In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, Craig sits down with Jacob Muth, founder of Leichtmut, a small but innovative brand creating ultralight camera bags for hikers and outdoor photographers.
Jacob shares how frustration with heavy camera carry systems and wet gear on trail pushed him to start designing his own solutions. What began as a MYOG (Make Your Own Gear) hobby turned into a real business focused on ultralight, waterproof, and quick-access camera bags for people who refuse to leave their camera behind.
We dive into:
📸 Why most camera bags fail on trail
💧 How Jacob designed a zipper-free, waterproof system
🧵 The trial-and-error of sewing and prototyping gear himself
🌍 How a crisis and career pivot led to launching Leichtmut
📦 Learning advertising, pricing, and scaling as a one-person brand
🎒 Why ultralight hikers are told to ditch their camera — and why Jacob disagrees
If you’re a photographer, thru-hiker, or dreaming about building your own gear brand, this episode is packed with honest lessons and creative problem-solving.
🔗 Connect with Leichtmut
🌐 Website: https://www.leichtmut.de
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leichtmut.gear/
🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead
▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=72d97f11c5f64ea6
📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetrailheadpodcast
🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com

🎙️ Beyond the Trailhead Podcast — Episode 17
Guest: Gilad Nachmani — Founder & CEO of Cnoc Outdoors / Minimal Gear
In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, Craig sits down with Gilad Nachmani, founder of Cnoc Outdoors, one of the most recognizable names in ultralight hydration and backpacking gear.
Gilad shares the real story behind Cnoc — from launching the original Vecto water container on Kickstarter with almost no money, to scrambling to fulfill thousands of orders after an unexpected review from Darwin on the Trail. What started as a niche ultralight idea quickly became a must-have for thru-hikers worldwide.
But this episode goes deeper than gear.
Gilad talks honestly about the romantic myth of entrepreneurship, the realities of forecasting, manufacturing, and MOQs, and why most people underestimate how hard it is to build a product company. His advice for new founders might surprise you: sometimes the best advice is “don’t do it” unless you’re ready for everything that comes after the idea.
We also dive into:
💧 How the Vecto changed water carry for hikers
🏕️ The ultralight gear world and thru-hiker feedback loops
📦 Kickstarter lessons and early manufacturing struggles
🧠 Why scaling turns you into an employer, not a maker
🌲 Gilad’s love for trails and the outdoor community
If you’re a hiker, gear nerd, or founder thinking about starting a brand — this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom.
🔗 Connect with Minimal Gear/Cnoc Outdoors
🌐 Website: https://cnocoutdoors.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnocoutdoors
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cnocoutdoors
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cnocoutdoors
🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead
▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthetrailhead
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=72d97f11c5f64ea6
📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetrailheadpodcast
🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com

🎙️ Beyond the Trailhead Podcast — Episode 16
Guest: Tayson Whittaker — Founder & CEO of Outdoor Vitals
In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, Craig sits down with Tayson Whitaker, founder and CEO of Outdoor Vitals, for one of the most honest conversations yet about building a gear company the hard way — slowly, intentionally, and without shortcuts.
Tayson shares what it was really like starting Outdoor Vitals at 23 years old with no money, why he rejected outside funding, and how a decade of pivots, patience, and painful lessons shaped the brand Outdoor Vitals is today. We go deep into product design, manufacturing realities, testing limits, and the moments where one wrong decision could have sunk the entire company.
This episode dives into:
🤔 The quiet doubts and heavy decisions founders don’t talk about
🏕️ How Outdoor Vitals designs and tests gear over years, not months
💡 Why perfection doesn’t exist — and when to finally ship a product
💸 The danger of “overnight success” and scaling too fast
🧠 Lessons learned from 12 years of building, failing, and refining
🌲 How Tayson keeps his love for the outdoors alive while running a business
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, gear nerd, or entrepreneur trying to build something meaningful — this episode is packed with clarity, perspective, and long-game thinking.
🔗 Connect with Outdoor Vitals
🌐 Website: https://alnk.to/cSL4LQW
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outdoorvitals
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OutdoorVitals
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OutdoorVitals
🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead
▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthetrailhead
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=72d97f11c5f64ea6
📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetrailheadpodcast
🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com

