The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

What if the outdoor influencer recommending your next backpack wasn't actually a real person?

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes back independent outdoor journalist Kyle Frost to talk about how AI is already disrupting the outdoor industry.

Kyle recently uncovered Brook Wilder, an AI-generated outdoor influencer publishing gear reviews built from content created by actual outdoor journalists. And while the technology might still have some obvious flaws, it's improving quickly.

They also debate whether trusted independent creators are better positioned for the future than legacy outdoor media companies, the role of influencer marketing platforms like Popfly, and why human experience might become more valuable as AI-generated content becomes increasingly common.

Send your feedback to myrockfight@gmail.com.

Timestamps:

05:53 – Why AI Is Becoming Impossible for the Outdoor Industry to Ignore

07:30 – The Fake Outdoor Influencer Reviewing Real Gear

13:53 – Is AI a Threat to Legacy Outdoor Media?

16:42 – What Outdoor Brands and Retailers Should Be Preparing For

21:43 – Sponsor Break

24:54 – Are Influencers the Future of Outdoor Product Reviews?

27:07 – Are Individual Creators More Valuable Than Media Brands?

28:05 – Why Traditional Journalism Still Has an Advantage

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today Colin is joined by Patagonia's Aileen Ottenweller, Senior Director of Impact Marketing, Policy and Communications, to discuss the company's decision to integrate its Worn Wear secondhand marketplace directly into Patagonia.com.

It's a significant shift in how an outdoor brand approaches resale. Instead of sending shoppers to a separate website, Patagonia is putting used products alongside new ones and giving consumers the choice.

But why did it take four years to make the change? And does keeping resale separate from a brand's primary e-commerce business undermine the environmental message behind offering secondhand products in the first place?

Send your feedback to myrockfight@gmail.com

05:17 – Why Patagonia Is Bringing Worn Wear Into Its Main Website

17:11 – Do Brand-Owned Resale Platforms Have a Future?

20:17 – Can Secondhand Become a True Retail Distribution Channel?

21:00 – Sponsor Break

23:00 – Does the Outdoor Industry Make Too Much Stuff?

27:36 – The Contradictions of Growth and Environmental Responsibility

29:55 – Patagonia's Leadership on Public Lands

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC

What's the greatest outdoor activity of all time? And if you could assemble the ultimate team of outdoor pursuits, what would make your roster?

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes Outdoor Unfiltered host Eoin Comerford, Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert, and Garage Grown Gear co-founder Lloyd Vogel for The 2026 Outdoor Activity Draft!

The rules are simple: Each competitor must draft seven outdoor activities across categories including trails, wheels, water, snow, climbing, science, and one wild card. No duplicate picks, plenty of questionable strategy, and absolutely no guarantee that everyone will agree on what qualifies.

Along the way, Colin declares war on camping, Lloyd makes some truly unexpected selections, Shawnté defends the activities she loves, and Eoin attempts to assemble the coolest outdoor roster imaginable.

Four competitors. Seven rounds. Twenty-eight picks. One winner.

What would your team look like? Send your feedback on this and every episode of The Rock Fight to myrockfight@gmail.com!

Time Stamps:

01:32 – Welcome to The Rock Fight's Outdoor Activity Draft!

03:15 – The Rules: Seven Categories, Four Teams

06:21 – Is Camping Actually an Outdoor Activity?

07:09 – Setting the Draft Order

08:32 – The Outdoor Activity Draft!

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Can one of the outdoor industry's most iconic trade shows reinvent itself? And what does its comeback mean for the future of industry gatherings?

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes ISPO Managing Director Tracy Bebbington to discuss the major changes coming to the legendary European trade show as it prepares for its first event in Amsterdam under new ownership.

After years of declining relevance and questions about its future, ISPO is getting a fresh start. Tracy explains why Raccoon Media Group moved the show from Munich to Amsterdam, how a million-euro hosted buyer program is bringing retailers back, and what attendees should expect from the revamped event.

Send your feedback to myrockfight@gmail.com!

Topics / Chapters

03:15 – ISPO's Decline, New Ownership & Move to Amsterdam

08:16 – What's Different About ISPO 2026?

11:58 – Are the Buyer Numbers Real?

