The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Today the hosts, writers and consigliere's of the Rock Fight universe gather to once again rank the top outdoor brands... only this time it's all about accessories.

They've ranked footwear and they've ranked gear and today the Outdoor Media Avengers are assembling to do the same for accessories. Only for this round we don't have our own version of Thor as Producer Dave couldn't join the show.

In his place is the latest addition to the team, acclaimed author and outdoor journalist, Shawnté Salabert!

Shawnté joins Colin, Justin Housman, and Eoin Comerford to do the impossible and whittle down the hundreds of outdoor accessory brands and name the top 5.

Will our heroes pull it off? You have to listen to find out!

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

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It's a return fire episode as Patagonia joins The Rock Fight to defend their efforts on PFAS!

Recently on The Rock Fight Colin was critical of a new video from Patagonia that detailed their journey to remove forever chemicals from their product line. In Colin's point of view he thought Patagonia was late to the party and this was a case where the brand was behind their peers rather than leading.

Patagonia heard that episode, and they're here today to throw some rocks of their own.

Today on the show Patagonia's VP of Global Product Footprint, Matt Dwyer, joins Colin to talk about the path Patagonia has taken when it comes to PFAS, the unique challenges they faced in order to remove these chemicals from their product line, and offer a glimpse into what lay ahead for outdoor product innovation.

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

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

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Today Colin & Justin belatedly talk about stories and headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community. Belatedly because the flu recently landed right on Justin's handsome face!

On the docket:

• Last weekend there were protests held at National Parks across the country. Are we feeling encouraged about the state of things? (06:03)
• A non profit in Kentucky purchased 700 acres and 14 miles of cliffline to establish new climbing areas. Is this a road map for when our public lands are sold off? (10:10)
• We debut a new segment presented by Obōz: Q&A Corner! Where we ask the questions and listeners send in their responses. This week: Do branded athletes really matter anymore? Send your responses to [email protected]. (20:43)
• A man who spent the past five months attempting to row from San Diego to Brisbane had to be rescued after getting caught in a cyclone. This may be the scariest outdoor thing ever. (31:18)
• It's time for The Parting Shot! This week Justin has stern words for his favorite author and Colin celebrates a study that celebrates swearing! (36:30)

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

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

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What better way to start your week then by entering The Rock Fight for the best outdoor industry commentary you'll find anywhere?!

Today Colin is joined by Monday regulars Eoin Comerford and Producer Dave and they break down the following topics:

• After being acquired by Kontoor Brands last month, Helly Hansen has announced their intention to make a meaningful push into the United States' outdoor market. After announcing Helly's intentions, Kontoor CEO Scott Baxter said "Get ready, this is going to be fun." Points to Kontoor for the smack talk. (04:55)
• TJX announced last week that Sierra will be adding 20 new doors in 2025 with their long term plan to have as many as 325 locations. Is this growth plan a sign that Sierra could become outdoor's most dominant US retailer? (17:55)
• Lastly for The Parting Shot, Colin begs all would-be outdoor pundits to simple leave The North Face alone! (31:59)

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

Click here to take The Rock Fight Podcast Listener Survey!

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

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.

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Today Colin is rolling solo! First he offers his comments and observations after attending the virtual launch of Arc'teryx's spring footwear collection earlier this week. While the launch itself was a leap forward in how outdoor brands should be engaging with outdoor media, it was also a good example of how brands could improve how they promote their products. (02:16)

Next Colin talks about how the outdoor industry needs to unite in order to fight for our public lands over the next four years. He looks at a story that was recently published on the DCReport by war veteran and outdoor advocate Stacy Bare as an example of how important our wild places are and can be. You'll hear how the outdoors helped save Stacy's life in his own voice. (08:46)

Lastly for The Parting Shot, for third year in a row on The Rock Fight, Colin makes his prediction for Best Picture at Sunday's Academy Awards. (15:40)

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

Click here to take The Rock Fight Podcast Listener Survey!

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

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Today Colin and Justin take a look at recent headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community.

