The Outdoor Brand 'Schoolyard' Draft
- colin7931
- 3 days ago
- 52 min read
Today on The Rock Fight we're drafting the best of the best!
Throughout 2025 The Rock Fight crew has named the 20 best brands in the outdoor industry when they created top 5 lists of the best outdoor brands going in footwear, apparel, gear, and accessories.
And on today's episode, Colin is joined by outdoor industry insider Eoin Comerford, brand and creative expert Producer Dave, and outdoor journalist and author Shawnté Salabert to draft from those 20 brands and see who can assemble the greatest team of outdoor brands!
Can't remember who those brands were? Here's a reminder:
Footwear: Hoka, Norda, Merrell, On Running, Birkenstock
Apparel: Picture Organic, Cotopaxi, Fjallraven, LIVSN, Mountain Hardwear
Gear: NEMO, Osprey, Black Diamond, MSR, Exped
Accessories: Outdoor Research, Smartwool, Biolite, Sea To Summit, Garmin
Who will end up with the best roster of the best brands? Listen to find out!
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Episode Transcript:
Colin True
00:00:00.400 - 00:00:48.230
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 today we are drafting. It's the top outdoor brand Draft schoolyard style.
What does that mean? Well, we'll tell you in a minute, but before we do, are you subscribed to News from the Front Rock Fight's weekly newsletter?
If not, you should be because it's pretty fucking awesome. Head to rockflight Co and sign up today.
And and hey, come back to the Rock Fight on Wednesday to hear Shantae and I vamp about outdoor adventure topics.
And definitely come back to the Rock Fight this Friday when I will be joined by Thomas Mason from Ortovox who will be taking the Rock Fight to task for our criticism of the launch of their new mountain bike apparel line. Busy week here on the Rock Fight Podcast network, but today we draft and we'll be right back to do just that.
Chris DeMakes
00:00:48.230 - 00:00:52.070
Welcome to the Rock Fight. Rock Fight. Rock Fight.
Colin True
00:00:54.220 - 00:02:15.000
In the store aisles, a quiet revolution is happening with Endeavor. Frontline staff aren't just selling products. They're building trust, making connections and turning browsers into loyal customers.
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Chris DeMakes
00:02:15.160 - 00:02:24.180
Be a shop hero and devil's here to stay. Shout flaw Hero. Sampu is the way.
Colin True
00:02:31.060 - 00:03:57.120
Liz and Royal Robbins were known as American climbing royalty.
Part of the first group of Yosemite based climbers that would scale routes yet unclimbed, who would promote the ethic of clean climbing, and who, with a core group of startup brands, would serve as the foundation of our modern outdoor adventure history.
From their very first pair of shorts that could boast a true climbing functionality, Royal Robins has become synonymous with comfort versatile wear for the modern adventurer. From Rock Craft productions, coming spring 2026 to a specialty store near you, Royal Robins presents Being Royal Robins.
It's the story of how the Royal Robins men's desert pucker became an icon and spawned the new Camino Pucker. And it's the story of how an innovative brand launched mosquito protection technology to keep you protected without the use of chemicals.
And why the south hoodie is possibly the most unique hoodie in our outside world. And how you can experience this uniquely American story of adventure through the thoughtful clothing choices of Royal Robbins.
Available for streaming everywhere, you find actual water based tributaries being Royal Robins because nature and adventure are good for the soul. Okay, I'm here with outdoor industry insider Owen Comerford, brand and creative expert, expert producer. Dave. Got a comment there, Dave?
You can give me notes on that later, AKA the Monday boys.
Eoin Comerford
00:03:58.320 - 00:03:59.040
I'm sorry.
Colin True
00:03:59.840 - 00:04:07.280
There it is. But also with us is Shantae Salibar. Because we're drafting today. Shantay, welcome to the Monday episode of the Rock Fight.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:07.440 - 00:04:11.560
Wow. It's like a whole new world over here. I feel like I've just elevated in the status.
Producer Dave
00:04:12.360 - 00:04:15.160
Or lowered yourself one of the two.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:15.560 - 00:04:19.920
Or lowered myself to your level? No. Any chance I get to be on air with the Conspiracy?
Producer Dave
00:04:19.920 - 00:04:20.520
Yeah. Fair enough.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:21.240 - 00:04:21.880
Fight fair enough.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:21.880 - 00:04:22.520
What a delight.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:22.840 - 00:04:24.040
Thank you, Shantae.
Colin True
00:04:24.040 - 00:04:30.880
We're recording this later in the day than we typically do. And also we're all having a beverage. Cheers, everybody. Happy hour. To the draft today.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:30.880 - 00:04:35.800
Cheers. Cheers. All right. I mean, we're drafting. One has to, you know. Yes.
Colin True
00:04:36.200 - 00:04:39.540
Like a thanks. I'd like to thank Owen for keeping us honest in that regard.
Producer Dave
00:04:39.540 - 00:04:42.620
That's what his job is recommend. Make suggestions.
Colin True
00:04:42.860 - 00:04:44.300
Trunk. Owen is here, everybody.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:44.700 - 00:04:45.580
It's my favorite.
Eoin Comerford
00:04:45.740 - 00:04:47.100
Yes. It's so good.
Colin True
00:04:48.380 - 00:05:28.960
All right.
So earlier this year, we established beyond the shadow of a doubt what the top five brands are when it comes to footwear, apparel, gear and accessories.
We, along with our pal Justin Hausman, who sat in on a couple of those episodes, declared the top five outdoor brands for 2025 in each of those categories. But then I got to wondering, well, who's the best of the best?
And today we're gonna find out because we're gonna draft our own individual teams of brands from those top five lists, and then our listeners will vote on those lists to determine who has the Best team of the best brands. Now, drafting on a podcast is hardly a new gimmick. We did it recently with the outdoor towns draft that we did.
Unfortunately, no one remembers who won the listener poll.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:28.960 - 00:05:29.320
Wow.
Colin True
00:05:29.320 - 00:05:29.800
Nobody can.
Eoin Comerford
00:05:29.800 - 00:05:32.720
Nobody at all? No, nobody at all.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:32.800 - 00:05:35.190
Just me and all the people who voted my list.
Colin True
00:05:36.230 - 00:05:43.750
It was Shante. She won. Okay. That was, that was quite. That was quite the upset. Two major cities and you. And you pulled out the victory.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:43.830 - 00:05:49.270
I really was. I mean, I, I will say I'm more nervous, more nervous for today because of that win.
Colin True
00:05:49.750 - 00:06:15.780
So I don't know though, if I've heard anyone ever do a schoolyard style draft. And so that's the difference that today that every brand is going to come off the board. We have 20 brands, we have four of us.
We're each going to be drafting five brands for our respective rosters. So much like picking teams on the schoolyard when we were kids, there will be a number one pick and there's going to be a last pick.
So any questions on the format or what we're doing here today or any comments on it before we. We kind of get into the draft here?
Eoin Comerford
00:06:16.020 - 00:06:29.370
So for. At the end of the day, I mean, are we trying to get like a range to where we've got some good coverage or this is just the top.
If we've got all gear brands and that's what we. That's what we think are the best. The best five brands in this.
Shawnté Salabert
00:06:29.370 - 00:06:30.290
In your heart, Owen.
Eoin Comerford
00:06:30.290 - 00:06:31.210
Okay. All right.
Colin True
00:06:31.450 - 00:06:39.130
I did think should we try and get like one from each category, then maybe add a wild card and it's like, you know, that would probably be over pretty quickly.
Eoin Comerford
00:06:39.130 - 00:06:39.410
Sure.
Colin True
00:06:39.410 - 00:06:39.730
Yeah.
Eoin Comerford
00:06:39.730 - 00:06:40.650
Okay. All right.
Colin True
00:06:41.130 - 00:06:46.730
Plus, it allows us to reflect back on, you know, the drafts of yore.
Eoin Comerford
00:06:47.610 - 00:06:49.370
I feel like mistakes that were made.
Shawnté Salabert
00:06:49.850 - 00:07:04.470
Mistakes that were made. You know, the one person not here is Houseman, so we can't, you know, I don't know about defending his honor on some of these choices.
If he was a heavy, heavy lean in for some of the choices that end up toward the bottom of the pack, maybe, you know, or we just.
Colin True
00:07:04.470 - 00:07:07.230
Blame him for like, I think we blame him regardless.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:07.230 - 00:07:10.110
Yeah, that's the perfect scapegoat. Thank you, Justin, in advance.
Eoin Comerford
00:07:10.350 - 00:07:10.830
Yes.
Colin True
00:07:11.550 - 00:07:41.530
All right. Before we draft, it is Monday and there's some outdoor industry news that we need to talk about. So it's time for the Rock Fight Lightning round.
And today's Rock Fight Lightning round is presented by Lemz, maker of the 100% vegan and 100% comfortable primal. Z. First up, Columbia Sportswear has filed suit against Columbia University alleging trademark infringement and breach of contract.
Shantae, do you often confuse Columbia for Columbia?
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:42.010 - 00:08:09.130
We haven't mentioned the country, Columbia in there. So that's. There's so many. I mean, it really seems like Columbia, the universities, this is their year for being sued.
You know, they just settled with the Trump administration for, what was it, $200 million? Yeah, they're going to hopefully get back roughly twice that in their funding.
Uh, but honestly, this, when I first saw this headline, I got strong backcountry sues, everybody vibes. So my question for you guys, that.
Colin True
00:08:09.130 - 00:08:10.570
Worked out great for them, right?
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:10.570 - 00:08:18.970
It worked out wonderfully. My question to you guys is, does this mean that Columbia, the brand will end up in next year's brand Boner hall of Fame?
Colin True
00:08:19.370 - 00:08:26.730
That's a really good question. I mean, do we need. Is there a waiting period like the NFL hall of Fame where you have like five years, or can we.
Are they on automatic in with this one?
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:27.170 - 00:08:38.530
I mean, this might be an automatic in. It might be like, yeah, they just got the golden ticket straight to Boner hall of Fame.
