The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Commentary

It's Monday on The Rock Fight! Which means that Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand & creative expert Producer Dave to run through the following topics that have emerged over the past week (or so):Comeback brand feedback & Eoin's surf brand game: We discuss the listener feedback to last weeks episode where we nominated the candidates for 2026 comeback brand of the year and Eoin quizzes Colin & Producer Dave about their knowledge of current up and coming surf brands. (04:05)Topo has themselves a quarter and continues the trend of running brands showing big growth which begs the question, can run overtake outdoor like outdoor once overtook surf and ski? (14:56)Adidas releases a new shoe designed just for running on the treadmill. No really, they did that. (21:55)The Rock Fight Lightning Round! This weeks fast acting topics: Glamping over camping, are outdoor retailers missing the boat on the grow wearable tech category, and Combat Flip Flops! (26:26)Support those who support The Rock Fight! This weeks partners: Ibex, Fjallraven, Royal Robbins, Lems Shoes, Conatus Counsel. (30:37)Pre-holiday blues? Three surveys dropped this past week painting a relative gloomy picture of the upcoming holiday shopping season. (35:32)Are US outdoor brands at risk overseas? A new article from The Guardian details challenges being faced by US fashion brands, are outdoor brands facing the same challenges? (39:20)For The Parting Shot Producer Dave offers an update on the roll out of Columbia's campaign and rebrand. (44:42)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 show Colin is joined by longtime journalist and former Outside magazine editor-in-chief Chris Keyes to discuss his new venture: RE:PUBLIC, nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to covering the policies, people, and forces shaping America's public lands.What we cover:How the decline of journalism (75% fewer reporters than 20 years ago) impacts public lands coverage.Why RE:PUBLIC chose the nonprofit model and how it differs from traditional outdoor media.The role of brands and retailers in speaking up for conservation.Why public lands deserve dedicated, investigative storytelling beyond listicles and quick-hit news.How RE:PUBLIC plans to partner with outlets to deliver long-form, high-impact stories.What listeners and outdoor industry pros can do to support RE:PUBLIC right now.Public lands are at the heart of the outdoor industry and our way of life but they're under constant pressure. With journalism shrinking, RE:PUBLIC wants to step in to ensure these stories don't get lost. 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 Colin and the Monday Boys (outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand & creative expert Producer Dave) talk through some stories making waves in the outdoor industry before predicting who will be the "Mountain Hardwear of 2026". Here's the rundown!Listener Mailbag! We hear from a new outdoor retailer and long time industry vet about last Monday's episode. (03:55)Backcountry acquires Portland cycling retailer a month after acquiring a different retailer in SLC. What's the strategy? (10:48)The Rock Fight Lightning Round! This weeks topics: On's new weight training shoe, Nike ACG is back... again, happy birthday Kula Cloth! (16:07)Friends of The Rock Fight! Please support this weeks partners: Fjallraven, Lems Shoes, Royal Robbins, and ENDVR. (20:45)Presenting the candidates for the "2026 Mountain Hardwear Comeback Player Of The Year Award". Hardwear was the toast of the industry in 2025, who will fill that role in 2026? We make the case for and against 10 big brands in the outdoor industry and then predict who we think will take home the top prize. (24:00)For The Parting Shot we bid farewell to NW Alpine who announced last week that they would be shutting down. (50:00)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.Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to myrockfight@gmail.com.

