The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary: Daily Summaries Delivered

The Big Box Outdoor Retail Power Rankings

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 Events12:40 – Why Big Box Retail Matters to the Outdoor Industry15:26 – Eoin Comerford Joins the Show20:13 – Colin & Eoin Have Their First Major Disagreement26:20 – The Specialty Experience at Big Box Scale30:22 – The Middle of the Outdoor Market37:07 – Honorable Mentions & Eoin's RankingsWant to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your questions and feedback to myrockfight@gmail.comThe Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Punk Rock Running, Mammut Streetwear & the Death of “Print Ain’t Dead”

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.

Can DoorDash Change the Game for Outdoor Retail?

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 / Chapters02:29 – DoorDash is coming to your local gear shop06:58 – Locally CEO Mike Massey joins the show07:21 – How the Locally/DoorDash partnership happened11:31 – 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 retail21:32 – At-once buying, inventory risk & real-time demand23:58 – Can local retailers compete with Amazon?27:05 – Why specialty shops shouldn't try to become AmazonWant to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Email us! myrockfight@gmail.comThe Rock Fight is (an awesome) production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Trail Running Has Peaked & Who Really Has the Power in the Outdoor Industry?

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 & CHAPTERS00:00 – Welcome back to The Rock Fight!04:00 – Rock #1: Has trail running peaked?07:00 – Rock #2: Outdoor participation is changing09:30 – Rock #3: REI is the Steadiest of Eddies12:15 – Rock #4: The Outdoor Trade Show Wars18:30 – Rock #5: Specialty retail has the power23:15 – Eoin Comerford joins the show24:50 – Why retailers are moving away from preseason orders27:20 – The “sea of sameness” comes home to roost32:05 – How specialty retailers influence consumers35:55 – 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 ambitionsSend your feedback and questions to myrockfight@gmail.comThe Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC

The Rock Fight Is Back!

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.

Did Outdoor Retailer Just Pull Off a Comeback?

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.

Bonus Episode! The Rock Fight Heads To Oboz - Outdoor Unfiltered

On this special bonus episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin welcomes the founders of The Rock Fight -- Colin True and Producer Dave Karstad.Colin and Dave share why they decided to go out on top with the Rock Fight at its peak, what drew them to their new roles at Oboz, and what lies ahead for them and the brand.

Profitability vs. People: REI Cuts Pay & Benefits - Outdoor Unfiltered