The 2025 Rock Fight Awards!
- colin7931
- 44 minutes ago
- 55 min read
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!
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Episode Transcript:
Colin True
00:00:00.480 - 00:01:48.850
Today's episode of the Rock Fight was made possible by support from global sales guys. Global sales guys isn't your normal sales agency.
With offices across the US And Europe and partnerships with retailers on four continents, GSG is your one stop shop for brands looking to grow their presence in outdoor specialty shops worldwide.
Brands like Vandier, Red Bull, Nikki Picture, Organic, Kip Run, Decathlon Deluxe, Fabuki and Gore Tex all know that global sales guys provide an innovative and full service approach to delivering their brands, sales and market needs. Is your brand looking to break into the US Outdoor market? Is your retail shop looking for what's next?
Then you need to be working with global sales guys. And if you want to know what's next when it comes to outdoor running and action sports, specialty retail, global sales guys is what's next.
See for yourself what's next and get in touch with global sales guys by heading to globalsalesguys.com today. Welcome to the Rock Fight, where we speak our truth, slay sacred cows, and sometimes agree to disagree.
This is an outdoor podcast that aims for the head. I'm Colin True and I have the pleasure of welcoming you all to the 2025 Rock Fight Awards.
Joining me today to recognize the year that was for the outdoor industry are your favorite voices from the Rock Fight universe. We have the outdoor industry insider and consigliere to the Rock Fight, Owen Comerford.
We have Gear, Abbey herself, Shantae Salibair, and the people's champion, producer Dave. They're live in studio today. We'll also be hearing from Doug Schnitzman and a few other notable industry voices.
But before we get to any of that, welcome to the Rock Fight Awards, guys.
Producer Dave
00:01:48.850 - 00:01:52.530
Good to see you all live in studio.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:52.530 - 00:01:52.970
That's.
Eoin Comerford
00:01:52.970 - 00:01:58.370
Yeah, you're a tour. Your text column is really not a rental. Classy is the only word, really.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:58.530 - 00:01:59.330
Yeah, yeah.
Producer Dave
00:01:59.410 - 00:02:00.560
Classy. Yes.
Colin True
00:02:00.560 - 00:02:02.440
And Shantae, who are you wearing today?
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:03.000 - 00:02:10.120
This is called clothes. I've had on for three days because I needed a shirt that wasn't the sweaty shirt I wore on my trail run this morning.
Colin True
00:02:10.680 - 00:02:13.800
Excellent. Excellent. Also known as what you wear when writing a book.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:13.800 - 00:02:14.680
It's also true.
Eoin Comerford
00:02:15.640 - 00:02:16.120
Yes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:16.760 - 00:02:17.400
Smells great.
Colin True
00:02:18.680 - 00:02:39.190
Well, today, guys, we'll be recognizing 15 outdoor industry entities, campaigns and individuals, some for their good work, some for their not so good work, but all in the spirit of what was the outdoor industry in 2025? And before we get to the awards, maybe let's just go around the horn and talk for a minute about 2025.
You know, Owen, let's Start with you thoughts on the year that was.
Eoin Comerford
00:02:40.790 - 00:03:09.560
Well, I mean, thanks to our new administration, it's been a challenging year. We've had tariff turmoil, public lands under attack, dropping tourism, persistent inflation. Yeah, it's been quite the shit show.
That said, though, I'd say outdoor retail has been surprising resilient, surprisingly resilient, thanks primarily to our older and more affluent customer base, which is also probably going to be a problem as we look to growth in the future. But for now, actually, we're holding in.
Colin True
00:03:09.560 - 00:03:14.360
There, so we're thanking the skinny white guy in the mountain. Thank you. Older skinny white guy in the mountain.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:14.360 - 00:03:15.120
Let's see what you did there.
Eoin Comerford
00:03:15.120 - 00:03:16.960
The older affluent, skinny white guy.
Colin True
00:03:16.960 - 00:03:17.520
There we go.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:17.600 - 00:03:19.410
Specific subset, yes.
Colin True
00:03:19.410 - 00:03:22.610
If you're not affluent, get out of here. All right. The affluent is what we're looking for.
Producer Dave
00:03:22.690 - 00:03:24.370
It's kind of the message these days.
Colin True
00:03:24.530 - 00:03:26.410
Shantae, what are your thoughts on 2025?
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:26.410 - 00:03:54.750
Oh, man. I think for. In addition to everything Owen just said, I think this is the year a lot of brands just punted on their DI efforts.
You know, going back to the administration, obviously keeps getting better. Super great. You know, so many fear tactics and so many people worried they'd lose funding or, I don't know, get thrown into one of Trump's gulags.
I have no idea, you know, what everyone is so afraid of. But it turns out a lot of these brands weren't so committed to the other parts of the demographic, as it were.
Colin True
00:03:55.230 - 00:04:03.470
I'll try not to insert any, like, applause sound effects during that part of the, of the, of the podcast. You can, Dave, bring us out of this, this, this terrible mired.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:05.630 - 00:04:07.190
Depression, I gotta say.
Producer Dave
00:04:07.190 - 00:04:12.110
Is, is it over yet? Aren't we done? Like, it's. We're getting there, thank goodness.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:12.110 - 00:04:18.729
But it was the year of Rock Fight, though, so if there's anything true, you know, to come out of this year, I'd say it's.
Colin True
00:04:19.129 - 00:04:22.649
Yeah, we were the positivity. Yes, we were.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:22.729 - 00:04:23.209
Wow.
Colin True
00:04:23.689 - 00:04:24.329
That was it.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:25.049 - 00:04:28.409
If we're the positivity, you know, things are in trouble.
Colin True
00:04:28.889 - 00:04:34.969
The podcast, named after literally throwing rocks at each other, was the positive silver lining of the outdoor industry.
Producer Dave
00:04:35.449 - 00:04:36.089
That's right.
Colin True
00:04:36.489 - 00:05:06.790
Well, one thing for our listeners, I did want to announce preemptively that we've heard the feedback. That hasn't happened yet, but we certainly will. For the 2026 Rock Fight Awards, add two new categories. Happy to announce this.
Break the news right now. We're going to next year we'll add Sales Agency of the Year and also Retailer of the year, but we're sucking up now. That's right. That's right.
We started this process of nominees and winners about 36 hours ago, so we didn't quite have time to do the research for those two categories, but we will next year.
Eoin Comerford
00:05:07.750 - 00:05:10.630
Yeah, yeah. Because we're all about research here at the Rock Fight.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:10.630 - 00:05:12.390
Research and advertising dollars.
Colin True
00:05:14.310 - 00:05:17.350
Yes. If any of our winners would like to reach out for these special Rock.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:17.350 - 00:05:20.230
Fights advertising for 20.
Producer Dave
00:05:21.490 - 00:05:22.130
Yeah, that's right.
Colin True
00:05:22.130 - 00:05:34.690
It's a. It's a partnership. It's fine. Okay, Enough delaying what the people came here for. Let's hand out some awards.
And presenting our first award for excellence in brand collaboration is our own Shantae Salibare.
Producer Dave
00:05:34.690 - 00:05:35.210
Oh, my gosh.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:35.210 - 00:05:57.980
What an honor. So the outdoor industry sees a lot of collaborations every year, and each one seems to thrill the LinkedIn faithful keyboard warriors.
And this year we saw brands like the North Face team up with stuff Skims, HOKA partnered with Half Days.
And in my mind, perhaps the weirdest collaboration of 25, Choco partnering with Waffle House to make some splattered, scattered, smothered crossover sandals. Not making that.
Colin True
00:05:57.980 - 00:05:58.580
I don't know what.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:58.580 - 00:06:08.340
What's weird about that, but yeah, I. We're going to say the winner, though, the 2025 Collab of the Year goes to Burton and Nara.
Colin True
00:06:08.980 - 00:06:10.180
Ah, that's.
Eoin Comerford
00:06:10.180 - 00:06:11.140
That's quite. Yes.
Colin True
00:06:11.220 - 00:06:16.300
Before we celebrate our winner, Dave, what for, in your mind makes for a good brand collaboration.
Producer Dave
00:06:17.900 - 00:06:53.200
Oh, Colin. Good collaboration, I think, brings two maybe distinct and different audiences together. Right.
So the brands get to kind of expose their brand to a new group of people that might not normally see it.
I think you want to create interest, something that, you know, is unique and didn't exist before, which is, you can certainly say about Chaco and the Waffle House. I think those are the kind of things. And then of course, sometimes they don't need to make sense necessarily in terms of exacting together.
But yeah, I think if you kind of meet those two, then you can have a successful collaboration.
Colin True
00:06:53.600 - 00:06:57.680
Oh, and you think Burton and NARA hit those metrics there that Dave just laid out?
Eoin Comerford
00:06:58.640 - 00:07:13.220
Absolutely.
In this case of nara, obviously bringing a very specific technology to play that makes it easier to go while you're out there skiing or snowboarding on the mountain. You can say p. So, okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:13.220 - 00:07:13.620
Pee.
Eoin Comerford
00:07:13.620 - 00:07:20.260
They're peeing. Yes. Actually, one of my favorite things with. With Gigi is as part of a.
Colin True
00:07:21.060 - 00:07:22.020
Founder of nara.
Eoin Comerford
00:07:22.340 - 00:07:34.020
Sorry. Thank you. As a part of like a sales challenge, you know, for everyone to try and get them over the hump for the quarter.
If they hit their number, she does a live stream on the top of the mountain.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:34.180 - 00:07:35.140
No pun intended.
Colin True
00:07:35.620 - 00:07:36.260
No way.
Eoin Comerford
00:07:37.140 - 00:07:38.100
Yes. Yes.
Colin True
00:07:38.260 - 00:07:47.080
All right. I was already a big NARA fan before hearing that story, but, like, that's got. Hey, outdoor brands. Take note.
Notice, like, that's kind of shit you got to do to, like, motivate your team. That's hilarious.
Eoin Comerford
00:07:47.080 - 00:08:11.920
Good for her. Yes. So. So, no, but I think it's. And it's. It's also what I love about it is, is the, you know, big brand, little brand stuff. I think we.
