Adventure Medical Kits

These aren’t typical first-aid kits: Adventure Medical Kits are created specifically for hiking and backpacking. We love that they have a team of experts, both doctors and veterinarians, to ensure their kits are comprehensive for all of your outdoor needs. We can’t stress the importance of safety enough in the outdoors, and the quality of these kits are top of the line. For over a decade, Adventure Medical Kits have been the first things we put into our packs before we hit the trails.

Alpaca Threadz

This is a new, amazing company that was created in response to the pandemic. Looking for a way to support local Andean cultures that were impacted by the shutdowns, Alpaca Threadz started to connect local artists in Ecuador and Peru with retailers. They sell Fair Trade, handcrafted alpaca wool blankets that are simply stunning. We also love that 10% of their profits are given back to the artists!

AlpineAire

After a hard day of hiking, nothing is more important or satisfying than a delicious and nutritious meal. We love AlpineAire for their wide variety of high-quality  instant meals that address different dietary needs. From meat, vegetarian, and vegan options, to all natural, cholesterol free, and gluten free selections, AlpineAire has an option for almost anyone. They also use natural ingredients and leave the additives out. They are our first choice to keep you well-nourished on your outdoor adventures. Bonus points for how lightweight and easy to make they are!

Katadyn

This Switzerland-based company is all about quality, reliability, and easy operation. They are a favorite among many international aid organizations and militaries for their survival aid. We specifically love their water filters. When you’re in the outdoors, we trust Katadyn more than any other company to provide safe, drinkable water, even when you’re in the backcountry or simply out for a run. Nothing beats drinking filtered water straight out of an alpine lake with safe, reliable equipment!

Buff

Buff prides itself on the quality of its products. They have integrated incredible fabric technologies into their multifunctional headwear (like UV protection, which we are a huge fan of), and with 12 different ways you can wear one, they are incredibly versatile. Whether you need them for sun protection, to protect you from unexpected weather, or simply to keep your hair out of your face, Buff headwear can be used in so many different ways. If you’re looking for the best headwear, look no further—every outdoorswoman should have one of these!

Diva

In case it wasn’t already cool enough that Diva was founded by a rockstar mother-daughter team,  the DivaCup is the comfortable and environmentally friendly replacement for tampons and pads. It was the obvious choice for our Feminine Hygiene Kit to help with all of your backcountry (and at home!) period needs. It’s an amazing way to implement Leave No Trace practices.

We also love Diva Cares, the giving side of Diva, where they strive for menstrual advocacy, access and education. They partner with numerous organizations to make legislative change that allows for menstrual equity, they provide menstrual health education to embrace periods and reduce stigma, and they have created a donations program to ensure every woman has access to menstrual care products. Just recently, they partnered with TerraCycle to develop a recycling program. Your recycled DivaCup is ground down to a powder and reused to make other recycled products. You can learn more about the Diva Recycling Program here.

Deuter

Get ready, there are so many reasons why we love Deuter, starting with their Slim Line collection that was designed specifically for womxn. Deuter recognized that many womxn’s bodies are different from men’s: typically, they have shorter backs, their shoulders are more narrow, and their hips are wider and differently shaped than men’s. You can imagine how uncomfortable wearing a traditional pack must be! So Deuter cut their SL packs shorter, made the straps closer together, and made hip fins shaped like a cone to better mirror female hips. The result: an incredibly comfortable and durable pack to meet all of your trail needs, from day hikes, to week long ventures. For those womxn who have longer torsos and broader shoulders, their standard backpacks work great.

We are also so impressed by their business practices. Deuter is a member  of the Fair Wear Foundation, a group committed to improving working conditions in factories worldwide. They have been honored with ‘Leader Status’ eight times already. Along with FWF, Deuter has dedicated themselves to producing packs that meet the bluesign® standard, which is the world’s highest standard for responsible and sustainable manufacturing. In case they weren’t already impressive enough, Deuter is also a member of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles. Their packs are PFC free, which is better for the environment and for consumers’ health. Instead of PFC, they use Durable Water Repellency which is great for the environment without compromising the quality of their packs.

Can you see why we love Deuter so much? We think they’re so incredible, that we have included their packs in the Hiking, Backpacking and Mama Bear boxes.

Klean Kanteen

If you love the environment, join us in being Klean Kanteen supporters for all of your beverage needs. There are so many reasons why we love their stainless steel water bottles and thermoses, starting with their double-wall vacuum insulation, which, depending on the bottle size, can keep drinks hot for a whopping 20-38  hours and cold for 50-100 hours! They are also BPA-free, use their chip-resistant ‘Klean Coat’ (which is nontoxic), intentionally created  versatile caps so that you can use them across all of their products, and are made from environmentally friendly materials. These stainless steel bottles were the clear choice for our curated gear boxes. 