I, you know, I didn't make the rules for that, but I feel like we can slide them in, if you know what I'm saying.
Eoin Comerford
00:08:38.930 - 00:08:54.370
But do you think that this is sort of Columbia Sportsworth saying to Columbia University, hey, guys, you're making this look bad over here. All this crap you're doing with all the stuff and the protests and now kowtowing to Trump and paying.
Paying him $200 million, you're making this look bad. So just.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:54.370 - 00:08:55.890
That would be an interesting pivot.
Colin True
00:08:57.450 - 00:09:02.490
And all of that, you know, mosquito repellent apparel you sell in your bookstore. We gotta. We're worried about that, too.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:03.290 - 00:09:07.050
Your Omni Heat. Your Omni Heat hot for school wear.
Producer Dave
00:09:08.170 - 00:09:21.450
I just, I think the Apparel Brands Council really needs to be. Needs to think about this. I mean, you picked like a week after Columbia settles for 200 million to file your suit. Dude, the coffers are drawn.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:21.450 - 00:09:22.130
They're waiting for this.
Producer Dave
00:09:22.130 - 00:09:40.950
Like, come on, man. You know, and I'm just, you know, from a copyright perspective, I think it's really interesting.
You know, Columbia, the brand is like, what mid 20th century Columbia, the universities, like 1750s, they might have a little bit of grandfathering going on here. I'm just wondering how that's going to work.
Colin True
00:09:41.830 - 00:09:48.350
I also would like to see the confusion of all the kids walking around Columbia's campus, and people were like, hey, is that Columbia Sportswear?
Producer Dave
00:09:48.350 - 00:09:57.770
You Mean confusion of Columbia, the university for Columbia. The apparel is something that's never happened actually in New York. So there you go.
Colin True
00:09:58.010 - 00:10:13.610
All right, next up, after a few years of turbulence, Outdoor Voices is bringing back founder Ty Haney to help right the ship.
Dave, after closing all 16 of their doors and reports that vendors went unpaid, does Outdoor Voices have enough brand equity to mount a comeback with their original founder at the helm?
Producer Dave
00:10:13.690 - 00:10:26.810
You know, we were conducting some consumer research and 9 out of 10 people confused outdoor Voices with Marine Lair. So I don't know if that's the answer to what's going on here or Howler Brothers. I can't remember which one that was, but.
Colin True
00:10:27.620 - 00:10:29.860
Oh, I'll take Howler Brothers into this.
Producer Dave
00:10:31.300 - 00:10:34.740
What, another cotton based outdoor lifestyle brand, please.
Eoin Comerford
00:10:35.860 - 00:12:02.120
I would say outdoor, Outdoor Voices had a pretty specific place in terms of D2C brands and D2C darlings and also how they engaged with, with that female audience. And so I think actually this is a.
It was the only move they had quite frankly was was bringing Ty back because she left before all the shit hit the fan. So I think she's her hand somewhat clean in this. I also love the way they did it.
So first of all, she's been involved since last August, but they kept it quiet and didn't let everyone know until right before they're ready to launch product that people could buy. Super smart. The other thing that they did was they did this sort of really cool soft announce for their superfans.
What they did was on insta they dropped, they dropped all their follows except Ty and they wiped their whole feedback. And so the superfans were like, oh, what's going on?
And so it created all of this buzz within that community about what's happening, what's happening, what's happening way more than if they just said, hey, this is happening. So I think they've played this, this pretty well for me as like the industry geek guy.
I'm more interested in what does this mean for the outdoor industry and specifically are they going to lean more into wholesale this time around when obviously the DTC retail was a bit of a shit show. So yeah, I could see that. I could see Outdoor Voices being sold in REI or especially retail.
Colin True
00:12:02.760 - 00:12:07.480
You think they got a bump from all the times Shantae mentioned them during our top five apparel conversation?
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:08.200 - 00:12:10.040
I was just priming the consumer.
Producer Dave
00:12:11.000 - 00:12:12.760
Maybe she was in on it. It was all part of.
Eoin Comerford
00:12:12.760 - 00:12:13.320
Maybe she was.
Producer Dave
00:12:13.320 - 00:12:17.240
The teaser campaign, right, the teaser campaign. Oh, I like that.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:18.200 - 00:12:21.640
I got paid a cool ten dollars to do that.
Eoin Comerford
00:12:23.640 - 00:12:25.840
You got was ten dollar coupon.
Producer Dave
00:12:25.840 - 00:12:29.380
Yeah. Starbucks gift car, ten percent off.
Eoin Comerford
00:12:29.540 - 00:12:30.020
Yes.
Colin True
00:12:30.100 - 00:12:53.140
All right, last one before we get to the draft because we are contractually obligated to talk about them. Vermont's churtlefer has announced the promotion of Erica Canfield from VP of Marketing and E commerce to the big chair of CEO Owen.
Any top to top pieces you'd advise, you'd offer to Erica as she, you know, pieces of advice. Excuse me, you'd offer to Erica as she embarks on the head of the best as the head of the best named brand in the outdoor industry.
Eoin Comerford
00:12:53.540 - 00:13:49.000
First of all, I'd say figure out what really differentiates your brand and its products in the outdoor marketplace and really lean into that both in terms of your marketing, your branding and your product planning. So make sure you're really standing for something.
The second thing, and not to be a broken record here, but lean into wholesale and actually, you know, go out, listen to your retailers.
I would say take it with a grain of salt though, because we can be pretty whiny bastards, but at least listen and try to take away from that way you can and finally focus your DTC on full price sales and really take that top of the funnel marketing and brand awareness dollars and spread that around so that you're helping all channels. Yes, you're helping your own D2C but you're also helping wholesale.
You're helping everybody to really know who turtle fur is and where they can get that product. And don't be fighting at the bottom of the funnel for that last sale with your dealers.
Colin True
00:13:49.320 - 00:13:52.240
Dave, are you interested in saying something about turtle fur before we move on?
Producer Dave
00:13:52.240 - 00:14:14.960
What is what, what is what's left to say? Colin? First off, I think it's congratulations.
I think it's an awesome move just from a kind of keeping the cohesion of the, of the brand's management and outlook and kind of founding principle, I think to their core customer and partners. They're going to love this move. I just think it's awesome. I think it's a great, great move for them.
Colin True
00:14:15.040 - 00:14:17.920
Shantae, how many mentions is turtle fur going to get in your upcoming book.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:20.250 - 00:14:22.730
I plead the fifth. I don't want to get sued by Columbia.
Colin True
00:14:24.970 - 00:15:56.060
Today's episode of the Rock Fights presented by Lem's. Are you looking for shoes that offer both long lasting durability and all day comfort?
Well, look no further than Lem's with a versatile lineup featuring over 30 thoughtfully designed styles from minimalist sandals. Ask Shantae about that. And rugged trail boots. To vegan friendly sneakers and laid back slip ons, there's truly something for everyone.
Whether you're hitting the trail trail, traveling the globe or strolling through town, Lemz are built to move with you naturally and keep up every step of the way. Get shopping over@lemshoes.com and now we're ready to get into the draft.
And today's the rock fight schoolyard brand draft is presented by Oboz, who loves hiking. And as the cupid of the outdoors, Oboz wants to help you love hiking just as much as they do.
So for the schoolyard draft, the only requirement here is that we each end up with five brands.
So each time we make a selection, we're basically looking to see who's the strongest brand, who we believe to be the strongest band left on the board. We're going to determine the draft order in a minute and then we'll draft until all 20 brands are taken. We're going to go snake style.
So one through four. Four through one. And then it will be up to the rock fight listeners to determine who has the best roster of who.
We have already called the best outdoor brands of 2025. And I did want to say with that in mind, a quick pre draft message to whichever one of these brands is drafted last.
You've already won because you're in the conversation. There's a lot of brands who aren't even getting mentioned today. At least you know that are going to be drafted.
So we may have some regrets from some of those initial top five lists. Lists. But whatever. You're on the list. You're already a winner of what happened regardless of what happens today.
So we ready to determine the draft order?
Eoin Comerford
00:15:56.540 - 00:15:57.420
Let's do it.
Colin True
00:15:57.900 - 00:16:05.580
I have a little win, so I feel really nervous. You guys are going to think like I rigged this because if I get the first pick, but I probably.
I got everybody's name on the little spinner here on an app.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:05.900 - 00:16:09.980
Wait, before you do that though, Colin, are you feeling nervous because last time you were pickle in the middle.
Colin True
00:16:10.150 - 00:16:12.310
I don't want any pickle in the middle. I want one or four so bad.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:12.310 - 00:16:14.630
But you would have a joint pickle. There would be two pickles.
Colin True
00:16:14.630 - 00:16:16.310
That's true. At least I'd have company this time.
Eoin Comerford
00:16:16.310 - 00:16:19.150
Yeah, there's way too much pickle talk going on right now.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:19.150 - 00:16:21.670
Okay, dude, way not enough pickleball talk.
Colin True
00:16:21.990 - 00:16:31.350
When you were talking about boners earlier. So you know what's going on over here. All right, here we go. First spin. Owen got the first Pick in the draft.
Producer Dave
00:16:31.350 - 00:16:32.790
Are you sure that wasn't the fourth pick?
Eoin Comerford
00:16:32.790 - 00:16:33.510
As it should be.
Producer Dave
00:16:33.510 - 00:16:34.150
Wasn't that the.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:35.910 - 00:16:36.390
Middle out?
Producer Dave
00:16:36.390 - 00:16:44.770
You didn't manipulate that middle out. Middle out. That's exactly right. Reese's Cup, D2F.
Colin True
00:16:44.850 - 00:16:46.370
All right. Shantae's number two.
Producer Dave
00:16:46.370 - 00:16:48.770
Oh, it's already, man. It's already.