We could do with a lot more of those kinds of collaborations where, you know, the. The big brands are helping lift up the little brands.
And also, quite frankly, the little brands are adding maybe a little bit of coolness, a little bit of a different new factor to the. The big established players.
Colin True
00:08:12.450 - 00:08:48.220
Yeah, I'd be interested to see. And maybe it happens more than I know, but, like, it seems like if you're a smaller brand, like, you know, go for that collaboration. Right.
Because we talk a lot about, you know, like Shantae mentioned, you know, the North Face and skims, and that's, you know, those are big names that you pair together and create a lot of opinion, and you kind of are fun to pick apart, but if you kind of bring something that's interesting and there's sort of a natural fit, this pairing is great. Right. You know, just like the.
Like you mentioned the entrenched, you know, Burton old, you know, OG snowboarding brand and the kind of the upstart with a, you know, a borderline. Not borderline. NARA is both a technology brand and a. And an apparel brand.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:48.220 - 00:08:48.540
Yeah.
Colin True
00:08:48.540 - 00:08:50.460
And so to combine those two things. Yeah, go ahead.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:50.540 - 00:09:15.560
Yeah, no, it's. It's the innovation aspect that.
That small brands can often bring that the larger brands sometimes don't have the capacity for because they're doing the things they do well.
So I think in this case, you know, I'm thinking about overalls, ski bibs, like snow bibs that, like, going to the bathroom is truly impossible if you're wearing those. So it is such an exciting innovation. But, yeah, I love. I love small and big. I. That Owen brought that up. I think it's really important.
Producer Dave
00:09:16.120 - 00:09:18.200
It's like snaps and zippers together again.
Eoin Comerford
00:09:18.920 - 00:09:33.160
By the way, the collab also included a base layer bottoms that also had the same kind of technology. So, yeah, I may be a little pointless to take that off, and then you still have to worry about your base layer. So it all went together.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:33.480 - 00:09:34.200
It Goes all.
Colin True
00:09:35.320 - 00:09:43.870
I know NARA didn't launch in the last year, but earlier today, Owen and I were doing an interview and they asked us what we thought our favorite outdoor innovation of the year was. And I still think, you know, the NARA P Zipper is. The is.
Eoin Comerford
00:09:43.870 - 00:09:44.150
Is.
Colin True
00:09:44.150 - 00:09:47.950
Is the best new technology that's come out in a long time because it's just such a.
Producer Dave
00:09:47.950 - 00:09:51.550
Like, until someone knocks them off the pedestal, they can just keep that.
Colin True
00:09:51.630 - 00:10:00.910
Anytime you like, are smacking your head going, duh, why hasn't it been like this before? Like, that's a pretty good innovation. So congratulations to Burton and nara.
Producer Dave
00:10:01.310 - 00:10:01.870
Yeah.
Colin True
00:10:03.230 - 00:10:11.930
All right, well, our next award is the Chip Wilson self inflicted, AKA the biggest brand boner. And Owen, the floor is yours to present this award.
Eoin Comerford
00:10:12.810 - 00:10:44.580
Thank you, Colin. Again, honored to be here. Sometimes outdoor brands, retailers and media companies, they just can't help themselves.
And while we here at the rock fight love anyone who takes a big swing occasionally, that ends up being a big swing and miss. And those misses are what we like to call self inflicted wounds, or to put it more crassly, a brand boner. So we have a few this year.
Just one, just from a purely symmetrical point of view, is Columbia suing Columbia.
Colin True
00:10:44.580 - 00:10:46.620
That was Shantae's nominee back in the summer.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:46.620 - 00:10:46.980
Yes.
Colin True
00:10:46.980 - 00:10:47.420
Yes.
Eoin Comerford
00:10:47.420 - 00:10:48.180
Love that one.
Colin True
00:10:48.180 - 00:10:51.100
Yes, that was Columbia, the brand suing Columbia University.
Eoin Comerford
00:10:51.500 - 00:10:52.860
Yeah, that was this year.
Colin True
00:10:52.860 - 00:10:53.220
Yes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:53.220 - 00:10:55.420
Wow, this has been a very long year, Dave.
Producer Dave
00:10:55.980 - 00:11:00.300
Yeah, if you said that, I would have said, oh, 1936.
Colin True
00:11:00.940 - 00:11:02.140
They probably did it then too.
Producer Dave
00:11:02.860 - 00:11:03.260
Fair enough.
Eoin Comerford
00:11:04.300 - 00:11:27.180
Outside the company probably could have won through sheer volume. I think in terms of the various brand boners, I think the editorial pushback though, was probably the big one there.
Some might argue that REI would win because they supported the Doug Burnham Secretary of State nomination, but our winner.
Colin True
00:11:27.980 - 00:11:31.220
But rei, they pulled themselves out of contention.
Eoin Comerford
00:11:32.250 - 00:11:34.690
They did, because they actually, they took.
Colin True
00:11:34.690 - 00:11:37.210
A cold shower and their boner went away, so.
Producer Dave
00:11:38.010 - 00:11:39.970
Oh, really? Okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:11:39.970 - 00:11:41.370
Colin likes spring. The thunder.
Eoin Comerford
00:11:41.370 - 00:11:43.370
Why. Why do you pull me into these things?
Shawnté Salabert
00:11:43.450 - 00:11:45.290
Were you gonna say, why do you pull that out?
Colin True
00:11:45.690 - 00:11:47.370
That's more me trolling Shantae so she.
Shawnté Salabert
00:11:47.370 - 00:11:55.210
Tries to one up me just to disturb Owen. Yes, it's all cyclical. I'm too glad you have me here to break up the bro.
Colin True
00:11:55.930 - 00:11:57.530
Sorry, you were gonna announce the winner.
Eoin Comerford
00:11:57.850 - 00:12:14.640
So great. Yes, but the winner. And really there couldn't be any other winner than Arcteryx blowing up the Himalaya. I mean, come on, it was.
I mean, it was spectacular, quite frankly.
Colin True
00:12:14.640 - 00:12:15.560
It really was.
Producer Dave
00:12:15.879 - 00:12:16.360
Yeah.
Colin True
00:12:16.840 - 00:12:21.320
If you're. I mean, as soon as that happened, this competition was over. Right. I mean, how do you just.
Eoin Comerford
00:12:21.640 - 00:12:22.080
It just.
Colin True
00:12:22.080 - 00:12:27.000
It hit all the marks that you want out of a brand boner. It was, like, poorly thought out, you know, well executed.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:27.000 - 00:12:29.320
Even though it was completely as far as go.
Colin True
00:12:29.320 - 00:12:29.640
Yeah.
Producer Dave
00:12:29.640 - 00:12:39.260
No, it has multiple layers. I mean, we focus on the explosions themselves, but the PR response afterward was pretty spectacular in its own right.
Eoin Comerford
00:12:39.260 - 00:12:40.180
Of exactly.
Producer Dave
00:12:40.180 - 00:12:42.180
Just throwing the team under the bus. Right.
Colin True
00:12:42.180 - 00:12:48.980
It was environmentally irresponsible. Although they did pull out salt licks. Let's not forget the salt licks. Never forget to lure away the animals.
Eoin Comerford
00:12:49.140 - 00:12:49.860
No. Yes.
Producer Dave
00:12:50.020 - 00:12:50.420
Right.
Colin True
00:12:50.420 - 00:12:55.700
And classic, you know, billion dollar company form. It was over in about 10 seconds, and nobody cared. A week later.
Producer Dave
00:12:56.020 - 00:12:57.300
That's right. That's right.
Colin True
00:12:59.060 - 00:14:21.380
But congrats to Arc'. Teryx. Well done. Well done, everybody over there. Bravo.
All right, we have a special award now from friend and contributor to the Rock Fight, Doug Schnitzbahn. He's here to hand out our next award, the Open Container Award for Excellence in the outdoor Community. Hey there, rock fighters.
This is Doug Schnitzbahn. I am here to present the Open Container Award for Excellence in the outdoor Community.
When looking beyond the outdoor industry and at our outdoor community, there was one name in 2025 who deserves to be recognized, and that is Caroline Gleich. Caroline stepped up and took on the thankless job of running as the Democratic candidate for U.S. senate in the very red state of Utah.
She may have lost, but she brought not just issues that matter to the outdoor community to the forefront. She proved that the leadership and compassion learned as a lover of the outdoors deserves a place in the national conversation in the future.
And she has continued that work in 2025, rallying tens of thousands of signatures to help save public lands, giving a voice to conservation, and speaking up when far too many others in the outdoor space have been far too quiet. Keep kicking ass, Caroline. You deserve to be this year's winner of the Open Container Award for excellence in the outdoor Community.
All right, from Mark Terex at Caroline.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:21.380 - 00:14:23.030
Gleich, guys, we brought it back.
Eoin Comerford
00:14:23.830 - 00:14:24.350
We did.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:24.350 - 00:14:50.960
Very soul affirming. No, Caroline's amazing. I've talked to her a lot over the years. I actually was a guest on her podcast once.
She's a great example, I think, of somebody who just stands up for, like, does the work. She shows up. She's not worried about being perfect. She talks about when she does make mistakes, both.
You know, she's talked about it in the mountains and in this arena, and she gets a lot of for it. Like Caroline might be the most harassed person in the outdoor sphere, to be honest.
Colin True
00:14:51.120 - 00:14:52.880
For sure. Yeah, she for sure is.
Producer Dave
00:14:52.960 - 00:14:55.120
Oh, I think we have a category for next year.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:55.760 - 00:14:57.400
You don't want to be in that category.
Colin True
00:14:57.400 - 00:14:58.240
We'll have her present award.
Producer Dave
00:14:58.240 - 00:15:00.960
I know, but it still should be acknowledged and understood.
Colin True
00:15:01.200 - 00:15:03.200
Caroline, come on and present the award next year.
Producer Dave
00:15:03.280 - 00:15:04.080
Yeah, right.
