Glen Van Peski is a civil engineer who used his skills to engineer the lightest backpacking gear in the Solar System. Glen is the founder of Gossamer Gear.
In 2024, he released Take Less, Do More: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker.
In this interview series, Glen shares snippets of his book. The final episode is a flashback episode of Glen and Francis recording themselves chatting while hiking up San Francisco's historic Sweeney Ridge.
#1 How To Frame Our Life Story
We introduce Glen using two filters: the negative story vs. the positive story.
Using different lenses, we can radically transform how we view macro- and micro-moments throughout our lives.
Video
Podcast
#2 The Power of Generosity
Glen Van Peski reveals one of his favorite annual backpacking trips, how to stop a snorer, and lessons about generosity.
00:00 Arizona's Buckskin Gulch
03:33 How to stop someone snoring
4:30 Lessons from a disabled son
6:45 Chopsticks as tent stakes - Chopstakes
9:30 Accepting generosity
14:30 Subtract Toward Happiness
16:40 The Generous Debit Card
Video
Podcast
#3 Reframing & Recalibrating Your Self-Assessment Changes Everything
In this episode, Glen Van Peski shares the story of an American worker who visited India to see where his outsourced job went. The lesson was surprising.
Do you think you're not in the top 1%? Think again.
Video
Podcast
#4 The 5 Best Backpacking Gear Tips from Gossamer Gear's Founder
In the first 10 seconds of this episode, you'll hear Glen Van Peski's top five tips on lightening your backpacking load. He shares several other brilliant tips on improving your backpacking skills and gear in less than five minutes.
Video
Podcast
#5 Surviving a Plane Crash That Killed the Pilot
Glen Van Peski sat in the co-pilot seat of a tiny plane that crashed, killing the pilot next to him. What happened? How did Glen and all the other passengers survive with minor or moderate injuries?
We talk a lot about death in this episode, including how Glen's mom and son died.
We end on a positive note.
Video
Podcast
BONUS: Glen and Francis Chat While Hiking California's Sweeney Ridge
In the 31st WanderLearn episode, Glen and I chat while hiking to Sweeney Ridge in the San Francisco Bay Area's Peninsula. On the ridge, there's a National Historic Landmark commemorating the historic Gaspar de Portola Expedition. The Spanish Portola was the first European to see the Bay Area in 1769.
In this podcast, you'll learn:
- What's the lightest backpack that Glen has ever had?
- Why Gossamer Gear has introduced heavier gear options.
- What are some fabulous fabrics on the horizon?
- How to get sponsored.
- Some helpful metric conversion tips.
- What's Glen's favorite backpack?
- What was unexpectedly hard about making a backpacking gear company?
- The time Glen nearly died because he went stupid light.
- How Gossamer Gear's Crotch Pot makes tasty food.
Share! Review it!
Bonus video!
Join the exclusive WanderLearn Patreon club.
More about Glen Van Peski
Sponsored by Health Access Sumbawa
Health Access Sumbawa sponsored this show. In 2014, Jack Kennedy founded this nonprofit that is helping bring malaria control and healthcare to remote, impoverished communities. It started on the remote island of Sumbawa, Indonesia. Visit their website to learn more and to donate: https://healthaccesssumbawa.org
