Honestly, I wasn’t even looking. My career in the outdoor industry felt set, a comfortable path with big brands, big budgets, and global supply chains. I’d met incredible people and learned a ton, but somewhere along the way, the “why” I got into it started to fade. The gear still looked the part, sure, but the soul? That felt a little lost.
Then, earlier this year, a friend mentioned Cache. A small Utah company, crafting rugged, smart outdoor gear. My ears perked up, and curiosity got the best of me. What hooked me wasn’t just the awesome gear, though it is. It was the people behind it. No pretense, no marketing fluff. Just genuine folks deeply invested in what they create and how they operate. It was refreshing. True accountability to their people, their products, and their purpose.
Cache isn’t some retro brand. It’s something else entirely. Small enough to obsess over the details, scrappy enough to challenge the status quo. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was working with people who actually live and breathe the outdoors, not just market it.
Growing up in a small fishing town in Massachusetts, I spent years chasing wilderness and work across the globe. But lately, I’ve found myself drawn back to what truly matters: family, wide-open spaces, and building great things with good people.
Oh, and of course, steelheading.
- Matt