Colin True
00:15:05.360 - 00:15:38.170
All right. Well, thanks to Doug for bestowing such an honor on the amazing, inspirational Caroline Gleich.
Our next award I'm going to be presenting, it's for another individual who worked hard this year to make sure their voice was heard, maybe worked a little too hard. And this is the award for excellence in Overexposure.
So when we're talking about overexposure, we're talking about those voices that tend to crop up a lot on think places like LinkedIn. The people who you are always at the outdoor event, no matter what it is, they are showing up.
And yes, I would say that everyone on this podcast right now was a nominee this year for sure.
Eoin Comerford
00:15:38.730 - 00:15:39.370
Thank you.
Colin True
00:15:39.930 - 00:15:43.380
We have. We have not yet overstayed our welcome, but we're getting close.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:43.940 - 00:15:45.780
We're going to just teeter at the edge for a while.
Eoin Comerford
00:15:46.740 - 00:15:47.460
There we go.
Colin True
00:15:48.740 - 00:16:12.670
We also, another nominee, I think someone we could talk about would be our friend Wes Allen. Friend of the pod.
He's, you know, Wes goes dark on occasion, but then he'll just come off the top rope on LinkedIn with just a scathing review of something or pointing something out. So, you know, well done, Wes. You're definitely working hard to overexpose yourself.
Hasn't happened quite yet, though, because I'm going to announce the winner, but any other nominees? Anybody else you could think of who deserve mention in this case?
Producer Dave
00:16:13.070 - 00:16:15.310
Oh, I think there's just only one clear choice.
Eoin Comerford
00:16:15.390 - 00:16:18.110
There can only be. There only can be one. Yes.
Colin True
00:16:18.670 - 00:16:43.370
Excellent. Much like the Highlander. Yes. There can only be one.
And the award for excellence in outdoor industry Overexposure goes to the mayor of the outdoor industry, Lloyd Vogel. Congratulations to Garage Grown Gears, Lloyd Vogel, this year's ggg, winner of the Overexposure award.
And actually, we do have an acceptance speech from Lloyd that I'll happily. I guess I could have kept sharing.
Eoin Comerford
00:16:43.370 - 00:16:44.890
My screen because he needed more exposure.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:46.490 - 00:16:47.130
Never enough.
Producer Dave
00:16:48.090 - 00:16:49.930
I'd like to accept this award with.
Eoin Comerford
00:16:49.930 - 00:16:51.930
Both gratitude and shame.
Colin True
00:16:52.250 - 00:16:56.650
And I'd like to commend the outdoor industry for making a bold decision to.
Eoin Comerford
00:16:56.650 - 00:16:59.770
Temporarily stop listening to boomers tell it.
Colin True
00:16:59.770 - 00:17:37.530
What to do and let a white male millennial take a turn instead. It's really huge progress, Truly transformative for the industry's DEI work. And sorry, Owen, not trying to steal your gig.
After spending roughly half the year in convention centers. It's an honor to be the overexposed winner in the outdoor industry and simultaneously be a complete stranger to my 15 month old.
Clearly my priorities are in the right space and I look forward to earning this award again in 2026. Well done, Lloyd.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:38.330 - 00:17:42.570
We love Lloyd. He feels like the honorary, you know, honorary member of the rock fight.
Producer Dave
00:17:43.130 - 00:17:46.490
Certainly. Certainly the overexposed one. Right.
Colin True
00:17:46.490 - 00:17:52.010
He definitely. We know there are several Lloyds around the country. They stash Lloyd in different markets.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:52.010 - 00:17:52.890
The only thing that makes.
Colin True
00:17:53.780 - 00:18:15.140
Yeah, exactly, exactly. All right, Congrats, Lloyd. Good luck in 2026.
I think you're gonna have some competition as we bring more attention to the industry and the voices in the industry.
So let's move on now to more brand and product focused categories with our next presenter, producer Dave, who will be handing out the 2025 outdoor category of the year award. All right.
Producer Dave
00:18:15.140 - 00:18:46.050
As we look at the landscape of kind of the segmentation that makes up the topics we talk about, we put them into nice vertical categories and it helps us organize our thoughts and our products and the wall itself. But this year there really was a runaway winner.
But before we hand that out, let's just kind of talk about some of the other categories that were kind of carrying momentum heading into 2026. Does anybody want to kind of bring one up here to talk about?
Colin True
00:18:46.540 - 00:18:50.940
I think there's several. There's some folks to get some attention. Heard more about bike packing lately.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:50.940 - 00:18:54.420
Yeah, hiking, always a hot topic. I'm not biased.
Eoin Comerford
00:18:54.420 - 00:19:05.100
Well, lifestyle. Lifestyle, let's face it, lifestyle is basically what really keeps this industry in business. And I think it also keeps us in business.
Colin True
00:19:05.100 - 00:19:10.620
We should lobby to change the name from Outdoor Industry to lifestyle industry and see how people react to it. I think they'd be fine with it.
Producer Dave
00:19:11.420 - 00:19:12.460
I don't think they'd notice.
Colin True
00:19:13.260 - 00:19:14.940
Indoor rock climbing continues to grow.
Producer Dave
00:19:15.800 - 00:19:16.040
Right.
Colin True
00:19:16.520 - 00:19:19.640
I do want to point out Shantae mentioned hiking. I still feel like there's.
Eoin Comerford
00:19:19.720 - 00:19:20.280
It's just.
Colin True
00:19:20.280 - 00:19:27.160
It's like the biggest sport in our category that nobody's really just owning right now. Still an opportunity. Oh, and you picked that last year. Yeah.
Producer Dave
00:19:28.520 - 00:19:32.080
Colin, I think, I mean, we, we didn't bring up gravel. Where's gravel?
Colin True
00:19:32.080 - 00:19:32.680
Gravel. What?
Shawnté Salabert
00:19:32.680 - 00:19:33.960
Colin loves gravel.
Eoin Comerford
00:19:33.960 - 00:19:34.360
Anything.
Producer Dave
00:19:37.080 - 00:19:37.480
Right.
Colin True
00:19:37.480 - 00:19:40.840
It's true. Landscaping gravel, you know, smooth gravel.
Producer Dave
00:19:42.160 - 00:19:43.120
That's right. There you go.
Shawnté Salabert
00:19:44.080 - 00:19:44.440
Yeah.
Colin True
00:19:44.440 - 00:19:44.960
Decomposition.
Producer Dave
00:19:45.840 - 00:19:49.040
Nice. Marble. Uh huh. River Rock is a nice one.
Shawnté Salabert
00:19:49.040 - 00:19:50.560
We like to Talk about materials.
Producer Dave
00:19:52.400 - 00:20:24.270
But look, let's not pretend that we don't know who the winner is this year. The 2025 category of the year has to go to trail running. Of course it is. Right? I mean it is still the hot, hot, hot category.
Port last year put it around 14 to 20 billion dollars. Lifestyle market. I mean it is going up. People purchase one to three pairs of shoes a year.
That is, that's keeping the engine going and it doesn't seem to be slowing down.
Colin True
00:20:24.350 - 00:20:27.230
So also it's the most overexposed product category.
Producer Dave
00:20:27.790 - 00:20:32.830
That's right. Hey, can Lloyd Vogel be a category?
Shawnté Salabert
00:20:33.870 - 00:20:36.670
I think he just became everyone gets like a cardboard cutout.
Producer Dave
00:20:36.910 - 00:20:37.870
That's fantastic.
Eoin Comerford
00:20:38.740 - 00:20:39.020
Nice.
Producer Dave
00:20:39.020 - 00:20:40.900
Oh, see? Okay, I'm in.
Colin True
00:20:41.220 - 00:20:44.020
Dave, you're spot on. I mean it's like trail running.
Eoin Comerford
00:20:44.020 - 00:20:44.300
It.
Colin True
00:20:44.300 - 00:21:02.820
I mean, what has had a bigger moment. I mean there's now trail con. Every brand has a trail running brand. Trail running product.
Whether no matter what else you make, it seems like, ah, here's our trail running shoe.
I'll ever forget being at OMA media event with Owen this year and just sort of rounding the corner and just like, oh, there's another trail running shoe by another brand. I hadn't seen that one before, so.
Producer Dave
00:21:03.140 - 00:21:06.380
Took both hands to count all the. The trail running brands that were new this year.
Colin True
00:21:06.380 - 00:21:18.480
Don't know if it's sort of a. A trail running bubble that we're in. Let's get like the AI bubble is expected to, but it definitely was the category of 2025.
Owen, any thoughts on trail running that you haven't said already?
Eoin Comerford
00:21:19.200 - 00:21:43.870
Well, no, it's just that not to get too far ahead of ourselves on the predictions, but one of the things I was talking about was will 2026 be the year of trail core? Like GORP core and that kind of thing. Like trail core as a fashion influence.
You know, we'll see it in, you know, luggier shoes and all this other stuff. But then I'm thinking like, what exactly would that look like? I mean, are we talking short shorts wearing short shorts.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:44.430 - 00:21:49.230
Satisfy. Like look at satisfy's line and then Translate that to Forever 21. All right.
Colin True
00:21:50.110 - 00:21:51.310
For sure, for sure.
Producer Dave
00:21:51.710 - 00:21:54.670
It would look like bend. That's what we will get.
Colin True
00:21:54.910 - 00:21:58.430
If. If trail running were here to accept, who would it be or what would it look like?
Shawnté Salabert
00:22:00.190 - 00:22:01.190
Yeah. Would it just be.
Colin True
00:22:01.190 - 00:22:04.350
It's a giant shoe with arms, just a blister.
Producer Dave
00:22:04.910 - 00:22:06.830
It'd be a $300 price point.
Colin True
00:22:08.450 - 00:22:09.810
That's acceptable now. It's fine.
Producer Dave
00:22:10.050 - 00:22:10.770
That's right.
Colin True
00:22:13.250 - 00:24:31.580
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All right, well, moving along in the outdoor industry, or any industry for that matter, not every idea lands the way it was conceived. So, Shantae, can you please present the WTF product of the year?
Shawnté Salabert
00:24:31.580 - 00:24:53.510
Oh yes I can.
