This Giving Tuesday, November 28,
help us support The Nature Conservancy in Alabama
for a chance to win an epic outdoor prize pack from Alabama Outdoors!

Stop into any Alabama Outdoors location or follow the link below to purchase a raffle ticket(s) for a chance to win a Solo Stove Mesa XL Tabletop Fire Pit, a Yeti Roadie 24 and a $50 gift card from Alabama Outdoors. $2/raffle ticket, no limit on ticket purchases. All proceeds will be donated to The Nature Conservancy in Alabama.

How to enter:

⇒ Click here for a list of our locations to visit and donate in-store OR 

⇒ Click the donate and enter button below on November 28 between 12:00 am – 11:59pm CST to make a donation and enter the raffle online. *Winner must be able to pick up from an Alabama Outdoors location. $2 per raffle, no limit on entries. Winner will be contacted via email by December 1st.

Please see below for full list of terms + conditions.

The prize:

 Solo Stove Mesa XL Tabletop Firepit

Everyone loves a good fireside, and with the Solo Stove Mesa XL Tabletop Firepit, you can be fireside wherever you like thanks to this convenient and portable firepit. This on-the-go fire pit comes with a stand for the perfect ventilation and a carrying case to conveniently take it wherever you can have a small fire for ambience, warmth, and smores! Set it up in seconds with the easy-to-use stand and enjoy the low-smoke design as it provides unrivaled warmth and comfort. Don’t worry about cumbersome fuels and specialty heat sources, this firepit works au natural with logs, kindling, pellets, and any other safe-to-burn materials. So sit back, grab the smores, and enjoy this firepit on the go whenever, wherever.

• The Solo Stove retains heat on the surface and should be treated like any other fire
• Dual Fuel Grate
• Weight: 2.3 lbs
• Diameter: 7 in
• Height: 8.6 in
• Material(s): Stainless steel, ceramic

Yeti Roadie 24

Made for the road and ready to go- The Roadie 24 Hard Cooler packs more while taking less space. It’s built tall to accommodate critical bottles of wine and slim enough to squeeze behind the driver’s or passenger’s seat of a car. Now that’s what we call a road trip buddy.

• Fits 33 cans (only)
• Fits 26 lbs of ice (only)
• Wine bottle compatible
• Weight: 13.1 lbs (empty)
• Exterior dimensions: 16.6″W x 14″D x 17.4″H
• Interior dimensions: 10.8″W x 8.1″D x 13.4″H

Plus, a $50 Alabama Outdoors Gift Card!

About The Nature Conservancy in Alabama:

The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 200,000 acres in Alabama since the chapter was formed in 1989. From rare and endangered plants and animals to prairies, forests and the Gulf coast, The Nature Conservancy is working to protect Alabama for people and nature. Help us ensure a future in which people and nature can thrive.

WE LOVE ALABAMA. Cahaba. Paint Rock. Walls of Jericho. Little River Canyon. Talladega. Splinter Hill Bog. Mobile-Tensaw. The Gulf. Ask yourself about the places you, your family, and your friends love in Alabama, and the answers inevitably revolve around our iconic lands and waters.

Alabama’s rivers and streams, marshes, forests, coasts, and mountains are the beating heart of a biologically diverse landscape like none other on Earth. Our state is the center of the world’s biological diversity of freshwater invertebrates and the continental center of diversity for many other plants and animals. There are hundreds of species in Alabama that are found nowhere else on Earth.

This is our Alabama, and it is time for nature to depend on us. It is time to protect more of these places, more of our fresh water, and more clean air so that we, and the plant and animals that live here with us, can continue to enjoy these resources. We must address the unprecedented pressure we are placing on our natural world.

From the water, air, and food we need for life to the resources that provide recreation and energy, our ability to thrive and prosper depends on the choices we make right now.

You can help us with the critical work of conservation in Alabama.

Raffle Terms + conditions:

• Raffle tickets can be purchased in any Alabama Outdoors location or on our website at this link on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
• The raffle period will end on November 28, 2023 at 11:59pm CST.
• Raffle tickets are $2 each and there is no limit to the amount you can purchase. (i.e. Quantity of 5 = 5 Entries = $10 donation)
• Each raffle order/in-store purchase will be assigned a random number, and the winner will be chosen at random and notified via email by Friday December 1, 2023.
• Online raffle tickets orders will receive an order confirmation for your donation and your order will automatically enter you into the raffle.
• All participants must provide a valid email address to be notified at if they win.
• Winner must be able to pick up the prize at an Alabama Outdoors location.
• We are giving away 1 Solo Stove Mesa Tabletop Firepit, a Yeti Roadie 24, and a $50 Alabama Outdoors gift card. Total value of the prize is $409.99
• All proceeds will be donated to The Nature Conservancy in Alabama.
• Non transferrable. No substitutes. Cannot be returned or redeemed for any other item or amount.

