Does the World Really Need YETI Jackets?

Patagonia just launched a new fleece featuring Polartec Alpha Direct. But ultralight backpackers and small cottage gear brands have been using the material for years. So who's really driving innovation in the outdoor industry?It's Friday, which means it's time for another Parting Shot on The Rock Fight! Colin welcomes back Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert to take aim at the latest outdoor industry headlines.First, Colin has some complaints about a new generation of outdoor influencers who make sweeping claims about gear without understanding the products they're reviewing. Then he revisits his argument against commercial mountaineering after watching Tenzing, a film about the first ascent of Mount Everest.But the main event is Shawnté's take on Patagonia's new Retool Air pullover, made with a recycled version of Polartec Alpha Direct.Shawnté explores how cottage brands like Senchi Designs helped popularize Alpha Direct among ultralight backpackers long before Patagonia entered the picture. Plus, Colin shares some firsthand history from his days at Polartec, including the company's long pursuit of Patagonia as an Alpha customer.Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Email us at [email protected] Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What happens when the guy who's spent years criticizing outdoor brand campaigns has to defend one of his own?Today on The Rock Fight, it's another edition of The Brief, and Producer Dave is back! Only this time, he's trading his usual role as critic for the creative hot seat.Now leading brand and creative at Oboz, Dave joins Colin to break down the footwear brand's new “We Didn't Make It to Fashion Week” campaign, a tongue-in-cheek response to the outdoor industry's growing obsession with fashion.Colin and Dave dig into how the campaign came together, why the chose to celebrate its absence from New York Fashion Week, and how the brand brought the idea to life through social content, a red rock runway, and activations with specialty outdoor retailers.Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your emails to [email protected] Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What does it actually take for a new outdoor brand to earn a spot on the shelves of a specialty retailer?Today on The Rock Fight, Colin is recording from GOA Connect in Kansas City, where he welcomes back Sunlight Sports owner Wes Allen for a little experiment.After exploring the show's Discovery Marketplace, Colin selected five promising outdoor brands and decided to pitch them to Wes. The goal? Find out which brands have what it takes to succeed at specialty retail and which ones might have a tougher road ahead.Five brands. One retailer. Some surprising answers. Who makes the cut?Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your emails to [email protected] Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

It's Friday, which means it's time for The Rock Fight's Parting Shot! This week, Colin welcomes back Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert for two very different takes on the outdoor industry.First, a severely jet-lagged Colin delivers his immediate reaction to the newly reinvented ISPO trade show in Amsterdam. Did ISPO deliver enough to make the outdoor industry believe in its comeback?Then Shawnté takes aim at a recent Backpacker essay suggesting that hiking is losing part of its soul as traditional boots give way to trail runners. While she appreciates the author's love of hiking boots, she questions why footwear preferences so often turn into rules about who belongs outdoors and how they should participate.All that plus, Colin's growing frustration with Halloween. It's Friday on The Rock Fight... time for the parting shot!Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your emails to [email protected] Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes Outdoor Retailer show director Matthew Mathiasen to make the case for why OR should once again become the outdoor industry's premier national event.With Outdoor Retailer and Switchback competing for the industry's attention (and exhibitor dollars), the future of the national outdoor trade show is anything but settled.Colin and Matthew dig into what brands actually want from these events, why the traditional focus on retail buyers might be outdated, and the challenge of convincing major outdoor brands to return. Plus, can Outdoor Retailer and Switchback coexist? And can OR embrace its legacy without getting trapped by it?Send your feedback to [email protected]:06 – Outdoor Retailer's New Ownership Under Forge06:38 – Does the Outdoor Industry Need a National Trade Show?12:54 – How Committed Is Forge to Outdoor Retailer's Future?15:34 – Sponsor Break19:25 – Can You Sell a Trade Show Based on Vibes?24:11 – Turning Influencer Content Into Business Results27:10 – Can Outdoor Retailer and Switchback Coexist?27:57 – Can Outdoor Retailer Escape Its Past?The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