It is truly my pleasure to say it's inevitable that at least a few times a year you're gonna be doom scrolling Instagram and your little disassociative session is gonna be stopped in its tracks by a promoted product that just literally breaks your brain. The kind of thing that makes you stop and ask why. So let's talk. There's a couple things. That's exactly how I say it, by the way.
Colin True
00:24:53.830 - 00:24:57.150
No, that's the appropriate way to say it. You're just doing what you're describing.
Shawnté Salabert
00:24:57.150 - 00:24:58.630
Yeah, a little bit of asmr. Why?
Colin True
00:24:58.950 - 00:24:59.310
Why?
Shawnté Salabert
00:24:59.310 - 00:25:06.590
Again, what? So we already talked about Choco and Waffle House, which that is a lie. I want to see Owen in a pair of those.
Colin True
00:25:06.590 - 00:25:08.230
Dave may not think so, but it is a why.
Producer Dave
00:25:08.310 - 00:25:15.170
I think you guys are missing the obvious point. It's Choco and it's Waffle House. Come on, what more do you need?
Colin True
00:25:16.690 - 00:25:23.370
When you look at collabs, is there a winner and a loser there? And is there Is Waffle House the winner in chocolate? The loser like wow, you know.
Producer Dave
00:25:23.370 - 00:25:33.850
Well, you know, my only issue is they didn't take it far enough. I would have liked to have seen the whole Waffle House pressed into the topsoil there like you get when you, you know, order a waffle.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:33.850 - 00:25:34.290
Maybe.
Eoin Comerford
00:25:36.130 - 00:25:43.570
What I want to see is the viral video of the Waffle House employee taking off their Waffle House Choco and whipping it at a customer.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:45.790 - 00:25:46.750
In 2026.
Colin True
00:25:47.310 - 00:25:52.870
There are some amazing, it's inevitable reels and tiktoks out there of some things going down at Waffle House.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:52.870 - 00:25:57.710
So there really are Waffle House. I used to live in the south and it was truly a place for all the people.
Colin True
00:25:58.190 - 00:25:58.910
It's a scene.
Producer Dave
00:25:58.910 - 00:26:01.070
It really is all the people and.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:01.070 - 00:26:21.610
2:30Am did you guys ever. George Webb was my Waffle House. Growing up in Milwaukee. It was the Midwestern Waffle House. So in case anybody out there wants to represent.
But we had a, we had a few other WTF products that came to mind. I, you know, Colin's going to disagree with me on this, but say the satisfy arm chaps that I saw at Tre. I love them.
Colin True
00:26:21.610 - 00:26:30.010
I'd be more critical from if it was any other brand, but I feel like Satisfy kind of works, but arm chaps? Yeah. I still can't picture a world where I'M wearing arm chaps.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:30.010 - 00:26:39.130
There's arm chaps. What about leg chaps? Because three full gear makes rain chaps for your legs so you know your crotch is going to get wet but nothing else will.
Producer Dave
00:26:40.010 - 00:26:47.050
Colin. So hold on just a second. Colin. I just want you to know those arm chaps go with overalls. So I think you could really pull that together.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:48.040 - 00:26:50.040
Lives in overall with arm chaps.
Producer Dave
00:26:50.520 - 00:26:53.520
Oh, see, now we're standing the overalls.
Colin True
00:26:53.520 - 00:26:55.720
I might be in board and you know how you get me there.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:55.720 - 00:27:03.080
Listen, on your feet if you don't want to wear the chacos. Satisfying Crocs did a collaboration this year so you could be styling on your feet.
Colin True
00:27:03.240 - 00:27:09.040
But Satisfied is really going for it in 2025. Right? There's everything. No bad ideas that satisfy HQ.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:09.040 - 00:27:10.360
I love it. Just roll with it.
Eoin Comerford
00:27:10.680 - 00:27:11.160
None.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:11.240 - 00:27:43.950
But, but we have to give an award here. So the.
In the time honored tradition of the Merrell Hydro Mach 18 Neo GTX times Burton Mine 77 booties, I'm happy to present the WTF Product of the Year to the Merrell Hut Mach 21 TRL times. That's right. You guys, you guys. Look at. That's how you have to say it, by the way. I think that's probably in their brand specs.
But you've seen seen this thing, right? Like what if. If there was a word you'd use to describe it, what would it be?
Colin True
00:27:45.950 - 00:27:46.430
Wow.
Eoin Comerford
00:27:46.590 - 00:27:51.950
It's like somebody took a dump on top of a shoe. I don't know. I don't know.
Colin True
00:27:52.030 - 00:28:21.490
Or you just stepped into very deep piles. It's like first of all, listeners, those are both real shoes that Chante just read.
In 2024 we did an episode handing out the ugliest shoe of the War of the Year award or something like that, which was that original Merrell and this new one is keeping with that tradition. And it definitely Shantae to your point, it makes you stop and go, why? Just why?
Who is the person who comes across either of those and goes, oh, oh yeah, I gotta get a pair of these.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:21.490 - 00:28:30.290
You know what I mean? I need a pair. I just want my foot to look like it's encased in meringue. Like that's basically like all terrain meringue that way.
Producer Dave
00:28:31.090 - 00:28:34.210
All terrain meringue. See, now that's a good product story.
Colin True
00:28:34.290 - 00:28:37.610
Listen, was there a Dune collaboration where maybe it works a little better?
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:37.610 - 00:28:40.780
Could that Zendaya could be wearing it, right?
Colin True
00:28:40.780 - 00:28:46.700
Maybe she breaks her on contract to promote the Meryl Dune shoes. I don't know.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:47.100 - 00:28:47.900
One can Dream.
Colin True
00:28:49.020 - 00:29:04.700
Well, congrats Merrill on having the two years running ugliest shoe award and the WTF Product of the year. Now we spend a lot of time talking about new and emerging brands on this show. And Owen, can you please honor our favorite new brand of 2025?
Eoin Comerford
00:29:06.230 - 00:30:21.220
You know, we've had kind of a tough time here defining what is an emerging brand. Right. Because is it a brand that just launched? Is it one that isn't profitable? That would be quite, quite a large group.
And we've never kind of really settled on an answer. But what we're going to talk about is maybe some new ish brands or newish brands to the US market. Yes, we're being American centric here.
Sorry, that caught our attention over the last year. So, you know, a few of the ones that I think we chatted about.
One is Mount to coast, which seems to basically have come out of nowhere to kind of take over the trail running world. We actually named them as a top trail running brand here on this very podcast.
Sam Bob, which lives more in Shantae's world of ultralight backpacking type of apparel stuff and is named after Sam Bob. Sam Roberts I guess is the who made it Berghaus, which obviously been around for a long time.
Not really an emerging brand, but is making every entry into the US market.
And then Tantrums, a really cool running brand known for their running vest that had an awesome booth at Tre and then any other brands you guys want to throw out?
Colin True
00:30:21.460 - 00:30:25.980
Shantae, anyone you want to highlight from the GGG world while we have this opportunity?
Producer Dave
00:30:26.370 - 00:30:26.690
Oh no.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:26.690 - 00:30:31.250
I mean I do think Sam Bob's having year. I thought I would have, I would have named Sam Bob as well.
Colin True
00:30:32.130 - 00:30:33.610
They were doing Alpha before. It was cool.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:33.610 - 00:30:45.890
They were, they really were. And they do customs and I think that's the big thing that started with Sam Bob like that started setting them apart.
Now there's other places that will do custom, but I think Sam Bob is the OG and Sam himself is such a nice dude.
Colin True
00:30:46.530 - 00:30:49.610
They're like the alpha version of Melanzana.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:49.610 - 00:30:50.770
Yes, absolutely.
Eoin Comerford
00:30:51.170 - 00:31:19.940
For our winner this year, we really wanted to go with a brand that actually did truly launch last year and brought a new and interesting product to the industry that I've had a chance to use and is great and also that have founders that have a long heritage of actually bringing brands and products to the industry. That winner of the 2025 newcomer or emerging brand of the year goes to Pacfire.
Colin True
00:31:20.820 - 00:31:22.100
Yeah, Pacfire.
Shawnté Salabert
00:31:22.100 - 00:31:22.660
Right on.
Colin True
00:31:22.660 - 00:31:22.980
Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:31:22.980 - 00:31:32.820
I love what they did. I love A portable, I think they're. There were other kind of portable fire pits, but they were like flat pack things. This is a really amazing 3D.
Eoin Comerford
00:31:32.820 - 00:31:49.780
I mean this is a real smokeless. It has all of the features of your kind of backyard smokeless fire pit, but comes in a handy dandy backpack by the way.
The whole thing, it's very well thought out, very well put together. Just a cool idea, I think.
Colin True
00:31:50.260 - 00:33:30.850
Yeah. We saw this for the first time at Geoa Connect at the Discovery Marketplace at the Reno one in June.
And it just, you know, again, like we talk a lot about how there's no really good technologies. Innovation. This is a great innovation. It's like, let's take a thing, make it simpler, make it easier.
If you want to take on firing car camping, whatever it is, it just folds flat. And just one of those, when it's, when you see it demonstrated, you're immediate immediately like, oh, that's cool. I want one of those.
Like just, that is, it's a great idea.
And you know, and obviously what it's not, it's an, I don't know if it's an emerging market or if it's just how, how high the ceiling is for, you know, portable, you know, fire rings. But I think I could see this becoming a staple in a lot of people's kits when they go car camping. So.
And you know, to your point, a lot, you know, a lot of industry veterans on that team. So yeah, I love pack. I love the pack, but I loved what Packfire did. All right, our next award.
So newer listeners may not recall the time that we caused a stir in the outdoor industry by designating some well known and loved outdoors players and we called them zombie brands.
And a zombie brand is a well known or influential brand and that has strayed from what made them well known or influential and lost most of its clout. But they don't die or go out of business. They hang around on the backs of their name in deep consumer discounts.
Not quite dead, but not quite thriving either. And they are the zombies of our space. So other notables for the zombie brands as we look at 2025.
