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Outdoor Unfiltered

Outdoor Unfiltered

De : Rock Fight LLC
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Want to know what's REALLY going on in the outdoor industry? Move past the PR speak and platitudes. Get the "why" behind the headlines with the unvarnished truth about the outdoor industry's biggest drivers. Host Eoin Comerford -- former CEO, marketer, and consultant -- brings two decades of industry scars and successes to the table. He’s calling out the missteps, celebrating the innovators, and dissecting the "playbook" used by the world’s leading outdoor brands and retailers. Alongside guest experts, Eoin dives into the topics that actually move the needle: - Market Drivers: Affordability, sustainability, and the "authenticity" gap. - Retail Reality: What’s actually happening on the floor vs. the boardroom. - Future-Proofing: Connecting you to the insiders shaping where the industry goes next. Stop skimming the surface. Hit play to get better informed, more connected, and a step ahead of the competition. It’s way more interesting down here.Copyright 2026 Rock Fight, LLC Economie Management Management et direction Politique et gouvernement
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  • Earnings Season Reality Check & Troy Sicotte on Mountain Hardwear's Turnaround

    Earnings Season Reality Check & Troy Sicotte on Mountain Hardwear's Turnaround
    Aug 17 2026

    This week I break down Q2 earnings across the outdoor and active industry, including Yeti, On, Wolverine Worldwide (Merrell, Saucony), VF Corp (The North Face, Timberland, Vans), Birkenstock, Clarus Group (Black Diamond), and Decker's Hoka, plus a preview of Amer Sports' upcoming report on Arc'teryx and Salomon.

    I also cover Outdoor Retailer's new partnership with REI Co-op's Path Ahead Ventures ahead of Outdoor Retailer 2026.

    Lastly I sit down with Troy Sicotte, President of Mountain Hardwear, to talk through the brand's history from its 1993 founding, its sale to Columbia Sportswear Company, its decline through the 2010s, and the turnaround led by Joe Vernaccio and Troy himself, including the "Seek Wilder Paths" brand relaunch, its retail partnerships with dealers like Wes Allen, and where the brand is headed under Columbia through 2030.

    Show Notes

    0:00 – Episode preview: earnings roundup, Outdoor Retailer news, and interview with Troy Sicotte of Mountain Hardwear.

    0:43 – Methodology note on constant currency and tariff refund distortions in Q2 gross margins.

    2:08 – Yeti's Q2 results: net sales up 9%, SG&A growth outpacing sales, and slowing drinkware growth.

    5:10 – On's Q2 results: sales up 22%, stock down 20%, and the strategy behind throttling wholesale.

    7:14 – Wolverine Worldwide's Q2 results: Merrell and Saucony growth, inventory discipline, and a 10% stock jump.

    8:57 – VF Corp's Q2 results: The North Face growth, continued Vans declines, and debt reduction.

    10:51 – Birkenstock's Q2 results and a 33.7% adjusted EBITDA margin.

    12:11 – Clarus Group and Black Diamond's Q2 results and Neil Fiske's apparel turnaround.

    14:32 – Decker's Hoka results and crossing the billion-dollar revenue mark.

    15:11 – What the Q2 earnings season says about the outdoor industry overall.

    15:58 – Preview of Amer Sports' upcoming earnings and Arc'teryx and Salomon's growth trajectory. 16:24 – Sponsor message: ISPO's relaunch in Amsterdam this November.

    17:13 – Outdoor Retailer 2026 preview: REI Co-op's Path Ahead Ventures partnership and buyer attendance.

    19:21 – Sponsor message: Crux Retail's custom retail fixtures for outdoor brands.

    20:13 – Introducing guest Troy Sicotte, President of Mountain Hardwear.

    21:35 – The history of Mountain Hardwear from its 1993 founding through its sale to Columbia.

    25:37 – The leadership changes and product missteps behind Mountain Hardwear's decline in the 2010s.

    32:18 – The 2022 brand strategy work that led to "Seek Wilder Paths" and the 30th anniversary relaunch.