In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, Craig sits down with Lisa-Jae Eggert, founder of 3 Moms Organics and creator of TickWise, a plant-based bug and tick spray born from a life-altering personal battle with tick-borne disease.
Lisa-Jae shares her harrowing journey—from a single tick bite that led to years of misdiagnosis, neurological Lyme disease, and devastating health consequences, to building a product with one clear mission: help prevent others from ever going through what she did.
We dive into:
🦠 How Lyme disease nearly destroyed her family
🌿 Why she had to create a natural alternative to DEET and permethrin
🧪 The intense EPA process required to prove TickWise works as well as DEET
📦 Bootstrapping production from her basement to tens of thousands of bottles
🧠 Why education and prevention matter more than profit
❤️ What it means to truly build a mission-driven business
This is not just a founder story — it’s a conversation about health, prevention, and protecting families, hikers, kids, and pets outdoors.
If you spend time outside, this episode could change how you think about ticks forever.
🔗 Connect with TickWise / 3 Moms Organics
🛒 Shop: https://amzn.to/4r9URpf
🌐 Website: https://www.3momsorganics.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3momsorganics
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3momsorganics
🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead
▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthetrailhead
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=be0cf2ba11a447de
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obristimagery
🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com

🎙️ Beyond the Trailhead Podcast — Episode 14
Guest: Nora Fierman — Founder of NEVE
In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, Craig sits down with Nora Fierman, founder of NEVE, a plant-based smoothie pouch designed for athletes who want real nutrition in the backcountry.
Nora shares the full, honest story behind NEVE—from noticing athletes fueling with baby food in the backcountry, to spending six years navigating food science, manufacturing, and rejection before finally launching her brand. We dive into why flavor matters, why every ingredient has a purpose, and how NEVE fits perfectly between energy bars and gels.
This conversation goes beyond food. Nora opens up about being a solo founder, balancing a full-time job, building thicker skin, learning to ask for help, and staying connected to the outdoors while growing a business. We also talk inclusivity in outdoor nutrition, why fueling shouldn’t feel intimidating, and how NEVE has unexpectedly helped people far beyond endurance sports.
If you’re an athlete, founder, or someone standing at the trailhead of a big idea—this episode is for you.
🔗 Connect with NEVE & Nora
🌐 Website: https://eatneve.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eat_neve
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatneve
🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=72d97f11c5f64ea6

▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obristimagery
🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com

Guest: Jim Wirth — Creator, GiantMouse Join us for a deep and fascinating conversation with Jim Wirth, co-founder and CEO of GiantMouse Knives — a boutique knife brand known for thoughtful design, premium materials, and unforgettable storytelling. In this episode, Jim shares how a lifelong passion for knives, a chance meeting at a New York knife show, and a bold leap from the corporate world led to the creation of GiantMouse. We dive into the meaning behind the GiantMouse name, why limited runs matter, and how Scandinavian design principles shape every knife they make. Jim also opens up about the oh-crap moments of running a product brand — including production setbacks, supply-chain realities, and learning when to delay a launch in order to protect quality and trust. We talk everyday carry, why knives are more relevant than ever, the crossover between watches and knives, and how GiantMouse balances creativity with business discipline. Whether you’re into EDC gear, knives, design, or building a brand from the ground up, this episode is packed with insight, honesty, and passion you don’t want to miss. 🔗 Connect with GiantMouse Knives 🌐 Website: https://www.giantmouse.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giantmouseknives 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/giantmouseknives ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@giantmouseknives 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giantmouse-knives 🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=be0cf2ba11a447de 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obristimagery 🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com

Guest: Tim Hunt — Lead Designer, SlingFin In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, Craig sits down with Tim Hunt, lead designer at SlingFin, to break down how some of the most respected tents in the outdoor industry actually come to life. This conversation goes deep into design thinking, real-world testing, and the constant problem-solving that happens long before a tent ever hits the trail. Tim walks us through how SlingFin approaches structure, materials, storm-worthiness, and why design decisions are rarely simple — even when they look that way from the outside. We talk about: ⛺ How SlingFin designs tents for real conditions, not just specs 🧠 The design tradeoffs most people never think about 🧪 Prototyping, field testing, and learning from failure 🌬️ Why small structural changes can make or break a tent 🎒 How experience in the field directly shapes better gear If you’ve ever looked at a tent and wondered why it’s built that way — this episode pulls back the curtain. Whether you’re a gear nerd, designer, engineer, or just someone who sleeps outside a lot, this one is packed with insight. 🔗 Connect with SlingFin 🌐 Website: https://www.slingfin.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slingfin ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SlingFin 🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@beyondthetrailhead 🍎 Apple 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obristimagery 🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com

Let’s go beyond the trailhead.

