On behalf of Patagoniacs everywhere, we dedicate The Cleanest Line to YC and Malinda. Thanks for everything. Patagonia holiday party 2005. Photo: Dave Kanarek

"The time is five o’clock, and I aaaaaaam outta here!" Everyday, all the little worker bees at Patagonia HQ eagerly await those sweet words from our frisbee-freak receptionist Chipper Bro, but never more so than on Friday afternoon. Some folks bust out their aloha shirts to celebrate Friday, while others simply don’t show up to…

Our challenge from the Spring 2006 catalog has been answered. Becca from Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City proved us wrong by climbing Sundance (5.10a) in her Morning Glory Dress. You rock Becca! This really made our day. When your travels take you to the Lake Tahoe area, be sure and say hi to the crew…

As a young skater growing up on the east coast in the 80s, Christian Hosoi had already achieved iconic status amongst my circle of friends. Some of our earliest glimpses of professional skateboarding, which at the time existed almost entirely on the west coast (SoCal specifically), were delivered courtesy of Thrasher Magazine and featured coverage of the scene and contests going on at Del Mar Skate Park. Christian Hosoi’s style practically jumped out of the pages.

We got this field report from Laura Cooper, a Virginian living in Oregon. I really liked her story, writing and dedication to the outdoors – she’s an ESL teacher who spends most of her time backpacking, skiing and reading, as well as birding, paddling, and taking pictures.Thanks for the great report Laura! After forty-five minutes…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Today we have a special treat for you. Patagonia field report contributor Fitz Cahall just alerted us to his new podcast The Dirtbag Diaries. If you’re at all a fan of our field reports please take a moment and listen to Fitz speak his writing to life. You can either listen now via the embedded…

You’re all pretty familiar with the Dawn Patrol (DP) idea by this point: wake with the roosters, drive blear-eyed through the pre-dawn black, exit warm car in the belly of the night’s bitter cold, strap on headlamps and start slogging uphill through dark and snow, all for a token taste of skiing before work. I…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadorsare responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through thepaces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just becausesomething reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a newitem shows up in our catalogs, our Customer Service staff…

Today’s post comes from Matt O’Conner of Boulder, Colorado. Matt’s currently running Franklin Handholds and sells climbing walls for the Eldorado Wall Company. He also keeps his own blog. His letter isn’t the first of its kind – we’ve received many similar stories from customers over the years – but it’s the first we’ve received…

Fifteen year-olds scare me to death. I’ve never been cool, and 15 was when my nerdiness fleshedout in all its glorious fullness. And now, the great karmic card dealer has dealt me this hand: I’ll be living with a whole posse of them in the Tetons for the next three weeks. I’m used to guiding…

The latest episode of The Dirtbag Diaries went live on Thursday for your podcasting pleasure. From the site: Many of us associate our vehicles with freedom,independence and youth. Even as we come to terms with the fact thatautomobiles may be an unnecessary evil, it’s hard not to think back tothat first surf or climbing trip…

So much of what we do stems from the desire to improve the world for the next generation. And here at Pat. HQ we’re constantly reminded of that responsibility by the kids we see playing at our onsite daycare center. Patagonia customer Chris Stelter makes us optimistic for the future with this heart-warming contribution. Chris…

Another great contribution from a former employee of one of our many Independent Patagonia Dealers. The Cleanest Line Crew, Patagonia is about getting to the source. The source of where materials come from. The outdoors, the source of the passion and commitment by the enthusiasts that Patagonia’s products are designed by and for. I worked…

Need a soundtrack for your Earth Day celebrations?  Thought so. Grassroots radio maestro extraordinaire Don Darue has been "servin’ ’em up covered and smothered" for purt-near 20 years on the homegrown radio show The Risky Biscuit Hayseed Hoot. One of Dondo’s specialties is the Annual Edward Abbey Memorial Tribute Edition of the show. Wanna get…

The following report is brought to us by Ken Larussa, from our Reno Distribution Center, home of Patagonia’s Customer Service.  If you’re a long-time customer, chances are good you’ve spoken to Ken at least once.  After hearing about Ken’s trip and seeing his pictures, we’re lucky he came back. Wool. We all know it comes…

The days are gone when I would cruise solo to work, blasting the music, surfboard on the roof, checking all the breaks along the way. Now with two small children in tow, I carpool down the 101 with another mom to the Patagonia headquarters in Ventura. We travel together as families, bringing our kids to…

Ray King, the manager of our Santa Cruz outlet store, sent us his take on the 2007 Surf Kayak Festival held at Steamer Lane, where Patagonia’s director of direct marketing, Morlee Griswold, took first place in the women’s international division. Generally speaking, if it’s foggy in the morning the sun will burn through by the…

If you live in the Reno area or happen to be there on May 17, please join Rick Ridgeway for this special event at the Patagonia Service Center. Those not in the area can read about Rick’s journey in his book The Big Open: On Foot Across Tibet’s Chang Tang. THE BIG OPEN On Foot…

We just got word from Fitz Cahall that the newest episode of The Dirtbag Diaries is now live. In this special episode Fitz adds photographs to his podcast to help tell the story of adventure photographer Corey Rich and his unique profession. Watch and listen on your computer or download it to your photo-ready iPod…

You’ve heard of the dude. But unless you’ve visited Patagonia HQ, taken a Surfclass in Ventura or happen to be a freestyle Frisbee player, chances are you haven’t heard of the bro. I’m talking about Chipper "Bro" Bell, the voice of Patagonia and 11-time World Freestyle Frisbee Champion. Check out Chipper Bro in action 0:42…

Have a look/listen at a segment from today’s Morning Edition on how businesses are trying to reduce their impact on global warming: California Company Works to Cut, Adapt to Warming And for what it’s worth, I’ve never been fortunate enough to see a mouse scurry across the floor during a line presentation (listen to the…

Attention fly fishers: Steve Stracqualursi, fly fishing product line director for Patagonia, is looking for feedback to help make our already-awesome waders even better. Visit his weblog WayUpStream and let him know what you’re looking for. [With thanks to The Trout Underground]   

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

If you live or happen to be in the Boulder, CO area this weekend, be sure and stop by the Boulder Adventure Film Festival and Dirt Days. The festival, which starts tomorrow (May 11), is wonderfully organized by climber/writer/photographer, and Patagonia catalog contributor, Jonathan Copp. The films look great and the Dirt Days events will…

Congratulations are in order for Patagonia paddling ambassador Eric Jackson and his family. Mark, our product line director for paddling, sends word: I’d like to share the great news that our paddling ambassadors Eric, Emily, and Dane Jackson took home top spots in this year’s World Freestyle Kayaking Championships: Eric Jackson – Men’s 1st placeEmily…

For most of us at Patagonia, biking to work is choice versus driving our cars. But for the world’s poorest communities, a bicycle is one of few affordable transportation options. Grayson Schaffer, Associate Editor for Outside magazine, has written a post for the blog Those Responsible about hardcore kayaker Ed Lucero and the bike he…

We just wrapped up Bike-to-Work Week here in Ventura with a groovy happy hour and raffle. A quick tally shows that Ventura employees rode 1,979 miles this week and Reno rode a whopping 2,789 miles! (Stay tuned for the Retail store totals.) According to Bike Metro and the EPA, by riding our bikes instead of…

Fitz Cahall helps us shake off the Monday blues with a wonderful tale of travel improvisation as told in the newest episode of The Dirtbag Diaires. There is a fine line between a life-lasting memory and disaster. Whatever the discipline – alpinism, big wave surfing, foreign travel – we calculate risk, formulate plans and sometimes…

Friend of The Cleanest Line and periodic commenter, CM, hipped us to a cool program put on by our comrades over at Element Skateboards called Elemental Awareness. "Even though this month is celebrating the bicycle. I felt other non carbon producing forms of transportation need a little spotlight. Skateboarding isn’t just for the kids. Sidewalk…