How the Alabama Outdoors Jacket Drive works

Help us celebrate the season of giving by giving back to our communities with our Annual Alabama Outdoors Jacket Drive! Beginning Wednesday November 1st and ending on Tuesday November 7th, come into any Alabama Outdoors location to donate a gently used jacket and receive 15% off a new jacket or pullover. In-store only.

Donate in 4 easy steps:

1. Pull from your closet a gently used jacket.
2. Bring it to your local Alabama Outdoors store and hand it to an Alabama Outdoors team member to make sure it is in good condition to donate.
3. Shop around the store and receive 15% off a new jacket or pullover at the time of donation!
4. Jackets are taken to a local charity by the Alabama Outdoors team and donated to a person in need this winter!

It’s really that easy.

Alabama Outdoors will be holding the Jacket Drive at all of our locations and partnering with charities in our communities.

The partnering charities in each community are:

• Homewood – First Light

First Light’s mission is to work with homeless women and their children to create hospitality in a safe and nurturing community, to encourage them to maintain dignity, to find hope, to seek opportunity, and to grow spiritually, thereby achieving their full potential.

• Florence, Alabama – Salvation Army of Florence

The Salvation Army assists approximately 25 million Americans annually. They have over 1.5 million members
consisting of officers, soldiers, and adherents. The Salvation Army helps with Anti-Human Trafficking, Combatting Addiction, Disaster Relief, Holiday Assistance, Music & Arts, Serving Veterans, Social Services & Youth Programs.

• Trussville, Alabama – T.E.A.M. (Trussville Ecumenical Assistive Ministry)

TEAM is a non-profit ministry providing food and clothing to those in need. They are located on Chalkville Road in Trussville, Alabama.

• Inverness, Alabama – YWCA Central Alabama

YWCA Central Alabama is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. YWCA Central Alabama’s vision is to create a more caring community. We work every day to make a positive change in the lives of individuals and in the community.  They provide shelter, dignity, hope, and a strong foundation as they help those they serve find the strength to rebuild their lives.

• Mobile, Alabama – Dwell Mobile

Dwell Mobile exists to provide opportunities for refugees to thrive by raising awareness, removing obstacles, and restoring relationships. We envision our city as a place where refugees find their home.

Rules and exclusions:

Must present gently used jackets at the time of the transaction to receive a discount and provide warmth/weather protection. Valid in-store only at any Alabama Outdoors location. All offers limited to stock on hand; no rainchecks. Not valid on prior purchases, gift cards, gift certificates, taxes, or shipping or processing charges. Customers must pay applicable sales tax. Offer may not be combined with any other sale, promotion, discount, code, coupon, and/or offers. This offer ends November 7th at the end of the store’s operational hours. See team member for details.

Support Alabama Outdoors Jacket Drive and be part of something special that will make this fall and holiday season truly meaningful.

Fall is here and temperatures are dropping! Shop all new fall arrivals at Alabama Outdoors. We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors, and we work to build loyalty one connection at a time. Visit one of our stores or take advantage of our shipping or in-store pickup! #BeOutdoors

Give a piece, take a piece.

This Earth Day, Alabama Outdoors wants to encourage you to share your lightly used gear and find other lightly used gear you can use to help reduce waste and breathe new life into well-loved gear.

How it works: Come see us at the Celebrate Trails Day/Earth Day celebration at the Farmers Market at Pepper Place on Saturday April 22 from 8am-12pm.

We will have a tent dedicated to our rental gear program and our give a piece, take a piece gear swap where you can bring your lightly used gear and swap it out for other donated gear. To ensure everyone gets a chance at finding something they’d like to exchange, Alabama Outdoors has included some used gear pieces that will be available at the tent at the start of the event, so feel free to come by early. Any one piece of gear you donate can be exchanged for one complete piece of gear of like-value, so long as the donated gear is still in usable condition.

Please ensure anything you bring meets the following conditions.

