Join our community as we build the definitive content source to inspire and motivate sports and outdoor industry leaders, providing practical career and business insights. We started with a podcast and YouTube channel, and in 2025, we’ll be adding the following: ✳️ Webinars ✳️ Newsletters ✳️ And much more! Click the follow button to keep updated and join the community. You can watch the podcast on YouTube and Spotify or listen to it on your favourite podcast platforms, including Apple and Sp ...
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hunting and fishing for beginners Cover art photo provided by Riccardo Chiarini on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@riccardoch
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Tired of the same old outdoor industry narratives? If your post-adventure chats are filled with laughter over mishaps, commiseration about broken gear, and celebrating real triumphs (and epic fails), then The Rock Fight is your new tribe. Imagine this: you're no longer stuck in echo chambers. After listening in, you'll be part of honest, unfiltered discussions that mirror the conversations you have with your closest outdoor buddies. You'll gain fresh perspectives and feel more connected to a ...
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PFAS Isn’t Over: What Comes Next for Outdoor Brands?
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32:28Today on The Rock Fight, Colin and Eoin Comerford sit down at the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Connect show with Alex Lauver, the former Director of Materials & Sustainability at Outdoor Research, now leading Douglas Strategies LLC, a consultancy focused on impact reduction and supply-chain transparency. They unpack the state of PFAS (“forever chemi…
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Outdoor Industry Trends: Reporting Season & Trade Show Shake-Ups
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43:31This week on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave break down a packed slate of outdoor industry headlines, from financial shakeups to listener drama. On the docket! VF’s Up-and-Down Quarter: North Face & Timberland steady the ship while Vans still struggles. HOKA’s Plateau: Deckers cools expectations as HOKA’s U.S. sales flatten but inter…
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Tradeshow News Recap + America's Next Top Trail Running Brand!
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1:02:55Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave put three buzzworthy trail running brands to the test in the first-ever America’s Next Top Trail Running Brand showdown. Focusing on Brand Position, Retail Appeal, and wear test performance, the trio have a look at Speedland, Norda, and Mount to Coast to crown one who will move on to…
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How Mammut Made Humor Work in the Outdoor Industry
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46:15The Brief is back! Today on The Rock Fight Colin and Producer Dave break down Mammut’s Mountain Wear Rescue campaign. They’re joined by Mammut’s Chief Marketing Officer Nic Brandenberger, who shares the inside story of how the campaign came together, from the insight that “8 out of 10 jackets never see a mountain” to the decision to embrace humor. …
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Outdoor Industry Buy or Sell: Patagonia, VF, Trail Running and More!
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52:35Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave return with Outdoor Industry Buy or Sell as they name what’s hot (and what’s not). Here's the rundown! Rough Q4 on the way? Multiple reports this past week paint a less than rosy picture for the end of the year. (06:44) A new survey names what is trending with teens. Spoiler: it's not Puffin D…
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Hunting for the next Sports and Outdoor Unicorn with Armelle Solelhac
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1:30:11Join us for an inspiring conversation with Armelle Solelhac, a visionary who fearlessly pivoted from law to entrepreneurship, and now, to the competitive world of Venture Capital. In this episode, Armelle takes us on her incredible journey, sharing the raw challenges and exhilarating triumphs that led her to build her own VC fund focused on the Fre…
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Pitchfest 2025: Women Building the Future of the Outdoor Industry
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35:42Today on The Rock Fight, Colin is joined by Shawnté Salabert to break down her trip to Title Nine’s Pitchfest 2025, where women founders are reshaping the outdoor industry from the ground up. Since 1989, Title Nine and its founder Missy Park have been putting money behind women-led brands; more than $1.7 million in Pitchfest investments and $72 mil…
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The Rock Fight Deep Dive: Fabric Innovation Isn’t Dead (But It’s Different)
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30:55Introducing The Rock Fight Deep Dive! A new series where we team up with a partner for a deeper look at an outdoor industry topic. Today Colin takes an unfiltered look at the state of fabric innovation in the outdoor industry by heading to the Functional Fabric Fair in Portland, Oregon. Prompted by a listener letter asking whether the industry’s ob…
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REI Retreats, Orvis Shrinks & Lulu Loses Its Mojo
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53:52Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave tackle a chaotic week for outdoor retail, from store closures to corporate pivots and questionable marketing moves! On the docket! REI shutters its SoHo and Boston stores: Both shops are unionized, sparking speculation about whether this is cost-cutting, anti-union, or just part of the Peak 28…
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So What Is An Emerging Brand Anyway?
