As the clock ticks down to Outdoor Retailer鈥檚 40th anniversary show, it鈥檚 tough to zero in on a single emotion. OR has been doing its thing in Denver for five years鈥擟OVID gaps notwithstanding鈥攁nd for many, there was a sense of rightness about it that鈥檚 difficult to articulate. Yes, there鈥檚 the economic boon. Yes, there鈥檚 the central location. But at the heart of it all, OR鈥檚 Colorado residency fit the people here. The show, some would argue, was a reflection of the values and passions that make Colorado such a renowned ambassador for outdoor recreation and stewardship.

The next time this crowd gathers in early 2023, it will be back on the show鈥檚 old Utah stomping grounds. As attendees strolled the floor one last time or zipped by trying to hit that one booth they鈥檇 missed, it all seemed more final than usual. Colorado played host to a mere sliver of Outdoor Retailer鈥檚 74 shows over the years, but it鈥檚 been a meaningful, if transitional, run. Some would say the 鈥渞etailer鈥� part has lost a bit of luster over time as the show has slowly shifted its focus to other areas鈥攁dvocacy and consumer-focused elements chief among them. Will the Salt Lake City redux restore the OR of a bygone era, when big brands were king and deals were inked on the spot? Unlikely. Still, the specific nature of OR鈥檚 next chapter remains to be seen.

In the meantime, here鈥檚 our final roundup of new brands, neat gear, and deep thoughts from Outdoor Retailer Summer 2022.

Notable New Exhibitors

Performance wear with fishing roots: It might be its first time at OR, but the family-owned, Florida-based has been in the biz of outdoor wear for more than 25 years, expanding from early graphic tees to its current sporty and colorful lines of high-tech cooling and sun-protective apparel. In fact, most of Reel Legends鈥� fabrics have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation for sun protection. Moisture wicking, quick-drying, and heat-activated cooling features make these garments suitable for just about anything you鈥檙e doing outside. 鈥淔ishing is our DNA,鈥� said Roselle Thomas, Reel Legends deputy vice president of wholesale and ESG. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how we started. But we see people wearing this brand everywhere: on the boat, in water, and all over the golf course.鈥澛�

For keeping your (other) cheeks toasty: File this one under 鈥渢hings we never knew we always wanted.鈥� Developed in Maine in 2021 as a direct response to restaurants that were forced to launch all-season outdoor dining during COVID, heated seat cushions are battery-operated for up to ten hours of coziness, and portable鈥攕traps let you toss it one over your shoulder like a backpack. Water-resistant, easy to wipe down, and boasting three temperature settings, these cushions have grown beyond their restaurant beginnings to become an outdoor luxury for anything from camping to catching an outdoor show at an amphitheater. Imagine the seat warmers in your car鈥攂ut better鈥攑ackaged in a backpack you can take anywhere. 鈥淚t allows you to enjoy the outdoors for a longer period of time,鈥� said CEO Jocelyn Olsen.

The wagon that does it all:聽 Another Florida brand, , is hoping to expand its reach from beachgoers to a more camping-oriented clientele with a go at Outdoor Retailer. These hefty, no-nonsense wagons are your answer to getting from A to B when you鈥檝e got a lot of stuff to schlep鈥攁nd they鈥檙e surprisingly maneuverable. Manufactured entirely in the United States from commercial-grade, rust-proof aluminum, the wagons come in various sizes with a plethora of accessory options鈥攂ike attachment, trailer hitch, kayak holder, table top, cutting board鈥攖hat attach via two fishing rod holders on the end of the wagon. And if you want to bring your beach hauler to the woods? No problem. Just change out the wheels鈥攖hey sell a conversion kit. 鈥淚t鈥檚 super heavy-duty but also lightweight,鈥� said Kahuna Wagons president Jennifer Knoebel. 鈥淚t鈥檚 meant to be the last wagon you ever have to buy.鈥�

Cool New Products

Shoes that support the fight against breast cancer: Adidas Terrex and Adidas Five Ten have teamed up to launch a collaboration that not only looks sharp, but also sends proceeds to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Choose from the trail running, biking, or hiking versions, all of which boast a gorgeous pink color scheme in support of breast cancer awareness, with accompanying custom artwork. 鈥淭his is the first time Five Ten and Terrex have come together,鈥� said Whitney DeBree, senior manager of communications, who points out that Five Ten鈥檚 Luke Hontz was inspired to give back by his mother, who is a breast cancer survivor. He tapped bike athlete Vero Sandler to help design. 鈥淲e were really excited about this because it鈥檚 proof of how Adidas is tapping into an amazing network of athletes and using some of their incredible [leverage] to give back.鈥� The shoes will go live at the end of September, just in time for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