Klean Kanteen is also a seriously cool Family and Employee-Owned Certified B Corps that really cares about their employees. We encourage you to look up their annual report, but of particular interest is their 100% Paid Parental Leave so that new parents can bond with their new child.  Their offices are also dog-friendly, which all of our dog Mama’s can particularly appreciate.

We also admire their ethically and environmentally sound business practices. They work with manufacturing partners who utilize standards like the Ethical Trading Initiative Code and the International Labor Standards. They are environmentally transparent and committed to always striving to do better. Using the Climate Neutral 3-step process to reduce carbon emissions, Klean Kanteen publicly shares where they’re at, and what changes they plan to make. 

Klean Kanteen is also deeply committed to making the world a better place. They donate 1% of their sales to various environmental nonprofits, but even more importantly, staff members are awarded 24 hours each year to volunteer. They specifically support their local Chico, California community, from donations to local schools and organizations to sponsoring and participating in local events. This is business grassroots in it’s finest. Alpine Sisters® definitely is looking to companies like Klean Kanteen to inspire us as we grow.

prAna

Simply put, we love prAna activewear! That’s why we have created an entire Trail Wardrobe for you. Aside from being both extremely aesthetically pleasing and  incredibly comfortable, prAna does so much for the environment and human rights, the list is too extensive to include here, but here are some of our favorite things about this brand’s Clothing for Positive Change.

The materials prAna uses to make their clothing is thoughtfully procured. Over 50% of their latest Spring styles were crafted from recycled materials. Their clothing is only made from cellulosic fibers from trees that are “highly regenerative, non-endangered, and non-ancient” to ensure biodiversity is preserved, and they also only use organic cotton. While many of their lines are Fair Trade Certified, they aim to be 100% FTC by 2028 to ensure the fair treatment of workers. We are amazed by their Responsible Packaging Movement: they have committed not only themselves to eliminate plastic from their packaging, but have led the way for dozens of other brands to do the same. You’ll notice most of the time they use recyclable raffia ribbon instead of individual plastic bags.

Honestly, we wear prAna on AND off the trails, and we know you’ll love them as much as we do!

Kula Cloth

The ladies and gentlemen at Kula Cloth are some of the coolest in the outdoor industry! The founder created an antimicrobial pee cloth that you can use again and again, and it’s absolutely ingenious. Kula Cloth recognizes the importance of practicing good feminine hygiene in the outdoors while also normalizing conversations about it. Kula Cloths are amazing alternatives to packing out your toilet paper when backpacking. This is one of the most environmentally friendly products on the market, and as an added bonus, they’re beautiful (no seriously, check out the stunning design made specially for Alpine Sisters® in our Feminine Hygiene Kit and Backpacking box!) This is one of our favorite brands and we hope you’ll become a Kula Cloth lady for life too!

Minishades

Let’s face it, there are few things in this life cuter than babies and children wearing sunglasses. From a more practical perspective, we love that Minishades is committed to protecting your little one’s eyes. Children’s eyes are still developing, and UV light is more harmful to their retinas than adults. Their polarized sunglasses are really well-made and super adorable without breaking the bank.

We also appreciate that Minishades offers their ‘Hide n’ Seek Loss & Damage Warranty’ for all registered sunglasses. This means that when you or your child inevitably lose or damage their sunglasses, Minishades will send you a one-time replacement pair, and you only have to pay the processing fee. That’s a must-have in our book when you have a kiddo!

Natrapel

Natrapel is our first choice when it comes to keeping insects away: they’re super effective and they use Picaridin. We specifically love the Natrapel soft wipes which make it easier to apply to your face and neck, as well as children (we do not recommend using this product on children under the age of 3; please see product details for more information). When you’re out for a day hike or  in the backcountry, there are plenty of disease-carrying insects, and we want to keep you and your loved ones safe. 

While we don’t sell their sprays, we also appreciate Natrapel’s efforts as a brand to create environmentally friendly sprays by using a specially designed delivery system that is free of ozone-depleting propellants.

Nite Ize

We love this company that is dedicated to integrity and trust. While they have so many fantastic products, we are particularly fond of their pet series. We wouldn’t trust any other brand to help you see and keep your dog safe when the sun goes down. Nite Ize trusts their gear so much that if you are not fully satisfied, you can connect with their ‘Worry Free Guarantee’ and call for a repair, replacement, or exchange. They also pride themselves on their customer service, and we can personally vouch for that; they are so friendly and helpful! 

A few years back they started The Brite Side, which focuses on giving back and supporting non-profits that do good in the world. We’re a big fan of the wonderful people at Nite Ize and the cool things they’re doing to give back.