Marmot was the one we spoke about the most in the past. But if I look back, Prana is one that we've mentioned.
It was probably a candidate to be a zombie brand given where they were going and how they were sort of the outcast within the Columbia ecosystem.
Now we, as we learned at the running event, they may have inoculated themselves, but with a, with a rebrand that is coming according to some things we heard there.
Eoin Comerford
00:33:31.410 - 00:33:31.890
Yeah.
Colin True
00:33:32.850 - 00:33:46.210
Chaco, we've. We've alluded in the past might be a zombie brand. I don't know if the Waffle House collab strengthens the case for zombie ness or.
Dave, does it make them a little more likely to not be a zombie brand? What does the Waffle House thing do for you?
Producer Dave
00:33:46.210 - 00:33:49.450
I think we can consider them into this year's category.
Eoin Comerford
00:33:49.450 - 00:33:50.130
They are.
Producer Dave
00:33:50.370 - 00:33:56.810
They already are in last year's Adjacent and they. I, I don't think they've done anything necessarily to reanimate themselves.
Colin True
00:33:56.810 - 00:34:06.730
Yep. We mentioned, we have mentioned Sierra Designs in the past. I've heard from other people who say we gave it.
We give Marmot too much heat when Sierra Designs deserves just as much. And that, that, that is accurate.
Eoin Comerford
00:34:07.210 - 00:34:07.690
Yeah.
Colin True
00:34:08.250 - 00:34:36.160
Look, a newcomer. Our friends at Fitz. Look, I'm sorry, Lara. They're. They're a, they are a sponsor of the previous sponsor of the pod.
But just kind of tracking them, it's been a lot of discounts, a lot of just seeming like they were on a good trajectory. And it kind of feels like it's going the other way as of late. And I don't want to say that I love fits. I love, I'm wearing them right now.
Great brand, but like, it's, it's a, it's a slippery slope, but before you know it, you could be a zombie and not even realize it.
Producer Dave
00:34:36.640 - 00:34:37.280
That hurts.
Colin True
00:34:38.080 - 00:34:40.600
But the winner of the 2025.
Producer Dave
00:34:40.600 - 00:34:42.600
I think there's one more. We should do one more before you go.
Colin True
00:34:42.600 - 00:34:43.040
What do you got?
Producer Dave
00:34:43.040 - 00:34:55.920
One more as kind of category it. I think, you know, we don't talk about it too much because it's kind of outdoor adjacent.
But the surf brands, Quicksilver, Billabong, all of them collectively just seem to be zombieing along.
Eoin Comerford
00:34:57.200 - 00:34:59.760
They're a horde. I think it's a horde.
Producer Dave
00:34:59.840 - 00:35:01.680
That's right. That's exactly right.
Colin True
00:35:03.120 - 00:35:09.520
Well, the winner of the 2025 newest member of the outdoor zombie outdoor zombie horde goes to Spider.
Producer Dave
00:35:10.000 - 00:35:11.120
Ah, yes.
Colin True
00:35:11.200 - 00:35:43.160
Now, Zomb, here's some reasons why we're gonna put Spider in the hoard. So it's a classic tale. The brand was founded in 1978. They have a huge history in the ski industry.
They sponsored athletes like Tommy Moe and Peekaboo Street. Tons of credibility in that space. Spider was a very cool brand to wear if you are a Snow sports enthusiast. 2013, step one towards Zombieland here.
Right. They sell to authentic brands. Okay. Who then also licensed it to Lian Fungi. That's not a good place to be. You don't want.
Eoin Comerford
00:35:43.160 - 00:35:44.000
Not a good combo.
Colin True
00:35:44.080 - 00:36:12.650
No. Now, you could argue that Spider was a zombie for a long time, but the final moment, I feel where it truly succumbed to the zombie brand virus.
And this is why it's this year's winner, because it came earlier this year when liberated brands who had Spider's license filed for bankruptcy. Somehow they're still around Spider. I mean, I'm not sure who's managing it. What's happening over there?
If you're there and you want to contest this, this award, reach out to us. Myrockfight gmail.com But I feel pretty solidly that, Spider, you're in the horde.
Eoin Comerford
00:36:13.450 - 00:36:26.730
I mean, if we're using the amount of assortment found at my local Sierra as a. A vote and maybe Costco, maybe. I don't know. But then Spider definitely wins.
Colin True
00:36:27.210 - 00:36:38.920
Yeah. Yeah, it's sad. I mean, I. I didn't know when they were founded when I was doing a little research on this in 78.
They're right in there with the Marmots, North Face, Patagonia, Timberlands, all these guys and. Yeah, you know, it's the way it goes sometimes.
Eoin Comerford
00:36:39.550 - 00:36:40.750
Storied brand. Yeah.
Colin True
00:36:41.150 - 00:36:51.870
Well, guys, so much of what works and doesn't work in the outdoor industry comes back to branding. So producer Dave, this is your wheelhouse. Can you please present the brief award for creative excellence?
Producer Dave
00:36:55.150 - 00:37:01.070
Every reward is excellent. You realize that this is starting to sound like the Bill and Ted I just called awards.
Colin True
00:37:01.070 - 00:37:02.950
10 minutes talking about Spider as a zombie.
Producer Dave
00:37:02.950 - 00:37:48.920
Okay, I'm the. The teleprompter's moving a little fast for me. I can't really get. Outdoor brands are famous for playing the hits in their creative endeavors.
So much so that one of Rock Fight's core tenants is no Wagon Wheel. Words to live by. The upside of this is lack of creativity, is that when something is different and comes along, it hits even harder.
It definitely stands out. And this year we had a few brands that were kind of painting themselves in a new and distinct light and standing out.
This year, I think we have actually three really good kind of nominees in this case. And obviously I think there were more than that. You've heard us talk about Mammoth, and they're not a streetwear brand.
Campaign and Mountain Wear Rescue. What's that?
Colin True
00:37:49.000 - 00:37:50.040
Mountain Wear Rescue.
Producer Dave
00:37:50.600 - 00:38:45.720
Yeah, it's actually not a streetwear. It's the campaign. And Mountain Rescue is an execution.
You know, tangent of that, but that's definitely the mockumentary featuring Katie Burrell and Lindsey Hammond. We've talked about that on the brief and a really great execution and series that I think did break through the clutter.
Another one I want to bring up is. And this is kind of.
I've got a couple kind of versions of what they're doing, but satisfy just from a straight branding perspective, definitely has figured out kind of the combination to stand out.
But they had two campaigns specifically when they launched the rocker shoe, their inocular shoe, they basically turned a turnstile, music video and dune buggy into a launch piece that never even showed the shoe, but still managed to convey concepts of stability and traction and speed. So that's. I just. I think it's a really unique way to do that.
Colin True
00:38:46.040 - 00:38:48.840
I've lost hours of my life to satisfy his YouTube channel.
Producer Dave
00:38:49.560 - 00:39:21.530
Yeah.
And I have to say I would have ended with that, but the next piece they launched was the High Country Winter Collection where they, you know, running through kind of the. The Western. You know, it's a combination of French running brand and, you know, Western cowboy. And it just, it works. It's really.
And they're beautiful short piece, short films. I recommend checking those out. But. But I think we've kind of all collectively landed on the one that you have to go with.
And this year that would be Columbia and engineered for whatever.
Colin True
00:39:22.500 - 00:39:22.900
Do you agree?
Shawnté Salabert
00:39:22.980 - 00:39:29.780
Good campaign, yo. Absolutely. I mean, didn't it like a. First of all, they rescued themselves from the brand boner category? Probably.
Colin True
00:39:30.100 - 00:39:31.460
Yeah, yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:39:31.460 - 00:39:57.760
This was a redemption for them because it came afterwards.
But I think, I think, you know, I think about Columbia as one of those brands, you know, being from Wisconsin, you'll go to Meijer's, which is a grocery store that also has clothing and also has a lot of random things in it, and you'll see Columbia stuff there. So you don't you think of Columbia more as like, ah, this is the everyday. Like your mom wears a Columbia jacket?
Yeah, I think they really challenged that perception with this campaign.
Producer Dave
00:39:58.800 - 00:41:00.190
They did. And it caused again, so just the straight awareness piece and getting people talking.
But they also managed, I think, to do something that's really hard and that is to be both unexpected and familiar at the same time. You know, unexpected and wow, Columbia did something like that and familiar.
And it really does kind of fit the Columbia DNA that they have traditionally done in their advertising.
But they also backed it up with new creative pieces, one after the other, kind of doubling down on the absurdist lengths that they'll go to to prove their functionality and then into what I think is the piece de resistance, if you will. But it's the. The Tim Boyle challenge to give away the company to the first person to prove the. The earth is flat. Right.
And that is just really a case study at how creative and PR can combine to.
To generate heat from a story that they just made up, made up from thin air that then augments the regular product release cycle that you've got normally going on. So I think that's just. And again, another way to look at this engineered for whatever concept.
Colin True
00:41:00.270 - 00:42:04.770
What I liked about it was how they did continue it. I mean, I think if you look at it, loved what Mahmoud did, but it did kind of had like a pretty limited run for what it was doing.
You know, we talked about satisfy, but that seems more of like just a brand direction than maybe a specific campaign. The fact that this came out turned the industry on its head. I mean, there was about a week where that's really all anyone was talking about.
Then they kind of, they kept rolling out different videos, different little product features, whatever it was. Halloween hits, we get, you know, death as a sponsored athlete, you know, with a year with a. With a last will and testament and the jacket.
And then to your point, Dave, a couple of weeks ago, we get the Tim Boyle piece. It seems that this is not just one campaign, but they are pivoting the brand a bit around this.
Now, I don't know what that's going to mean to the product down the road and if it'll still be like, you know, available at a Meijer. But it also, I don't know if it matters because it's.
I think it, by the by sticking to it, it might change the perception of what the Columbia brand is. And I just agree, you know, congrats to them for doing it. It's great.
Well, Shantae's gonna present the next two awards as we look beyond the outdoor industry and consider the whole outdoor community. And first up is the Gear Abbey Golden Bidet Award for Consumer Education.
