The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) it's all about outdoor specialty retail!

Specialty retailers play a crucial role in the outdoor industry, serving as community connection points and acting as tastemakers essential for brand legitimacy and consumer engagement. Today on THE ROCK FIGHT Gabe Meyer, president of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, joins Colin to talk about the about the evolving landscape of specialty retail in the wake of direct-to-consumer trends and larger retail competition.

As the industry navigates these transitions, Gabe emphasizes the importance of specialty shops, driven by their unique value and the experiences they offer to customers. The pair wrap things up with a discussion on trade shows and national gatherings.

Chapters:

• 02:52 - Why Specialty Retailers Matter
• 07:10 - Challenges Facing Specialty Retail
• 12:24 - Do brands understand the value of specialty?
• 22:38 - The Role of Trade Shows

Hurricane Helene Relief Links:

• Fuel Goods
• GoFundMe for Bubba O'Learys
• Western North Carolina Hurriance Helene Resource Guide
• East Tennessee Foundation Relief Fund

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Kent Ebersole, the president of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), joins Colin to discuss the recent shift from its long-standing trade show relationship with Outdoor Retailer to a new partnership with Switchback.

Kent talks about the rationale for moving on from OR and why they decided Switchback was the right move at this time. He and Colin also discuss the current state and purpose of the OIA and where the organization is headed.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Support for Hurricane Relief
• 01:02 - Welcome to the Rock Fight!
• 01:11 - Interview with OIA President Kent Ebersole
• 02:02 - The Shift from Outdoor Retailer to Switchback
• 23:00 - Where the OIA is today and where should it be in the future?

Hurricane Helene Relief Links:

• Fuel Goods
• GoFundMe for Bubba O'Learys
• Western North Carolina Hurriance Helene Resource Guide
• East Tennessee Foundation Relief Fund

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT Colin & Justin kick off the show with the Outdoor Sports Draft where they take turns assembling a roster of their favorite outdoor activities that you get you to vote on! Check out Rock Fight's Instagram & LinkedIn feeds to vote or if you're listening on Spotify you can vote in the Spotify app.

Then they run through some of the latest headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community including seasonal job cuts at the National Forest Service, a climbing mishap on Mt. Whitney and proposed thru hike through Texas.

The end the show with their Parting Shots! Colin has it in for 30-somethings while Justin would prefer his sports not be spoiled!

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Intro to the Rock Fight
• 02:18 - Outdoor Sports Draft!
• 11:54 - Budget Cuts for the National Forest Service
• 18:16 - Mt. Whitney Climbers Rescued
• 24:47 - Proposed Texas Long-Distance Trail
• 29:00 - The Parting Shot!

Hurricane Helene Relief Links:

• GoFundMe for Bubba O'Learys
• Western North Carolina Hurriance Helene Resource Guide
• East Tennessee Foundation Relief Fund

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show with his thoughts on the new running focused collaboration between Altra Running, Smartwool and REI. He and Producer Dave critique the decision to launch a collection that feels uninspired and overly safe, and also highlights how outdoor brands often fail to generate excitement around their products.

Then the discussion moves to the recent layoffs at Patagonia, where the hosts reflect on the harsh realities of corporate life and the expectations placed on brands like Patagonia to maintain a higher standard.

They close the show with their Parting Shots, where Producer Dave takes aim at another brand collaboration that missed the mark while Colin celebrates the 30 year anniversary of Expedition News.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Hurricane Helene Update
• 01:42 - Altra/Smartwool Run The Winter
• 17:47 - Patagonia Layoffs
• 26:08 - Parting Shots!
• 30:12 - Celebrating 30 Years of Expedition News
• 32:00 - The Rock Fight Fight Song with Chris DeMakes

Hurricane Helene Relief Links:

• GoFundMe for Bubba O'Learys
• Western North Carolina Hurriance Helene Resource Guide
• East Tennessee Foundation Relief Fund

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) the secondhand conversation continues with a real life secondhand retailer.

