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
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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
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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