On the docket:

• In response to the Trump Administration's Valentine's Day staffing and budget cuts, employees at Yosemite National Park hung an upside down flag on the top of El Cap. Hope ensued. (04:55)
• The Trump Administration backtracked on those cuts with the Department of the Interior announcing they would allow agencies to hire 7,700 seasonal employees. (08:21)
• On Tuesday 2/25 Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert posted an Op-Ed on Time.com stating Patagonia's intention to fight back against the moves made by the Trump Administration, breaking the silence from outdoor industry brands over the past weeks. (12:06)
• Kelly Slater opened a wave pool in Abu Dhabi and the WSL hosted a comp there. In related news: Justin Housman is angry. (18:41)
• A runner was recently disqualified as the winner of a 100 mile road ultramarathon as his shoes violated a USATF rule about stack height. So, this is a thing? (26:14)
• The Parting Shot! Colin loves the name of a new shoe by Obōz while Justin encourages you to do the maintenance. (35:05)

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

Click here to take The Rock Fight Podcast Listener Survey!

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

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Today Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford (Producer Dave is out sick) to talk about all the big stories that came out of the outdoor industry last week.

On the docket today:

• In a rare industry spite move (ok it's not just that) VF spinoff Kontoor Brands acquired Helly Hansen from Canadien Tire Corporation. Eoin gives us the background and we take a look at what may be next. (05:20)
• SKIMS is back in the news as it was announced that they will be creating a new brand with Nike. Of course, backlash ensued. Colin & Eoin break it down. (16:30)
• Wolverine announces that Merrell products are "going back to the mall" and Saucony is a big part of their plans for 2025. (28:31)
• Lastly, The Parting Shot, where Colin talks about the latest video from Patagonia who wants you to believe they are leading on the PFAS front...fun fact: they aren't. (39:27)

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

Click here to take The Rock Fight Podcast Listener Survey!

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

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.

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Today Colin is joined by outdoor journalist and host of Open Container, Doug Schnitzspahn to talk about what they saw this week at the Outdoor Market Alliance Media Event.

They recount their experiences at the show, how it compares to larger national events, and emphasize how the format allows PR Agencies and those in outdoor media to engage with brands in a focused manner.

They also talk about how the event could benefit from seeking out smaller brands to attend as well as how the current threat to our public lands are present even at a show like this one and how that is likely to impact the broader outdoor industry.

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

Click here to take The Rock Fight Podcast Listener Survey!

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

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's 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.

Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to [email protected].

Today on the show Colin and Justin talk about the turmoil caused by the Trump Administration's layoffs at various land management agencies.

They cover the ramifications of substantial layoffs that have left numerous employees without positions, thereby compromising the operational integrity of our national parks. The episode further examines the uncertainty that permeates the outdoor community as we grapple with the fallout from these sweeping (and ridiculous) changes. (04:49)

Then the guys quickly hit a couple of items to come out of the gear world including Snow Peak entering the fly fishing space and a new way to cover up your truck bed. They also talk about the amazing video making the rounds of a humpback whale that swallowed and spit out a kayaker. (21:36)

They of course wrap things up with The Parting Shot! (34:10)

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

Click here to take The Rock Fight Podcast Listener Survey!

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

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's 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.

Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to [email protected].

Today on The Rock Fight Colin is joined by Rock Fight Consigliere Eoin Comerford and Producer Dave to discuss several news stories that paint a picture about the long term health of the outdoor industry.

First they look at the recent earnings report by Newell (parent company of Marmot, Coleman, and Ex Officio, among others) which shows how the outdoor industry may be on the same path that was recently traveled by the surf industry. Eoin recaps how many iconic surf brands ended up being owned by Authentic Brands and how that past may serve as a cautionary tale for outdoor brands facing similar challenges. (02:55)

Next they talk about a recent report that Dick's Sporting Goods is quietly leaving outdoor behind as it closes most of their remaining Public Land and Moosejaw locations. They talk about how this move will impact the outdoor retail landscape. (18:29)

Then they dig into event news including the report that Europe's biggest summer show, OutDoor, is going on "hiatus" as well as the announcement of Outdoor Retailer's Industry Day. (29:15)

Lastly it's a combined Parting Shot as the hosts weigh in on the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable's endorsement of Trump Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, as well as the organizations who co-signed that endorsement including the OIA, People For Bikes, and REI. They look at what missteps may have been made and what the focus should be going forward. (35:55)

Check out hundreds of wildly cool products by visiting and shopping at Garage Grown Gear!

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

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's 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.

Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to [email protected].