The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave sit down with Tony Post, founder and CEO of Topo Athletic, live from GOA Connect in Kansas City, to talk about the booming trail running market and Topo’s big year.

Topo has quietly become one of the most talked-about brands in trail running. Growing 70% last year and expanding into 25 countries all while staying true to its specialty roots and never running a sale on its website in 12 years.

• Trail Running’s Not New: Why today’s hype is really the second (or third) wave. From Leadville in the ’90s to the Born to Run era to now.
• Surviving 145% Tariffs: How Topo shifted production from China to Vietnam without sacrificing fit or durability.
• A 13-Year Overnight Success: Why Topo focused on authentic growth, not blowing up fast.
• Run vs. Outdoor Specialty: Why the brand refuses to choose.
• Silent Flex: Zero discounting… ever
• The Up-and-Comers: Tony weighs in on Speedland, Norda, and Mount to Coast and why entering the category is harder than it looks.
• Why Topo Will Still Be Here in 10 Years: Tony’s philosophy: deliver a better experience, every time.

For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin struggles with the glut of poorly executed maximal midsoles.

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Today on the show Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave return with a full-tilt breakdown of the outdoor industry’s latest developments. From trade show energy to tariff fallout to brands making questionable product choices.

• Functional Fabric Fair Recap: Dave reports from Portland with notes on increased exhibitor energy, better layouts, stronger innovation hubs, and heritage insulation brands making a comeback.
• Tariff Watch 2025 (DUN-DUN!): New China tariff adjustments, South American deals, and what they actually mean for outdoor brands. Astral, Osprey, and Terramar are already making painful adjustments.
• Patagonia’s First Impact Report: Transparency, paradox, and the “greener than thou” crowd.
• Vuori Snow Is… a Thing: A new winter sports line with a clunky launch video. Can Vuori make the jump from soft gymwear to genuine snow apparel?
• RIP Gorewear (1985–2025): Gore is shutting down its cycling/run brand after 40 years.
• Lightning Round: ON’s tariff-proof sales surge, the secondhand market grows, and Fleet Feet’s big Adidas partnership

For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Sorel released a new brand video and Colin would like to see prAna get some Columbia portfolio love.

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Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave sit down with Amy Beck, President of Obōz Footwear (recorded at GOA Connect in Kansas City), for a wide-ranging, and honest conversation about what’s missing in the outdoor industry.

• Hiking vs. Trail Running: Why Obōz believes hiking has never been less appreciated.
• Innovation Pressure: How the obsession with the next same thing can hold brands back, and what true innovation actually requires.
• Specialty Retail’s Role: Why Obōz waited until 2021 to launch e-commerce and why independent retailers continue to be the heartbeat of the outdoor world.
• Operating Under KMD Brands: The advantages and challenges of being part of a New Zealand-based outdoor portfolio.
• The Energy Gap: Amy’s case for why the industry needs more personality, more creativity, and more willingness to stand for something.

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

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Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave hit the show floor at GOA Connect and explore their favorite brands and products from the Discovery Marketplace.

From coolers to chef-designed backpacking meals (and at least one trail running brand) these are the most exciting things they saw at the outdoor industry's most consequential event.

• Rugged Road: A foam-first, ultra-light cooler that floats upright.
• VSSL: From prepper tools to the most over-engineered coffee system ever made.
• NNormal: Kilian Jornet’s performance-meets-design trail running brand
• Lems Shoes: The 15-year “overnight success” building momentum in retail.
• Thacker NYC: A stylish, urban-inspired brand shaking up outdoor fashion.
• Luxefly: Gourmet freeze-dried meals created by a celebrity chef (goodbye unwanted freeze dried gas).

For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin takes aim at our nation's airport bathrooms (seriously).

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Today 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 chemicals”). Once the outdoor industry’s biggest story, now quietly complicated by regulation, cost, and unintended consequences.

They dig into:

• PFAS bans and the fallout — where the legislation stands and which states are next.
• Who benefits most from PFAS removal (hint: supply chain workers).
• Legal gray zones — what brands can (and can’t) claim as “PFAS free.”
• What’s next — new concerns around solvents, BPA, phthalates, and antimicrobials.
• The rise of natural fibers and the myth of “cotton kills.”
• The F/M/K round: “PFAS Free,” “Non-PFAS,” and “No Added PFAS.”

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This 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.

• 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 international growth keeps soaring. Is the bubble finally bursting or just shifting?
• Marmot’s Resurrection: Newell Brands shows signs of life, prompting Producer Dave to upgrade Marmot from “zombie” to “revenant.”

• Outdoor Retailer’s “Leadership Village” expands with new names from Cotopaxi, Garage Grown Gear, and Founded Outdoors plus a focus on small and emerging brands.
• ISPO Moves to Amsterdam: Europe’s biggest outdoor trade show changes cities and strategy, raising questions about timing, purpose, and relevance.

• Wolverine Named Footwear News Company of the Year (and somehow not Nike).
• Lululemon x NFL Collab would Chip Wilson have ever approved?
• Specialized E-bike Lawsuit: The latest in “gear that tries to kill you.”

A listener calls The Rock Fight “Patagonia’s biggest haters.” The crew responds (with vigor) clarifying that critique comes from love, not spite.

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

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Today 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 the next round (provided there will be a next round).

But before the big shoe showdown, they have a look at a couple of stories that have come out of the outdoor trade show scene:

• OIA and Switchback’s deeper partnership (and what it means for Outdoor Retailer)
• The new Cascade Summit trade show launching in Portland in 2026
• Next Adventure LIVES!
• Nike vs. Adidas: Can Adi take down the top dog?

Lastly for The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin uses history as a bucket of cold water for all of the people out there who think that trail running is the next big mainstream sport.

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.

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The 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.

Episode Topics:

• How Mammut’s team turned an internal truth into creative gold
• The challenges and wins behind Mountain Wear Rescue
• Why humor in outdoor marketing is so hard to pull off
• Working with Katie Burrell and casting for comedy
• The evolution of Mammut’s brand voice and personality
• Outdoor industry tropes that need to die
• The Rock Fight’s final score: originality, brand fit, messaging, visuals & strategic cleverness

Spoiler: Mammut scores high and gives zero f*cks.

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

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Today 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 Drinkwear. (12:17)
• The Rock Fight Lightning Round! Rutabaga changes course, Runnin' and Gunnin' in our National Parks, and On sued for their squeaky shoes. (18:50)
• Support those who support The Rock Fight! Ripstop By The Roll, Fjallraven, Lems Shoes, and Ibex! (22:47)
• Outdoor Industry Buy or Sell! Each host brings outdoor brands, trends or products and make the case for why they are either buying or selling. (26:50)

Lastly for The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin has a note for a recent cycling study. (49:00)

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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Today 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 million in total purchasing power.

Shawnté attended this year's edition and shares what makes this event different: collaboration over competition, community over ego, and a focus on solving real problems.

The conversation covers:

• How Pitchfest is rewriting the rules of outdoor entrepreneurship.
• Standout brands from this year’s event.
• Why representation in design and leadership still matters.
• The growing movement to fund women founders, not just feature them.

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.

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