Here at Darby Comm we love a quality podcast. From true crime to daily news podcasts (and anything Gimlet Media produces), we furiously consume episodes on our runs, walks, and drives. Below, we’ve pulled together a list of our 6 favorite outdoor industry podcasts. Whether they share compelling stories or provide insightful interviews, these podcasts remind us why, as an outdoor industry PR agency, we love the work we do!
1. Trail Correspondents
Our social media manager and AT thru-hiker alum ’17, Ashleigh Sherman, enjoys listening to Trail Correspondents from The Trek. Are we surprised? No. But we do agree with her that this podcast which follows a handful of hikers as they attempt to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, or Continental Divide Trail each hiking season is so fun to follow along.
As a former Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, it’s fun to put myself back in their (very muddy, very beat-up) hiking shoes. The show does a good job tackling all aspects of thru-hiking: the good and the bad, the physical and the mental, and so much more.
Ashleigh Sherman – social media STRATEGIST @ Darby comm
2. The Dirtbag Diaries
A CLASSIC outdoor industry podcast that started it all. Fitz Cahall and the Dirtbag Diaries team have been gracing our headphones since 2007, sharing unique campfire stories from wild places, and evoking wanderlust with each episode. Pro tip: check out Episode 145, you’ll become a big fan of the Marvin+Buttercup burro racing team.
The good, the bad, the lucky, and the aspirational…the Dirtbag Diaries captures it all in their tales from across the outdoor recreation landscape.
Dan Arnett, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE @Darby Comm
The Backcountry Marketing Podcast
As an outdoor industry PR agency, we always enjoy keeping up with the decision-makers in our industry. The Backcountry Marketing Podcast takes a deep dive with leaders in the outdoor industry to discuss the gritty details of their marketing, branding work, personal challenges, and latest adventures. In each episode, host and producer Cole Heilborn chats with influential C-suite and marketing professionals from outdoor brands. Our Digital Relations Director, and resident data nerd, Cory Van Auken cranks up the volume, listening to episodes while he’s driving to and from work.
I enjoy the fact that guests share their industry stories, experiences, and insights in an open conversational format. Cole does a great job intertwining actionable takeaways with seasoned wisdom from some of the industry’s most skilled marketers.
Cory van auken, digital RELATIONS director @ Darby Comm
For the Love of Climbing
Don’t let the title of this podcast scare you off if you’re not a climber, it’s not a climbing podcast…well, sorta. Kathy Karlo’s For the Love of Climbing tackles some tough issues like fat-shaming, addiction, racism mixed with a dose of climbing adventures. We really enjoyed the recent episode around body inclusivity for males called, Come as You Are. The beauty of this podcast is that it showcases that we all are “just a shining example of our messy human existence.”
I’ve come to admire this podcast because it breaks the idea that we have to be perfect. It finds strength in vulnerability and I think anyone can find hints of the human experience when listening. Whether you’re a climber or not, it targets the human on both ends.
Amath diouf, Account Coordinator @ Darby Comm
Outdoor Biz Podcast
The Outdoor Biz Podcast is a Darby Comm favorite, and boy does Rick Saez have the perfect podcast voice! Rick knows how to ask all the right questions when chatting to some of the industry’s most interesting people. Genuine conversations lead to inspiring stories, outdoor industry career advice, and more. One of our favorite aspects of the Outdoor Biz Podcast is that it gives a voice to creatives in the outdoor space. Our industry is full of passionate people, it’s motivating to hear from creatives that take their passion and turn it into an outdoor industry career!
Rick has assembled a great collection of life stories, outdoor tales and career tips from some of the industry’s most inspiring characters. His Outdoor Biz podcast is for everyone who has a desire to learn from the best in the outdoor industry.
Coral Darby, Founder of Darby Comm
Juicy Bits
The slogan for Juicy Bits is what pulled us in last year, “Taking the conversations women have on the chairlift and the trail and delivering them to you every week.” Hosted by outdoor industry icon Jen Gurecki, founder of Coalition Snow, and ambassador Jillian Raymond, these two outdoor industry women tackle issues that outdoorsy women face from dude soup to politics to equity in the outdoors.
“When I first found Juicy Bits I was so pumped to find a podcast founded by women for women that explored many of the conversations women are having when we’re out in nature together. As a female exec at an outdoor industry PR agency, some of the conversations being had by Jen and Jillian really hit close to home, like episode 1, Dude Soup. Not for the faint of heart, Juicy Bits definitely gets a bit rowdy at times and will invoke laughter, tears, head nods, and some hell yeahs.
Angie Robinson, vP @ Darby Comm