The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Today on the show Colin welcomes Tania Lown-Hecht from the Outdoor Alliance and Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Executive Director Stacy Bare to chat about the latest efforts to sell off our public lands.

Tania provides an update of where things stand with Senator Mike Lee's proposed sell off while Stacy provides some context on the importance of protecting and preserving our public lands.

Our public lands need your help! Click here to contact your local representatives to send word that you do not support the sale of America's public lands.

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Today on the show Colin is joined by outdoor author and journalist Shawnté Salabert to run through the following stories to come out of the outdoor adventure community:

• Bison Attack 2: Electric Bisaloo? A Yellowstone visitor has been gored by a bison...again. (08:19)
• A grizzly bear has pushed a hiker off a cliff. New fear unlocked for Shawnté on the eve of her departure to the JMT? (14:21)
• A man was pinned by a boulder while hiking in Alaska. How can you be prepared for that?! (18:50)
• Would carrying a gun make you feel more secure when out on the trail? (24:25)

For The Parting Shot Colin wants us to stop recruiting others to go outside, but probably not for the reasons you think. Meanwhile Shawnté promises to send us voice memos from the trail! (34:45)

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 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].

Today on The Rock Fight our normal Monday crew of Producer Dave and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford join Colin to run through the following topics!

We already have the dates and location for next year's Switchback Spring. With the show staying June, will there be a public pushback by brands? (07:28)

It's The Rock Fight Lightning Round where we hit a couple of industry news stories:

• Moody's has downgraded VF due to the poor performance of Vans and Dickies. How does this news impact the broader outdoor industry? (15:40)
• Solo Brands makes some moves that will help them avoid bankruptcy. (18:02)

Today's main topic peels back a key takeaway from last weeks OIA Trends presentation that took place at Switchback, namely that the casual outdoor consumer is growing and outdoor retailers should be luring those consumers into their stores. We ponder how that should be done and wonder if the outdoor industry as a whole has a genuine marketing problem. (23:16)

For The Parting Shot Colin hosts a round of "What Year Is This Outdoor Industry Story From?!". (47:05)

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 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 show we finish off our coverage of Showpocalypse 2025 with The Rock Fight's instant reaction to Switchback.

Recorded in a Nashville hotel ballroom on the second day of the trade show, Colin is joined by Producer Dave, Shawnté Salabert, and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford to talk about what they liked, what they didn't like, and what needs to be improved for next time when it comes to the newest trade show in the outdoor scene.

They also revisit their pre-show predictions to see what they got right and what did not come to pass.

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 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 show we present a live recording of The Rock Fight, straight from the floor of Switchback Spring!

This past week Colin was joined by Producer Dave, Shawnté Salabert, and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford in Nashville, TN to record an episode of The Rock Fight in front of the crowd at Switchback Spring.

The crew handed out their brand booth awards and were also joined by Switchback show director, Christina Henderson, president of the OIA Kent Ebersole, president of Mountain Hardwear, Troy Sicotte, and GM of Cumberland Transit, Jason Thienel.

Whether you were there when it happened or missed it entirely, relive this live recording of The Rock Fight!

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 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].

Today on the show Colin is joined by Monday regulars Producer Dave and Eoin Comerford (who is suffering from a case of outdoor industry insider overexposure) to preview and make predictions for Switchback Spring!

It was about a year ago that The Rock Fight broke the news of a new national outdoor trade show from the organizers of The Running Event and now the event is here!

After hitting a quick Lightning Round of industry topics, the guys get into what they think will go down in Nashville. Here's the rundown, with time codes, for today's episode:

• TARIFF WATCH 2025! What does the new trade handshake with China mean for the outdoor industry? (8:00)
• According to remarks made by REI CEO Mary Beth Laughton wants the retailer to be more welcoming to casual participants. Does this mean that REI is going to get more casual? (15:10)
• Previewing Switchback Spring! What we are expecting from this new show. (27:00)
• Our predictions! Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave all make a prediction for Switchback Spring. (38:27)
• The Parting Shot: Colin awards the first ever Rock Fighter of the Week to journalist Maggie Slepian.

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 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].

Today on the show we're bringing you the first interview recorded at 2025's GOA Connect and then checking in on the latest attempt to sell off our public lands.

First up Colin and Eoin Comerford sat down with NEMO's Cam Brensinger to talk about 20 years of building a bullet proof reputation and ponder if outdoor gear needs to go as far with sustainability initiatives as apparel.

Then Colin is joined by Tania Lown-Hecht from the Outdoor Alliance to discuss the news of the Senate's attempt to require the sale of 3 million acres of public lands. Get your emails and phone calls ready, it's time to get back to work. Or just click here to get it done quickly.

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 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].

We are back from GOA Connect (even if the show isn't over yet) and today Colin is joined by Eoin Comerford to offer their thoughts on what they saw and more importantly highlight their favorite brands from the show's Discovery Marketplace.

At Connect, before the big show begins, they hold a 5 hour mini-show called the Discovery Marketplace to highlight brands that don't have the required retailer appointments necessary to earn a spot at the main event. This part of the show features lots of brands you've heard of and even more that you haven't.

On this episode Colin & Eoin highlight 12 of the brands that they spoke to during the Discovery Marketplace (with a few smuggles along the way).

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 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].

Today on the show Colin is joined by the regular Monday crew of Eoin Comerford and Producer Dave to kick off their coverage of the summer 2025 Trade Show Season. Here's the run down!

• What have learned from the past 10 years tumultuous trade show scene and shows do we actually need? (05:50)
• On the eve of GOA Connect and with Portland's Next Adventure closing up, what do we make of the broader specialty landscape as we head to a show focused on independent dealers? (20:55)
• GOA Connect Preview and Predictions! This episode comes out on the first day of exhibition at GOA Connect, what are we expecting? (34:30)
• The Parting Shot: Producer Dave has some feelings about threats to outdoor schools and Eoin highlights some new dealers who have joined GOA's ranks. (47:17)

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 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].

Today Colin is joined by Marmot's Vice President & GM of Technical Apparel, Jon Graden.

Marmot has been the poster child of what we've been calling the 'zombie brand' here on The Rock Fight. Not quite what it once was but not entirely irrelevant either, a zombie brand is a former 'it' brand that has fallen out of favor with retailers and doesn't have the juice it once did.

Marmot is one of the OG outdoor brands that the outdoor industry was built upon but after a series of acquisitions and big swings that didn't pay off, they've lost some of their clout. Jon, who comes from the fashion side of the apparel industry, has been working for the past 18 months to change that. And as the Marmot team heads out to sell for Spring 2026, Jon has something to say about where Marmot is today and where he thinks the brand is heading.

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 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].