Symbiosis Aspen Female-Specific Ultralight Backpack Review

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Written By Sarah Berkeley

For female thru-hikers on the hunt for an ultralight backpack that actually fits their bodies, Symbiosis Gear’s Aspen pack is an exciting new option. The pack is made for people with boobs — and rather than taking the “shrink it and pink it” approach, the pack actually combines comfort with versatility.

As a female backpacker for over seven years, I’ve yet to find an ultralight pack that’s truly fit my body in every regard. I’ve battled with packs that simply don’t sit right, no matter how I pack them; shoulder straps that are too wide, causing painful chafing for days on end; sizing issues where I’ve been told to just “choose the better of the two bad options” and so much more.

Sarah Berkeley

I am a front-end web designer, photographer, and conceptual artist. I hold an MFA in Art & Design from the University of Michigan and a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I started my career as a UI/UX designer in New York City. Later, I moved to Berlin, Germany to pursue my art career and live a more bohemian lifestyle. After three years in Berlin, I returned to the United States for graduate school. Following my MFA, I began teaching web and graphic design, photography, and video the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Nebraska Wesleyan University and Metro Community College.

In 2018 I left my tenure track position at Nebraska Wesleyan University, to pursue The Unknown! That year I did my first triathlon, founded an artist residency program at a state park in Iowa, performed in Seattle and hiked the 273 mile Vermont Long Trail. In the subsequent years I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Colorado Trail and half of the Continental Divide Trail. Following clues that appeared during the downtime led me to founding Expansive Media. I am super excited to be able to combine my tech and art skills through Expansive Media. I am also able to incorporate my passion for well-being and community by working with clients who make the world a better place.

https://www.expansivemedia.co
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Backpacker Radio #290: Making Gear for People with Boobs with Symbiosis Gear Founder Sarah Berkeley
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Symbiosis Gear: Ultralight Backpacks for People With Boobs