Nothing compares to visiting Asheville, North Carolina, in person, but visitors to the inaugural Outside Festival in Denver, which took place June 1–2, were treated to the next best thing. Asheville brought some of the season’s best outdoor gear direct to Denver. Between the brands that make products right in the Blue Ridge Mountains to the award-winning gear tested by Outside and Backpacker editors, the Asheville booth was stocked with equipment to learn about, try, and even win. It’s not too late to get some of that gear yourself—and if you’re smart, take it to Asheville for a test spin.
Outside Festival attendees testing gear and hanging out at the Asheville booth. (Photo: Rachael Zimmerman Photography)
That’s exactly what the editors from Outside and Backpacker did. Every year, they head into the field for a final shakedown of the finalists for the Editors’ Choice Awards, given to the season’s best and most innovative gear. For this year’s awards, they traveled to Asheville (the Editors’ Choice testing location partner) to backpack the Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah National Forest and put the products to the test in some of the country’s roughest—and most beautiful—mountains. It was the perfect setting for the Editors’ Choice trip: On the 30-mile Art Loeb Trail, testers gained 9,000 feet of elevation and traversed rocky, rooty, brushy, hard-on-gear terrain. They also enjoyed spectacular mountaintop views from some of the highest peaks in the East. Afterward, Asheville proved to be the perfect place for post-trip recovery, with amazing food, drink, and lodging options for hungry, thirsty, and tired gear testers.
Want to follow in their footsteps? Check out all of the winning products, and then make your way to the Art Loeb Trailhead, with a base camp stay in Asheville on either side.
Made in Asheville
Over the past two decades, Asheville’s reputation as one of the country’s premier adventure hubs has been built on its unique combination of terrain and culture. Where else can you find nature, art, and food so perfectly blended? Whether you favor hiking, biking, fly-fishing, or paddling, you can find them all in the heart of Appalachia, conveniently located alongside world-class breweries and restaurants. Asheville is also a leading incubator for outdoor gear manufacturers like the ones on display at the Outside Festival. Here are some of the standouts.
Asheville is a leading incubator for outdoor gear manufacturers like the ones on display at the Outside Festival. (Photo: Outside Festival)
Eagles Nest Outfitters
From little kids to college kids to retired kids, everyone loves a hammock. Especially hammocks made by Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO). More than two decades ago, ENO moved its business to Asheville because of the city’s laid-back vibe and access to the outdoors. Today, it’s a thriving brand that makes colorful (and comfortable) hammocks and camp chairs. You’ll see ENO’s products all over the world—in camp, at festivals, on campuses—wherever relaxing in style is on the agenda. At the Outside Festival, a dozen ENO hammocks and chairs turned the Asheville booth into a popular shady lounge.
Hellbender Paddleboards
When Asheville resident Danny Daniels fell in love with stand-up paddleboarding but not the available boards, he decided to make his own. In 2020, Daniels founded Hellbender to make paddleboards that better combined stability and maneuverability. Today, Hellbender makes four styles of paddleboards, including a new fishing-specific model, that you can find on rivers all over the Southeast. At the Outside Festival, Explore Asheville hosted a paddleboard inflation contest for would-be paddlers. The fastest to blow up a Hellbender SUP (in men’s and women’s divisions) walked away with a brand-new board.
Hellbender paddleboards combine stability and maneuverability on the water. (Photo: Hellbender Paddleboards)
Trekroll
Sleeping outdoors should be easy and comfortable. That’s the premise behind Trekroll, an Asheville brand that makes an ultra-cushy sleeping bag/sleeping pad combo. The key features: a spacious bag made with a cotton-poly blend, a four-inch-thick pad with an integrated foot pump, and a design that lets you combine the two so you don’t fall off. The 40-degree bag also has two full-length side zips for the ultimate in ventilation options. Bonus: the system packs into a weatherproof duffel for easy carrying as well as easy sleeping.
Diamond Brand Gear
Since 1881, this homegrown brand has been sewing innovative, durable outdoor gear in Asheville and the surrounding mountains. Diamond Brand got its start in a small defunct hosiery mill and today crafts tents, packs, and bags for all adventurers. The company’s mission is simple and admirable: create high-quality, hand-sewn products that will last for years and are made with sustainability, adventure, and versatility in mind. Diamond Brand has been manufacturing in Asheville for more than 100 years and plans to keep doing so for the next 100.
Diamond Brand Gear creates high-quality, hand-sewn products that will last for years. (Photo: Diamond Brand Gear)
Bellyak
Kayaking? Fun. Kayaking on your belly? Very, very fun. That’s what Asheville local Adam Masters discovered when he improvised belly kayaking on an overgrown river. He subsequently launched Bellyak so everyone could enjoy the hybrid sport. “Paddling a Bellyak gives you freedom,” Masters says. “No straps, no skirts, no being trapped. It makes easy, familiar rivers completely new again.” The learning curve on the Bellyak is quick, and there’s no better place to try it than the French Broad River, which runs right through Asheville.
American Backcountry
Everyone needs a good T-shirt—one that’s sustainably made, good-fitting, and sends a worthy message. American Backcountry T-shirts check all the boxes. The shirts pay homage to public lands and are made right here in the United States using recycled material, taking 500,000 plastic water bottles out of the landfill every year. Established three decades ago, American Backcountry originally made shirts specifically for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and now supplies shirts to 100 national and state parks.
It’s not too late to get some of the gear yourself—and if you’re smart, take it to Asheville. (Photo: Rachael Zimmerman Photography)
Start Planning
Summer is prime time in Asheville for every type of adventure. Fall is amazing for hiking and biking. In fact, visiting Asheville is great all year. The temperate climate is perfect for exploring the outdoors all day and enjoying the city’s lively nightlife in the evenings. Find info on activities, guides, lodging, restaurants, events, and more here.
Surrounding the vibrant city center of Asheville, North Carolina, are miles of off-the-beaten-path adventures. Step outside and discover your own pace through natural wonders that draw you in and call you. Start planning your adventures now by visiting ExploreAsheville.com and downloading the Explore Asheville app.
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