John Barklow - a seasoned outdoorsman and 26-year U.S. Navy veteran. A diver by trade, he spent most of his career supporting Navy Special Warfare, often working with elite SEAL teams. Much of his time was spent in Kodiak, Alaska, training SEALs in cold-weather survival and night movement through technical terrain, known as Cliff Assault. After his service, John joined SITKA Gear, applying his military expertise to develop advanced clothing systems for hunters and outdoorsmen.
Join us for a conversation about John’s experiences with helping grow the Sitka brand, the succession of hunting gear and how the gear has changed, some of John’s greatest hunt stories, and more!
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Ketone IQ: https://www.ketone.com/Cam use code CAM for 30% off your first subscription
Sig Sauer: https://www.sigsauer.com/ use code CAM10 for 10% off optics
Montana Knife Company: https://www.montanaknifecompany.com/ Use code CAM for 10% off
Black Rifle Coffee: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/ Use code KEEPHAMMERING for 20% your first order
Hoyt: http://bit.ly/3Zdamyv use code CAM for 10% off
MTN OPS Supplements: https://mtnops.com/ Use code KEEPHAMMERING for 20% off and Free Shipping
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Montana Knife Company Video Series & a Unique Perspective
00:04:28 John’s Background (the NAVY & Teaching Survival Skills)
00:11:17 Understanding the Concepts in Gear
00:16:12 The Great Equalizers: Testing Guys in the Field
00:22:20 Survival Exercises
00:27:09 Finishing School for BUDS
00:29:07 Peer Reviews
00:31:56 Ad Break (Ketone IQ & Sig Sauer)
00:33:56 Diving & Getting into Hunting
00:36:18 When John got into Hunting
00:38:56 John’s Most Memorable Hunt
00:45:52 Hunting Mountain Goats
00:48:53 John’s Brown Bear Hunt
00:54:59 High Stakes in Hunting & Memories from the Hunt
00:59:31 John’s Buffalo Hunt
01:08:48 Takeaways from John’s Hunting Stories
01:13:10 John’s Best Elk Hunt Story
01:18:35 Hunters John Looked up to
01:22:03 How Much the Hunting Industry has Changed
01:29:03 Failure: The Foundation that Built Cam’s Hunting Career
01:30:51 Celebrating Success in Hunting
01:32:29 Measuring Success in Hunting
01:33:47 The Succession of Hunting Gear & Clothing (Down)
01:37:10 What’s Next for GORE-TEX Gear
01:42:29 Small Adjustments in Gear Make a Big Difference
01:44:44 Nobody Likes Being Cold
01:45:40 QA: F#$k, Marry, Kill: Backcountry Bowhunting, Diving, or Mountaineering?
01:46:48 QA: For Sitka - is Mountaineering a Good Place for Inspiration?
01:50:34 QA: If you had to Choose 1 Material or Textile to Use, What Would You Choose?
01:52:06 QA: How Would You Use High Pressure Situations to Help Develop Your Career Path?
01:54:21 QA: What’s One Non Negotiable for Your Daily Routine?
01:57:06 Outro