Producer Dave
00:42:05.650 - 00:42:06.130
Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:06.130 - 00:42:59.220
So excited about this. So despite what it might sound like if you listen, Gear Abby isn't just about Colin and I discussing bodily functions and wildlife mating habits.
It's about sharing. Okay, yes, it is. It is. I'm going to pretend it is about sharing knowledge with other outdoorists.
And in that spirit, the inaugural Gear Abbey Golden Bidet Award for Consumer Education goes to Coach from Virginia's own Marion Outdoors. If you all follow them, their social media videos started appearing in my feed sometime in the past year.
And each of them is this kind of beautiful, slightly manic little bundle of positive Energy, product, discovery, education all bundled into one. And you know, a lot of it is Coach's delivery and the way he's highlighting all these things and what you could do with them.
And so I think we gotta get him on the show at some point at least. Over on Gear Abbey, I think he would be a fantastic resource for us.
Colin True
00:42:59.620 - 00:43:01.060
Love that co sign that for sure.
Shawnté Salabert
00:43:01.060 - 00:43:01.620
Thank you.
Colin True
00:43:02.420 - 00:43:08.979
And next up, Shantae is also gonna present the Justin Houseman Memorial Rock Fighter Lifetime Achievement Award.
Shawnté Salabert
00:43:09.620 - 00:43:12.340
It's not funny, okay? This is a serious award.
Colin True
00:43:12.900 - 00:43:19.740
It's very long and I wrote it, but it still makes me laugh. Listen, Justin Hausman, an important, crucial cog in the history of the Rock Fight.
Shawnté Salabert
00:43:19.740 - 00:43:42.400
That's right. I mean, Justin was the first co host of the Rock Fight and my one time editor at Adventure. Love Justin.
And none of us would be sitting here today without the time and love that he gave to help grow this podcast. So it's only fitting that the lifetime achievement is both named for Justin, but also that he gets to be the first one to receive it.
So to accept, Justin actually sent in a voice memo and here you go.
Colin True
00:43:42.800 - 00:43:44.920
Well, what can I say?
Eoin Comerford
00:43:44.920 - 00:43:45.520
Thank you.
Colin True
00:43:46.320 - 00:44:12.780
Ironically, I haven't received any kind of award since junior high in the late 1990s when I was awarded least likely to be given a memorial award by an obscure outdoors podcast. Didn't even who didn't know what a podcast was back in in 1992 or whenever that was. But you know, thank you. I'm honored, I'm humbled.
And frankly, it's a shock that, that this podcast is going on without me.
Eoin Comerford
00:44:12.780 - 00:44:14.220
But good job.
Colin True
00:44:14.220 - 00:44:29.620
Can you know, good job, Rock fighters. Thanks for supporting the cause. Thanks for listening and we'll see you.
We'll see you out there in the on the trails with me grumping at you and yelling at you for doing something wrong. As always, thank you.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:31.540 - 00:44:34.180
That was perfect. Perfectly curmudgeonly and delightful.
Colin True
00:44:34.580 - 00:44:36.820
Yes, I miss Justin.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:36.980 - 00:44:39.540
Don't we all? Moment of silence.
Colin True
00:44:39.780 - 00:44:54.770
Moment of silence or Justin and Owen now will also be presenting the next two awards. First up, you know, some things just need to be mentioned in any conversation when it comes to the outdoor industry.
So Owen, will you please present the award for achievement in trade shows?
Eoin Comerford
00:44:56.360 - 00:45:39.620
Certainly before there were tariffs and trade running, there were trade shows. I think that's the three T's of 2025. But let's face it, we talk about trade shows a lot on this podcast.
And newsflash, we probably will again in 2026 because a lot of stuff coming down the pipe. But that said, there were definitely a few trade shows that we went to this year that got a lot of love on the pod.
So let's start with GOA Connect, one of my personal favorites. It's a great show for what it is.
We got the Discovery Marketplace, which I think made some great strides this year to be a more meaningful show there.
Colin True
00:45:39.940 - 00:45:44.580
Probably our most consequential show. I mean, it just feels like there's real stakes attached to that show.
Eoin Comerford
00:45:44.900 - 00:45:53.270
Totally. And the brands support it, the retailers support it. I mean, in terms of the. Everyone is kind of in.
And there's a real feeling of partnership with that show.
Colin True
00:45:53.340 - 00:45:53.580
Show.
Eoin Comerford
00:45:54.060 - 00:45:59.660
Not the most dynamic show from an energy or excitement perspective because it's all happening behind, you know.
Colin True
00:45:59.900 - 00:46:09.140
You know what they should do one of the days, they should open up the curtains and have a happy hour that happens at the end of the day where everybody gets to see what's inside the booths.
Shawnté Salabert
00:46:09.140 - 00:46:10.700
That's right, the wizard of Oz happy hour.
Eoin Comerford
00:46:11.820 - 00:46:12.460
Great idea.
Colin True
00:46:12.460 - 00:46:14.540
They should listen to us on this one. I think they should.
Eoin Comerford
00:46:14.540 - 00:46:19.740
They really should. I think that's a great idea. Okay, you know what, I'm gonna. I'm gonna send an email to Gabe right after this.
Colin True
00:46:19.980 - 00:46:22.140
That's good idea. I think you should. Thank you. Yes.
Eoin Comerford
00:46:23.330 - 00:47:01.630
Another pod, another podcast, another trade show that we've talked about a ton. This year was the inaugural switchback event, which I think we all agreed was for year one of a show went probably as well as you could have hoped.
But I think only one show really, I think hit the mark in so many different ways when it comes to energy, involvement, partnership, all of those things. And that is why the 2025 Award for Achievement in trade shows goes to the running event.
Colin True
00:47:02.910 - 00:47:04.030
I mean, how can it not?
Shawnté Salabert
00:47:04.110 - 00:47:05.550
It was pretty spectacular.
Colin True
00:47:07.070 - 00:47:13.790
It's a show that knows its why, why it exists. It's consequential to my point on like Geo Connect, but it's, you know, it kind of checks a lot of boxes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:47:13.790 - 00:47:17.380
For that space trail running really gets to shine there.
Colin True
00:47:20.660 - 00:47:21.140
I don't know.
Eoin Comerford
00:47:21.140 - 00:47:42.900
I detect recency bias, but that's a fair point, Dave. But I do think it does all kind of bring it together.
It brings the kind of the brand retailer partnership from Goa with kind of the energy of the Switchback. And it all kind of comes together along with a great award show, by the way, at the end.
Colin True
00:47:42.980 - 00:47:46.010
All right, and your second award, Owen, you're going to present the Rock Flight Listener Award.
Eoin Comerford
00:47:46.640 - 00:48:35.960
Absolutely.
You know, the Rock Fight has some wonderful and so many engaged Listeners that we're very thankful for here at the Rock Fight, please give us that five star review. Thank you.
But this past year, there was one who showed their dedication to never missing an episode by sending us a photo of himself listening to the pod in the middle of a climb up the Matterhorn. So. So congrats to Ben Ryan, the Rock Fights listener of the year 2025.
Now, true to form, when we reached out to Ben to see if he could send us a voice memo, he did. From the South Pole. Truly, we're not making this up. We are not making this up. He actually one upped himself, which I think is genius.
Producer Dave
00:48:36.200 - 00:48:43.900
Well, even better, Owen. Before we even got that, we just got a. A reply to sender email.
Shawnté Salabert
00:48:44.220 - 00:48:44.580
Right?
Eoin Comerford
00:48:44.580 - 00:48:48.820
Yeah, Right. That he was on an expedition to the South Pole and had just summited.
Producer Dave
00:48:48.820 - 00:48:49.340
That's right.
Eoin Comerford
00:48:49.340 - 00:48:50.940
Out of office. Yes.
Colin True
00:48:53.100 - 00:49:01.100
But. But somehow. And we got it via video as well. So he was confirmed. He was like, with Vincent in the background. But we did get a voice memo from Ben.
Producer Dave
00:49:01.100 - 00:49:01.620
So let's see.
Colin True
00:49:01.620 - 00:49:44.260
Here's Ben's acceptance speech. Hi, Colin. Dave Consigliere.
Owen calling in from Union Glacier Camp in Antarctica just to make sure that I set the bar as high as possible for the next winner of the Remote listener award in 2026. Thanks so much for the award. But more importantly, thanks so much for a great podcast.
It's the highlight of the week when I'm out climbing, trekking, running in the mountains. And it's great to get some industry news that's honest and doesn't mind taking a few shots and doesn't play too safe. So keep doing what you're doing.
Looking forward to hearing more rock fight in 2026. Yeah. Next year we're going to need to get somebody like, on the International Space Station.
Shawnté Salabert
00:49:44.260 - 00:49:44.860
Absolutely.
Eoin Comerford
00:49:45.340 - 00:49:46.060
Exactly.
Shawnté Salabert
00:49:46.220 - 00:49:47.020
Start planning.
Eoin Comerford
00:49:47.500 - 00:49:47.980
Yeah.
Colin True
00:49:49.019 - 00:49:50.260
So you're listening to us on the.
Eoin Comerford
00:49:50.260 - 00:49:54.540
International space station, my rockfightmail.com.
Producer Dave
00:49:54.540 - 00:49:55.100
Yes.
Colin True
00:49:56.220 - 00:50:06.620
Okay, guys, it's time for the biggest awards of the evening. We have the Outdoor Industry Executive of the Year and the Brand of the Year. So producer Dave. Dave, let's do it. Brand of the Year. Let's do it.
What do you got?
Eoin Comerford
00:50:08.860 - 00:50:09.340
Wow.
Producer Dave
00:50:09.420 - 00:50:39.680
Well, we made four top five lists here on the Rock Fight this past year. We had footwear, apparel, accessories and gear.
And just looking at those, those 20 names on those lists was probably a good place to start when it comes to choosing our Brand of the Year.
But after a bunch of internal discussions, navel gazing, popcorn, it became obvious that we had no choice but to Pick, you guessed it, a trail run footwear brand. It just had to happen. We were powerless to not see it go through.
