Power of She: REI Partners With Women’s Fitness Brand Athleta

In an effort to get more women outdoors, REI teamed up with Athleta to expand its women’s apparel offerings.

Beginning Feb. 28, women will find a major new brand at REI. From hiking shorts to yoga pants, a selection of Athleta brand apparel will be available in 14 REI stores and online at REI.com.

It’s the first time Athleta will sell products outside its own brick-and-mortar locations. The brand, owned by Gap Inc., had a footprint of 140 stores nationwide in 2017.

This move follows REI’s commitment to get more women outdoors with the “Force of Nature” initiative.

The partnership with Athleta, a female-focused brand, aims to move the needle on engaging female participation in more outdoors pursuits.

“We have long admired Athleta for being a leading women’s brand with an extraordinary product line as well as its ‘Power of She’ campaign,” said Susan Viscon, REI’s senior vice president of merchandising. “REI continues to focus on advancing gender equity in the outdoors.”

Athleta & REI: More Women’s Options

As a female outdoor-lover, I’m pretty excited for this announcement. We’re seeing a time of expanded gear options for women, which is awesome. But even more exciting is the continued commitment of big brands to get women outdoors and do it in a meaningful way with quality gear.

Thankfully, the outdoor industry is moving away from the old days of “pink it and shrink it” and into the new era in which women are recognized as powerful consumers, conservationists, and adventurers.

To further help you get out and conquer the day, we’ve highlighted a couple of our favorite picks from the Athleta selection available at REI.

Our Favorite Athleta Apparel at REI

Athleta Trekkie Jogger 2.0 Pants

The Trekkie Jogger ($89) is lightweight, fast drying, and oh so comfortable. We like it for traveling, hiking, and running around town. It does seem to run a bit large, so try a pair on at REI near you or order down a size when you shop online.

Salutation 7/8 Tights and Organic Daily Cowl Tank Top

Looking for a pair of leggings you can wear all day long? Let us introduce you to the Salutation 7/8 Tight ($89). Described as “buttery soft” and “the ultimate legging,” they’re a hard-working, all-day wear option that’ll take you from trailhead to yoga studio and beyond. We’re also big fans of the Organic Daily Cowl Tank Top ($34).  It offers plenty of coverage up front paired with a fun (and cooling) cutout design in the back. Both are available at select REI locations and online.

Whether or not you grab a new piece of gear, check out the celebratory offerings happening across the country. Among these, Athleta ambassadors will lead free yoga classes at select REI stores through mid-March. Find a location near you.

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