Now Rakestraw has expanded Evolved Supply Co., an Arizona outdoor gear maker into a retail space at 9 N. Leroux Street, in the 1911 Raymond Building.
Nic Rakestraw and his Evolved Supply Co. may not be well known in Flagstaff yet, but his emergence as an entrepreneur and influencer has earned him a huge online following.
Known as “Darwin On the Trail,” Rakestraw has more than 350,000 YouTube followers. They tune in for his outdoor-gear reviews and to hear his experiences of long hikes and cycling across America and around the world.
He’s achieved the Triple Crown of thru-hikes — the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide trails — along with thousands of miles of hiking in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado and an 80-mile trek to a Mount Everest base camp.
“I was just trying to inspire people, to take the leap and go do a thru-hike or get into backpacking,” he said of his YouTube channel. He also has a podcast, Outdoor Evolution.
“I started what inevitably became my career over the past 11 years,” he said of his vast social media footprint.
Now Rakestraw has expanded Evolved Supply Co., an Arizona outdoor gear maker into a retail space at 9 N. Leroux Street, in the 1911 Raymond Building. Evolved has operated the past three years as an online-only merchant working out of the McMillan Building, above what’s now Alpine Pizza.
He designs and field tests his backpacks, apparel, cookware and related hiking gear. Three Evolved seamstresses sew the backpacks from within the retail shop. Rakestraw plans to set up production and product fulfillment in the basement.
Evolved’s Ranger backpacks have a capacity of 35- to 70-liters and carry a price tag of $260 to $375.
It’s no secret Flagstaff is a hub for outdoor adventurers among locals and travelers passing through the City of Seven Wonders. Just look at all the tricked-out camper vans, pickups and Subarus loaded with mountain bikes and kayaks on the roads.
Rakestraw with his wife, Jessica, were among those travelers, first passing through Flagstaff a little more than a decade ago. They were living “like dirtbags in a minivan,” pursuing adventures and stopping to work jobs when their bank accounts dwindled, he said.
They were on the road for close to five years after selling their house in Southern Indiana and most of their possessions in 2014. They started off hiking the Appalachian Trail and then embarked on seemingly endless road trips and hikes. In 2019, they finally settled in here.
“The more we stayed, the more we fell in love with Flagstaff,” Rakestraw said.
“Flagstaff is such a cool, awesome little mountain town, an outdoor town. It has a national scenic trail running through it. Grand Canyon is an hour and a half away from here. It’s a big place for mountain biking and climbing and hiking and all those things.”
Flagstaff has its share of outfitters with Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters, Mountain Sports, Aspen Sports, Peace Outfitters downtown, while REI and Sportsman’s Warehouse are only a few miles away. Evolved joins the downtown outdoor merchants.
In addition to his gear company, Rakestraw has done videos and marketing content for local and national companies through his Outdoor Evolution brand for the past six years.
He also funded and produced a documentary film about the 800-mile Arizona Trail called “Through the Great Southwest.” It debuted in February 2020 at the Orpheum Theater and the film has generated funds for the Arizona Trail Association, Rakestraw said.
In March, Evolved Supply Co. held an Arizona Trail kickoff event for the spring season benefitting the association.
Matthew Nelson, Arizona Trail Association executive director, said the nonprofit organization is excited about a continued partnership with Rakestraw and Evolved Supply Co.
“His documentary, ‘Through the Great Southwest,’ is the most comprehensive film ever produced about the Arizona Trail. As a seasoned thru-hiker and mountain biker, he was able to capture the inspiring landscapes, interesting characters and the experiences that define the Arizona Trail.”
“Public lands have given me my career,” Rakestraw said. “It’s a big deal to me to give back and put my money where my mouth is.” FBN
By Peter Corbett, FBN
Evolved Supply Co. is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Photo by Peter Corbett: Nic Rakestraw, founder of Evolved Supply Co., stands inside his downtown Flagstaff retail shop, where he designs and field-tests ultralight backpacks and outdoor gear inspired by his thru-hiking experience.