Colin True
00:16:48.930 - 00:16:55.730
All right, Dave, down to you and me for fourth pick. Here we go. Or third and fourth pick. Oh, producer Dave, I get the fourth pick.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:56.210 - 00:16:58.650
Oh. All right, Dave, you ready to triple it up?
Eoin Comerford
00:16:58.650 - 00:16:59.090
All right.
Colin True
00:16:59.570 - 00:17:12.580
Okay, let's talk for one quick second about the brands we're going to be drafting and how we got here. So in January, we anointed the top five footwear brands. We had a conversation, was Dave, Owen, Justin and I.
And we went through a list that we sort of made up on our own on the fly.
Eoin Comerford
00:17:13.780 - 00:17:16.580
And it was our first list.
Colin True
00:17:16.900 - 00:17:18.100
It was the first one.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:18.980 - 00:17:20.500
It's not the strongest of the list.
Eoin Comerford
00:17:20.500 - 00:17:20.900
No.
Colin True
00:17:22.100 - 00:17:31.380
The five we spoke about, we determined were HOKA on running Birkenstock Merrill and Norda. I see what we were trying to do.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:31.620 - 00:17:32.100
Yeah.
Colin True
00:17:32.340 - 00:17:33.300
You know. Yeah.
Eoin Comerford
00:17:33.780 - 00:17:36.980
We did mix one or two brands in the conversation.
Colin True
00:17:37.140 - 00:17:38.340
I don't know what you're talking about.
Producer Dave
00:17:39.460 - 00:17:41.600
We call that the SULL Corollary.
Colin True
00:17:41.840 - 00:17:42.560
That's right.
Producer Dave
00:17:42.800 - 00:17:43.280
Yeah.
Colin True
00:17:43.840 - 00:18:30.910
And then we moved on to, I think we did gear next and then we did. So we did a little bit better job there. Owen provided some sell through data to give us a list to pull from.
And the top five gear brands we named were Nemo, Osprey, Exped, bd, Black diamond and msr. And then I think accessories is. Is where Shantae joined us on accessories.
And our top five list there was Sea to Summit, Smart Wool, Outdoor Research, Garmin and Biolite. And then the episode that really kind of got a lot of attention, which we released just this past May, which was apparel.
And our top five apparel brands were Libsyn, Picture Organic Coat, Epoxy, Fjallraven and Mountain Hardware. So our participants today, we are all gonna be drafting from those 20 brands and then we'll end up with our top five list.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:31.310 - 00:18:33.310
But you're all winners in our heart, truly.
Colin True
00:18:33.310 - 00:18:34.270
Absolutely you are.
Eoin Comerford
00:18:34.350 - 00:18:35.310
They already won.
Colin True
00:18:35.870 - 00:18:37.190
They already won. They're on the list.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:37.190 - 00:18:40.110
This is cherry on top stuff. This is really just for Colin, to be honest.
Eoin Comerford
00:18:41.470 - 00:18:44.770
It's really just to drive list. Be really honest. I mean, come on.
Colin True
00:18:44.770 - 00:18:45.210
That's a good point.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:45.210 - 00:18:46.330
Try to get those numbers up.
Colin True
00:18:46.330 - 00:18:51.770
That's right. You all want to know who we draft. So Owen, who's the first pick. Who are you going to take first?
Eoin Comerford
00:18:53.050 - 00:19:26.440
So probably to the surprise of nobody, I'm going to go with Nemo. Just long time admirer of the brand, founder led, based in innovation, sustainability. Also covers a ton of great gear categories.
Amazing tents, sleeping bags, pads, packs, innovative furniture with the Stargazer chair. I mean, I could go on and on. If you want more, listen to our episode where we talk to the founder of cam.
But yeah, just, it was an easy pick for me at number one.
Colin True
00:19:26.600 - 00:19:30.920
Okay. Was that. Without tipping too much. Was that going to be anybody else's number one pick?
Shawnté Salabert
00:19:32.600 - 00:19:34.200
No. With apologies to Nemo.
Colin True
00:19:34.360 - 00:19:36.600
It was high on my list. It was high on my draft board, but it was not.
Eoin Comerford
00:19:36.920 - 00:19:43.700
All right. I see what you people are. Okay, maybe me, Shantae, You're.
Colin True
00:19:43.700 - 00:19:44.500
You're on the clock.
Shawnté Salabert
00:19:44.900 - 00:20:34.400
All right, I'm gonna go. I'm. I'm gonna go with Codapoxy. I came out strong for them in the apparel episode. I think they also have some great bags.
I've been taking one of their bags out with me on day hikes lately. But I love what they do. I love, I've loved their ethos from the beginning.
I love that they are drawing on local tradition, local craftspeople, that there's color involved, that bold color in different colorways, customizable options for the consumer. I think all in all, I still love what they're doing. I believe in what they're doing, and that has not waffled for me in quite some time.
So I know that it's not maybe the most far ranging brand on this list, but for me, it just has. There's, there's a familiarity I feel with the brand and I love what they do. So I'm going full color here.
Eoin Comerford
00:20:34.840 - 00:20:35.240
All right.
Colin True
00:20:36.200 - 00:20:45.000
I think this is a guilt pic for us calling them out during our live show with Switchback and we're trying to make up for it. You're like, I gotta take the number ones. I feel kind of guilty about that.
Eoin Comerford
00:20:45.080 - 00:20:48.680
And they're such lovely people. But yes. Okay.
Colin True
00:20:49.400 - 00:21:05.240
We are talking Lindsey Shumlis, their CEO, may be coming on the pod in August. I don't mind teasing. So, yes. To talk about what's going on at Codepoxy. All right. I had. They weren't as quite as high in my draft board, so we'll see.
Eoin Comerford
00:21:05.400 - 00:21:07.380
We know how to do Dave feel true.
Colin True
00:21:08.500 - 00:21:09.780
I like code epoxy.
Eoin Comerford
00:21:10.020 - 00:21:10.660
Okay.
Colin True
00:21:10.980 - 00:21:12.020
A little bit. All right.
Eoin Comerford
00:21:12.020 - 00:21:17.100
You've accused him of not being an outdoor brand at one point on this very podcast that is True.
Colin True
00:21:17.100 - 00:21:33.300
But I also, on the apparel episode said that they are maybe the original sort of like lifestyle, outdoor lifestyle brand that, like Royal Robins is trying to do now and passengers trying to do now. Like. And so they kind of. That's actually why we want to talk to Lindsay. It's like they really live at that intersection, core versus.
Eoin Comerford
00:21:34.360 - 00:21:34.600
All right.
Colin True
00:21:34.600 - 00:21:35.960
And how do you define them? Right.
Eoin Comerford
00:21:35.960 - 00:21:37.000
So, okay.
Colin True
00:21:37.640 - 00:21:44.360
Producer Dave on the board. Hmm. I know where you're going if I feel really good about.
Eoin Comerford
00:21:44.360 - 00:21:44.760
Really?
Producer Dave
00:21:45.080 - 00:21:45.600
You do?
Colin True
00:21:45.600 - 00:21:45.960
Yeah.
Producer Dave
00:21:45.960 - 00:21:53.320
You do. That's interesting. That's interesting. Patagonia. Oh, wait a minute. They're not there.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:53.880 - 00:21:56.040
Out of the list. Damn it. That was my number one.
Producer Dave
00:21:56.120 - 00:21:58.200
Right. That was going to be my number one pick.
Eoin Comerford
00:21:58.360 - 00:21:58.760
Well.
Shawnté Salabert
00:22:03.280 - 00:22:05.360
Somebody didn't do their homework.
Producer Dave
00:22:07.440 - 00:22:43.730
I'm gonna stick with hardware. I'm going straight to it. For many of the same reasons that, that Owen talked about.
This is a complete brand, you know, head to toe, gear to accessory. It's got some, you know, OG credibility to it. It's also got a resurgence and kind of the new. New school. They've been up, they've been down.
I just, I think if you're talking about kind of solid core with a. An extended. An extended range outside or extended reach outside of it's hardware.
Colin True
00:22:44.530 - 00:22:46.050
Yeah, that was pretty high on my board.
Eoin Comerford
00:22:46.370 - 00:22:47.570
We're up there for me too.
Shawnté Salabert
00:22:48.130 - 00:22:48.930
Yeah, same.
Colin True
00:22:49.170 - 00:23:03.240
I actually was talking with friend of the pod, Wes Allen this week, and they're doing a big kind of in store promotion collaboration with Mountain Hardware at Sunlight Sports, and he said it is crushing for them. They are just doing a lot of business with Mountain Hardware this summer.
Producer Dave
00:23:03.240 - 00:23:05.560
So they've done some nice work in their. In their.
Eoin Comerford
00:23:05.640 - 00:23:07.000
Everyone loves a comeback story.
Colin True
00:23:07.160 - 00:23:08.200
They do, right?
Producer Dave
00:23:08.520 - 00:23:09.160
They do.
Colin True
00:23:10.200 - 00:23:14.280
Columbia, Once you get that Columbia money, invest back in the hardware a little bit.
Producer Dave
00:23:14.519 - 00:23:25.640
Well, that's it. You go and sue people and reinvest that money in your satellite brands. It's a brilliant. That's exactly right. Next up, Duke. Let's get him.
Colin True
00:23:25.640 - 00:23:28.920
Or maybe they're going to bring back Montreal with that money. That's what they're really planning on doing.
Producer Dave
00:23:29.000 - 00:23:31.960
Pick a different university and go after it. You can resurrect.
Colin True
00:23:32.440 - 00:23:48.680
You know, Trump's onto something with this, this, this strategy, you know. Okay. For my first pick, so I get two. I'm just making sure everybody knows. All right, so I get to take two off the board.
My first one is going to be Norda.
Eoin Comerford
00:23:49.800 - 00:23:50.280
Whoa.
Colin True
00:23:50.810 - 00:23:56.970
Because it's my favorite of the footwear options and I didn't want to Miss out on that by waiting to take it in a later round.
Eoin Comerford
00:23:57.130 - 00:23:57.690
Okay.
