The Best Outdoor Podcasts
As someone who lives in a Chevy Express van and is constantly listening to podcasts, I can confidently claim that podcasts are gospel to the road tripper. They make us laugh, expand our horizons, and keep us awake when caffeine fails. More than anything, they help the odometer tick on just a little more quickly. Of course, podcasts need not be reserved for road trips. They can turn doing the dishes into a game show, a mindless workout into a college lecture, a congested highway into an open trail.
Courtesy of Surf Splendor
In 2019, there are podcasts about almost every single thing you can imagine—plus some things you’d never want to. But if you’re like us here at Active Junky, you’re all about the outdoors. That’s why we pulled together six of our favorite outdoor podcasts. Topics of conversation range from general adventure to skiing, surfing, fly fishing, and mountaineering. We heartily recommend that you dive in, download some fresh episodes, and press play.
Dirtbag Diaries
The Dirtbag Diaries have been around since 2007—in podcast years, that makes the Diaries a founding father of the genre. In fact, their tagline is, “the original outdoor adventure podcast.” Established by storytelling power couple Fitz and Becca Cahall, the Diaries have covered all types of outdoor stories over the past twelve years. They’re not afraid to tell intense stories—we’re talking tales of mountaineering trips gone wrong and hostage situations in the Amazon. The Diaries’ backlog is deep and you can’t go wrong—go get lost.
Surf Splendor
Surf Splendor is our favorite surf podcast. Well, it’s our favorite surf podcast “network.” David Lee Scales, the mastermind behind Surf Splendor, also teams up with the Boardroom Show’s Scott Bass on Spit! and Beach Grit’s Chas Smith on The Grit!. All of these shows are worth checking out. David & Co. offer ruthless commentary on the World Surf League, showcase surf luminaries like writers Jamie Brisick and William Finnegan, and share inspiring human interest stories like that of Brett Connellan, who narrowly survived an attack by a Great White. Whether you check the waves three times a day or live thousands of miles away from the nearest beach, David’s stories will deepen your connection with surfing.
The Powell Movement
Is winter on your mind even when it’s 80 degrees out? Start your podcast hunt with The Powell Movement. After a long career managing athletes for K2, hilarious host Mike Powell found his way to the microphone and started this podcast. He’s since interviewed ski and snowboard heavyweights like Tanner Hall, Caroline Gleich, and Todd Richards. It’s not all about powder with Powell, though, as he also explores other outdoor pursuits with the likes of esteemed mountain biker Graham Agassiz and ground-breaking vert skater Fabiola de Silva.
Anchored
Renowned fly fisherwoman and Anchored host April Vokey pulls back the curtain on the fishing industry as she interviews guides, pros, entrepreneurs, photographers, and more. No subject is out of reach—she’s at home discussing the finer points of rod-building with Jim Bartschi, president and rod designer at Scott, as well as fishing in bikinis, which she gets into with angler and social media star “Darcizzle.” On those days when getting out on the water is only a pipe dream, this podcast will scratch your fishing itch.
The Firn Line
Alpinists will find their home on The Firn Line, a podcast by artful interviewer Evan Phillips. Recently, Phillips spoke with both Scott Johnson and Steve House, authors of Training for the New Alpinism (2014) and Training for the Uphill Athlete: A manual for mountain runners and ski mountaineers (2019), the latter of which they co-authored with endurance demigod Kilian Jornet. While The Firn Line is on its third season, the archives are worth sifting through—Evan interviewed Dawn Wall star Kevin Jorgensen, climbing O.G. Conrad Anker, and the late David Lama in season two.
The Outside Podcast
Outside Magazine is often considered the definitive voice for the outdoor world, and the Outside Podcast is the publishing behemoth’s venture into audio. Our favorite episodes dive into sports science and endurance feats, like their recent episode on Overtraining Syndrome (OTS). Be sure to keep an ear out for Outside’s interviews with noteworthy characters, too, like MeatEater host Steve Rinella or Free Solo legend Alex Honnold.
Did we skip your favorite outdoor podcast? Drop us a line here, as we’ll plan to update this article over time and we’re always on the hunt for new podcasts. In the meantime, happy listening!
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