You don’t hear those terms used together very often, if ever. But when former Patagonia sales rep turned filmmaker, Hansi Johnson, got the call to produce a video for the band Low, he drew on two of his passions to make a very strong point about the state of the environment. Hansi decided to focus…

by Jeff Johnson Editor's note: We're stoked to introduce a new feature on The Cleanest Line from Bend to Baja author/photographer Jeff Johnson. Jeff's work has appeared in The Surfer’s Journal, Surfer’s Path, Alpinist, Surfing, Surfer and the Patagonia catalog. When we don't have him chained to a desk at Pat. HQ in Ventura, Jeff…

Gather ’round the campfire one and all; embrace a loved one or grab a cold one; smoke ’em if you got ’em and leave your troubles behind. It’s time for another episode of The Dirtbag Diaries with Fitz Cahall: In May of 2007, I made a mistake that should have cost me my life when…

Happy Father’s Day to all the Patagoniac dads out there. Hope you had a good one. I’m sure some of you can relate to this sweet story from Ray Aberle. Read "Smaller Summits" How did fatherhood change your outdoor lifestyle? We’d love to read your story in the comments section if you have the time…

Ventura, California Departure: June 8, 2007 Let me introduce myself. My name is Jeff though sometimes people call me Tofu. Yes, I am employed by Patagonia. I work as a photographer, writer, and assist in the testing and production of Patagonia products. I am hitting the road in my van for an undetermined amount of time, simply to…

Sometimes you just gotta clear your head of work. For John and Jake that means throwing up an impromptu slackline and getting zen for a few minutes. Here we see Ben from our Facilities department walking the line for the first time behind Patagonia HQ. Smiles all around. [Photo: Free] [L to R: John tests…

Fitz Cahall brings us another wonderful tale for the virtual campfire today. In a sea of podcasts the Dirtbag Diaries is a rare species, one of the few honest and inspiring options for outdoor enthusiasts. Please help spread the word by turning on your friends and family to this unique podcast. And now, Episode 7,…

Working at Patagonia is not like working at most other companies.There are many reasons, but one is the lack of rigid hierarchical structure. The office doors of upper management are always open (when there are doors), questions are encouraged and the company’s managers rarely issue edicts or micromanage employees. This decentralized system of doing things…

The other day while wandering around Camp 4 in Yosemite I ran into Patagonia ambassador Timmy O’Neill. He was hanging around the SARS site with his brother Sean and some guy named Aron. Timmy asked me if I wanted to climb the Manure Pile with him and Aron. “Sure,” I said. Walking to the parking…

Getting started on Monday morning is always rough. Sometimes it's best to just put on the headphones, drown out the rest of the world, and get lost in a good podcast. From Dirtbag Diaries creator, Fitz Cahall: I want you to think back to the first time you touched granite, rolled a kayak or linked…

Podcast number two of The First Time series on The Dirtbag Diaries features Patagonia ambassador Tanya Shuman. From Fitz: Every sport has hallowed ground, a place were legends honed techniquesand innovators forged new technology. Climbers have Yosemite Valley.For mountain bikers, it’s Vancouver’s North Shore. If you’re afreestyle kayaker, there’s one wave, far from any damn-controlledriver,…

This submission came to us from Topher Browne, a Patagonia Ambassador and recovering dirtbag. I have not really been a dirtbag for several years now. I recently traded in the last in a long line of Toyota trucks for an efficient but less than capacious Honda Civic. If I tried to spend the night in…

Ice Climbing at night on Valentine's Day after a full bottle of wine: Get ready for some good times courtesy of The Dirtbag Diaries: Valentine’s Day – For some, it brings to mind romantic candle-lit evenings. For others, mere mention of the holiday conjures up cringe-inducing images of overpriced flowers and public displays of affection.…

Many of you are familiar with Steve House's incredible accomplishments. But have you ever wondered about his very first climb? In part 4 of the The First Time series on The Dirtbag Diaries we get to hear about it: If you’ve opened an outdoor magazine in the last three years, you’ve probably read about Steve…

It’s been a fun week of First Time stories thanks to The Dirtbag Diaries. We’ve heard from an extreme sledder, a freestyle kayaker, an ice climber, an alpinist and now, a snowboarder: Snowboarding can’t change a life. Carving four beautiful turns down an impossibly steep face aren’t going to alter a person’s course through this…

by Jeff Johnson Sometimes you forget about your own backyard. While passing through Ventura the other day I had heard about a building south swell. So I hooked up with Patagonia Surf ambassadors Mary Osborne and Chris Malloy and headed south. We ended up posting up all afternoon at a spot north of Malibu. The…

[Photo: Free]

It is with great sadness that we learned recently of the death of a true friend of the climbing community. Pete Absolon of the National Outdoor Leadership School passed away this weekend in a climbing accident in the Wind River Range of Wyoming. It's hard to find the right words at time like this.  We…

It’s not often that a person feels a small thrill at the sight of a pile of poo.  But when ol’ Smokeythrice leaves his calling card in the form of ursine spoor deposited within a short radius of the office, it’s time to take notice.  Rumors of bears coming down from the high country due…

You might have heard stories about the residents of mountain towns doing funny things from time to time. That was us today, here at Patagonia’s Northern Nevada digs. Staring slack-jawed out the windows, running around yelling at each other, spinning in wild circles outside . . . Why? Well, it rained, that’s why. What’s the…

We talk about being committed to the core. Steve House and Lynn Hill are two Patagonia athletes whose stories (both posted recently here on The Cleanest Line) offer a professional insight into this philosophy. Theirs are tales of the unreal made real through the power of intense professional focus. But "committed to the core" does…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

We’ve been having a conversation here at Patagonia of late; one that comes up often. The conversation is about some of our classic designs, time-tested pieces, old favorites. Some of the questions tossed out there: What do we do with those “classics”? Where have they gone? Should they come back? How do the current designs…

After a well-deserved vacation, Fitz Cahall and The Dirtbag Diaries are back on the air. Episode 9 is presented to you here as both an mp3 podcast and a photo-enhanced video, embedded after the jump. From Fitz: How do people remember the dead? Some people stuff wrinkled snapshots into wallets. Others build ornate mausoleums. Others…

If you’ve visited the homepage of Patagonia.com recently, or flipped through our Fall 2007 catalog, you’ve no doubt seen this incredible image of polar bears lined up on the ice. We’ve already received a few customer comments asking why we would publish a shot that is digitally enhanced. The answer: we didn’t. The masters will…

Explore our guide with tips on how to remove smell from your outdoor clothing. We will help you to keep the stench of your current wardrobe at bay.

We received a note the other day in our e-mail box. Our kind correspondent had a simple request: more Field Reports, more stories of dirtbags doing their thing. So here's a little story from the archives. This one's for you, Kelly: Perhaps it was the ten-hour trip off-roading over the rutted steppe in a Russian…

Besides working on today’s episode, Dirtbag Diaries host Fitz Cahall just launched a redesigned version of his Web site, www.dirtbagdiaries.com. Stop by when you have a chance and don’t forget to tell your friends about this one-of-a-kind podcast. Now, without further adieu, Fitz Cahall: There’s no such thing as a perfect job. There’s always a…

This summer my sister got hitched! We grew up in the wilds of Northern British Columbia and you couldn’t find a more spectacular backdrop for your big day. So friends and family made the trek to Smithers, BC for a weekend of festivities to celebrate my sister and my brother in law.  Sure it was…

Epic. That’s all I need to say about this episode of The Dirtbag Diaries. Fitz Cahall will tell you the rest: Forests, rivers, oceans and mountains – to some of us they’re like old friends, but how far would you go to save them? In this era when our wild places exist in a precarious…

Tom Brokaw recently interviewed Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard at Google’s Zeitgeist 2007 conference. The theme: Leading a Non-Virtual LifeTom Brokaw and Yvon Chouinard talk about being intentionally"un-networked" and leading a deliberately disconnected life. Both discuss why living off the grid is critical for a well-roundedexistence.