On this episode of The Rock Fight, Colin sits down with Todd Frank, owner of The Trailhead in Missoula, MT, and board member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, to dig into the state of specialty outdoor retail.With recent closures like Summit Hut and Next Adventure , the question looms: what's the future of independent gear shops? Todd shares what makes specialty retail resilient, the challenges of D2C and online competition, and why resale programs could be a lifeline for shops like his.They also dive into:Why community connection still sets local shops apart.The role of GOA in elevating specialty retailers.Why some markets (like Missoula) thrive while others (like SoCal) struggle.The importance of brand storytelling in making product choices.Todd's pick for the next big comeback brand (hint: it's all about Black Diamond).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 Colin is joined by The Monday Boys (outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand & creative expert Producer Dave) to talk about the following topics and news to come out of the outdoor industry over the past week!The Footlocker/Dicks merger is one step closer to being finalized. What's next? (05:55)The Lightning Round: Nike loses to While On Earth, Polartec's Warm Weather Fleece, and Athleta's disappointing second quarter. (11:05)The big news of the week? Retailer Summit Hut announces that it will be closing its doors. Is this a sign of the outdoor industry's demise or just another sign that things are evolving? (18:12)The Outdoor Brand Scorecard! Eoin put together a scorecard to evaluate outdoor brands relationship with their retailers. (32:26)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, The Brief is back!The Brief is a look at the brand and creative efforts of the outdoor industry as broken down by our brand and creative expert, Producer Dave. Today we're taking a look at Columbia's recent (and maybe controversial?) campaign: Engineered For Whatever.And we have a special guest as Colin and Producer Dave are joined by Columbia's SVP of Marketing, Matt Sutton.Matt talks about the origins of Engineered For Whatever, how he and his team were empowered to go big, and what the campaign means for the future of Columbia. And of course we ask Matt about the reaction to the campaign; both the positive and the negative.Would you like your brand or marketing campaign to be broken down on a future edition of The Brief? Drop us a line at myrockfight@gmail.com.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 show Colin & Shawnté bid farewell to the Wednesday episodes of The Rock Fight and welcome in the forthcoming Gear Abby.The Rock Fight is moving to two episodes a week with episodes dropping on Monday and Friday. Fans of the adventure sports and outdoor community topics we typically covered on Wednesday should run right over and follow Shawnte's new podcast Gear Abby. The trailer is now live and the show debuts on September 4th! Colin will be cohosting so you'll get your outdoorsy banter fix on Gear Abby going forward.Today Colin talks about the decision to move on from Wednesday and Shawnté previews what listeners can expect on Gear Abby.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 show Colin convenes with The Monday Boys (outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand/creative expert Producer Dave) to run through the following headlines to come out of the outdoor industry:Mailbag! A listener looks back on one of the OG low top hikers. (05:23)Consumer sentiment is on the decline. What does this actually mean for the outdoor industry? (09:57)Gravel Running Mania! Salomon has added gravel as a category on their website. Is that the first domino to fall that leads to gravel becoming a full time shoe wall category? (17:52)Big week for Vans. First they unveil the objectively terrible 'Future Clog' while prognosticators ponder if vulcanized rubber sneakers are poised for a comeback. (23:17)The Rock Fight Lightning Round! This weeks topics: Angler Core! Alcohol Consumption! Inactivity! (28:35)According to The Rock Fight's consigliere, retailers are being conservative heading into the F26 selling season. What's going on out there? (32:20)Lastly for The Parting Shot Eoin takes over and creates his own 1990's playlist. (43:58)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 & Shawnté discuss the following topics that have come out of the outdoor adventure community over the past week:Fake summit selfies! Scandal breaks in the mountaineering world as a climber is accused of faking summits. (08:44)Nepal pimps other peaks! Nepal is issuing free permits to 97 other mountains to try and relieve some of the traffic on Everest. Will it work? (17:32)The Rock Fight Lightning Round! Today's topics: a bear kills Japanese hiker, a rattlesnake kills a Tennessee hiker, and SUPs are killing more people than ever before. (24:30)Is completing the Triple Crown of Hiking 'dumb'? A recent blog post ponders the motivation of those who pursue thru hiking the PCT, CDT, and AT. Do we agree? (29:12)For The Parting Shot, Shawnté reflects on Hurricane Katrina's 20 year anniversary while Colin follows up on Kilian Jornet's new venture.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 Colin along with Outdoor Industry Insider Eoin Comerford and Brand & Creative Expert Producer Dave dig into the following topics and headlines that have been percolating in the outdoor industry:With brands like On Running and Brooks joining Altra, Saucony, and Hoka in the 'recent excellent financial performance club', is the category of running set up to weather the tariff storm better than everyone else? (05:50)The Rock Fight Lightning Round! This weeks lightning round topics include: Gildan Activewear acquires Hanesbrand for $2.2b, Merrell's claim that they are modernizing hiking, and a stop by Pickleball Corner. (21:41)Vuori turns 10 and celebrates by opening its 100th store. Is there anything that can slow them down? (29:03)On the other side of the athletic coin Under Armour is still trying to refind it's footing. Maybe they need a little more 'grrrr'. (36:08)Lastly for The Parting Shot Colin has a look at the endurance world's 'discovery' of Rice Krispie Treats. (45:12)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 Colin sits with OG Rock Fighter Justin Housman to discuss his career pivot from a journalist in the human powered outdoor media world to his new role in conservation at Save the Redwoods League.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 show Colin and Shawnté get into the following topics that have come out of the outdoor adventure community!A British hiker ignores the signs and is now on the hook for his $16,000 rescue. Should people have to pay to get help? (06:44)A NY man was arrested for leaving his 9 year old in the VIP tent of the Lake Placid Ironman while he went out and competed in the race. Did Ironman also submit an invoice for their babysitting fees? (14:57)Killian Jornet has a new project... because of course he does. (21:35)The Rock Fight's Lightning Round: The fastest 3 minutes in outdoor news! Antarctica tourism, a Russian chairlift collapses, and long distance mushroom boating! (30:56)Let's talk about trail etiquette...because it seems that not enough people know the rules these days. (33:23)Lastly, for The Parting Shot, Colin declares his now eternal position on e-mountain bikes. Brace yourself... the rocks are coming in fast for this one. (53:52)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 show Colin, outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford, and brand/creative expert Producer Dave hit the following topics!Tariff Watch 2025! After week of surveys, brand reports, and new tariff percentages it is time to check in on the latest tariff situation. (05:32)ThredUp's recently earnings report shows that secondhand continues to be an opportunity that everyone should be leaning into. (16:53)The Rock Fight Lightning Round! The fastest 3 minutes in outdoor industry news. This weeks topics: Altra's impressive growth, Saucony's even more impressive growth, Reebok sale rumors, and Emerald Expositions overall flat earnings. (22:29)Columbia launches it's new brand campaign: Engineered For Whatever. A new video and a new stance from Columbia was the buzz of the outdoor industry last week. We take a look at what the brand is trying to do, determine if they were successful, and discuss the backlash. (28:00)For The Parting Shot, Colin ponders what you give up when you pursue big outdoor goals. (42:54)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.

