Yvon Chouinard on fishing, simplifying, and life

Yvon Chouinard talks with Spencer Beebe about tenkara fishing, simplifying, commerical fishing, and Patagonia Provisions.

The audio is pretty poor but it's still worth watching.

World's Best Traction

Same shed, same guy working in it. Photo: Matt Stoecker

Forty five years ago Yvon Chouinard took a hammer and steel and forged the future of ice climbing with a completely reimagined crampon. His rigid, front point design changed what was possible on vertical ice, and the climbing world has never been the same.

Yvon's latest innovation is a solution for sketchy footing in swift, slippery and rocky rivers.

The River Crampons are the highest-traction wading device ever built. Soft malleable aluminum bars are attached to a burley stainless-steel adjustable frame with corrosion-resistant brass rivets, to cut through weeds and moss on slick river bottoms and to grip on rock. Although not fly-line friendly, the design is simple, easily cleaned, and its fast drying materials help prevent the transport of invasive species.

Do the crampons work in the water, the answer is a game-changing yes. Patagonia's fishing ambassadors and testers, (myself included) can't imagine wading without them.

Patagonia Snags Two EFTTEX Best in Show Awards

Rudi Heger accepts the Best Clothing award on behalf of Patagonia.

Patagonia scored Best Fishing Clothing and Best Footwear at the recent 31st EFTTEX Best New Product Awards.The double triumph was scored in clothing by the 3 in 1 River Salt Jacket and the Ultralight Boots in footwear.

Fly Fish Stoke

With just a subtle hint of brand placement.

Patagonia's Founder Is America's Most Unlikely Business Guru

For years, Yvon Chouinard kept his eco-conscious, employee-friendly practices largely to himself. Now megacorporations like Walmart, Levi Straus and Nike are following his lead.

LINK (via:The Wall Steet Journal)

Putting Water Back

Patagonia recently bought Water Restoration Certificates to restore eight million gallons of water for the Middle Deschutes River to offset its own domestic water consumption.

LINK (via:The Cleanest Line)