Historian and author Rachel S. Gross will join us to share the story of Colorado's pioneering role in the outdoor gear industry. Come for the talk from 2-3 PM, and then stay for the "pop-up museum": bring a vintage or beloved piece of gear from your closet and share its story, or come just to listen! Space is limited; please register to attend.

The high-tech clothing and equipment that Americans carry into the woods and waters owes a lot to Colorado's outdoor industry. Three objects—a sleeping bag, a backpack, and a down vest—show the development of outdoor gear in the state in the 1950s -1970s. One Colorado company, Holubar Mountaineering, sent its sleeping bag abroad to show off American ingenuity. Gerry Mountain Sports helped transform a backpack from a specialized product into an everyday one. Finally, Frostline spread accessible, affordable outdoor gear across the country by selling down vests and other clothing that could be sewn at home. Together, these examples capture the boom in Colorado's outdoor industry after World War II.

Dr. Gross will discuss this evolution in outdoor gear, and after the talk, you're invited to share a vintage or beloved gear item of your own. Do you have a Frostline jacket or sleeping bag you sewed yourself (or a kit waiting to be sewn)? What about climbing or mountaineering equipment you no longer use but could never part with? Open your gear closet, bring an object or two, and share their stories. (Note that gear is not required to attend--you're welcome to come just to listen!)

Please register to attend; space is limited.

About Rachel S. Gross

Rachel S. Gross is a historian of the outdoor industry, author of Shopping All the Way to the Woods: How the Outdoor Industry Sold Nature to America, and co-editor of Big Box USA: The Environmental Impact of America’s Biggest Retail Stores. She is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Colorado Denver, where she teaches U.S. gender, business, and public history.