SNEWS Your source for outdoor, snow sports, and adventure travel news
Aggressive discounting: How online holiday sales take a toll on specialty retail
Black Friday was a success for Salida Mountain Sports, but not because they lured customers in with steep discounts. Prices stayed steady, and if the Colorado store missed some sales because they weren’t discounting, store owner Nate Porter said so be it. Small specialty outdoor ...read more
Choose the winner of the #CoolShop Awards
In 2019, we shone the spotlight on 12 standout specialty outdoor stores across the country in our #CoolShops column. From matching prices online to offering free drinking water to preserving their town's history, these shops are seriously killing it at retail. And through our ...read more
Read the digital issue of The Voice
“The best outdoor trade magazine…ever.” “Must-read for anyone in the outdoor industry.” “The Voice fearlessly tackles all of the outdoor industry’s biggest, most complicated topics.” These are just some of the comments that have rolled in about issue #1 and issue #2 of The ...read more
Play trivia with SNEWS and The Voice
Quick: Who's the founder of Patagonia? Where is Salewa's headquarters? Which brand makes the Precip jacket? Who founded SNEWS? You better be sharp on your outdoor industry knowledge because on the first night of Outdoor Retailer, we're hosting a trivia night with questions ...read more
Recent Press Releases
Since 1984, SNEWS has been the outdoor industry’s most trusted source for trade news, company and retailer profiles, outdoor politics and issues, gear trends, and important interviews with power players.
Catch up on all the stories that are making news in the outdoor industry
Even after Backcountry dust up, Volkswagen goes after "basecamp" trademark
Just as the Backcountry backlash has faded from the news cycle, another big company has filed a trademark for a word frequently used in the outdoorist lexicon: basecamp. Volkswagen unveiled its Atlas Basecamp concept—a rugged touring machine for all types of adventure—at the 2019 ...read more
The Big Gear Show taps Kenji Haroutunian as show director
Outdoor industry longtimer Kenji Haroutunian was just appointed show director of The Big Gear Show (BGS), a new paddling, cycling, climbing, and camping gear hardgoods-only buying event staging in Salt Lake City from July 22 to 25. The appointment makes for a trifecta of former ...read more
Industry Buzz: ORCA acquired, Yosemite, L.L.Bean, Colorado Mountain Club, California, e-bikes, plastic at Buckingham Palace, and more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com. A royal order: The Queen of England is tired of single-use plastic and recently banned its use at all Royal estates. Plastic straws are being phased out. ...read more
Industry Buzz: LEKI is 30, ANWR, Hydro Flask, Capitol Summit, and Patagonia comments on employee benefits
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com. LEKI turned 30 this week: VP Greg Wozer sent us this note with a glimpse into the company's humble beginnings: "It was 30 years ago today (January 9, 1990) about ...read more
In the wild with Brunton Outdoor Group's Becky Day
It's 7 a.m. on a weekday in October and I'm meeting Becky Day, marketing manager at Brunton Outdoor Group, for a pre-work hike. We're two of four cars in the parking lot at the trailhead for the Spring Brook Loop near Boulder—one of her favorite hikes in the area. It's early ...read more
Sporting lifestyle brand makes all-mountain ski
Hot New Products are written by the company and edited for space and clarity. They do not express the opinions of SNEWS or its editors. Pitched by Ball and Buck: On Dec. 6, we launched a signature ski in collaboration with Parlor Custom Skis, the largest ski manufacturer in New ...read more
Industry Buzz: Hell's Kitchen, Grylls and Honnold, Wigwam, VF Corp, Big City Mountaineers, Granite Gear, and brands helping Australia
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com. Huge win for climbing: Access Fund helped get Hell’s Kitchen bouldering area outside Chattanooga, Tennessee permanently protected as part of Cumberland Trail ...read more
Poll | Did you buy any outdoor gear through discount email offers this holiday season?
'Tis the season for passive email promotions. We're working on a story about how email promotions impact specialty retailers during the holiday season. Your answer will help inform our story. So spill the beans. Want to share more? Comment below or email us at ...read more
Backpacker's Pantry President Rodney Smith dies after ski accident near Boulder
The outdoor community is mourning Rodney Smith, the president and owner of American Outdoor Products who died on Jan. 2 after a tragic ski accident at Eldora Mountain, just north of Boulder, Colorado. He was 57. "He left us all too soon but spent his final days doing what he ...read more
Industry Buzz: Pattie Gonia, OIA board positions, Thule Group, PrimaLoft and adidas, polybags, and more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com. Attention Plastic Impact Alliance members: If you're exhibiting at Outdoor Retailer, please click here to get your PIA booth signage. We'll deliver it at the ...read more
Learn how to sell bug-repellent clothing
Nobody wants to be bothered by mosquitoes, flies, no-see-ums, or any other bug while trying to enjoy nature. But more and more people are steering clear of chemical bug repellents like DEET. That’s why bug-repellent clothing can be a great alternative for consumers looking to ...read more
What can we do about polybag proliferation?
The outdoor industry has a love/hate relationship with polybags, those ubiquitous clear plastic bags that seem to encase every apparel item we sell. Growing public awareness about the urgent problem of plastic pollution is intensifying scrutiny of single-use plastic, and how ...read more