An entrepreneur is working to make it easier for the plus-size community to reach their physical activity goals through her new outdoor gear brand, Conscious Gear.
Charlotte Bowens is a researcher at Arizona State University who is now gaining national attention for developing a hydration backpack designed to fit larger bodies more comfortably.
Vestapak uses a vest style instead of backpack-like straps, making it easier to move, stay hydrated, and exercise.
The idea came from her own experience with losing weight and staying healthy.
“The doctor said, 'Look, you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and borderline diabetes,'” she said. “I was morbidly obese and what they would call a bit depressed.”
She decided she needed to take action to become healthier and live life to the fullest, so she started going to the gym.
“The first day I could barely walk for two minutes at two miles an hour, I just kept putting one foot in front of the other,” she said. “Sixteen months later, I was crossing the finish line of my first 50-mile ultramarathon.”
But somewhere along his fitness journey, Bowens discovered a gap in the outdoor gear industry. The hydration backpack she tried didn't fit comfortably and dug into her side.
“I thought the industry would make bigger products. [eventually]”So I just waited, and they didn't.” “I felt like I didn't matter,” she said.
That's when Bowens decided to take action and created Conscious Gear with his first product, Vestapak.
“We are thrilled to be able to bring much-needed gear to those who really need it, who have often been ignored and abandoned by the outdoor industry,” she said.
She got help through a startup accelerator for Black entrepreneurs through Local First Arizona.
“I felt like I didn't know anything. I was a beginner, so this was a place where I felt safe, supported and nurtured.”
She hopes her story will inspire others to pursue their ideas.
“For those in the minority, yes, it's going to be difficult,” she said. “You may be busy and have to struggle, but you are capable of and deserve to succeed as a business owner just like anyone else.”
USA Today recently selected Vestapak as one of the top 10 gifts for outdoor enthusiasts.
Available for purchase on the Conscious Gear website.
This story was originally published by Amelia Fabiano at Scripps News Phoenix.
