One of the best ways to encourage health in our communities is to be mindful of our own. At Gearhead Outfitters and our family of brands, we take the health of our customers, employees and communities seriously. In fact, it’s our mission—to help our customers live healthy, active lifestyles. To that end, our team wanted to share preventative tips in an effort to decrease the spread of infection and share the efforts we are taking in our stores. 

What We’re Doing

All Gearhead, Uncle Dan’s and Rock/Creek stores will be increasing cleaning efforts daily and making hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes available in our stores. We will also be postponing currently planned events and will keep our customers informed of new event dates.

For customers who would feel more comfortable shopping from home, we will be offering free standard shipping on all orders until April 30, 2020, and in-store pickup is always available as a free service to our customers. 

Health & Safety Tips

While coronavirus is a main concern internationally and stateside at this time, these are also helpful tips to combat the spread of the flu, strep throat, stomach bugs and other illnesses throughout the year:

• Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer after visiting high-traffic areas. 

• Use the available sanitizing wipes at the stores you visit, or have your own to use and share. You may even use them when opening doors or using public transportation.

• While the use of medical masks might be tempting, the Surgeon General has announced for the general public to avoid the purchase of masks as this may cause a shortage for medical professionals. Instead, try to maintain a safe talking distance from others. Check out the WHO information on mask use here: When and how to use masks

• If you work in a shared environment, be mindful of using the same phones, keyboards, pens, etc. Sanitize thoroughly and often. Here is a list of EPA approved cleaners for coronavirus: US EPA – List N

• At the first sign of illness—no matter what illness—stay home. The longer you ignore your symptoms, the more people you may come into contact with, and the higher the possibility of spreading sickness. 

Other Helpful Tips

Other preventative measures include maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. This will build your immunity against infection and disease. Try implementing these recommendations*: 

• Include vitamin-rich foods into your diet such as: 
  • Citrus fruits
  • Leafy greens
  • Probiotic yogurts
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Fish
  • Vitamin supplements like B12, Iron, Potassium and Vitamins C, D and A
• Exercise regularly. Here is an age-banded list of physical activity guidelines: 
  • Executive Summary: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition
• Don’t smoke
• Maintain a healthy weight
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation
• Get adequate sleep
• Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly
• Try to minimize stress

An important note is to minimize panic. Taking the appropriate precautions and being mindful of others and yourself is the best way to encourage your health and the health of those around you. 

We want to thank our customers for their understanding and encourage them to keep exploring the outdoors safely during this time. 

*Attribution: How to boost your immune system; Harvard.edu