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43:04Today on The Rock Fight, Colin digs into the question: what the hell is an “emerging brand” anyway? Joined by Emily Holland (Founded Outdoors) and Lloyd Vogel (Garage Grown Gear), the conversation talks about what life is really like for small outdoor businesses. Defining “Emerging”: Why the term is so fuzzy and whether it even matters. Founded Out…
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REI’s 'Peak 28' Unwrapped + Hobie Hooks Up with Bass Pro
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42:52Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave tackle a packed week of outdoor industry news! First up, the crew reacts to the latest ripple effects of Outdoor Retailer’s Minnesota move and whether the industry is being too quick to jump on the “OR is back” bandwagon. With questions around the “Leadership Village,” the role of ru…
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Outdoor Retailer’s Big Shake-Up: Instant Reaction!
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42:33Today on The Rock Fight, Colin and Eoin Comerford break down the breaking news about Outdoor Retailer’s big shake-up. After years of controversy, shrinking attendance, and competition from upstart shows like Switchback, OR has announced a dramatic reset. Colin and Eoin debate whether these changes are enough to reestablish OR as the national gather…
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Good News or Bad News: The Latest Wins & Facepalms From The Outdoor Industry!
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48:58Today on The Rock Fight, Colin and Producer Dave break down the latest headlines in the outdoor industry with a game of Good News or Bad News. From new products to hilarious marketing campaigns (and one massive brand blunder in the Himalayas), they separate the wins from the fails in a wild week for outdoor brands. On the docket: Retail updates: Sh…
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Why Outdoor Brands Should Show Up At Outdoor Economy Conferences
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42:40Could Outdoor Economy Conferences be the future of industry gatherings? Today on The Rock Fight, Colin sits down with returning guest Darren Josey (First Seed Sown, Founded Outdoors, Great Malden Outdoors) to unpack what went down at the National Outdoor Economy Conference in North Carolina. Unlike trade shows, these conferences bring together gove…
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Rutabaga’s Last Paddle: Another Outdoor Retailer Closes Shop
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48:34Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave are joined by Darren Bush, longtime owner of Rutabaga Paddle Sports in Madison, WI, to talk about his decision to close one of the most beloved specialty outdoor retailers in the U.S. Here is the full rundown for today's episode: VF sells Dickies for $600m 8 years after acquiring the 103 year …
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Why NNormal CEO Says the Outdoor Industry is Broken (And How He's Fixing It).
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1:09:07In this episode, NNormal CEO Sito Luis Salas shares his honest perspective on the outdoor industry's challenges and explains why his brand is taking a different path forward. From challenging the dominance of other sports brands to building authentic values in a world of marketing hype, ex-Campers, Sito reveals the uncomfortable truths about brand …
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From Trendy to Timeless? Cotopaxi’s Plan for the Future
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39:13Today Colin sits down with Lindsay Shumlas, CEO of Cotopaxi, for a conversation about the brand’s evolution, impact, and future. What we cover: How Cotopaxi sees itself today: outdoor brand, lifestyle brand, or both? The role of iconic products in a market that’s shifting toward versatility and lifestyle. The future of Del Día and Más Vida, Cotopax…
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Can Run Outpace Outdoor? Plus: Are U.S. Outdoor Brands at Risk Abroad?
