The Silvercore Podcast with Travis Bader
Travis Bader
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Ep. 157: How a Rock Band in Iraq Turned Into a Survival Gear Empire
What do you get when you mix raw adventure, music tours in war zones, bowhunting in Africa, and building one of the most respected survival gear companies in North America? You get Christian Schauf. In this episode, we go far beyond the typical founder story. From recording with Prince to launching survival kits that save lives, Christian opens up about what drives him: faith, fitness, hunting, entrepreneurship—and doing something meaningful with this short time we’re given. We talk about moose hunting in BC, building gear that’s actually reliable when things go sideways, learning from failure, and the mindset needed to push forward when most people quit. Whether you’re into the outdoors, business, or just trying to live a more intentional life, this one’s for you. https://unchartedsupplyco.com/ https://www.instagram.com/unchartedsupplyco https://www.instagram.com/christianschauf ______ Silvercore Club - https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 Online Training - https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U Other Training & Services - https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU Merchandise - https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 Blog Page - https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.trav Silvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors ____ 00:00 – Podcast intro, Silvercore Club mention, and Christian’s bio 01:15 – How Christian came onto Travis’s radar: Half Face Blades and pack rafts 03:00 – Origin of the pack raft: military request, product design challenges 04:30 – Material development, Outdoor Retailer debut, slow early adoption 05:00 – Rafts used for hauling moose in Yukon and Alaska 07:00 – Living near elk and moose in Idaho/Park City, gratitude for the outdoors 08:00 – Reflection on time, legacy, and trying to do something meaningful 09:00 – Balancing ambition and faith; feeling overwhelmed; personal introspection 09:30 – Touring Iraq with a band, 39 trips for troop entertainment 12:26 – Using Prince’s sound guy, building portable sound systems for Blackhawks 14:43 – Making the shows about the troops, not the band 17:00 – Transitioning from touring to building new ventures 20:00 – Founding Crispin Cider, selling to MillerCoors 21:00 – Working with GoPro, Harley, and other brands post-touring 22:00 – Moving to SoCal, culture shock, and the roots of Uncharted 23:00 – Hard lessons in entrepreneurship, trusting the wrong people 24:30 – Importance of endurance, triage mindset, and grinding through obstacles 25:30 – Being taken advantage of, learning to manage yourself 26:45 – Facing new tariff issues, adapting with mindset 27:45 – You have to get comfortable with the pressure—it’s not going away 29:00 – Believing in your idea when others don’t 30:00 – Responding to doubters and building resilience 31:10 – Quality vs. garbage survival kits, building trust in the Uncharted brand 32:35 – Real-life use cases: jump starters, storm kits, hurricane response 36:00 – Designing gear that prevents emergencies before they escalate 37:00 – Color-coded, instructional layout of kits to reduce panic and improve usability 39:00 – Making gear intuitive even for non-experts 40:00 – No formal training offered yet, but strong content and future plans 41:00 – Most popular products: jump starters, first aid kits, survival kits 43:00 – Essentials Christian always carries, layering gear in “concentric circles” 44:30 – Saving his dog’s life with the Triage Kit 45:00 – Future of the company: growth, wholesale expansion, tariffs disrupting progress 47:00 – Transparent supply chain talk, China, FDA rules, and pricing realities 48:30 – Importance of American manufacturing and balancing affordability 49:30 – Drawing business parallels to survival mindset 50:00 – Upcoming hunts in South Africa (for school meat programs) and New Zealand 52:00 – Christensen Arms rifle use in mountainous terrain 54:00 – Travis’s Molokai access deer story and equipment mismatch 56:00 – Reaffirming the value of knowing your gear deeply 57:00 – Touching on faith, legacy, and leading by example 58:00 – Christian’s approach to faith: live it, don’t preach it
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