Barruch Ben-Zekry is the founder of Out&Back, an online secondhand website. Today Barruch sits down with Colin to discuss the importance of brands engaging with the secondhand market and how consumer awareness is growing, leading to increased demand for resale options. They also talk about the structural challenges of branded resale and the need for a more integrated approach to foster a circular economy in the outdoor industry.

Donate to Hurricane Helene relief efforts by clicking here!

Links to help via the Appalachian Trail Conservancy!

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Welcome to the Rock Fight
• 00:52 - The Recent Surge in Secondhand Discussions
• 02:05 - Introducing Barruch Ben Zekry
• 03:19 - Overview of Out and Back
• 03:39 - The Importance of Supply in Resale Market
• 09:00 - Differentiation in the Secondhand Market
• 13:33 - Consumer Engagement and Shift in Trends
• 16:39 - Challenges in the Secondhand Space
• 22:21 - Brands and Their Role in Secondhand Initiatives
• 33:07 - Future Perspectives on Industry Production

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Wednesdays mean adventure here on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) and Colin & Justin open the show by celebrating this past Sunday's National Coffee Day with THE ROCK FIGHT's official National Coffee Day Quiz! Because, you know, coffee is our greatest adventure beverage (or something).

Then they discuss the lasting impact of Hurricane Helene, how Mount Rainier's summit has moved and gotten shorter and then react to two new stories to come out of space.

They of course wrap things up with their Parting Shots where Justin encourages good behavior while Colin takes Fox Racing to task.

Donate to Hurricane Helene relief efforts by clicking here!

Links to help via the Appalachian Trail Conservancy!

Chapters:

• 00:08 - Intro to Rock Fight
• 02:19 - National Coffee Day Quiz
• 07:05 - Hurricane Helene's Outdoor and Adventure Impact
• 13:07 - Mount Rainier Summit Shift
• 23:24 - Black Hole Plumes and Asteroid Defense
• 28:16 - Parting Shots
• 29:39 - Outro - The Rock Fight Fight Song

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by commenting on a quote from the CEO of a major outdoor retailer that a "notable shift in consumer behavior is on the horizon".

Then he and Producer Dave go through some of the more notable listener feedback we have received regarding brand specific secondhand sites and 'upcycling' as solutions to sustainability and circularity initiatives.

They close the show with their parting shots. Dave offering his usual book recommendation and Colin passionately responding to Lululemon's assertion that many are experiencing 'wellness burnout'.

Donate to Hurricane Helene relief efforts by clicking here!

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) we sit down with Neil Fiske, the president of Black Diamond.

Two stories lead to this conversation. First was the news that broke a few months back about BD 'narrowing their focus' after years of unwieldy expansion and then the story from a few weeks back about BD investing in and taking over Wilderness Exchange in Denver while retaining that retailers current ownership.

There is clearly something interesting happening at Black Diamond that is bucking current trends when it comes to brands in the outdoor industry. And Neil Fiske is on the show today to dig into the decision to step back, BD's retail strategy, and the brands approach to their sustainability/circularity initiatives.

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head), Outdoor Retailer Show Director Sean Smith joins Colin & Producer Dave to talk about the recent announcement that OR is putting Winter Market out to pasture and moving to one June event per year.

Sean talks about the reasoning behind the move, the response, comments and criticism that has emerged since the announcement and how he and his team are working to ensure the future of the event.

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by offering his thoughts on two sustainability focused stories to come out of the outdoor industry in the past week.

Flylow announced the arrival of it's secondhand e-commerce site while Cotopaxi launched a new collection of upcycled garments. And while both initiatives are admirable, outdoor brands are much to dependent on these types of avenues to claim that they are being 'sustainable' and/or 'circular'.

Then Colin & Producer Dave give their initial thoughts on Outdoor Retailer moving to one event per year and wrap up the show with their parting shots.

Head to www.rockfight.co and sign up for News From the Front, Rock Fight's weekly newsletter!

Please follow and subscribe to THE ROCK FIGHT and give us a 5 star rating and written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to and follow Gear & Beer! The newest show on the Rock Fight Podcast Network.

Have a question or comment for a future mailbag episode? Send it to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram or Threads.

Thanks for listening! THE ROCK FIGHT is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.