    35:14 – How Mountain Hardwear builds branded retail environments with partners like Wes Allen.

    39:27 – Troy's career path from Birkenstock tech rep to The North Face to Mountain Hardwear president.

    43:44 – What it's like operating Mountain Hardwear inside Columbia Sportswear Company under Tim Boyle.

    45:24 – Troy's outlook for Mountain Hardwear's growth through 2030 and industry overproduction concerns.

    49:52 – Closing thoughts and how to contact the show.

    Sponsors

    ISPO unites the sporting and outdoor goods industry, inspiring global movement, protecting the places we play, and providing a single, streamlined platform for the brands, athletes, buyers, and innovators who shape the future of sport. www.ispo.com

    Crux Retail creates bold retail displays for bold brands. www.crux-retail.com

    Connect With Us

    We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries, or whatever's on your mind. DM me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/eoincomerford/ or email outdoorunfilteredpod@gmail.com.
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    51 min
  • What Killed Accell? Plus: The Fight to Build the Next Great Outdoor Brand!

    What Killed Accell? Plus: The Fight to Build the Next Great Outdoor Brand!
    Aug 10 2026
    Eoin Comerford breaks down the insolvency of Accell Group -- parent company of Raleigh, Haibike, Ghost, Lapierre, Winora, and Babboe -- and explains why KKR's leveraged buyout, not the cycling market itself, is what broke the balance sheet.Then, a clear-eyed look at the Outdoor Industry Association's Climate Action Corps and Clean Chemistry Materials Coalition progress reports: participation is up 36%, but the execution gap between targets and operational change is the key challenge.In the guest segment, Katie Doherty and Enhao Li, co-founders of Founded Outdoors, join to talk about the state of funding, the real impact of tariffs on small outdoor brands, what separates the founders who reach seven figures from those who stall, the REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures-backed Embark accelerator program, and how Founded Outdoors' free community of 600+ outdoor entrepreneurs is helping early-stage brands get started, grow, and stay in business.Supported by ISPO Amsterdam (November 3-5) and Crux Retail.TOPICS 0:00 - Introduction to this episode's topics: Accell Group's insolvency, outdoor sustainability, and the challenges facing emerging outdoor brands.0:45 - Accell Group overview: Europe's largest cycling group -- Raleigh, Haibike, Winora, Ghost, Lapierre, Babboe, XLC -- and how a 2.6 billion euro KKR-led leveraged buyout set the stage for collapse.2:09 - How the pandemic cycling boom, a supply chain whiplash, crashing margins, and 300 million euros in additional KKR capital still couldn't outrun a debt clock.3:30 - What the Dutch suspension of payments process means for Accell's brands, employees, independent bike dealers, and the broader cycling market -- with context from Giant and Shimano's latest results.7:44 - Sponsor: ISPO Amsterdam, November 3-5 -- the relaunched trade show under Raccoon Media Group, featuring Rab, DB, Hestra, Fabletics, and more, plus the BrandNew showcase for emerging brands and a retailer scholarship program. www.ispo.com8:46 - Outdoor Industry Association sustainability update: participation in the Climate Action Corps and Clean Chemistry Materials Coalition jumped 36% year over year to 114 companies, despite tariffs, rising costs, and a hostile policy environment.10:24 - The execution gap: why having climate targets and RSLs is not the same as having funded roadmaps, supply chain visibility beyond the first-tier factory, or measurable emissions reductions.14:04 - Sponsor: Crux Retail -- custom retail fixture design for outdoor brands including Yakima, Dometic, Wahoo, and Clif Bar. www.crux-retail.com15:15 - Guest intro: Katie Doherty and Enhao Li, co-founders of Founded Outdoors, join to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing emerging outdoor brands.15:31 - What Founded Outdoors is: a free Slack community of 600+ outdoor brands, state and regional outdoor business landscape reports, and paid accelerator and workshop programming -- all supported by state outdoor business alliances, outdoor rec offices, economic development groups, and REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures.23:57 - The founding story of Founded Outdoors: how Katie Doherty and Enhao Li went from running a tech incubator and an app for professional mentorship to building the outdoor founder support ecosystem.23:57 - Funding for outdoor brands: why venture capital is a poor fit for most outdoor businesses, the realities of inventory and lead-time financing, the evolution of crowdfunding platforms like Wefunder and Republic, and Wild Rise as a case study.32:29 - Tariffs and their impact on Founded Outdoors' community: 60% of product founders manufacturing internationally, 70% of those in China, and how unpredictability froze decision-making and forced some businesses to close.36:01 - What separates founders who scale to seven figures: mastering paid advertising on Meta, cracking wholesale channel strategy, leveraging Amazon for the right product categories, and the importance of dedicated ownership of marketing -- with a shoutout to Mallory at Ur, Moosejaw, and Andrew Luter's approach to creative outdoor investing.42:12 - REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures: a discussion of its $4 million investment across 23 companies, what equity investing can and cannot do for early-stage outdoor brands, and how grants paired with education outperform capital alone.43:35 - The Embark program: Founded Outdoors' two-and-a-half month accelerator for early-stage outdoor entrepreneurs of color, in partnership with REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures -- covering brand-building, customer acquisition, pitch preparation, and a $5,000 grant.47:33 - The next five years for Founded Outdoors: scaling programming alongside growing state and regional investment in outdoor recreation, and why emerging outdoor brands are the economic development engines for their communities -- with a reference to Dr. Amanda Weinstein at the Center for Rural Innovation.49:16 - How outdoor founders can join the Founded Outdoors community: foundedoutdoors.comCONNECT WITH USWe would...
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    51 min
  • HOKA's Reality Check & Surf Industry Drama

