The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

In the penultimate episode of the podcast, Colin True explains why it’s time to bring The Rock Fight to a close and why ending things at their peak feels like the right call.

Drawing parallels to sports dynasties, iconic artists, and cultural moments that knew when to walk away, Colin reflects on the three year run of the show, what it became for the outdoor industry, and the realities of podcasting, media, money, and burnout in the outdoor space.

Come back on Monday January 23 for our final episode.

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Today on The Rock Fight Colin, Eoin Comerford and Producer Dave talk about some recent headlines to come out of the outdoor industry including recent comments made by some of the industry's more notable CEO's.

For the Lightning Round they do quick hits on J Crew, JD Sports, and OR's new athlete team.

Then they unpack the launch of Stoke Footwear, a running-inspired shoe brand built for “real American men” that’s already landed in hundreds of retail doors. Is this smart retail validation, or another case of active heritage being repackaged for a different audience?

Lastly for The Parting Shot, Colin takes aim at the promotion of Alex Honnold's next big thing.

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This week on The Rock Fight, the crew digs into a round of reactions to some of the latest headlines to emerge from the outdoor industry!

From Fleet Feet’s growing footprint, to the maturation of the hydration category and what it means for brands like Hydro Flask and YETI, the conversation spans retail scale, category fatigue, and where real opportunity still exists.

The episode also explores why more brands are opening their own stores, how DTC has evolved into an omnichannel strategy, and what that means for wholesale partners. Plus, the Lightning Round covers ski patrol strikes*, Everest trash, and why bikes still sit awkwardly outside the outdoor industry.

*This episode was recorded before the Telluride Patroller's strike ended.

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

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Today on The Rock Fight Colin and Producer Dave help break down Eoin's ten predictions for the outdoor industry in 2026! From tariffs and retail shakeups to REI’s membership future, used gear going mainstream, peak trail running culture, and AI becoming your next gear buddy.

Then for The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin calls out Timberland’s latest boot, using it as a case study in what happens when legacy brands lose the plot on product quality, relevance, and execution. Watch the video that sparked the conversation by clicking here.

What do you think of our predictions? Weigh in with your opinion and make your own outdoor industry 2026 prediction by clicking here!

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

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].

In this special episode, Colin, Owen, Shawnté, and Producer Dave hand out the 2025 Rock Fight Awards, recognizing the outdoor industry’s biggest wins, painful missteps, strangest products, and standout brands and individuals of the year.

From trail running’s continued dominance to zombie brands, WTF products, creative breakthroughs, and a few well-earned shots across the bow, this is a no-filter temperature check on where the outdoor industry stands and where it might be headed next.

Award Categories:

🪨 THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN BRAND COLLABORATION

🪨 THE CHIP WILSON SELF INFLICTED WOUND AWARD (AKA BIGGEST BRAND BONER)

🪨 THE OPEN CONTAINER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY

🪨 THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN OUTDOOR INDUSTRY OVEREXPOSURE

🪨 THE CATEGORY OF THE YEAR

🪨 THE WTF PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

🪨 THE NEWCOMER OR EMERGING BRAND OF THE YEAR

🪨 THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE OUTDOOR ZOMBIE HORDE

🪨 THE BRIEF AWARD FOR BRAND CREATIVE EXCELLENCE

🪨 THE GEAR ABBY GOLDEN BIDET AWARD FOR CONSUMER EDUCATION

🪨 THE JUSTIN HOUSMAN MEMORIAL ROCK FIGHTER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

🪨 THE 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN TRADE SHOWS

🪨 THE 2025 ROCK FIGHT LISTENER AWARD

🪨 2025 OUTDOOR INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

🪨 2025 BRAND OF THE YEAR

See you in 2026!

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

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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Today on The Rock Fight, the crew runs a temperature check on the outdoor industry national trade show scene!

From fragmentation to event fatigue, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave break down whether outdoor still needs a single “north star” gathering; and who should be responsible for making it happen.

But first they hit a rapid-fire six-pack of industry stories, including:

• ANTA’s push into the U.S. market
• Arc’teryx living between performance and luxury
• L.L. Bean’s retail expansion strategy
• Why outdoor still plays it safe with color
• TNF x Skims (you know, for kids!)
• Kappa’s Olympic kits

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In this episode, Colin, Shawnté, Eoin, and Producer Dave deliver their on-the-ground, end-of-show breakdown of The Running Event and Switchback 2025 — recorded moments after the TRE Retailer Awards wrapped in San Antonio.

The crew dig into what worked, what surprised them, and what the outdoor industry should take away from a trade show that knows exactly what it is.

• The TRE Retailer Awards: Emotion, community & why it works
• TRE vs. Outdoor Industry Trade Shows
• Booth Breakdown: The Best & Worst
• Trends & Rumors From the Floor
• Predictions: Who got it right and who missed? The crew evaluates their earlier predictions now that the show is done.

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

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From San Antonio, TX it's The Rock Fight LIVE!

Colin, Shawnté Salabert, Producer Dave and Eoin Comerford take the stage at The Running Event & Switchback 2025 for a fast, funny, high-energy conversation on the annual trade show.

• The Future of TRE & Switchback: Christina Henderson and Kent Ebersole discuss where the event is heading, how outdoor fits in, and whether an awards program is coming.
• RUNHER Magazine founder and Editor In Chief joins TRF to discuss what outdoor can learn from running when it comes to being more inclusive.
• Gear Abby Live: Shawnté answers your burning questions!
• Booth Hits & Misses: Standouts include Brooks’ funhouse, Superfeet’s geodesic dome, and Rabbit’s unbooth. Low points: Clif Bar’s table and Prana’s identity crisis.

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

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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It's an action packed episode of The Rock Fight as Colin, Eoin Comerford, Producer Dave are joined by Gear Abby herself, Shawnté Salabert to preview and offer their predictions for this week's edition of The Running Event & Switchback!

They also dig into Dick's Sporting Goods plans for Foot Locker and respond to a listener email about the profitablity of resale economics. Lastly it's the final interview recorded at GOA Connect in Kansas City last month as the Monday crew chats with Fjallraven CEO Nathan Dopp.

• Is resale profitable? Becky from Tersus challenges the pod on resale profitability.
• Dick's/Foot Locker Update! What a $500–$750M of “pretax charges” actually means and why so much of Foot Locker’s inventory is getting liquidated.
• The Running Event Preview & Predictions: What the crew is excited for and what they think will happen at the show
• Fjallraven's Nathan Dopp: Our final GOA Connect interview!

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

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, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave break down two major outdoor-industry storylines: Nike’s push into trail running and Sierra’s rapid suburban takeover. Plus listener feedback, The Lightning Round, and The Parting Shot!

• Mailbag: A listener response to the Patagonia Impact Report and how they make their stuff.
• Nike Targets Trail Running: Does a Hoka lookalike and a new race sponsorship puts Nike ACG in the trail running pole position?
• The Lightning Round! Running continues to crush, REI's new travel partnership, and highlighting Women Led Wednesday!
• Sierra’s Expansion: Now at 141 U.S. stores Sierra's growth continues so The Rock Fight takes a field trip a couple of local stores to see the chain for themselves.

For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear Colin highlights a friend of the pod's outdoor industry trade show call out (and solution)!

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

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].