The easiest clean water in the world: There鈥檚 lots of love in the corner at this show (the water filtration company was a finalist in this year鈥檚 Inspiration Awards) but we鈥檝e gotta hand out one more plug for the newest addition to the lineup: the one-and-done 24-ounce Bottle Water Filtration System. Going on a day hike? Traveling to a place with questionable water? Bring this bottle. Fill it with water. Drink. Repeat. No extra containers or mechanisms required. 鈥淭his is the highest level of filtration in the industry and it鈥檚 highly portable,鈥� said Sawyer communications director Andrew Glen. 鈥淲hereas before you would need a reservoir pack and a bottle, this one is all in one.鈥� It鈥檚 good for 100,000 gallons versus 1,000 liters in other products. Plus: Sawyer鈥檚 proceeds help millions of people across the world gain access to clean water.

Training wheels for skateboards: It鈥檚 almost too simple. How do young kids learn to ride bikes? Training wheels that come off when they have the skills and confidence to make it in the two-wheeled world. And so it is with , whose first-of-its-kind Wheele Pro skateboard training wheel lets little skaters rock on their boards with the added support of an extra wheel. Once they鈥檝e mastered it, just rip off the sticky pad, and voila: ready to hit the park. 鈥淪kate smart鈥攖hat鈥檚 my mantra,鈥� said founder Kuba Sitak. If you teach kids [that], then they can become who they want and build their character through skateboarding.鈥�

Hot Takes from the Show Floor

Reunited and it feels so good: 鈥淔or the last two-and-a-half years, we had to do everything by Zoom calls. It鈥檚 hard to do a proper technical briefing on a Zoom call. Quite frankly, I think people are all Zoomed out. Being back in Denver is amazing just because we are able to be face to face with our clients and reestablish relationships that had sort of been put on hold for the last two-plus years. It鈥檚 nice to see people鈥檚 smiling faces, hear what they鈥檝e been up to, hear how they鈥檝e coped with COVID, and get back into innovating products for our brand partners. Because that鈥檚 what we do. We create innovation.鈥� 鈥擳imothy Skedzuhn, HeiQ / Global Brandforce

Next time, can we save some trees? 鈥淚鈥檝e made a lot of connections. A lot of the events on Wednesday night really helped get my feet wet. A lot of the seminars have been super helpful. 鈥楧iversifying the Outdoors鈥� was probably my favorite. A couple of things that could be changed: I saw a lot of paper. Like printed paper. What the heck? That was our team鈥檚 major [qualm]鈥攑eople outside kept giving us paper.鈥� 鈥擥racie Villanueva, Gossamer Gear

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Coming off of last night鈥檚 Inspiration Awards and Outdoor Retailer鈥檚 40th anniversary party, the morning of day two felt, well, inspired. The annual celebration of the people, retailers, nonprofits, manufacturers, and emerging leaders culminated in the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Larry Harrison, whose sales-focused outdoor industry career is profound, covering more than five decades and brands including JanSport, Eagle Creek, Yeti, Sierra Designs, and Adidas, to name a few, not to mention roles with Outdoor Industry Association and Outdoor Retailer. Other winners: Gloria Hwang of Thousand; Mercy M鈥檉on Shammah of Wild Diversity, Goal Zero, National Forest Foundation, and Pack Rat Outdoor Center.聽

As retailers, exhibitors, nonprofit staff, buyers, sales reps, and outdoor stewards milled around the convention center today鈥攎aking introductions, reconnecting with friends, exploring new ideas鈥擧arrison鈥檚 parting words in his acceptance speech lingered: 鈥�This is really about people. It鈥檚 about the 鈥榞reat us.鈥� I鈥檝e always liked that concept of 鈥榰s.鈥� People committed to one another are stronger, just like we are here, today. So you see, this award is not about me at all. But about each of you and the community that we鈥檝e created. We inspire others to find joy in the outdoors and preserve wildlands for future generations. It鈥檚 about us. Good on us.鈥澛�

With that, we bring you today鈥檚 rundown of brands, gear, and thoughts from the floor.

