Wild Ideas Worth Living
High-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, health experts and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. Some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures.
Episodes
In 2022, Thomas Bukowski took a risk that felt personal and professional by applying to The North Face athlete development program and pitching himself as a climber worth betting on. As a queer athlete from Hong Kong who found climbing later than most, he has long carried the feeling of being an outsider, then watched that narrative shift when he earned a place on The North Face climbing team. Since then, he has chased fear into ma...
Jeff Garmire is a legend in the world of fastest known times with more than 20 FKTs on routes including the Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail, Arizona Trail, and John Muir Trail. On September 21, 2025, he reached Mount Springer after setting a self supported FKT on the Appalachian Trail, completing the route in 45 days, 8 hours, and 37 minutes.
Connect with Jeff:
- Website
- Listen to the Free Outside podcast
- YouTu...
Kimi Werner is a world champion spearfisher, ocean advocate, and chef whose life centers on sustainable fishing, food, and a deep connection to nature. After winning the largest spearfishing competition in the world in 2008, she stepped away from competition to focus on feeding her community and cooking with fish she harvests. Her upcoming cookbook, Kimi’s Kitchen, blends recipes and memoir to explore living well through the ocean,...
Sofía Gómez Villafañe is a leading American gravel cyclist who broke through with a win at Unbound Gravel 2022 on her first attempt. The result cemented her place among the top gravel racers in the United States after a nontraditional start that began with a used bike her brother found on Craigslist. Sofía shares how her success is driven by clear goal setting, small process driven steps, and a systematic approach to long term perf...
Kai Jones is one of the most talented young backcountry skiers in the U.S., turning professional at just 13 years old. In early 2023, he broke both of his legs in a backcountry skiing accident, spending months in a wheelchair and questioning whether he’d ever return to the sport. Last season marked a major comeback, as Kai became the youngest skier to descend the Otter Body route on Grand Teton and released multiple ski films that ...
Rob Shaver has been living with stage four cancer for over 20 years. He's had multiple recurrences, been through multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and received more than 60 radiation treatments. In 2020, after he finished chemo to fight his third recurrence, Rob started running and ended up running for 1,175 days straight.
About the film: The Life We Have is a short film about REI San Antonio employee Rob Shaver, who after two decade...
Adventurer Mardi Fuller made history in 2021 as the first Black person to hike all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000 foot peaks in winter. The White Mountains are defined by steep, exposed trails, deep snow, extreme winds, and rapidly changing weather that demand constant attention to navigation and risk.
Connect with Mardi:
Thank you to our sponsor:
- Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
Brother Phap Luu is a Zen Buddhist monk at Deer Park Monastery in Southern California, founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. He co‑authored Hiking Zen, which explores walking and hiking as mindfulness practices that cultivate presence, awareness, and connection to nature. Drawing from monastic life and meditation traditions, Brother Phap Luu shares how slowing down outdoors can help us reconnect with ourselves and the natural worl...
Ariana Luterman is an endurance athlete whose IRONMAN journey began after a year‑long battle with an unexplained illness that left her extremely weak and often bedridden. In 2023, she completed an IRONMAN just ten months into rebuilding her health and went on to pursue a Guinness World Record for finishing six IRONMAN races on six continents within one year.
Connect with Ariana:
Listen to:
Preet Chandi began her polar career in 2021 when she skied solo to the South Pole while hauling a 192 pound sled across Antarctica. At just 37 years old, Preet has already become one of the most accomplished polar explorers of our generation, completing three expeditions to Antarctica and setting a new Guinness World Record each time. She is currently training for a groundbreaking trip to the North Pole, which she hopes to set off ...
Anton Krupicka is one of the most iconic ultrarunners and long-distance trail athletes in the U.S. Known for his minimalist approach—shirtless miles, long hair, and a bushy beard—he became a defining figure in the sport. Over nearly three decades, Anton has won the Leadville 100 twice and earned podium finishes at ultramarathons around the world. Beyond racing, he’s set 28 fastest known time (FKT) records on notable routes, solidif...
Award-winning journalist Amy Martin has spent years tuning into nature’s hidden soundtrack. As the host and creator of Threshold, she explores the intricate ways life communicates beyond human perception. In its latest season, Hark, Amy uncovers how species from birds to dolphins—and even turtles—use sound to share information we’re only beginning to understand. Thanks to breakthroughs in acoustic research, these conversations are ...
Wasfia Nazreen is a Bangladeshi mountaineer and human rights advocate known for blending adventure with activism. She is the first Bangladeshi to climb the Seven Summits and the only Bengali to summit K2, one of the world’s most dangerous peaks. Her expeditions serve as spiritual practice and a platform for women’s rights in Bangladesh, earning her National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year in 2014.
Connect with Wasfia:
Eric Larsen is a pioneering polar explorer who completed the first-ever summer expedition to the North Pole, navigating thin, unstable sea ice and miles of open water. In 2010, he became the first person to reach both poles and summit Mount Everest within a single year. With decades of experience crossing the Arctic Ocean and Antarctic ice sheet, Eric has become a trusted resource and guide for aspiring polar adventurers.
Connect wi...
Jennifer Britz is a trail runner based in Bar Harbor, Maine. She spends half the year on Acadia National Park’s rugged trails and the other half perfecting her craft on lightweight running snowshoes built for speed. Over the past decade, Britz has dedicated herself to mastering this niche sport, pushing her limits across varied terrain. In 2022, she earned gold at the World Snowshoe Championships in Argentina.
Listen to:
Emily Pennington is an REI gear tester and outdoor expert who knows what makes equipment worth the investment. In this holiday gift guide episode, she shares her top picks for the best outdoor gear gifts—whether it’s backpacking essentials, ski gear for hitting the slopes, or running gear for everyday adventures. Emily breaks down what matters most when choosing quality gear that lasts, so you can give gifts that the adventurers in...
Tyler Turner has always been a bit of a daredevil. He grew up skiing, snowboarding, and eventually became a skydiving instructor. After a 2015 accident resulted in the amputation of both legs, he rebuilt his life around the sports he loves. Today, he’s a three-time Para Snowboard Cross World Champion, a Paralympic gold medalist, and the first bilateral amputee to fly in a wingsuit.
Connect with Tyler:
- Website
Listen ...
Barrington Scott is a record-holding scuba diver who has spent the last decade exploring the underwater world through snorkeling, scuba, and freediving. He’s lived in coastal towns around the globe, diving as often as possible and immersing himself in coral reefs, sea caves, and marine life. In 2024, Barrington set a Guinness World Record for scuba diving on all seven continents.
Connect with Barrington:
Listen to:
...Chad Caruso kicked off his wild idea in Venice Beach, California, with a skateboard and a goal: to cross the country on four wheels. Over 57 days, he pushed through deserts, mountain ranges, and extreme weather, ultimately landing in Virginia Beach, Virginia and setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest coast-to-coast skateboarding journey.
Connect with Chad:
Listen to:
Alex Hutchinson is a science journalist who explores how technology is reshaping the way we experience the outdoors. While apps can guide us to trailheads and campsites, they can also strip away the thrill of the unexpected.
In his recent book, The Explorer’s Gene, Alex blends stories of adventure with insights from psychology and neuroscience to show how breaking routine and embracing the unknown can lead to a more meaningful, fun,...
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