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51:33It's Monday on The Rock Fight! Which means that Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand & creative expert Producer Dave to run through the following topics that have emerged over the past week (or so): Comeback brand feedback & Eoin's surf brand game: We discuss the listener feedback to last weeks episode where we nomin…
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The Launch of RE:PUBLIC - Public Lands Get Their Newsroom
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33:44Today on the show Colin is joined by longtime journalist and former Outside magazine editor-in-chief Chris Keyes to discuss his new venture: RE:PUBLIC, nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to covering the policies, people, and forces shaping America’s public lands. What we cover: How the decline of journalism (75% fewer reporters than 20 years…
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Who Will Be The 2026 Outdoor Industry Comeback Brand Of The Year?
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53:04Today Colin and the Monday Boys (outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand & creative expert Producer Dave) talk through some stories making waves in the outdoor industry before predicting who will be the "Mountain Hardwear of 2026". Here's the rundown! Listener Mailbag! We hear from a new outdoor retailer and long time industry vet about l…
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Outdoor Retail Shakeup: Closures, Comebacks & Community
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34:13On this episode of The Rock Fight, Colin sits down with Todd Frank, owner of The Trailhead in Missoula, MT, and board member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, to dig into the state of specialty outdoor retail. With recent closures like Summit Hut and Next Adventure , the question looms: what’s the future of independent gear shops? Todd shares wha…
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Summit Hut Closes: Is The Era Of The Outdoor Gear Shop Over?
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48:05Today Colin is joined by The Monday Boys (outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand & creative expert Producer Dave) to talk about the following topics and news to come out of the outdoor industry over the past week! The Footlocker/Dicks merger is one step closer to being finalized. What's next? (05:55) The Lightning Round: Nike loses to Wh…
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Columbia Goes Big: Inside “Engineered for Whatever”
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48:10Today on The Rock Fight, The Brief is back! The Brief is a look at the brand and creative efforts of the outdoor industry as broken down by our brand and creative expert, Producer Dave. Today we're taking a look at Columbia's recent (and maybe controversial?) campaign: Engineered For Whatever. And we have a special guest as Colin and Producer Dave …
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Previewing Gear Abby & Saying Goodbye To Wednesdays
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29:19Today on the show Colin & Shawnté bid farewell to the Wednesday episodes of The Rock Fight and welcome in the forthcoming Gear Abby. The Rock Fight is moving to two episodes a week with episodes dropping on Monday and Friday. Fans of the adventure sports and outdoor community topics we typically covered on Wednesday should run right over and follow…
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Preseason vs ASAP Orders: Who Holds The Risk? Plus: Redefining The Zombie Brand!
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53:17Today on the show Colin convenes with The Monday Boys (outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand/creative expert Producer Dave) to run through the following headlines to come out of the outdoor industry: Mailbag! A listener looks back on one of the OG low top hikers. (05:23) Consumer sentiment is on the decline. What does this actually mean…
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From Nickelodeon to Nikwax: Purpose-Driven Marketing insights
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1:05:27Get inspired by Laura Ball, Group Marketing Director at Nikwax, as she shares her remarkable journey working with global brands such as Nickelodeon and the Jamie Oliver Group, and her current role as a leader in sustainable outdoor products. She's a perfect example of what "outside of the industry leaders" can bring to the game! In this episode, La…
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Is The Triple Crown Of Hiking "Dumb"?
