automatically make a product more sustainable, more inclusive, or better performing. Those qualities still need to be evaluated on their own merits.

But supporting women-led businesses helps create opportunities for more entrepreneurs, designers, and outdoor professionals to participate in shaping the industry. And ultimately, a more diverse outdoor industry benefits everyone who loves spending time outside.

How to Support Women-Led Outdoor Businesses Beyond Women-Led Wednesday

Buying gear is one way to support women-led businesses, but it certainly isn't the only one.

Sharing a favorite company with friends, leaving a thoughtful product review, following independent brands on social media, and recommending great equipment to fellow hikers can all make a meaningful difference. This is particularly true for smaller outdoor companies that don't have the advertising budgets or retail distribution of major manufacturers.

It's also worth remembering that supporting women in the outdoors extends beyond gear companies. Women work as outdoor guides, photographers, conservationists, educators, athletes, writers, and small-business owners throughout the industry.

Hiring a woman-owned guiding company, purchasing work from a female outdoor artist, supporting independent outdoor journalism, or recommending a woman-led conservation organization are all meaningful ways to participate.

And you don't need to purchase something new to make an impact. Supporting a company's repair services, buying secondhand gear, or simply helping others discover a business you admire can be valuable, too.

Packing It Out: Celebrate Women in the Outdoors All Year

The outdoor industry is at its best when more people have the opportunity to contribute their ideas, experiences, and creativity.

From a reusable pee cloth that makes backcountry hygiene easier to technical clothing designed around real bodies and packrafts that open up new possibilities for wilderness exploration, women-founded outdoor businesses are helping push the industry forward in meaningful ways.

Women-Led Wednesday is a great reminder to recognize that work, but I hope the enthusiasm carries well beyond the holiday shopping season. Whether you're investing in a new piece of gear, supporting a small business, or simply telling a friend about a company you love, your choices can help shape the kind of outdoor industry you want to see. That's something worth celebrating every day of the year.

This article is independent of the suppliers and reflects my own editorial opinions. Some links may be affiliate links, which means Southwest Hikes may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.