Notable New Exhibitors

Everyone鈥檚 favorite Western wear goes all-terrain. A stroll by the Wrangler display stopped us in our tracks when we spotted a stack of colorful tights that fit squarely in the 鈥榓thleisure鈥� realm. Wrangler showed up for its OR debut with a whole new line of apparel鈥�鈥攖hat skews less hunting, fishing, and ranchwear, more versatile outdoor garb. Think yoga pants, compression shorts, puffies, windbreakers, and trail joggers at affordable prices. 鈥淲ith people 鈥榝inding鈥� the outdoors the past couple of years, they also found that everything in this industry is expensive,鈥� said Aaron Mason, sales manager for ATG by Wrangler. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where we found the gap. We鈥檝e got fresh innovation and the technology, but the average consumer can afford the product.鈥� Amen.

Sunnies with built-in bluetooth tunes. introduced its sleek line of polarized audio shades to the OR crowd this year, and we鈥檙e intrigued (especially at the $150 price point). They pair with your phone via bluetooth to play your favorite jams鈥攁nd, via two subtle buttons, can even take and make phone calls, adjust volume, and skip tracks while you鈥檙e wearing them, whether you鈥檙e running or riding, on the trail, on the boat, or鈥herever. It鈥檚 open-ear technology that makes your run safer because you can hear external sound in addition to your music. 鈥淣obody鈥檚 done it like us with some of the patented technology we have,鈥� said Lucyd sales director Ken Strominger. 鈥淚t takes away your reliance on the phone because everything鈥檚 done through the glasses. And it takes ear buds out of the equation completely. It鈥檚 one less thing that鈥檚 hanging out of your ears or around your neck.鈥澛�

Molded foam shoes for鈥verything. They鈥檙e boat shoes. They鈥檙e street shoes. They鈥檙e water kicks. They鈥檙e loafers. They鈥檙e . This casual, moldable, EVA foam shoe in a loafer silhouette is about as versatile as you can get in a summer shoe, once you get past the unconventional look. Tucked into a dazzling enclosed modern booth, this OR first-timer brought a dizzying array of shoes in almost every color imaginable, including a scented kids鈥� Crayola line (yes, they smell delightfully like coconut and grape!) and fun prints like the Baja Llama and Robert Stock collections. What sets them apart from other foam footwear is the rubber outsole, which affords slip-resistant, scuff-proof, boat-deck-friendly wearability. Plus, they have side holes for breathability and drainability, a utility hole for easy hanging via carabiner (just clip to your backpack), and massage pods on the inside for extra comfort. 鈥淲e want to be modern, disruptive, and unexpected,鈥� said president and CEO Larry Paparo. Mission accomplished.聽

Cool New Products

Running tights with a built-in knee brace: Injury-prone athletes, these are for you. 鈥檚 K-Line tights鈥攖here are three versions with varying ventilation features and lengths鈥攁re referred to as 鈥渟upportive apparel.鈥� Each pair is a full lower-body compression system that the wearer can adjust to their comfort via minimalist dials on the back waistband. Each twist of the dial cinches cables in the tights that are mapped to the muscles on your body, but still allow for unfettered activity. 鈥淩igid braces don鈥檛 allow that much movement,鈥� said Stoko strategy specialist Kirsten Geyer. Pull on a pair of these tights, and 鈥測ou can go through the full range of motion without restriction, and if your knee goes into an injury-compromised position, that鈥檚 where the cables pull tight to correct it.鈥� Prepare to pony up: thanks to the proprietary Embrace System technology, these tights ring in at $298.

A must-have kit for wilderness survival: If you ever find yourself lost, stranded, or evacuating in the woods, mountains, desert, or water for any extended amount of time, you鈥檒l wish you had one of 鈥檚 Forever Endure Go-Bags along for the ride. You may have thought many times about what you would need to make it through a few days marooned in the wilderness鈥攐r even attempted to create an emergency survival kit yourself. Chances are, you missed something. Which could be critical. The beauty of these survival bundles is that experts have prepped and packaged it all for聽 you. The Ultimate Bug Out Bag ($260) is the most comprehensive (though the waterproof marine kit might be the best to stash on a boat), with all your basic needs鈥攚ater, shelter, first aid, food, lighting, communication, and more鈥攃overed. With almost every tool and supply you can imagine, 鈥測ou could survive off these bags for three to five days if you were to go out in the woods,鈥� said Brittany Bettonville, director of marketing for Quake Kare鈥檚 parent company, Lighthouse for the Blind. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really trying to sell to someone who is an outdoorsperson and a camper鈥攕omeone who can start a fire by hand.鈥�

An 101-level e-bike in happy colorways: 鈥檚 snazzy lineup is the prettiest set of electric bicycles we stumbled across at this show. 鈥淲e like to target entry-level customers who are new to e-biking, maybe haven鈥檛 had enough courage to try them,鈥� said Xprit product specialist Philip Hu. 鈥淪o we design with that in mind. Color is one of our big design factors. We put a lot of effort into our colorways.鈥� That translates to fun, retro color blocking (we liked the Beach Cruiser [$1,300] in Watermelon) that reads approachable and laid back. But if your speed is more forest trail than beach path, the fat-tired Hunter ($2,400) in Grand Prairie is a solid choice; it鈥檚 rugged enough to tow a trailer. Bonus: the bikes ship 95 percent assembled.

Hot Takes from the Show Floor

Slow but not boring: 鈥�The show looks great. It seems a little slow. It鈥檚 not as packed as I expected it to be. But I don鈥檛 know. Maybe it builds up. It hasn鈥檛 been boring at all. We鈥檝e been interacting with a great amount of people, making connections. We鈥檙e excited to be here.鈥� 鈥擜iyesha Christian, Nomad Trail Mix

Nonprofits need more visibility: 鈥�We teach rock climbing, backpacking, camping, kayaking, and everything that goes along with it at Title I, lower-income schools. We鈥檙e just trying to get our name out there, make partnerships and collaborations with other nonprofits. It鈥檚 worth us being here, I think, since we鈥檙e such a new nonprofit. I just wish [nonprofits] had more of a presence [here] instead of being just pushed off in the corner, so to speak. I feel like maybe if we were out in the hallways, or lined up in front of the entryway or something, where we鈥檙e more visible, [it] might be nice. A lot of the retailers, once they see 鈥榥onprofit鈥� on your badge, they kind of give you less attention.鈥� 鈥擜ndrew Hartman, New Treks

Work to do on DEI: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 been really helpful for me as a first-time attendee are the Outdoor Industry Association trainings and support. I think an area of improvement, for the outdoor industry or just this show in general, is diversity鈥攊n terms of representation and other audiences. I think that鈥檚 a definite area of growth. But I鈥檓 excited to be part of the industry and to be here. Denver is a beautiful city. It鈥檚 been amazing to see all the different brands. We all have to work together to support getting people outside.鈥� 鈥擲ana Jafri, BabyGami, first cohort of REI鈥檚 Path Ahead Ventures

Lesson of the Day

There was a packed house at this morning’s NPD Group briefing on retail and consumer trends in the outdoor marketplace, keynoted by sports industry analyst Dirk Sorenson.聽

Statistics and graphs aplenty provided a thorough picture of what, when, and why consumers are buying this year. Bottom line: the core outdoor industry鈥攁pparel, footwear, equipment, and accessories鈥攈as raked in $28.3 billion in retail sales in the 12 months ending in March 2022. That鈥檚 a growth of $6.8 billion over 2020. That鈥檚 significant. Ultimately, Sorenson encouraged retailers to keep a close eye on demographics and to whom they鈥檙e marketing, as it鈥檚 a moving target鈥攁nd to think deeply about how to keep consumers engaged once you get them on board.聽

Here, a sampling of the (many) takeaways:聽

• The outdoor industry will continue to be a bright spot in retail鈥攂ut focus will lean toward backyard lifestyle.
• Men are spending more on outdoor stuff. Coming off of the pandemic, they鈥檙e reevaluating their lifestyle and acting on it more than women.
• Consumers are learning from their outdoor and fitness splurges. Big equipment purchases are not necessarily one-and-done. Once newcomers master the basics, they want to augment their enjoyment of the activity. Retailers need to take note and figure out how to retain those people.
• Brick-and-mortar is back (up more than 27 percent from last year) while e-commerce is down more than 4 percent.
• Lifestyle goods are surging in sales, while equipment sales are declining.聽
• Backpacks and luggage are hot, hot, hot.
• Paddling sales are down (though SUP sales are up), and climbing gear is rebounding as people have gotten back to indoor gyms after a pandemic hiatus.
• E-bikes are now selling better than both road and mountain bikes.
• Top outdoor gear sellers in the past year include: water bottles, camp chairs, coolers, sleeping bags, and optics (i.e. binoculars).聽
• Spending at Recreation.gov, where you book camping sites at national parks and federal lands, is up 1 percent in Q1 of 2022 compared to 2021.