12:58 – Why Have Outdoor Trade Shows Lost Their Relevance?

17:13 – Is Connecting Brands With Buyers Still Enough?

21:38 – Sponsor Break

22:45 – Are Outdoor Trade Shows Different From Other Industries?

26:40 – What Will Success Look Like for ISPO 2026?

30:29 – Can ISPO Bring the Biggest Brands Back?

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

YETI makes jackets now. And apparently, everyone else wants in on the apparel business, too.

On this week's Parting Shot, Colin welcomes Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert to ask a simple question: Does the outdoor industry really need more clothes?

First, Shawnté takes aim at YETI's new technical apparel collection and the suggestion that a cooler and drinkware company is suddenly coming for Patagonia and The North Face.

Then Colin expands the conversation to NNormal and MiiR, two more brands making moves into technical apparel.

More jackets. More brands. More stuff. Do we really need any of it? That's this weeks parting shot.

Send us your emails! myrockfight@gmail.com

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What if one of the outdoor industry's fastest-growing brands was already generating more than $50 million in annual revenue and most traditional outdoor retailers barely knew it existed?

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes Brian Davis, co-founder of Hollow Socks, to explore how a seven-year-old alpaca sock brand built a massive direct-to-consumer business before making a serious push into traditional outdoor retail.

Topics / Chapters

06:15 – How Hollow Became a $50 Million Brand

10:19 – Why It's Never Been Easier to Start a Brand

11:18 – Do You Need Deep Pockets to Build a D2C Business?

15:03 – How Hollow Built a Million-Dollar Monthly Ad Budget

20:04 – Sponsor Break + ISPO 2026

22:57 – Why Hollow Wants Wholesale After Succeeding Without It

27:25 – How Many Other Multimillion-Dollar D2C Brands Are Out There?

Send your feedback and question to myrockfight@gmail.com!

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

The outdoor industry stock market is open for business! So which brands and trends are worth buying, and which ones are headed for a crash?

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes back Outdoor Unfiltered host and Rock Fight consigliere Eoin Comerford for a game of Buy or Sell.

Each brings three buys and three sells from across the outdoor industry, making their cases for the brands, business models, and trends they believe are headed for big things or headed for trouble.

Twelve picks. Two opinionated podcasters. Absolutely zero investment advice.

Welcome to The Rock Fight's Outdoor Stock Market!

Send your own outdoor buy and sells to myrockfight@gmail.com.

Topics / Chapters

03:25 – The Outdoor Stock Market: Buy or Sell?

04:00 – Is the Snow Sports Industry in Trouble?

06:31 – Are Season Passes Hurting Skiing?

09:43 – Can On Running Challenge Nike?

14:35 – A Comeback Story in Outdoor Equipment

17:43 – Selling Legacy Outdoor Media

22:26 – The Trouble With Dick's Acquisition of Foot Locker

24:52 – Sponsor Break

27:44 – Buying Into the Creator Economy

30:26 – Why YouTube Matters for Outdoor Brands

32:36 – Is Big Box Retail Losing Its Appeal?

36:14 – Has Arc'teryx Become a Luxury Brand?

39:30 – Can a National Outdoor Trade Show Make a Comeback?

41:47 – El Niño and the Future of Winter Retail

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Should we put an end to commercial high-altitude mountaineering? And why is the fly fishing community losing its mind over an OnlyFans creator?

It's time for The Parting Shot!

Colin welcomes Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert for two outdoor hot takes.

First, after watching the new K2 documentary The Last First: Winter K2, Colin argues that commercial mountaineering has gone too far. When inexperienced climbers can buy their way onto some of the world's most dangerous mountains, who's responsible when things go wrong?

Then Shawnté takes aim at the fly fishing community's outrage over rod maker Winston gifting gear to an OnlyFans creator. Why does someone's career outside the sport determine whether they deserve to participate? And shouldn't the industry be more concerned with welcoming newcomers and supporting women in fishing?

Two controversies. Two parting shots. One Rock Fight.

Send your feedback on this and every episode of The Rock Fight by sending an email to myrockfight@gmail.com.

