News

The power of the outdoor economy is no joke, and universities around the country are starting to pay attention. In the last five years, the industry has seen a spike in educational offerings geared towards jump-starting careers in the outdoor space. For those who’ve already ...read more

As president-elect Joe Biden begins naming officials to fill his cabinet, leaders in the outdoor industry are keeping a close eye on individuals who will influence climate policy over the next four years. Most notable thus far: John Kerry, whom Biden has tapped to fill the newly ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web REI’s newest location: The retailer plans to open its first store in central Pennsylvania next year. [Penn Live] Oxygen levels on Everest: How global warming is altering air composition on the world’s highest peak. ...read more

We're helmet fans here at SNEWS. Skiing or snowboarding without something to protect your noggin is a risk no one should take, especially when the industry puts out so many awesome models to choose from. There are a lot of different helmet types and features out there—in-mold, ...read more

In this edition of Straight Talk, Editorial Director Kristin Hostetter sits down for a candid Zoom conversation with Ryan Gellert, the new CEO of Patagonia. It's his first U.S. interview since taking the helm.  Key takeaways include: Patagonia's search for a greener banking ...read more

This is part two of a multi-part series. The next installments will be published in the coming weeks. You can read part one, about annual sales volume, here.  Parts two and three of our 2020 SNEWS Retailer Survey are all about manufacturers—the best and the worst of the bunch. ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web Plan for a different kind of ski season: What will the winter season look like for skiers and snowboarders? Here are some of the changes to expect. [The New York Times] Skiing returns to its roots: In another take on the ...read more

Additional reporting and writing by SNEWS contributing editor Kiran Herbert On October 31, 2019, The Colorado Sun broke a huge story that became one of the year’s biggest scandals in the outdoor industry. According to the Sun, the large online retailer Backcountry.com had engaged ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web New leadership at Patagonia: The company has hired Beth Thoren as its new environmental action and initiatives director. A mountaineering icon on film: Selena Gomez has signed on to play the mountaineering legend Silvia ...read more

It's going to be a chaotic year for holiday shopping, that's for sure. Local stores are doing their best to keep customers safe, as they have been for months, but it looks like Amazon will be poised to capitalize (once again) on a difficult situation. Read more: The outdoor ...read more

Pocket Outdoor Media, the Colorado-based active lifestyle publisher (and SNEWS’ parent company), announced an expansion of its team this week. Five new editors, formerly of Bike magazine, will join the company immediately and begin work on a new mountain biking print publication ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web KIND acquired: Mars, the maker of Snickers, has announced plans to buy Kind North America, the company responsible for Kind Bars. [The New York Times] Back from the brink of death: A hiker rescued from Mount Rainier this ...read more

My parents founded Townsend Bertram & Company in 1988 with the dream of creating a vibrant community of adventures. After 32 years in business, my mom will be closing the doors for the last time this Thanksgiving. Over the last few weeks, we’ve held a “retirement sale” and have ...read more

Well, that didn't take long.  Public lands advocates cheered this summer when the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which guarantees permanent financial support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), was passed. Now, just a few months later, a top official in the ...read more

Snowsports Industries America has officially released its annual participation report for the 2019-2020 season—a data-driven glimpse into the demographics of Americans who recreated outdoors last winter. While it's notoriously difficult to use data like these to predict trends ...read more

This is part one of a multi-part series. The next installments will be published in the coming weeks. It's been a long time coming, but the SNEWS Retailer Survey is finally back. A few years have passed since our last iteration of this series, and in that time, the industry has ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web The North Face hacked: A cyberattack on The North Face has exposed customers’ names, addresses, birth dates, and phone numbers to hackers. [IT World Canada] Sun Valley snags major award: SKI magazine has named Sun Valley ...read more

We're saddened to announce the passing of a dear friend and colleague last week: Jim Ramey, a longtime independent sales rep and the owner of Adventure Sales in Kent, Washington. Jim held many jobs in the outdoor industry over the course of his long career, from assistant store ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web An error in the press: News outlets around the world misreported Emily Harrington's El Cap record last week, incorrectly stating that she was the first woman to free climb the iconic big wall in less than 24 hours. In ...read more

Let's get this out of the way first: The election of Joe Biden as the nation's 46th president is, without question, a positive development for the outdoor industry. If enacted, the likely policies of a Biden presidency—including forward-thinking climate action, greater public ...read more

Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web Choosing a leader for the NPS: Three candidates are currently on Biden’s short list to lead the National Park Service. [E&E News] YETI’s performance surges: The brand reported a 62 percent boost in direct-to-consumer ...read more

There’s a demographic shift taking place in the United States: By the year 2045, we’ll be a non-white majority country and the outdoor industrywill either follow suit or flounder. That fact alone should motivate companies to diversify both their internal hires and customer base, ...read more

Face masks are part of our everyday gear kits nowadays and having only one will not suffice. Tons of brands have jumped into the mask-making business and more are getting into it by the day. Most recently, Helly Hansen launched one made of their moisture-wicking LIFA fabric and ...read more

The numbers are in.  The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) came out with its annual report today dissecting the importance of the outdoor economy across the nation. Officially an analysis of the agency's Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account, which measures "economic activity ...read more