Highlander Podcast

Gaby Okito shares his journey building Okito Brand. He talks about starting a fashion label in Logan, the growth of the fashion industry now in Salt Lake City, and his advice for creators. Follow all things Okito on Instagram or on their website. https://www.instagram.com/okitobrand/?hl=en https://okitobrand.com/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wherever you get po...

Carly Lansche, the new Cache Trails Planner for Cache County, Utah shares her excitement trails opportunities in Cache Valley, her background in trails and active transportation, and the future of outdoor recreation in northern Utah! Connect with Carly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-lansche-537225139/ Learn more about Cache Trails on their website: https://trails.cachecounty.org/ F...

Nate Larsen, an OPDD alumni (class of 2019), and Industrial Designer at Dansons, shares his experience transitioning from college to industry and his day to day designing product. Connect with Nate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-larsen-3964b9b1/ Learn more about Dansons on their website: https://dansons.com/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe whereve...

With the Bear 100 happening again this year, we’re sharing our 2019 interview with race founder, Leland Barker. We also included a 2020 UPR interview about the changes the race implemented in the age of COVID. Linnea Leonard’s story on UPR can be found in the link below. UPR Story: https://www.upr.org/post/look-running-race-aid-station-during-pandemic Check out the story about the race from Highla...

John Wadley, Director of Special Projects at Altra Footwear (VF Corporation), joins the Intro to Product Creation Class in the Outdoor Product Design & Development program to talk about sustainability in product design. Connect with John on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwadley/ Learn more about Altra on their website: https://www.altrarunning.com/ For more conversations with outdoor mover...

On this episode of our History of Gear Series, Alan Tabor joins the pod to talk about his place in co-founding Mountain Hardwear, the history of gear in the Bay Area, and his contributions to the Outdoor Recreation Archive at Utah State. Learn more about Al’s work at http://altabor.org/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wherever you get podcasts including on Spotify...

On this episode we share a 2019 interview with Jeff Keller, founder of Sunrise Cyclery and the Logan to Jackson (LOTOJA) bike race. We talk about how he started the race over 30+ years ago and how the race is the longest standing and longest by distance USA Cycling sanctioned events in the country. Check out Sunrise and LOTOJA on their websites. https://www.sunrisecyclery.net/ https://lotoja.com/...

Natalie Cullum, a product designer for Orvis and OPDD alum shares her experience working in the industry, the transition from college to the workforce, and what she wish she would have known. Connect with Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-cullum-b07509126/ Learn more about Orvis at: https://www.orvis.com/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wher...

Samuel del Pilar, Marketing Director for Lifestyle Products at On Running shares his experience joining a new company in the middle of a pandemic, the appeal and growth of On, and his pathway into the performance products space. Connect with Samuel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samueldelpilar/ Learn more about On at: https://www.on-running.com/en-us/ For more conversations with outdoor...

Dr. Rachel Gross joins the pod to share the history and evolution of outdoor clothing and what it says about the people who wear it. Learn more about Dr. Gross and her work on her website. https://rachel-gross.com/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wherever you get podcasts including on Spotify , iTunes , Podbean , or each Sunday at 4 pm (MT) on Aggie Radio, 92.3 FM...

Craig McLaughlin, Senior Director eCommerce / Digital Marketing at Vista Outdoor shares his experience working remotely in Cache Valley, Utah and the growth of eCommerce during COVID. Connect with Craig on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-mclaughlin-a8389a6a/ Learn more about Vista Outdoor at: vistaoutdoor.com Vista Outdoor is the parent company of brands like Camelbak, Camp Chef, Bell,...

Rainy Riding started Rainy's Premium Flies in 1971. Learn how she and Co-Owner, Ellen Clark built a 50 year old business that continues to thrive and is a global leader in fly tying and design. Learn more about Rainy’s Premium Flies on their website. http://www.rainysflies.com/ Follow Rainy’s Premium Flies on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/rainysflies/ For more conversations with outdoor mov...

Jaimus Tailor, maker and mind behind Greater Goods, talks upcycling and sustainability, how he continues to learn and grow as a designer, and his fascination with creating functional, impactful products.  Learn about Jaimus and his work on his website and on Instagram. https://www.greatergoods.online/ https://www.instagram.com/greater.goods/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers,...

