Outdoor Unfiltered

Dive beyond the PR spin with Outdoor Unfiltered, your insider look into the outdoor industry's biggest shifts. In this episode, host Eoin Comerford breaks down why KMD Brands -- the parent company of global surf icon Rip Curl, retail giant Kathmandu, and hiking footwear favorite Oboz -- has launched a major strategic review.
Next, we call out the non-stop promotional spam from recreation.gov, peeling back the curtain on its operator, Booz Allen Hamilton, and how their contract impacts public lands' funding. On a brighter note, we highlight Mountain High Outfitters and their impressive 31-store expansion, showing why the "Big Os" specialty retail model is thriving.
Finally, Mike Seaman and Tracy Bebbington of Racoon Media Group join the show to discuss their massive €3 million investment to revitalize and completely revamp the iconic ISPO show as it moves to Amsterdam this November.
Timestamps:
[00:22] – KMD Brands Strategic Review: What does the future hold for Kathmandu, Rip Curl, and Oboz under their New Zealand-based parent company?
[04:45] – The Recreation.gov Spam Machine: Why a private contract with Booz Allen Hamilton is driving massive revenue away from our underfunded National Parks.
[07:11] – Specialty Retail Success: How Mountain High Outfitters is bucking the trend with its 31st store expansion.
[09:05] – Interview with Racoon Media Group: Mike Seaman and Tracy Bebbington lay out their €3 million plan to relocate, revamp, and revitalize the iconic ISPO show in Amsterdam.

Connect With Us:
We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries, or whatever's on your mind.
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Connect with Eoin Comerford on LinkedIn

Our Sponsors:
We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors who make this show possible. Please support them by checking out their services:
ENDVR: The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel.
Crux Retail: Creating bold retail displays for bold brands.

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host Eoin Comerford pulls back the curtain on major shifts hitting the outdoor and apparel markets. We analyze the 4-year financial trajectory of The North Face, look past the personality drama at Lululemon, and deliver a sobering wake-up call to outdoor brands relying too heavily on sustainability as their primary differentiator.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Podcast Intro and Host Overview
00:36 – The Unfiltered Upside: Inside The North Face's Q4 and Fiscal 2026 Turnaround Metrics
01:50 – Product Assortment and "Me-Too" Traps: How TNF Hit a Wall in 2023
02:30 – Analyzing VF Investor Day: Category Consolidation and Brand Centering
03:15 – Premiumization, Luxury Collaborations, and Rising Price Points
04:00 – Performance vs. Performance-Inspired: Navigating Cultural Relevancy
04:45 – Product Franchise Management: The Proliferation of Denali and Nuptse Variations
05:40 – Modernizing Marketing: Reviewing the "Never Just a Hike" Campaign
06:54 – Commercial Break: ENDVR
07:42 – The Lululemon Spat: Is Chip Wilson Actually Right?
08:35 – Stock Peaks and Product Execution: What the Street is Saying About Lululemon
09:12 – The Rise of Alo and Vuori: Has Lululemon Abandoned Its Playbook?
09:50 – Commercial Break: Crux Retail
10:44 – The Anti-Shein No More: Shein Acquires Everlane
11:34 – The History of Everlane and the Trap of the "Middle Ground"
12:20 – The Sincerity Crisis: Is Sustainability a Primary Driver or Just Table Stakes?
12:45 – The Cautionary Tale of Allbirds
13:30 – The 4 Critical Takeaways for Outdoor Brands in a Trend-Driven Market

Connect With Us:
We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries, or whatever's on your mind.Email Us: [email protected]
Connect with Eoin Comerford on LinkedIn: Eoin's Profile

Our Sponsors:
ENDVR – The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel. Visit www.endvr.io to claim your free starter credits.
Crux Retail – Creating bold retail fixtures and custom displays for bold outdoor brands. Book your discovery call today at www.crux-retail.com.

Outdoor Unfiltered is a production of Rock Fight LLC.

