Women’s Safety, Empowerment, and the Freedom to Explore the Outdoors

The Call of the Wild And the Barriers Holding Women Back

There’s something about stepping into nature that feels like coming home. The crunch of dirt under your boots, the whisper of the wind through the trees, the way the sky stretches wide open, daring you to dream bigger. It’s intoxicating.

And yet for many women the outdoors isn’t always a place of freedom. It’s a place of calculation. Of caution. Of making sure you’re not too isolated but not too close to people either. Of figuring out where (or if) you’ll find a safe, clean bathroom. Of carrying keys between your fingers as if they’re some kind of makeshift Wolverine claws.

We grow up hearing it: Be careful. Don’t go alone. Stay alert. And while safety is smart, the underlying message is clear the world isn’t really built for you to roam freely.

But I say it should be.

The Fear Factor vs. The Freedom Factor

Let’s get real, women aren’t afraid of the outdoors. We’re afraid of what might happen to us in the outdoors. There’s a difference.

Because if it were just about getting dirty, sweating through our shirts, or figuring out how to pee when there’s no bathroom in sight, we’d have that handled. (Trust me, we have solutions for that.)

The problem is the risk that comes with simply being a woman out in the world. The stories we’ve heard, the close calls we’ve had, the way we’re taught to shrink ourselves instead of expanding into adventure.

But here’s the thing: Women belong in wild spaces. We are just as capable of hiking, camping, climbing, and exploring as anyone else. And we don’t need permission.

We need gear that works for us, safety strategies that empower us, and a mindset that refuses to let fear win.

Practical Ways to Stay Safe Outdoors (Without Sucking the Joy Out of It)

Because let’s be honest, women’s safety tips often sound like a buzzkill. Don’t go alone. Don’t wear headphones. Don’t be too friendly. Don’t exist too loudly.

Enough of that. Let’s focus on what we CAN do instead of just listing all the ways we’re supposed to shrink ourselves.

Gear up smart. Invest in clothing that lets you move freely and handle whatever nature throws at you. (Hint: That’s where Stealth Skort and Cover Yer Assets come in, because needing a bathroom shouldn’t be the thing that slows you down.)

Stay aware, without staying afraid. Trust your gut. If something feels off, listen to that inner wisdom. Carry safety tools (pepper spray, whistle, personal alarm) not out of fear, but out of preparedness.

Be loud if needed. Predators (human and otherwise) love easy targets. Walk like you own the place. Make noise. Sing. Talk to yourself. (Bonus: It keeps the bears away.)

Have an escape plan. Not in a paranoid way, but in an empowered, I’ve got this way. Know your routes. Have a check-in buddy. Carry extra food and water because hangry + lost = not a good combo.

Join a community of badass women adventurers. Because safety isn’t just about protection, it’s about support. Find a group of women who hike, camp, and explore together. There’s strength in numbers, and a lot of fun, too.

The Bigger Picture: Changing the Narrative

Here’s what I know: Women are strong, capable, and deserving of adventure. But we’ve been conditioned to see the world as something we have to tiptoe through instead of something we can boldly step into.

That changes when we refuse to let fear dictate our freedom. When we demand better gear, better options, and better solutions for real problems (like where the heck we’re supposed to go to the bathroom when there’s no restroom in sight).

Nature is ours, too. The trails, the rivers, the mountains, the open road. They don’t belong more to men than they do to us.

So, go. Explore. Take up space. Be smart, be prepared, but most of all, be free.

And if you need gear that actually gets it, you know where to find me. Cover Yer Assets has your back. And your front. And whatever else needs covering while you’re out there conquering the world.

Morgan Patterson

Founder & Freedom Advocate

Empowerment Strategist

Fearless Outdoor Inovator

850-509-8607 Info@coveryrassets.com