Colin True
00:23:57.690 - 00:24:26.190
I think Norda is. Since this draft, since our top five footwear list, I have gotten a pair of Nordas and been wearing Nordas and I am a believer in that brand.
You know, Hoka is what Hoka is. I've never been an on fan, so I just couldn't bring myself to draft that Birkenstock Classic. And Merrell is Merrell.
But I think Norda is for me the best brand on that list and also the one with the highest upside and will be the most fun to track over the next few years. So I'm going to call this by.
Eoin Comerford
00:24:26.190 - 00:24:28.110
Revenue, but he's counting.
Colin True
00:24:28.110 - 00:24:32.270
This isn't. This isn't a, you know, have and have nots draft, right? This is.
Eoin Comerford
00:24:32.270 - 00:24:37.110
Well, this is. Yeah. Well, if it's Norda, it's just for the halves because they only make, you know, $300 shoes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:24:37.110 - 00:24:39.510
But hey, but you can wear them twice.
Eoin Comerford
00:24:40.230 - 00:24:41.910
Oh, that's true. That is true.
Shawnté Salabert
00:24:41.910 - 00:25:18.090
That's. That's the whole thing. I mean, I'm. I loved when I heard about Norda by listening to the pod and I.
What I like about it is the idea that they're thinking about creating less. Less shoe waste, but also perhaps more money for themselves.
But I think really that idea of if we could create, you know, stuff that lasts longer and is maybe repairable or whatever. Shoes, not so much in that case for. For an athletic shoe. But I like that idea and I'm curious to see if it lives up to the promise.
I think it's still early days to. To really understand and know. I've. I've heard mixed. Mixed stuff from. From thru hikers, but I get it.
Eoin Comerford
00:25:18.680 - 00:25:21.320
Cool. It's cool. It's a very. It is a cool brand. It is.
Colin True
00:25:22.280 - 00:25:46.980
Yeah. I would say having. Because I, I did a hike in them recently that was a little bit on the longer side.
I, you know, and it's definitely feels more like a running shoe. It doesn't quite translate the same way towards hiking. I think like maybe like a topo or an ultra does, but I really like the brand. All right.
My second and third choices are both still available here. I think there's like a chalk move and then there's like a fun. No, I'm going to go. I'll go black diamond.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:48.410 - 00:25:52.010
Oh, a classic. All right. I like that you've paired up a classic and an upstart.
Colin True
00:25:52.410 - 00:25:56.410
That's kind of what I was thinking. Thank you, Shantae. You know, game recognizes game Right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:56.410 - 00:25:56.890
That's right.
Colin True
00:25:56.890 - 00:26:26.870
All right. No, I mean, it's Black Diamond. I mean, you know, they're.
I don't know, is there a more authentic brand on this list in terms of, like, what they do, how they go about what they do? You know, we know they're kind of like in that, you know, in the middle of their comeback.
But even then, you know, their brand, even as they were having some, like, down, you know, maybe down years, their brand and their products were never, you know, they maintain the integrity of both of those as they were going through those times. So, you know, Black diamond and just.
Eoin Comerford
00:26:26.950 - 00:26:36.150
The dominant player in their category in climbing. You know, they just own it. And then they've got apparel, backcountry skiing, footwear, you know, a lot of stuff. Yeah, great brand.
Colin True
00:26:36.310 - 00:26:39.750
So that's what I got. Norda and Black Diamond. Dave, back to you, bud.
Producer Dave
00:26:40.550 - 00:27:14.000
Well, I'm going to follow a similar path where I'm going to kind of, kind of bring together two of the. The opposite ends, and I'm going to go with Exped. And again, you talk about kind of a new school player, core accessory, equipment side of things.
I love their look of their brand. Their products have a distinct language. It doesn't matter what category they're in. It's pretty easy to tell an exped product.
And those mats are comfy, so yay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:15.360 - 00:27:18.480
Yay. Such enthusiasm, Dave. They are.
Producer Dave
00:27:18.800 - 00:27:25.040
Once you. Once you step, once you kind of spread out on one of those things and you, you know, you get off your feet, they're pretty good.
Colin True
00:27:26.160 - 00:27:58.890
We got the chat with Alex from Exped at the Outdoor Market Alliance a few weeks ago, Owen and I did, and they kind of just keep crushing it. Like, they seem to be moving into that. They still seem to be ascending. Right.
Like, we talked, I think when we did the episode on accessories about how, you know, therm a rest and these other kind of brands who would have sort of had that sort of market share for such a long time. And it does feel like the kind of camping brand du jour is shifting towards Exped. They're bringing out packs. They have.
They have kind of a whole range of sleep systems. So it's a. I don't know. Shantae, are you starting to see more of that on the trail?
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:59.450 - 00:28:22.630
Yeah, Exped. I mean, no, not really yet. I'll be honest with you. I do have. I have one of those big, burly kind of winter mats that I love for.
For winter trips in the Sierra and stuff like that.
But no, I mean, a lot of you know, when it comes to people who doing a lot of backpacking, whether or not they consider themselves to be through hikers, they're still looking for light gear. And I think Exped still isn't a leader in that category, but.
Colin True
00:28:22.710 - 00:28:23.110
Right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:23.910 - 00:28:30.510
But they make quality gear. I mean, you're not wrong with any of that. And I, you know, certainly have enjoyed what I've used from them on my.
Producer Dave
00:28:30.510 - 00:28:36.550
End, whenever I'm using an Exped pack, you know, I always get asked if I'm from Switzerland. So I, I think it really.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:36.550 - 00:28:37.390
It does feel very.
Colin True
00:28:37.390 - 00:28:38.070
Yes, it does.
Producer Dave
00:28:38.070 - 00:28:38.470
Right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:39.790 - 00:28:40.750
You feel very exhausted.
Producer Dave
00:28:43.710 - 00:28:45.750
Are you going to the Alps? No, just going to the park.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:45.750 - 00:28:48.590
Climbing my own mountains, man. Internal ones.
Producer Dave
00:28:48.910 - 00:28:50.270
Internal ones, yes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:50.830 - 00:30:00.600
Wow. All right, well, I'm gonna shout out, you're up. Yeah, I'm ready.
I've got, I'm gonna go with a multi use, kind of a classic, I think, strong and steady multi use sort of brand. And I've considered going in two directions with this, but I think I am going to go with MSR here and I feel like, you know.
Yeah, we've talked about other brands innovating and doing things. What MSR does is I think they have developed some great products that have stood the test of time.
I think they've got, you know, you talk about something like a hubba hubba tent or you talk about a pocket rocket, which is still, you know, you see people, anyone from those thru hikers to weekend campers to casual backpackers carrying those things because they're, they're small and they do exactly what they're advertised to do. But then you can get into more of the technical gear.
I think, you know, they cover anything from a casual weekend camper to somebody who's backpacking to people maybe taking some of this on winter expeditions, you know. So I think of MSR as kind of a tried and true brand that covers a lot of ground from camping to backpacking to camp cooking.
And I'm going to give them a little, little support and pop them on my list.
Colin True
00:30:00.680 - 00:30:17.380
So we're debuting, you know, Gear Abbey pretty in the next, you know, month or so. Right. Shantae, you're going to be hosting that podcast, I suppose.
Will we be doing a breakdown of pocket rockets and the different kinds of pocket rockets that exist and the different uses for the pocket rocket? I think that's something that we should do on Gear Abbey.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:17.380 - 00:30:22.540
Is that one of our 18 and over episodes? I think every episode is 18 and over.
Colin True
00:30:22.540 - 00:30:25.716
Honestly, they must giggle internally at MSR every time right.
Producer Dave
00:30:25.764 - 00:30:26.780
18 and under to me.
Eoin Comerford
00:30:27.420 - 00:30:28.060
Okay.
Colin True
00:30:29.820 - 00:30:30.380
And under.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:30.380 - 00:30:31.740
Owen's like, move it on.
Colin True
00:30:32.220 - 00:30:33.220
Are you taking under?
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:33.220 - 00:30:35.900
Hey, listen, Owen, at least we're not talking about, you know what.
Eoin Comerford
00:30:35.900 - 00:30:36.380
Okay.
Producer Dave
00:30:37.100 - 00:30:37.740
What's that?
Eoin Comerford
00:30:38.530 - 00:30:42.290
What do you mean we're not talking about that Anyway.
Producer Dave
00:30:42.930 - 00:30:43.650
Oh, poop.
Eoin Comerford
00:30:45.730 - 00:30:46.450
Here. Right?
Colin True
00:30:46.610 - 00:30:47.090
Yeah.
Eoin Comerford
00:30:47.250 - 00:31:35.230
All right, so. Yes, you do. Okay. So the second brand on my list, actually, which I now get to choose, is the dominant player in their category.
Like, there isn't even a close second, which is Ospreay. They are the absolute pack leader and just dominate the category. I mean, if you don't have Osprey, you really aren't really selling packs.
And they've grown, obviously, beyond just core backpacking packs. They do great travel systems, great kid carriers. I mean, really, they cover the gamut and still based in the asset of nowhere, wherever they are.
Where is it they're in? Where? Somewhere in. What's the town.
Colin True
00:31:35.390 - 00:31:36.110
Where are they based?
Eoin Comerford
00:31:36.110 - 00:31:36.990
Yeah, they're in.
Colin True
00:31:37.630 - 00:31:39.310
Is it Cortez or something like that?
Eoin Comerford
00:31:39.310 - 00:31:39.870
Thank you.
Colin True
00:31:39.950 - 00:31:40.950
Yeah, okay. Right, Right.
Producer Dave
00:31:40.950 - 00:31:42.990
It's a nest, Owen. It's a nest.
Colin True
00:31:43.310 - 00:31:57.390
Before you make your next pick, I just want to point out gears off the board. We have all five gear selections now picked. What does this say about our industry? I would assume I would not have picked that and say, oh, the.
Within two rounds, all five gear brands would be gone.
