The Rock Fight Podcast Network is proud to announce the launch of its latest show, Gear Abby, hosted by outdoor journalist, author, and self-proclaimed gear nerd Shawnté Salabert. More than just another gear review podcast, Gear Abby blends real-life storytelling, advice, and unfiltered perspective to help listeners make sense of the outdoor products they buy, the places they explore, and the connections to the gear that makes time outside better.
With much of the gear review space publishing the same polished takes and often skewing male, Gear Abby cuts through the noise with humor and a refreshing perspective. Salabert, author of Hiking The Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California and a forthcoming book on the John Muir Trail / Nüümü Poyo, has written for Outside, Backpacker, Adventure Journal, SIERRA, and more, and appeared in PBS’s America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston. Salabert will tackle questions from listeners about everything from dialing in your backpacking setup to the realities of sex, pooping, and relationships in the outdoors.
“Growing up in an underserved, inner-city community, I had a pretty different path to the outdoors than many, but I had a lot of mentors along the way,” says Salabert. “If, as Gear Abby, I can help other folks feel more comfortable, expand their skillset, ramp up their stoke, and maybe even laugh a bit, then it’s absolutely worth it.”
Gear Abby is designed to resonate with core outdoor enthusiasts and seasoned gearheads, casual weekend adventurers, and those just discovering the outdoors. With Gear Abby, listeners won’t get an ounce of shame or gear snobbery. Instead, they’ll hear unfiltered advice, honest conversations, and the occasional ‘WTF’ moment in the wild. Salabert approaches each outdoor question with real-life experience, warmth, and wit. If she doesn’t have the answer, she’ll drag in someone who does, because there are no dumb questions, just smart advice.
“Frankly, getting Shawnté to expand her role at The Rock Fight is a dream,” says Colin True, Co-Founder of The Rock Fight Podcast Network. “Her voice, experience, and sharp perspective are exactly what the gear space needs. The hard part will be keeping her off the trail long enough to record!”
Gear Abby joins The Rock Fight Podcast Network’s lineup of irreverent and insightful outdoor shows, including The Rock Fight and Open Container. The latest addition will cover a range of topics:
- Episode 1 – How to poop with a view, running vests: dorky or utilitarian, some light outdoor reading, running a B.S. meter on biodegradable soap
- Episode 2 – Boots vs trail runners cage match, real talk on stand-up urination devices, a begrudging high-five to running watches, the delights of cowboy camping
- Episode 3 – A quick hit on the Triple Crown of Hiking, can you truly Leave No Trace while using TP?, a cost-benefit analysis of Strava, protecting your delicate bits from chafing
- Episode 4 – Keeping a brave front as a solo female hiker, newbie’s raft trip pack list, a gripping tale of traction devices, staying optimistic amid the chaos
- Episode 5 – Trail running starter kit, spending someone else’s money at REI, how to avoid scarring your partner on their first backpacking trip, climbing in Yosemite: the myth, the legend, the reality
Gear Abby is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Listeners and potential advertisers can send questions, comments, and conundrums to myrockfight@gmail.com. For more information, visit https://www.rockfight.co/.
About The Rock Fight Podcast Network
The Rock Fight Podcast Network is the new home for outdoor-related news, stories, gear reviews, and lively debate. We’re not here to challenge nature. We’re here to challenge the nonsense. From outdated industry norms to questionable ideas that don’t make sense, we take sides, call it like we see it, and have a blast doing it. Whether it’s gear talk, environmental policy, the latest trends and headlines in the industry, or the quirks of outdoor culture, our podcasts dive into the real conversations happening on trails, at lifts, in pubs, and beyond. With stories and discussions that are relatable, topical, and genuinely entertaining, we aim to shake up the conventional outdoor media landscape. Unapologetically opinionated, relentlessly curious, and always ready for a rock fight, we’re here to get you thinking, and laughing, about the great outdoors. To learn more, visit https://www.rockfight.co and follow @rockfightco on Instagram.