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As the opening day of Outdoor Retailer Summer 2022 comes to a close, it feels bittersweet for those who鈥檝e grown to love the show鈥檚 home in downtown Denver. This is the last iteration (for now) in Colorado before the show . OR will call Utah home at least through the end of 2025鈥攁 move that was met with surprise and consternation from those troubled by Utah鈥檚 disregard for policies that protect public lands.聽

While Denver鈥檚 five-year contract was mired in pandemic challenges, some might also call it a transformational period for the very essence of Outdoor Retailer. Take this summer鈥檚 floor lineup: nearly 30 percent of the roster is composed of new exhibitors. A sign of more inclusivity and expanding reach in the outdoor industry? Probably. An indicator that the show has become more startup incubator than facilitator for heavy-hitting outdoor businesses? Jury鈥檚 out. Regardless, the positive feedback was flowing in the early hours. Here鈥檚 a snapshot.

Notable New Exhibitors

Surf stuff and artsy maps: Need a gadget for your surf life? This is the place. From wetsuit driers and waterproof seat covers to bike racks for your board and car door handle lock boxes to store your keys when the waves are calling, had an enthusiastic presence at its OR debut. Ricky Judalena, current Toyota USA Surfing Longboard Champion, is all in as the owner of 7 Seas, Inc., the parent company of Surflogic USA (and sister brand Awesome Maps鈥攈and-illustrated frameable world art maps with themes such as 鈥渂ucket list鈥� and 鈥渇ishing鈥�). 鈥淚t took 47 years of experience to start this at a late age,鈥� he said. Age aside, anyone in need of a few extras for their surf kit should start here.

Where to take a wild ride: In an impressively simple yet dazzling display, brings the stoke of eFoil (electric hydrofoil) to OR. For the uninitiated, eFoil is a hydrosport carried out on a board propelled by electric marine power. In other words, a surfboard-like piece of gear that鈥檚 propelled by a motor as opposed to a sail. The adrenaline-fueled sport is, said the Fliteboard crew, easy enough to pick up in 20 mins (the $13,000 price tag notwithstanding). 鈥淪o many people love this idea of surfing, but they think they don鈥檛 have time or that it鈥檚 too hard,鈥� said Jimmy Trask, Fliteboard west coast sales representative. 鈥淩eally, it鈥檚 pretty user friendly.鈥� Ben Miller, team lead in customer experience, agreed: 鈥淚f you go out by yourself, it鈥檚 very accessible. You don鈥檛 need another person to drive the boat or a big vehicle to tow it. They鈥檙e a blast.鈥� At 60 to 70 pounds apiece, the eFoils can be dismantled into four components, complete with bags and cases, for transport. With a charge time of two hours, you get 90 minutes zipping over the water, whether it鈥檚 ocean, lake, or bay鈥攁ny body of water will do. Now about that sticker shock鈥�

For the sun worshippers among us: We know, we know, sunscreen isn鈥檛 the jazziest item on the floor鈥攂ut it鈥檚 probably one of the most important. skincare line made its first appearance at OR at the perfect time to talk up its necessity for epic days on the water or the trail. The sunscreen line is 鈥渕eant to address all the pain points that keep men from wearing sunscreen,鈥� said brand manager Annie Gianakos. In other words, the white tinge that sits on face stubble, the greasy finish, and the anti-travel size are nowhere to be found in these products. Take your pick from spray, lotion, and the crowd favorite uber-portable Go Stick Clear ($6 to $22). No excuses.

Cool New Products

Tent camping for one: The latest addition to the ultralight Maxfield tent series by 聽is a solo backpacker鈥檚 dream. Weighing in at 2.5 pounds, the Maxfield 1 ($320) has unique super-short tent poles that make folding it up and packing it a dream, even with the built-in vestibule. The roomy overall footprint and 42-inch height make for a comfy, totally sit-able respite for taller folks. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our most comfortable style tent in terms of keeping your gear safe and the usability of the inside space,鈥� said product developer Kyle Hill. Solo getaway to the backcountry coming right up.