Colin True
00:50:40.160 - 00:50:48.600
I do want to interject. I just heard from the nominating committee.
That satisfy is going to be the one that's mentioned the most in this podcast without actually winning an award. So that's kind of an award of itself.
Shawnté Salabert
00:50:48.600 - 00:50:51.200
So, spoilers, you're not winning this award.
Colin True
00:50:52.400 - 00:50:55.280
Yes, that's right. And you're out on this one too.
Shawnté Salabert
00:50:55.280 - 00:50:58.880
So this is like the Beyonce of the act.
Producer Dave
00:50:59.280 - 00:51:05.100
So who should have won it? If we're giving it to a foot or a trail running brand, who. Who should have.
Colin True
00:51:07.180 - 00:51:09.180
Been the nice Solomon.
Producer Dave
00:51:09.180 - 00:51:10.300
We'D have to mention them.
Colin True
00:51:10.860 - 00:51:11.980
So let's not do that.
Eoin Comerford
00:51:13.900 - 00:51:14.380
All right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:51:14.380 - 00:51:15.420
Sorry, Burns.
Producer Dave
00:51:15.740 - 00:51:16.860
They did have a good year.
Eoin Comerford
00:51:17.020 - 00:51:20.540
They did. I mean, Rihanna was wearing Solomons at the halftime show. I mean, come on.
Producer Dave
00:51:20.540 - 00:51:29.210
I would say arc terics too. Even though they, you know, the. The wtf. It just does seem. It just. It just seems like they're kind of everywhere.
Colin True
00:51:29.210 - 00:51:42.570
Well, about the WTF award. Merrell was one of our footwear brands and they were on the list. There was a lot of good names on the list, I think. You know, but it just.
You know, it just. I don't know, it just. I felt like we. It couldn't be one of the big established names, though, right?
Producer Dave
00:51:42.970 - 00:51:52.890
Well, no, I get. Well, why not? I mean, look, Patagonia remains to stay in the news regardless of what's going on. They continue to, mostly because Owen keeps.
Colin True
00:51:52.890 - 00:51:54.010
Matching them, but, you know.
Producer Dave
00:51:54.670 - 00:51:55.470
Right, right.
Eoin Comerford
00:51:56.270 - 00:51:58.350
Sure. Throw me back under the bus.
Colin True
00:51:59.550 - 00:52:00.830
I was just getting back in.
Eoin Comerford
00:52:01.150 - 00:52:04.270
But they were. They were not one of our top brands of the year.
Colin True
00:52:04.270 - 00:52:05.310
That's true. Yes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:52:05.310 - 00:52:06.110
Maybe next year.
Eoin Comerford
00:52:06.110 - 00:52:06.510
Yeah.
Producer Dave
00:52:06.750 - 00:52:10.590
Were they this year, Solomon? Who were they?
Eoin Comerford
00:52:10.590 - 00:52:11.230
Were they this.
Producer Dave
00:52:11.230 - 00:52:12.430
This year's Solomon?
Eoin Comerford
00:52:12.430 - 00:52:13.710
Who after Solomon?
Producer Dave
00:52:15.390 - 00:52:15.790
Right?
Colin True
00:52:18.110 - 00:52:19.950
Who is the answer, Dave, who was our brand of the year?
Producer Dave
00:52:19.950 - 00:52:31.160
All right, another enough. Enough delay. The brand of the year for this year, which, you know you want it. It's Norda.
Shawnté Salabert
00:52:32.120 - 00:52:34.360
Yeah, it's Colin.
Colin True
00:52:34.600 - 00:52:35.680
Do we feel good about that?
Producer Dave
00:52:35.680 - 00:52:36.400
Come on, Colin.
Shawnté Salabert
00:52:36.400 - 00:52:37.360
This for you.
Colin True
00:52:37.360 - 00:52:37.720
Go.
Eoin Comerford
00:52:37.960 - 00:52:38.600
Let's go.
Colin True
00:52:39.000 - 00:52:41.720
I like Norda. I thought we all like Nora. Are we all Norda fans?
Producer Dave
00:52:41.800 - 00:52:45.720
Tell us why we like Nordic Colin. You just can't lay it out there. Come on.
Colin True
00:52:46.040 - 00:53:50.720
I think when you look at. We're looking at the brand of the year, it's not just about performance. It's about the thoughtfulness behind the brand.
You know, I remember the first time I heard of Norda was actually Justin Hausman. Was at a footwear media event and he came back, he's like, you gotta try this shoe, Norda. Like, they look so different for trail runners.
They look so clean. It's a really amazing looking shoe and I've never worn anything like it and it's so rare these days.
I feel like when you're dealing with outdoor products that you get to have like an experience like that where somebody would describe it that way. And I think, you know, that was my experience wearing them as well.
Now look, we know that the Mount Dakos, the Satisfies, the Speedlands, they're all making really good product. And we're going to continue to talk about those as well as the topos and the ultras and the Hokas and everybody else.
But there is a little bit of a level up from Norda.
And so when we're talking about brand of the year and we're kind of looking at the 20 brands we had, and there was definitely some chalk picks on there, but mostly they really, to me, I felt like they stood apart in terms of like how they thought about their branding. This isn't just footwear or product of the year, right? This is brand of the year.
And if you line it up out of a, you know, you can put a, a slide of all the brands we're talking about. I think Norda stands apart from the package.
Shawnté Salabert
00:53:50.790 - 00:54:16.150
Yeah, I think they convinced people, like, think about the price point of this shoe.
It is a very high price point, but they did such a good job convincing people that, hey, listen, it's, it's made to last, you're going to love it, it's worth the money. And for people to actually fork over the money is a big deal because, you know, normally you could get two shoes for that price.
So I think that to me is what really stands out about what they've done is they're so good at explaining their product and why it's special that people are like, take my money.
Eoin Comerford
00:54:17.520 - 00:54:37.080
Well, so I, I thought of this award sort of similar to the like the time person of the year type of award, which is to say it isn't always necessarily, you don't always get it for all the right reasons. Like, I think Hitler was on, was on the COVID at one time. You know, I think Donald Trump has been on the COVID Enough said.
Colin True
00:54:37.080 - 00:54:39.680
So we've got P. Diddy, Hitler, Trump.
Eoin Comerford
00:54:40.640 - 00:54:48.530
So really, why, why Nordic got my vote was because they do sort of encapsulate a little bit of where we are as an industry now.
Colin True
00:54:48.530 - 00:54:48.930
Right.
Eoin Comerford
00:54:49.410 - 00:55:07.570
The trail running of it all. Obviously, we've gone on ad nauseam about that, but also the price point of it. All, right. I mean, we're talking. Their shoes start at $300 and go up.
Right. And so to me, it just kind of encapsulates where we are as an industry, both good and bad in some ways.
Producer Dave
00:55:07.730 - 00:55:21.360
Yeah. I think that's an interesting point in terms of encapsulating where the industry is. I mean, they're partially owned by Zenya. Right.
So, you know, and which has just increased their investment in that. So they clearly see it different than Zendaya. What?
Colin True
00:55:21.360 - 00:55:22.720
Different than Zendaya?
Eoin Comerford
00:55:22.720 - 00:55:24.960
I'm different than Zendaya too, as well.
Producer Dave
00:55:27.600 - 00:55:31.760
You get for brand of the year. We are just crapping all over their Cheerios.
Colin True
00:55:33.520 - 00:55:34.880
They're still brand of the year.
Producer Dave
00:55:35.120 - 00:55:37.920
We just compared them to the Hitler Time cover.
Shawnté Salabert
00:55:38.800 - 00:55:41.680
I didn't like. That was purely Owen.
Producer Dave
00:55:41.680 - 00:55:49.180
Oh, my God. And really, we're talking about a brand that has elevated the fashion sensibility and style.
Colin True
00:55:49.180 - 00:55:51.100
And we met those guys. They have a sense of humor.
Producer Dave
00:55:51.260 - 00:55:54.540
They have created that have created a silhouette too, I think. Look.
Colin True
00:55:54.860 - 00:55:55.700
Yeah, for sure.
Producer Dave
00:55:55.700 - 00:56:02.300
All these running brands, trail running brands have come out. Some of them are going to shake out just like any kind of market does.
Colin True
00:56:02.540 - 00:56:02.940
This.
Producer Dave
00:56:03.100 - 00:56:23.260
They nordis seems, you know, positioned to kind of weather that and. And elevate. I do think they helped create this kind of silhouette look that everybody seems to be kind of coalescing around.
So there might be some kind of origin ownership of that. And like we said, the product is just spectacular in its own right. It really is a brand statement unto itself.
Colin True
00:56:23.580 - 00:57:51.020
But no, congrats to Nora. Seriously. I mean, all joking aside, like, very cool brand. And it was. I mean, this was not an easy of all of these awards.
A lot of these kind of were pretty simple, I think, for us to kind of pick out who we wanted to discuss. When we look back on our 20 brands where we, you know, Owen printed them all like, hey, here's the 20. It was like, man, how do we choose from this?
And I think when you kind of really peel it back this. I feel like we made the right choice or the voting committee did. I don't know who those people are. They're anonymous.
Okay, guys, let's wrap this up with our biggest award of the evening, the Outdoor Industry Executive of the Year.
And when it comes to honoring the Outdoor Industry Executive of the Year, we looked at things like who the person is, their role in the company, how they show up in the industry and outdoor community. And this past Year was a tough one. Like we talked about at the top, right. You know, tariffs, uncertainty.
And though we wanted to recognize someone who was also a founder of their own brand, there were definitely some great names to consider. People we spoke to actually on the pod this year we had a lot of great names come join us in the pod.
Some great leaders, folks who we were definitely worthy of this title. You know, folks like we had Troyce Saikot from Mountain Hardware who joined us at the live event in Nashville.
More recently, we had Tony Post and Amy back. Matt Sutton from Columbia joined us on the pod. Travis Campbell from Eagle Creek. So we had some really impressive names. Nathan Dopp.