Dive deep into the real numbers behind the outdoor industry with host Eoin Comerford in Episode 12 of Outdoor Unfiltered. In this episode, we unpack REI’s fiscal 2025 financial reports, breaking down what flat revenues, rising gross margins, and a declining active membership base mean for the future of the cooperative.
Then, we look beyond the PR spin of recent Q1 earnings reports from top brands, including Yeti's wholesale surge, Wolverine Worldwide's lifestyle expansion with Saucony, Under Armour's ongoing retail challenges, and Compass Diversified's technical insights from Boa and Primaloft. Finally, we analyze the latest NSGA (National Sporting Goods Association) sports participation numbers, revealing massive growth in hiking, kayaking, and alpine skiing.
In our expert guest segment, we are joined by industry leaders Lindsay Hubley and Sunny Stroeer from Emerald X to discuss the upcoming revamp of the Outdoor Retailer show in Minneapolis, its shifting calendar to August, and the game-changing Wild Reach creator platform powered by Popfly.
Show Notes
Episode Summary
In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host Eoin Comerford goes line-by-line through the reality of REI’s 2025 financial performance, separates the signal from the noise in recent outdoor brand earnings reports, and highlights which outdoor sports are actually growing according to the NSGA. Plus, Lindsay Hubley and Sunny Stroeer join the show to detail how the upcoming Outdoor Retailer show in Minneapolis is adapting to meet the needs of modern specialty retailers, brands, and content creators.
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Outdoor Unfiltered & REI 2025 Financial Overview
00:54 – Breaking Down REI's Revenue, Store Expansion, and the 53rd Week
02:08 – Gross Margins, Inventory Gluts, and Promotional Discipline
03:00 – Operating Losses, Payroll Structural Problems, and Layoffs
04:02 – Membership Metrics: Voting Eligible vs. Total Members
04:36 – Cash, Investments, and Operating Cash Flow Reality
05:25 – Sponsor Break: ENDVR
06:33 – Quick Hits: Yeti Q1 Earnings Analysis
07:11 – Quick Hits: Wolverine Worldwide & Saucony Growth
07:44 – Quick Hits: Under Armour's Retail Challenges
08:24 – Quick Hits: Compass Diversified, Boa, and Primaloft Performance
08:52 – Sponsor Break: Crux Retail
09:47 – The Unfiltered Upside: NSGA Sports Participation Report (Hiking, Kayaking, Skiing, and Camping)
11:24 – Interview: Lindsay Hubley & Sunny Stror on the New Outdoor Retailer Show
13:00 – Understanding the Outdoor Retailer Leadership Village & Advisory Family
14:48 – Moving Outdoor Retailer to Minneapolis and Changing the Dates to August
17:15 – Shifting the Show Floor: Capping Maximum Booth Sizes
18:29 – Brand Diversity and Headliners at Outdoor Retailer 2026
19:33 – Special Sections, Backcountry Partnerships, and Stewardship Pavilions
21:00 – Introducing Wild Reach: The Popfly Creator Partnership Platform
24:34 – How to Apply for the Hosted Buyer and Scholarship Programs
25:34 – What to Expect for Industry Day and the Retailer Playbook Labs
27:44 – Industry Day Keynotes and Happy Hour Events
28:54 – Defining Success for the Revamped Outdoor Retailer Show

Connect With Us
We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries, or whatever's on your mind.
Host: Connect with Eoin Comerford on LinkedIn
Email: [email protected]

Our Sponsors
ENDVR: The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel. Learn more at www.endvr.io
Crux Retail: Designing and engineering custom, customer-centric retail store fixtures and bold retail displays for bold brands. Learn more at www.crux-retail.com

Join Eoin Comerford on Outdoor Unfiltered as we strip away the PR speak to examine the real forces driving the outdoor industry. In this episode, we tackle the "elephant in the room": Amazon. With roughly 50% of all U.S. e-commerce searches starting on Amazon, outdoor brands can no longer ignore the platform. Eoin breaks down six specific Amazon strategies—from the "Full Blackout" favored by Patagonia and Birkenstock to the "Single Designated 3P Seller" model.
Later, Eoin is joined by Jonathan Jarosz, Executive Director of Heart of the Lakes and Co-Founder of Land of Outsiders. They dive deep into the world of Outdoor Business Alliances (OBAs) and the State Outdoor Business Alliance Network (SOBAN). Discover how these alliances work alongside Offices of Outdoor Recreation (ORECs) to bolster the outdoor economy in states like Michigan, Maine, and Minnesota.
Whether you are an emerging brand or an industry veteran, this episode provides a roadmap for navigating digital marketplaces and state-level advocacy.
Show Notes
Episode Summary: Host Eoin Comerford explores the tactical realities of Amazon for outdoor brands and discusses the vital role of state-level business alliances with guest Jonathan Jarosz.
Timestamped Highlights:
00:00 – Intro: The uncomfortable truth about Amazon and the outdoor industry.
04:18 – Strategy 1: The Full Blackout (The Patagonia Approach).
06:17 – Strategy 2: Selling 1P (Dancing with the Devil).
07:38 – Strategy 3: Selling 3P Direct (Owning your presence).
09:54 – Strategy 4: The Single Designated 3P Seller (The Orva Model).
11:51 – Strategy 5: 3P Direct + Approved Dealer Network.
13:31 – Strategy 6: The Free-for-All (What happens when you don't decide).
15:10 – Sponsor Break: ENDVR and Crux Retail.
18:25 – Interview with Jonathan Jarosz: Defining Outdoor Business Alliances (OBAs).
21:28 – The "Spiral Corkscrew": The relationship between OBAs and ORECs.
24:35 – The three flavors of OBAs: Industry Only, Business Plus, and Big Tent.
27:14 – The SOBAN map: Growth in the "Missing Middle" (Minnesota, Arkansas, Pennsylvania).
31:18 – How to get involved and what’s next for the Outdoor Economy.