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48:09Today on The Rock Fight Colin & Shawnté discuss the following topics that have come out of the outdoor adventure community over the past week: Fake summit selfies! Scandal breaks in the mountaineering world as a climber is accused of faking summits. (08:44) Nepal pimps other peaks! Nepal is issuing free permits to 97 other mountains to try and reli…
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Is Running Tariff Proof? + Under Armour Could Use A Little More 'Grrrr'
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49:12Today Colin along with Outdoor Industry Insider Eoin Comerford and Brand & Creative Expert Producer Dave dig into the following topics and headlines that have been percolating in the outdoor industry: With brands like On Running and Brooks joining Altra, Saucony, and Hoka in the 'recent excellent financial performance club', is the category of runn…
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Today Colin sits with OG Rock Fighter Justin Housman to discuss his career pivot from a journalist in the human powered outdoor media world to his new role in conservation at Save the Redwoods League. Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by head…
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Reviewing Trail Etiquette, Killian's New Project & The Personal Cost Of Being Rescued
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58:47Today on the show Colin and Shawnté get into the following topics that have come out of the outdoor adventure community! A British hiker ignores the signs and is now on the hook for his $16,000 rescue. Should people have to pay to get help? (06:44) A NY man was arrested for leaving his 9 year old in the VIP tent of the Lake Placid Ironman while he …
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Engineered For Whatever: Breaking Down Columbia's New Campaign
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47:27Today on the show Colin, outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford, and brand/creative expert Producer Dave hit the following topics! Tariff Watch 2025! After week of surveys, brand reports, and new tariff percentages it is time to check in on the latest tariff situation. (05:32) ThredUp's recently earnings report shows that secondhand continues to b…
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A few weeks back on the show Colin, Producer Dave, and consigliere to The Rock Fight Eoin Comerford had some choice words about a new product line that had just been announced from outdoor brand Ortovox. Ok to be fair, they mostly poked fun at the press release, but still they were not optimistic about Sequence, Ortovox's forthcoming lineup of outd…
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The Ultimate Outdoor Playlist: 1990's Edition
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1:11:41We've talked about all sorts of outdoor pop culture on The Rock Fight-movies, TV, books-but music has been somewhat neglected. Today, we fix that! Host of Open Container, Doug Schnitzspahn, joins Colin & Shawnté as they each take a look back at the 1990's and assemble a playlist inspired by adventure. Each of them built a list of 10 songs from the …
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The Outdoor Brand 'Schoolyard' Draft
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1:02:19Today on The Rock Fight we're drafting the best of the best! Throughout 2025 The Rock Fight crew has named the 20 best brands in the outdoor industry when they created top 5 lists of the best outdoor brands going in footwear, apparel, gear, and accessories. And on today's episode, Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford, brand an…
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Speedland’s Billboard Play: Bold Move or Big Mistake?
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44:02Today on The Rock Fight we debut The Brief! The Brief is a look at the brand and creative efforts of the outdoor industry as broken down by our brand and creative expert, Producer Dave. A few weeks back Producer Dave noticed some billboards popping up in his hometown of Portland, OR for running shoe upstart Speedland. Today we take a deep dive into…
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US Forest Service Abandons Regional Offices Plus: Do We Still Need Approach Shoes?
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45:02Today on the show Colin & Shawnté run through the following topics and headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community: Gen Z Paddlers to the rescue! A new crop of young paddlers and kayakers are redefining what makes for a fresh and cool outdoor expeditions! (07:52) Do we still need approach shoes? I mean if you're looking for an uncomfor…
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Today on The Rock Fight Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand and creative expert Producer Dave (aka The Monday Boys) to hit on the following headlines and topics that are percolating around the outdoor industry: Outdoor Industry History! In what year did these outdoor headlines occur? (04:41) Industry ups and downs: …
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Becoming the first female executive at a 118-year-old company!
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1:04:50Join us for an inspiring conversation with Liz Wilson, a pioneering female leader in the sports and outdoor industry. In this in-depth interview, Liz shares her remarkable journey, spanning 30 years of building world-class products and teams at iconic brands, including Nike and The North Face, and now as the General Manager for Softgoods at the Ros…
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A Look Back At The Original Rock Fight
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35:57Today on the show Colin introduces you to an old friend. The original Rock Fight, LAYERS. He kicks things off by level setting what Rock Fight is going to be up to in the coming months and then reflects back on LAYERS; the show he and Producer Dave first did under the moniker of Rock Fight. And because it's the dog days of summer, your favorite pod…
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When The Trail Turns Tragic, Inspiration At Badwater & The 'Backpacking With A Gun' Mailbag!
