Could 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 governors, policymakers, state OREC directors, economic developers, tourism leaders, trail builders, and healthcare advocates. All of them focused on one thing: using outdoor recreation to strengthen communities and economies.

Colin & Darren discuss:

• Why states like Tennessee and Arkansas are leading the charge on outdoor rec.
• How outdoor economy conferences differ from traditional trade shows.
• Why brands and retailers need to show up and what they stand to gain.
• The untapped link between outdoor rec and healthcare costs.
• How states are building infrastructure that literally creates new customers.
• The opportunity for the outdoor industry to move beyond selling gear into shaping healthier, more resilient communities.

TL;DR: The outdoor industry can move beyond its bubble and spoiler: brands that get involved early may benefit the most.

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Today 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 old workwear brand for $820m. How does this benefit VF and what does it mean for the outdoor industry? (03:10)
• Is an increase in participation driving fresh M&A actitivity? Capstone Partners says that is. The Rock Fight's consigliere weighs in. (11:25)
• Support this weeks partners of The Rock Fight! Ibex, Fjallraven, Royal Robbins, Lems Shoes, and Conatus Counsel! (22:12)

The Monday Boys are then joined by Darren Bush to talk about the following topics (26:22):

• Why Darren is closing Rutabaga after more than 25 years of ownership.
• How his personal journey, from epidemiologist to retailer to chaplain, shaped his outlook.
• The state of specialty retail, from margins to customer service.
• Why experiential opportunities like paddling schools and Canoecopia still matter.
• The challenges of succession planning and selling independent shops.
• What the closures of Rutabaga, Summit Hut, and Next Adventure say about the industry.
• Darren’s proudest moments and the thousands of hugs he’s received from grateful paddlers.

Finally for The Parting Shot, Colin thinks the outdoor industry may be a little too concerned with that 'seat at the table' and could stand to be a little louder in the face of recent events. (43:40)

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Today 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, Cotopaxi’s sustainability-driven product lines.
• Why resale and circularity matter for the outdoor industry.
• How Cotopaxi is planning for growth across wholesale, D2C, and international markets.
• Shumlas’ 5-year vision: Cotopaxi as a household name, known as much for impact as for bold gear.

Cotopaxi has taken its share of rocks on The Rock Fight which makes this open conversation even more exciting. Lindsay showed up ready for the fight and to talk about whether “doing good” can coexist with growth.

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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It'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 nominated the candidates for 2026 comeback brand of the year and Eoin quizzes Colin & Producer Dave about their knowledge of current up and coming surf brands. (04:05)
• Topo has themselves a quarter and continues the trend of running brands showing big growth which begs the question, can run overtake outdoor like outdoor once overtook surf and ski? (14:56)
• Adidas releases a new shoe designed just for running on the treadmill. No really, they did that. (21:55)
• The Rock Fight Lightning Round! This weeks fast acting topics: Glamping over camping, are outdoor retailers missing the boat on the grow wearable tech category, and Combat Flip Flops! (26:26)
• Support those who support The Rock Fight! This weeks partners: Ibex, Fjallraven, Royal Robbins, Lems Shoes, Conatus Counsel. (30:37)
• Pre-holiday blues? Three surveys dropped this past week painting a relative gloomy picture of the upcoming holiday shopping season. (35:32)
• Are US outdoor brands at risk overseas? A new article from The Guardian details challenges being faced by US fashion brands, are outdoor brands facing the same challenges? (39:20)

For The Parting Shot Producer Dave offers an update on the roll out of Columbia's campaign and rebrand. (44:42)

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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Today 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 ago) impacts public lands coverage.
• Why RE:PUBLIC chose the nonprofit model and how it differs from traditional outdoor media.
• The role of brands and retailers in speaking up for conservation.
• Why public lands deserve dedicated, investigative storytelling beyond listicles and quick-hit news.
• How RE:PUBLIC plans to partner with outlets to deliver long-form, high-impact stories.
• What listeners and outdoor industry pros can do to support RE:PUBLIC right now.

Public lands are at the heart of the outdoor industry and our way of life but they’re under constant pressure. With journalism shrinking, RE:PUBLIC wants to step in to ensure these stories don’t get lost.

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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Today 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 last Monday's episode. (03:55)
• Backcountry acquires Portland cycling retailer a month after acquiring a different retailer in SLC. What's the strategy? (10:48)
• The Rock Fight Lightning Round! This weeks topics: On's new weight training shoe, Nike ACG is back... again, happy birthday Kula Cloth! (16:07)
• Friends of The Rock Fight! Please support this weeks partners: Fjallraven, Lems Shoes, Royal Robbins, and ENDVR. (20:45)
• Presenting the candidates for the "2026 Mountain Hardwear Comeback Player Of The Year Award". Hardwear was the toast of the industry in 2025, who will fill that role in 2026? We make the case for and against 10 big brands in the outdoor industry and then predict who we think will take home the top prize. (24:00)

For The Parting Shot we bid farewell to NW Alpine who announced last week that they would be shutting down. (50:00)

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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On 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 what makes specialty retail resilient, the challenges of D2C and online competition, and why resale programs could be a lifeline for shops like his.

They also dive into:

• Why community connection still sets local shops apart.
• The role of GOA in elevating specialty retailers.
• Why some markets (like Missoula) thrive while others (like SoCal) struggle.
• The importance of brand storytelling in making product choices.
• Todd’s pick for the next big comeback brand (hint: it’s all about Black Diamond).

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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Today 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 While On Earth, Polartec's Warm Weather Fleece, and Athleta's disappointing second quarter. (11:05)
• The big news of the week? Retailer Summit Hut announces that it will be closing its doors. Is this a sign of the outdoor industry's demise or just another sign that things are evolving? (18:12)
• The Outdoor Brand Scorecard! Eoin put together a scorecard to evaluate outdoor brands relationship with their retailers. (32:26)

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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Today 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 are joined by Columbia's SVP of Marketing, Matt Sutton.

Matt talks about the origins of Engineered For Whatever, how he and his team were empowered to go big, and what the campaign means for the future of Columbia. And of course we ask Matt about the reaction to the campaign; both the positive and the negative.

Would you like your brand or marketing campaign to be broken down on a future edition of The Brief? Drop us a line at [email protected].

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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Today 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 Shawnte's new podcast Gear Abby. The trailer is now live and the show debuts on September 4th! Colin will be cohosting so you'll get your outdoorsy banter fix on Gear Abby going forward.

Today Colin talks about the decision to move on from Wednesday and Shawnté previews what listeners can expect on Gear Abby.

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 heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.

Please follow and subscribe to The Rock Fight and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

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