Outdoor Unfiltered

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin Comerford asks whether the drinkware category has officially peaked, examining the latest earnings data from Hydro Flask parent Helen of Troy, Yeti, Newell Brands' Contigo and Bubba, Stanley, and Owala, benchmarked against Circana retail data.

Then he responds to the LinkedIn backlash over his take on the Arc'teryx climbing store on Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA.

Finally, Jordan Williams, principal of Loop Trails and former executive at REI, Vail Resorts, and Smartwool, joins to separate AI hype from reality for outdoor brands and retailers of all sizes...

Today on Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin Comerford breaks down how a historic super El Nino could devastate cold-weather apparel and outerwear sales this fall and winter, drawing on lessons from the 2015-2016 season that battered retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods, Paragon Sports, and EMS.

He shares hard-earned advice from his Moosejaw days on how retailers in the Northeast and Midwest should prepare for what NOAA and Weather Trends data predict could be the strongest El Nino on record.

Then, Eoin calls BS on Arc'teryx's new climbing-dedicated retail concept in Venice, California, questioning whether the comically thin...

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 get togethers.

They discuss notable brands including HEST, Zenbivy, Bedrock's new mountain shoes, Packfire, Airstream, Nemo, Eno, Grand Trunk, Hollow Socks, Patagonia, Teva, Smartwool, Altra, Nomadix, HydroFlask, Grivel, and Yeti.

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 Armour's new hybrid store concept; JD Sports' 20% profit decline amid North American softness; and Academy Sports adding Hoka alongside Nike and Jordan. In the...

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 and their plan to add one billion in revenue by 2030, covering international expansion into EMEA, the bags and...

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 lifestyle-versus-performance and D2C-versus-wholesale splits driving the divide. He also covers two unfiltered upsides: S&P raising VF Corp's outlook from...

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 COVID, the chaos of a Knicks playoff run and the World Cup hitting New York, and what the store looks for in brand...

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 through the Dick's and Public Lands integration, and unpacks why Nike's concentration at Foot Locker cuts both ways.

Then Lloyd...

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 collaborations with LIVSN and Burton; Scott Jensen of Near Zero on his lightweight backpacking bundles...

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 talk through the brand's history from its 1993 founding, its sale to Columbia Sportswear Company, its decline through the 2010s...

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 segment, Katie Doherty and Enhao Li, co-founders of Founded Outdoors, join to talk about the state of funding, the...

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 award-winning Takibi restaurant inside Portland HQ, the acquisition of Epic Fly Rods through Swift Fly Fishing, the $330 million...

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 -- plus a breakdown of Fenix Group's disappointing Q2 results, including sales declines in the brand segment, ERP integration...

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 Association, walks through the OIA's 2026 Outdoor Participation Trends Report: 60% of Americans are now participating in outdoor recreation, 30 million new participants since 2019 stuck around post-COVID, but frequency is declining and the...

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 ownership structure, and where Patagonia stands on the future of outdoor trade shows. Sponsored by ENDVR and Crux Retail.

Timestamps

0:00 -- Introduction...

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 ownership issues keeping the rating below investment grade.

Finally, Rumpl founder and chairman Wiley Robinson and GM Josh Simp...

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 shocking shift to late May 2027 dates in New Orleans, navigating what a weekend trade show means for specialty retailers, Grassroots Connect, and th...

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, they examine what it takes to build a true national show. Plus, th...

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.

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, Parkit Chairs.

Get the inside track on the most innovative product designs shaking up the market: the mule-style shoes from Moondeck, the premium $275 Parkit fo...

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 authentic corporate relationships. Modeled originally after the industry action of The Conservation Alliance (TCA), the ODA has rallied an...

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...

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:

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...

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 worl...

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 th...

This episode of Outdoor Unfiltered dives deep into the shifting landscape of tariffs and retail strategy.

Host Eoin Comerford breaks down why the White House pivoted on IEEPA tariffs, offering a guide for brands to claim their share of the potential $166 billion in refunds through the CBP’s CAPE portal. We also celebrate Lowa’s record-breaking 2025 sales and growth in the trail running sector.

The headliner features Kevin Lenau, President of Backcountry, who reveals the strategic transformation of the outdoor e-commerce giant since its acquisition by CSC Generation. From the launch of the Summit Club+ loyalty program and a ne...

