Bennett "Jolly" Fisher, Founder of Jolly Gear, on Triple Crowning and the Evolution of His Signature Shirts
Release Date: 11/18/2024
Graduating Army Ranger School and Thru-Hiking After 30+ Years in the Military with Jay "Meat Grinder" France (BPR #303)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Atheltic, we are joined by Jay “Meat Grinder” France. Meat Grinder is a thru-hiker, author, and 31-year veteran of the Air Force, having completed 10 deployments and graduated from Army Ranger School in the process. Jay details his military background, including some key similarities and differences relative to thru-hiking, how he used vlogging as a way to stay in touch with his sons on trail, and the hilarious blood nipple origin story of his trail name. Meat Grinder also recently served as a volunteer...
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Hiking with a Tote Bag, Ultramarathons in a Roundabout, and Creative Trail Shenanigans with Tate "Pyro" Dobson (BPR #302)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Tate Dobson, known on trail as Pyro. Tate is a certified wildcard. It’s not just that he’s hiked the PCT, AT, Long Trail, and Te Araroa, but how he’s done it, including hiking the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail spending $1,000 (alongside Quadzilla), hiking long stretches with carrying a Jansport pack, another stretch using tote bag, hiking the R2R2R eating only Motts Fruit snacks and the 100-Mile Wilderness consuming only maple syrup and a jar of peanut butter. He’s run a pair of...
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The Camino de Costa Rica with Maytal "Carrot Top" Agasi (BPR #301)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Maytal Agasi, known on trail as Carrot Top. In this episode, we learn how a road trip in a mid-size SUV with her two brothers sparked Carrot Top’s entry into the world of thru-hiking. She shares how she benefitted massively from both solo and group thru-hikes. We chat about her time on the JMT, Colorado Trail, and PCT, and we take a deeper dive into her most recent trek on the Camino de Costa Rica, covering standout cultural elements, landscape highlights, the incredibly...
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Mike Clelland 2.0: Owls, UFOs, Alien Encounters, Hypnosis, and More (BPR #300)
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by author, backpacker, and our resident alien expert, Mike Clelland. We made an honest attempt to discuss ultralight backpacking during this one, and although we do touch on the subject some, the bulk of this conversation is dedicated to owls, aliens, and all things paranormal activity. Mike has become the preeminent expert of the interplay between owls and UFO citings, which may not sound like a thing, however Mike has accrued a lifetime of stories from folks who have experiences that say that...
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A 3,600 Mile Triathlon, International Kidnapping, and A Truck-Pulling Marathon with Justin True (BPR #299)
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Justin True. Justin's story is truly remarkable. From growing up in a home with intense physical and emotional abuse, to becoming a professional MMA fighter, to pulling a 1.5 vehicle for a full-marathon, to completing a 24hr Hero Crossfit WODathon, to being kidnapped in Egypt and deported for being accused of spying for the government, getting attacked by a shark, and most recently completing the "True Triathlon" a country wide endurance feat, including a 50-mile swim, 3,000-mile bike ride, and a 600-mile run. Given...
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Budget Backpacking Gear: Saving Money on Tents, Backpacks, Clothing for Thru-Hiking (BPR #298)
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by former guest, Trek writer, and certified gear nerd Alex “GPS” Brown. The focus of this one is how to save money on your backpacking kit. We break this one down category by category, sharing the best ways to cut costs, pinpointing which items aren’t worth pinching pennies on, offering specific product shoutouts, and discussing overall strategies to ensure more of your hiking budget goes toward your hike. Whether you're on a shoestring budget or just looking to save a few...
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Triple Crowning in Three Years, Ultralight Tips, and Cold Soaking with Austen McDaniel (BPR #297)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Austen McDaniel, known on trail as PI. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been reading it off at the end of every episode for years, as Austen is one of our Chuck Norris Award-winning Patreon supporters. But in addition to being a longtime patron, Austen is also one hell of a backpacker, having completed the Triple Crown in three consecutive years. He approached his first thru-hike as prepared as anyone we’ve ever talked to, hitting the Appalachian Trail with a...
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10+ International Hikes and a Continuous Yo-Yo of the AT and Long Trail with Curtis Himstedt (BPR #296)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Curtis Himstedt, known on trail as Easily Forgotten. Easily Forgotten’s backpacking resume is bananas. A partial list of his adventures includes the Annapurna Circuit, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales, the GR10, Tour du Mont Blanc, Yorkshire Dales High Way, South Downs Way, and Cotswold Way in England, the Triple Crown in the U.S., the Tahoe Rim Trail, and a continuous yo-yo of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail between 2023-2024. Curtis takes us through these treks,...