Connect With Us: We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries, or whatever's on your mind.
LinkedIn: Connect with Eoin Comerford
Email: [email protected]

Our Sponsors:
ENDVR – The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel.
Crux Retail – Creating bold retail displays for bold brands.

Resources Mentioned:
SOBAN (State Outdoor Business Alliance Network)

This episode of Outdoor Unfiltered dives into the data behind retail relationships and the future of industry gatherings. Host Eoin Comerford reveals the latest Partnership Scores for 32 major outdoor brands—including Patagonia, Hoka, Black Diamond, and Keen—measuring how effectively they support local retailers versus their own D2C channels. We also explore a unique opportunity to own Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD), as founder Ron Bell offers a "management to ownership" track for the iconic ultralight brand.
The headliner features Sean Smith, Event Director for Switchback, who discusses the show's strategic move to New Orleans in June 2026. Sean breaks down the growth of the show, the importance of the specialty outdoor retailer, and the robust educational programming featuring Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). We also get an inside look at specialized floor sections like Pathfinders, in partnership with Garage Grown Gear, and the vital role of nonprofits like the Conservation Alliance and Leave No Trace.
Show Notes:
0:00 – Introduction Host Eoin Comerford previews today’s topics: updated partnership scores, a chance to own Mountain Laurel Designs, and a deep dive into the Switchback trade show with Sean Smith.
0:45 – The Partnership Score Explained Eoin breaks down his 100-point scoring system that tracks how outdoor brands balance D2C sales with retail partner support.
2:40 – Winners and Movers: Patagonia, Hoka, and More A look at the massive 27-point industry improvement in partnership scores, highlighting big moves from Black Diamond, Keen, and the return of local dealer links on Patagonia’s site.
4:45 – Top Tier Brands Shoutouts to the brands consistently scoring 90–100 points: Brooks, Nemo, Oboz, and Rab.
5:40 – Own Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) Ron Bell is looking for a successor for his 25-year-old ultralight brand. Eoin explains the "no money down" management-to-ownership track.
8:18 – Interview: Sean Smith on Switchback Sean Smith discusses his transition to Switchback and the show’s mission to serve as the heart of the specialty outdoor retail industry.
10:30 – Why New Orleans in June? Addressing the "swampy" elephant in the room: why the June timing in NOLA serves the buying calendar of the outdoor industry.
13:10 – Growth and Capacity Switchback is expanding, targeting 230 brands and over 40,000 square feet of booth space, featuring industry giants like Arc'teryx, Fjallraven, and Cotopaxi.
15:00 – The 20x20 Booth Cap Why Switchback limits booth size to "save brands from themselves" and keep the focus on products rather than massive displays.
17:35 – Supporting Emerging Brands: Pathfinders Details on the Pathfinders section for emerging and women-owned brands like Halfdays and Soul Sisters, curated with Garage Grown Gear.
20:10 – The Role of Nonprofits and SOBA The importance of the State Outdoor Business Alliance Network (SOBAN) and why nonprofits are the "401k of the outdoor industry."
23:25 – Education and Networking A preview of Education Day (Tuesday) and the Trailheads Theater, featuring 47 speakers covering everything from risk management to participation research.
26:50 – How to Attend Sean provides details on the retail scholarship program and how to register for the June 2026 event.

Our Sponsors
ENDVR: The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel. www.endvr.io
Crux Retail: Creating bold retail displays for bold brands. www.crux-retail.com

Connect With Us
We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries or whatever’s on your mind.
Eoin Comerford: LinkedIn Profile
Email: [email protected]

Outdoor Unfiltered is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.