A few weeks back on the show Colin, Producer Dave, and consigliere to The Rock Fight Eoin Comerford had some choice words about a new product line that had just been announced from outdoor brand Ortovox.Ok to be fair, they mostly poked fun at the press release, but still they were not optimistic about Sequence, Ortovox's forthcoming lineup of outdoor apparel and gear.Tom Mason, the US Brand Manager for Ortovox, heard their comments and today he is on the show ready to throw some rocks of his own!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.

We've talked about all sorts of outdoor pop culture on The Rock Fight-movies, TV, books-but music has been somewhat neglected. Today, we fix that!Host of Open Container, Doug Schnitzspahn, joins Colin & Shawnté as they each take a look back at the 1990's and assemble a playlist inspired by adventure. Each of them built a list of 10 songs from the 1990's (one from each year starting in 1990 and ending in 1999) to be the soundtrack of a their chosen activity.3 activities, 10 years, 30 songs. Get ready of the ultimate outdoor playlist, 1990's edition!Listen to the Ultimate Outdoor Playlist: 1990's Edition on Spotify by clicking here. 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 we're drafting the best of the best! Throughout 2025 The Rock Fight crew has named the 20 best brands in the outdoor industry when they created top 5 lists of the best outdoor brands going in footwear, apparel, gear, and accessories. And on today's episode, Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford, brand and creative expert Producer Dave, and outdoor journalist and author Shawnté Salabert to draft from those 20 brands and see who can assemble the greatest team of outdoor brands! Can't remember who those brands were? Here's a reminder:Footwear: Hoka, Norda, Merrell, On Running, BirkenstockApparel: Picture Organic, Cotopaxi, Fjallraven, LIVSN, Mountain HardwearGear: NEMO, Osprey, Black Diamond, MSR, ExpedAccessories: Outdoor Research, Smartwool, Biolite, Sea To Summit, GarminWho will end up with the best roster of the best brands? Listen to find out!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 we debut The Brief!The Brief is a look at the brand and creative efforts of the outdoor industry as broken down by our brand and creative expert, Producer Dave.A few weeks back Producer Dave noticed some billboards popping up in his hometown of Portland, OR for running shoe upstart Speedland. Today we take a deep dive into the creative of the Speedland campaign and determine if billboards were a good idea at all to support that campaign. We end with Produce Dave debuting The Brief Final Assessment where he scores the efforts of Speedland's campaign out of a possible 50 points!Would you like your brand or marketing campaign to be broken down on a future edition of The Brief? Drop us a line at myrockfight@gmail.com.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 show Colin & Shawnté run through the following topics and headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community:Gen Z Paddlers to the rescue! A new crop of young paddlers and kayakers are redefining what makes for a fresh and cool outdoor expeditions! (07:52)Do we still need approach shoes? I mean if you're looking for an uncomfortable shoe that is half as functional as a climbing shoe and can be replaced by the myriad of other options the outdoor industry produces I guess we can keep making them? (15:14)The Rock Fight LIGHTNING ROUND! The fastest 3 minutes of news in outdoor media! Today we hit why icebergs rule, a 9 year old climbs 5.14b, MLFNOW (it's fishing not