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8 Tips for 2025 Appalachian Trail Hikers (BPR #295)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by LMNT, Chaunce and Badger are serving up tips for this year’s class of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We’re covering everything from social dynamics and budgeting to mental prep, diet, why you should document your hike, some listener submission tips, and much more. We also give a rundown of advice from previous episodes in case you want to dig even deeper into getting ready for the Appalachian Trail. Whether you’re hitting the AT this year, planning for a future trek, or know someone who is, this episode...
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Dog Mushing, 20+ Years in the Navy, and the Triple Crown with Ben "Ginger Ballz" Vaughan (BPR #294)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Ben Vaugh, known on trail as Ginger Ballz. Ben is a Navy veteran, accomplished thru-hiker, and currently works as a dog musher, a topic Chaunce and Badger had way too much fun diving into. Ginger Ballz takes us through his transition from the military to thru-hiking, why he recommends it to fellow service members, and the parallels between the two. He shares stories from his hikes of the Triple Crown trails, the Hayduke, Superior Hiking Trail, and Long Trail. We also get a...
info_outlineIn today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we’re joined by Bennett “Jolly” Fisher, the founder and visionary behind Jolly Gear. We learn all about Jolly's entry into backpacking, including his first thru-hike at just 18 years old alongside his dad, hiking 300 miles of the PCT on a broken ankle, and some hilariously embarrassing Jabba stories from their recent hike on the CDT. We, of course, dive deep into his apparel company, Jolly Gear, and how he's flipped the thru-hiking fashion world on its head with his unique sun hoodie button-downs. We chat about the biggest challenges associated with running an apparel business, how a misunderstanding lead to his early signature design, how he manages the business while backpacking, his process for sourcing new designs, and much more.
We close the show with the triple crown of cringeworthy things, a discussion of what should be free but isn’t, an impromptu drop-in from Jabba, and an AT conditions update courtesy of Quadzilla.
Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com.
LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek.
Trailbrush: Use code “TREK20” for 20% off trailbrush.com.
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Interview with Bennett “Jolly” Fisher
Time stamps & Questions
00:02:50 - Reminders: Help us make Jabba shave his beard, support us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content, join us in Denver on December 7th and apply to be a 2025 blogger!
00:08:00 - Introducing Jolly
00:12:38 - We Love Love: Tell us your engagement story
00:16:05 - What was your entry into backpacking?
00:21:20 - Did you consider quitting early on in the AT hike?
00:23:00 - What was your social experience like on the AT?
00:24:15 - How’d you get your trail name?
00:27:00 - Has your dad hiked again since the AT?
00:28:30 - How did your parents support you starting out on the PCT?
00:30:15 - At what point did you get into shirt research?
00:33:00 - How far did you get on the PCT in 2017?
00:34:00 - Why’d you get off the trail in 2017?
00:39:10 - Tell us about your foot injury in 2021
00:45:42 - Are you still adjusting your footwear?
00:50:13 - At what point did you first want to design a hiking shirt?
00:53:00 - Discussion about the Outdoor Product Development program
00:56:14 - Did your first shirt have your signature design?
01:01:12 - Do you get good feedback about having women’s sizes?
01:02:00 - Was there anything functionally different between your prototype and what was on the market?
01:05:09 - How did the style evolve?
01:11:00 - Are all the shirts the same UPF?
01:12:23 - What material is the shirt?
01:15:23 - Have you ever thought about making shorts?
01:19:40 - What’s your day to day like?
01:21:40 - Do you have a vision for where you want the brand to be in 5 years?
01:24:54 - Are you planning to ever use the snap buttons?
01:27:00 - Discussion about pursuing a denim shirt
01:29:50 - How do you decide on future patterns?
01:30:54 - What’s the biggest challenge of your job?
01:32:43 - Have you seen other brands imitating some of your patterns?
01:34:50 - What’s the best Jabba story you have?
01:44:40 - Kumo Question: What is the one thing you wish you were better at?
01:47:13 - What’s next for you?
Segments
Trek Propaganda:
- Trek for Trevor: Get 20% off a pair of microspikes before you hike through the San Jacinto Mountains on the PCT.
- Jack “Quadzilla” Jones: On-the-Ground Hurricane Helene Status Update and 2025 Predictions by Kelly Floro
QOTD: What should be free but isn’t?
Triple Crown of cringy things
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
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A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Ben Love, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Liz Seger, Mud Tom, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns
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