Today on The Rock Fight, the crew runs a temperature check on the outdoor industry national trade show scene!

From fragmentation to event fatigue, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave break down whether outdoor still needs a single “north star” gathering; and who should be responsible for making it happen.

But first they hit a rapid-fire six-pack of industry stories, including:

• ANTA’s push into the U.S. market
• Arc’teryx living between performance and luxury
• L.L. Bean’s retail expansion strategy
• Why outdoor still plays it safe with color
• TNF x Skims (yes, for kids)
• Kappa’s Olympic kits

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In this episode, Colin, Shawnté, Eoin, and Producer Dave deliver their on-the-ground, end-of-show breakdown of The Running Event and Switchback 2025 — recorded moments after the TRE Retailer Awards wrapped in San Antonio.

The crew dig into what worked, what surprised them, and what the outdoor industry should take away from a trade show that knows exactly what it is.

• The TRE Retailer Awards: Emotion, community & why it works
• TRE vs. Outdoor Industry Trade Shows
• Booth Breakdown: The Best & Worst
• Trends & Rumors From the Floor
• Predictions: Who got it right and who missed? The crew evaluates their earlier predictions now that the show is done.

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From San Antonio, TX it's The Rock Fight LIVE!

Colin, Shawnté Salabert, Producer Dave and Eoin Comerford take the stage at The Running Event & Switchback 2025 for a fast, funny, high-energy conversation on the annual trade show.

• The Future of TRE & Switchback: Christina Henderson and Kent Ebersole discuss where the event is heading, how outdoor fits in, and whether an awards program is coming.
• RUNHER Magazine founder and Editor In Chief joins TRF to discuss what outdoor can learn from running when it comes to being more inclusive.
• Gear Abby Live: Shawnté answers your burning questions!
• Booth Hits & Misses: Standouts include Brooks’ funhouse, Superfeet’s geodesic dome, and Rabbit’s unbooth. Low points: Clif Bar’s table and Prana’s identity crisis.

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It's an action packed episode of The Rock Fight as Colin, Eoin Comerford, Producer Dave are joined by Gear Abby herself, Shawnté Salabert to preview and offer their predictions for this week's edition of The Running Event & Switchback!

They also dig into Dick's Sporting Goods plans for Foot Locker and respond to a listener email about the profitablity of resale economics. Lastly it's the final interview recorded at GOA Connect in Kansas City last month as the Monday crew chats with Fjallraven CEO Nathan Dopp.

• Is resale profitable? Becky from Tersus challenges the pod on resale profitability.
• Dick's/Foot Locker Update! What a $500–$750M of “pretax charges” actually means and why so much of Foot Locker’s inventory is getting liquidated.
• The Running Event Preview & Predictions: What the crew is excited for and what they think will happen at the show
• Fjallraven's Nathan Dopp: Our final GOA Connect interview!

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Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave break down two major outdoor-industry storylines: Nike’s push into trail running and Sierra’s rapid suburban takeover. Plus listener feedback, The Lightning Round, and The Parting Shot!

• Mailbag: A listener response to the Patagonia Impact Report and how they make their stuff.
• Nike Targets Trail Running: Does a Hoka lookalike and a new race sponsorship puts Nike ACG in the trail running pole position?
• The Lightning Round! Running continues to crush, REI's new travel partnership, and highlighting Women Led Wednesday!
• Sierra’s Expansion: Now at 141 U.S. stores Sierra's growth continues so The Rock Fight takes a field trip a couple of local stores to see the chain for themselves.

For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear Colin highlights a friend of the pod's outdoor industry trade show call out (and solution)!

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Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave sit down with Tony Post, founder and CEO of Topo Athletic, live from GOA Connect in Kansas City, to talk about the booming trail running market and Topo’s big year.

Topo has quietly become one of the most talked-about brands in trail running. Growing 70% last year and expanding into 25 countries all while staying true to its specialty roots and never running a sale on its website in 12 years.

• Trail Running’s Not New: Why today’s hype is really the second (or third) wave. From Leadville in the ’90s to the Born to Run era to now.
• Surviving 145% Tariffs: How Topo shifted production from China to Vietnam without sacrificing fit or durability.
• A 13-Year Overnight Success: Why Topo focused on authentic growth, not blowing up fast.
• Run vs. Outdoor Specialty: Why the brand refuses to choose.
• Silent Flex: Zero discounting… ever
• The Up-and-Comers: Tony weighs in on Speedland, Norda, and Mount to Coast and why entering the category is harder than it looks.
• Why Topo Will Still Be Here in 10 Years: Tony’s philosophy: deliver a better experience, every time.

For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin struggles with the glut of poorly executed maximal midsoles.

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Today on the show Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave return with a full-tilt breakdown of the outdoor industry’s latest developments. From trade show energy to tariff fallout to brands making questionable product choices.

• Functional Fabric Fair Recap: Dave reports from Portland with notes on increased exhibitor energy, better layouts, stronger innovation hubs, and heritage insulation brands making a comeback.
• Tariff Watch 2025 (DUN-DUN!): New China tariff adjustments, South American deals, and what they actually mean for outdoor brands. Astral, Osprey, and Terramar are already making painful adjustments.
• Patagonia’s First Impact Report: Transparency, paradox, and the “greener than thou” crowd.
• Vuori Snow Is… a Thing: A new winter sports line with a clunky launch video. Can Vuori make the jump from soft gymwear to genuine snow apparel?
• RIP Gorewear (1985–2025): Gore is shutting down its cycling/run brand after 40 years.
• Lightning Round: ON’s tariff-proof sales surge, the secondhand market grows, and Fleet Feet’s big Adidas partnership

For The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Sorel released a new brand video and Colin would like to see prAna get some Columbia portfolio love.

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

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Today on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin Comerford, and Producer Dave sit down with Amy Beck, President of Obōz Footwear (recorded at GOA Connect in Kansas City), for a wide-ranging, and honest conversation about what’s missing in the outdoor industry.

Amy’s leadership at Obōz provides a rare, grounded perspective on how brands can stay authentic while still evolving with the times.

• Hiking vs. Trail Running — Why Obōz believes hiking has never been less appreciated… and why trail running is really just hiking at a different tempo.
• Innovation Pressure — How the obsession with “the next same thing” can hold brands back, and what true innovation actually requires.
• Specialty Retail’s Role — Why Obōz waited until 2021 to launch e-commerce and why independent retailers continue to be the heartbeat of the outdoor world.
• Operating Under KMD Brands — The advantages and challenges of being part of a New Zealand-based global outdoor family.
• The Energy Gap — Amy’s case for why the industry needs more personality, more creativity, and more willingness to stand for something.

Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.

Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.

Please follow and subscribe to The Rock Fight and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.

Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to myrockfight@gmail.com.