Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, host and former CEO Eoin Comerford dissects the collapse of Eddie Bauer and the "vampire" licensing model that is hollowing out iconic brands. Eoin also takes a hard look at the slowdown of athleisure, exploring whether the category has reached peak saturation and what outdoor brands can learn from the rise of Vuori and Alo Yoga. Later in the show, Kent Ebersole, President of the Outdoor Indu

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

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! Today on Outdoor Unfiltered , Eoin Comerford breaks down the news that REI is cutting pay and benefits for employees  as the co-op struggles to return to profitability. After four straight years of losses REI is facing some tough financial realities — and payroll is squarely in the spotlight. Eoin digs into what’s driving the decision, why payroll costs at REI are significantly higher than other retailers, and why a healthy REI st

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

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! Move past the PR speak and into the boardroom. In this episode of  Outdoor Unfiltered , host Eoin Comerford breaks down the latest strategic shifts from the industry’s biggest players before sitting down with the "unofficial mayor of the outdoor industry," Lloyd Vogel. On the Business Desk: Amer Sports & Anta:  A deep dive into the $6.6B powerhouse. Why are they raising $750M despite 27% growth? We look at the debt, the margins, a

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the latest episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert  and producer Colin True  tackle three listener questions that move from serious backcountry safety to the realities of trail romance and finally into the world of outdoor industry manufacturing. Along the way there are lightning safety lessons, relationship advice for backpackers, and a guest appearance from industry veteran Eoin Comerford  to help unpack the economics be

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! Is the outdoor industry in trouble, or just in transition?   Host Eoin Comerford is joined by industry icon Kristin Hostetter (former Editor-in-Chief of SNEWS) to pull back the curtain on why sustainability is currently under fire and what the "Trump Tariffs" reversal actually means for your wallet. In this debut episode of  Outdoor Unfiltered , we move past the PR fluff to give you the "why" behind the headlines. What we’re diggi

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

Tired of the PR spin and LinkedIn platitudes? Outdoor Unfiltered  is a new podcast hosted by industry veteran Eoin Comerford that digs into what’s actually  driving the outdoor business. In this trailer, Eoin lays out the mission: honest conversations with insiders and experts about the forces shaping the industry — from innovation and branding to affordability, sustainability, and the real stories behind the headlines. If you want to understand where the outdoor industry is

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

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

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

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

This is it; the final episode of The Rock Fight . In one last, wide-ranging conversation, Colin True, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave take a final look at the outdoor industry they’ve spent three years questioning, criticizing, and celebrating. From the state of outdoor media and the resilience of specialty retail to brand sameness, authenticity, and the growing influence of algorithms and AI, this episode serves as a candid closing argument for why curiosity and critical t

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the penultimate episode of the podcast, Colin True explains why it’s time to bring The Rock Fight  to a close and why ending things at their peak feels like the right call. Drawing parallels to sports dynasties, iconic artists, and cultural moments that knew when to walk away, Colin reflects on the three year run of the show, what it became for the outdoor industry, and the realities of podcasting, media, money, and burnout in

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In the latest episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True dive headfirst into some of the biggest questions lurking beneath modern outdoor culture: how ethical gear really is, whether extreme landscapes like Death Valley are misunderstood, and if quilts can truly replace traditional sleeping bags. Along the way, the episode delivers practical advice, reality checks, and the kind of gear nerdery listeners h

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! Today on The Rock Fight Colin, Eoin Comerford and Producer Dave talk about some recent headlines to come out of the outdoor industry including recent comments made by some of the industry's more notable CEO's. For the Lightning Round they do quick hits on J Crew, JD Sports, and OR's new athlete team. Then they unpack the launch of Stoke Footwear , a running-inspired shoe brand built for “real American men” that’s already landed in

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In this episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True tackle three listener questions that sit right at the intersection of aspiration and anxiety: fueling a thru-hike, learning a notoriously expensive winter sport without going broke, and finding real support for runners with larger chests. Along the way, the conversation veers into enchilada fantasies, mountain-town economics, and the surprisingly complex

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! This week on  The Rock Fight , the crew digs into a round of reactions to some of the latest headlines to emerge from the outdoor industry! From Fleet Feet’s growing footprint, to the maturation of the hydration category and what it means for brands like Hydro Flask and YETI, the conversation spans retail scale, category fatigue, and where real opportunity still exists. The episode also explores why more brands are opening their o

Click to listen on your favorite podcast app! In this episode of Gear Abby , host Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True kick off the year by easing back into listener questions with a mix of thoughtful ethics, practical physiology, and a healthy dose of bureaucratic reality. What starts with reflections on winter safety and outdoor education quickly turns into a wide-ranging conversation about fires, fluids, permits, and the fine line between optimism and logistical hell.