The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Tired of the PR spin and LinkedIn platitudes? Outdoor Unfiltered is a new podcast hosted by industry veteran Eoin Comerford that digs into what’s actually driving the outdoor business. In this trailer, Eoin lays out the mission: honest conversations with insiders and experts about the forces shaping the industry — from innovation and branding to affordability, sustainability, and the real stories behind the headlines. If you want to understand where the outdoor industry is headed — and why — Outdoor Unfiltered delivers the straight talk. Follow now and get ready for the first episode dropping March 2. Outdoor Unfiltered is part of the Rock Fight podcast network.

This is it; the final episode of The Rock Fight. In one last, wide-ranging conversation, Colin True, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave take a final look at the outdoor industry they’ve spent three years questioning, criticizing, and celebrating. From the state of outdoor media and the resilience of specialty retail to brand sameness, authenticity, and the growing influence of algorithms and AI, this episode serves as a candid closing argument for why curiosity and critical thinking still matter. No headlines. No hot takes. Just one last honest conversation before the final stone is thrown.

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. Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to myrockfight@gmail.com.

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: kits 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. On The Docket! 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. On The Docket! 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. On The Docket! so much 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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! On The Docket! Mailbag:Nike Targets Trail Running:The Lightning Round! Sierra’s Expansion: 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. In This Episode Trail Running’s Not New: Surviving 145% Tariffs: A 13-Year Overnight Success: authentic growthRun vs. Outdoor Specialty: Silent Flex: The Up-and-Comers: Speedland, Norda, and Mount to CoastWhy Topo Will Still Be Here in 10 Years: For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin struggles with the glut of poorly executed maximal midsoles. 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. On The Docket! Functional Fabric Fair Recap: Tariff Watch 2025 (DUN-DUN!): actuallyPatagonia’s First Impact Report: Vuori Snow Is… a Thing: RIP Gorewear (1985–2024): Lightning Round: For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Sorel released a new and Colin would like to see prAna get some Columbia portfolio love. 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. Amy’s leadership at Obōz provides a rare, grounded perspective on how brands can stay authentic while still evolving with the times. Here's the rundown! Hiking vs. Trail RunningInnovation PressureSpecialty Retail’s RoleOperating Under KMD BrandsThe Energy Gap 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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: floats uprightVSSL:NNormal: Lems Shoes:Thacker NYC:Luxefly: For Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin takes aim at our nation's airport bathrooms (seriously). 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. Together 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 falloutWho benefits most from PFAS removal (hint: supply chain workers).Legal gray zonesWhat’s nextThe rise of natural fibersThe F/M/K round 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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. On the docket! VF’s Up-and-Down Quarter:HOKA’s Plateau:Marmot’s Resurrection: 2026 Outdoor Trade Show Watch! Outdoor Retailer’s “Leadership Village”ISPO Moves to Amsterdam: Lightning Round! Wolverine Named Footwear News Company of the YearLululemon x NFL Collab Specialized E-bike Lawsuit: The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear! A listener calls The Rock Fight “Patagonia’s biggest haters.” The crew responds (with vigor) clarifying that critique comes from love, not spite.

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 trip 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 Cascade Summit trade showNext Adventure LIVES!Nike vs. Adidas: 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. 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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: Mountain Wear Rescue Spoiler: Mammut scores high and gives zero f*cks. 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.