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54:49Today Colin is joined by outdoor journalist Shawnté Salabert who is off of the trail and back on The Rock Fight to run through the following topics: It's been a deadly month on the trail as tragedy has hit the Sierra and the Whites. Separate from both of these incidents, Colin & Shawnté reflect on how it is sometimes hard to leave an objective behi…
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Salomon Goes Full Sneaker Brand & The Best Of The OMA Media Event
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56:46Today Colin and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford recap their time at last week's Outdoor Market Alliance Media Event. Here is the rundown! Ortovox has returned fire! After criticizing the brands new mountain biking line on last week's episode, it looks like a brand representative from Ortovox may be appearing on the show soon. Stay tuned! (0…
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A Deeper Look At The "New" Media Scene
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52:28Today's show was recorded in Colin's Denver hotel room during this week's Outdoor Market Alliance Media Event (don't worry, it's not as sexy as it sounds). Colin is joined by the Editor-In-Chief of Gearjunkie, Adam Ruggiero, to offer their initial thoughts on the OMA Media Event and use it as a springboard into a conversation about the "new" phase …
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Today we're dipping our toes back into the trade show world as Switchback and The Running Event show director Christina Henderson joins Colin to take analyze last month's inaugural Switchback Spring. They talk about what worked, what didn't, how the standalone show will impact Switchback at TRE, and what the outdoor industry can expect next year in…
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Will Tariffs Kill The Innovation Engine Of The Outdoor Industry?
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1:01:09Today on the show, the Monday crew (the Monday Boys?) of outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand/creative expert Producer Dave join Colin to talk through the following topics: Big 5 Sold! Did the new owners make a good deal? (06:09) To celebrate Ortovox entering the mountain bike market we count the amount of cliches in the press release …
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Taking The Temperature Of Outdoor Culture
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49:25Today Colin is joined by the host of Open Container, outdoor journalist Doug Schnitzspahn, to check in on where outdoor culture sits halfway through 2025. Since the launch of Open Container in January Doug has had 26 conversations with artists, musicians, authors, brand founders and many others who operate in or around the outdoor community. Today …
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The Tour de France Begins (Do We Care?) Plus: A Six Year Old On Elbrus?
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48:14Today on the show former Rock Fight guest Emily Holland ascends to the co-host chair to fill in for Shawnté who is out hiking the JMT! Colin & Emily hit on the following topics: Get to know your co-host! Colin asks Emily some random questions so the audience can get to know her better (be sure to write down some of her food recommendations). (05:50…
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Today it's the last interview that we recorded at GOA Connect in Reno last month. This time Colin and Eoin are chatting with Jon Frederick of Rab. Jon talks about why Rab has found more traction in the US when other EU based brands have struggled to enter the market. They also discuss Rab's current product initiatives and what Jon would like to see…
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Banning Fireworks: Back With A Bang!
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39:10Today on the show it's a special Fourth of July episode of The Rock Fight as Colin is finally joined by outdoor journalist and sustainability legend Kristin Hostetter, to talk about her big 2024 hot take that it is time to ban fireworks. Last year Kristin wrote this piece offering all the reasons why we should rethink fireworks despite them being a…
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Eagle Creek: A 50 Year Old Emerging Brand?
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28:28Today we're featuring the second interview we captured while attending GOA Connect last month. This time Colin and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford sit down with Eagle Creek president and CEO, Travis Campbell. They talk about Travis's unique path to owning Eagle Creek and if that puts him in the same category as other founder led outdoor bra…
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Can More Outdoor Sports Go Mainstream? Plus: Topo Surges & Back To School Predictions!
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56:23Today on the show the Monday boys, Producer Dave and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford, join Colin to talk about the following topics: Back to school predictions! Reports are coming in that tariffs are impacting early back to school shopping. What does this mean for the second biggest shopping season of the year? (07:20) In a recent interview…
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