Recent Patagonia employee Matt Hunt remembers a friend we lost on this weekend four years ago: “Peace and Go Wild” That is how Linnea always used to sign off her letters. Linnea Erickson started at the Reno Service Center in October of 2003, helping out with the holiday rush. Her first weekend in the area, she set…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Beset with questions by those intrepid customers willing to navigate the murky waters of on-line clothes shopping, our fearless colleague delves into the sometimes-frivolous and often-fickle forum of Fit. Keep an eye out for future Fit Posts. Have something in particular you want fit details on? Leave a comment or send us an e-mail: customer_service@patagonia.com.…

We recently received a request to post a list of Y.C.’s favorite books on The Cleanest Line. We’ll do our best to make that happen, but in the meantime there is one book Patagonia has been recommending since the launch of our Common Threads Garment Recycling program. The book is Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a…

What is "fitness," exactly? Trainers, elite athletes, and the polished exercise-club crowd have one idea. It involves things like resting heart rate, VO2 Max, reps-per-minute, lactate thresholds . . . lots of numbers. The “fitness” they’re talking about can be measured, quantified, and presumably, understood once the right numbers have been crunched. But wait a…

Life lessons and a love for surfing.

I reckon there’s no better way to start off a holiday week than with a fresh episode of The Dirtbag Diaries podcast with Fitz Cahall. From Fitz: Every aspiring photographer dreams of capturing an iconic image. It’s the same kind of motivation that draws young skiers to intimidating lines in foreboding ranges and pulls ambitious…

The Pleasant Revolution pedaled through Patagonia Ventura’s campus on Tuesday and shared their music and good cheer with the employees during lunch. Comprised of Xtracycle co-founder Kipchoge Spencer, his band the Ginger Ninjas, fellow bike musicians SHAKE YOUR PEACE! and an eight-person support crew, the Pleasant Revolution are riding their Xtracycles over 5,000 miles from…

Welcome to part II of this post. If you haven’t already done so, you might check out the first Dirtbag Fitness post for a bit of context. Those of you who read Part I will know part II is about a week late. All I can say is, well, it’s a post about dirtbags. What…

W’s Tosh Crew Neck Sweater.  W’s Wailer Skirt.  W’s Trench Town Hoody Jacket/Pants. Do the names of those products prompt anything to come to mind for you?  As a long time fan of reggae music and particularly, the collective and individual members of The Wailers, I was surprised and, initially, disturbed that Patagonia would reference…

Amidst the hell of war, Fitz Cahall has discovered a story that will warm your heart: There was nothing exceptional about how Ryan Utz and Micah Helser became friends. After nodding at each other in the office hallways for weeks, they happened to discover that they shared an interest in sustainable building. They got to…

We are deeply saddened to report that our good friend and longtime Patagonia colleague Kenny Harbaugh passed away last week while backcountry touring in British Columbia. Ken was on an inspiration trip with some of our ski ambassadors and members of the snow sports design/development team.  It’s impossible to capture all Kenny meant to us.…

Happy holidays to you and yours from Patagonia Ventura (pictured), Reno, Japan, Europe and all of our Retail Stores. Thank you to all of our customers, partners, friends and families for your honest feedback, passionate activism and continued support. We’ll see you 2008. [The tribe in Ventura gathered in front of the original Chouinard Equipment…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Update:  A memorial paddle-out will take place on February 3 at 8am in front of Zuma Beach Lifeguard Tower 9. All are welcome. Please continue reading for details. It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of another passing in the Patagonia family. Brian Fritz, a long-time Patagonia employee and manager of our…

With the New Year comes a new episode of The Dirtbag Diaries and Fitz Cahall is throwing down the gauntlet. How big will you go this year? Sir Edmund Hillary often insisted that while his feats and goals were of historic proportions, he was just a simple man, more comfortable in cover-alls than the high-attire…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadorsare responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through thepaces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just becausesomething reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a newitem shows up in our catalogs, our Customer Service staff…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Coming back to work after a long weekend can be tough. Thankfully, Fitz Cahall is here to rescue us with a new episode of The Dirtbag Diaries: In the summer of 2007, kayaker and blogger Shane Robinson found himself paddling down Peru’s isolated Apurimac River, one of the Amazon’s five major tributaries. Ahead of him…

Fitz Cahall hands over the reins of The Dirtbag Diaries this week to his wife Becca: The Weather Channel’s Local on the 8’s. NOAA. Surf cams. We’ve all been there – staring at the places we would like to be through a computer or television screen. We shut our eyes at our desks and try…

This just in from The Cleanest Line email bag: the back of our work truck!keeping us warm out in the elements! many thanks, we fly the patagonia flag with pride:) smiles for miles from the u.k. richard esq www.friend-of-mine.co.uk  &  shoot-the-moonshine.blogspot.com/ Always good to hear from Patagoniacs across the pond. If you have a few…

Boys’n Berries, the time is here once again. It’s March 14th. Some might recognize this as the birthday of Albert Einstein. But there’s another figure who looms large on America’s ideological horizon; one whose personal genius, like Einstein’s, exploded in the deserts of the American Southwest. Edward Abbey wandered out into the deserts of southern…

And while we’re on the subject, this Awareness Test video has been forwarded to me numerous times in the last few weeks. I’m glad to know it’s making the rounds. Update: TwoSevensClash just alerted me to a site he recently added to our Del.icio.us links (they’re just to your left under Recent Comments, check for…

Thank you all for your insight on the Fit of our F07 line. As the dust settles from the Fall 07 Sale, we’re getting started with Spring 2008 offering (you can see the new S08 offering at Patagonia.com). Indeed, it’s an exciting time; this is when we get to see the fruits of the previous…

Something interesting has happened around here. Our crew of reluctantly employed fun junkies has remained largely unchanged since Patagonia first set up shop here in Reno in 1996. Sure, the workplace has changed a little bit (no more camping in the parking lot, to mention one thing), but the people have been more or less…

Today we present a special weekend edition of The Dirtbag Diaries with Fitz Cahall. You might recognize the Tom Broxson from a previous episode. In spring of 1991, Tom Broxson survived a 200-foot fall – a full rope length – off the top of Yosemite Valley’s Washington Column. To this day, Tom, his climbing partner…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

For those skeptical business types who wonder why we need toconserve wildlife habitat and diversity, you might be interested in the article Biomimetics: Design by Nature in this month’s National Geographic. It’s about how species living in the natural world around us are increasingly inspiring modern product inventions and innovations. [Could mimicking the lotus leaf…

Fitz Cahall surprised us this morning with a new feature on The Dirtbag Diaries called "The Shorts." In between full-length episodes of the podcast, the Dirtbag Diaries will now be featuring short stories from listeners like you. If you have a short story to share, email The Dirtbag Diaries. In the meantime, here’s Fitz: Great…

At the tail end of winter, a trio of friends — Chipper Bro, DK and Free — spent a pleasant morning playing disc golf at Lake Casitas, near Ojai, California. The dirtbag equivalent to ball golf, disc golf (also called Frisbee® golf) is typically free of charge and played in less manicured environments like parks,…

Because the best down comes from mature geese and because the Eastern Europeans prefer older and larger geese, the best down tends to come from Eastern Europe. The down is harvested and then separated into different grades depending on the quality of down. Hit the jump for more details . . . Down is graded…

Fitz Cahall taps SNEWS Live podcaster James Mills on the shoulder for today’s episode of The Dirtbag Diaries, which features Patagonia ambassador Timmy O’Neill and his brother Sean. From Fitz: What defines you? Is it your past? How you look? I doubt it. It’s the course we chart from dawn to dusk that makes us…

Recently there has been a lot of talk in the surf world about “green” wetsuits (1, 2, 3, 4). Most of the claims revolve around the use of neoprene made from limestone rather than petroleum. I asked Todd Copeland, who works on Patagonia’s Fabric Development team, to shed some light on these claims. Many of…