Eoin Comerford
00:31:58.120 - 00:32:51.130
That doesn't shock me because that is what the core of our industry is. At its core. We are a gear industry now. I think. I'm not sure we see that in every outdoor store we go to anymore, but that is the core.
I'm going to go a little bit less core ish with my next pick, which is Fjallraven. I think it's my personal favorite apparel brand, but also, like, if I was building my story, it would be one of the brands that I would. That I.
If he said you can only have X number of apparel brands, it would be the one I would pick because it's. It has its own look, it has its own identity, it has its own feel.
I mean, I can get, you know, shells and puffy jackets from 50 other brands, and they. They won't look or perform that much differently. But Fjallraven does. Fjallraven. Only the way Fjallraven does it. So they are my next pick.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:51.650 - 00:33:14.610
Curses. That was good. That was gonna be my second pick or my third pick, I guess. No, I. I mean, what is. Great pick, Owen? I completely agree with you. 110.
I think they're one of those brands that also does that good straddle of core versus casual user that we love to talk about so much on the pod. So kudos to you and. Damn it. But it is my turn again.
Colin True
00:33:14.770 - 00:33:16.530
It is. It brings it back to you, Shantae.
Shawnté Salabert
00:33:16.690 - 00:34:13.770
All right, I'm going outdoor research. I. I love an accessory. We, you know, we of course, know or is known for their hats, their gloves, like, you know, their gators, yada, yada, yada.
But I also think they do a great job when it comes to things like you just mentioned shells. I think they actually do great shells.
I think that they are one of those brands that, again, I trust them to not only stay consistent, but I do trust them to innovate from time to time. And it's something that I have always enjoyed about their products.
And I own so much outdoor research that it's just like, it would be ridiculous for me not to, because it makes me realize how much I've bought over the years, starting when I was a little baby backpacker. So to me, they're just one of those companies that stands the test of time. And. And they make great gear.
And yeah, it may not be, you know, elite level fancy pants like Arc' teryx or whatever, but I think most of their products do what they say they're gonna do, and they do it well.
Colin True
00:34:14.720 - 00:34:15.080
I would agree.
Eoin Comerford
00:34:15.080 - 00:34:47.499
I mean, I think actually outdoor research is really. I mean, we talk about mountain hardware making a comeback from an apparel perspective.
I think outdoor research has also made a huge upgrade in the last. I don't know, call it five or six years.
I used to think about your research as, you know, pretty much an accessories brand that had apparel that was pretty frumpy and, you know, it was very good, but it was utilitarian. Not very exciting today. I think actually outdoor research is. Their apparel is cool. It looks good, it fits well, it performs well.
Yeah, they've come a long way in the last five or six years.
Shawnté Salabert
00:34:48.219 - 00:35:08.859
Yeah, I feel like it's one of those brands that I'm surprised when I. When I look at all of the things I own, apparel wise, accessories wise, how much I have is testament to, you know. Yeah. How. How.
How well they've stood the test of time. But, Yeah, I agree 100%. I think especially with jackets, shells, like, they've really done a great job over the years, sort of ramping up that.
That part of their brand.
Colin True
00:35:09.659 - 00:35:20.280
And I think the Seattle Sombrero is like the one product that personifies that thing that a brand makes that they become Known for that. They just can't. What a pointless piece of gear.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:21.720 - 00:35:23.080
I don't know what you're talking about.
Colin True
00:35:23.960 - 00:35:25.360
Gore Tex hat? Come on.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:25.360 - 00:35:27.560
I know. I do know what you're talking about, Colin.
Colin True
00:35:28.120 - 00:35:33.360
No, no. Oh, talk about a steady Eddie. I mean, that's got, the way I look at it, the steadiest of Eddies, right?
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:33.360 - 00:35:38.000
Pairs of the ice line gloves. Have I owned or not? Ice line. The, you know, the sun gloves.
Colin True
00:35:38.000 - 00:35:38.840
Dave, you're up.
Producer Dave
00:35:40.600 - 00:35:43.080
It's getting thin. Getting thin.
Colin True
00:35:43.240 - 00:35:47.720
We'll recap what we got left after. We'll do these next two picks and then, yeah, we'll see what happens. Okay.
Producer Dave
00:35:47.720 - 00:36:04.280
Well, it's easy for me now that we've moved through some of our kind of core essentials here. Now we're going with a classic staple that might even vie for an iconic image of outdoor in general. And that would be the Birkenstock.
Colin True
00:36:05.160 - 00:36:08.680
Oh, that's going to be your first pick?
Eoin Comerford
00:36:09.960 - 00:36:11.280
Would not have been my pick, but.
Producer Dave
00:36:11.280 - 00:36:47.610
Yeah, yeah, right, right. It is probably one of the hottest brands on this entire chart in terms of resurgence. You know, it is absolutely a.
What do you call it, kind of the fit check, you know, footwear. Right now, I think it's an introductory. I think it's a gateway drug to the outdoors.
It brings unsuspecting patrons in and they get on their Birkenstocks for comfort and trend and end up at a music festival and the next thing you know, they're camping in the backcount. So I just, I think it's a staple of the outdoor. Absolutely.
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:48.250 - 00:36:53.970
It's also the shoe that was recommended to me when I got diagnosed with arthritis and it's been great.
Producer Dave
00:36:53.970 - 00:36:57.690
Right? It is a multi generational outdoor accessory, without a doubt.
Eoin Comerford
00:36:57.690 - 00:37:01.210
Is Dave wearing Birkenstocks over his fits right now?
Producer Dave
00:37:01.530 - 00:37:07.370
Dude, I was so close to doing that. Yes, but usually you can find me there, no doubt about it.
Colin True
00:37:07.850 - 00:37:25.090
And just.
And also, you know, if anybody listening to this doesn't maybe identify Birkenstock as an outdoor brand, I was talking to a rep who I know who reps Birkenstock and just serves many specialty retailers. And it's just printing cash for them, just like just crushes for them all day long, like one of their best lines that they carry.
Eoin Comerford
00:37:25.410 - 00:37:37.090
So they do a great job supporting outdoor specialty too, you know, all of them. No, but they're a full price brand that supports outdoor specialty and those brands should be celebrated.
Colin True
00:37:37.960 - 00:37:42.200
And they've been around since like 1758 or something. I think they've been around as long as Columbia University.
Producer Dave
00:37:42.200 - 00:37:45.640
I think actually older. I think they're older.
Colin True
00:37:45.640 - 00:37:47.320
Yeah, you're probably right. Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:47.720 - 00:37:49.240
Since the time of Jesus, perhaps.
Producer Dave
00:37:49.400 - 00:37:53.720
Yeah. Or at least the Middle Ages. Dark Ages, right.
Colin True
00:37:54.440 - 00:37:57.400
Yeah. Jesus wore his Birkenstocks. All those Dead shows back in the day.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:57.800 - 00:37:59.480
Yeah. He was rocking Arizona.
Producer Dave
00:37:59.560 - 00:38:06.780
Arizona. I think you were stepping over the Black Death. Death, actually. Just trying to make your way through town comfortably, though.
Colin True
00:38:06.780 - 00:38:07.740
That's very comfortable.
Shawnté Salabert
00:38:07.900 - 00:38:08.620
Very comfortably.
Colin True
00:38:11.580 - 00:38:19.019
All right, this one's. Well, we've only taken one accessory, so I'm going to take my accessory pick now. I'm going to go smart Wool. Sorry, Dave.
Producer Dave
00:38:19.500 - 00:38:20.700
Oh, no, you can have that.
Colin True
00:38:22.940 - 00:39:17.710
If Norda was a. Hey, that's the cool upstate upstart pick. Bd, sort of the category dominant pick. This is the.
I think we said on the time when we did the accessories podcast about, you know, like, if you're going to make, if you're going to open a specialty shop, like one of the first three or four calls you're going to make is going to be Smartwool. It's just one of those brands, so love them, hate them. Whatever it is, you got to carry it. It is a staple of the, you know, the specialty retailer.
So that's a pretty easy one. All right, let's take a quick break and then we'll come back and recap who is left on the board.
Today's episode of the Rock Fight was brought to you by Oboz, who wants us to know that even though they're pissed not to be draft eligible, they still want to share their love of hiking. And we want to help them by uncovering all the different reasons we love to take the long walk, including the following.
Number one, because you like a side of danger with your scenery. Shantae. Any danger that occurred while out on.
Shawnté Salabert
00:39:17.710 - 00:39:25.530
The trail, like when I did an unplanned glissade down a snow slope and then when I fell in Whitney Creek at the butt crack of dawn.
Colin True
00:39:26.480 - 00:39:28.400
There's a lot of scenery around you though, right?
Shawnté Salabert
00:39:28.400 - 00:39:31.920
Yeah, there was some good scenery, though. Yeah, it was a. It was a combo deal.
Colin True
00:39:32.880 - 00:39:38.240
Number two, if you're lucky, you'll get to experience all four seasons in one afternoon. That's. That's a bonus, right?
Shawnté Salabert
00:39:38.320 - 00:39:40.160
That's like living in Wisconsin growing up.
Colin True
00:39:41.599 - 00:40:35.320
Number three, you'll finally understand why boots cost a hundred and seventy dollars, which is the exact cost of the Oboz Katabatic LT Low with Gore Tex. The LT takes the Catabata collection to a whole new level with a lighter package and additional environmentally friendly materials.
And the waterproof LT low features Gore Tex invisible fit. Combining true fit feel and comfort. This hiking appreciation moment is brought to you by Oboz of Bozeman, Montana.
Oboz is the maker of premium quality footwear for the trail and the cupid to the outdoor world. Oboz. Love hiking. All right, here's who's left. We have HOKA on running Merrill Livesyn Picture Organic Sea to Summit, Garmin Biolite.
I want to point out too, Shantae's pick of outdoor research. Outdoor research was an accessories winner this year. Top five accessories, not apparel. So people were wondering about that.
So that's who we have left. And I'm going to take Livson.
