Kate Rentz: Photographer & Adventurer

By Luisa Vargas The weather in Austin has been less than ideal (by Texan standards). We’ve seen more rain these past few weeks than we do all year, and Thursday was the hundredth consecutive day of thunderstorms. Or at least if felt that way! The result of constant rainfall at the Barton Creek Greenbelt trail in Austin, TX.   Wednesday night, our team decided to hold off on doing Taco Tri as the thunderstorms were getting pretty bad. It turns out all it did was rain that day. But the fun part about a virtual Taco Tri is that even though we didn’t get to participate in Austin, people all over the world did. Photo of  Seth Tullar (right) in Australia. This month was particularly exciting because our friends in Australia participated! This is one the furthest away someone has been whose taken part in Taco Tri. Thank you, Seth, for tri-ing with us! We hope the weather was better “down under." Abelardo was runner up in the competition taking part in the tri in Alaska!  We hope next month we’ll be able to Taco Tri again in Austin and can’t wait to see what other exciting places people will participate on July 1st!

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and here at Kammok, we want to give it up for all the adventure moms out there. But what is an adventure mom? This title isn’t reserved for the women strapping their toddler to their back for a 14er in the Rockies, although these awesome moms are definitely included. Adventure isn’t exclusive to national parks and backcountry trails—it happens every day when people step unknowingly into something new and exciting. Motherhood itself is one of the greatest adventures of all, marked with thrilling summits and impressive finish lines. We put this gift guide together to help you celebrate all the moms in your life, hopefully with something to make the adventure a bit more enjoyable. Photo by @EverydayAdventureFam. Kammok Swiftlet: For the mom who needs some me-time. What hardworking mom doesn’t deserve a break from the hectic day to day? The Swiftlet Portable Hammock Stand is exactly what she needs to kick back and relax in her own quiet space—trees optional. At only 15 pounds, the Swiftlet can pack up and go anywhere, from her indoor reading nook to her favorite beach access. And when she’s ready for company, the Swiftlet's 300-pound weight capacity makes it the perfect place at camp for a snuggle sesh. The Swiftlet can be used in sit mode or lounge mode making it a great option for soccer moms who need a comfortable chair for game day as well as a nap spot for a midday break. Combine the Swiftlet with any of our Roo hammocks for a go-anywhere oasis your mom will love. BioLite HeadLamp 200: For the busy mom. Let’s get real—all moms are busy. Whether they’re working long hours, taking care of the kids, or running around town tackling their to-do list, moms’ days are jam packed. The BioLite HeadLamp 200 extends the time our active moms can spend outside, lighting the path for a predawn hike or shining bright for a night jog on the trail. The rechargeable battery lasts up to 40 hours which means no more buying and throwing away alkaline batteries. Plus, the 3D Slimfit Construction provides for a near-weightless feel, making it the most comfortable headlamp for any occasion. The BioLite HeadLamp 200 is the perfect upgrade for any outdoor mom’s kit. Photo by @JayKolsch. Osprey Arcane Tote Pack: For the mom who needs an extra hand. If your mom leaves the house every day with both hands full and something tucked under each arm, it’s time to upgrade her to the Arcane Tote Pack. The tuckaway straps make it easy to switch from backpack mode to tote mode, so whether she’s headed to the office or going out for a quick hike, this bag will keep up. The Tote Pack features a laptop sleeve, internal organization, a scratch-free zipper pocket for her phone or sunglasses, and an external shove-it pocket for quick access to essentials. Lastly, the durable fabric is made from recycled plastic bottles, making the Arcane Tote Pack a sustainable choice for your mom’s new favorite everyday bag. Forsake Meridian: For the mom on the go. Just like the moms in our life, these shoes can do it all. The Meridian’s slip-on stretch collar makes getting out the door a cinch, and the Peak-to-Pavement Outsole promises she’ll be ready wherever the adventure leads. These shoes are super breathable while maintaining rugged durability, meaning they’re built for all-day comfort and the abuse that comes with excessive wear. Put it this way: She’s never going to want to take these off. And for the travel moms who want to pack light, this stylish shoe will take her everywhere—from the airport to a day of sightseeing and back again. The Forsake Meridian is going to be her new do-it-all shoe. United by Blue, The Container Kit: For the snack mom. Moms have been keeping us happy and fed since day one. They have a knack for sensing when we’re about to get cranky and have expert timing for handing over a juice box or cheese puff. The Container Kit from United by Blue is essential for any mom taking snacks on the go. This high-performance lunch box sports fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, and it’s just as durable and stain resistant as it is environmentally friendly. The kit includes two stainless steel, double-insulated containers that can keep hot things hot for up to 12 hours and cold things cold for up to 24 hours. Whether she’s feeding her little ones or heading to the park for a solo lunch, The Container Kit is a must have for our nurturing moms.

