Amelia Arvesen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For those without a real fireplace, the digital Yule log is a genius modern invention. You can find Yule Log videos featuring cats, corgis, Star Wars characters, and actor Nick Offerman. And now BioLite has its own take on the holiday tradition. Kick up your feet and enjoy ...read more

Over the last 12 months, we've published more than 630 stories—along with two 100-page magazines—on topics most relevant and important to the outdoor industry. From Alex Honnold's Oscar win to unrest at Camber Outdoors, we've covered the highs and lows that define our 2019 as an ...read more

For anyone climbing in the Shawangunk Mountains in New York, stopping at Rock and Snow in New Paltz isn't an option—it's mandatory. As one of the oldest specialty climbing gear shops in the country, only minutes from The Gunks, it's an important piece of climbing history. The ...read more

When he's not spending time in his stores, you can find Half-Moon Outfitters Owner Beezer Molten at his newly-finished, off-grid tiny house with family and friends. Actually, you probably can't find him even if you tried because his cabin is tucked deep in the jungle-like woods ...read more

The last 17 days have been monumental for Patagonia. The company on Monday announced—with surprise and delight—that it raised $10 million in donations for 1,043 grassroots environmental organizations in the U.S. and Europe. Patagonia planned on keeping the donation period open ...read more

Last week, President Donald Trump shared welcome news on Twitter: The U.S. and China reached the first phase of a trade deal and is forging ahead on a second phase. Because of the negotiations, a 15 percent tariff on outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment on List 4B slated for ...read more

Following The Big Gear Show announcement on Monday, the outdoor industry has voiced mixed response to the new hardgoods-only event with a consumer day and reduced footprint in Salt Lake City in July 2020. Some say that another show further splinters an already-fractured industry, ...read more

With beaches, forests, plains, and mountains, Minnesota is a bountiful land for outdoor enthusiasts. And soon, a task force of 20 people will identify even more outdoor economic and participation opportunities around the state. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ...read more

The outdoor industry is closely watching the Trump administration's trade deals, given the unfurling of several rounds of tariffs over the last two years. Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) recently provided two updates for members. North American Free Trade Agreement After ...read more

Emerald Expositions, parent of Outdoor Retailer, this week announced changes to its executive team and its portfolio.  Appointed in June, Sally Shankland is stepping down as president and chief executive officer at the end of the year due to personal health reasons. She will ...read more

Come summer 2020, the outdoor industry will have yet another trade show to choose from. The Big Gear Show, a concept by longtime retailers Sutton Bacon and Darren Bush, the team behind Paddlesports Retailer, is slated for July 22 to 25, 2020, in Salt Lake City. The hardgoods-only ...read more

After Outdoor Retailer's unexpected cancellation of the November show in Denver, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance has decided to move its fall event to Kansas City beginning in November 2020. The selection process included more than 20 cities. Denver and Reno, Nevada were finalists, ...read more

In the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn and Los Angeles, outdoor lovers take refuge in a naturally-lit, well-curated gear store, Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co., stocking only the most fashionable and functional products. KEEN, Mystery Ranch, Mammut, and Fjällräven blend tastefully ...read more

During an attempt to free climb the Golden Gate Route on Sunday, professional climber Emily Harrington took a 40-foot fall down El Capitan.  Harrington said in an Instagram post that she pin-balled down the rock and then hit the rope with her neck. She is "banged up, but gonna ...read more

Since sharing the news of Adventure 16's closing, SNEWS has received dozens of messages from former employees, longtime customers, and admirers in the outdoor industry. It's clear that A16 had a wide reach and touched so many lives during its nearly six decades in business. It's ...read more

Every day is an adventure for Brittney and Jonathan Meier, who opened Wanderlust Outfitters in September 2016 in St. Joseph, Michigan. Situated on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, they're surrounded by forests, streams, and other natural wonders, perfect for outdoor ...read more

Just yesterday, John Mead told about 35 employees across two remaining stores that Adventure 16 is closing altogether before the end of the year. The business is perhaps one of the best known premier specialty outdoor retailers, with a rich history dating back to 1962 in ...read more

Snowboarding wouldn't be the sport and community it is today if it wasn't for Jake Burton Carpenter. The OG snowboarder and founder of Burton Snowboards died on Wednesday night at age 65 from a recurrence of cancer. Employees learned of his death through an email sent by Co-CEO ...read more

Outdoor businesses are running out of wiggle room for tariffs on all types of products, as duty after duty gets added to the cost of doing business with China. Some brands are turning to their last resort—raising prices. “The China tariffs are looking more and more like a giant ...read more

Compared side by side, Winter Park and Buena Vista are pretty similar. They're both mountain towns in Colorado located next to glorious natural resources, and they both have small populations and tight-knit communities. But Dave Blazer is excited to learn the nuances between the ...read more

