Don't Want Your Outdoor Recreation Dollars to Go to the NRA?

Here’s a guide to gear for supporters of gun control

By Katie O'Reilly

March 5, 2018

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Photo by Soren Svendsen/iStock

Did you know that just by buying a bike rack to get to your favorite mountain biking trail, a helmet for your kid’s first bike, or a stove to prepare a campsite feast, you could be supporting the NRA’s agenda? Following the horrific Valentine’s Day massacre at Florida’s Parkland High School, many cyclists were stunned to learn that several major bike brands—like Bell, Giro, CamelBak, and Copilot—are owned by a big-time arms and ammunition manufacturer, Vista Outdoor. In a couple of weeks, what started as a grassroots boycott against Vista Outdoor and its brands has gone mainstream—on Thursday, REI announced that it’s temporarily suspending new orders of Vista’s products.

“We have big gaps to fill here because we did a lot of business with Bell, Giro, Blackburn, et cetera—and we still have a lot of it in stock, and it’s been paid for in cash!” says Erik Tonkin, owner of Portland, Oregon’s Sellwood Cycle Repair, which was one of the first shops to announce it would cease ties with Vista brands. “However, we’ve led the way on this boycott, so we’ll continue to make product changes that reflect our commitment.”

What makes such changes easier? Quality alternative items. Sierra reached out to leaders in the outdoor space to find out the best ways to keep getting outdoors without supporting the NRA’s agenda.

Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart have both stopped selling military-style assault rifles. Use your power as a consumer to call on Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops to stop selling assault rifles.

Here’s a quick buyer’s guide:

Loren Copsey, owner of Daily Rider in Washington, D.C., recommends buying from Bern Unlimited, a lifestyle action sport company specializing in head protection for nonmotorized action sports. Check out the new FL-1 Pavé MIPS model ($120).

The Vista-boycotting bike shop owners also recommended helmets from Germany’s Abus, which makes protective headgear for road, offroad, urban, and child cyclists. The company’s signature feature is an integrated light on the back of the helmet. Check out the Abus Urban-1 2.0 ($99). Designed for commuters, it features a built-in LED rear light, bug nets, a magnetic buckle, and great ventilation.

Tonkin of Sellwood Cycle Repair says his staff are all “huge fans” of helmets from the U.S.-based , as well as those from Belgium’s Lazersport> company. Both brands offer an array of helmets, eyewear, and other accessories for road cyclists and mountain bikers. And here’s some good news for fans of the cartoon-character-inspired kids’ bike helmets from Raskullz (yep, also under the Vista umbrella): Lazer makes bright-colored helmets for young cyclists in the likenesses of dragons and superheroes. Portland, Oregon’s Nutcase Helmets takes the cake for whimsical protection of young cyclists’, scooters’, and skaters’ noggins. Its extensive “Little Nutty” selection (check one out, below) is chock-full of zany $60 helmets that come with detachable visors, magnetic buckles, and protective foam pads.

Gun control supporters may be bummed to learn that bike rack purveyor Blackburn is also part of Vista’s portfolio. Copsey says the Racktime line from the German-owned Tubus Carrier Systems makes for a great alternative, explaining that the Racktime system has a "Snap-it" system to afford easy installation and removal of bags and baskets. Another sound option is Yakima, which offers a huge line of bike racks for every type of vehicle, adventure, and budget.

Seeking an emission-free way to get your little ones from here to there that doesn’t involve purchasing bike seats from the Vista-owned Copilot brand? Check out Swedish manufacturer Thule, which doesn’t belong to guns or ammo manufacturers and offers a wide array of racks and cargo solutions for bikes and winter and water sports as well as luggage, child carriers, and bike seats and bike trailers for kids. The Thule Coaster XT ($400, pictured below) is designed to trail your bike easily, and to transform into a stroller once you reach your destination.

Also under the Vista brand? Longtime leader in the hydration reservoir space, CamelBak. Though CamelBak was originally founded for and by cyclists, its products have also become hallmarks of the hiking, backpacking, and trail-running communities. The good news is that since CamelBak’s 1989 founding, some other brands have figured out smart ways to enhance packs with water bladders. Gun control proponents would be wise to check out Platypus, a U.S.-based company that’s been coming up with water filtration and hydration solutions for more than 20 years. All “Platy” packs come with a three-liter, easily zippable reservoir. Female cyclists might like the B-Line XC 8.0 ($110). This lightweight, low-profile pack allows you to tote three liters of taste-free water and still have plenty of space for snacks and other riding essentials.

Additionally, many Dakine packs come enhanced with reservoirs from HydraPak, the Oakland-based maker of rugged, adventure-tested hydration bladders. The very ergonomic Drafter 14L BikePack ($135) comes with a 3L reservoir with a high-flow valve, breathable straps, internal organizer pockets, and a helmet carry-on feature.

For road and commuter cyclists, Copsey offers S’Well bottles. The soft Platy DuoLock SoftBottle ($12 to $14, pictured below) is another flexible hydration solution for biking around town, as well as day hikes, camping, and traveling. It comes with a convenient clip handle and offers a double-locking cap for leak protection.

Skiers and snowboarders should be aware that performance sunglasses and protective eyewear purchases from Bolle helps to underwrite the manufacture of weapons. The good news is Smith Optics is unaffiliated with Vista and makes some very durable and stylish technical (and polarized) eyewear for men and women—including goggles (and helmets) for biking, water sports, and snow sports. Smith’s new Attack Max Interchangeable Performance Sunglasses ($249) come with proprietary ChromaPop lenses, which adjust for varying light conditions, plus adjustable nose and temple pieces to ensure your glasses are secure when adventuring at maximum velocity.

Also under the Vista umbrella? Camp Chef, purveyors of al fresco cooking systems, from patio grills and smokers to camp stoves and ovens. We can’t think of a more up-our-alley alternative than Biolite, which makes all manner of stoves and lights—many of which are solar-powered—and works to bring safe, affordable energy access to off-grid communities across India and Africa. For a comprehensive cooking solution, check out the Campstove 2 Bundle ($200), which includes a stove that creates smokeless wood flames, along with lightweight portable grill and kettle attachments and a USB lantern. A favorite among backpackers and gadget-lovers, this system allows you to grill, boil, cook, and even charge your phone, and weighs less than five pounds.