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PODCAST

Outdoor Unfiltered

Rock Fight, LLC

Want to know what"s REALLY going on in the outdoor industry? Move past the PR speak and platitudes. Get the "why" behind the headlines with the unvarnished truth about the outdoor industry"s biggest drivers. Host Eoin Comerford -- former CEO, marketer, and consultant -- brings two decades of industry scars and successes to the table. He’s calling out the missteps, celebrating the innovators, and dissecting the "playbook" used by the world’s leading outdoor brands and retailers. Alongside guest

sports wilderness

All Episodes

40:57

Outdoor Media Summit: What Worked, What Didn't, and...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/10/05

Recorded live from the Outdoor Media Summit in Asheville, North Carolina, Eoin Comerford is joined by Colin True and Shawnté Salabert to break down everything that happened at OMS. From an unexpected black bear sighting and zip-liners passing by at the Crowne Plaza Resort to deep dives into the brand speed dating format, the trio covers what makes OMS different from other outdoor industry gettogethers. They discuss notable brands including HEST, Zenbivy, Bedrock's new mountain shoes, Packfire,

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55:44

Backcountry's Latest Acquisition & Retail's AI Future...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/09/28

This week on Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin Comerford breaks down Backcountry's acquisition of Velofix and what it means for online bike sales, mobile bike service, and parent company CSC Generation's value-driven playbook. Then, it's a footwear industry roundup covering the haves and have-nots: On's plan to hit $7 billion by 2029 with category expansions into football, golf, and premium sportswear; Salomon's target of $5 billion within five years and plans to quadruple North American brand stores; Under

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44:38

The Importance of Emerging Brands, Yeti's 2030 Plan,...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/09/21

Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down why new brand discovery is the lifeblood of specialty retail, drawing on examples like Hoka, CamelBak, Jetboil, and Gnara's GoFly zipper to illustrate how emerging brands drive innovation in the outdoor industry. He answers a listener question from Kelly Strong, head buyer at Clearwater Outdoor in southeast Wisconsin, about how to manage open-to-buy allocation for new brands without spreading too thin. Then he digs into Yeti's investor day presentation

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52:32

Is Athletic Footwear Imploding or Exploding? Plus:...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/09/14

On this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host Eoin Comerford breaks down Circana's latest outdoor industry sales data, showing flat dollar sales but a 4% drop in units, and puts it side by side with Grassroots Outdoor Alliance's much stronger mid-year numbers. Eoin unpacks why athletic footwear headlines from JD Sports, Nike, Adidas, Foot Locker, and Academy sound alarming while ASICS, Merrell, Saucony, On, HOKA, and Birkenstock are all posting strong running and performance growth, and explains the

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40:53

The 2026 Outdoor Brand Report Card! Plus: 118 Years...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/09/07

Today on Outdoor Unfiltered Eoin Comerford breaks down the results of his ongoing Brand-Retailer Partnership Score, grading 32 leading outdoor brands including Black Diamond, HOK On, The North Face, Patagonia, and more on how well they support their dealer networks versus pushing D2C discounts. Then Eoin sits down with Zach Blank, fourth-generation CEO of Paragon Sports, the iconic Manhattan sports and outdoor store founded in 1908. Zach talks through Paragon's history, leading the business through

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55:53

Dick's Sporting Goods, Foot Locker & the Cost of a...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/08/31

Dick's Sporting Goods just posted a quarter where the core business grew almost 5% and the stock still dropped 30.7%. Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down what actually broke: the Foot Locker acquisition, CEO Ed Stack's warning about promotional pricing bleeding across the market, CFO Navdeep Gupta's more cautious guidance, and what analyst Peter McGoldrick and Stifel's back-to-school survey revealed about a market with no newness. Eoin also draws on his own experience running Moosejaw

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57:07

Outdoor Retailer 2026: Did the Reboot Deliver?

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/08/24

Eoin Comerford breaks down whether Outdoor Retailer 2026 delivered after its move from Salt Lake City to Minneapolis and its shift to an August date. He shares his own read on the show floor, then sits down with OR show director Matthew Mathiason to talk buyer registration numbers, the Wild Reach creator partnership with Popfly, and what's next for the show. Eoin also catches up with three brands from the Moosejaw Outdoor Accelerator: Georgia Grace Edwards of Gnara on the GoFly zipper and

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50:40

Earnings Season Reality Check & Troy Sicotte on...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/08/17

This week I break down Q2 earnings across the outdoor and active industry, including Yeti, On, Wolverine Worldwide (Merrell, Saucony), VF Corp (The North Face, Timberland, Vans), Birkenstock, Clarus Group (Black Diamond), and Decker's Hoka, plus a preview of Amer Sports' upcoming report on Arc'teryx and Salomon.I also cover Outdoor Retailer's new partnership with REI Co-op's Path Ahead Ventures ahead of Outdoor Retailer 2026.Lastly I sit down with Troy Sicotte, President of Mountain Hardwear, to

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51:05

What Killed Accell? Plus: The Fight to Build the Next...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/08/10

Eoin Comerford breaks down the insolvency of Accell Group -- parent company of Raleigh, Haibike, Ghost, Lapierre, Winora, and Babboe -- and explains why KKR's leveraged buyout, not the cycling market itself, is what broke the balance sheet.Then, a clear-eyed look at the Outdoor Industry Association's Climate Action Corps and Clean Chemistry Materials Coalition progress reports: participation is up 36%, but the execution gap between targets and operational change is the key challenge.In the guest

