Garage Grown Gear Now Carries PACT Outdoors Products!
Garage Grown Gear is now carrying an assortment of products from PACT Outdoors! GGG has a long history of being the hub for ultralight backpacking. But, more importantly, they’re deeply committed to supporting small, independent outdoor industry companies.
As a small, family-owned, rural Colorado company we’ve long admired Garage Grown Gear's mission to support companies like ours. So, we’re proud to have our products represented among dozens of other small (but mighty) outdoor businesses.
Why We Love Garage Grown Gear
Based out of St. Paul, Minnesota, Garage Grown Gear is the online resource and retailer for ultralight backpacking. And true to the origins of the ultralight movement, they are arguably the biggest champions of small, cottage outdoor companies who have been innovating in this space for decades.
Here’s their story:
They don’t just sell products from independent outdoor companies, they mentor them. In recent months we’ve participated in webinars hosted by Lloyd Vogel, one of the founders of Garage Grown Gear, the Founded Outdoors Community and numerous other experts, covering topics like A.I. For Small Brands, How To Crush Trade Shows as well as Outdoor Industry Predictions for 2026.
We’re grateful for this mentorship, and GGG’s commitment to living their mission in the outdoor industry.
We Sat Down For An Interview with Garage Grown Gear
Garage Grown Gear interviewed us to learn more about why we started a poop company; all of the research we’ve been involved in; and where we're ultimately trying to go with the business. You can read the full interview here.
If there’s one thing that outdoor enthusiasts should take away from this interview and our larger WHY, it’s this:
“I think being prepared to poop responsibly might feel silly and small, but it is arguably the biggest thing you can do to make sure that the water is clean, the wildlife is healthy, and that the public lands are open and available for as many people as we can possibly support in getting out to enjoy them. And I think that's a big part of what keeps us marching on.”
- Jake Thomas, Co-Founder, PACT Outdoors
Yes, we’re focused on creating outdoor hygiene products that make pooping the outdoors easier, and more sustainable. But we’re also committed to solving the challenges with backcountry waste management at scale using fungi.
Our current research is focused around creating a better alternative to the vault toilet. Vault toilets are expensive to build and maintain, are completely dependent on chemical treatments, and reliant on a significant amount of manpower to clean, pump and maintain.
Developing a better alternative could have numerous benefits to land managers including saving money, reducing the maintenance burden and our reliance on chemicals.
Keeping Leave No Trace At the Forefront of Ultralight Backpacking
One thing we’re thinking about with the ultralight community is the potential conflict between minimizing our weight and the gear we’re carrying into the backcountry, and being prepared to fully comply with Leave No Trace Principles.
A couple years ago we were working with our friends at the Backpacker Radio podcast and they shared something that was really interesting. In surveys they’ve conducted with thru-hikers they found that the trowel was one of the first pieces of gear that hikers get rid of in the early stages of their thru-hike, presumably to cut weight.
We found this somewhat concerning as it’s difficult to dig a proper 6-8” cat hole in the backcountry without a trowel. We see the "I don't need a trowel" behavior with everyone from thru-hikers to trail runners. On thru-hikes hike the PCT and CDT the soil is often very hard and compact, making it unlikely that a proper hole could be dug with your shoe, a rock or a stick (all the substitutes we tend to hear about).
Our hope is that we can find a balance between minimizing our gear, and having the tools required to both stay safe and also follow Leave No Trace guidance like burying your waste effectively.
PACT Outdoors Products At Garage Grown Gear
The ultralight community loves the “home hack” - assembling their own bespoke kits for everything from cooking and first aid to hygiene. So naturally, GGG is carrying a range of PACT’s bathroom kit components so that users have the ability to pick and choose what they would like to add to their setup.
Need stock up on some backcountry hygiene supplies for your slate of backcountry summer adventures? Support us by shopping at Garage Grown Gear!
PACT Bathroom Wipes (100-Pack)
Leave the toilet paper at home
PACT® Bathroom Wipes transform from a small tab to a large towel - big and thick enough to clean most bathroom emergencies with just an ounce of water. Get clean without all the chemicals found in TP and wet wipes with something that packs much smaller. Get one bag of 100 and pack only what you need for your hike. It's a small amount of weight for a clean trail bum.
PACT Body Wipes (25-Pack)
A shower in the palm of your hand
PACT Outdoor Body Wipes are durable, plant-based towels that are compressed and dehydrated for easy carry. When you're dirty and need a wipe, just add a dash of water to see the towel magically expand. Wipe that dirt and sweat away and feel refreshed.
PACT Mycelium Tabs (120-Pack)
Fungal mycelium tablets that break down poop in the backcountry
PACT Tabs are inoculated with mycelium that helps support decomposition of poop into bioavailable nutrients for the soil. Mycelium is the root system for fungi, and nature’s great decomposer. When added to the hole, it accelerates breakdown and kills harmful pathogens like E. coli.
PACT Pack Out Kit
The all-in-one kit for safely packing out your poop in sensitive ecosystems
The Pack Out Kit by PACT Outdoors is almost as elaborate as your best hiker poop story. When doody calls, you'll have a full kit ready to go for a pooping experience that you can pack out with you. This kit is easy to use, durable, seals in odors, and includes everything you need to feel clean.