Shawnté Salabert
00:40:35.480 - 00:40:36.200
I knew it.
Colin True
00:40:37.160 - 00:40:38.600
Who you wanted next. Is that why?
Shawnté Salabert
00:40:39.640 - 00:40:40.520
No, no reason.
Colin True
00:40:42.280 - 00:41:25.990
I mean, come on, Liveson. We talk about a bunch on the podcast.
You know, living the values that we all want to see from, you know, either you know, how they make their products, the performance of their products. Andrew, who, you know, the founder of the brand, is desperate to get me a pair of their overalls. It's never going to happen.
But they, you know, they just make incredibly well constructed, good looking clothing that fits that sort of outdoor lifestyle. Pardon using the word lifestyle, but just, and just their brand. They're doing it the right way.
My favorite thing I've said of the pod before, Andrew said of the pod when he was on, is that their head of production, head of product, excuse me, is also their head of sustainability.
And it's those little innovations outdoor industry that we need to see more of in terms of how we're making things than when learning from emerging brands. So happy to have Livesyn on my squad.
Eoin Comerford
00:41:27.030 - 00:41:47.890
Great pick. I'm not sure if I could have picked them. I might have had to recuse myself as a board advisor to the company.
But yeah, just a great company and really, truly lives.
What they talk about in their board meetings, the first hour is about sustainability, which there's lots of companies that talk about sustainability, but it's like, no, this is really what they're about. It is insane.
Shawnté Salabert
00:41:48.770 - 00:41:49.450
That's amazing.
Producer Dave
00:41:49.450 - 00:41:59.690
I would say, Owen, being a board advisor, you should be obligated to have to pick them. No, you must. It should have been your first pick.
Colin True
00:41:59.690 - 00:42:00.330
Let's make sure.
Producer Dave
00:42:00.330 - 00:42:00.610
Right?
Eoin Comerford
00:42:00.610 - 00:42:01.890
So I wasn't going to let them be.
Producer Dave
00:42:01.890 - 00:42:05.810
By that logic, Nemo is still on the board. Okay, so.
Colin True
00:42:05.890 - 00:42:06.410
I know.
Producer Dave
00:42:06.410 - 00:42:09.050
I'm just saying. Okay.
Colin True
00:42:09.050 - 00:42:10.550
All right, Dave, back to you, buddy bud.
Eoin Comerford
00:42:10.710 - 00:42:11.390
Oh my God.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:11.390 - 00:42:12.310
No, it's Owen's turn.
Colin True
00:42:12.790 - 00:42:17.670
No, it's Back to producer. Dave. Dave, you skipped yourself there. Sh.
Producer Dave
00:42:17.670 - 00:42:18.190
Wait a minute.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:18.190 - 00:42:19.070
I never want to do that.
Producer Dave
00:42:19.070 - 00:42:20.950
Wait a minute. I wasn't ready.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:20.950 - 00:42:21.830
Self deprecating.
Producer Dave
00:42:22.950 - 00:42:24.350
Where to go now? I'm.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:24.350 - 00:42:25.790
Dave's still thinking about his Birkins.
Producer Dave
00:42:25.790 - 00:42:26.870
I'm truly flummoxed.
Colin True
00:42:26.870 - 00:42:29.270
They're so he's like, I'm done. I got burks. I'm ready to go.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:29.270 - 00:42:30.230
I'm good. I'm going home.
Producer Dave
00:42:30.390 - 00:42:37.910
And my socks that don't have a smart wool on them. Which one shall I go with?
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:38.480 - 00:42:39.280
Don't pick mine.
Producer Dave
00:42:40.640 - 00:42:42.000
Which one is yours? Shantae?
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:42.000 - 00:42:45.520
No, just don't pick it. Do you know me well enough by now?
Producer Dave
00:42:45.520 - 00:42:46.120
Do I round.
Colin True
00:42:46.120 - 00:42:49.960
Oh, my God. I just realized something. Sorry. Dave. I'm gonna get the last pick of the draft.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:49.960 - 00:42:50.800
Oh, my God.
Eoin Comerford
00:42:52.480 - 00:42:55.000
Well, you really don't get the last pick of the draft because somebody else.
Chris DeMakes
00:42:55.000 - 00:42:57.240
Dave gets to decide who is the last pick.
Eoin Comerford
00:42:57.240 - 00:42:58.360
Exactly. Yes. He'll force.
Shawnté Salabert
00:42:58.360 - 00:42:59.440
We chose it for you.
Producer Dave
00:42:59.440 - 00:43:00.400
Yeah, right.
Colin True
00:43:00.400 - 00:43:04.880
Yep. All right, well, you know what? That makes me very happy about the first four I picked.
Shawnté Salabert
00:43:05.350 - 00:43:08.550
Be prepared to defend whatever it is with your life.
Colin True
00:43:08.790 - 00:43:14.790
I'm sending Dave with someone I want Dave to take. Right now. I'm sending you through the zoom call.
Producer Dave
00:43:15.670 - 00:43:19.350
You know, I'm gonna take Picture Organic off the board.
Colin True
00:43:19.910 - 00:43:21.510
You know that's not who I was sending.
Producer Dave
00:43:21.590 - 00:43:21.990
Right.
Colin True
00:43:21.990 - 00:43:22.950
That's a good one though.
Producer Dave
00:43:23.190 - 00:44:16.180
It. Just because they have.
I just, I've, I've admired their brand since the, you know, since first seeing them back in, you know, ispo, you know, many, many moons ago. And they were just a kind of a small, small for them, 20 by 20. Lots of merchandise displays.
They really use the kind of the window display very effectively to show their product off, their brand vibe off. They've always done a really great job of that. And so I just again, love the color palette.
You talk about kind of the ground that coat epoxy has kind of turned, I think pictures right up there with them. Even though we didn't see them as much here, here in the States, they were right there. So I'm. Yeah, I'm all in Picture Organic.
It's a great compliment to my Birkenstocks and exped. Right.
Colin True
00:44:17.380 - 00:44:23.620
My team and Dave's team are kind of, kind of crushing right now. You guys are a little basic on the left hand side of the book.
Eoin Comerford
00:44:24.260 - 00:44:27.100
Let's see what happens when the votes come in. Colin.
Producer Dave
00:44:27.100 - 00:44:30.500
Yeah, Colin. Right, that's true.
Colin True
00:44:30.500 - 00:44:32.180
You have the brands with the larger Instagram following.
Eoin Comerford
00:44:33.700 - 00:44:36.440
I have the brands with a larger revenue Revenue following.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:37.000 - 00:44:43.240
Yeah, that's right. And he has a very active LinkedIn and we know everything. LinkedIn is really the center of our universe these days.
Producer Dave
00:44:43.240 - 00:44:43.520
Yeah.
Colin True
00:44:43.520 - 00:44:49.440
To that point. You can see our personalities in our teams though, Right. You know, Owen's going for revenue. Shantae, you've got pretty heavy backpacking.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:49.440 - 00:44:51.800
You know, like, could be worse.
Colin True
00:44:51.880 - 00:44:53.080
Dave has working stock.
Eoin Comerford
00:44:53.080 - 00:44:54.200
Dave's all about brand.
Colin True
00:44:54.600 - 00:44:55.080
Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:56.360 - 00:44:57.880
Dave's just chilling through this.
Producer Dave
00:44:58.760 - 00:45:03.970
That's a cool assembly. I'm telling you. That's a pretty bitch in base camp.
Eoin Comerford
00:45:04.850 - 00:45:05.890
Okay, we'll see.
Colin True
00:45:05.890 - 00:45:11.210
Bitch and base camp. Can we do something with that? I feel like that's a bitch in base camp. I want to go to. Yeah, exactly.
Producer Dave
00:45:11.210 - 00:45:12.770
I want to go to Bitchin base camp.
Colin True
00:45:12.930 - 00:45:13.370
Yes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:45:13.370 - 00:45:16.530
That'll be our first rock fight event. We'll host a bitchin base.
Producer Dave
00:45:16.530 - 00:45:18.770
It's not rock. It's bitchin Base camp.
Colin True
00:45:21.250 - 00:45:24.770
Actually, next year at Switchback, you got a trailhead theater. Like, come on, guys.
Producer Dave
00:45:28.130 - 00:45:28.610
Nice.
Shawnté Salabert
00:45:29.480 - 00:45:30.600
20% for this crew.
Colin True
00:45:31.000 - 00:45:32.040
All right, Shantae.
Shawnté Salabert
00:45:32.360 - 00:46:35.590
All right. All right. I am going to go a little techie here because I haven't yet. And I love techie. Shit. No, I don't actually.
I like to just roll around in the dirt. But I'm going with biolite. I think I love Biolite and Goal Zero have come together. Goal Zero is just iconic in the space.
Biolite, I think, has really been an amazing, like, they've had a great progression in that brand in the space. I took one of their headlamps out on the trail and I did not need to recharge it once in the span of three weeks, which is a minor miracle.
So a plus plus to you. Biolite, it's one of the headlamps coming out this fall, and I think their merger with Goal Zero was such a smart decision.
And it's just bringing together two brands that I think when you look at either of them separately, you know exactly what they do. And then them together is just a powerhouse. It's almost like it's taking me back to the days of the trust busters, you know?
So we've got the Sun Energy portable energy trust going on here, and I'm not mad at it. So I'm going full biolite here.
Producer Dave
00:46:35.670 - 00:46:39.190
That was a solid choice, Shantay. Solid choice. Yep.
Eoin Comerford
00:46:40.150 - 00:46:50.470
You took one of mine off the board there. Well, because the great thing is you get. You actually picked two brands for one because you got the gold Zero bio. I mean, so smart. Yes. Okay.
Colin True
00:46:50.630 - 00:46:51.670
Yeah, that was a good one.
Eoin Comerford
00:46:51.670 - 00:47:01.160
All right, so I Like where I am here, I've got some back to back picks. Okay. So, so I think I should pick a footwear brand. And we have three left. Hoka, on and Merrill.