Topics / Chapters

02:58 – The Parting Shot with Shawnté Salabert

03:31 – Colin's Parting Shot: Cancel Commercial Climbing!

08:36 – Shawnté on the Business of High-Altitude Guiding

10:33 – Lessons From Climbing Kilimanjaro

12:14 – Shawnté's Parting Shot: OnlyFans Meets Fly Fishing

15:37 – Colin Weighs In on Sex Work and Outdoor Gatekeeping

16:55 – The Double Standards Facing Women in Outdoor Sports

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Everybody dies. But if you could choose how you go, wouldn't you rather have a great story?

Longtime Rock Fight co-host Justin Housman returns to join Colin to debate the five best ways to die in the outdoors.

From big wave wipeouts and wild animal attacks to falling rocks, volcanoes, and lightning strikes, Colin and Justin rank the outdoor demises they'd choose if dying peacefully in their sleep were somehow off the table.

What do you think the best way to die in the outdoors would be? Send your vote to myrockfight@gmail.com!

03:23 – Justin Housman Returns!

06:53 – Introducing the Five Best Ways to Die Outdoors

12:28 – The Outdoor Death Rankings Begin

16:11 – Falling Rocks and Other Mountain Hazards

20:00 – Big Wave Surfing: The Ultimate Way to Go?

24:51 – Wild Animal Attacks and Outdoor Fears

36:01 – Lightning Strikes and Mountain Summits

37:03 – Producer Dave, Shawnté & Friends Weigh In

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What's next for Backcountry? And are direct-to-consumer outdoor brands making a comeback?

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes back Outdoor Unfiltered host and Rock Fight consigliere Eoin Comerford to check in on the changing landscape of outdoor retail.

First, they examine Backcountry's efforts to reinvent itself through acquisitions, new brand partnerships and an enormous online assortment. Can the longtime e-commerce player regain its former momentum, or has the increasingly competitive digital marketplace put a ceiling on its growth?

Then Colin and Eoin dig into the surprising success of D2C outdoor brands that most industry insiders have never heard of. What's changed since the last D2C boom went bust? How are these brands finding customers and growing without traditional retail? And do they even need wholesale anymore?

Plus, Colin explains why gravel running shoes are a sham, clears up the rumors about Marmot selling at Costco, and comes to terms with Bedrock Sandals finally making a proper shoe.

Topics / Chapters

02:00 – Welcome to The Rock Fight + Programming Updates

03:15 – Mailbag: Is Lowe Alpine Officially a Zombie Brand?

06:00 – Why Gravel Running Shoes Are a Sham

08:15 – The Truth About Marmot at Costco

09:15 – Bedrock Sandals Finally Makes a Shoe

13:54 – Eoin Comerford Joins The Rock Fight

14:27 – The Sierra vs. REI Debate Continues

16:05 – What's Next for Backcountry?

17:31 – Backcountry's Strategy Under New Ownership

20:14 – Can Backcountry Compete With Amazon and REI?

22:07 – Will Acquisitions Move the Needle?

23:24 – Is Direct-to-Consumer Making a Comeback?

24:50 – Why Some D2C Outdoor Brands Are Thriving

26:49 – The Outdoor Brands Making Millions You've Never Heard Of

29:21 – Do DTC Brands Still Need Specialty Retail?

32:50 – Could Kickstarter Produce the Next Big Outdoor Brand?

Pick a fight with The Rock Fight! Send your emails to myrockfight@gmail.com!

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

The light hiker is coming back. At least that's Colin's prediction.

On this week's Parting Shot, Colin welcomes Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert to debate his latest outdoor industry prediction: 2027 will be the year of the light hiker.

He makes his case by looking at footwear's fashion cycles, an increasingly saturated running category, emerging retail trends, and why shoes like the Merrell Moab might be poised for a comeback.

Will running shoes finally lose their grip on casual footwear or is Colin just trying to make dad shoes cool again? Send your feedback to myrockfight@gmail.com.

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

The outdoor industry depends on public lands. So why does it sometimes seem reluctant to fight for them?

Chris Keyes, founder and executive director of public lands newsroom RE:PUBLIC, returns to The Rock Fight to talk with Colin about the industry's response to the growing number of threats facing America's public lands.

