Outdoor Afro’s mountain adventure in Moab sporting these fly sock designs by Smartwool
Ten Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders from across the United States swooped into Moab, Utah, during September to add new skill-building experiences to their monthly network activities happening across local communities. “We got to know Moab and its offerings so well,” said Mardi Fuller, a four-year volunteer leader who guides Outdoor Afro’s local Boston network. “After the February 2021 skiing Capstone, I felt equipped and empowered to implement annual ski programs into my network. This desert Capstone has me dreaming about mountain biking and e-biking events.” As one of the national not-for-profit organization’s annual professional development opportunities, this year’s Moab Capstone in Southeastern Utah traveled to Arches National Park and other nearby nature attractions.
Outdoor adventure coach Shawn Brokemond of Sports Adventure led the capstone. She introduced volunteer leaders to some of the region’s most popular outdoor activities: canyoneering, mountain biking, packrafting, and stargazing. “It was super helpful to observe Shawn's leadership and teaching style – as well as all of the guides we worked with,” said Fuller. “I will incorporate these learnings into my general leadership practice. As one of my fellow volunteer leaders said repeatedly: ‘I'm here to learn and be led.’ It's a rare opportunity for us to receive rather than plan, coordinate, and lead. It truly gave me ideas, perspective, and reminders of what it feels like to be a participant.”
Outdoor Afro brand partner Smartwool joined the fun, providing volunteer leaders with the proper foot protection for every educational and recreational step. “The benefits of a good wool sock cannot be understated,” said Michael Casarrubia, marketing manager, community and partnerships, with Smartwool. “Our socks naturally wick moisture away from the body, helping regulate body temperature, resist smelly odors, are soft to the touch, and are essential equipment when heading into nature.”
Since 2020, Outdoor Afro and Smartwool have found common ground in community, sustainability, belonging, and the outdoors. Outdoor Afro celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. Smartwool provides comfortable, capable gear that empowers outdoor enthusiasts and athletes to go far while feeling good along the way. Together, both make a classic pair in what a genuine partnership in nature looks and feels like. Continuing its shared mission to make the outdoors easily accessible, Smartwool lives for sustainability efforts. Designating the apparel brand as a natural collaborator and supporter of Outdoor Afro’s Volunteer Leader Program.
“The socks were extremely durable and provided comfort in the various Capstone events,” said Jimmy Allen, who leads the South’s Charlotte network. “It’s definitely my go-to sock for all future network activities.” In addition to annual Capstone experiences, Outdoor Afro’s selected and trained volunteer leaders guide their hometowns in year-round network activities. More than 100 volunteer leaders host innovative interpretations of fishing, biking, foraging, backpacking, camping, kayaking, canoeing, gardening, skiing, and more. Customized network events inspired and driven by community interests.
Annually, network participants in neighborhoods nationwide frequently ask: What is the best gear and equipment to invest in for their next Outdoor Afro adventure? Knowing what’s safe, sustainable, and comfortable is a request volunteer leaders often receive while guiding network experiences throughout U.S. communities. Exactly why Smartwool is Outdoor Afro’s top recommendation in foot protection and base layer support. Since 1999, the apparel brand has redesigned its base layers to provide all-day comfort and outdoor performance. “OMG! I have never worn a pair of Smartwool socks, but they were so awesome,” said Frances James of Outdoor Afro’s Bay Area and Northern California network, who received several compliments for her mushroom, campfire, and hatchet sock designs. “I wore them two days in a row. These socks fit me like a glove, providing a ton of support and padding while mountain biking, e-biking, and 4x4ing.”
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
ABOUT SMARTWOOL: Based in Denver, Colorado, Smartwool® is a sock, apparel, and accessories brand whose products are designed to get the most out of the inherent benefits of Merino wool to bring comfort, confidence, and community to a life lived outside. For information on the full range of Smartwool® products or to find a dealer near you, visit Smartwool.com. Smartwool, a division of VF Outdoor, LLC, is a brand of VF Corporation.