The coziest hammock ever: It鈥檚 like your fluffy down sleeping bag and your super chill hammock had a baby. 鈥檚 Evolution 20 Down Hammock ($299), made with RDS-certified down, might be the next must-have for car camping. 鈥淭here are a couple problems with normal hammocks,鈥� said Grand Trunk chief marketing officer Paul Asay. 鈥淥ne: You get cold. Two: There are too many extra attaching quilts if you do, and they don鈥檛 stay in place. We are solving a problem that鈥檚 been around for years.鈥� Tip: Grand Trunk鈥檚 Siesta Hammock Pillow is a clutch accessory. When you adjust in the hammock, it doesn鈥檛 slide down because it hooks into the hammock鈥檚 carabiner. Brilliant.

USB-chargeable batteries that never die: If you have ever camped or trekked with a headlamp that flickers out in the middle of the darkness, you know the pain of batteries that don鈥檛 hold up to sustained device use. Who wants to carry around extra bagfuls of鈥nything? Especially alkaline batteries that get tossed in landfills at alarming rates. Enter: 鈥檚 USB Rechargeable Smart Batteries, newly reimagined in an Artist Series that makes the batteries, well, pretty. More importantly, the partnership helps the artists鈥攐r whoever Pale Blue Earth partners with in the future鈥攑ursue their own sustainability goals as part of 鈥渁n ecosystem of businesses trying to do the right thing,鈥� said Pale Blue Earth CEO Tom Bishop. 鈥淎nd from a marketing perspective, it鈥檚 a way to help move the needle.鈥� At $30 for a four-pack of AAs鈥攃ompared to $5 for four Duracells鈥攖he ROI is outstanding, given that six uses pays them off, and it would take 1,000 full uses before they burned down to 80 percent of original capacity.

Hot Takes from the Show Floor

Wowed by the selection: 鈥�It鈥檚 amazing to see all of the different products and necessities for the outdoors. You have certain activities outdoors, but when you go around here at the exhibit, it鈥檚 just like, wow, I鈥檇 never have thought that I鈥檇 need this or that this could support my activities and endeavors. I think it鈥檚 a very good presentation. The traffic has been very good. It鈥檚 been flowy. Especially in the morning.鈥� 鈥擝arry Jackson, Adidas Eyewear

鈥淚t鈥檚 different in a good way. Just walking around, I see things you鈥檇 never think you鈥檇 need or never think existed, and you鈥檙e like, wow, I need that. I walked over to a booth and it was sleeping bag ponchos. I thought that was so cool. There鈥檚 a plethora of things from A to Z that I feel like I need to bring back to New York.鈥� 鈥擱yan Medina, Adidas Eyewear

Turnkey, one-stop shopping: 鈥�We call Oregon the Silicon Valley of the outdoor industry. This show is really important for our small- and medium-sized companies. Oregon and Idaho combine together to have this booth, the Northwest Pavilion. We kind of pay [the cost] up front with a federal fund. We help companies get grants, provide travel costs, food, setup, everything, with a 75 percent reimbursement for their costs. We try to do that every year. I鈥檓 so glad to be kind of a sponsor for these companies because they really need it. And we want to help them. A lot of people have been impressed because this [Northwest Pavilion] is kind of one-stop-shopping. We don鈥檛 have any duplicates.鈥� 鈥擲haron Kim, Business Oregon

鈥淚鈥檓 really liking the reception we鈥檙e getting from everyone coming through. Sometimes you see these big pavilions and people don鈥檛 walk into them鈥nd they are! I鈥檓 so happy that we kept a gap in the middle [of the layout]. A lot of times, the bigger vendors鈥攖hat aren鈥檛 really at the show this year鈥攖heir booths are very closed off and it鈥檚 like this secret entrance kind of thing. You walk by those and it鈥檚 like, can I go into those? So I worried a little bit about our scenario here, but traffic really seems to be flowing through. A lot of the buyers are liking that we have 22 companies, especially if they鈥檙e looking for a wide variety of products. Doing turnkey pavilions was new; we had to do some customization. Thank goodness they worked with me! I think we created a great product.鈥� 鈥擳ina Salisbury, Idaho Commerce

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In the summer of 2021, Kim Miller found himself in a familiar position: considering the best move to shepherd his team through a life-threatening storm. In his previous life as an expedition leader, he鈥檇 shouldered that very burden on plenty of high peaks. As the CEO of Scarpa North America, he now faced a different deadly threat: COVID-19. 鈥淢y mentality as a leader is to keep people safe,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淎nd motivated, engaged, and happy at a time when people are freaking out.鈥�

