The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

The Rock Fight Signs Off With a Final Look at the Outdoor Industry

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 thinking still matter.No headlines. No hot takes. Just one last honest conversation before the final stone is thrown.

All Rock Fights Must Come To An End

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 the outdoor space.Come back on Monday January 23 for our final episode.Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to myrockfight@gmail.com.

What Does Stoke Footwear Mean For The Outdoor Industry?

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 hundreds of retail doors. Is this smart retail validation, or another case of active heritage being repackaged for a different audience?Lastly for The Parting Shot, Colin takes aim at the promotion of Alex Honnold's next big thing.Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. 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.

The Bottle Bubble & the Brick-and-Mortar Pivot

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 own stores, how DTC has evolved into an omnichannel strategy, and what that means for wholesale partners. Plus, the Lightning Round covers ski patrol strikes*, Everest trash, and why bikes still sit awkwardly outside the outdoor industry.*This episode was recorded before the Telluride Patroller's strike ended.Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. 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.

10 Predictions for 2026 + Timberland’s No Good Very Bad Boot

Today on The Rock Fight Colin and Producer Dave help break down Eoin's ten predictions for the outdoor industry in 2026! From tariffs and retail shakeups to REI’s membership future, used gear going mainstream, peak trail running culture, and AI becoming your next gear buddy.Then for The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear, Colin calls out Timberland’s latest boot, using it as a case study in what happens when legacy brands lose the plot on product quality, relevance, and execution. Watch the video that sparked the conversation by clicking here.What do you think of our predictions? Weigh in with your opinion and make your own outdoor industry 2026 prediction by clicking here!Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC.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.