Chris and Colin discuss what brands can do beyond posting another carefully workshopped statement on social media, why encouraging people to vote might be the industry's most effective move, and how RE:PUBLIC's first year is demonstrating that good old-fashioned outdoor journalism can still make a difference.

Topics / Chapters

02:08 – Why the Outdoor Industry Needs to Get Loud

06:32 – Chris Keyes Joins The Rock Fight

07:50 – One Year of RE:PUBLIC

09:27 – Is the Outdoor Industry Doing Enough?

10:59 – Why Brands Have Been Reluctant to Speak Up

13:44 – How Corporate Ownership Changed Outdoor Activism

14:42 – The Business Case for Defending Public Lands

16:50 – One Thing Every Outdoor Brand Can Do

17:57 – Why Today's Public Lands Fights Are Harder to Communicate

19:09 – Stop Posting Links and Start Driving Action

20:33 – Why You Can't Compare Every Brand to Patagonia

22:12 – If You're Going to Speak Up, Say Something

23:24 – How Journalism Can Actually Create Change

Read RE:PUBLIC's job performance review for Doug Burgum here.

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

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Big box retailers drive a massive amount of outdoor industry revenue. So which ones matter most and which are best positioned for the future?

Today Colin is joined by Outdoor Unfiltered host and Rock Fight consigliere Eoin Comerford to power rank the biggest players in outdoor retail.

And, as you might expect, Colin and Eoin don't exactly agree on the rankings.

Plus, Colin answers a listener question about whether outdoor brands can differentiate on vibes alone, nominates another once iconic outdoor company for zombie-brand status, and explains what the Outdoor Media Summit gets right about industry gatherings.

Timestamps:

03:40 – Mailbag: Is Brand Vibe More Important Than Innovation?

06:55 – Has Outdoor Gear Become Commoditized?

08:20 – Is Lowe Alpine a Zombie Brand?

10:50 – What Outdoor Media Summit Gets Right About Industry Events

12:40 – Why Big Box Retail Matters to the Outdoor Industry

15:26 – Eoin Comerford Joins the Show

20:13 – Colin & Eoin Have Their First Major Disagreement

26:20 – The Specialty Experience at Big Box Scale

30:22 – The Middle of the Outdoor Market

37:07 – Honorable Mentions & Eoin's Rankings

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

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Friday is for The Parting Shot!

To close out The Rock Fight's big return week, Colin welcomes back two Rock Fight Hall of Famers, Producer Dave and Shawnté Salabert, to chuck four rocks aimed squarely at the outdoor world.

First, Colin defends the Satisfy x Adidas Circle Pit and wonders why runners get so worked up whenever a brand tries something different. Producer Dave then weighs in on Mammut's latest streetwear-heavy campaign and the strange pivot from the brand that spent the past two years reminding everyone that it definitely wasn't a streetwear brand.

Then Shawnté joins Colin to talk outdoor media, why everyone needs to stop saying "print ain't dead," and how print journalism has actually evolved.

Finally, Shawnté takes aim at the outdoor brands staying quiet about the potential rollback of the Roadless Rule and what it could mean for public lands.

Four parting shots. Two returning Rock Fight favorites. One final batch of rocks to take into the weekend.

Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your emails to myrockfight@gmail.com.

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What happens when you can DoorDash a pair of trail runners as easily as an order of pad thai?

Locally founder and CEO Mike Massey joins Colin to talk about the company's new partnership with DoorDash and why getting outdoor gear delivered in an hour could be about much more than convenience.

They also dig into the health of specialty outdoor retail, the shift toward at-once buying, how real-time local data could change inventory decisions, and whether the coming battle over last-mile delivery could create a major opportunity for independent retailers.

Topics / Chapters

02:29 – DoorDash is coming to your local gear shop

06:58 – Locally CEO Mike Massey joins the show

07:21 – How the Locally/DoorDash partnership happened

11:31 – Are delivery apps becoming the new everything store?

15:09 – Could this be a game changer for specialty retail?

16:01 – The current health of outdoor specialty retail

21:32 – At-once buying, inventory risk & real-time demand

23:58 – Can local retailers compete with Amazon?

