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The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office didn't have to look far to replace Luis Benitez, after he announced in March that he was leaving for VF Corporation. Nathan Fey has had his nose underneath the office's tent since its early days. He was a consultant, had a seat on ...read more

One of the outdoor industry's bright stars, Sam Coffey, died unexpectedly on Monday after suffering a series of strokes last week. He was 29. The Aspen Times reported—and confirmed through Olympic ski racer and Coffey's longtime friend Wiley Maple—that the skier suffered a ...read more

It's summer break and a family of four with two teenage kids is driving to Yellowstone National Park. Noticing they need gas and knowing they need to stock up on a few camping essentials, the driver seat suggests that one of the kids find a good gear shop nearby. An ad for the ...read more

Connecticut-based Denali has begun a restructuring process that will continue over the next few months, according to outdoor industry insiders. It is unclear so far whether the outdoor specialty retailer will close stores. However, the Wakefield location is permanently closed, ...read more

Last year a Congressional report confirmed what many within the outdoor industry already knew: climate change will transform the way we do business. The report projected that unless serious action is taken to curb global warming, the U.S. economy could shrink by nearly 10 percent ...read more

Last year, Noa Ries was stuck in a rut. After founding a women's activewear company that took off with investors, she no longer felt like it was her own. As much as it was painful to part ways, her epiphany that she was no longer fulfilled led her to start The Nook Online with ...read more

Less than a year after Seattle's Ascent Outdoors opened a second location and not even a month after celebrating its 23rd anniversary, the business has unexpectedly shuttered all three of its doors.  The business has not made any official announcements about the closure, other ...read more

For every square foot of Gearheads Outdoor Store, there's dozens more SKUs of gear. Snowshoes, backpacks, and sleeping pads hang from the ceiling. Camp mugs, footwear, and do-dads decorate the walls. What might be classified as a neat-freak's nightmare is what Gearheads is best ...read more

Six months have passed since Carolann Ouellette was hired to lead Maine's Office of Outdoor Recreation and based on the support from Gov. Janet Mills and other in decision-making roles, it sounds like she'll be around for much longer. Ouellette's post and office will soon be ...read more

In front of a room of journalists in March, Jonathan Nielsen described himself as really good snowboarder, a frequent mountain biker, and an adequate climber. The audience chuckled and the Backcountry CEO took a pause before spilling his excitement over the company's biggest ...read more

Today Grassroots Outdoor Alliance announced the roster of finalists for its 2019 awards, which celebrate the very best in specialty outdoor retail. The winners will be crowned at the group’s Connect buying show on Saturday, June 8, 2019, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Awards are given ...read more

When a climber, a whitewater paddler, an insurance guy, and a guy with a little bit of money got together in 1975, they started High Country Outfitters along the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, Georgia. As the only outdoor shop in the area at the time, business boomed and ...read more

When you walk into most outdoor retailer shops, you see men’s and women’s sportswear sections, men’s and women’s footwear walls, pack walls divided by gender and men’s and women’s accessories. As a cis woman, (a person whose gender identity consistently matches the gender they ...read more

More than five years ago, President Barack Obama nominated a new general counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Avi Garbow had been a federal environmental crimes prosecutor, with decades of experience tackling the most critical threats to air, water, and land. In ...read more

At the end of any given trade show, outdoor retailers are left with stacks and stacks of paper catalogues from various brands. They have to make the choice to either ship them home to their store, pack them in their luggage, or toss them out.  "The carbon footprint gets to be ...read more

Water lapping and boats bumping against the docks. The sun's reflection shimmering and dancing across the water. The smell of warm plastic kayaks and seafood. Located in the idyllic fishing village of Wickford in the ocean state, kayaking isn't just a hobby—it's a lifestyle. ...read more

We work in a passion-based industry, and most of us love what we do, but that doesn’t mean we should get punished for it by making less. Talking about money can be uncomfortable. In fact, it’s kind of a taboo. So how do you know if your salary is fair? The goal of this survey is ...read more

John Sterling, who has served as executive director of the Conservation Alliance since 2004, announced this morning that he’s stepping down. Sterling has accomplished a lot during his 15 years at the helm of the organization and he walks away having achieved the specific goals ...read more

Up in quaint Ketchum, Idaho, Cassie Abel always has something to do. As the owner of women's apparel brand Wild Rye and founder of White Cloud Communication, as well as being an active skier, hiker, mountain biker, and dog owner, you can find her firing off emails and ...read more

After one year in business, KAMP is sadly shuttering its doors on March 31. The boutique outdoor retailer opened in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 7, 2018 with the goal of introducing more people to the outdoors through unique and inclusive community-based experiences. They also ...read more

Meet the future of the outdoor industry. These four have a fierce determination to create a new path forward for the outdoors, and they're doing it with a degree of awareness and intersectionality we've never seen before. 1. Outdoor education Pinar Ates Sinopoulos-Lloyd, 30, ...read more

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