Product Feedback. Boy do we get a lot of it . . . From fit to function to fashion, from price to purpose to product names, customer feedback is one thing we’ve grown to rely on. We believe our customers are more passionate and outspoken than the norm. And while that means there’s some folks…

If you’ve ever been far away from loved ones when disaster hits, you know how Kristine Tompkins (Patagonia co-founder and former CEO) and her husband, Doug, feel right now. They are in Argentina, while miles away, one of the Chilean national parks they founded, Pumalin Park, is threatened by the ash and toxic gases spewing…

Once again it’s time to leave the car in the garage and clean up your commute. It’s Bike to Work Week and we’ll start it off with a new episode of the Dirtbag Diaries. Fitz Cahall, host of the podcast, has this to say about episode 19: Life was good. The approaches were short. The…

One of the perks Patagonia riders were given this week was the opportunity to get a free bike tune-up on Tuesday to make the crank turning even more joyous. The grease-monkeys in the company generously donated their lunchtime hour to help the rest of us who don’t have the skills or the tools to properly…

Ray King, the manager of Patagonia Santa Cruz, sent the following dispatch from Gerry Lopez’s book tour: Not since 1969 had the Aloha visited Santa Cruz California. True, there are bits and pieces of it floating around, but true and pure Aloha has been vastly missing. It was May 3rd, 2008 on a clear blue…

Fitz Cahall eases us back into the work week with another “short” episode of The Dirtbag Diaries: In the Year of Big Ideas, my childhood friend Brad laid it out – he was going to climb El Cap in 2008. Never mind that he had minimal climbing experience or had never even been to Yosemite.…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

We were walking  around SoHo in New York during Bike to Work week and happened to pass by the Patagonia store. In the window, was the most beautiful bike I’ve ever seen.  We went in, and it turns out the bike was handmade by Ezra Caldwell, a local guy, who happens to be Hillary Nanney’s…

Mountain of Storms was released in 1968. It is a film about 5 friends who pile into an old van somewhere in California and surf, ski, and climb their way south toward the then still-mythical land of Patagonia, where they put up the first ascent of Cerro Fitz Roy’s Southwest Buttress, the so-called “California Route.”…

More from our friend Ari in the South Pacific. After three hours in the heavy Polynesian sun I knew it was time to start heading home. I was on an outer reef named Motu Piti Aau two miles east of Bora Bora. I had walked several miles down the beach exploring the coast, and now…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

After a scorching weekend in Southern California, we start off the work week with an epic episode of The Dirtbag Diaries. Series creator Fitz Cahall introduces Episode 20:  True or False? Standard pushing is for the pros. If you want to shape skiing or climbing, you have to ditch the job, move into the car…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

With Canada Day already happening on Tuesday (cheers Sonnie!) and Independence Day in full swing today, it’s a great time to relax, share some tasty beverages with family and friends, maybe even play a few games of ping pong. Have a great holiday weekend everybody and thanks for visiting The Cleanest Line. Update: Fixed incorrect…

I’m really diggin’ these short, listener-voiced episodes of The Dirtbag Diaries. All of you school teachers out there, especially those who surf (aloha Roger!), will definitely relate to this episode. Fitz Cahall sets the stage: A mythical, semi-secret, surf spot on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast – that’s as descriptive Australian Duncan McNee would get. This secret…

In 1974 a friend and I celebrated our high school graduation by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. Of course we weren’t suspect of our gear at the time, but looking back I can’t believe how much of it was really ill-suited for the job. Near the top of that list was…

Scott Parry climbing “Steppin Out” 5.10d, Yosemite Valley. Photo: Jeff Johnson Phew … I’m back! Finally. Got back a couple months ago after being out of the country for half a year. Long story, too long. I’ll get to that later. You know how it is when you come back from traveling; an estrangement occurs.…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Two Patagonia employees from our Upper West Side store, Eric Taber and Emily Triantaphyllis, are involved in the creation of a new independent film called What’s Organic About Organic? The film — a character-based mosaic that delves into the debates that arise when a grassroots agricultural movement evolves into a booming international market — has…

Zack Smith is a ninja, a master of all climbing styles, a bona fide climbing badass, and if you haven’t heard about him, it’s likely because he prefers it that way. From Patagonia, to Pakistan, to every crag within a six-hour drive of his Moab residence, Zack’s been stealthily pushing rock and alpine climbing standards…

Our board shorts line has a new addition with a long history. The Patagonia Organic Cotton Canvas Boardshorts, or Palaka shorts as they were originally known, come with a special heritage in not only the surf world but old Hawaii as well. When I started surfing in the late 1950s, Palaka shorts were one of…

Fellow surfer and writer, 10-year-old Wil Reid, wrote to us about Eddie Aikau –a surfer whose skill and integrity won Wil’s respect. We agreed and thought Wil’s story about Eddie belonged on The Cleanest Line. We look forward to hearing more from Wil as he pursues his dream to educate others about the power and importance of the…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

As the days counted down to departure, I couldn’t help but laugh. Max’s normal organized nature, the mechanical engineer in him, had been affected by the chaotic nature in me, the eccentric literature major, turned mountain guide. There are two types of travelers/packers. The ones who make lists, pack a week in advance, weigh their…

That’s the question tacitly posed by a recent release from the fine folks at Perseus Books, “Naked in the Woods: Joseph Knowles and the Legacy of Frontier Fakery,” by Jim Motavalli. In it, environmental author and journalist Motavalli details the life and times of Joseph Knowles, a man who in the early 20th-century made a…

After hitting the road to enjoy the summer weather and record some future stories, Dirtbag Diaries host Fitz Cahall is back with another podcast to start your weekend off right. Today’s listener-submitted Shorts episode is voiced by Craig DeMartino. From Fitz: If you plan on calling Craig DeMartino inspirational, he would prefer you wait to…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

I remember seeing the surreal images on my uncle’s television first thing in the morning, and trying to make sense of them on my way to work. I remember the eerie, empty feeling that pervaded the office that day, and canceling my flight to New York – it was scheduled for September 12. I didn’t…

The following post comes from author and urban homesteader, Erik Knutzen. I recently had the pleasure of working with Erik on a talk he gave at Patagonia Ventura about urban farming, vegetables, chickens, hooch, bicycles and cultural alchemy. I’m a big fan of backpacking sufferfests, which often involve a long drive followed by hiking thousand…

Our Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are our front line of communication with Patagonia fanatics far and wide. The crew here at our Call Center in Reno, NV are at it seven days a week, taking orders, helping with returns, and most importantly, answering the astonishing range of questions our customers fire at us. Like flocks…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

It's hard not to get depressed and angry listening to the news lately. My suggestion: Take a break from NPR and tune into The Dirtbag Diaries. Host Fitz Cahall describes today's episode: A 1,200-foot rock wall in a wilderness area – that's standard summer fare. In a day, and back before dinner? Sounds easy. Without…

I said in my initial entry that I would occasionally talk about or mention product. This is only because I am very passionate about technical product. I love it when a piece of gear works exactly how it was intended when used in the conditions it was designed for. For instance: when I’m making an…

The Dirtbag Diaries is on the air with another Shorts episode this week. Host, Fitz Cahall, also wants to hear your scary campfire tales for a special Halloween episode — details below. From Fitz: The Bohrer clan isn’t your average Idaho Falls family. "Our neighbors have trampolines to break neighborhood children’s ankles and wrists. We’ve…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

In honor of Halloween, The Dirtbag Diaries ran a contest asking for your scariest stories. Filled with treats, and maybe one trick, the winning entries have been compiled in today’s episode. Show host Fitz Cahall sets the stage:  What scares dirtbags? Global warming? Nine to five? Johnny Law? The unequivocal answer – bears. After sifting…

Dirtbag Diaries host Fitz Cahall was fortunate to attend last week’s Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival about which he says, "For the dirtbag nation, this is our cultural center, the point from which all information disseminates outward. Whether it’s films, books, discussions on the state of the mountain world, it all begins here." As…