Optimus

This Swedish company has been around for over a century and is well known for its hardy outdoor stoves and cookware. Some of their products have been so solid for decades that people still use them today, and yet Optimus is still committed to regularly re-engineering their already amazing gear. We love this company for their reliable stoves and cookware, knowing that once you have one of their camp stoves, you might  never need a new one again.

Petzl

We love this family business for its commitment to high-quality gear. They take their jobs seriously, understanding that many people who entrust their lives in their products. Safety and reliability is at the heart of this business, and they conduct thorough field testing on all of their products, while striving for zero defects. We also admire The Petzl Foundation which supports environmental nonprofit organizations and provides technical training and support to programs whose focus is on accident prevention.

Smartwool

If you haven’t heard about Merino wool, it’s the most comfortable fabric that keeps you dry from sweat and helps regulate your body temperature, both in the heat and cool weather. Merino wool is a natural and renewable fiber from sheep. Oh, and contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t itch! Smartwool is hands down our favorite company for socks and base layers. They fit well and are super durable. Bonus points for their donation and advocacy program, which focuses on helping protect the environment and local communities.

Klymit

We applaud Klymit’s commitment to ensuring that you have a good night’s sleep in the backcountry. They do so by making hardy gear that is durable, incredibly comfortable, and easy-to-use (which we particularly appreciate when you get to your campsite after the sun goes down!) Klymit’s team tests their products in the rugged conditions of Utah’s mountains and deserts, giving us the peace of mind that their gear will perform even in the harshest elements. This is a brand that we really love and trust!

Raw Elements

Founded by an Ocean Lifeguard who wanted to find an alternative to harmful chemicals in sunscreens, Raw Elements only uses ingredients that are safe for both humans and the environment, without losing it’s quality. Designed to be worn by athletes and babies alike, each ingredient that goes into their sunscreen products are Non-GMO, NPA Certified Natural or USDA/NOP Certified Organic, and certified Cruelty Free. 

Raw Elements’ commitment to the environment goes beyond their products: even their packaging is created with environmental sustainability in mind. Using recyclable materials, compostable paperboard, and recyclable aluminum, we admire their passion for keeping our oceans and world clean and pristine. They aim to have 100% plastic free packaging someday, and have several Zero-Waste products. They are also members of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of their annual sales to nonprofits dedicated to serving the environment. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Simply put, they’re incredibly dedicated to the environment and we love them for it. We wouldn’t use any other brand of sunscreen for ourselves or our children!

Stasher

Where have these bags been all of our lives?! Stasher bags are versatile, non-toxic, resealable bags made out of silicone. While they were specially curated for our Mama Bear Box and Feminine Hygiene Kit, we think everyone should use them for everything, on and off the trails (we use them for trail lunches and snacks, storing our kid’s art supplies, dog treats, organizing your travel gear … the uses are endless). 

Stasher is on a mission to eliminate single-use plastic bags from polluting our oceans and ending up in landfills. Being huge fans of Mamas here at Alpine Sisters®, we also love that the creator and founder is an amazing mother who sought to find an alternative to environmentally unfriendly plastic sandwich bags, and in turn started a revolution. Stasher also donates a part of their sales to nonprofits that are dedicated to saving our oceans. We can’t wait for you to love Stasher as much as we do!

Sunski

We love that Sunski made sunglasses that are stylish, super functional, and environmentally friendly that are great for all of your outdoor adventures. Using recycled plastic, Sunski frames are light-weight, strong, and so comfortable, you’ll never want to take them off! They have a lifetime warranty and have promised to fix your sunglasses if they break.

Their recycled packaging uses origami folds and eliminates the need for plastic and glue to keep your sunglasses safe. They are also members of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of their sales to nonprofits that support the environment. On top of everything else, they are also Certified Carbon Neutral. When you wear Sunski, you get to look cute, be practical, and save the planet.

The Tent Lab

The Tent Lab’s owner, Mike, is an outdoor industry legend. If you have been an outdoor enthusiast for a long time, you’ve likely used one of the products he’s designed in the past several decades. As a freelance designer, he has designed over 250 tents, and several other outdoor products, including the Deuce potty trowel, which is a must-have for the backcountry and our Feminine Hygiene Kit! When talking with him, you can feel his passion for outdoor equipment design, it’s contagious. This is a very cool company! TheTentLab is also a proud partner of Leave No Trace.

Wilderdog

Wilderdog was started by a group of friends who loved adventuring with their dogs. They needed  more durable dog gear, so they created their own! They designed everything specially to withstand the harsh elements of constant outdoor adventuring. They feel so confident in their gear that they have a lifetime warranty (as long as the dog gear is used as intended).

Wilderdog also has a passion for rescue and adoption, and started the ‘Purchase for a Pound’ program. For every purchase made, they donate a pound of food to a new rescue and shelter each month.