Creation and Catharsis: On Designing a New Ice Axe with Marty Theriault

What goes into making an ice axe? Of course there is technical know-how, design, and testing, but for Marty Theriault, it was more like an act of therapy. And a way to connect with friends.Marty started Forecast Equipment after he was medically released from the Canadian military for PTSD. He’d been percolating on the idea of a new tool and finally had the time – to heal and to create. He wanted a tool that could do it all, and he drew upon decades of familiarity with different axes and uncompromising principles for certain features. How did it come together?  Listen on to find out. Resources and links:Marty and the Forecast team are offering veterans and active duty military a 10% discount through January. To get the code, contact the company at [email protected] can check out the Nor*easter and the rest of the Forecast lineup on their website: forecastequipment.com.If you are struggling with PTSD and are seeking help, know that you are not alone and there are resources. Consider talking with the Veterans Crisis Line to get support. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to call.Find the rest of the notes, timestamps, resources, and more on the episode page. Credits:Intro music by Hannah Noelle Enomoto (thanks, sis!). Patreon:For the price of a beer per month, you can help us produce episodes like this and much, much more. If you’ve been enjoying the podcast this season, consider supporting us on Patreon.  Credits:Intro music by Hannah Noelle Enomoto (thanks, sis!).This episode was edited by Andrew Salomone of salomonesound.com.And of course, a big thanks to our sponsors, Aniiu  Gloves and Furnace Industries! Become a member:Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the conversation and want to help us do many more episodes like this, please consider becoming a member.   (For less than the price of a bougie beer per month!). 🗣️ Leave us a review!:You can also help us out by subscribing to the podcast and leaving us a review on your podcast platform of choice. Reviews are helpful for new listeners that come across the show, and a good rating means Spotify, Apple, and other platforms are more likely to recommend it to others.