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Andy Wynne is the CEO of Nuyarn®, a Merino wool textile manufacturer that has reinvented the way Merino is spun so it can unlock its natural characteristics while enhancing performance.  The result is a material that can outperform synthetics while maintaining the benefits of natural fiber.  Nuyarn® is stronger, stretchier, softer, more abrasion resistant, and as you’ll learn here in a minute, is spun on machines that have a reduced impact on the environment.  Long story short, the Merino wool you’re used to wearing wasn’t spun with the rigors of the outdoors in mind, Nuyarn® is, and you’re about to learn all about it.

If you want a solid education on Merino wool and some insight into how and why it’s made the way it is, you’ll enjoy this episode.  Andy walks us through his backstory, the development of Nuyarn®, and why it matters.

Show Notes and Links

• Introductions
• Making the switch from synthetic to merino
• Andy’s backstory
• How Merino wool works
• Traditional ways of manufacturing wool
• The Nuyarn® method of spinning Merino
• What the industry was asking for
• Durability of Nuyarn®
• Suggested weight for sun hoodies
• Why Polyester can be clammy
• What Nuyarn is comprised of
• Why Merino is itchy (Microns explained)
• Purpose-built spinning machines
• Animal welfare, ethics, and renewable material  surrounding Merino wool (sheep shearing)
• Continuing to push limits and make an impact 
• How to find Nuyarn® products
• Moisture retainment issues with Merino
• https://nuyarn.co.nz/
• Nuyarn introduction (video)

Brands Using Nuyarn®

• Black Diamond
• Outdoor Vitals
• Kuiu
• Artilect

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Exo Mountain Gear specializes in load-hauling backpacks designed for hunters.  Steve Speck and Mark Huelsing join me for a behind-the-scenes look at Exo's newest K4 pack design.  After more than 3 years in development and over a decade of pack-building experience, the K4 is a finely tuned design and the best pack Exo has designed to date.

This episode is loaded with insight into the principles of pack design, the mechanical function of load carry (this is HUGE), and how Steve decides which features and updates make the cut when revising his designs.

If you spend any amount of time with any kind of pack strapped to your back (yes, even a lightweight one), you can learn a lot from Steve and Mark.  Knowing how your gear functions will put you in the driver's seat rather than being a mere passenger hoping it's all going to work out.

Exo Mountain Gear is the real deal.  They make a premium product and a team behind them that cares about their customers.

Enjoy!


Show Notes and Links

• Catching up with Mark and Steve
• Recapping Steve’s recent Alaskan sheep hunts
• Recapping Mark’s Mountain Goat hunt
• Mental strength - how to stay positive and mentally present
• Transitioning to the natural cycle of the backcountry
• Where pack design begins
• Exo Pack design principles
• Pack design changes over the years
• Exciting changes to the K4 design 
• Where quality load carry begins 
• The importance of hip-belt structure
• Finding the sweet spot in pack design
• The importance of taking care of customers
• Ivory holster compatibility with K4
• Plans for the rest of 2023
• How to follow up with Exo Mountain Gear  
• https://exomtngear.com/
• Instagram
• YouTube
• The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

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• www.byland.co
• Join the newsletter
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• [email protected]

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Dan Becker is a backpacker from Wisconsin who turned his passion into his full-time profession.  If you’ve poked around YouTube for backpacking, you’ve no doubt seen his videos a time or two.  He’s grown a massive following and for good reason - he’s just a great guy.  Dan is genuine, sincere, funny, and just loves to backpack.  I didn’t know much about him before we spoke, but sincerely enjoyed getting to know him and now have a fond appreciation for what he’s been able to accomplish.

We cover a ton of ground in this episode, including everything from Wisconsin backpacking culture and learning how to find your own style of backpacking, to starting a YouTube channel and making it a real career.  One of the things I find fascinating about Dan’s approach to making backpacking a “career” is that he looks at it like a business and a hobby.  He’s been able to separate the two things, but also fuse them together which is really hard to do.  Dan has used backpacking to create a business and business to create more backpacking adventures and I think a lot of outdoor creators can learn a thing or two from him. I mean, the guy has a family and goes backpacking for a living.