27:05 – Why specialty shops shouldn't try to become Amazon

Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Email us! myrockfight@gmail.com

The Rock Fight is (an awesome) production of Rock Fight, LLC.

It's the day you've been waiting for because The Rock Fight, the best outdoor culture podcast, is back!

And we're starting things back up with some spice as host and outdoor industry veteran Colin True returns with five rocks for the outdoor industry.

Is the hype around trail running finally peaking? Does the industry need to rethink what “outdoor participation” actually means? Is REI exactly what we need it to be? And with Outdoor Retailer, Switchback, GOA Connect and Outside Days all fighting for attention, do we already have the national outdoor gathering everyone keeps asking for?

Then Outdoor Unfiltered host and Rock Fight consigliere Eoin Comerford joins the show to dig into the growing power of specialty retailers, why dealers are increasingly favoring at-once orders over preseason commitments, and what that shift could mean for outdoor brands.

Plus: Helly Hansen wants to more than triple its U.S. business by 2030. Eoin and Colin discuss where that growth could possibly come from.

TOPICS & CHAPTERS

00:00 – Welcome back to The Rock Fight!

04:00 – Rock #1: Has trail running peaked?

07:00 – Rock #2: Outdoor participation is changing

09:30 – Rock #3: REI is the Steadiest of Eddies

12:15 – Rock #4: The Outdoor Trade Show Wars

18:30 – Rock #5: Specialty retail has the power

23:15 – Eoin Comerford joins the show

24:50 – Why retailers are moving away from preseason orders

27:20 – The “sea of sameness” comes home to roost

32:05 – How specialty retailers influence consumers

35:55 – How much power do independent retailers really have?

38:45 – Are there too many outdoor brands?

40:40 – Helly Hansen’s massive U.S. growth ambitions

Send your feedback and questions to myrockfight@gmail.com

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC

Let’s not beat around the bush. If you’ve listened to The Rock Fight in the past you know that we’ve never minced words on this podcast. So why start now?

Here’s the deal: On Monday September 28th, The Rock Fight returns!

Why, you ask? Because the voice of the outdoor industry has been quiet for long enough. And because the people demanded it. And because we still have rocks to throw! And lastly, because…. It just is.

We’ll be returning with hot takes, actual interesting conversations, top 5’s, outdoor drafts, and our signature brutally honest point of view of the outdoors and the outdoor industry. If you are into going outside or the business and brands of going outside, then The Rock Fight is the podcast for you.

So warm up that shoulder, find a couple of pointy rocks, and get ready for the return of The Rock Fight.

Follow The Rock Fight on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your pods.

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Don't call it a comeback! No, seriously, don't call it a comeback. The Rock Fight just needed to let Eoin Comerford weigh in on Outdoor Retailer!

Today Colin dusts off the mic and welcomes Eoin to answer one question: Is Outdoor Retailer back?

Fresh from OR 2026 in Minneapolis, Eoin reports on surprisingly strong crowds, actual buyer activity, new brands, influencers, and some genuine buzz around the longtime outdoor industry trade show.

The Rock Fight may be gone... but apparently we still have some rocks to throw (seriously, not a comeback).

Head to www.rockfightllc.com to listen to and follow Outdoor Unfiltered with Eoin Comerford and Gear Abby with Shawnté Salabert.

The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin Comerford breaks down the news that REI is cutting pay and benefits for employees as the co-op struggles to return to profitability.

After four straight years of losses REI is facing some tough financial realities — and payroll is squarely in the spotlight.

Eoin digs into what’s driving the decision, why payroll costs at REI are significantly higher than other retailers, and why a healthy REI still matters to the broader outdoor industry.

Also in this episode:

• Vail Resorts’ historically bad winter season
• Why ski resorts are still making money despite poor snow
• Eoin is then joined by Rock Founder and Outdoor Industry veteran, Colin True, to discuss the outdoor recreation economy’s “$1.3 trillion” headline number (and why it’s misleading) as well as the new brand campaigns from The North Face and Merrell.

Outdoor Unfiltered looks past the PR spin to explore what’s really happening in the outdoor industry and why it matters.

Connect with Eoin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eoincomerford/

Email the show: outdoorunfilteredpod@gmail.com

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.