Hap Klopp, Former President of The North Face, shares his perspective on the early days of the North Face, the growth of the company over the decades, and the what propelled the North Face to become a leading global brand in the outdoor space. Learn more about the founding of the North Face and connect with Hap Klopp. http://www.oregonphotos.com/The-North-Face-1.html https://www.outinunder.com/con...

Matthew Betcher, Creative Director for Allied Feather & Down, shares the changes coming to materials supply chains due to COVID, natural down versus synthetic, and Allied’s new traceability and sustainability tools. Learn more about Allied at their website and access their traceability tool! https://alliedfeather.com/ https://trackmydown.com/ Connect with Matthew on Linkedin. https://www.linkedin....

Jack Kirkham, owner of Springbar Tents, joins the History of Gear Series to talk about the oldest tentmaker in Utah, his father’s passion for making great product, and how they’ve continued to make heritage USA made tents. Learn more about Springbar Tents at their website: https://springbar.com/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wherever you get podcasts including o...

Bruce Johnson joins the History of Gear Series to talk through the evolution of mountain tents from the earliest pup tents of the Civil War to the Oval Intention geodesic from the North Face.   Learn more about the the history of mountain tents on Johnson’s website. http://www.oregonphotos.com/Vintage%20tents.html   For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wherever you get...

Sandi Landon, Global Human Resources Director for Teton Outfitters (KLIM / 509) shares how the company has adapted to COVID, the growth of the motorsports business, and the adjustments designers and product creators will have to make.   Connect with Sandi on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandi-landon-phr-csp-9746746/   For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe where...

Bruce Johnson joins our History of Gear Series for a conversation about Mountain Safety Research (MSR) and the founder, Larry Penberthy. We talk about this Seattle-based company and the founder’s contributions to designing safer climbing equipment grounded in testing and a scientific approach.   Learn more about MSR on the History of Gear website. http://www.oregonphotos.com/MSR1.html   For more c...

Veronica Villhard, a Footwear Innovation Designer with Under Armour and OPDD alumni (Class of 2019) shares her experience working in industry post graduation, the transition from office to at home work, and what she’s learned during her first year in industry.   Connect with Veronica on LinkedIn . https://www.linkedin.com/in/vvillhard/   For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subs...

Chuck Kennedy and Denice Hermann talk about the founding of the 70s sleeping back company DownHome. We talk with them about making gear to fund their lifestyle and their origins as the founders of the Arcata, California gear industry including their involvement with companies like the Arcata Transit Authority, Kokatat, Blue Puma, and Moonstone. Learn about the Arcata, California region in our Hot...

Bruce Johnson joins the History of Gear Series to talk about the evolution of hot spots for gear making around North America including Denver / Boulder, Seattle, the Bay Area, and Arcata, CA. We talk about the smallest of them, Arcata, and the influence of gear companies like Moonstone, Blue Puma, Kokatat, and Down Home. Read more about the history of gear at Bruce Johson’s website . http://www.or...

Neil Schwartz, founder of TGP Insights. Neil shares his perspective on the future of the outdoor and active markets post-COVID and the importance of data driven decisions. Connect with Neil on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-schwartz-96a4816/ For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wherever you get podcasts including on Spotify , iTunes , Podbean , or each Sund...

Mike Sheets, Sales Manager at Daleboot shares the history and founding of Daleboot by Mel Dalebout in 1969, his innovations to ski boot making, and the lasting impact of this Utah based ski company. Learn more about Daleboot at their website, http://www.daleboot.com/en . For more conversations with outdoor movers and shakers, subscribe wherever you get podcasts including on Spotify , iTunes , Podb...

A panel with representatives from the Puerto Rico Outdoor Recreation Industry Association (PRORIA), Utah’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, the Outdoor Product Design & Development program and Puerto Rico’s Department of Commerce discuss the potential of the outdoor industry in Puerto Rico in a recent economic development webinar hosted by PRORIA. Connect with PROPRIA on Facebook and Instagram . http...