Meet Russ Willacker | Owner, Switzerland Trail Bikepacking Supply

We had the good fortune of connecting with Russ Willacker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Russ, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I never really had that life goal or aspiration of being a ‘business owner.’ I wasn’t raised in that kind of culture by any means, but I was also never led to believe it was out of my reach. I went to school to be an engineer, and sort of assumed I’d fall into a career position and just do that forever. Sometimes, though, you get an idea in your head, and it won’t go away. Then you start to daydream about what you’d do first, and how you’d do it, then before you know it you’re Googling what to do next, and it starts to come together before your eyes. A friend once told me “just take the next best step with the information you have” and if you do that over and over again, you start to get somewhere.

As cliché as it sounds, it truly is a matter of believing you are capable of creating something, and taking the first step.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

My experience with bikepacking has been that it is a constant state of learning. It quickly becomes this rabbit hole of insider knowledge. Where to go, what equipment to carry, what food to pack, ways to slim weight and volume, the right bike, and so on. It’s a unique sport that blends many recreations into one — cycling, backpacking, camping, and even fly fishing and photography. Naturally, the retailers that you would need to visit to acquire all of your equipment would span many stores and websites. Also, there are so many great small manufacturers making amazing products that are underrepresented in a retail environment.

I realized that this insider knowledge could create quite a barrier to entry into the sport, if someone were looking to get started. My goal with Switzerland Trail has been to bring all of those high quality solutions and products into a single space, meant for bikepackers, both experienced and not. Additionally, it is my goal to help people who are curious about bikepacking to use what they already have. So many of us with bikepacking experience got out the door for the first time with less-than-optimal solutions from our camping bins in the garage — and it worked just fine. With time and some trips under your belt, it’ll become clear what equipment will improve the experience, which is where I hope to step in and be that resource. I’d like my site to become a resource of information for those curious about trying out bikepacking, and hopefully one day, open a brick and mortar storefront.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I’m in Longmont, and if I’m headed out, I like to keep it local. For a great intro to Longmont, I’m probably stopping by Long’s Peak Pub for a lunchtime burger and a beer. On a blue sky Colorado day, I’m then headed to Wibby for a sit on their patio lounge furniture, and by the evening, I’ll hit the best pizza in Colorado at Rosalee’s on Main Street.

Since you can’t come to Colorado and not do the outdoor thing, I’d load up a couple bikes with frame bags and a rack, cinch a tent, sleeping bag and some clothes, and head up into the foothills toward Gold Hill. We’d grab an Old Fashioned at the Gold Hill Inn, and ride a bit westward to the Switzerland Trail to cruise the abandoned railbed until we found a great campsite looking back toward Boulder. After a night under the summer stars, I’d break out my trusty Firebox stove and make a cup of coffee to bring the day into view, and ride back down to Boulder. Follow the speedy descent up with lunch and a beer at Sanitas brewery in Boulder, grab some gravel back to Longmont, and call it the best weekend of your life!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are too many to name, no doubt! But certainly my wife Elizabeth, who came around to this idea and is my critical eye; the staff of bikepacking.com, where I’ve spent hours upon hours reviewing products and reading inspiring stories; Bill Mould for teaching me everything there is to know about bike wheel, and of course my bikepacking crew Ben, Josh, and Peter. Read more about our biggest adventure riding the hut system from Durango to Moab last summer (https://www.switzerlandtrail.com/inspiration/middle-life).

Website: www.switzerlandtrail.com

Instagram: @switzerlandtrail