Today on The Rock Fight Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand and creative expert Producer Dave (aka The Monday Boys) to hit on the following headlines and topics that are percolating around the outdoor industry:Outdoor Industry History! In what year did these outdoor headlines occur? (04:41)Industry ups and downs: Clarus & Fenix struggle in their recent earnings while Hoka and UG continue to thrive. But is the Deckers rocket ship starting to slow down? (08:10)Hope for ski resorts? Two recent stories buck the trend of bad news for snowsports. Was this a good week or a sign of things to come? (17:35)The Rock Fight LIGHTNING ROUND! The fastest 3 minutes of news in outdoor media. This week we hit the new House of Sport store coming to SoCal, Dad's leading the back to school charge, and insole maker Ortholite sold for $770m! (21:23)A recent lawsuit out of the hunt/fish world highlights the importance of MAP pricing. We discuss. (25:52)For The Parting Shot, apparently last Wednesday's tribute by Colin about Malcom Jamal Warner was just the beginning of a bad week for Gen X because we also lost Ozzy Osbourne and Hulk Hogan. We pour a little out for these 80's icons (even if Hulk did turn out to be a scumbag). (42:16)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 show Colin introduces you to an old friend. The original Rock Fight, LAYERS.He kicks things off by level setting what Rock Fight is going to be up to in the coming months and then reflects back on LAYERS; the show he and Producer Dave first did under the moniker of Rock Fight. And because it's the dog days of summer, your favorite podcasters are also trying to get some time off. So enjoy the first episode of LAYERS and we'll see you back here on Monday morning!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 Colin is joined by outdoor journalist Shawnté Salabert who is off of the trail and back on The Rock Fight to run through the following topics:It's been a deadly month on the trail as tragedy has hit the Sierra and the Whites. Separate from both of these incidents, Colin & Shawnté reflect on how it is sometimes hard to leave an objective behind. (14:05)Inspiration in the heat! 80 year old Bob Becker finishes Badwater. What an absolute bad ass. (29:32)Instagram commenters have weighed in on the topic of carrying a gun in the backcountry. They're pretty much what you expect. (35:46)The Parting Shot! Colin reflects on the loss of Malcom Jamal Warner while Shawnté reflects on the loss of the climate as we know it. (44:18)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 Colin and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford recap their time at last week's Outdoor Market Alliance Media Event. Here is the rundown!Ortovox has returned fire! After criticizing the brands new mountain biking line on last week's episode, it looks like a brand representative from Ortovox may be appearing on the show soon. Stay tuned! (06:48)Salomon's CEO wants to see the brand expand their products to provide more lifestyle options. A tricky proposition that others have also tried. (09:16)The OMA Media Event has quickly become one of the most important industry events on the calendar for PR Agencies and the writers, YouTubers, and podcasters who make up the outdoor media scene. Colin & Eoin talk about how there is still room for the event to grow especially among the brands who would greatly benefit from the coverage they could get if they attended. (16:12)Colin & Eoin's six favorite brands and products that they saw over the course of the two day event. (30:42)Lastly for The Parting Shot Colin has some choice words for his least favorite airport. (52:19)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's show was recorded in Colin's Denver hotel room during this week's Outdoor Market Alliance Media Event (don't worry, it's not as sexy as it sounds).Colin is joined by the Editor-In-Chief of Gearjunkie, Adam Ruggiero, to offer their initial thoughts on the OMA Media Event and use it as a springboard into a conversation about the "new" phase of outdoor media and how legacy media entities are responding to the rise of Substack, podcasts, and YouTube.They wrap up their conversation with the favorite thing they each saw at this weeks event.Click here to help those in need after the flooding of Texas' hill country. 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 we're dipping our toes back into the trade show world as Switchback and The Running Event show director Christina Henderson joins Colin to take analyze last month's inaugural Switchback Spring.They talk about what worked, what didn't, how the standalone show will impact Switchback at TRE, and what the outdoor industry can expect next year in New Orleans. Click here to help those in need after the flooding of Texas' hill country. 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 show, the Monday crew (the Monday Boys?) of outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford and brand/creative expert Producer Dave join Colin to talk through the following topics:Big 5 Sold! Did the new owners make a good deal? (06:09)To celebrate Ortovox entering the mountain bike market we count the amount of cliches in the press release and ponder the motivation behind the move itself. (15:23)Helen Of Troy had a rough Q1 thanks mostly to Hydro Flask's poor performance. Was it the Costco of it all? (21:50)Tariff Watch 2025 is back! After a flurry of updates to our ridiculous tariff situation during the first part of the month, the guys take a look at the moves that were made and analyze the fall out that is likely to come for the innovation engine of the outdoor industry. Spoiler Alert: it doesn't look great. (32:29)For The Parting Shot, Producer Dave takes a look at Hoka's new brand video. Go Bob Dylan! (53:14)Click here to help those in need after the flooding of Texas' hill country. 