Craig Holloway is back with another insightful interview. This time around Craig chats with Vincent Stanley, who’s been working with his uncle, Yvon Chouinard, for the last 35 years (on and off). Vincent is currently the head writer and editor for Patagonia’s marketing team. [Photo by Tim Davis] CRAIG: You have been employed with Patagonia…

Let’s get straight to the point: We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for You. That’s right, You with a capital “Y,” the one who’s reading this post. It’s You–Patagonia customers, fans of the Tin Shed, regular readers of The Cleanest Line–who deserve the thanks. Last year, we ran a post expressing our gratitude for…

Earlier this year, I was introduced via email to Austrian ultra long-distance walker, Gregor Sieböck. An interesting individual, an even more interesting pursuit; what exactly is ultra long-distance walking? I came to discover that it’s not a competitive sport, but more a way of life for Gregor and a vehicle to carry his message of…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we’ll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn’t mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

One year ago today, everyone at Patagonia was shocked by the sudden death of our dear friend and co-worker Kenny Harbaugh. Two weeks later, Brian Fritz, another beloved colleague, left us all too soon. We’re having a moment of silence today at 11am (PST) in remembrance of these two remarkable individuals, and the families they…

Well, it happened. It finally snowed. Last week, we pled: “Dear Winter, Please Show Up.” We snow-loving mountain dwellers had simply had our fill of gloriously sunny and unseasonably warm days. We couldn’t take it any longer. Cries issued forth. Widespread wailing was heard. Bargains were struck with deities. And of course, the gnashing of…

Are you resolved to travel more in 2009? Today’s Dirtbag Diaries podcast is all the inspiration you’ll need to keep your promise for the New Year. Show host Fitz Cahall sets the stage: If stories are the currency of travel, then writer Ryan Nickum is a very wealthy man. By the time he turned 30,…

As we gear up for the New Year and some backyard adventure stories (there’s still time to submit yours) we present a bicycle-loving couple whose adventure took them as far from their own backyard as possible. In the fall of 2007, Leslie Kehmeier and her husband Chris began a 14-month journey of a lifetime. Their…

In early January, former Patagonia performance baselayer developer, Elissa O’Brien, and Chris, her significant other, boarded a plane for Montevideo, Uruguay. Their plan? Eight months on bikes through South America. Elissa and Chris are sharing their trip via a great Web site full of fun narrative, photos and video. So if bicycle touring and/or South…

It’s time for another reader-submitted Backyard Adventure. This one comes courtesy of longtime Cleanest Line commenter CM, otherwise known as Craig Metzger from Southern California. CM’s story first appeared on his blog Get Outside More.   I’d been planning a backpack trip with friends for some time. The plan was to hike in, camp and then…

Once again, The Dirtbag Diaries kicks off the new year with a podcast full of inspiration for a fun and rewarding 2009. Show host Fitz Cahall sets the stage: Rangi Smart was riding a small spur of his favorite single-track trail when he stumbled upon a perfectly designed mountain bike jump. A platform of two…

[YouTube version – HD available] Reading the Sweetgrass Productions blog, I feel nauseous with envy. “It was beginning to dump in an absolutely ridiculous manner as we left to go to an awesome Japanese-style dinner, where much raw seafood was consumed, priming our bellies for today, which was perhaps the most disgustingly deep powder day…

Last month Uncle Dave returned to the Patagonia campus. Like a bird he migrates back to Ventura for a spell then flies off to New England or Greece for self-rejuvenation. In the six months that he spends on campus he tends the grounds with meticulous precision. The windblown leaves are swept clean from the parking…

This post came to us courtesy of Patagonia Pro, Matt Holmes. Matt is the president of adventure travel company Boundless Journeys, which specializes in active and unique small group adventures to hidden corners of our world. While the majority of Americans were marinating in their own historic moment this past November, Matt was bearing witness…

Howdy friends and neighbors! It's time to step back into the Tin Shed for a whole new round of goodness. Spring greening means time for cleaning, and our crew has gone to town on the Tin Shed. We've dusted off, tuned up, and styled out the Shed with all new videos, audio tracks, slide shows,…

Dirtbag Diaries host Fitz Cahall sets the stage for today's poignant podcast: "Climbing — this one act saves me," says Portland rock climber Bob Grunau. Throughout his life, Grunau has struggled with the lingering clouds of depression. Until he discovered climbing, the only way to weather the darker cycles was to retreat inward into his…

It’s been my pleasure to work with Fitz Cahall as his show, Listen to The Monoboard (mp3 – 11:19 – right-click to download) For more on the music from this episode or to share a story of your own, head over to www.dirtbagdiaries.com. You can subscribe to the show via iTunes or RSS.

We're pleased share this announcement of a local gallery exhibit of the works of Phyllis Shafer. Ms. Shafer is an artist from Lake Tahoe whose work has appeared on one of our more popular t-shirts (image below). Fans of vivid, dynamic landscape imagery will thoroughly enjoy immersing themselves in her work. Please read on for…

Wow, thank you to everyone who commented on the two-year anniversary of The Dirtbag Diaries. I too think Fitz has created something really special and it warms my heart to know there are so many of you out there who feel the same way. Your outpouring of support means a lot, really. Here's Fitz with…

I lay in bed the other night, a lot tired and a little bloodied, but smiling, thinking about the horned toad Alex and I had managed to catch earlier in the day. I’ve only seen a couple of these prehistoric-looking reptiles in the mountains of Southern California, because they’re kind of scarce and accomplished masters…

I’d never found the howl of gale force wind to be a serene experience until last week when Nick Waggoner and the Sweetgrass Productions crew dropped a February teaser on their blog for their upcoming feature ski film based in Hokkaido, Japan. Nick’s ability to capture the essence of skiing in an artistic, hypnotic and…

Series intro: Today's citizen is engaged, concerned, and most of all, confident; confident in his or her choice as a consumer, confident in his or her power as an employee, confident that change is possible. [Ed note: Everyone concerned with the state of the environment has their coming-of -consciousness story. Psychologist Elizabeth Mosco has worked…

I used to teach some classes at the local university. Feeling a little smarmy one-day, I assigned one group a research project, the topic: Thanks to the Duct Tape Creations crew for a great surprise, and thanks for keeping things simple, fun, and positive. [A custom parking place for our spare simoleons. This gem is…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Today's Dirtbag Diaries short doesn't contain any April Fool's jokes. What it does contain is a willingness by contributor Becca Cahall to risk looking like a fool in order to help a group of under-served urban youth learn how to snowboard. “As beginners, the foreign language of awkward body movements communicates a commonality and leaves…

As The Present prepares to head east, we'd like to share news about a different kind of surf film. Ben Keller of Dubious Honor Productions, and friend of Patagonia's El Pescador, is about to take his award-winning film BlueGreen on a 14-show west-coast tour starting this Friday, April 10, in Seattle, Washington. A new surfboard…

Our Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are our front line of communication with Patagonia fanatics far and wide. The crew here at our Call Center in Reno, NV are at it seven days a week, taking orders, helping with returns, and most importantly, answering the astonishing range of questions our customers fire at us. Like flocks…

Saddle up for another episode of The Dirtbag Diaries. Host Fitz Cahall sets the stage for today's podcast: In September 2008, Chad Kellogg and climbing partner Dylan Johnson stood atop 6250-meter Siguniang in Western China after completing the 10,000-foot-long SW Ridge. It was a mind-bending ascent through a massive big wall, a razor edge ridge…

Series intro: The “My Footprint” series shares the stories of Patagonia friends and employees who have been inspired by There's a side to skiing in the United States that many American skiers would just as soon not talk about. For all of its inspiring outdoor elements, the industry as we know it is uniquely dependent…

