Having your dream career — and life — in the outdoors nearly terminated by a genetic roll of the dice would change anyone’s priorities.

And that’s exactly the story of Jay Getzel, now the senior director of sales for Nite Ize. Fortunately, Getzel’s tale is one of triumph and hard choices for the better.

Not only do we dive into his emotional reckoning with a congenital heart condition, but we also gain insight into how one builds a life centered around the outdoors in the first place.

Plus, how do you recreate without lavish and expensive gear? Is Amazon an on-ramp or a dead end for newcomers to outdoor adventure? And what the heck is going on at Nite Ize — the modern-day Willy Wonka of outdoor gear?

The post Jay Getzel: Finding Your Path, Facing Mortality, and Keeping Perspective appeared first on GearJunkie.