This is the second installment of Q&A with the CLT business units. The first post happened last week when I picked the brains of the Kids team CLT group. This week features the candid responses of our Outdoor CLT business unit!

Read on to live vicariously through the exciting experiences of William B, Lacy J, and Max M!

From left: William B, Max M, Lacy J

Question: What is the most exhilarating outdoor activity you have done?

William: "Scuba diving."

Lacy: "Rock climbing. There is no comparison."

Max: “There are too many times that I could mention and go on and on... but basically anything outdoors.”

Question: Our customers do a lot of shopping in preparation for upcoming trips. Have they ever shared a trip with you that you were totally jealous of? If so, where were they going?

William: “To Patagonia for four weeks. I was way jealous of that.”

Lacy: “This actually happens everyday. Yesterday I spoke to a mountaineer that's climbing Grand Cathedral in the Tetons this summer. I was born a couple miles from there, so I'm a little biased, but they're some of the most beautiful mountains in the world! I'm not usually the alpine mountaineering type, glaciers scare me, but even I would like to see the world from the top of Grand Cathedral. I've talked to people going to Kilimanjaro, the Alps, and even a couple to Everest and some of the other Seven Summits. I've also talked to rock climbers going to Thailand, South Africa, Madagascar, South America, Europe, etc. I can't go a day without wishing a customer could take me along with them!”

Max: “Some customers taking trips overseas, to Italy, or the one guy who was going to hike across Europe for 2 months.”

Question: What is the craziest animal you have come across in your outdoor journeys?

William: “A giant eagle ray while I was scuba diving. The thing had to be three times my size, it was HUGE. I was both terribly scared and excited at the same time.”

Lacy: “I seem to be a wildlife magnet, so this is hard. But there is a refuge in Jackson, WY where the buffalo can roam and graze freely. You can also drive through this refuge and take a look. I have a picture of a 3-4 year old bull crossing the road, 10 feet from the front bumper of my car. No matter how many times I go see the herd, being that close to such a giant wild animal is a major thrill. And when your little car is surrounded my a hundred of them snorting and grunting and doing their buffalo business...well... let’s just say it's crazy.”

Max: “I saw a panther on the beach in Guam. While on vacation, I was walking on the beach, just as the sun was setting, and I saw what looked like a large dog on the beach. He was with his trainers. So it wasn't exactly a wild animal, but I was walking very close before I realized what it was.”

Question: What 5 items would you pack if you were going to be stranded in the desert for a month?

William: “Flint/Clothing /Jerky /Fresh Water /A signaling device”

Lacy: "Nutrogena Full Spectrum SPF 85/Therm-a Rest mattress/Gerber multi-tool with a decent blade and a shovel attachment/Topo map of the area/Snake tongs or a .22 rifle.”

Max: “Enoughwater/Shelter/Food/Map/Compass.”

Question: Would you rather be stranded on a remote island or lost in the mountains?

William: “I would rather be lost in the mountains because you can - eventually - find your way out of the mountains. On an island you can’t get past the ocean. There is also more potential food and fresh water in the mountains.”

Lacy: “That would depend entirely on the specific island or the mountains I had to choose from. I've seen examples of both that I would be perfectly happy on and could survive on easily enough, and I've also seen examples of each that would kill me in a day. Tropical Islands are okay, Desert Islands are not. The Northern Sierras I could handle, but I would freeze to death in the Himalayas in the first 24 hours. I'd pick whichever one had more stable, temperate weather conditions, lots of available food and fresh water, and potential shelter.”

Max: “I would rather be stranded in the mountains. I don't think I'm that good at building boats... yet! But I sure can hike!”

Question: What is the most common question asked by our customers?

William: “How does this shoe run?”

Lacy: “It varies by season and also by degree of activity. We have hard core customers and casual customers. Right now a lot of casual customers are looking for hydrophobic shoes and sandals, while the hard core folks are looking for backpacking and mountaineering boots. In the winter we get lots of calls for Sorel bootliners and "fashionable" winter boots that will keep your feet warm in -60 degree weather. Haha.”

Max: “Most customers want to know how different shoes, boots, or sandals fit.”

Question: What was your favorite outdoor activity as a kid?

William: “Riding my bicycle and seeing the ocean.”

Lacy: “Horse Camping. It basically involves riding your horse out to the most remote location you can find, and camping there. You can fish and hunt at the same time. It's like backpacking, but with a horse to help carry stuff.”

Max: “Riding bikes.”

Question: What do you love most about your job?

William: “That it happens to be at Zappos.com!”

Lacy: “Product testing! I feel so fortunate to work for the lifestyle department that embodies my lifestyle. I shop on Outdoor.zappos.com constantly! Because I love the lifestyle, I also love the product, buying it and using it. A few minutes ago a lady called for help finding rock shoes for her son, who is just learning. I was able to make several recommendations based on actual hands-on experience. I am also a beginner and have tried several of the styles on our site. I was able to give her real life evaluations and personal experience to help her decide. Customers really appreciate it when I can relate to their situation and they enjoy talking about the activities they love with someone who understands and relates. It makes their experience and mine much more enjoyable. Instead of work, it's just a nice day talking to people about the activities, places and products we love.”

Max: “Being able to help our customers!”