People

Camber Outdoors Executive Director Deanne Buck has tendered her resignation after six years at the helm of the organization who's mission is "equity in the outdoors, from boardroom to backcountry." Buck will be replaced, on an interim basis, by Camber board member Diana Seung, ...read more

James Kubik, 27, lost a friend to a sailing accident during his childhood. His friend, her younger sister, and her father were separated from their boat and didn't have a way to call for help and ultimately, she drowned. Their marine-grade SOS device and other safety equipment ...read more

REI President and CEO Jerry Stritzke is resigning on March 15 after he and the Board of Directors agreed that his relationship with another leader in the outdoor industry is a perceived conflict of interest. Rob Discher, director of communications and public affairs, had "no ...read more

At Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2019, Reporter Kelly Bastone sat down for an intimate chat with Klaus Obermeyer, who will turn 100 this year and has a lot to teach us all about business, skiing, and living large. Obermeyer started his namesake ski apparel company in 1947 and has ...read more

Outdoor Retailer brings together some of my favorite people in the world, people I am so grateful to call friends and colleagues. I thoroughly enjoy getting together with these fine people of the outdoor and snowsports industry. But the reality is that the thrice-annual OR shows ...read more

Our Outdoor Specialty Retail Store Directory (available for purchase and download below) is truly specialty outdoor retail. We created a list that embodied specialty outdoor retailers—those selling at least the core outdoor products of backpacks, tents and sleeping bags. Apparel- ...read more

John Hickenlooper is a household name in Colorado and even in the outdoor industry, and a name that's surfacing nationwide as a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. There's been chatter since as early as last April that he'll run for president and every day, it seems like ...read more

From the moment that sliding down a mountain on wooden boards strapped to a person’s feet became a popular pastime, it’s been a male-dominated activity. Today, men still make up the majority of the ski industry’s market, but there's evidence the gender tides are slowly ...read more

From electronics to apparel, dog food to toilet paper, consumers are turning to e-commerce avenues for their convenience and speed. And with product reviews at their fingertips, price comparison capabilities just a click away and two-day shipping that’s often free, why wouldn’t ...read more

Since the inception of our #CoolShops column in March 2017, SNEWS has sought out innovative, authentic, and standout specialty outdoor stores across the country. As of this month, we’ve featured nearly 50 retailers, each with something to share on doing retail right. Every day, ...read more

When Jill Shuman started pitching retailers her natural blister prevention product, eNZees Foot Soother, in 2016, Backcountry Experience was her first stop. Having built his business on expert bootfitting, Ben Rockis, the store's owner, was immediately all in.  "She looked at me ...read more

When Erica Engle started working toward her American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) certification in 2006, there were only a few female role models in the guiding industry. More men than women taught her the ropes. But now, thanks to a grant by The North Face, the AMGA ...read more

A new set of responsibilities come with homeownership—yard work, paying property taxes, following zoning rules. But there's also newfound freedoms that renting doesn't offer, such as getting to remodel and paint, and avoiding landlord troubles and inflated rent prices. The same ...read more

As photos and stories of trash and waste piling up in national parks circulate, the American Alpine Club reached out with an open letter detailing another adverse affect of the government shutdown. Here is the full letter, penned by Phill Powers, Chief Executive Officer, and Mark ...read more

Victoria Payne describes herself in 2006 as a non-athletic, African American single mom who was trying to climb the corporate ladder as a number cruncher in corporate America. Her closet was filled with colorful silk tops, pant suits, and pumps. She sat in a cubicle and she was ...read more

There aren’t many feel-good stories about a bunch of white guys with shaved heads in 2018, but here’s one. After three rounds of chemo to treat Hodgkins Lymphoma, John DiCuollo —the longtime PR pro for Backbone Media, who is ubiquitously known across the outdoor industry by his ...read more

Kenny Parker lives in a world of awesome. That's how the co-owner of Water Stone Outdoors talks about living in Fayetteville, West Virginia. "If you like to play outside, it's a good choice. It's a good place to hide from the world." And if you like to climb, the New River Gorge ...read more

*This article is the third in a three-part series about developing women’s events in specialty outdoor retail shops. Part 1 covers the development and goal-setting; Part 2 covers securing speakers, sponsors, and brand involvement; Part 3 covers marketing the event. The scariest ...read more

Ever since 36-year-old Tommy Danger left behind the flatlands of Indiana—and his past as a poor, overweight kid nicknamed Fat Tom who liked to catch frogs and snakes just for fun—he's been obsessed with adventuring and pushing the limits in running, biking, high altitude ...read more

“Did you happen to catch the presentation by those folks from Louisiana?” asked veteran outdoor retailer Beezer Molten, owner of Half-Moon Outfitters. “What they have going on is a whole new level of commitment to the community, which is something to aspire to.” Molten wasn’t ...read more

*This article is the second in a three-part series about developing women’s events in specialty outdoor retail shops. Part 1 covers the development and goal-setting; Part 2 covers securing speakers, sponsors, and brand involvement; Part 3 covers marketing the event. It was ...read more

Anyone who bumped into Carol Momoda was always glad they did. Just the sight of her made people smile and her laugh made them smile even bigger. Described as a larger-than-life personality, Momoda was an icon in the outdoor industry and worked at REI, Lowa Boots, and Smartwool. ...read more

At least one thing that retailers have over online sellers is the in-store experience, and showing off product in engaging ways does more than just sell. It persuades shoppers to return for inspiration, human interaction, and to be wowed.  Enter Robin Enright Salcido, a ...read more

This article is the first in a three-part series about developing women’s events in specialty outdoor retail shops. Part 1 covers development and goal-setting; Part 2 covers securing speakers, sponsors, and brand involvement; Part 3 covers marketing the event. There wasn’t an ...read more