In between full-length episodes of The Dirtbag Diaries, host Fitz Cahall offers listeners like you the chance to share your own story on the show. These are the Shortz. And while we can't advocate wearing headphones during your rides to work this week, maybe you can use the time on the pedals to think up…

"Today, in conjunction with the Dirtbag Diaries, The Outdoor Parent begins in earnest. Our goal: provide stoke. Stoke to get you out of bed before dawn for a long run through the woods or a solid surf session at a favorite break. Stoke to rally the kids out for a weekend of camping beneath dark,…

It’s time once again to fire up your imagination and take an audio excursion with The Dirtbag Diaries. Host Fitz Cahall is here to introduce today’s episode. “Is there a statute of limitations on finding something you’re passionate about? Is there a certain age when learning something new becomes too much to take on, or…

  It was a snowy February night as I sat up in my bed staring at pictures of Mary-Kate and Ashley, dreaming of sunnier days. Ben stormed into the room, one hand gripping a microwave pizza, the other running through his golden locks. "Ok man, I've got it. We call the movie Signatures. The seasons,…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our Product Report: Synchilla Marsupial, “O” Web Belt, Women's Sender Capris, Kids’ Sky Serpent T-shirt, BabySynchilla Cardigan, Baby Puffer Vest and Kids’ Trucker HatActivity: Camping and Whale Watching, Northern CaliforniaTested by: Michelle L., Patagonia Web Team As I’ve gotten older my lack of sanity manifests itselfin…

It's Friday, and the Dirtbag Diaries are here to help you celebrate solstice with some sonic storytelling. Show host Fitz Cahall has the beta on today's episode: “I had convinced myself at that point that my goal was so important it was worth dying for,” says alpine master Steve House about his 15-year-old dream of…

If you are visiting Squamish this summer and you enjoy a refreshing session of conscious-breathing and tension-releasing exercises, then go to The Yoga Studio on 2nd Ave any day of the week. But if you are here only for a Sunday, then you gotta check out “yoga in the park.” My girlfriend Lydia taught yesterday's…

Do you have a ritual or a tradition for welcoming in summer? Dirtbag Diaries host Fitz Cahall shares his on today's podcast. Here's Fitz: Up in the Northwest, we say that summer doesn’t actually start until July 4th. Right now, we’re experiencing our annual June gloom. So I thought it was time to invoke blue…

Sometime in the late ’80s, my bike mechanic friend John finally agreed to sell me his 1972 British-made Raleigh bicycle. I handed him $150 dollars in cash and a cold, six-pack of beer. He cracked open two brews, handed one back to me, and we both took long swigs, saluting the voodoo bike. I asked…

We’re pleased to share some good news today about a youngfriend who offers a rare bright spot in what has been a tough year for theoutdoor industry. Trevor Clark picked an interesting time to start his outdooradventure photography business – May of 2008. A lot has changed, for Trevor and for the economy, in theyear…

The Dirtbag Diaries descend from the mountains today and shove off into the vastness of the Pacific Ocean with former Surfer's Journal associate editor Christian Beamish. As always, show host Fitz Cahall is here to set the stage: “The planks of my boat are three eighths of an inch thick. Three eighths – this is…

Patagonia Customer Service Rep, Adam Bradley, aka “krudmeister,” aka“El Monstro” has been taking some time off this summer to do a little hikingalong the Pacific Crest Trail. Before he left, we’d asked himif he wouldn’t mind sending updates. His reply: “Well, I guess, but I don’t knowhow much of a story there is to tell…

Remembering the customers of an outdoor store.

Have you ever tried to grow zucchini? I haven’t. I’m ayoungest child, and a fortunate side effect of that is a tendency to learn fromothers’ mistakes. I would watch my siblings get in trouble for something and makea mental note of what not to do. That’s why I’ve shied away from zucchini. I’veseen too often…

Host Fitz Cahall introduces today's Dirtbag Diaries Short before hitting the road for a well-deserved summer break: Some of us were lucky enough to hoist a bulging pack onto our shoulders, stumble into the mountains and return changed at a young age. Some of us heard the mountains’ calling later in life. That doesn’t mean…

I don’t know when it started for me, but somehow, over the last ten years, yoga as a practice has melted into everything I do, as a continuous flow. My favorite translation of the Sanskrit word Yoga implies that everything is already united. The practice part is learning how to pay attention to this wholeness…

Great things are happening over at our sibling surf site Fletcher Chouinard Designs (FCD). Besides hand-shaping some of the lightest and strongest surfboards in the water, they're blogging on their homepage, sharing photos at Flickr and publicly answering customer questions about all the boards in the FCD quiver. While not quite as intimate as working…

You’ve seen our catalogs, our Web site and perhaps some press about Patagonia. For those of you who have never actually seen Patagonia (and I’m imagining that’s most of our customers and friends), here are some photos from and around our headquarters in Ventura. View all or have a look at Patagonia Ventura from space.…

Editor’s note: Back in 2008-2009, when blogging was our social media channel of choice, we asked friends and customers to share stories with us about their backyard adventures. The idea came from Dan Malloy who said in an interview at the time, “My goal these days is to tap into that traveling state of mind…

Last week we mentioned an alaia shaping class at Patagonia Cardiff. Store manager Devon Howard sent some photos from the event and a brief recap for those of us who couldn’t make the trek down south. Thanks to Cyrus Sutton of Korduroy.tv for getting us stoked on providing free alaia shaping classes with Jon Wegener…

We test our gear on avariety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting thelatest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product toour lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testingis over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs, our Customer Service staffgets…

In a new book from National Geographic called My Favorite Place on Earth, Yvon Chouinard talks about Wyoming’s Wind River Range, where he started climbing at age 18. For the book, award-winning writer Jerry Camarillo Dunn rounded up 75 remarkable people – ranging from the Dalai Lama to Jack Johnson to Jane Goodall – and…

"22,000 feet on the Rupal Face, Nanga Parbat, Pakistan: August 15, 2004. I take a deep breath and push the honed edge of the knife against the rope. It doesn't cut. I whetted the edge for just this reason. Frustrated, I look at the small knife in the palm of my mitten. I have carried…

Amy Waeschle is the author of the field report "WAP #96" and a former Patagonia catalog copy writer. She's one of the friendliest, most surf-stoked women I've ever met, especially for someone who lives in a place where conditions are finicky and 5mil wetsuits are the norm. It was a pleasure working with Amy and…

After spending the summer gathering new stories and making an appearance in the Tin Shed, Fitz Cahall is back for another season of The Dirtbag Diaries. Here's Fitz with today's episode: It was a tough summer in the climbing community. We lost heroes, friends, mentors, legends, sons and parents. We celebrate their lives with stories…

After attending the Tools for Grassroots Activists conference earlier this month, I'm particularly fired up to hear today's Dirtbag Diaries. Host Fitz Cahall introduces "The New Conservationists." Our sports, our passions provide a special opportunity to visit thenatural world's wildest places. This tradition began with climber,writer and godfather of conservation John Muir. He was a…

Kelly Cordes has invited you to listen to The Dirtbag Diaries with host Fitz Cahall: Climber and Diaries contributor Kelly Cordes is what you would call an early adopter. Kelly may live in a shack at 8,000 feet, but the guy is no cretin. He’s had an email account for four years now. He knows…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

The Dirtbag Diaries is on the air. Host Fitz Cahall introduces today's podcast: As outdoor types, we love rating systems. We'll rate anything. Rapids. Climbs. Ski runs. Now, we've gone and tried to rate the unrateable — fun. Fun divided by three — it's this concept that has been floating around campfires for years.  It…

Before you start that next batch of cookies, throw on today's Short and listen joyfully while visions of riding dance in your head. Happy holidays from Fitz Cahall and The Dirtbag Diaries. Whether you swing a hammer or hammer on the keyboard, we all find ways to stay sane during the workweek. Maybe it’s a…

I grew up in a family that didn't ski, so it never occurred to me 'til I moved out West that Bing Crosby might have been a total powder hound. Why else would he have been " . . . dreeeaming of a whiiiite chrISTmas . . ."? It can't be because he likes shoveling.…

