Talking adventure and camaraderie with the women of BABs Outside

The women of BABs Outside aren't turned off by failure. They embrace it, they learn from it, and they want to empower others to do the same.

A brand founded in 2020 by three outdoor recreation enthusiasts, Rachel Beisel, Lacey Rivette, and Tatum Russo, BABs Outside seeks to fill an information gap that the trio encountered online. While many women empowerment movements take place in the outdoor recreation space, they're mostly figure-headed by pros or by faceless organizations, not by people that are "mediocre and proud," according to Beisel, those trying to learn new skills and find adventure along the way.

"We want to inspire woman to group up and be together, empowered by their support group," said Lacey Rivette. "We're not going to judge anyone. We're here to grow and encourage each other."

And the group has done just that.

Content posted by the women of BABs Outside can be described in a number of ways. It's informative. It's goofy. It's inclusive. It's designed to be approachable by everyone, capturing outdoor recreation in an authentic way.

When the founders of this group say they want to provide a place for every level of experience, they're not lying.

Events and activities related to BABs Outside include everything from casual games of pickleball to movie night-stretching sessions to summiting some of Colorado's most formidable peaks. They've got a few upcoming local hikes in Colorado Springs on the calendar, but they've also got loftier goals – like a winter summit of Little Bear Peak, debatably Colorado's most dangerous fourteener.

The group also hopes to tackle an ongoing issue they've noticed in outdoor recreation – the struggle of finding balance between competition and camaraderie. According to them, this is a juxtaposition that many women tend to face off with on a regular basis.

It's also worth noting that everyone isn't thrilled with their uniquely goofy approach toward creating outdoor recreation content – and they're totally fine with that.

According to them, for every 100 people that see them twerking or striking poses on the side of the trail, one or two aren't happy about it. Most people seem to love it, but some seem to take issue with the way the BABs Outside women are working to break away from the seriousness that can come with outdoor recreation sports.

The long terms goals for BABs Outside also make the brand unique.

Rachel Beisel hopes that the brand can utilize the properties of Web 3.0 and the decentralization that comes with it. Down the road, Beisel hopes that this will help the group build a brand without a sense of hierarchy – one that also gives back monetarily to content creators for their contributions. Ultimately, the goal is to reach a point where the brand can keep building and growing with or without the three founders being involved.

Making waves in the outdoor recreation space by creating content that's both helpful and relatable, the women of BABs Outside are just getting started on a mission that's sure to inspire people to get active and push themselves to grow in the process.

If you're interested in connecting with BABs Outside, there are several ways to do so.

You'll find them creating regular content on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. They've also got a Strava group and a Slack Community for those looking to join in on the adventure.

Here's a little more on the women behind BABs Outside:

Rachel Beisel:

After her startup went belly up, Rachel had to sell her car and start biking while living between friends' couches. Little did she know that biking would eventually lead her to found the Colorado Women's Cycling Project, which won USA Cycling's 'Club of the Year' award. She also raced at an elite level along the way.

Years later, Rachel stays busy with multi-day backpacking tours, summiting Colorado's fourteeners (she's climbed 46), and building the decentralized autonomous organization for BABs Outside. She's also got a book set to be published in 2022.

Lacey Rivette:

A former two-time national champion at acrobatic gymnastics, Lacey struggled with severe anorexia. She overcame that, ultimately becoming a registered dietician that's focused on helping others eat healthy while staying active.

Her main focus is now cycling, with her recently completing a 100-mile mountain bike ride and a 140-mile gravel bike race. She also races on a regular basis and is pretty darn fast, regardless of whether she's on gravel, dirt trails, or the road. Hear her chat about her background on the SUPA Podcast, season one, episode 15.

Tatum Russo:

A trail runner, a musician, and currently working for a blockchain software company, Tatum is always on the move. After losing her mother in 2020, Tatum started pushing herself even more in the outdoor recreation space. She finds herself driven by doing what she knows her mom would want her to do, bringing a photo of her mother to every summit along the way.

STAY INFORMED: Sign-up for the daily OutThere Colorado newsletter here