• Lightly used and still intact and functional
• No significant or impossible to repair tears, broken parts, missing or worn-out components
• No climbing gear or any other type of safety gear
• No dirty, moldy, or otherwise unclean gear
• No footwear

Please bring camping, backpacking, and other general-use outdoor gear that you would otherwise donate. Suggestions include:

• Tents
• Sleeping pads
• Camping hammocks
• Backpacks
• Duffels or travel cubes
• Trekking poles
• Sleeping bags, backpacking pillows
• Camp chairs or tables
• Hiking stoves, utensils, and other cookware
• Camping accessories
• Headlamps and other lighting
• Insulated bottles or hydration packs
• Disc golf

For full information and details about the event please click here.

Winter camping can be a pain in the butt, but it doesn’t have to be a pain on the Earth. Here are 10 sustainable hacks to help you stay warm, comfortable and eco-friendly on your next winter camping trip.

1. Use a Dry shampoo.

When it comes to conserving water, staying warm and staying fresh in the wilderness, dry shampoo is your new best friend. We recommend Mellow Oak’s “North Loop” Organic Dry Shampoo, which comes in a recyclable paper tube and is made with all-natural ingredients. It’s a quick, easy and eco-friendly way to freshen up your hair. The last thing you need is wet hair when it’s cold out.

Mellow Oak Organic Dry Shampoo

2. Insulate your tent with a reflective blanket or tarp.

Reflective blankets or tarps can be used to keep the heat in and reduce the need for additional heating sources such as propane heaters. Don’t forget to put the reflective side inwards for warmth so your heat goes back to you.

3.Use a camping stove that runs on renewable fuel sources.

Instead of using propane or gasoline, find  a camping stove that runs on wood, twigs, or pellets. Not only are these options more sustainable, but you can impress your friends and cook over an open flame. One of our favorite products is BioLite’s CampStove 2+. It is a portable campfire that can cook your meals and charge your gear, all at the same time. It uses combustion technology to turn fire into electricity, so you can leave the gas canisters behind and use the sticks and twigs around you instead.

4. Invest in a camping mat made from sustainable materials.

Camping mats provide insulation between you and the ground. This can help to keep you warm and comfortable, especially in colder weather. Look for a camping mat made from recycled materials, natural rubber or cork, which will provide insulation and comfort while reducing the use of synthetic materials that are harmful to the environment. 

5. Find a warming muscle salve.

When it comes to camping in winter, taking care of your muscles and skin is just as important as the clothes you put on. One product that can aid in this is a CBD muscle salve. We like  Mellow Oak’s “Hike Recovery” CBD Muscle Salve, made with sustainably-sourced, organic ingredients with packaging made from post-consumer recycled materials. This eco-friendly choice is a great option to help take care of yourself during  your trip.

Mellow Oak Hike Recovery CBD Muscle Cream

6.Use a solar-powered flashlight or lantern to conserve energy and reduce waste.

Winter camping often means shorter days and longer nights, so having a reliable source of light is essential. Solar-powered flashlights or lanterns are a sustainable alternative to traditional battery-powered options as they use the sun’s energy to charge and don’t require frequent battery replacement.

7. Use a water bottle to keep warm.

Instead of disposable hand warmers, bring a reusable hot water bottle or hand warmer filled with hot water. These options will be more sustainable, and you can refill them with hot water as needed. A lightweight option we recommend is the 32 oz. Alabama Outdoors Nalgene Wide Mouth Bottle. And don’t worry, Nalgene bottles are BPA free so you are safe to use that water the next day.

8. Make your own fire starters with household materials.

Starting fires in the cold, and often wet, winter months, can be a major challenge. Fortunately, household items like butter wrappers, cotton balls, old birthday candles, sawdust, egg cartons, and dryer lint can be saved from the landfill and turned into effective kindling. For example, it’s easy and virtually free to make fire starters by melting down old birthday candle stubs and pouring the wax over dryer lint or sawdust inside the cup from a paper egg carton. Get creative with what you can find around the house and experiment. Just take care to only use clean burning and naturally derived materials that won’t release noxious smoke. Trying to keep that fire going? Check out our favorite gadget, the Pocket Bellow Collapsible Tool, and be sure to always follow local fire ordnances and safety rules!

9. Stay warm and dry with wool clothing.

Natural fiber clothing doesn’t shed microplastic fibers into the environment, but cotton doesn’t wick moisture away from the skin when wet, which can cause discomfort, or in the extreme, can be life threatening in very cold, wet weather. Wool fabric moves moisture away from skin and maintains warmth even when wet, making it perfect as a winter base layer. Shop wool base layers here.

