Podcast Summary: Rewilding Earth Podcast

Episode 161: Danny Giovale – The Vision to Innovate, The Passion to Rewild
Host: Jack Humphrey
Guest: Danny Giovale (Founder of Kahtoola)
Date: November 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores the intersection of outdoor adventure, product innovation, and land ethics, tracing how a near-fatal climbing accident in the Italian Dolomites shaped Danny Giovale’s life. Host Jack Humphrey and Danny discuss forging purpose from adversity, the founding of Kahtoola, the role of conservation ethics in business, and big ideas for the future of rewilding and outdoor industry leadership.

Main Discussion Highlights

I. The Defining Climb: Adversity as Catalyst

• Danny's near-death experience: In 1993, at the age of 22, Danny and his younger brother attempted a 1,500-foot climb in the Italian Dolomites despite limited experience. This harrowing experience became life-changing and inspirational for his entrepreneurial journey ([00:03]–[02:37]).
  • Quote:

    "It was total hubris and audaciousness to be trying to climb a 1500 foot, you know, tall tower in the Italian Dolomites...But, yeah, I want to try something, you know, really different and really challenging. And I think we can do this.”
    — Danny Giovale ([00:03])

  • Revisiting the climb 30 years later: Making the film "Designed by Disaster" helped Danny reflect and come full circle.
    • Quote:

      “It was just really nice to come full circle and...it ended up being the catalyst to start this company and get a product out there to try to make people safer and help people avoid that same kind of situation.”
      — Danny ([02:37])

II. Innovation Born from Survival

• Identifying the Gear Gap:
  Danny described the challenge of convincing others about a need for improved traction devices for flexible, lightweight mountain footwear—something that didn’t exist on the market at the time and was misunderstood by others ([04:10]–[06:48]).
  • Quote:

    "Every time I talked about it or showed prototypes, it was like, isn't there already, like, a bunch of different crampons out there...? The thing that I saw...was a big gap between...the more rigid, you know, boots. And I wanted to get something working better on flexible footwear..."
    — Danny ([04:10])

  • Persistence Despite Doubt:
    Danny emphasized how personal conviction in one's insight is crucial to innovation, especially when validation is lacking.

III. Parallels with Conservation Pioneers

• Shared Land Ethic:
  Jack draws connections between Danny and outdoor legends like Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia) and Doug Tompkins (North Face), highlighting their deep land ethic and innovative spirit ([07:38]–[08:18]).
  • Quote:

    “It's fun to hear you put me in the lineup with Tompkins and Chouinard...They're the giants and they're inspiration.”
    — Danny ([08:18])

  • Adventure Mindset:
    The shared trait among these pioneers is their comfort in uncertainty and attraction to the unknown.
    • Quote:

      "This is where adventure begins...It's that pioneering attitude and that we're in the thick of it. This is really hard. There's no certainty of success. And I love it here."
      — Danny referencing Chouinard ([09:23])

IV. The Role of Community and Humility

• The Influence of John Davis:
  Danny details his friendship with rewilding advocate John Davis, emphasizing humility, focus, and direct engagement with wild places and issues ([12:53]–[14:44]).
  • Memorable Story:
    Danny's observation of John's gear use directly inspired the development of Kahtoola's Renegaiter product ([14:52]–[16:37]).
  • Quote:

    "That's really because watching John and him putting his gear through his paces...trying to think of how I could create gear that could keep up with him."
    — Danny ([14:52])

V. Roots and Motivation for Conservation

• Upbringing in the Wild Southwest:
  Danny credits growing up in Flagstaff, AZ, with ready access to wilderness, and family experiences in the Wind River mountains, for deeply instilling a respect for wild places ([17:21]–[19:59]).
  • Quote:

    "Our upbringing was...no boundaries, you know, you can just go. And...my mom...She’s, 'No, we, we go to the church of the mountain. You know, we go outside.'"
    — Danny ([17:21])

• Linking Business and Philanthropy:
  Inspired by Chouinard, Danny ensured Kahtoola’s business model would serve conservation (e.g., 1% for the Planet) ([20:17]–[22:39]).
  • Quote:

    "When I started my business, I took...a page from that and—immediately had a percentage of revenue going towards...impact besides just selling product."
    — Danny ([20:17])

VI. Persevering Amidst Setbacks and Industry Trends

• Dealing with Despair in Conservation and Business:
  Both personally and organizationally, the Kahtoola team faces challenges with hope and preparation, striving to maintain impact despite unfavorable political climates and funding challenges ([23:07]–[27:38]).

