![\"Nelson](\"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/TDP-Z-FE20BRANDs-02.jpg\")
Team Topo currently has three brand ambassadors (soon to be four): \u00a0Will Bender, a bike builder; Sarah Sturm, a gravel and mountain bike racer; and Kayla Lockhart, a fly fisher.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur ambassadors began by being friends of the brand,\u201d VanderLeek said. \u201cTopo Designs embraces the \u2018casually serious,\u2019 or \u2018seriously casual\u2019 side of experiencing the outdoors in each person\u2019s own unique way.\u201d He described Team Topo as a mix of \u201cathletes, skilled professionals and spirited characters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lockhart, 35, is one of them. She is a brand ambassador for Topo Designs and others, with more than 41,000 followers on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy life certainly revolves around fly-fishing, but I also love hunting, riding my dirt bike and just about anything that gives me a reason to be outdoors,\u201d she said. \u201cOutside of all that, I am an advocate for our public lands and waters.\u201d Lockhart also works with conservation groups such as The Mayfly Project and Sportsmen of the Boundary Waters.<\/p>\n
Another partnership of Lockhart\u2019s is the Ford Bronco, which also has a relationship with Nelson Holland, 33, known to his 162,000 Instagram followers as @fatblackandgettinit, where he posts about his Colorado adventures. He has more than 154,000 followers on TikTok, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy journey went from not seeing myself as involved in nature to creating relationships with wildlife, and then I started hiking,\u201d he said during an interview. \u201cI found community, and that brought me into inclusive spaces for stewardship and conservation. I didn\u2019t know you could help the world by watching wildlife!,\u201d he said, referring to a burrowing owls project he became involved in.<\/p>\n
Holland has also worked with Osprey, a Colorado company known for its backpacks. Osprey and some other brands now divide their ambassadors into two camps: athletes and simply ambassadors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Osprey Athlete Program includes individuals who are pushing their sports forward, whether it be top spots on the podium, fastest known times or building the culture within their sport,\u201d said Rob Bondurant, vice president of marketing at Osprey Packs. \u201cThe Osprey Ambassador Program is based on individuals whose values align with our three impact pillars: community, conservation and access.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Osprey\u2019s 17 ambassadors is Sonya Wilson, a Deaf climber who founded the ASL Climbing Network in 2012. She is known as @deafclimber on Instagram, where she has over 4,300 followers.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo years ago, I saw the opportunity to become Osprey\u2019s first Deaf ambassador, and I jumped at it!,\u201d Wilson said in an email. \u201cSince meeting the Osprey brand at the Red Rocks Rendezvous in Las Vegas, they have supported my outdoor adventures.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilson described the support from Osprey, citing a time when they sent her a bundle of returned packs that she was able to give to fellow Deaf climbers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my second year with Osprey, and I could not be more proud,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Osprey\u2019s ambassador website page shows an array of people from different backgrounds, adults of all ages whose appreciation for the outdoors spans from leading conservation nonprofits to working as wilderness guides.<\/p>\n
Denver-based Greg Sakowicz, 46, known to his 161,000 Instagram followers as @fatmanlittletrail, has also worked with Osprey, although he is not currently one of their ambassadors and might be considered more of an influencer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI helped model the Extended Fit line of backpacks for Osprey when they first came out,\u201d he said. \u201cI also do a lot of smaller campaigns or projects with non-profits and brands to help tell\u00a0a specific story or promote\u00a0a product. There are different\u00a0tiers of ambassadors and sponsored athletes and creators and influencers depending on the person and brand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Due to his 9-5 job, Sakowicz is limited in how much he can partner with brands, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile there are people who are ambassadors and influencers full-time, I still like the security of having a steady paycheck,\u201d he said candidly. \u201cIt also allows me to be more selective in the work that I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Exact numbers could not be obtained, but some ambassadors earn a paycheck while others might do a couple of posts to show current gear.<\/p>\n \u201cOur core ambassadors are paid,\u201d said VanderLeek of Topo Designs. \u201cWe support those who embrace their craft and how we, and they, see Topo Designs intertwining within that craft \u2014 whether it be sport, a specific skillset, an angle on fashion and the outdoors, or any other opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n What it comes down is audience<\/em>; everyone on social media is reaching their own demographic, and that has benefits to the brand.<\/p>\n \u201cStar athletes with millions of followers don\u2019t have the relatability as someone like me,\u201d said Sakowicz of being a non-athlete ambassador. \u201cI can\u2019t dunk a basketball, hit a home run or score a touchdown, but I can hike on the same trail. I think when someone can see how similar we are, it is easier for them to immediately feel connected.\u201d<\/p>\n So, if they\u2019re not getting rich, what\u2019s in it for these \u201cregular\u201d people?<\/p>\n \u201cMy favorite part about being an ambassador is showing other plus-sized people that they can be in the outdoors, too,\u201d said Sakowicz. \u201cThat there are brands that support them and are making products to make their trips better. The outdoors are for everyone and there are so many benefits for people in being outside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlways research brands and make sure they stand for the things you believe in personally and trust their products,\u201d said Wilson. \u201cEven if they don\u2019t have ambassador applications, it is more about building a connection with the brand. Build a relationship with brands who care about communities and the earth, by showing it in their actions and programs through their websites. If you want to represent a brand you believe in, ask, keep asking, go to their booths and build connections.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Sonya](\"http:\/\/www.agencywebdesigners.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/TDP-Z-FE20SONYA-01.jpg\")