10. For outer layers, choose PFC-free rain/snow gear.

One of the biggest environmental concerns with modern rain protection is the use of perfluorochemicals (PFCs) as a durable water repellent (DWR) finish. These toxic compounds, also known as “forever chemicals,” do not readily break down in the environment, but are found in many common products and will wear off your jacket, sleeping bag, tent, etc., with use, polluting the environment. Waxed canvas jackets can be a good alternative to synthetic materials, but may not always be the most practical option. More outdoor companies are introducing PFC-free gear all the time. 

By following these sustainable camping hacks, you’ll be able to enjoy your winter camping experience without sacrificing your commitment to the environment. Happy camping!

Written by: Mike Black, co-founder of Mellow Oak. Mellow Oak is a local Birmingham business focused on high-quality wellness products with sustainable, all-natural ingredients, sourced from trusted producers while minimizing waste. Check them out and give them a follow!

Ready to be outdoors more this year? We have the camping + outdoor gear you need to get you on the trails!  We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors, and we work to build loyalty one connection at a time. Visit one of our stores or take advantage of our shipping or curbside pickup! #BeOutdoors

Alabama Outdoors – Inverness Team

Thank you for helping us this #GivingTuesday by giving the gift of warmth!

To kick off the ‘Season of Giving’ and recognize Giving Tuesday on December 1st, we launched our Annual Alabama Outdoors Jacket Drive. When you donated your gently used jacket during our Jacket Drive, you not only received 15% off of a new jacket or pullover as a thank you and to get yourself a new jacket, but you provided someone in need with a free jacket- and that’s wonderful.

Thanks to your generous donations, this season you helped us give the gift of warmth to several men, women, and children in our communities. In total, you donated over 70 jackets in just 6 days! From our loyal customers to our very own team members, you went above and beyond and donated more than just one jacket. You donated multiple jackets out of kindness as well as multiple bags of clothes to give to others. THANK YOU!

Even though some donation centers are not taking donations at this time due to the pandemic, we know that this season, it is more important than ever to donate to those in need as Covid-19 has caused additional hardships for our families, businesses, and communities. That said, our team members have worked closely with donation centers to ensure every jacket donated is cleaned and steamed/sanitized so we can get these jackets to those who need them this winter. 

Once we receive the donations, we pass the torch to some outstanding organizations in each of our communities who then deliver the jackets to those who need them most, all for free.

This year we were delighted to partner with the following organizations and non-profits in our communities:

• Homewood – First Light

First Light’s mission is to work with homeless women and their children to create hospitality in a safe and nurturing community, to encourage them to maintain dignity, to find hope, to seek opportunity, and to grow spiritually, thereby achieving their full potential.

• Florence, Alabama – Salvation Army of Florence

The Salvation Army assists approximately 25 million Americans annually. They have over 1.5 million members

consisting of officers, soldiers, and adherents. The Salvation Army helps with Anti-Human Trafficking, Combatting Addiction, Disaster Relief, Holiday Assistance, Music & Arts, Serving Veterans, Social Services & Youth Programs.

• Trussville, Alabama – T.E.A.M. (Trussville Ecumenical Assistive Ministry)

TEAM is a non-profit ministry providing food and clothing to those in need. They are located on Chalkville Road in Trussville, Alabama.

• Inverness, Alabama – YWCA Central Alabama

YWCA Central Alabama is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. YWCA Central Alabama’s vision is to create a more caring community. We work every day to make a positive change in the lives of individuals and in the community. They provide shelter, dignity, hope, and a strong foundation as they help those they serve find the strength to rebuild their lives.

• Mobile, Alabama – Dwell Mobile

Dwell Mobile exists to provide opportunities for refugees to thrive by raising awareness, removing obstacles, and restoring relationships. We envision our city as a place where refugees find their home.

Did you miss the jacket drive this year? That is okay! Contact any of the locations above to schedule a drop off of your own and continue to give to others all year long. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to be informed next year about our Annual Jacket Drive! Interested in getting involved this #GivingTuesday? GivingTuesday.org has multiple ideas for you on how to get involved and give back!

‘Tis The Season Of Giving! Check out our holiday gift guides to help you find the perfect gifts for the ones on your list. We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors, and we work to build loyalty one connection at a time. Visit one of our stores or take advantage of our shipping or curbside pickup! #BeOutdoors

How the Alabama Outdoors Jacket Drive works

Help us celebrate the Season of Giving and give back to our communities with our Annual Alabama Outdoors Jacket Drive! Beginning on November 14th and ending on November 20th, come into any Alabama Outdoors location to donate a gently used jacket and receive 15% off a new jacket or pullover.

