From the FDNY to the Surf: How One Firefighter Built Phase Gear on Retirement Checks

22 years in the New York City Fire Department. A lifetime of surf casting on Long Island, Montauk, and Rhode Island. And one snowboarding buddy with an outsider's eye who asked the question that started a company: "Why is all your fishing gear so heavy?" In this episode, Peter from The Saltwater Edge sits down with Pete Utschig, founder of Phase Gear, to talk about how a passion project funded one retirement check at a time has turned into one of the most exciting new technical apparel brands in surf fishing. We cover: 00:00 - Intro: 22 years in the FDNY 02:30 - Meeting Mikko in paintball, the grand slam first night in Montauk 04:30 - The snowboard jacket moment that changed everything 05:30 - The real surf-caster problems Phase Gear set out to fix 09:30 - The hardest part of building a fishing company on a pension 12:30 - Investors offered money. Why Pete said no. 14:00 - The single skill Pete had to learn (in fishing AND in business) 20:00 - What's next for Phase Gear 🎣 Shop Phase Gear at The Saltwater Edge: https://www.saltwateredge.com/search?... — sEclipse Fishing Top: https://www.saltwateredge.com/product... — sElement 2.0 Top: https://www.saltwateredge.com/product... — Phase Moon Hoodie: https://www.saltwateredge.com/product... Follow Phase Gear: https://phase-gear.com | @phasegear on Instagram Follow The Saltwater Edge: https://www.saltwateredge.com | @saltwateredge #SurfFishing #SurfCasting #PhaseGear #StripedBass #SaltwaterFishing #FishingApparel #FDNY #FounderStory