Shawnté Salabert
00:47:01.160 - 00:47:02.840
That's the one Colin doesn't want to talk about.
Eoin Comerford
00:47:03.000 - 00:47:56.970
Okay. I am going to pick the one that you actually may be surprised. I'm going to pick the brand that came up with the speed loafer. Yes.
I am going with Hoka. And why do you ask them to go with Hoka? Well, I mean, actually from a pure branding perspective, I actually like on better.
But on is, let's face it, on is a running brand. They are not really an outdoor brand. Hoka is an outdoor brand. They're a trail running brand. Are they a mall walking brand? Yes.
Are they an airport footwear brand? Yes. But they also are a pretty darn cool trail running brand.
And maybe it's, I'm thinking back to 2012 when I saw them at OR and then they said that I couldn't have them as a brand. Maybe I'm feeling that vibe. And now I get to be the chooser. Pick you, Hoka. You are my second to last pick.
Colin True
00:47:57.210 - 00:48:01.690
This is like the Bachelor all of a sudden. Also, it's in line with the money making brands.
Shawnté Salabert
00:48:03.290 - 00:48:04.010
It really is.
Colin True
00:48:04.330 - 00:48:05.810
This is the money is making brand.
Producer Dave
00:48:05.810 - 00:48:08.810
I was just gonna say that's actually the printing press right there.
Eoin Comerford
00:48:08.810 - 00:48:09.650
Cash money.
Producer Dave
00:48:09.650 - 00:48:12.010
Right? Printing press and some really cool color.
Shawnté Salabert
00:48:12.010 - 00:48:23.170
Combinations and honestly, comfortable shoes. The other shoe my podiatrist recommended was Hoka's and that's actually how I started running in the speed goats. So there you go.
Colin True
00:48:23.170 - 00:48:51.000
It is still quality product. I mean, that's the thing. And you are see it out there a lot. All right, before you make your next selection, Owen, we're down to the last four.
The last four brands on the board on running. Merrell, Cedar Summit and Garmin. I gotta be honest, Shantay, since I don't have another, I don't have the pick. So I don't mind saying this.
I thought your violet pick was going to be Garmin. So like that was, that was kind of. That was, that was a good little movie made there. So here we go.
We're driving towards the final pick that I'm going to be saddled with.
Eoin Comerford
00:48:51.240 - 00:48:52.720
I, I, I think I know it's.
Colin True
00:48:52.720 - 00:49:06.320
Going to be, I think so too. And maybe there's a little karma. Karma's a might be at the base camp. Okay, so gear Abby's bitching base camp.
Eoin Comerford
00:49:06.320 - 00:49:52.660
That's right. This is a pretty easy pick for Me, it is C to summish. Just first of all, they're Australian, so they're cool right off the bat. I mean, come on.
But just it's right up there. I would say with MSR in terms of core. Of the core of backpacking brands. Right?
I mean, yes, I think they were in our accessories list, but let's face it, they make so much more than just accessories and cookware. I mean, they make tents, sleep systems, just a whole bunch of stuff.
All of it really well engineered, really well thought of high performance, just a great product on the trail or around the campfire seat assembly.
Colin True
00:49:52.660 - 00:50:08.360
Yeah, I actually had them pretty high on my draft board. I thought that they would go sooner, honestly. I mean it makes sense everything some of the other picks that were made.
But yeah, they were one of the I think shoo ins on the accessories top accessories pod, I believe. All right, Shantae.
Shawnté Salabert
00:50:08.440 - 00:51:02.960
All right. Well, I was gonna go see to Summit, so I won't. I am going to actually choose. I was.
I have Garmin pretty high on my list, but actually I don't want to have two techie things on my list just for my own personal aesthetics. I'm actually gonna go with Meryl. And it's because I think that Merrill does a great job appealing to the everyday outdoor user and like family wide.
So they do, they do a ton of kids shoes. They do some classic hikers. You got the Merrell Moab, which is, you know, a hugely popular hiking shoe.
And I think they even, you could say Merrill and Keane have kind of brought in the idea of the hiking shoe.
You know, it's really like when I think back to when that emerged as a category, I, I want to say those are the two brands that I think really brought it and they still do. And they know their audience, they know their product, they know who is buying their shoe. They know who is not going to buy their shoe.
Producer Dave
00:51:02.960 - 00:51:04.140
Montreal would like a word.
Shawnté Salabert
00:51:05.170 - 00:51:08.610
Okay. Fair. They don't have. I don't think they have the same.
Producer Dave
00:51:08.610 - 00:51:12.850
I mean, not anymore. But you know, you talked about pioneering for sure.
Shawnté Salabert
00:51:13.250 - 00:51:13.810
Okay.
Colin True
00:51:13.810 - 00:51:16.450
Second mantra mentioned on this pod. That's amazing.
Producer Dave
00:51:16.930 - 00:51:18.210
Gone but not forgotten.
Shawnté Salabert
00:51:18.770 - 00:51:20.810
You getting that sweet, sweet ghost Montreal.
Eoin Comerford
00:51:20.810 - 00:51:30.370
Money and Meryl based in Michigan here in my home stage. Yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, come on. They made the jungle mock, you know. Hey.
Producer Dave
00:51:32.120 - 00:51:32.680
It'S true.
Shawnté Salabert
00:51:33.320 - 00:52:25.420
Yeah, I think, I think again, I think they are a solid brand that appeals to more of an everyday strat, like a casual user.
But somebody who is using those shoes and you see, you know, it Yeah, a lot of people are like, Meryl, those are dad shoes, but those are dads that are taking their kids out hiking and now they've got shoes that they all feel comfortable in. So, hell yeah.
I also think Meryl has done some cool things with artists over the years and Latasha Dunston did a really cool shirt for them at some point, you know, so I think that they're trying to. They did, they did a. With. With unlikely hikers. They did a collab.
So I think that they're also trying to reach out to the outdoor community as a whole and try to remain relevant to a large sector of maybe, you know, non hardcore users, but those everyday people that are getting out and maybe even just discovering the outdoors for the first time. So I think kudos to them for feeling like, like an accessible brand.
Eoin Comerford
00:52:25.820 - 00:52:57.830
Also, what I would say is kudos to their leadership. Chris Hufnagle, who one of the few brands that was, I would say, brave enough to say we are selling way too much shift.
It's just driving a bunch of discounting in the marketplace. We're going to do a recess.
They took a 40, 45% sales cut to get back to what was a healthy volume for them, and now we're seeing that in their margins, in their growth numbers. And unfortunately, I think there are more brands in the industry that need to take that step. But they did it and kudos to them.
Colin True
00:52:59.110 - 00:53:23.490
When we made the top five footwear list, which again was our first one, I mean, Merrell got the nod over the, the oboes, the keens, as sort of like we wanted to have that kind of, you know, that kind of steady Eddie footwear brand. Right. And it was like that was clearly the choice if we wanted to include something there. So that, that is why they are on this board.
A big reason why they're on this board for sure. I will say that your team is now officially the apologists, though, because this is the other brand that we call it out at the live show.
Shawnté Salabert
00:53:23.650 - 00:53:27.570
So between Merrell by Mary and Merrell, Merrell by Merrill.
Eoin Comerford
00:53:27.570 - 00:53:32.690
But we call them out for a different reason. We called them out for the opposite reason to Cotopaxi.
Colin True
00:53:33.330 - 00:53:34.050
That's a good point.
Eoin Comerford
00:53:34.129 - 00:53:38.610
They were striving versus they were over enthusiastic, I believe.
Colin True
00:53:39.970 - 00:53:45.130
I think they also should also, you know, not to go back on that, but like they figured out a workaround.
Eoin Comerford
00:53:45.130 - 00:53:45.650
They did.
Colin True
00:53:45.730 - 00:53:47.330
So that was innovation.
Eoin Comerford
00:53:47.570 - 00:53:48.130
There you go.
Shawnté Salabert
00:53:48.130 - 00:53:48.330
See?
Producer Dave
00:53:48.480 - 00:53:51.200
See more than their shoe.
Colin True
00:53:51.280 - 00:54:04.559
Shanta, you proved that that karma is, is dead. Cause I thought that's for sure. Where this was all headed, that I was going to have Merrill on my team, which makes for an interesting finish here.
Dave, you got. You got two choices. You got on running and garment.
Producer Dave
00:54:04.800 - 00:54:32.860
It's not. It's not a surprise at all. Colin. If you look at my.
My list, Mountain Hardware, exped, Birkenstock picture, there's really clearly only one brand that would complete this. Right. That everyone has a pairing with one another. Right.
And so the balance is achieved by bringing on running into my apparel and footwear outdoor boutique. That is clearly cooler than yours.
Eoin Comerford
00:54:34.700 - 00:54:35.340
Okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:54:36.620 - 00:54:37.820
I love a spite pick.
Colin True
00:54:37.980 - 00:54:39.420
It's a very Portland list.
Producer Dave
00:54:39.900 - 00:54:49.300
Portland, that's just anywhere where you're going to have people that care about what they look like, that enjoy a good functional product. Product that want to be looking forward, not backward.
Eoin Comerford
00:54:51.300 - 00:55:01.620
Clearly, Dave, is very Euro cool. I mean, we've got on running, Swiss picture, organic, French. Birkenstock, I think is German. Yeah.
Producer Dave
00:55:02.740 - 00:55:10.340
And hardware, which is Berkeley, California, which is the Bay Area, which we know is just communist. So it's very much European.
Eoin Comerford
00:55:10.660 - 00:55:11.140
Yes.
Colin True
00:55:13.310 - 00:55:17.230
Hardware is a bit of the outlier against the other four, but it does fit in.
Producer Dave
00:55:17.230 - 00:55:22.550
They all work together. No, it's a rich tapestry, Colin. It's a. Richard, It's a rich tapestry. Yeah.
Eoin Comerford
00:55:22.550 - 00:55:22.910
Right.