Purpose of pulling up our socks with Smartwool fall 2023
Outdoor Afro and brand partner Smartwool found common ground in community, sustainability, belonging, and the outdoors since 2020. Each organization’s leadership has collaborated on outdoor industry initiatives together for many years prior. The national not-for-profit organization celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. Smartwool provides comfortable, capable gear that empowers outdoor enthusiasts and athletes to go far – and feel good along the way. Both make a classic pair in what an authentic partnership looks and feels like in nature experiences for everyone. With a shared mission to make the outdoors easily accessible, Smartwool’s latest sustainability efforts and fall 2023 collection make the apparel brand a natural collaborator.
Outdoor Afro’s selected and trained volunteer leaders guide their hometowns in year-round activities – fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, gardening, skiing, and more. Annually, community participants who join the Outdoor Afro Leadership Team in these monthly nature experiences often ask: What is the best gear and equipment to invest in for our next event? These Outdoor Afro network participants always want to make sure they’re exploring nature in their neighborhood safely, sustainably, and with the best comfort. Why Smartwool is Outdoor Afro’s top recommendations in foot protection and base layer support. Since 1999, the apparel brand has redesigned its base layers to provide all-day comfort and outdoor performance. Smartwool’s newest autumn arrivals connect with Outdoor Afro’s annual programs and monthly outdoor activities, just in time for a cooler and wetter season ahead.
COLD-WEATHER COMFORT: Smartwool’s new collection offers designs to accommodate cooler weather adventures. Pick from a range of Merino wool styles, socks, and gear in fall-ready colors for all generations. The outdoor fashion brand’s fall collection also includes newer prints of its Plus Size Classic Thermal Base Layers. With sizes from 1X to 4X, more women can enjoy autumn adventures feeling comfortable and confident in their gear and equipment. Speaking of new sizes, Smartwool’s Unisex Collection also features relaxed, open silhouettes for everyday styling. For upcoming plans to tackle the slope season, skiers of all levels and backgrounds can gain even more room with Smartwool’s Extra Stretch Calf Ski Socks.
ART OF THE OUTDOORS PROGRAM: This Smartwool program and collection celebrates culture, community, and creativity outside through collections and collaborations. The program brought together talented artists and storytellers from all walks of life. This year’s collection features artwork from creatives such as Brittany Lewis, Trickster Company, Jordan Ann Craig, and the Natives Outdoors Collective. Each brings their interpretation of the outdoors to various audiences to explore. It’s fun. It’s colorful. It’s for everyone to enjoy.
THE SECOND CUT™ PROJECT: The project is one of Smartwool’s efforts to achieve a more sustainable product line — and contribute to a more accessible outdoors. To date, Smartwool has donated more than a million socks, saving more than 86,000 pounds of waste from landfills. Shifting to a circular business model, the Second Cut™ Project turns old, unwanted socks into new, recycled ones. And get this: even dog beds. This year, Smartwool released its Second Cut™ Hike Sock — a trail-ready sock made from a 50-50 blend of sock waste and responsibly sourced Merino wool.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
ABOUT SMARTWOOL: Based in Denver, Colorado, Smartwool® is a sock, apparel, and accessories brand whose products are designed to get the most out of the inherent benefits of Merino wool to bring comfort, confidence, and community to a life lived outside. For information on the full range of Smartwool® products or to find a dealer near you, visit Smartwool.com. Smartwool, a division of VF Outdoor, LLC, is a brand of VF Corporation.
Why Smartwool + Outdoor Afro are a model partnership pair
Network partner Smartwool designs and produces Merino wool socks and accessories to help fuel a life lived outside. But its mission doesn’t stop there. From inclusivity and diversity to sustainability and advocacy, Smartwool uses its brand values to navigate the outdoor industry, curating products and a community to create a more accessible outdoors for everyone.
Recently, Outdoor Afro collaborated with Smartwool on a second hiking sock for the network's 2022 Juneteenth commemoration — designed by volunteer leader and artist Leandra Taylor to represent Black joy, healing, and unity in nature. The Outdoor Afro Hike Light Cushion Print Crew Socks became a colorful option for outdoor enthusiasts to fashion and wear while exploring their backyard versions of land, water, and wildlife. “I wanted to be intentional about what this sock represents,” said Taylor. “It’s universal. Different versions of Blackness to identify with because we’re not a monolith – even in our outdoor experiences.”
