The 10 (+1) Outdoor Companies We’re Loving Right Now

We’re in the outdoor space, which means we meet a lot of outdoor company founders. 

And, trust us when we tell you that not all founders and companies are created alike. 

We thought it’d be fun to write a post on the ones we’re loving right now (and why).

So here goes... 

• Forest River - top of the list because this is top of mind for us. We will see - for the first time - our new home on wheels this week! And, Forest River is the RV we’ve chosen. With everyone evaluating what really matters these days, and determining that getting outside more is at the top of the list, the RV world is absolutely booming right now. A great company with a great product!

• HariMari - By far, one of our favorite founder partnerships. Jeremy and Lila Stewart have built something incredible with HariMari. Their flip flops are - hands down - our go-to shoes in warmer weather. Unlike most flip flops, with their patented memory foam technology, there is no “breaking in” period. The moment you put these babies on, you’re convinced they were made for your comfort. Plus, they give a percentage of all sales to kids fighting cancer. Now, that’s something we can get behind!

• New Belgium - Beer and the outdoors go together like chips and salsa. I mean, who doesn’t like Fat Tire?? This is a national brewery that we are super impressed with - from their branding, to the way they treat their employees, to the taste of their beverages, to their emphasis on diversity, to just their overall “cool” factor. New Belgium is where it’s at. 

• ToadFish - These guys create innovative drinkware, kitchenware, and fishing gear. We love this company for a number of reasons… they are headquartered in our hometown of Charleston, their teal/grey branding is on point, their mission is to help clean coastal water by replanting oyster beds with every product sold (have you ever read about the importance of oysters??), and they are committed to high quality products. 

• Lowcountry Oyster Co. - Sticking with the theme of oysters, we absolutely HAVE to include these guys. Founder, Trey McMillan, is one of the most impressive (and kind) guys we’ve had the privilege to meet. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about all things oysters and has built an oyster farm in the Ace Basin of SC that is nothing short of inspiring. And… they ship anywhere in the US!

• Rigwa - Their tagline is “Food Storage Reimagined”, and their innovative bowls live up to that promise. We use these bowls for everything from soup to yogurt to salad and taking dips (hot or cold) to a party. We’re proud of this Charleston-based company for 2 reasons - one, because their product works (and looks cool), but two, because the founders are cream of the crop people. 

• CROSSNET - if you’ve not heard of this company, you definitely need to check them out. They are 100% a case study in a company thriving during the pandemic. Two of the three founders are brothers (Chris and Greg Meade) and are great guys. They have created a new sport by combining the old school game of 4-square with volleyball. Keep an eye on them, CROSSNET might just become the next Olympic sport!

• Rheos - If you’ve ever been on a boat, or swam in the ocean with sunglasses on, you know that the likelihood of losing your eye shades is, well, pretty high. These guys have solved that problem with their floating sunglasses… now THAT’s genius. Another Charleston-based company, we love these guys and can’t wait to see what the future continues to bring them!

• Mission Meats - Many founders build companies and create products to make money as their primary goal. Others build something great and their driving force is to make a positive impact on this world. Such is the case with Mission Meats and founders Nick McCann and Peter Awad. They are making the world a better place by donating 10%+ of their profits to worthy organizations with every delicious grass-fed beef snack that is produced and purchased.  

• Waboba - So, we don’t actually know the founder of this company, but we do know their Director of Fun (who wouldn’t love that title?!) and we know that we LOVE their products. They make toys. And we love toys! From beach games, to backyard games, to bouncy balls (that bounce super high), to flying silicone discs, it’s always a good time with Waboba!

And, one extra because this list wouldn’t be complete with them!

• Grey Ghost Bakery - Some might say a cookie company isn’t really an “outdoor” company. And with those said people, we’d kindly disagree. How many times have you gone on a picnic, or went to the beach, or sat and watched a kids soccer game, and WISHED you had a good cookie? Yeah, us too. These cookies constantly get rave reviews such as “best cookie I’ve ever had”, and “dammit if I didn’t eat the whole pack in one sitting.” Founder, Katherine Frankstone, is a dear friend and we’re proud of the national cookie empire she’s building.

Since we’re a small business, we very much know the impact that purchasing from a small business can make. 

All of these companies have our certified stamp of approval of being awesome. 

We recommend you keep this list somewhere safe and use it next time you need to make a purchase!

What outdoor companies and founders do you love and need to be added to this list?

Let’s go Do It In Nature,

Jules + Stace  💙

P.s. This platform doesn’t allow us to respond to your comments, but we promise we get excited to hear from you and we read every one! :)