Colin True
00:55:23.070 - 00:55:27.710
Well, that. Sorry, Garmin, you're with me. You're with the final pick.
Eoin Comerford
00:55:28.669 - 00:55:29.390
I'll take it.
Colin True
00:55:29.390 - 00:55:30.110
I love Garmin.
Eoin Comerford
00:55:30.430 - 00:55:42.790
They were the last brand on my list. And not because I hate Garmin. Pretty high, but I just think that they are. It's a little niche for outdoor and their margins are for shit.
Colin True
00:55:42.790 - 00:55:43.000
So.
Eoin Comerford
00:55:43.150 - 00:55:45.790
So as a, as a retailer, that's.
Colin True
00:55:45.790 - 00:55:48.390
Why you had them. Look, I think I love their products.
Producer Dave
00:55:48.390 - 00:56:13.280
They have the toughest positioning kind of play of all of the brands. Right.
They're coming from a leadership in a category that really doesn't exist anymore, that's been taken over by technology in your phone, in your watch. And so how do they stay relevant? And so they've really had to pivot and shift on the fly for years now and really try to come out of that.
And that's a difficult place to be. But look, they're still here and they're still relevant. They're in the game.
Eoin Comerford
00:56:13.280 - 00:56:14.400
Right, Agreed.
Colin True
00:56:14.640 - 00:56:28.320
My bike, computer. I mean, I've watched. I know, Shantae, you've used Garmins as well. Like, it's. I think it's a great brand, but in good products, but.
And you know, there's nothing wrong with what's the last pick of the NFL draft. What do they call it the Mr. Mr.
Eoin Comerford
00:56:28.320 - 00:56:28.840
Irrelevant.
Shawnté Salabert
00:56:28.840 - 00:56:29.680
Mr. Sad Boy.
Colin True
00:56:29.680 - 00:56:31.280
Mr. Irrelevant. That's right.
Producer Dave
00:56:31.360 - 00:56:31.800
Yeah.
Colin True
00:56:31.800 - 00:56:39.210
You're not Mr. Irrelevant, Garmin. You are in the game. All right, let's everybody run through your list. Give us your.
Give us your thoughts on your teemo and run us through who you got.
Eoin Comerford
00:56:39.210 - 00:56:48.850
I have. Wow. I mean, all star lineup here. Nemo, Osprey, Fjallraven, Hoka, Sea to Summit. I mean, come on.
Colin True
00:56:48.850 - 00:56:49.370
Pretty good.
Shawnté Salabert
00:56:49.450 - 00:56:50.490
That's a strong list.
Eoin Comerford
00:56:50.569 - 00:56:52.330
Pretty good list. Yeah.
Colin True
00:56:53.530 - 00:56:54.330
Shantae.
Shawnté Salabert
00:56:54.730 - 00:57:13.530
All right, I want a little classic here. I've got Cotopoxy, MSR Outdoor Research, Merrell and Biolite. And I think I kind of ran. I think I've got a lot of code coverage.
So there's a lot of different products somebody's coming to get. This is my little store. May not be as cool as Dave's, but I think that they're going to be able to come and get what they need at my shop.
Colin True
00:57:14.250 - 00:57:16.490
Classic, you know, Alpine shop, right?
Shawnté Salabert
00:57:16.650 - 00:57:21.370
That's right. I am like a small town mountain shop. Just, you know, serving you coffee in the morning.
Colin True
00:57:21.370 - 00:57:31.800
Even come in, say, I want, I need some things. Can you tell me where to go today? What trail should I go out to today? And you're like, let me tell you that. Yeah.
You know what you should call your store?
Shawnté Salabert
00:57:35.240 - 00:57:35.560
What?
Colin True
00:57:35.560 - 00:57:37.800
Colin Gear Abby's Bitchin Base Camp.
Shawnté Salabert
00:57:37.800 - 00:57:45.240
Hell yeah. Okay, well, I'm gonna make my public announcement now that I'm gonna leave my day job and open a mountain shop.
Colin True
00:57:45.799 - 00:57:49.920
If there was a store in my town called Bitchin Base Camp, I'd go there every single day.
Eoin Comerford
00:57:49.920 - 00:57:50.440
That's right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:57:50.440 - 00:57:53.080
Yeah, you're right. I want a sticker at the very least.
Colin True
00:57:53.400 - 00:57:56.260
Right? Yeah. Dave, take us through your team.
Producer Dave
00:57:56.890 - 00:58:20.010
Well, we're bringing Mountain Hardware, Exped, Birkenstock, Picture Organic, and on running, you might serve coffee in the morning. We're serving a nice craft lager in the afternoon. Having a good community run, coming back and looking over poster art. So there you go.
My crew might be the most little gallery showing.
Colin True
00:58:21.370 - 00:58:41.510
There's not really a theme. Through my team, Norda, Black Diamond, Smartwool, Liveson and Garmin. Pretty interesting. Interesting mix.
Doesn't really flow, but I like every single brand. I think in their own individual way, they bring a lot of strength. And I think these sort of the mix of it is, it's not. There's not a theme.
It's like, hey, listen, we just have really strong brands here, okay? You're gonna be able to like running.
Producer Dave
00:58:41.590 - 00:58:48.150
As much as yours feels like A bunch of leftovers. There's some really strong communities in there that people that love those brands.
Colin True
00:58:48.550 - 00:58:54.790
But mostly I just want to point out that Owen didn't draft Liveson. Right. I didn't get a chance.
Eoin Comerford
00:58:54.790 - 00:58:57.390
So you took it before I got a chance.
Producer Dave
00:58:57.390 - 00:58:58.640
What kind of board Advisor is that?
Colin True
00:58:58.950 - 00:58:59.510
12 pick.
Eoin Comerford
00:59:03.110 - 00:59:05.270
Which proves I cannot be bought. Colin.
Colin True
00:59:05.910 - 00:59:07.030
That's true. I can't.
Eoin Comerford
00:59:07.750 - 00:59:08.870
We know this. We know.
Colin True
00:59:10.390 - 00:59:28.310
All right. I think that's. I think that's the draft.
We will get these up on Instagram and on LinkedIn and you can vote of who you think put the best team together, and we'll start this all over again. Guys. January. Get ready for the next. The 2026 edition of the Top Fives. Now we have some. We have.
We know what we're doing, so next year is going to be great.
Chris DeMakes
00:59:28.690 - 00:59:28.890
Out.
Colin True
00:59:28.890 - 00:59:30.610
Do we want to announce now Is.
Eoin Comerford
00:59:30.850 - 00:59:31.170
Is.
Colin True
00:59:31.170 - 00:59:33.570
Is Solomon going to be eligible for 2026?
Shawnté Salabert
00:59:34.930 - 00:59:37.730
They get an automatic slide, I think, right?
Eoin Comerford
00:59:37.890 - 00:59:41.010
They should get the apology slot. Like, oh, yeah.
Colin True
00:59:41.170 - 00:59:48.810
It's basically a round that would be kind of fun if, like, we just vote somebody out at the beginning of the year. Like, yeah, you're out this year, you know, just randomly and just.
Eoin Comerford
00:59:48.810 - 00:59:54.690
Just so that we're clear for next year, you can still win. If you won this year, you can still. You can retain your position.
Shawnté Salabert
00:59:55.610 - 00:59:58.090
Oh, that's work for it. Yeah.
Producer Dave
00:59:58.170 - 00:59:58.650
Yeah.
Colin True
00:59:58.730 - 01:00:04.330
Or do they just. You won last year. These 20 brands are off the board. They cannot participate next year.
Eoin Comerford
01:00:04.890 - 01:00:09.250
We'll have to figure that out. I don't know if you can figure it out right now, but that's a worthy question, right?
Colin True
01:00:09.250 - 01:00:13.930
Yeah, I kind of like both directions there. All right, we'll figure that out way into the comments.
Producer Dave
01:00:14.090 - 01:00:21.290
You want to be considered, send an email to my Rock Fight. That's right. Inquire about advertising opportunities.
Colin True
01:00:22.400 - 01:00:24.880
Whoever sends the most money to Shantae's Venmo.
Shawnté Salabert
01:00:25.600 - 01:00:29.680
Listen, $10 a pop is all it takes. It's Shantae Dash Saliba.
Producer Dave
01:00:29.680 - 01:00:31.320
That's right. At and base.
Colin True
01:00:31.320 - 01:00:32.880
How many have you gotten? No. Two. Three.
Shawnté Salabert
01:00:33.040 - 01:00:33.440
Three.
Colin True
01:00:33.920 - 01:00:34.880
That's amazing.
Eoin Comerford
01:00:35.840 - 01:00:42.400
The tough part about that, Shanti, is you say Shantay da Chalibert as if anybody knows how to spell Shantae or.
Producer Dave
01:00:43.040 - 01:00:44.160
That's right. That's right.
Colin True
01:00:44.160 - 01:00:45.200
At least three people do.
Shawnté Salabert
01:00:45.200 - 01:00:46.560
Intrepid ones. Figured it out.
Colin True
01:00:47.430 - 01:01:15.880
That's right. All right, we can wrap it up there. We want your emails, like Dave said, especially about this episode.
Please send them to myrockfightmail.com the Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight LLC. Our producer today, and he did produce this episode, folks, was producer David Karstad. Art direction provided by Sarah. Who is that?
Sarah Gensert and Frashante Salibair and Owen Comerford. I'm Colin True. Thanks for listening. Here to take us out is Chris Demaik with the Rock Fight Fight song. We'll see you next time, Rock fighters.
Chris DeMakes
01:01:15.880 - 01:02:17.120
Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. 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 pig bites about topics that we find interesting like pop culture music the latest movie reviews Ideas that aim for the head this is where we speak our truth. This is where we speak our truth.
Rock flight Rock flight Rock flight welcome to the rock flight Rock flight, Rock flight welcome to the rock flight Rock flight Rock fly Rock fight Rock fight Rock fight Welcome to the rock fight Rock fight Rock fight Rock fight.
