{"podcast":{"title":"The Backpacking Podcast presented by Outdoor Vitals","slug":"the-backpacking-podcast-presented-by-outdoor-vitals-1207657","podcast_index_feed_id":1207657,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/120f0c00/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/backpackingpodcast","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/2929760/2929760-1712694426930-e4195e2ddd16b.jpg","author":"John Kelley, Jeremiah Stringer","episode_count":323,"summary":"Be prepared to listen to great stories, hear from incredible guests, and laugh until your stomach hurts. Jeremiah Stringer and John Kelley share from experiences and knowledge from the trail while bringing the fun back to backpacking podcasts. The main goal here is to make you smile, and you'll quickly realize that Wednesdays are the best day of the week.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-13T08:20:53.765169+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backpacking-podcast-presented-by-outdoor-vitals-1207657"},"episode":{"title":"323 Best Backpacking Gear Is NOT In Stores... w/ Ben McMillen","slug":"323-best-backpacking-gear-is-not-in-stores-w-ben-mcmillen","published_at":"2026-06-12T19:45:48+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backpacking-podcast-presented-by-outdoor-vitals-1207657/323-best-backpacking-gear-is-not-in-stores-w-ben-mcmillen","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backpacking-podcast-presented-by-outdoor-vitals-1207657","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/backpackingpodcast/episodes/323-Best-Backpacking-Gear-Is-NOT-In-Stores----w-Ben-McMillen-e3knbmu","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APO8261290314.mp3","summary":"Founder's Sale by Outdoor Vitals (Early-Bird List): https://bit.ly/4v2qWkY Jeremiah and John sit down with Ben McMillen, owner of Hilltop Packs, to talk about the world of cottage gear, building a backpacking business, and what sets small outdoor brands apart from the big manufacturers. Ben shares the story behind Hilltop Packs, the importance of customer connection, company culture, American-made gear, tariffs, product innovation, and the surprising item that became one of Hilltop's biggest sellers. Whether you're a gear nerd, small business supporter, or backpacker looking for insight into the outdoor industry, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most recognizable cottage brands in backpacking. #Backpacking #HilltopPacks #CottageGear #BackpackingPodcast #HikingGear #ThruHiking #OutdoorIndustry","meta_description":"Founder's Sale by Outdoor Vitals (Early-Bird List): https://bit.ly/4v2qWkY Jeremiah and John sit down with Ben McMillen, owner of Hilltop Packs, to talk a…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3778,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-backpacking-podcast-presented-by-outdoor-vitals-1207657/episodes/323-best-backpacking-gear-is-not-in-stores-w-ben-mcmillen/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-backpacking-podcast-presented-by-outdoor-vitals-1207657/323-best-backpacking-gear-is-not-in-stores-w-ben-mcmillen.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}