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Outdoor Industry Trends: Reporting Season & Trade Show Shake-Ups
Episode 418
This week on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave break down a packed slate of outdoor industry headlines, from financial shakeups to listener drama.
On the docket!
- VF’s Up-and-Down Quarter: North Face & Timberland steady the ship while Vans still struggles.
- HOKA’s Plateau: Deckers cools expectations as HOKA’s U.S. sales flatten but international growth keeps soaring. Is the bubble finally bursting or just shifting?
- Marmot’s Resurrection: Newell Brands shows signs of life, prompting Producer Dave to upgrade Marmot from “zombie” to “revenant.”
2026 Outdoor Trade Show Watch!
- Outdoor Retailer’s “Leadership Village” expands with new names from Cotopaxi, Garage Grown Gear, and Founded Outdoors plus a focus on small and emerging brands.
- ISPO Moves to Amsterdam: Europe’s biggest outdoor trade show changes cities and strategy, raising questions about timing, purpose, and relevance.
Lightning Round!
- Wolverine Named Footwear News Company of the Year (and somehow not Nike).
- Lululemon x NFL Collab would Chip Wilson have ever approved?
- Specialized E-bike Lawsuit: The latest in “gear that tries to kill you.”
The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear!
A listener calls The Rock Fight “Patagonia’s biggest haters.” The crew responds (with vigor) clarifying that critique comes from love, not spite.
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Published on 2 weeks, 5 days ago