The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Today on The Rock Fight (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin and Justin get caught up on some of the headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community over the past few weeks. Today's topics include: The Park City Ski Patrol Strike! The topic of the moment that needs to be discussed because resort skiing has some brand problems. (06:02) Are ' Gravel Shoes ' coming? Dear lord we...

Today on The Rock Fight (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin is joined by Rock Fight regulars Justin Housman, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave to power rank the current top 5 outdoor footwear brands! This episode presents a (sorta) thorough examination of the outdoor footwear market, as The Rock Fight crew rank the top five footwear brands currently shaping the outdoor industry. They...

Today on The Rock Fight (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin Housman run through the top 10 episodes from 2024 that focused on the outdoor adventure community. Running down the top episodes from the past year from 10 to 1, each episode explored significant topics, including the impact of outdoor media on small towns, the controversial legal issues surrounding athletes lik...

Today on The Rock Fight (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin is joined by industry insider Eoin Comerford and Producer Dave to run down the top 10 outdoor industry rock fights from the past year. Going from 10 to 1 they provide their updated thoughts on the most popular industry focused episodes of 2024 and make predictions about what to expect in the future. This past year The Rock F...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Jessica Turner from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable returns to the show to talk about finally getting the EXPLORE Act through congress! The passage of the EXPLORE Act marks a significant milestone for the outdoor recreation community, as it is the first comprehensive recreation package to be enacted without being tied to other l...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show with his reaction to Gear Patrol's mention of THE ROCK FIGHT in their recent best products of 2024 list. Colin and Producer Dave use this mention to pump the tires of an outdoor media scene who has way more clout than many realize when it comes to how they cover the brands that drive the conversation in the ou...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin is joined by the founder of LIVSN , Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, who shares his compelling journey from personal struggle to building an outdoor brand focused on sustainability and quality. Andrew discusses the challenges of launching a new brand in a saturated outdoor market and highlights the need for innovation that aligns with e...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin and Justin run through some stories to come out of the outdoor community from the past week. First up they respond to emails received about last weeks episode which featured a story about how outdoor media and enthusiasts can possibly ruin unknown mountain towns. Then they talk about a hiker was rescued from quicksand and im...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show by talking about how the outdoor industry steadily operates from a position of fear. Then Eoin Comerford joins Colin to analyze the dynamics of big box retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Academy, looking at their struggles and strategies in a competitive landscape, and what specialty retail can learn fro...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin is joined by the founder and editor in chief of Blister , Jonathan Ellsworth, to talk about making the backcountry a safer and more affordable place for outdoor enthusiasts. Outdoor enthusiasts face significant risks when engaging in their favorite activities, and having the right insurance coverage can be a game changer; wh...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin hit on a few of the more interesting and notable stories to come out of the outdoor community over the past week. The show kicks off by delving into a discussion about the complexities of brand loyalty in outdoor gear, based on the news that Rocky Mounts has been acquired by Clarus. The guys contemplate when bra...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford joins Colin and Producer Dave to recap his time at the ISPO trade show in Munich! Eoin discusses the notable decline in participation and booth sizes at the show and how the changes seen at ISPO can tell us what to expect at future shows in the US. He also talks about his time touring Munich...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin sits down with the founders of Fuel Goods, a new nutrition fulfillment brand looking to change up an entire category. Fuel Goods is reshaping the nutrition landscape within the outdoor industry by offering a subscription service that emphasizes the importance of proper fueling for athletes, outdoor enthusiasts as well as eve...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin and Justin break down some of the more notable stories to come out of the outdoor industry and community. They start with the implications of new legislation in California that will ban single-use propane canisters in 2028. They also talk about a man who got lost while camping in BC and was recently found after 50 days. And...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin starts the show by taking a look at the sheer number of outdoor apparel brands that are all making pretty much the same products and have the same brand messaging. He and Producer Dave talk about how this situation has created an upside for differentiation and success for the brand who is bold enough to try something differe...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin sits down with Toby Ryston-Pratt, the founder and CEO of Australia's Adventure Entertainment. Do you know about Adventure Entertainment? If you do, you are one up on Colin. AE was founded by Toby in 2016 and has made remarkable strides since its inception, acquiring multiple outdoor magazines, creating it's own streaming pla...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin run through some of the more notable headlines to come out of the outdoor industry and community over the past week. The episode kicks off with a discussion about French brand Millet announcing their intention to enter the US outdoor marketplace and the challenges faced by the European brands have tried before t...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Producer Dave offer their thoughts on their time at last weeks edition of The Running Event/Switchback. Then Eoin Comerford makes his debut as a weekly regular on THE ROCK FIGHT! Eoin will be appearing each Monday on the show to offer his unique insights into what is happening in the outdoor industry. This week Eoin lo...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) professional adventure athlete Sunny Stroeer joins Colin to talk about how there continues to be a gender gap in the way the outdoor media covers women's outdoor accomplishments. The outdoor gender gap is a pressing issue that continues to impact women in adventure sports, as discussed by Stroeer, a professional adventurer and the...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin opens the show taking a closer look at this weeks big story: YETI telling retailers they will be sunsetting Mystery Ranch after 2025. YETI's decision to phase out Mystery Ranch's consumer-facing business while retaining its military operations has raised eyebrows in the outdoor industry. Colin looks at the implications of th...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Aaron Provine, the president and owner of Geartrade, returns to discuss the evolving landscape of secondhand gear and recommerce in the outdoor industry. Aaron highlights the growing momentum toward secondhand products and picks a fight with Colin's criticism of brand recommerce platforms as he believes that these brand initiative...

Multiple sources have reached out to THE ROCK FIGHT from the GOA Connect show happening in Kansas City this week with the news that after acquiring the brand just this past January, Yeti will be sunsetting the consumer arm of Mystery Ranch after 2025 while retaining their military business. Colin & Justin talk about the implications of this move and then address the other big news story of the...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head), Colin opens the show discussing Polartec's recent announcement of their Shed Less fleece, a fabric that, according to the brand, reduces microfiber shedding by up to 85%. Drawing on his experience, Colin offers insights into the challenges ingredient brands face when developing innovative products, especially given the outdoor ap...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford returns to give Colin and Producer Dave his perspective on some of the topics that we've been covering lately. Eoin discusses the loss of identity and authenticity brands deal with after being acquired by larger corporations. Using Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, and Columbia's new creative push...

Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin & Justin run through topics and headlines to come out of the outdoor adventure community over the past week or so including a French ski resort that has closed due to climate change, grades for Congress when it comes to National Parks, and Hipcamp's acquisition of BookOutdoors. Here's the full list of topics with time co...