I have no doubt you’ll enjoy getting to know Dan as much as I did.

Show Notes and Links:

• Dan’s outdoor backstory
• Backpacking in Wisconsin 
• Getting to know the backpacking crowd
• Western backpacking vs Mid West backpacking
• Appreciating what you have
• Putting backpacking in a box
• Learning to backpack   
• Finding a personal backpacking style
• Being the focus of hit pieces 
• Why Dan started a YouTube channel
• The life of a creative
• Deciding to go all in on YouTube
• Sponsorships and brand deals
• Dan’s advice to creators
• Working out with Dan
• How to follow up with Dan  
• YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@DanBecker
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/danbeckeroutdoors
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danbeckeroutdoors
• Dan's rescue recap: https://youtu.be/FRSGGUUtN9Y

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• www.byland.co
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• [email protected]

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The Hexatrek is a 3000 km long-distance trail across France that begins at the border of Germany, traverses the Pyrenees Mountains, and ends at the Bay of Biscay.  Thomas works for the Hexatrek organization and spent the summer and fall of 2022 hiking and documenting the trail.  

Thomas is able to recognize the realities of hiking a long and share all sides of that reality.  He can describe the trail as an epic adventure that includes vineyards, castles, and mountains, but he’ll also tell you how mentally complacent you can become when one view blends into the next.

If you’re dreaming of backpacking through France one day, you’re going to love this episode.

Show Notes and Links

• Introduction to the Hexatrek
• Hexatrek backstory
• European hiking culture and trail experience
• Thru-hiking popularity in Europe
• The importance of having a beginning and end
• Hiking the Hexatrek vs an American long trail
• Daily life and cadence of the trail
• Making the hike your own
• Visa considerations
• Camping along the Hexatrek
• Food along the Hexatrek 
• Experiencing France by foot
• Thomas’s backpacking story
• The highs and lows of thru-hiking
• Thoughts on losing reverence for an experience 
• Life after the Hexatrek
• Finding balance in life is actually finding contrast
• The importance of gaining perspective through contrast 
• What’s next for the Hexatrek
• Why “Hexatrek” 
• How to followup with Thomas and the Hexatrek
• https://en.hexatrek.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/hexatrek/
• https://www.facebook.com/LHexatrek/
• https://www.instagram.com/cartapouille
• https://youtu.be/9qIlOONM8sY
• Podcast:
  • Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-a-tent-with-a-french-man-a-daily-thru-hiking-journal/id1502733870
  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0P8RD04n8UX0ubqwnFOvXj?si=b502ebfdafda4793

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Andrew Skurka is known throughout the backpacking industry as someone who knows what they’re talking about when it comes to spending time in the backcountry.  He was thru-hiking before it became popular and has hiked well over 20,000 miles across both long and short expeditions.  Andrew now operates a backpacking guide service. 

Andrew is a wealth of knowledge for all things backpacking but also has great insight into the mindset the backcountry requires.

If you enjoy learning from the best, this episode will not disappoint.  

Show Notes and Links

• How Andrew Skurka got into thru-hiking
• How far backpacking has come since the early days
• Hiking the AT in the early days
• The benefit of uninterrupted long-duration hikes/adventures
• The importance of having an “end” to an expedition or experience
• On being goal-oriented rather than “wandering”
• How Andrew got into being a backpacking guide
•  mindset from a guide to teacher
• Learning to slow down
• Learning to navigate groups and personalities
• High Routes explained 
• How Andrew got into high routes
• The natural progression of outdoor exploration
• Plans for future expeditions
• Andrews backpacking advice 
• Andrews favorite gear 
• Thoughts on synthetic or natural fibers 
• How to followup with Andrew Skurka
• Website: https://andrewskurka.com/
• Guided Trips: https://andrewskurka.com/guided-trips/

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Katie O’mara is the driving force behind Trail Magik, an outdoor brand whose mission is to make hiking and backpacking with toddlers efficient and more enjoyable.  Once kids grow out of their backpack-style carriers, parents are forced into deciding how far their little ones can hike before needing to be picked up, but oftentimes riding in a backpack is too much trouble because all the toddler really needs is a small break from walking.  That’s where Trail Magik comes in.