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32:59

HOKA's Reality Check & Surf Industry Drama

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/08/03

Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down La Jolla Group's surprise decision to drop the O'Neill license after 33 years and what a sealed legal battle with Sisco Textiles might reveal about what actually happened. Then, a close read of Deckers' latest earnings report and what slowing HOKA growth really signals. Lastly, Snow Peak Brand and Marketing Director Mike Andersen joins the show to talk about the Japanese camping brand's cult following, its Long Beach Peninsula camp field, the

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36:57

Tariff's Are Back! Plus: How GRAYL Built a Better Brand

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/07/27

Today on the pod Eoin Comerford breaks down the week's biggest trade policy news, digs into Fenix Group's Q2 results, and sits down with GRAYL co-founder Travis Merrigan to talk building a water filtration brand from a couch-surfing engineer to a product line that keeps expanding.This episode covers the sweeping new Section 301 and Section 338 tariff actions that took effect July 24th -- what they mean for outdoor brands sourcing from Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and beyond --

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50:10

The Changing Face of Outdoor Participation & A Call...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/07/20

Eoin Comerford breaks down the Trump administration's proclamations that effectively erased Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments — including what the termination of the tribal co-management agreement with the Hopi, Navajo, Ute Indian, Ute Mountain, and Zuni tribes actually means for the industry — then clarifies the record on the Backcountry Garage accelerator program with responses from Backcountry executives. Plus, Kelly Davis, Director of Research for the Outdoor Industry

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37:36

What Backcountry Garage Isn't Telling You & 35 Years...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/07/13

Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down what Backcountry Garage is actually asking of emerging outdoor brands and whether it's worth it, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance's positive mid-year results, and what's next for Portland's Next Adventure. Then Eoin sits down with Bruce Old, Patagonia's Chief Marketplace Officer and 35-year company veteran, for a candid conversation on Patagonia's business performance, product innovation, the Work in Progress sustainability report, the Hold Fast Collective

en

28:49

Why Loyalty Programs Are Coming for Independent...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/07/06

Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down the outdoor industry's paid loyalty arms race — from Dick's Sporting Goods' new Scorecard Plus tier to Backcountry's Summit Club Plus and REI's co-op membership — and explains what it means for independent specialty retailers. Then, why is Amer Sports, the parent company of Arc'teryx, Salomon, and Wilson, still rated "junk" by Moody's despite seven billion in sales and 60% gross margins? Eoin unpacks the fashion risk, operational scale concerns, and Anta

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37:33

Is Screen Time Killing Outdoor Outings? Plus:...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/06/29

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host Eoin Comerford breaks through the PR speak to deliver critical insights on the outdoor industry's evolving landscape. First, we unpack the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) 2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report. While the participant base hit a record 183 million, actual outings are declining. Eoin looks at why screen time is the ultimate enemy and how Merrell is tackling this with their It Starts Outside campaign. Next, Eoin analyzes Switchback’s

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40:42

Switchback New Orleans Reaction: Did The Show Work In...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/06/22

What is the purpose of an outdoor trade show beyond sales?Live from the floor of Switchback in New Orleans, Eoin Comerford sits down with thru-hiking expert Shawnté Salabert (Gear Abby) to break down the hits, the misses, and the future of the outdoor tradeshow.In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin and Shawnté dive deep into reactions of the exhibit hall. From the highly anticipated US Participation Report presented by Kelly Davis to navigating the timing clash with regional shows like GOA,

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22:34

Bonus Episode! The Rock Fight Heads To Oboz

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/06/18

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.

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38:45

The Hottest Brands We Saw At The GOA Connect...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/06/15

In this episode, we take you inside the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) Connect show and the newly expanded, high-energy Grassroots Discovery Marketplace. We examine the shifts in retail distribution, including the wave of D2C darlings breaking into wholesale brick-and-mortar specialty shops. We discuss Huckberry’s full-circle evolution with their private labels Flint and Tinder and Proof, alongside top D2C and international players like Poncho Outdoors, Half Days, Melin, Baja Llama, Solbari,

en

29:54

Beyond the Black Square: Teresa Baker on Inclusivity...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/06/08

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin sits down with Teresa Baker, the co-director and co-founder of the Outdoor Diversity Alliance (ODA) and the unofficial queen of outdoor inclusivity, for a transparent look at the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoor industry.Tracing their collaborative roots back to 2018 with the launch of the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge and a fateful 2022 summit at the Patagonia Ventura headquarters, Eoin and Teresa discuss what it takes to build

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48:10

Revamping ISPO, Inside KMD's Strategic Review & The...

Outdoor Unfiltered ·

2026/06/01

Dive beyond the PR spin withOutdoor Unfiltered, your insider look into the outdoor industry's biggest shifts. In this episode, hostEoin Comerfordbreaks down whyKMD Brands--the parent company of global surf iconRip Curl, retail giantKathmandu, and hiking footwear favoriteOboz--has launched a major strategic review. Next, we call out the non-stop promotional spam fromrecreation.gov, peeling back the curtain on its operator,Booz Allen Hamilton, and how their contract impacts public lands' funding. On a

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33 results

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