Join host Eoin Comerford on Outdoor Unfiltered for an inside look at the business of the outdoors. In this episode, we tackle the viral news of Allbirds pivoting toward AI infrastructure and GPU-as-a-service, and what that really means for the brand. We also dive into Backcountry.com’s launch of Backcountry Garage, a new outdoor brand incubator and fund that kicked off with the acquisition of Salt Lake City-based CoalaTree.

Later, we review the innovative Universal Collection from The North Face, featuring adaptive camping gear like the Universal One Sleeping Bag, the Wawona 3 Tent, the Universal Daypack, an...

This episode of Outdoor Unfiltered dives deep into the shifting landscape of the outdoor industry.

Host Eoin Comerford breaks down critical first-quarter sales data from Academy Sports + Outdoors and discusses the legal pressures facing Lululemon and Fabletics regarding consumer tariff refunds. We analyze the acquisition of Allbirds by American Exchange Group and explore how current consumer sentiment is being shaped by inflation and the war in Iran. 

Our main topic is the impact of the Trump administration's policies on the outdoor industry from a business perspective, along with a potential positioning strategy for outdoor brands.

Later, Eoin is...

Is the classic outdoor gear shop model dead?

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host Eoin Comerford explores why iconic retailers like Wilderness Exchange, Summit Hut, and Midwest Mountaineering are facing new challenges.

We look at why expanding specialty chains like Gearhead Outfitters, Half-Moon Outfitters, and Mountain High Outfitters are shifting toward apparel and footwear over technical hard goods.

Eoin is joined by industry legend Wes Allen, President of Sunlight Sports and former leader at REI, Chacos, and the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA). Together, they break down the critical delineation between the "Outdoor Economy" (activity-bas...

Go beyond the PR spin with Eoin Comerford, former CEO and industry advisor, as he deconstructs the business mechanics of the outdoor world.

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, we break down the high-stakes merger attempt between Rip Curl and Paul Naudé’s StokedHouse Unlimited, revealing why KMD Brands (owners of Kathmandu and Oboz) ultimately passed on the deal.

Eoin examines the cautionary tale of Solo Brands (Solo Stove, Chubbies, and Oru Kayak), analyzing how an "addiction" to D2C discounting and the fallout from their Snoop Dogg campaign impacted their valuation and wholesale relationships wit...

In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host and former CEO Eoin Comerford dissects the collapse of Eddie Bauer and the "vampire" licensing model that is hollowing out iconic brands.

Eoin also takes a hard look at the slowdown of athleisure, exploring whether the category has reached peak saturation and what outdoor brands can learn from the rise of Vuori and Alo Yoga.

Later in the show, Kent Ebersole, President of the Outdoor Industry Association, joins the podcast to discuss the reboot of OIA Rendezvous 2026, where industry leaders gathered to tackle shared challenges and rebuild collaboration...

Today on Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin Comerford breaks down the news that REI is cutting pay and benefits for employees as the co-op struggles to return to profitability.

After four straight years of losses REI is facing some tough financial realities — and payroll is squarely in the spotlight.

Eoin digs into what’s driving the decision, why payroll costs at REI are significantly higher than other retailers, and why a healthy REI still matters to the broader outdoor industry.

Also in this episode:

Move past the PR speak and into the boardroom. In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host Eoin Comerford breaks down the latest strategic shifts from the industry’s biggest players before sitting down with the "unofficial mayor of the outdoor industry," Lloyd Vogel.

On the Business Desk:

Is the outdoor industry in trouble, or just in transition? 

Host Eoin Comerford is joined by industry icon Kristin Hostetter (former Editor-in-Chief of SNEWS) to pull back the curtain on why sustainability is currently under fire and what the "Trump Tariffs" reversal actually means for your wallet.

In this debut episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, we move past the PR fluff to give you the "why" behind the headlines.

What we’re digging into today:

Tired of the PR spin and LinkedIn platitudes? Outdoor Unfiltered is a new podcast hosted by industry veteran Eoin Comerford that digs into what’s actually driving the outdoor business.

In this trailer, Eoin lays out the mission: honest conversations with insiders and experts about the forces shaping the industry — from innovation and branding to affordability, sustainability, and the real stories behind the headlines.

If you want to understand where the outdoor industry is headed — and why — Outdoor Unfiltered delivers the straight talk.

Follow now and get ready for the first episode dropping March 2...