Embracing Discomfort for Mental Resilience

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!

Follow along:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronhanes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camhanes/

Website: https://www.cameronhanes.com

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https://www.instagram.com/jbarklow/ 

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https://www.instagram.com/sitkagear/ 

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