So, the Boulder, Colorado-based subsidiary of the global alpine footwear brand implemented a new policy: barring a religious or health-related exemption for which the company would make reasonable accommodation, all employees were required to get vaccinated against COVID-19. At the time, a handful of the 25 employees had not yet gotten their shots, but Miller says there was no pushback. By July, all had gotten the jab save one staffer with an approved health reason. Scarpa then qualified for Boulder County鈥檚 vaccine certification, which provides exemption from the county鈥檚 indoor mask mandate for companies with a 95 percent vaccination rate. 鈥淲e take it seriously,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淣obody comes in our building who鈥檚 not vaccinated. We ask for proof from the office maintenance staff and the FedEx carrier.鈥�

Vaccine mandates are, of course, controversial at the national level right now. The Biden administration鈥檚 requirements for federal employees, government contractors, health care workers, and private companies with 100 or more employees have stirred contentious debates about government overreach, not to mention ongoing litigation that thwarts cohesive implementation. Some companies, including Denver-based outdoor industry behemoth VF Corporation (parent company to The North Face, Smartwool, and Timberland, among others) have taken matters into their own hands by issuing their own companywide vaccine policies.

Smaller brands have followed suit, like Scarpa and the Longmont, Colorado-based Deuter USA. Deuter introduced vaccine-or-test requirements in August 2021 for two reasons. First, to protect staff with vulnerable family members and small children, says managing director Jonathan Degenhardt: 鈥淲e wanted to make sure our team didn鈥檛 feel like their jobs were putting their families at risk.鈥� Second, operations and profitability were subject to a devastating domino effect: 鈥淟ogistics, sales, accounting, and marketing are all under one roof,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ecause of our size, we have to be 100 percent functional. If any of us go down for an extended time, that affects our productivity. If we鈥檙e not shipping, we鈥檙e not invoicing.鈥� By October, despite slight initial resistance from a handful of people, all employees had rolled up their sleeves.

While smaller staff sizes help considerably in smooth execution, both Degenhardt and Miller recognize that 鈥渂edside manner鈥� boosted their success in employee reaction and retention. 鈥淚f I鈥檇 just walked in and said, 鈥楨veryone鈥檚 getting vaccinated or you鈥檙e outta here鈥欌�攖hat鈥檚 the wrong tone,鈥� said Miller, who carefully solicited input from team managers, consulted with Scarpa鈥檚 attorneys to avoid infringing on anyone鈥檚 legal rights, and privately communicated with each employee to understand concerns.

Similarly, at Deuter, employees were given paid time off for recovery and an understanding ear, no matter the reason for any initial hesitation. 鈥淚 have not seen any issues with morale because we are trying to be sensitive to how each employee feels,鈥� said Deuter controller April Sawyer, whose cousin died from COVID in February 2021. 鈥淥ur HR and management staff have had personal conversations with each employee, and I feel the employees have been very up-front about their feelings.鈥�

While the mandate concept is still somewhat of an experiment in social science, the health outcome, at least for Deuter and Scarpa, has proved reassuring: despite the persistent risk, neither company has seen any outbreaks as of press time. And while the idea of a vaccine requirement is 鈥渟prinkled with subjective influences, like politics,鈥� Miller said, 鈥渨e are neutral on that. I always go back to: this is what the science says.鈥� Bottom line? 鈥淚 feel really good in a really bad situation,鈥� Miller said, 鈥渁bout what we鈥檝e done, how we鈥檝e learned from what we鈥檝e done, and how we鈥檙e faring.鈥�

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Aaaand, that鈥檚 a wrap on the 2022 Outdoor Retailer Snow Show. As attendees trickled in to hit their last meetings and squeeze in just a few more booths, conversations were upbeat. Coffee queue congratulations were plentiful coming off of last night鈥檚 fourth annual Innovation Awards ceremony, where 14 winners were crowned by an independent judging panel for their game-changing outdoor products and services.聽

Underscoring the awards was a buzzy kind of energy that had seemed muted until then. With each company that made its way to the stage to thank its collaborators, mentors, and pioneers, it was as if the spark we all crave from OR鈥攖hat celebration of outdoor innovation that fuels the industry鈥攇rew brighter and brighter. But beyond the product recognition, attendees were reminded of the progress we鈥檝e made in reimagining how we perceive and interact with our outdoor spaces. In fact, The Outdoorist Oath, a movement to promote social justice in the outdoors, is the first nonprofit recipient of 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Gear Up Give Back initiative (which, pardon our brag, was one of the Innovation Award winners.)聽

