From the pages of Issue 5: Black + White

4 Hemp-Based Products to Fuel Your Outdoor Adventure

By Erica Zazo | @onecurioustrvlr

CBD. THC. Cannabis. Hemp. These buzzwords are making waves in the news, and they’re also making their way into the outdoor industry. 

Hemp plants—cannabis plants that have less than 0.3 percent THC (aka that stuff that gets you ‘high’)—are being used for all sorts of outdoor products, from material for boots and socks to additives in food. And cannabidiol, or CBD, is being extracted from hemp plants to use in drinks, oils, topicals and more. CBD-lovers say it helps with aches and pains, muscle tension, relieving anxiety, and healing skin irritation and inflammation. 

Hemp is also one of the most sustainable and versatile plants on the planet. It produces twice as much oil as peanuts per acre, nearly four times as much fiber as an acre of trees (when used to make paper), and can be harvested just 120 days after planting, according to the National Association of Hemp. Some sources even say hemp has the ability to extract carbon from the air, rebuild the soil, and ultimately, contribute to reducing climate change. That means more growth opportunities, more products, and a cleaner Earth.

Prominent brands like Patagonia are using industrial hemp for textiles to make clothing and apparel because hemp stands up to sweat, odor, and wear-and-tear that otherwise causes clothes to reach their breaking point. And small businesses are popping up all over the States using CBD oil in their products for its restorative qualities.

Whether you’re a hemp die-hard, or interested in trying out CBD-infused goods for the first time, here are some of our favorite outdoor-focused hemp products:

Hatshe | hatshe.com | @hatshe.blends

By day, Britni Jessup works as an Interiors Director at an architecture firm. At night, she’s slinging CBD-infused topicals made by women, for athletes, at her company Hatshe Blends. Hatshe’s full spectrum of hemp-oil products, which includes oils, cremes, salves, and lotions, are all made from organic and locally sourced hemp in Oregon.

Britni started Hatshe after the original group of men she was working with at their recreational cannabis farm refused to give her credit, or even pay her for the work she was putting into the company. After a lot of dreaming, conceptualizing, and designing, Britni and her business partner Tanja set out on their own to build a socially-conscious, female-centric, hemp-derived topicals brand. Two years later, business is now booming. Skiers, boarders, mountain bikers, surfers, hikers, and other outdoor athletes are buying up Hatshe’s CBD products because of its impact on aches, pains, stiffness, and relaxing stressed out muscles after exercise.

Kate’s Real Food | katesrealfood.com | @kates_real_food

When she wasn’t able to find an energy bar that didn’t taste like a piece of cardboard packed full of unhealthy ingredients, self-described ski bum, Kate Schade, set out to make her own. After long days of skiing in Jackson Hole, Kate worked tirelessly in her kitchen to craft an energy bar that was wholesome, functional, and great tasting. Bringing her creations to the slopes to hand out samples in the lift line, she finally figured out her winning recipe – a mix of hand-rolled, quality ingredients with no artificial sweeteners and no GMOs. 

Kate’s Real Food bars comes in six different flavors, but a true stand-out is the Peanut Butter Hemp & Flax bar. Look at the back of the label and you actually know all of the words in the ingredient list. The bar has organic hemp seeds in it, which include all nine of the essential amino acids (that stuff that improves muscle mass, reduces fatigue, and helps with soreness after a workout). Hemp seeds provide protein without the bloating, contain high amounts of vitamin E (which acts as an antioxidant), and have been linked to the improvement of immune deficiencies.

Astral | astraldesigns.com | @astralfootwear

Versatile, hardy, and resilient, hemp is one of the most sustainable resources for fabric. From an aesthetic sense, hemp can be woven fine to mimic cotton. But unlike cotton, hemp does not require pesticides, can crowd out weeds without the use of herbicides, and takes 21 percent less water to grow. All reasons why Astral, an outdoor brand with a strong focus on sustainability and low environmental-impact production, uses hemp for their shoes. 

The casual, outdoor adventure brand launched a new line of hemp footwear this year that mixes style, performance, and sustainability. The brand says the hemp that’s used in its shoe line goes the extra mile by holding its color, preventing odor, and keeping its shape, even when it gets wet and worn. Astral’s new Hemp Loyak shoe is durable, antimicrobial, and odor-resistant. The gender-neutral shoe works great for travel, getting around the city, and as a light-weight option to bring as a camp shoe. For a more rugged option, they also created the HaleStorm boot, which combines a grippy rubber sole with a hemp canvas material. The boot is waterproof yet breathable, and perfect for rain, slush, sleet or snow. The sustainable hemp upper provides comfort and durability.

Royal Robbins | royalrobbins.com | @royal_robbins

Similar to hemp boots, brands are finding other use-cases for turning hemp into textiles for apparel products. Royal Robbins, a legacy brand in the outdoor industry, is using hemp to create apparel like socks, shirts, and pants. The company grew out of a passion for creating clothing that could stand up to an extremely adventurous lifestyle, while honoring and protecting the environment. Which is why hemp fits well into its eco-forward clothing line.

Made from a sustainable hemp and yak material blend, the brand’s new Quarter Sock has mesh ventilation, flex material on the ankle that keeps it from bunching, and compression. Because hemp yarns are inherently odor resistant, temperature regulating, moisture managing, and comfortable, Royal Robbins socks are great to bring while traveling, walking long-distance, or staying active outside.