If you spend time outside, whether you’re hiking, camping, climbing, or mountain biking, chances are you frequent public lands. Luckily, through national parks and forests, state parks, and local trails, adventurers have the ability to explore everything from alpine habitats to deep canyons and everything in between. More and more people are getting outside and visiting parks at record levels, which is why it’s important for all of us to become good stewards of the ecosystems entrusted into our care. The following Leave No Trace principles are key to maintaining pristine wildlife in our parks, and they basically all boil down to one unifying point: Leave it like you found it.   1. Plan Ahead and Prepare This isn’t just a good idea to make the most of your camping trip—it’s also an essential aspect of Leave No Trace. When visiting national parks, become familiar with the “Plan Your Visit” tab on a park’s page. Each park is different, with special concerns and regulations that you should be aware of. Planning ahead also means reducing your footprint by visiting parks in smaller groups when possible and avoiding times of high use. Do your part today by becoming familiar with parks you frequent often or plan to in the near future. Here’s an example of a regulations page from one of our personal favorites: Arches National Park.   2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces The National Park Service has spent many years developing trail systems and campsites for our enjoyment. However, the purpose is not simply to give us access to wild places. By sticking to designated trails, visitors make less impact on the park and prevent degradation from erosion. The same principles can be applied to campsites as well. When you pack up in the morning, your campsite should essentially be unchanged. The best way to ensure this is by utilizing campsites already designated by the parks. In the backcountry, stick to marked campsites or other durable surfaces like rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses, or snow. You can also protect riparian areas by camping 75 steps away from lakes and streams. If you’re curious, you can also check out these two articles from the NPS about the history and current management principles of trail making.   3. Dispose of Waste Properly We’ve all seen the signs: Pack it in, pack it out. Comma splice or not, these words should be at the forefront of every visitor’s mind when exploring public lands. Even with the glaring signs at every trailhead, you’re almost certain to find trash from someone who came before you. We could write an entire article on this single principle, but here are a few basic tips to keep in mind. When packing food for your trip, dispose of any unnecessary trash ahead of time: Think produce stickers and packages within packages. For example, if you’re bringing cereal on the trip, consider recycling the box ahead of time and only bringing the bag. Meal prepping ahead of time can also be a great way to lighten your load and reduce the amount of waste in camp. In the backcountry, utilize freezer baggies to group meals and act as a waste receptacle to be disposed of properly when back at park headquarters. And remember, pack it out means pack it all out, including orange peels and pet waste.  Utilize toilet facilities when possible—park maps do a great job of pointing you in the direction of a bathroom. When making overnight trips away from facilities, packing a bathroom kit is essential. A simple kit includes toilet paper, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, and a small spade. You should also bring a separate baggie for the disposal of paper products. For solid waste, dig your cathole 6-8 inches deep and 75 steps away from water, campsites, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole with the removed dirt when finished. Lastly, to wash dishes or yourself, carry water 75 steps away from any water source and use only small amounts of biodegradable soap if necessary. Scatter any strained dishwater. Consider using body wipes for personal hygiene. These are easy to dispose of and can be purchased from most outdoor retailers.   4. Leave What You Find This one is pretty simple. Imagine you’re a kid and your parents have dragged you into yet another antique store. “Don’t touch anything!” A pine tree certainly isn’t as fragile as fine China, but that doesn’t mean we should be carving our initials into one. Leave rocks, plants, and other natural items where they are—these aren’t souvenirs for you to bring home. The whole purpose of this principle, and every principle for that matter, is to leave parks in their natural state for other visitors to enjoy. Not to mention we want to preserve these ecosystems so that plants and wildlife can continue to thrive.      