Meet An OGExpert: Erin Vostal
Lindsey Garland
What’s an OGExpert? They’re the folks that huff and puff alongside you in the skin track, give you a yell from the lift, move that pad for you at the climbing gym, share their granola at the summit, or help you change a flat tire at the bike trail head. They’re us. We’ve done it all, and used pretty much every kind of gear along the way. We live, breathe, and recreate with the community.
NAME
Erin Vostal - she/they
AGE
23
HOMETOWN
Summit, New Jersey
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING AT OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE?
Almost 4 years
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT OGE?
Service Supervisor
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO VERMONT?
I started coming to Vermont with my family as a kid to ski at Mad River Glen. I moved up here to attend UVM in 2021 and stuck around after graduating - you really just can't beat the Green Mountains and all they have to offer.
WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR AREA OF OUTDOOR EXPERTISE?
I'm a big backcountry skier and gravel/mountain biker. Throwing myself down hills is my favorite form of stress relief, and I'm proud to say I've ended up on Friday Fails more than once. I also love hiking, ridiculous amounts of time spent living in a tent, and videography! Most of all, I love communing with nature and feeling connected to the earth beneath my feet, and that's what recreating in the outdoors is all about for me - connection.
FAVORITE PIECE OF GEAR?
My Yeti SB140 Lunchride. It's been a labor of love building it up and customizing it. It's my first mountain bike so I've seen my skills progress so much on that bike: crashes, jumps, drops, etc - they're all on that bike. It feels like an extension of my body when I'm on it, and I love the raw carbon/pink color scheme I've got going on.