Taylor also created Outdoor Afro’s 2020 “Slice of Nature” socks to illustrate the network’s love for the outdoors despite entering COVID times. That Smartwool performance hike sock emphasized joy and community in the outdoors while standing together to protect local areas and wild places – even while quarantining. “The new print crew sock involved more than the patterns I typically create,” Taylor said. “The faces flow and wrap around the foot, showing every angle of our Black beauty.”
To get more people outside, Smartwool has focused on creating new fit blocks so communities can experience the comfort and natural performance of Merino wool. Fall 2022, it's proud to release the new unisex collection for everyday wear and women’s plus sizes in fan-favorite classic thermal base layer. Just the start to the brand's journey, offering more sizes and fit options. Natural fiber Merinio wool dominates Smartwool’s catalogue because of the inherent temperature control, sweat management, and odor resistance.
When additional materials are needed for durability and quicker dry times, Smartwool uses recycled materials whenever possible. And that’s not the only way our partner is putting the planet first. Smartwool launched the Second Cut™ Project on Earth Day 2021 — the outdoor industry’s first sock recycling platform. To date, Smartwool has collected 525,000-plus socks and diverted more than 42,000 pounds of usable materials from landfills to use in future products.
The Second Cut™ Project is a major step toward Smartwool's goal of 100 percent of its products designed for circularity. With its “go far. feel good.™” motto, the sock expert doesn’t care who you are. As long as you’re getting out that door. And Outdoor Afro knows personally the brand is dedicated to supporting communities every step of the way. For years now, Smartwool has helped Outdoor Afro amplify and celebrate Black voices in nature.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
ABOUT SMARTWOOL: Based in Denver, Colorado, Smartwool® is a sock and apparel brand whose products are designed to get the most out of the inherent benefits of Merino wool to bring comfort, confidence, and community to a life lived outside. For information on the full range of Smartwool® products or to find a dealer near you, please visit Smartwool.com. Smartwool, a division of VF Outdoor, LLC, is a brand of VF Corporation.
Outdoor Afro x Smartwool launch second hiking sock
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – Restock your sock collection with a new, comfy styling option co-created by national not-for-profit Outdoor Afro and global sock and apparel brand Smartwool: the Outdoor Afro Hike Light Cushion Print Crew Socks. Launched July 2022 and designed by Outdoor Afro volunteer leader and artist Leandra Taylor, this colorful print speaks to Black joy, healing, and unity in nature.
On the heels of Outdoor Afro’s second annual Juneteenth commemoration, “I wanted to be intentional about what this sock represents,” said Taylor. “It’s universal. Different versions of Blackness to identify with because we’re not a monolith – even in our outdoor experiences.” Within a matter of weeks, Taylor’s creative process of scribbling, coloring, and sketching morphed into a collage of skin tones.
The Merino wool socks also feature a Virtually Seamless™ Toe to prevent chafing; 4 Degree™ Elite Fit System to stop bunching, blisters, or sock slippage; Indestructawool™ for unmatched durability; and mesh venting for maximum breathability and moisture management. The joint project marks the second time the two brands have partnered on a sock product.
Taylor also created Outdoor Afro’s 2020 “Slice of Nature” socks to illustrate the network’s love for the outdoors despite entering COVID times. That performance hike sock emphasized joy and community in the outdoors while standing together to protect local areas and wild places – even while quarantining. “This new sock involved more than the patterns I typically create,” Taylor said. “The faces flow and wrap around the foot, showing every angle of our Black beauty.”
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
ABOUT SMARTWOOL: Based in Denver, Colorado, Smartwool® is a sock and apparel brand whose products are designed to get the most out of the inherent benefits of Merino wool to bring comfort, confidence, and community to a life lived outside. For information on the full range of Smartwool® products or to find a dealer near you, please visit Smartwool.com. Smartwool, a division of VF Outdoor, LLC, is a brand of VF Corporation.