5. Minimize Campfire Impacts We’ve all seen in the news how damaging fire can be, which is why this principle is extremely important. Follow fire regulations at any given park, and simply don’t build a fire when and where it isn’t allowed. This goes back to planning ahead as well: If you think you’re going to find yourself in a situation where you need added warmth, pack the appropriate insulation. Bring along a small stove as well for any meals in the backcountry. Where fires are permitted, use park fire rings, portable fire pans, or mound fires. Always keep fires small and only use down and dead wood that can easily be broken by hand. When you’re done with the fire, let the coals burn to ash, put the fire out completely, and then scatter the ashes. Your goal is to remove any indication that a fire has ever been made.   6. Respect Wildlife Animals in parks are truly wild and should be treated as such. It seems like every year there’s a new video of someone approaching a bison in Yellowstone to get a closer look—a situation that never ends well. Beyond your own safety, respecting wildlife means helping them stay wild. That means never feeding animals, either purposefully or accidentally by leaving food lying around. Feeding wild animals can alter natural behaviors in ways that are damaging to the ecosystem. Store food items securely, dispose of trash properly, and use bear boxes where offered. All of these measures will help prevent wildlife from taking a liking to your trail snacks.   7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors Finally, be nice to everyone in the park. Just as you should leave parks in pristine shape for future visitors, you should also respect the ones who happen to be there at the same time as you. Yield to other hikers on the trail, step on the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack animals, and consider the fact that not everyone loves loud music. Public parks are for everyone. By following these simple guidelines, you’ll allow others and yourself to enjoy the outdoors in a way that benefits both you and the landscapes you visit.   One final note on the Leave No Trace principles—our eighth rule if you will. Leave it better than you found it. This isn’t our attempt to implore you to beautify the landscape by planting flowers (please don’t do that). Instead, we encourage you to bring an extra trash bag along when hiking and camping. Even in pristine national parks, you’re bound to find litter left behind by visitors. You may feel like you’re not even making a dent in some of your park cleanup efforts, but every piece of trash picked up helps. If we’re going to be good stewards of the land we get to enjoy, we might as well go above and beyond the call of handling our own mess. You may even be surprised to find how addicting it can be to pick up other people’s empty beer cans. This year on National Camp at Home Day, we encourage everyone to start practicing these Leave No Trace principles. Go for a hike on your favorite local trail and pack out the litter you find along the way. When cooking your camp meal, take into account how much waste you’re creating and come up with a plan for packing it out in a backcountry setting. If you have kids around the campfire, teach them the importance of the seven Leave No Trace principles so they’re ready to hit the trail with you. We can all make a positive impact by thoroughly learning these principles and implementing them when the time comes.

The past few weeks have been filled with discussion, both internally as a company and as nine individuals in pursuit of social justice. At Kammok, we exist to promote human flourishing through adventure outside, but people cannot flourish when racism is putting lives in danger every day. We believe community is transformative to create lasting change, and we all need to address the racial divide in this country. We champion love as our chief core value, and staying silent about systematic injustice is not loving. As an ally to the Black community, people of color, and underrepresented voices in the outdoors, we are committed to fighting for justice, and to acting on what is right. Immediately, we are donating to nonprofits, matching employee donations up to $2K to organizations fighting against injustice, inequality, and racism. This isn’t a one-time donation. As part of our ongoing commitment to give 1% of revenue to social and environmental initiatives, we are identifying organizations that build inclusivity and equity in the outdoors so that Kammok can invest and enable them long-term. We've supported Explore Austin since 2017 to empower youth through outdoor mentorship, and we will continue to support as we expand our scope for giving. We have a platform, and eyes and ears from a receptive community that shares our mission to elevate time outside for all people. We ask our Kammok community to reflect on the impacts you can make. These are our first of many steps to hold us accountable for the change we wish to see. It's on us to work towards change together.   Greg McEvilly CEO/Founder and Team Kammok