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 Colin is joined by the host of Open Container, outdoor journalist Doug Schnitzspahn, to check in on where outdoor culture sits halfway through 2025.Since the launch of Open Container in January Doug has had 26 conversations with artists, musicians, authors, brand founders and many others who operate in or around the outdoor community. Today he and Colin find out what he's learned so far and how it reflects on the broader outdoor world.For The Parting Shot, Colin previews his trip to next week's Outdoor Market Alliance Media Event and makes a prediction about Superman.Click here to help those in need after the flooding of Texas' hill country. 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 show former Rock Fight guest Emily Holland ascends to the co-host chair to fill in for Shawnté who is out hiking the JMT!Colin & Emily hit on the following topics:Get to know your co-host! Colin asks Emily some random questions so the audience can get to know her better (be sure to write down some of her food recommendations). (05:50)The Tour de France kicked off last weekend! Do we still care? It not, what would make us care? (17:05)From the files of No Sh!t Sherlock, recent running based study lets us know yet again that sleep is good for us and life is deadly without it. (25:40)Last week a six year old boy summited Mt. Elbrus. Is that cool? (31:30)For The Parting Shot Colin has a request for anyone who covering or commenting on the Trump administration. Thank you. (39:59)Click here to help those in need after the flooding of Texas' hill country. 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 it's the last interview that we recorded at GOA Connect in Reno last month. This time Colin and Eoin are chatting with Jon Frederick of Rab.Jon talks about why Rab has found more traction in the US when other EU based brands have struggled to enter the market. They also discuss Rab's current product initiatives and what Jon would like to see out of the national trade show scene.Then Shawnté Salabert calls in with an update from her three week hike on the JMT to help Colin process his discovery that he no longer likes hiking.Click here to help those in need after the flooding of Texas' hill country. 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 show it's a special Fourth of July episode of The Rock Fight as Colin is finally joined by outdoor journalist and sustainability legend Kristin Hostetter, to talk about her big 2024 hot take that it is time to ban fireworks.Last year Kristin wrote this piece offering all the reasons why we should rethink fireworks despite them being a significant fixture in modern society. We covered her article here on The Rock Fight and now, to celebrate this year's Fourth of July, Colin finally gets to chat with Kristin.In addition to fireworks we also get to hear what Kristin is currently working on to lead a more sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle. 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 we're featuring the second interview we captured while attending GOA Connect last month. This time Colin and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford sit down with Eagle Creek president and CEO, Travis Campbell.They talk about Travis's unique path to owning Eagle Creek and if that puts him in the same category as other founder led outdoor brands. They also touch how Eagle Creek tries to differentiate in an increasingly competitive travel market. Lastly they touch on outdoor events and what needs to happen on the national level.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 show the Monday boys, Producer Dave and outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford, join Colin to talk about the following topics:Back to school predictions! Reports are coming in that tariffs are impacting early back to school shopping. What does this mean for the second biggest shopping season of the year? (07:20)In a recent interview, Topo Athletic founder Tony Post reveals the secrets behind the trail running footwear brands big 2024 growth. Is Topo poised to take the trail running shoe championship belt? (12:40)Wolverine has launched a made in the USA work boot. Is this the beginning of a wave of loud domestically made product launches? (21:46)After last weeks edition of TrailCon, an industry strategist posited that trail running is poised to go mainstream. For today's main topic the boys talk about what 'going mainstream' means to the outdoor industry in 2025 and what trail running being mainstream would actually look like. (27:33)For The Parting Shot we saunter back over to pickleball corner as Colin takes umbrage with a recent survey. (52:47)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 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.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 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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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

