The SWCHBAK concept came about when founder Michelle Johnson wanted more out of her athletic gear when out running trails. She wanted a product that wasn’t mass-produced outside of the U.S., was made thoughtfully, and with different attributes than what she was able to find online or in a store.
And thus, SWCHBAK was born.
SWCHBAK makes multifunctional head and neck wear, all fabrics are sourced within the USA and all of our products are made in San Diego CA.
SWCHBAK is a woman owned and founded, at SWCHBAK we love what we do, and although SWCHBAK was created originally with running in mind, it is made to EXPLORE YOUR WAY, whether that be running, hiking, snowboarding, camping, biking, or any other way that you chose to get outside and explore, our products are made with inclusivity in mind.
At SWCHBAK we also support independent artists by purchasing their art to use on our gear.
SWCHBAK uses its platform to empower women within the trail running, running, and mountaineering space, and we are super proud to be part of the woman owned business community!
Founder Story I started running later in life, when I was 25, and I started running at a time in my life when I had hit rock bottom and needed to gain my mental and physical health back. I realized that I really enjoyed running, and within about a year I signed up for my first 5k. In 2011 I was diagnosed with cancer, and I met some amazing people who were also young adults dealing with a cancer diagnosis that were also runners. This inspired me and helped me push through surgeries and chemo treatments. End of 2012 I was cancer free and a few years later I was part of the first ever all cancer survivor team to run Ragnar. Fast forward to 2017 I started running with a run group called San Diego Trail Runners, I found a new love and passion for trail running. August 8th, 2018, I went for a trail run and went about my day like any other. That evening I went to pick up my daughter from an event and the unimaginable happened on our way home we were hit head on by a wrong way drunk driver. Both my daughter and I were severely injured and lucky to be alive. I had sustained 4 back fractures, when I learned this my heart sank, I knew the severity of a back injury of this magnitude. In the hospital I was told the uncertainty of me being able to run again. I went through extensive rehab and miraculously ran my first 50k only 10 months after the accident. Running and the running community have gotten me through some of the toughest times in my life.
SWCHBAK came about through my passion for running. I wear a buff every time I run but was looking for a product that had different attributes than what I was able to find. At SWCHBAK we are focused on functionality and fun prints. We are also using this platform to empower women within the running space. We also donate a percentage of proceeds to a local nonprofit called Stage Free Melanoma. SWCHBAK strives to be more than just a brand and its products, the running community is the backbone of what we do, and we always strive to give back and uplift when we can.