Katie is the best.  She has a heart of gold and sincerely cares about her community.  From the struggles of owning a small business to the ups and downs of being an outdoor family, we cover all of it in this episode and I came away from our conversation feeling inspired and encouraged.

For those out there with young families trying to figure this whole thing out, I think this episode will be a bright spot in your day.  It’s conversations like this one that keeps me going and I’m glad that people like Katie are out there encouraging others to be adventurous with their families.

If you’re interested in picking up a carrier of your own or for someone else, you can use the code BYLAND to save 10% off at www.trailmagik.com.

Show Notes and Links

• The Trail Magik origin story
• Why the carrier works for walking toddlers
• Entrepreneurial life
• Learning to get outdoors with kids
• Preparing for new outdoor adventures
• What it’s like putting a product into the world
• The importance of being yourself
• Feeling the pressure to adventure
• Do what you WANT to do out there
• Defining an “outdoor” family
• Growing up in the outdoors
• Why parents feel the pull to bring their kids outside
• Creating an outdoor lifestyle
• Biggest barriers for parents and kids in the outdoors
• Learning to enjoy the hiking parts of backpacking
• Katie’s closing thoughts
• How to followup with Katie and Trail Magik
• www.trailmagik.com
• Instagram
• YouTube

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Tommy Corey’s eye for outdoor portrait photography landed him front and center in the hiking community during his 2018 PCT thru-hike when he began posting fashion-esque portraits of fellow thru-hikers under the project name “Hiker Trash Vogue.”  The photo project captured the attention of major outdoor brands and was even featured in Outside Online.  Tommy received high accolades for his work, but it was also pointed out that his subjects did not represent a range of diverse backgrounds in the outdoors.  

This podcast episode is a conversation between myself and Tommy about his CDT realizations, his upcoming project, and what “diversity” and “inclusion” really mean in the outdoors.  This is a topic I often find to be tough to nail down at times, not to mention for some, emotionally charged.  Those terms along with ones like “community” are thrown around like candy these days and I find myself sincerely wondering where it all leads and how to approach it.  

Conversations like this one aren’t meant to solve problems.  They’re meant to discuss them and gain perspective which is exactly what I personally achieved.  

Please enjoy this episode with Tommy Corey.

Show Notes and Links

• Catching up with Tommy after Hiker Trash Vogue
• What happened on the CDT in 2022
• What Tommy was seeing and NOT seeing on the trail
• The creative process on the trail  
• The idea of thru-hikes as a Pilgrimage
• What the PCT meant to Tommy
• Tommy’s new BIG project
• Understanding what diversity and inclusion actually mean
• Tommy’s creative process 
• What diversity and inclusion means
• Thoughts on what “community” is
• Takeaways from Tommy’s interviews
• Taking on such a big photo project 
• Experiencing how others enjoy the outdoors
• Understanding the “why” behind your actions
• Details on the release dates of the photo book 
• How to follow the project
• tommycoreyphoto.com
• All Humans Outside on Instagram

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• www.byland.co
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This is the second part of a two-part mini-series with Marketa and David Daley who in 2022 hiked 1300 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail with their 3 young kids.  David and I dive into the more holistic side of hiking the trail and explore the meaning behind the struggle and process of a thru-hike.  For anyone who enjoys the non-technical side of a thru-hiking discussion, you’ll enjoy this, especially if you’re a parent yourself.

David and I dive into what it was like to hike as Father on the PCT, how hard it was to learn to hike as slow as a child, and the spiritual connection we feel toward wild spaces.  A thru-hike is a difficult thing to process and it was great to have the chance to explore the experience with David so soon after the end of his hike.  