  • Quote:

    "This challenge of not falling totally into despair is real...But on the Kahtoola side, we're just staying the course. And we really appreciate the organizations that help, like the Conservation Alliance...an island of sanity in all this."
    — Danny ([24:03])

• Industry Collaboration and Challenges:

  • Independent ownership enables a stronger conservation ethic; conglomerate-owned brands tend to shy away from actions that risk bottom lines ([28:38]–[31:25]).
  • Only a small fraction of companies truly invest in conservation actions through organizations like the Conservation Alliance.

VII. Dreaming Big: Wild Ideas and Inventions

• Human-Powered Ski Areas:
  Danny shares his “pipe dream” of a ski area without lifts, relying entirely on human power ([32:38]–[33:18]).
  • Quote:

    "What about a ski area that's totally human powered, take away all the lifts?...We have so many athletic people these days."
    — Danny ([32:38])

• Wildlife Corridors & Novel Inventions:
  Enthusiasm for large-scale wildlife corridors and connectivity. The hosts jokingly "invent" a jaguar-shaped hole in the border wall to facilitate species movement ([35:22]–[37:04]).
  • Memorable Exchange:

    Jack: "How about a jaguar shaped hole?...We just invented holes. Yeah, but they're in the shape of the species that are allowed to go back and forth." ([36:49])
    Danny: "I'm sure we could patent that. Yes." ([37:00])

VIII. Advice for the Next Generation

• Encouragement to Innovate and Persevere:
  • Trust your unique perspective, persist even without external validation, and take risks to bring your ideas to life ([37:17]–[41:10]).
    • Quote:

      "You don't really know at first what it is that you have particular sort of insight to that others don't...I'm glad I didn't get talked out of that."
      — Danny ([37:38])

  • The value of supportive families and friends, but also the importance of self-belief if external support is lacking.
• Humorous Reflections on Origins:
  Jack jokes about how, fortunately, near-disaster isn’t a necessary rite of passage for meaningful work ([41:10]–[41:23]).

Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• Climbing Hubris & Drive ([00:03]):
  “It was total hubris and audaciousness…” —Danny
• Return to the Dolomites ([02:37]):
  “It was just really nice to come full circle…” —Danny
• Innovation Isolation ([04:10]):
  “Nobody around me saw the hole in the market the way I did…” —Danny
• Parallels with Chouinard & Tompkins ([08:18]):
  “They're the giants and they're inspiration. And Yvonne in particular...” —Danny
• Adventure Begins Here ([09:23]):
  “This is where adventure begins…” —Danny, quoting Chouinard
• Gear Inspiring Legacy Products ([14:52]):
  “That's really because watching John...I actually ended up...developing prototypes and testing. And now we are in the gator market...” —Danny
• Family, Outdoors, and Conservation ([17:21]):
  "We go to the church of the mountain..." —Danny’s mother, quoted
• Mindfulness as Kool Aid ([23:07]):
  “Every recipe I come up with, it only works for about 10 minutes, you know…” —Danny
• Industry Realities ([31:46]):
  “I don't think 1% for the planet was meant to say that we only need 1% of the companies to be involved...” —Jack
• Pipe Dream: Human-Powered Skiing ([32:38]):
  “What about a ski area that's totally human powered…?” —Danny
• Moonshot: Species-Shaped Border Holes ([36:49]):
  “How about a jaguar shaped hole?...We just invented holes.” —Jack
• Perseverance Through Doubt ([37:38]):
  “Sometimes when you do have those insights, they get...pulled away from you because people talk you out of it. And I guess, you know, in my case, I was glad I didn't get talked out of that.” —Danny

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Climbing accident & designed by disaster: [00:03]–[04:10]
• Innovation and market gap: [04:10]–[07:38]
• Conservation ethic and outdoor founders: [07:38]–[11:25]
• John Davis & product development: [12:53]–[16:37]
• Upbringing and conservation values: [17:21]–[19:59]
• Business as a purpose-driven tool: [20:17]–[22:39]
• Dealing with despair in conservation: [23:07]–[27:38]
• Outdoor industry trends & conservation funding: [28:38]–[31:25]
• Pipe dreams & moonshot ideas: [32:38]–[37:04]
• Advice for future innovators: [37:17]–[41:10]

Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is candid, optimistic despite challenges, and punctuated with humor and humility. Danny’s story is a call to trust your vision, persevere against doubt, and commit your work—whether climbing, inventing, or running a business—to the greater good of wild places. The episode ends with lighthearted banter about making “near-disaster” a life-changing gift and reflection on the value of community and personal conviction.

For Further Learning

• "Designed by Disaster" (Danny’s film reflecting on his transformative climbing experience)
• Kahtoola (innovative outdoor gear company with a conservation ethic)
• The Conservation Alliance & 1% for the Planet (organizations supporting business-driven conservation)
• Rewilding Institute Projects (wildlife corridors, connectivity, reintroduction efforts)