2020 was the year of virtual trade shows and the question on everyone’s mind now is whether or not 2021 will look the same. According to the organizers of the twice-annual surf and water sports event, Surf Expo, the answer is a definitive “no.” If that show is any sort of ...read more
The specter of layoffs and permanent closure hovers over small, independent outdoor retailers even in the best economic times. With the coronavirus dampening consumer spending and forcing temporary shutdowns, disaster scenarios are closing in for local shops whose every sale, ...read more
Combing through the season’s new gear can be like bushwhacking through a jungle: slow going. Consider us your personal guide. We spent weeks poring over press releases and product shots, watching embargoed videos, and asking questions about materials, features, and design. Then ...read more
East Coast waves are notoriously fickle and the surf is often plagued with flat spells, but for surf and skate brand Jetty it was just an excuse to follow their own line. This soon became Jetty's "calling card"—thriving from the challenges of bipolar seasons and changeable ...read more
Last year, the Super Bowl, one of the largest events in the country with more than 100,000 attendees, sought to keep 90 percent of waste out of landfills and send 10 percent to a waste-to-energy plant. Due to its magnitude, some were skeptical. But they pulled it off. Now, it's ...read more
When baristas offer single-use cups and food vendors offer reusable utensils, most of us have begun to say, "No, thanks, I'll use my own." We do this because we understand that single-use plastic is a burden to our beloved planet. As we count down to Outdoor Retailer Summer ...read more
Truth: Single-use plastic sucks. We all know it. So let’s do something about it at our biggest convergence as an industry: Outdoor Retailer. Minimizing our impact on the planet is central to so many of our brands, yet we consume untold amounts of single-use plastic at our most ...read more
Leading up to the first Outdoor Retailer Winter Market held in November, Jetty Founder Cory Higgins was nervous. Retailers he was hoping to meet with were skipping the fall show to attend the January Snow Show instead, causing him concern that he wouldn’t get to meet with key ...read more