It’s rare when industry competitors get together to collaborate. It’s even more unusual when they get together to discuss ways they can lessen their environmental impact. Yet that’s what happened as a result of our relationship with bluesign® technologies, an independent third party that screens the dyeing and finishing of textiles. We recently met with…

It's been said that the squeakiest wheel gets the most grease. Some take this to mean that the best way to be heard is to complain loudly and often. We hear from a lot of these folks. Their correspondence can sometimes be downright entertaining. Yes, we gladly do whatever we can to make things right…

I’ve dreamt of Indian Creek for years but had never made the voyage. Now I had an excuse. The Patagonia Design Offsite was to be in Utah this month and I wanted to attend. This would be my first trip to Moab and Indian Creek. I picked up my friend Bill Beckwith in San Francisco.…

A little over a year ago, we invited readers to submit stories of their own Backyard Adventures and announced a deadline of January 9th, 2009. Here we are in 2010, and still (happily) receiving submissions. The most recent is this beautiful audio slideshow from father and Bend, Oregon resident, Jason Albert, entitled Backyard World. The…

The Dirtbag Diaries kick off 2010, and your weekend, with their annual Year of Big Ideas episode (2008, 2009). Do you have aspirations for the new year? Becca Cahall takes the mic today for an episode that's full of great goals: Ski filmmaker Nick Waggoner knew what he wanted to do with his life. He…

In September, we featured a post about a new film from Patagonia Climbing Ambassador Majka Burhardt and filmmaker Chris Alstrin, Waypoint Namibia. Burhardt and fellow Patagonia Ambassador Kate Rutherford rallied climber Peter Doucette, photographer Gabe Rogel, and Alstrin to round out the crew they would need for their month-long trip to Africa’s second-least-populated country, where…

This morning, on the way to work, I heard a story on NPR about the power of activism and an important anniversary. Fifty years ago today, four African American college students challenged society by walking into a Greensboro Woolworth's, sitting down at the segregated lunch counter and refusing to leave until they were served –…

On Wednesday, February 10, Chris Malloy’s long-anticipated film 180° South will premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Details can be found on the Woodshed Films Facebook page or the SBIFF site. For those who can’t make the premiere, we’ll soon have more info on future screenings and the release of the film on DVD and Netflix. Patagonia Books has also published…

What better way to browse the Winterfest Sale than with the Dirtbag Diaries playing in the background? Here's host Fitz Cahall with today's listener-submitted Short: More people reach the top of Mount Everest than hike the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail. It asks a lot of the human body. When writer Alissa Bohling…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and Products Tested: Capilene 2 Bottoms, Shelled Insulator Pants, Simple Guide Pants, Windproof Gloves, Socks, Nano Puff, Alpine Wind Jacket, R2 Jacket, Integral Jacket Activity: Cool Weather Cycling in and around the high desert Average temperatures: 20 – 30ºF Testers: Jim A. & Suzanne K.,…

A few of us in the office have been reading Tree Spiker — the memoir of Mike Roselle, co-founder of Earth First! — and while it's not as lighthearted as today's Dirtbag Diaries episode the timing is still excellent. Stay tuned for our review of Tree Spiker. In the meantime, Fitz Cahall is here to…

If you watched the Academy Awards last night you may have seen Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, appear on a commercial for the American Express Members Project, a new partnership with social-action network Takepart.com. The piece was filmed in and around Ventura County by Robert Richardson – himself an Oscar-winning cinematographer – and directed by Scott…

Most of our employees have interesting stories to tell, but few have spent 15 months in an East German jail after abandoning a plan to somersault the Berlin Wall from a trampoline before trying to escape the country on foot. Holger Bismann, managing director of Patagonia Europe, was generous enough to share some of his…

One world, one love, one blog. Yesterday we heard from an East German employee, today, India native Harini Ayer shares her Short on The Dirtbag Diaries. Host Fitz Cahall sets the stage: Throughout the course of the Diaries, I'd hazard to guess that hundreds of you have written in about the struggle many of us…

It's been said that if you remember the 60s then you weren’t there. But if, like me, you grew up in the 60s and 70s and were into backpacking or climbing, there is actually a whole lot to remember. Like many of us, I got my start backpacking in the Boy Scouts. I remember our…

Join us at GPIW Patagonia Ventura for an artist reception and show on Saturday, April 17. We’ll be featuring the work of professional artists from around the country who produce designs for our T-shirts. From classic to contemporary, their work will be on display at Patagonia throughout the ArtWalk weekend and beyond. Meet them at…

The Dirtbag Diaires is on the air and host Fitz Cahall is back once again to introduce today's podcast:   Success. What is it? How does each of us define it in our lives? It’s a question that has hovered over many of the stories we’ve told in the last three years. Aimee Brown has…

Happy Mother's Day to all the Patagoniac moms out there. Thank you for all you do. In lieu of organic roses delivered to each of your doorsteps, we present a new Shorts episode of the Dirtbag Diaries for you to enjoy in bed while your offspring prepare your favorite breakfast. Show host Fitz Cahall introduces…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our athletes and ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Patagonia ambassador Kelly Cordes steps into the ring this week for another round with Fitz Cahall and the Dirtbag Diaries: "Fantasies happen from a safe distance. It's one thing to say you want something, even convince yourself of it. It's another thing all together to stand under a 3,500-foot nightmare you've feared for 15 years…

Writing about Patagonia’s Footprint Chronicles for the blog Greenovate, Michael Hurwitz states, “While many companies are, of course, implementing transparency initiatives, Patagonia’s project is more or less unprecedented, because of the size of the company as well as the fact that it originated from customer demand.” After over three years of steady work on our…

[Original artwork, like this painting by AD Maddox, was on display alongside Patagonia clothing and gear inside Great Pacific Iron Works. Photo: Dave Kanarek] Back in April, Patagonia T-shirt artists were featured in a “Meet the Artist” reception at Great Pacific Iron Works, the original Patagonia retail store in Ventura, California. As a participant of…

iPods rejoice! The newest episode of The Dirtbag Diaries has just gone live. Our friend and host, Fitz Cahall, is here once again to set the stage. As a child, Freddie Wilkinson was fascinated by K2 and the adventure narratives from 8,000 meter peaks. It led to an incredible career as an alpinist seeking out…

  Ever ridden in a backpack, surfed tandem, skied on a leash, been pulled up to the belay, sat on the handle bars or just had a downright radical experience with the helping hand of your Rad Dad? In celebration of Father's Day, we put that question to you a little over a week ago.   The…

Editor’s Note: Today’s post comes from Dan Moore, down in southern Utah. Dan sent us this story in response to our request to “Tell Us About Your Rad Dad.” Last week’s featured submission was from a young lady whose discovery of herself and the outdoors is still unfolding. This week’s feature offers a look back…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our Athletes & Ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you of our Patagonia Jobs page. There are some very good opportunities up there right now. Vice President of Global Sales? You know you want it. If so, consider today's Dirtbag Diaries, and the accompanying photo, tips for applying. Here's, Fitz Cahall, host of the show, with…

You see, in this world there are two kinds of people, my friend. Those who've never heard of the Dirtbag Diaries, and those who listen. You listen. Here's Fitz Cahall to tell you about the good, the bad and the ugly in today's podcast: "There aren't so many real cowboys left in America, just a…

Cleanest Line contributor Craig Holloway is back with another installment of his employee interview series. Today, Craig speaks with Cheryl Endo, Patagonia’s T-Shirt Line Director, about her job inside Patagonia and her interests outside the company. Craig – What made you decide to come work at Patagonia? Cheryl – In 1988 I decided to take…

Every year, some friends and I converge on an really cool spot near Yosemite where we hike six miles carrying absurdly heavy packs and eat crazy amounts of really good food. Over the years, the only down side to this idyllic spot has been the parking. And by parking I don’t mean finding a space,…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our Athletes & Ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