What if the outdoor influencer recommending your next backpack wasn't actually a real person?Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes back independent outdoor journalist Kyle Frost to talk about how AI is already disrupting the outdoor industry.Kyle recently uncovered Brook Wilder, an AI-generated outdoor influencer publishing gear reviews built from content created by actual outdoor journalists. And while the technology might still have some obvious flaws, it's improving quickly.They also debate whether trusted independent creators are better positioned for the future than legacy outdoor media companies, the role of influencer marketing platforms like Popfly, and why human experience might become more valuable as AI-generated content becomes increasingly common.Send your feedback to [email protected]:05:53 – Why AI Is Becoming Impossible for the Outdoor Industry to Ignore07:30 – The Fake Outdoor Influencer Reviewing Real Gear13:53 – Is AI a Threat to Legacy Outdoor Media?16:42 – What Outdoor Brands and Retailers Should Be Preparing For21:43 – Sponsor Break24:54 – Are Influencers the Future of Outdoor Product Reviews?27:07 – Are Individual Creators More Valuable Than Media Brands?28:05 – Why Traditional Journalism Still Has an AdvantageThe Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Today Colin is joined by Patagonia's Aileen Ottenweller, Senior Director of Impact Marketing, Policy and Communications, to discuss the company's decision to integrate its Worn Wear secondhand marketplace directly into Patagonia.com.It's a significant shift in how an outdoor brand approaches resale. Instead of sending shoppers to a separate website, Patagonia is putting used products alongside new ones and giving consumers the choice.But why did it take four years to make the change? And does keeping resale separate from a brand's primary e-commerce business undermine the environmental message behind offering secondhand products in the first place?Send your feedback to [email protected]:17 – Why Patagonia Is Bringing Worn Wear Into Its Main Website17:11 – Do Brand-Owned Resale Platforms Have a Future?20:17 – Can Secondhand Become a True Retail Distribution Channel?21:00 – Sponsor Break23:00 – Does the Outdoor Industry Make Too Much Stuff?27:36 – The Contradictions of Growth and Environmental Responsibility29:55 – Patagonia's Leadership on Public LandsThe Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC

What's the greatest outdoor activity of all time? And if you could assemble the ultimate team of outdoor pursuits, what would make your roster?Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes Outdoor Unfiltered host Eoin Comerford, Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert, and Garage Grown Gear co-founder Lloyd Vogel for The 2026 Outdoor Activity Draft!The rules are simple: Each competitor must draft seven outdoor activities across categories including trails, wheels, water, snow, climbing, science, and one wild card. No duplicate picks, plenty of questionable strategy, and absolutely no guarantee that everyone will agree on what qualifies.Along the way, Colin declares war on camping, Lloyd makes some truly unexpected selections, Shawnté defends the activities she loves, and Eoin attempts to assemble the coolest outdoor roster imaginable.Four competitors. Seven rounds. Twenty-eight picks. One winner.What would your team look like? Send your feedback on this and every episode of The Rock Fight to [email protected]!Time Stamps:01:32 – Welcome to The Rock Fight's Outdoor Activity Draft!03:15 – The Rules: Seven Categories, Four Teams06:21 – Is Camping Actually an Outdoor Activity?07:09 – Setting the Draft Order08:32 – The Outdoor Activity Draft!The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Can one of the outdoor industry's most iconic trade shows reinvent itself? And what does its comeback mean for the future of industry gatherings?Today on The Rock Fight, Colin welcomes ISPO Managing Director Tracy Bebbington to discuss the major changes coming to the legendary European trade show as it prepares for its first event in Amsterdam under new ownership.After years of declining relevance and questions about its future, ISPO is getting a fresh start. Tracy explains why Raccoon Media Group moved the show from Munich to Amsterdam, how a million-euro hosted buyer program is bringing retailers back, and what attendees should expect from the revamped event.Send your feedback to [email protected]!Topics / Chapters03:15 – ISPO's Decline, New Ownership & Move to Amsterdam08:16 – What's Different About ISPO 2026?11:58 – Are the Buyer Numbers Real?12:58 – Why Have Outdoor Trade Shows Lost Their Relevance?17:13 – Is Connecting Brands With Buyers Still Enough?21:38 – Sponsor Break22:45 – Are Outdoor Trade Shows Different From Other Industries?26:40 – What Will Success Look Like for ISPO 2026?30:29 – Can ISPO Bring the Biggest Brands Back?The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

YETI makes jackets now. And apparently, everyone else wants in on the apparel business, too.On this week's Parting Shot, Colin welcomes Gear Abby host Shawnté Salabert to ask a simple question: Does the outdoor industry really need more clothes?First, Shawnté takes aim at YETI's new technical apparel collection and the suggestion that a cooler and drinkware company is suddenly coming for Patagonia and The North Face. Then Colin expands the conversation to NNormal and MiiR, two more brands making moves into technical apparel. More jackets. More brands. More stuff. Do we really need any of it? That's this weeks parting shot.Send us your emails! [email protected] Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.