    HOKA's Reality Check & Surf Industry Drama
    Aug 3 2026

    Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down La Jolla Group's surprise decision to drop the O'Neill license after 33 years and what a sealed legal battle with Sisco Textiles might reveal about what actually happened.

    Then, a close read of Deckers' latest earnings report and what slowing HOKA growth really signals. Lastly, Snow Peak Brand and Marketing Director Mike Andersen joins the show to talk about the Japanese camping brand's cult following, its Long Beach Peninsula camp field, the award-winning Takibi restaurant inside Portland HQ, the acquisition of Epic Fly Rods through Swift Fly Fishing, the $330 million Bain Capital-led buyout, and how Snow Peak is building something most outdoor brands can't: genuine community.

    Timestamps

    (0:24) What's Really Behind the O'Neill Breakup

    (7:46) ISPO Amsterdam — Sponsor message

    (7:58) HOKA's Growth Deceleration

    (13:27) Guest Introduction: Mike Anderson, Snow Peak

    (14:01) Snow Peak's Origin Story

    (16:55) Snow Peak's US Camp Field on the Long Beach Peninsula

    (19:11) Takibi Restaurant Inside Snow Peak's Portland HQ

    (23:04) Swift Fly Fishing, Epic Fly Rods, and Snow Peak's Fly Fishing Strategy

    (26:22) Post-COVID Rebuild and the Shift to DTC

    (27:55) The Bain Capital Buyout and What It Means for US Growth

    (29:17) What Gets Mike Anderson Most Excited About Snow Peak's Future

    Our Sponsors

    ISPO — Unites the sporting and outdoor goods industry - inspiring global movement, protecting the places we play and providing a single, streamlined platform for the brands, athletes, buyers and innovators who shape the future of sport. www.ispo.com

    Crux Retail — Creating bold retail displays for bold brands. www.crux-retail.com

    Connect With Us

    We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries or whatever's on your mind.

    Email: outdoorunfilteredpod@gmail.com

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eoincomerford/

    If you find value in the show, please follow and leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other people in the industry find us.

    Outdoor Unfiltered is a production of Rockfight LLC.
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    33 min
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