Companies

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

For many new parents, attending Outdoor Retailer comes at a cost: leaving your kiddos behind. But, for Tessa Byars, the PR and communications manager at Patagonia, it was as easy as climbing into the cab of a truck. “Our daughter was six months so my husband joined,” Byars ...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

Gear brands are taking advantage of the adventure travel boom—and not by making duffels.  The United Nations World Tourism Organization has recorded robust growth in the number of international tourist trips over the past three years, and outdoor brands are jumping to ...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

Jane Anderson* is tired of telling people that you don’t have to be young to get rad. Anderson, 48, is an avid snowboarder and mountain biker. The problem is, no one seems to believe her—at least, not when she applies to jobs. Anderson currently works in communications at one of ...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

Less than two years after going out of business, wool giant Ibex Outdoor Clothing is making a comeback with new owners, a new designer, and new designs—plus some rejiggered old favorites.  Shuttered in early 2018 after struggling to find its footing in a fast-moving and ...read more

Maybe you've traveled there multiple times or maybe you've always wanted to take a tour. In this edition of Outdoor Industry IQ, select the outdoor brand's home base. And if you score at least an 8/10, don't miss the giveaway at the end. This Outdoor Industry IQ quiz is part of ...read more

Patagonia has used the same booth for trade shows for the last 15 years. You know the one: It's all corrugated metal, wood panels, natural cement floor, and messaging about sustainability. Patagonia is, of course, known as a sustainability leader within the outdoor industry, but ...read more

Tucked away in my basement, high up on a shelf is my old Moss Stargazer. It was my very first tent, and prone within its soothing, golden, nylon walls, I fell in love with sleeping outside. It's heavy, and kind of musty, and I haven't used it in years, but I'll never, ever let it ...read more

When Alison Hill landed in the Bahamas only days after Hurricane Dorian, destruction surrounded her. The LifeStraw managing director was on one of the first seaplanes to reach Grand Bahama Island, and she was equipped with LifeStraw products and other water filtration systems to ...read more

Patagonia and Burton are among the businesses closing stores and offices on Friday to demand that the government call for a climate emergency, marking the start of the week-long, youth-led Global Climate Strike. Millions of people across the world are walking out of their ...read more

Jack Wolfskin appointed Diana Seung as the first general manager of the North America operation, which will be based out of Salt Lake City. A Jack Wolfskin representative confirmed the news, without offering more information yet. Seung did not return our messages, but she ...read more

Dana Gleason was stirred in 2000 from an early retirement from the pack-making business when his daughter asked him to design her a new hip sack. Along with his longtime business partner, Mystery Ranch was founded to provide load-bearing equipment to members of the military, ...read more

Hot New Products are written by the company and edited for space and clarity. The column was previously called Elevator Pitch. They do not express the opinions of SNEWS or its editors. Pitched by Russ Rowell, Kelty senior vice president and general manager: Just in time for ...read more

In a sense, a logo is the face of a brand. It's on product, stickers, sponsorship pages for adventure films. It's a tiny image that encapsulates what a company is all about. To ace this quiz, you have to know the logos of outdoor brands like the back of your hand, or rather, like ...read more

Cascade Designs in early July cut 22 jobs from various teams and levels out of its staff of about 500 as part of the brand's reorganization, CEO James Cotter confirmed. The layoffs are tied to Cascade Designs' shift away from siloed teams to a new structure composed of one team ...read more

Hot New Products are written by the company and edited for space and clarity. The column was previously called Elevator Pitch. They do not express the opinions of SNEWS or its editors. Pitched by Jon Rosenberg, founder and CEO of Cold Case Gear. Cold Case Gear utilizes aerogel ...read more