Raquel Vélez

 

• Title: Ms. Raquel Velez
• Email: raquel.velez@gmail.com
• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Social Media Links: IG: @_rockbot_
• Pronouns: she/her

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquelvelez/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_rockbot_

Expertise

• Topics of Expertise: Plus size apparel, hiking, backpacking, skiing, surfing
• Years in This Expertise: 5+
• Number Of Products & Number Of Hours Expert Has Tested: This kit is the first one officially; will test for 5+ hours

Experience

As a Latina in the technology world, Raquel Vélez found her initial passion in engineering, earning her mechanical engineering degree from Caltech and building a successful career in robotics and software engineering. Almost a decade into her tech career, however, she discovered the profound joy and challenge of outdoor adventure. This later-in-life introduction to the outdoors gave her a unique perspective on accessibility and inclusion in outdoor spaces, particularly as a plus-sized woman of color navigating an industry that hasn’t traditionally catered to bodies like hers.

This personal experience led her to found Alpine Parrot, where she spent five years applying her engineering mindset to revolutionize outdoor apparel. As both an engineer and outdoor enthusiast, she approached the challenge of creating inclusive outdoor clothing with the same analytical rigor she’d applied to complex technical problems. Her innovative work and advocacy for inclusivity in the outdoors earned her recognition as one of Outside Magazine’s Outsiders of the Year in 2021, followed by being named one of Well+Good Magazine’s Changemakers in 2023.

During her time as an apparel designer, she developed an unparalleled understanding of what makes gear work – or fail – for plus-size adventurers. Her deep technical knowledge of fabric, fit, and construction, combined with her personal experience as a plus-size outdoorswoman, provides her with a distinctive lens through which to evaluate and review outdoor gear for larger bodies.

Today, she has returned to her roots in technology as a senior engineering manager, but her connection to the outdoors remains stronger than ever. You’ll often find her working from her adventure van, alternating between beachside surf sessions and mountain trails.

Whether she’s hiking, backpacking, skiing, climbing, or catching waves, she brings together her technical expertise and outdoor passion in unique ways. Her journey from traditional engineering through outdoor apparel design and back to tech has given her a comprehensive understanding of both the technical and practical aspects of outdoor gear, making her uniquely qualified to evaluate equipment and apparel for plus-size adventurers.

Career Highlights

• Learning to ski at age 28 and confidently skiing black diamonds by age 37
• Vowing to never sleep on the ground, outside, in the cold as a kid and then going from first camping trip to first backpacking trip within two years (2020-2022)
• Taking a solo, 3300-mile van trip around the northwestern corner of the USA
• Building an outdoor apparel company with no direct outdoor or apparel industry experience, then stocking her products at REI within four years

 

Education & Certifications

• Education: BS Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology
• Awards or Recognitions: Outside Magazine – Outsider of the Year 2021

Personal

I didn’t grow up in the outdoors, but when I discovered my joy of skiing in my late twenties, I became obsessed! Skiing was my gateway sport, paving the way for my additional obsessions with hiking, backpacking, climbing, and surfing. I struggled, however, with feeling like I belonged, simply because finding gear that kept me both safe and comfortable was nigh impossible for my size.

It turns out that 68% of American women – like me – wear plus size apparel, who also have difficulty finding outdoor clothing that fits! So in February 2020, I decided to start my own apparel brand, Alpine Parrot, which catered exclusively to plus size adventurers. I designed and developed clothing that really resonated with a lot of people, offering a feeling of inclusion and belonging that has enabled thousands of people to get outside safely and comfortably.

While I have shut down Alpine Parrot and returned to my tech roots, I am nevertheless still obsessed with being outside and finding the right gear for all of my adventures! I’m excited to share everything I’ve learned both as a creator and a recreator.