[Tracing the Edge playlist, kick back and watch episodes 1-5. Video: Fitz Cahall & Bryan Smith] Our friend Fitz Cahall, who you know from The Dirtbag Diaries, and his partner Bryan Smith have created a new 10-part video series, Tracing the Edge, that peers into the lives of three Patagonia ambassadors. You saw the first…

Our lives seem to move in fast forward. We run from our homes to our jobs and back barely noticing the scenery, or the people around us. For touring musicians the pace is even faster—they drive 300 miles to a city that they’ve never seen during the day, load their gear into the venue for…

I love the characters in our world. They color things, make everything interesting, and so often dwell on the fringe. Maybe it was a compliment when my friend, The Chief, got lectured by his father: “When are you drifters gonna move out of the gray area and join the human race!” Another such character, The Danimal…

For the past nine weeks I’ve been taking a course in fiction writing. As part of the class, we write short stories and critique each other’s finished works.  The other night we critiqued a classmate’s story about a woman who worked for a corporation that took extreme measures – from forcing employees to sign far-reaching…

Crank through your week with a new podcast from the Dirtbag Diaries. Show host Fitz Cahall sets the stage: I love bikes. I like riding them through the woods. I like working on them. I even like riding bikes on roads, but I've never been a road biker. To me road biking has always seemed…

This summer, Patagonia teamed up with non-profit environmental and social justice group, Louisiana Bucket Brigade (LABB), to assist with a project massive in scale and ambition: to track the full impact of the greatest ecological disaster in American history, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of Spring 2010. The impacts of this disaster extend well beyond…

It was just a couple weeks ago that our friends down in Patagonia's Ventura offices were wishing summer a fond farewell. Maybe it's this week's return to splitter blue skies and warm breezes, maybe it's the certainty of winter's descent when the snows finally come, but our Reno-based tribe has been a bit more reluctant…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our Field Report: Climbing El Cap, Yosemite Valley, early October 2010Conditions: Kinda like rock climbing, kinda like paddling whitewater.Products Tested: Nano Storm, M10 Jacket, R1 Hoody, Rain Shadow JacketTested By: Dave Campbell, Patagonia Pro Sales There’s a saying in China: If you’re ‘one in a million’,…

In lieu of candy, we're happy to share an equally sweet treat for your Halloween weekend. Fitz Cahall is back with his annual Halloween episode of The Dirtbag Diaries. It's that time of year. Leaves line the sidewalks. Darkness tugs at the soul. A cold wind blows. Today, we present Tales of Terror, two stories…

How do you get to work in morning? Are you stuffed into a sweltering New York subway car? Crammed fender-to-fender along LA’s mind-numbing 405? Either way, our morning commute to work was way more stressful than yours. I promise. We chased the sun across the Inca Lake in Portillo… Editor's note: Freelance writer Greg Fitzsimmons…

Editor’s note: Craig Holloway continues his excellent interview series today with some questions for Patagonia Retail District Manager, Brooks Scott. Craig chose to interview Brooks for his insightful knowledge and passion for retail. Brooks lives in Chicago with his family and oversees the Patagonia Chicago, St. Paul, Washington DC and Atlanta stores. Craig – How…

On the inside back cover of our 2010 Holiday Catalog is an image that originally appeared on the cover of our 1990 winter Kid’s Catalog. Not one person here in mail order even worked for Patagonia back then but nonetheless it’s a picture many of us know well. The photograph is of a little girl…

Editor's note: Fitz Cahall joins us today to share another behind-the-scenes story from the making of Tracing the Edge. Winter was fickle last year. Bryan and I were set to work with surfing legend Gerry Lopez. I’d already spent a day filming with him in Bend. He’d shown me every powder stash available on Mount…

The snow has finally come to the Sierra Nevada, giving those of us who moved here to be close to the mountains all the more reason to be thankful. If you're able to make skiing part of your Thanksgiving holiday this year, here's a little something to offer up before you drop in: Now I…

FCD Board Report – The first thing I noticed about the 5’7″ Fish was how lightweight it was, making it a lot easier to throw around in the surf. I usually ride smaller Fish, somewhere around 5’4″, so i didn’t really know what to expect. The extra few inches made it way easier to paddle…

Host Fitz Cahall throws caution to the wind in today's beautifully narrated episode of The Dirtbag Diaries. This last fall, Becca and I embarked on a trip of a lifetime. We began on foot in Sequoia National Park and hiked north through Yosemite. Along the way, we would climb as many routes as our rations,…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our Athletes & Ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Fred Beckey and Yvon Chouinard share a photo op with some of the amazing women who make this company tick, Patagonia Christmas Party 2010. Many thanks to Patagonia’s own Mike Simpson and his band, Dr. M, for rocking (and I mean rocking) the dance floor. Big hugs to all the Patagonia employees who couldn’t be…

We posted some pictures on Flickr a few weeks back of a surfboard that Stru built during some of his off hours. We got such a reaction to the pics that we decided a Q&A with Dr. Strukenstein was in order. This interview was conducted over a three-week period, during which there were some highs…

We test our gear on a variety of levels. Our Athletes & Ambassadors are responsible for putting the latest designs and fabrics through the paces before we'll add a new product to our lineup. But just because something reaches our shelves doesn't mean testing is over. Once a new item shows up in our catalogs,…

Happy New Year. We're starting 2011 off right with the first-ever fly fishing story to be shared on the Dirtbag Diaries. Host Fitz Cahall introduces today's podcast: Mark Rutherford and John Merritt grew up sharing the same sand box. As they grew up, they each followed separate paths. John had a successful career in the…

Patagonia has been working with Wolverine World Wide (WWW) for four years to build a successful line of hiking boots, lifestyle and multi-sport shoes, sandals and more. We rely heavily on WWW’s experience making footwear – an extremely complicated process – but stay involved in every step of the process. That’s why members of Patagonia’s…

  [Straight road through farmville. Pushing towards Marrakesh, Morocco. All photos courtesy of Paul Kent, Adam Colton and Aaron Enevoldsen.] Billy Smith, Patagonia wetsuit developer & co-inventor of the Sporting-Sail, introduced us to some of his good friends at Long Treks on Skate Decks who skateboard across countries. After looking at their photographs, videos (warning:…

What are your goals for 2011? If you're still looking for ideas, today's Dirtbag Diaries has more than a few from listeners like you. James Q Martin has an incredible, carefree life. For the last, five years he's traveled the world, often to warm locales to photograph beautiful athletes in stunning places. It would be…

Back in 1986, Life magazine christened the 250 miles of US Highway 50 between Fallon and Ely, Nevada with the moniker “The Loneliest Road in America.” In a classic example of turning lemons into lemonade the Nevada Department of Tourism seized on the title and began a marketing campaign complete with loneliest road signs, survival…

Nobody likes to wear booties when they surf, but there are some places where the water is so cold it can’t be avoided. What happens then when you forget your booties after hiking in to surf beautiful head-high waves in 30-degree water? You get creative. So, I’ve long been a fan of Patagonia products. However,…

Patagonia’s environmental internship program is sending about 20 employees into the field this year to volunteer with nonprofit environmental groups around the world. The company pays employee salaries and benefits for up to a month while they work in D.C., Kenya, Kauai and other locales. Ari Zolonz, an employee in our Portland, Oregon store, spent…

Pacific Northwest climbers know John Scurlock for his stunning mountain images. His aerial photos have contributed to countless adventures, providing inspiration and aid to climbers looking to hone-in on details of remote peaks. John is a paramedic by trade, and a photographer and pilot by obsession (he’s working on a coffee table photo book, to…

Bust out the headphones, Fitz Cahall just released a brand new episode of The Dirtbag Diaries. Our sports have long heralded rating systems that let us know just how we’re doing. We may bicker over their ratings, but we return to them again and again. They help us set goals, and push ourselves harder. But…