Not only is Backcountry apologizing to smaller brands impacted by its trademark litigation, the online retailer has formed partnerships with at least three so far as part of making reparations with consumers and the outdoor community. On Monday night, Wild Barn Coffee—formerly ...read more

Anabelle McLean believes there are two reasons people don't wash their outdoor gear: They either don't know how or they don't carve out the extra time. Because washing your ski pants or sleeping bag requires more than just mixing them in with your jeans and T-shirts. Her new ...read more

Backcountry CEO Jonathan Nielsen said he received an online threat from someone last week after he released a public letter of apology regarding the company's trademark-enforcement strategy. The Park Record reported that the online retailer's general counsel reported the threat ...read more

What would you do with $100,000? Queena Bergen, a software engineer turned poet and motivational speaker, said she would quit her job to travel the country "to bring motivation, inspiration and poetry to the forefront of any conversation."  "I want to help people believe that ...read more

'Tis the season for pop-up shops and exhibits, where shoppers have one more choice to find their holiday gifts. Customers nowadays are attracted to buying experiences and many brands are looking for ways to stoke desirability through their own seasonal stores in addition to ...read more

For most people, the first week of any job entails meetings, paperwork, introductions, a building tour, and lots of administrative details to contend with. But Shannon Davis's first week as BACKPACKER's new editor-in-chief was much more, well, BACKPACKER. The team spent last ...read more

Circulating a letter of apology was the first step. Now, Backcountry CEO Jonathan Nielsen says he is making personal calls and visits to repair relationships with companies hurt in the online retailer's trademark litigation over use of the word "backcountry." Nielsen confirmed ...read more

As controversy swirls and customer outrage mounts around how Backcountry is defending its trademark, the Utah-based online retailer has potentially lost thousands of customers in its fight for the use of a single word that the outdoor industry loves to use: “backcountry.” The ...read more

Led by its Relentlessly Responsible mission, PrimaLoft has discovered a way to bond insulation fibers without using a high-heat oven, reducing carbon emissions by as much as 48 percent. The new technology is called PURE, which stands for Produced Using Reduced Emissions. It ...read more

It's not even 8 a.m. one Thursday morning in mid-September and people are erupting with laughter at Mountainsmith's headquarters in Golden, Colorado. I'm gathered around a pot of coffee and a pile of backpacks with a lively bunch of writers and Mountainsmith employees before we ...read more

In this parody film trailer, two climbers discover an unassuming gear hack for getting to the top of their project. A group of friends in Washington spent a weekend creating "Dundee," a funny reminder to "take the sports we love a little less seriously," producer Freya Fennwood ...read more

In its fourth year, Darby Communications' Stand Up Initiative isn't slowing down. The small PR agency is expanding the pro-bono service by joining forces with another Asheville-based agency, Status Forward. Instead of one lucky nonprofit per quarter, the team will select two ...read more

Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) sent an urgent policy alert on Tuesday, urging members to write to lawmakers in Congress using its letter generator.  The U.S. House of Representatives is slated to vote on three key pieces of public lands legislation, the Grand Canyon ...read more

Celebrating 45 years in business, Skinny Skis is a Jackson Hole institution. It first specialized in Nordic and cross-country skis, but has since expanded to serve runners, mountaineers, and other high-endurance and high-performance athletes living in and visiting the resort ...read more

SOG (Studies and Observations Group) is in the midst of legal action against unauthorized online sellers, who are damaging the brand's reputation. The Lynnwood, Washington-based knife and tool brand has already issued cease and desist letters to the most nefarious offenders and ...read more

While Kathmandu analyzed its use of recycled plastic in its 2019 Sustainability Report, more striking was the New Zealand brand's focus on combatting modern slavery through ethical business practices. To do that, Kathmandu in its eighth annual report outlined plans to work more ...read more

New Mexico isn't just miles and miles of barren desert: There are plenty of outdoor adventures to be had. Axie Navas will tell you. It's now her job to promote the state's outdoor recreation opportunities and uplift its outdoor business as the first-ever director of the Office ...read more

Half-Moon Outfitters breathed new life into a 15,000-square-foot auto parts building by relocating its Greenville store and inviting three other businesses to share the space. The location is now home to one of eight Half-Moon stores along with Grace Coffee Company, Circa ...read more

In 2009, Jahmicah Dawes and his college friend embarked on a road trip from their home in Texas to California in a 1986 Datsun truck. His friend's only rule was that they couldn't stay in hotels. Dawes thought he meant they'd be staying at friends' houses—not camping. Sleeping ...read more

REI's stock rooms just got deeper. The retail giant announced last week that it will be enabling select brands to ship orders directly to customers, making it easier for customers to get the right products, colors, and sizes through REI.com. The new shipping program is starting ...read more

Within an hour of disembarking a small plane at the Redmond Municipal Airport near Bend, Oregon, I find myself in the woods at the front desk of my hotel, LOGE Camps, for the weekend. Except it doesn't feel like a hotel. There's a cafe and bar, where a group of mountain bikers ...read more