Show Notes

• Digesting the trail
• The importance of immersing yourself in the wilderness
• Thoughts on possible long-term effects of thru-hiking with kids (hopes versus reality)
• Experiencing the PCT as a Dad  
• Parental roles and responsibilities on the trail 
• Holding hands for 500 miles then letting go…
• Learning to hike all-day
• What it’s like hiking at a child’s pace
• Reasons behind the hike   
• The spiritual connection to wild spaces
• Is life balance possible?
• The willingness to easily find excuses not to do something 
• Imagining life without the PCT 
• Understanding why you hike
• Breakthrough moments on the trail
• Reflecting on relationships with fellow hikers
• The importance of community
• Final thoughts
• https://www.instagram.com/daleywalk

Garage Grown Gear
Ultralight and cottage backpacking brands.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Marketa and David Daley backpacked 1300 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2022 with their 3 kids and proved to themselves that yes, it was possible to hike the PCT as a family.  At times they moved at a snail's pace, questioned their own sanity, and were forced to find creative ways to motivate their kids to continue moving down the trail.  Together as a family, they experienced the highs and lows of trail life, strengthened their family bonds, and in the end, found what they were looking for.  

This is part 1 of a 2 part episode series where I interview Marketa and David separately to learn about them as people, their background, their motivations, and finally their hiking story.  

I’m sincerely honored and humbled to have them on this podcast and grateful that they’re willing to share their experiences in such a real and transparent way.   

Show Notes

• Introductions
• Initial expectations for the PCT
• Emory’s internal conflict with kids on long trails
• How Marketa and her family decided to hike  
• Maketa’s personal outdoor backstory 
• Previous hikes with kids leading up to the PCT
• Why the PCT was so daunting as a hike  
• How the kids transitioned to the trail
• The first 20 miles
• Anticipating the struggle of a thru-hike with kids
• How parenting changed on the PCT
• How outdoor activities changed with more kids
• How to break the barriers and remove excuses
• Lessons learned with gear
• Choosing kid’s clothes for backpacking
• The importance of just starting
• Motivating kids to keep moving
• How parenting on the trail differs from parenting on the trail 
• How the trail bonded the kids
• The transition from trail to home
• Audience question: Thoughts and advice for taking a 4-year-old hiking and backpacking as a single parent
• How to follow up with Marketa 
• https://www.instagram.com/daleywalk

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Evan Guzik is a Public Affairs Officer for the US Forest Service out of the Bridger Teton Forest and joins the podcast to walk me through the basics of wildfires.  Not only am I honored to have the US Forest Service represented on my show, but it’s made even more special because Evan and I served together in the Marine Corps nearly 20 years ago.  

We cover what prescribed burns are and why they’re useful, how fires are managed from beginning to end, what to do if you see a fire or you’re around one when you’re hiking or backpacking, and how to handle yourself in an area after a burn.  

There’s a lot of great stuff in this episode that to me is really helpful and I think you’re going to really enjoy it.  Just the fact that I now know more about what goes on in our forests is huge because I figure the more I know, the better a steward I can be out there.

If you want to learn more about wildfires, Evan provided some links that I’ve listed in the show notes so be sure to check those out when you have a chance.  Again, this episode is really special to me so thanks to Evan for doing the legwork to make this happen, and thanks to the US Forest Service for being willing to put this out there!

Show Notes  and Links

• Introductions 
• Catching up with Evan
• Evan’s backstory
• Wildfire burns, prescribed burns, and a brief history of forest management
• How a fire turns from good to bad
• How a wildfire is fought and managed
• How to handle a wildfire if you see one 
• How the Forest Service gauges fire danger 
• To build or not to build a fire?
• What the public can do to help prevent wildfires  
• Advice for hiking through a burn area
• https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ (fire information)
• https://www.nifc.gov/ (Wildland Fire resources)
• https://www.nwcg.gov/ (Wildfire Training)
• https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Firewise-USA (Home Defensible Space)
• https://smokeybear.com/

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