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

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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

Today on the show Shawnté Salabert joins Colin to run through the following topics to come out of the outdoor adventure community:People are using Fake My Run and hiring 'mules' to falsify their Strava feeds. And we want to hear from those who are doing it! If you have faked your run, hired a running mule or have been hired as a running mule email us at myrockfight@gmail.com. (06:39)The mother of a six month old won a 100k ultramarathon after starting 30 minutes late and stopped along the way to breastfeed her baby. Legend. (12:27)Two New York hikers called 911 from an Adirondack mountain to report that a third member of their party had died on trail. Only they weren't quite dead. Turns out the two that made the call? Were just high on mushrooms. (16:49)According to a new survey eBike injuries are on the rise! (25:38)Lastly The Parting Shot covers the following: toilets, smartphones, hemorrhoids. 'nuff said. (33:19)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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

Today on the show Colin is joined by the regular Rock Fight Monday crew of Producer Dave and Outdoor Industry Insider Eoin Comerford (aka The Consigliere). And this week that crew hits the following topics!Which brand would you resurrect? On the heels of last weeks Top 5 Outdoor Apparel Brands episode, the good folks at the Utah State Outdoor Archive reached out and asked us to memorialize the outdoor brands we've lost over the years. So we take a look at several of those names and talk about which brands we are missing the most. (04:38)Industry News Lightning Round! Next we take a look at some recent updates to three stories we've covered on The Rock Fight. The latest court rulings on the Trump tariffs, Dick's first earnings report post Foot Locker acquisition, and a change in CEO at Vail Resorts. (20:20)The Parting Shot! For this week's parting shot Eoin implores our industry to support emerging brands so we can help minimize the damage inflicted upon them by the decisions being made by our current presidential administration. (38:27)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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

Today on the show Colin is joined by the CEO of Reju, Patrik Frisk.Started in 2023, Reju is a "textile regeneration company" that is trying to create a circular system for polyester by taking existing polyester garments and turning them back into reusable polyester components that apparel brands can then make into new garments. On today's episode Patrik talks about the mission of the brand, the challenges they face, and the need for these kinds of innovative solutions to solve our textile waste problem.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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

