Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! 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 Indu

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the latest episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert  and producer Colin True  cover a surprisingly wide stretch of the outdoor experience: from Sierra bear history to the absolute nightmare of unsolicited climbing-gym commentary to the very modern question of whether a nearly $300 pair of trail shoes is actually worth it. Question 1: Do You Really Need a Bear Canister on the JMT? A listener called The Otter —a New Yorker he

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! 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 st

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! Welcome back to Gear Abby , the advice column of the outdoor world where Shawnté Salabert answers the weird, controversial, and occasionally nerdy questions that other outdoor podcasts avoid. This week Shawnté and producer Colin True kick things off with the usual banter including questionable social media polls, REI dividend talk, and electrolyte drink preferences; before diving into three listener questions that cover outdoor et

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! 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: Amer Sports & Anta:  A deep dive into the $6.6B powerhouse. Why are they raising $750M despite 27% growth? We look at the debt, the margins, a

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! 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 diggi

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the latest episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True cover everything from satellite rescue tech to swamp paddling and the mysterious building atop Mount Whitney. It’s a classic Gear Abby mix of practical advice and outdoor lore complete with gator safety tips and a surprisingly deep dive into early mountaintop science. Pre-Question: Is Trail Running a Sport (Again)? Before diving into listener questi

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

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the latest episode of Gear Abby , Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True celebrate a quarter-century milestone (25 episodes!) the only way they know how: by discussing sex science, ultralight gear controversies, Mount Baldy rescues, heel-lock lacing techniques, and whether America should just let natural selection handle national park safety. It’s chaotic. It’s thoughtful. It’s deeply on-brand. Pre-Question: Enlightened Equip

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the latest episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True kick things off with rattlesnake etiquette, ancient mega-kangaroos, and Olympic “aerodynamics” scandals before diving into three very real listener dilemmas. It’s equal parts cranky industry hot takes, heartfelt life advice, and hydration-gear redemption arcs. Question 1: Has Trail Running Lost Its Cool? A mysterious (definitely-not-Colin) listener

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the latest episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True cover an unusually wide emotional elevation range from grief, rage, and civic responsibility to full-tilt poop chaos and climber beef. It’s an episode that proves Gear Abby can hold space for both the heavy stuff and  the deeply awkward realities of spending time outdoors. What follows is a conversation about who gets to feel safe outside, what we o

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In this episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True take on listener questions that span the deeply practical, the unexpectedly philosophical, and the proudly awkward. From the future of brick-and-mortar outdoor retail to murder mysteries in wild places this episode is a reminder that the outdoors isn’t just about gear and destinations, but about how we relate to the systems, stories, and bodies we bring a