The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Today on The Rock Fight Colin, Eoin Comerford and Producer Dave talk about some recent headlines to come out of the outdoor industry including recent comments made by some of the industry's more notable CEO's.
For the Lightning Round they do quick hits on J Crew, JD Sports, and OR's new athlete team.
Then they unpack the launch of Stoke Footwear, a running-inspired shoe brand built for “real American men” that’s already landed in hundreds of retail doors. Is this smart retail validation, or another case of active heritage being repackaged for a different audience?
Lastly for The Parting Shot, Colin takes aim at the promotion of Alex Honnold's next big thing.
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This week on The Rock Fight, the crew digs into a round of reactions to some of the latest headlines to emerge from the outdoor industry!
From Fleet Feet’s growing footprint, to the maturation of the hydration category and what it means for brands like Hydro Flask and YETI, the conversation spans retail scale, category fatigue, and where real opportunity still exists.
The episode also explores why more brands are opening their own stores, how DTC has evolved into an omnichannel strategy, and what that means for wholesale partners. Plus, the Lightning Round covers ski patrol strikes*, Everest trash, and why bikes still sit awkwardly outside the outdoor industry.
*This episode was recorded before the Telluride Patroller's strike ended.
Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.
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Today on The Rock Fight Colin and Producer Dave help break down Eoin's ten predictions for the outdoor industry in 2026! From tariffs and retail shakeups to REI’s membership future, used gear going mainstream, peak trail running culture, and AI becoming your next gear buddy.
Then for The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin calls out Timberland’s latest boot, using it as a case study in what happens when legacy brands lose the plot on product quality, relevance, and execution. Watch the video that sparked the conversation by clicking here.
What do you think of our predictions? Weigh in with your opinion and make your own outdoor industry 2026 prediction by clicking here!
Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.
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 [email protected].

In this special episode, Colin, Owen, Shawnté, and Producer Dave hand out the 2025 Rock Fight Awards, recognizing the outdoor industry’s biggest wins, painful missteps, strangest products, and standout brands and individuals of the year.
From trail running’s continued dominance to zombie brands, WTF products, creative breakthroughs, and a few well-earned shots across the bow, this is a no-filter temperature check on where the outdoor industry stands and where it might be headed next.
Award Categories:
🪨 THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN BRAND COLLABORATION
🪨 THE CHIP WILSON SELF INFLICTED WOUND AWARD (AKA BIGGEST BRAND BONER)
🪨 THE OPEN CONTAINER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY
🪨 THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN OUTDOOR INDUSTRY OVEREXPOSURE
🪨 THE CATEGORY OF THE YEAR
🪨 THE WTF PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
🪨 THE NEWCOMER OR EMERGING BRAND OF THE YEAR
🪨 THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE OUTDOOR ZOMBIE HORDE
🪨 THE BRIEF AWARD FOR BRAND CREATIVE EXCELLENCE
🪨 THE GEAR ABBY GOLDEN BIDET AWARD FOR CONSUMER EDUCATION
🪨 THE JUSTIN HOUSMAN MEMORIAL ROCK FIGHTER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
🪨 THE 2025 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN TRADE SHOWS
🪨 THE 2025 ROCK FIGHT LISTENER AWARD
🪨 2025 OUTDOOR INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
🪨 2025 BRAND OF THE YEAR
See you in 2026!
Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.
Please follow and subscribe to The Rock Fight and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.
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Today on The Rock Fight, the crew runs a temperature check on the outdoor industry national trade show scene!
From fragmentation to event fatigue, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave break down whether outdoor still needs a single “north star” gathering; and who should be responsible for making it happen.
But first they hit a rapid-fire six-pack of industry stories, including:
ANTA’s push into the U.S. market
Arc’teryx living between performance and luxury
L.L. Bean’s retail expansion strategy
Why outdoor still plays it safe with color
TNF x Skims (you know, for kids!)
Kappa’s Olympic kits

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.
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 [email protected].