But when we thought about it, one name really rose to the top. Now, before I get to the winner, any any thoughts on what makes up who we want to on the category?
Producer Dave
00:57:51.500 - 00:57:57.820
It seems the only criteria is that they appeared on the podcast to be. Okay, I'm just checking, just making sure.
Shawnté Salabert
00:57:57.820 - 00:58:02.050
That next year's criteria is that they also have to add advertise on the podcast.
Producer Dave
00:58:02.050 - 00:58:05.970
Fair enough. Okay. This is pay to play, baby.
Colin True
00:58:05.970 - 00:58:11.330
Right? We're going to go full Golden Globes. Pay to play. We're going to do it at night. So Owen's drinking wine. It'll be great.
Producer Dave
00:58:11.730 - 00:58:12.930
Press has spoken.
Colin True
00:58:13.090 - 00:58:13.810
That's right.
Eoin Comerford
00:58:15.890 - 00:58:19.330
Us with. With logo. With our logo merch.
Colin True
00:58:19.330 - 00:58:19.890
Oh, my God.
Producer Dave
00:58:20.050 - 00:58:21.970
Probably should get its own category.
Colin True
00:58:23.170 - 00:58:30.130
That's a good point. Yeah. And actually, and I think about our winner has been on the pod before too, so. But that wasn't the only reason.
Producer Dave
00:58:31.380 - 00:58:32.340
Dirty little secret.
Colin True
00:58:33.300 - 00:58:36.220
No. But any thoughts on what makes up Executive of the Year?
Eoin Comerford
00:58:36.220 - 00:58:48.740
The reason why there's that overlap, Colin, is because we bring the best and brightest onto the pod and only those that really are making an impact. So that's why there's that intersection.
Colin True
00:58:49.540 - 00:58:51.260
Agreed. Agreed. That's what's happening.
Producer Dave
00:58:51.260 - 00:58:51.860
That's a good cover.
Eoin Comerford
00:58:51.860 - 00:58:52.820
That's a good cover.
Producer Dave
00:58:52.820 - 00:58:53.380
Well done.
Colin True
00:58:53.620 - 00:59:33.060
And apologies to all of those who were also on the pod. And we didn't mention your name. There wasn't anything special. You're still special.
But when we did think about it and we kind of put all the total criteria out there, there was really one name that rose to the top. This person is the founder of their brand.
They were a vocal advocate for the industry and their brand during the worst parts of the tariff conversation. And their brand on its own merits is something the industry desperately needs. So the rock Fight Industry Executive of The year for 2025 is Wild Rise.
Cassie Abel. And Cassie also sent us an acceptance speech. So let's hear from Cassie.
Shawnté Salabert
00:59:36.420 - 01:00:44.190
Holy shit. Wow. Am I allowed to use adult language here? I think so.
Anyways, I just want to say a huge thank you to the Rock fight team and more than anything, to my own team at Wild Rye. I can't tell you how many times I've leaned on my right and left hand women to prop me up and and keep me sane.
This year has been the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. And honestly, the fact that we made it to almost the end of the year is something worth celebrating within itself.
I'm also very grateful to be in an industry that I feel like has given me a giant bear hug this year.
I mean, the number of industry events I've gone to and leaders I admire have, you know, literally and figuratively wrapped their arms around me and found ways to support, you know, this industry is incredible.
And as one of my favorite and most impactful mentors says all the time, business is a team sport and I am grateful to be on a team with this whole industry. So thank you so much. And here's to hopefully more normal 2026.
Colin True
01:00:45.310 - 01:00:48.990
I think one of those industry leaders hugging your event was Lloyd Vogel.
Shawnté Salabert
01:00:50.430 - 01:00:51.470
Every event, yes.
Producer Dave
01:00:52.590 - 01:00:54.910
When I think of bear hug, I think of Lloyd Vogel.
Colin True
01:00:55.390 - 01:01:01.190
Listen, Cassie's the best. That was great. Do you want to talk Shantay about Wild Rye in general and what that brand means?
Shawnté Salabert
01:01:01.190 - 01:01:55.880
Wild Rye is amazing. I, I interviewed Cassie years ago for a story for AJ Print and it was a story about how women founded brands were, you know, breaking through.
But what a difficult uphill climb it is because, like, one of the things that we talked about is getting capital.
Getting capital is very difficult and it is something that women owned brands continue to struggle with because there is still a lot of inherent old boys club in, in places where there's money. So I think Cassie, even back then, like, her spirit was incredible.
The products she creates are spectacular and they don't dumb down women's experience in the outdoors.
I think she elevates what we can, you know, the way we get to present ourselves, the way we get to, to feel in the clothing we wear when we're doing the things we love. So I think, I think it's badass that she does. Women led Wednesdays like she is a true champion for not just her company, but the cause as a whole.
And Cassie's a badass.
Colin True
01:01:55.880 - 01:01:57.720
Oh, and you work with Cassie a bit, don't you?
Eoin Comerford
01:01:58.200 - 01:02:01.320
I'm an investor in Wild Rye. Yeah. And get to work with Cassie.
Colin True
01:02:01.320 - 01:02:03.960
She is, she's not why they won. Not why they won.
Eoin Comerford
01:02:03.960 - 01:02:58.240
No, no.
But so like people that might not know, Cassie was actually part of a delegation that went to Washington to lob a lot of the things that are important to our industry. So she took that time. She and Wild Rye were part of the case that's going to the Supreme Court about the legality of the Trump tariffs.
And Cassie is just there for everybody. I'll talk to a founder or an emerging brand in the industry and I'll bring up Cassie and they'll be like, oh yeah, Cassie's the best.
She's helped me this way, that way, the other way.
I don't know how she does it all, quite frankly, with all of that stuff, helping all these other brands that are out there and you know, running, running an emerging business and being a mom. Right. I mean it's a lot. So just kudos to Cassie just for being just the ultimate badass.
Colin True
01:02:58.640 - 01:03:18.330
Yeah, she's truly like one of us, right on the outdoor side. Like I called her recently about a Gear Abby idea actually and immediately like yes, anding ideas.
We could do this, we could do that like without even. It was like a cold call. Have this idea. What do you think? And she immediately was like on board and like how could we even make it better?
It was great. Dave, what do you got about Wild Rye?
Producer Dave
01:03:18.650 - 01:03:26.410
I think they make a great bourbon. It's fantastic. Just I think in a woman owned distillery like that. Great.
Eoin Comerford
01:03:30.090 - 01:03:31.610
Way to bring us back, Dave.
Colin True
01:03:31.690 - 01:03:41.300
Well, Rock Fighters, that's a wrap on the 2025 Rock Fight Awards. Any, any thoughts from our. From our presenters? How, how we did? We think we did. We got something ready. We got, we got something here with our awards.
Producer Dave
01:03:41.860 - 01:03:44.660
That'll be debatable. It'll probably take us a full year to figure that out.
Colin True
01:03:44.660 - 01:03:46.580
Yeah, we have 12 months to figure out the format.
Shawnté Salabert
01:03:46.580 - 01:03:48.180
We'll see what the LinkedIn comments say.
Producer Dave
01:03:48.820 - 01:03:50.820
Oh, no, don't do that.
Colin True
01:03:51.460 - 01:04:21.550
All right, well we have 12 months to improve on the format and we'll do it better next year. We'll add categories retailer of the year and the hardware. Yeah, sales. Sales rep of the year for sure.
All right, well that's it for the Rock 2025 Rock Fight Awards and, and for 2025 in general.
The Rock Fight will return on Monday, January 5th with our 2026 predictions episode where we're going to basically just drill through Owen's predictions and probably mostly say why we agree with them. Maybe we have a few differences in there. I got a few other ideas I think of some of the things you said there, Owen. So we'll see how that goes.
Producer Dave
01:04:21.630 - 01:04:27.070
Owen, I want to ask right now, who will appear on the 2026 Time cover?
Shawnté Salabert
01:04:28.520 - 01:04:29.880
Ooh, photographer.
Eoin Comerford
01:04:30.600 - 01:04:34.040
Didn't they. They just announced the 2025 one, right?
Producer Dave
01:04:35.080 - 01:04:37.440
Yeah, I'm prediction for next year. That's what I mean.
Eoin Comerford
01:04:37.440 - 01:04:38.880
Prediction for next year. Yeah.
Producer Dave
01:04:38.880 - 01:04:41.720
Other uplifting stories like Vladimir Putin.
Eoin Comerford
01:04:42.520 - 01:04:45.080
It's actually. It's actually going to be Lloyd Vogel.
Producer Dave
01:04:47.080 - 01:04:48.760
Well, that I can get behind that.
Colin True
01:04:48.840 - 01:04:49.360
Hell yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
01:04:49.360 - 01:04:50.600
Lloyd Vogel goes global.
Producer Dave
01:04:51.320 - 01:04:51.960
That's right.
Colin True
01:04:51.960 - 01:04:53.520
Vogel global vocal.
Shawnté Salabert
01:04:53.520 - 01:04:54.370
I love a good click.
Producer Dave
01:04:55.570 - 01:04:57.330
Wow. We're done here.
Colin True
01:04:57.650 - 01:05:16.690
The rock fight is a production of rock fight llc. Today's episode was produced by producer Dave with art direction provided by Sarah gensert. For shantae celebr and Owen comerford, I'm Colin true.
Thank you for listening. And here for the last time in 2025 is Krista makes with the rock fight fight song. We'll see you next time, rock fighters.
Producer Dave
01:05:17.490 - 01:05:18.770
Do we have jingle bells?
Colin True
01:05:24.070 - 01:06:14.400
Rock fight. Rock fight. Welcome to the rock fight? Where we speak our truth? Slay sacred cows and sometimes agree to disagree.
We talk about human powered outdoor activities and big bites about topics that we find interesting like pop culture, music, the latest movie reviews ideas are amazing for the head. This is where we speak our truth. This is where we speak our truth. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. Welcome to the rock flight Rock fight. Rock fight.
Welcome to the rock flight Rock flight. Rock flight? Rock flight Rock flight, Rock flight? Welcome to the rock flight Rock flight, Rock fly.