Today Colin is joined by outdoor journalist and host of Open Container Doug Schnitzspahn to talk about a couple of stories to come out of the outdoor community before taking a look at the current health of outdoor media. Here's today's docket!Everest season comes to a close with multiple FKT attempts. (05:39)Pickleball Corner returns because campgrounds are now building pickleball courts. Colin will offer his opinion after the blood stops gushing from his eyes. (12:15)Is our outdoor media scene healthy? Colin and Doug take stock of the health of outdoor print, digital, and podcasts. (19:06)Lastly for The Parting Shot, Colin reminds everyone heading to a trade show that you don't need to dress like you're about to go on an adventure. (44:17)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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

We've made you wait long enough! We've finally made it to the conclusion to 2025's 'Top 5 Brand' episodes and we saved the biggest category for last. After ranking the top 5 footwear, gear, and accessories, today we're listing the Top 5 Outdoor Apparel brands!While completely subjective, the mission is simple: determine the top 5 outdoor apparel brands of the moment. Colin is joined by Shawnté Salabert, Producer Dave, and Eoin Comerford to pick a brand from the following categories:Emerging/Small BrandsSnow/SurfLifestyle/AthleisureEuro/InternationalNorth America Core OutdoorWill you agree with the final list? Maybe? Maybe Not. But this is a list for all time! Or at least until The Rock Fight runs back this gimmick in 2026.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 myrockfight@gmail.com.

After months of rumors and speculation, on May 16th MEC finally announced that they have indeed been acquired. One of the group that has purchased MEC from Kingswood Capital Management is also their Chief Merchandising Officer, Chris Speyer. Today on the show Chris sits down with Colin and Eoin Comerford to talk about MEC's new ownership group, where the brand is and where it's going. (04:00)Then Colin is joined by Tania Lown-Hecht from the Outdoor Alliance who has an update on the plan to sell off hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Utah and Nevada. Spoiler alert: It's actually good news! (38:00)Click here to keep the pressure on congress!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 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 Shawnté dig into some stories to come out of the outdoor adventure community. On the docket:100,000 new mountains were discovered below the ocean's surface. No one tell Killian Jornet. We don't want him to drown trying to run all of them in a single day. (07:14)One person died and 3 others went to the hospital due to excessive heat during a recent trail half marathon and we're really hoping no one gets blamed for this. (11:20)Outdoor Pop Culture Watch! Colin & Shawnté react to the following recently released trailers (17:00):The North Face Presents: TrangoThe NorthYou VS Wild Season 8Lastly for The Parting Shot, Colin reacts to news that skiing visitation numbers were up this year and hope isn't how people are discovering the outdoors. 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 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 we dig into last week's news that Dick's Sporting Goods has acquired Foot Locker. Colin is joined by Producer Dave and Outdoor Industry Insider Eoin Comerford to discuss and answer the following questions:How does this acquisition play into Dick's long term strategy? (06:45)How has the market reacted to the acquisition? (19:25)What will be the fallout to footwear brands? (23:28)How will this acquisiton impact the broader outdoor industry? (28:07)Lastly Colin wraps up the show with The Parting Shot with a tip for any of our older listeners!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 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.

Why make a list of the best outdoor towns when you can draft them instead?!Today on the show Colin is joined by outdoor author and journalist, Shawnté Salabert, and the host of Open Container, Doug Schnitzspahn to draft the best outdoor towns in the US!Round by round they'll draft outdoorsy locales from all across the United States. In the end they'll each have a list for you the listener to vote on and determine who has the best team of outdoor towns for 2025! (Voting will begin on Monday May 19th on www.rockfight.co!)Listen to see if your favorite outdoor town made the cut!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 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 & outdoor author and journalist Shawnté Salabert the following topics:MLFNOW on MyOutdoorTV! Yes, we also thought it said what you thought it said, but don't worry the link is completely SFW. (06:07)Resale platform ThredUp raised its sales and earnings targets for the year after a strong first quarter. Secondhand FTW! (10:30)300 billboards in 40 different cities around the country have been put up highlighting national parks in the area and the tagline “Now With Reduced Staff, Made Possible by D.O.G.E.” We appreciate a good troll around here. (16:09)It's time for a new segment we call WHY DO PEOPLE?! This week we look at Why Do People Continue To Pet Bison? Why? Why do people?! (21:25)Lastly for The Parting Shot, Shawnté points out a different way that women are marginalized in the outdoors. (34:58)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 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.