Guest: Devin Ashby — Creator & Owner of Backcountry Exposure In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, Craig sits down with Devin Ashby, the creator behind Backcountry Exposure — a brand built one stitch at a time, often late at night, at a sewing machine in his own home. Devin shares the real, unfiltered journey of turning a decade of YouTube experience into a growing soft-goods business. We talk about what it’s like fulfilling 300+ bag orders solo, why small design details matter more than flashy features, and how years of relationship-building in the outdoor industry helped him survive legal battles, business pivots, and burnout. This episode dives into: 🧵 What it’s really like being a one-man gear brand (with a little help from family) 🎒 Why Devin is intentionally not making backpacks 🧠 The thinking behind food bags, ditty bags, and modular organization ⚖️ Navigating trademark issues, scaling limits, and work–family balance 💡 Why Devin has 6–7 new product ideas but refuses to rush them 🤝 How genuine relationships (not transactions) shape long-term success If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of cottage gear brands — or dreamed about building something of your own — this episode is honest, grounded, and incredibly relatable. 🔗 Connect with Backcountry Exposure 🌐 Website: https://backcountryexposure.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backcountryexposure ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryExposure 🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obristimagery 🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com • SUBSCRIBE 🔔 for more gear creators & outdoor founders Thanks for tuning in — let’s go beyond the trailhead.

🎙️ Beyond the Trailhead Podcast In this episode, Craig sits down with Josh Bryson, the creator of FKT Gear, a brand redefining what trail sunglasses should be. Frustrated with flimsy frames, foggy lenses, and gear that couldn’t keep up with real mountain conditions, Josh set out to engineer sunglasses that are tougher, clearer, lighter — and built specifically for hikers, runners, and adventurers pushing their limits. Josh breaks down: 🕶️ The exact moment he realized trail sunglasses needed a serious upgrade 🔧 How he engineered frames + lenses that survive real outdoor abuse 🌤️ Why clarity, contrast, and trail visibility matter more than people think 📦 The challenges of sourcing materials and building a product pipeline as a solo founder 💡 The unexpected lessons learned while launching a gear company from nothing 🌄 The FKT mindset — and how it shapes his design philosophy Whether you’re a thru-hiker, trail runner, gear nerd, or someone who has broken way too many sunglasses on trail — this story is going to hit home. 🔗 Connect with FKT Gear 🌐 Website — https://fktgear.com 📸 Instagram — https://instagram.com/fktgear 📘 Facebook — https://facebook.com/fktgear 🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obristimagery 🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.com SUBSCRIBE for more creators, innovators & outdoor entrepreneurs Thanks for tuning in — let’s go beyond the trailhead. #BeyondTheTrailhead #FKTGear #TrailSunglasses #OutdoorGear #UltralightGear #BackpackingGear #TrailRunningGear #GearInnovation #Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Shawn Willette, the solo founder, designer, and engineer behind one of the most talked-about ultralight innovations in recent years — the AntiMatter Chair from No Matter. Shawn takes us through: • The exact moment the idea for the AntiMatter Chair hit him • How he engineered a chair that weighs almost nothing but holds full body weight • The brutal realities of being a one-person outdoor gear company • Sourcing materials, solving engineering failures, and navigating manufacturing • The emotional highs, lows, and “why am I doing this?” moments behind the brand • What’s next for No Matter — and why innovation always comes with risk If you love stories of grit, clever engineering, and the passion behind outdoor gear creation, this is an episode you won’t forget. 🔗 Connect with No Matter / AntiMatter Chair 🌐 Website: http://www.nomatterproducts.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomatterproducts 🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead • SUBSCRIBE for more stories from outdoor creators, innovators & trail legends Thanks for tuning in — let’s go beyond the trailhead. #BeyondTheTrailhead #AntiMatterChair #NoMatterGear #UltralightGear #Backpacking #OutdoorInnovation #GearDesign #EntrepreneurStory #HikingGear #Podcast