Donate in 4 easy steps:

1. Pull from your closet a gently used jacket or pullover.
2. Bring it to your local Alabama Outdoors store and hand it to an Alabama Outdoors team member to make sure it is good condition to donate.
3. Shop around the store and and receive 15% off a new jacket or pullover at the time of donation!
4. Jackets are taken to a local charity by the Alabama Outdoors team and donated to a person in need this winter!

It’s really that easy.

Alabama Outdoors will be holding the Jacket Drive at all of our locations and partnering with charities in our communities.

The partnering charities in each community are:

• Homewood – First Light

First Light’s mission is to work with homeless women and their children to create hospitality in a safe and nurturing community, to encourage them to maintain dignity, to find hope, to seek opportunity, and to grow spiritually, thereby achieving their full potential.

• Florence, Alabama – Salvation Army of Florence

The Salvation Army assists approximately 25 million Americans annually. They have over 1.5 million members
consisting of officers, soldiers, and adherents. The Salvation Army helps with Anti-Human Trafficking,  Combatting Addiction, Disaster Relief, Holiday Assistance, Music & Arts, Serving Veterans, Social Services & Youth Programs.

• Trussville, Alabama – T.E.A.M. (Trussville Ecumenical Assistive Ministry)

TEAM is a non-profit ministry providing food and clothing to those in need. They are located on Chalkville Road in Trussville, Alabama.

• Inverness, Alabama – YWCA Central Alabama

YWCA Central Alabama is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. YWCA Central Alabama’s vision is to create a more caring community. We work every day to make a positive change in the lives of individuals and in the community.  They provide shelter, dignity, hope, and a strong foundation as they help those they serve find the strength to rebuild their lives.

• Mobile, Alabama – Dwell Mobile

Dwell Mobile exists to provide opportunities for refugees to thrive by raising awareness, removing obstacles, and restoring relationships. We envision our city as a place where refugees find their home.

Rules and exclusions:

Must present gently used jackets at the time of the transaction to receive a discount. All offers limited to stock on hand; no rainchecks. Not valid on prior purchases, gift cards, gift certificates, taxes, or shipping or processing charges. Customers must pay applicable sales tax. Offer may not be combined with any other sale, promotion, discount, code, coupon, and/or offers. This offer ends November 20th at the end of the store’s operational hours. See associate for details.

Support Alabama Outdoors Jacket Drive and be part of something special that will make this holiday season truly meaningful.

‘Tis The Season Of Giving! Check out our holiday gift guides to help you find the perfect gifts for the ones on your list. We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors, and we work to build loyalty one connection at a time. Visit one of our stores or take advantage of our shipping or curbside pickup! #BeOutdoors

United By Blue doesn’t just make stylish clothes and durable canvas goods for the outdoors enthusiast. For every product sold, they also remove one pound of trash from oceans and waterways through company-organized cleanups. The brand made this promise when they started in 2010, and they wasted no time keeping it. As their website says, “We hosted our first cleanup the same week we sold our first T-shirt.” Read on for more about what makes United by Blue a brand that gives back.

A Good Ol’Road Trip — For the Good of Our Waterways

Since 2010, United By Blue and their volunteers have helped remove over 1,000,000 pounds of trash in twenty-seven states. This past summer, they decided to up those numbers even more by embarking on a cross-country cleaning voyage called The Bluemovement Road Trip. Starting on June 1, 2018, husband and wife duo Kelly Hilovsky and Jeff Butler — along with their lovable goldendoodle, Chance — set off on a road trip. Over the next two months, they helped volunteers in twenty states clear trash from their local waterways.

Bluemovement on the Move

The trip began with a cleanup in Richmond, Virginia on June 1 and ended in Bloomington, Indiana on August 6. Their stop in Birmingham, Alabama on June 12 saw volunteers removing 82 pounds of trash from Shades Creek. Throughout the sixty-plus day trip, the Bluemovement team removed 12,091 pounds of trash.

A Crisis in Our Waterways

8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, with 1.5 million of that being made up of plastic bottles. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the most famous marine trash heap, is twice the size of Texas. Our waterways need help now more than ever, and it is so inspiring to see companies like United By Blue doing so much for our environment.

United by Blue products can be found in more than four hundred outlets nationally — including Alabama Outdoors! If you’d like to join one of their hosted cleanups, check here to find one near you!

Text by Nick Adrian