Outdoor advocate and environmentalist Pattie Gonia, one of The Oath鈥檚 founding members, summed it up: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been amazing to see people鈥檚 reactions to The Oath and to see their excitement in feeling that they can be a part of this, and that they really have a banner to stand behind the work they do in so many corners of the outdoor advocacy space. People are finally seeing that the tides have shifted to individuals needing to take action and shape the future of the outdoors. We鈥檙e grateful for the chance to bring The Oath to spaces where we can meet people where they鈥檙e at and help them succeed.鈥澛�

With that, we bring you our final rundown of the show.

Cool New Products

E-bikes that help conserve wildlife: The Sweden-based OR Innovation Awards winner Cake introduced its new line of solar-powered AP (anti-poaching) electric bush bikes ($8,500鈥�$11,500), which come in motorcycle, moped, and outback patroller models. Quiet, durable, clean, and efficient, the bikes are designed to tackle off-road missions for intrepid explorers, with a healthy dose of city functionality for zipping around town. The clamp-on frame design allows a mix-and-match approach to accessories (baskets, bags, and racks), and the juiced-up bike batteries also serve as portable power sources for your devices in need of charging. Three percent of every AP purchase goes to the Southern African Wildlife College, a conservation training institute in Kruger National Park. 鈥淲e can see that our bikes are really [serving] a good cause in a place we don鈥檛 usually work with bikes,鈥� said Klara Edhag on Cake鈥檚 marketing team. 鈥淯sing electric bikes instead of combustible bikes for anti-poaching activity is amazing for us. We can see we鈥檙e [doing] something good in a bigger scope.鈥�

Rab鈥檚 first line of ski packs: Rab鈥檚 new Khroma line of packs harnesses the durability and lightweight of Spectra without the big price tag by combining Cordura on the sides and back with a rugged Spectra front panel. The layup is streamlined and simple with all components and straps girth-hitched rather than sewn on, so users can customize without taking to scissors. Packs range from 25 to 38 liters ($200-$225) and come in two styles: ski and alpine climbing.

Notable New Exhibitors

Retro ski-wear with an eco-conscious twist: It was the full-body watermelon ski suit that first caught our attention. UK-based snowsports and swimwear brand Oosc Clothing made its OR debut exuding cheeky fun that translates to the hill without sacrificing functionality. 鈥淢y cofounder and I used to buy these [vintage] suits on eBay; they weren鈥檛 waterproof and they weren鈥檛 breathable and they smelled like ass,鈥� said Oosc鈥檚 Aaron McLaughlin. 鈥淲e decided we could make them better.鈥� Not only better (think: mega waterproofness, taped seams, and magnetic closures for easy glove handling), but more responsibly: more than 50 percent of every Oosc ski suit ($350), jacket, and pair of snow pants is made from recycled plastic bottles, and everything is shipped in biodegradable packaging. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a gaper-day thing; it鈥檚 an all-season-long thing,鈥� McLaughlin says, noting that online sales in the U.S. have been growing 200 percent year-over-year and now comprise nearly a third of the brand鈥檚 online revenue. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e here. We want to meet more stores to spread the love and make the customer journey a bit better until we can get a warehouse over here.鈥�

An easier way to tote skis: 鈥淭he Chuck Bucket鈥� is described by its creators as 鈥渨hat would happen if a roof box and a hitch rack had a baby.鈥� The idea is simple: it鈥檚 a trailer-hitch rack that鈥檚 easy to toss skis or snowboards (or golf bags, camping gear, etc.) into. No more climbing on top of your car to take out and put away your gear. The bucket fits eight pairs of skis or four snowboards, and is on pre-sale now through Kickstarter for $249. Planned retail when it launches outside of Kickstarter is $420.

Hot Takes from the Show Floor

Appreciation for OR鈥檚 diversity efforts: 鈥淭he entire marginalized community was very well represented in having different people being able to share their stories and voices,鈥� said Necota Staples, cofounder, with his wife Sonya, of Staples InTents, an entity which documents and shares their overlander and adventure-travel lifestyle. Added Sonya: 鈥淔or a lot of people [representing] brands, they want to come here to sell. But I think if they took a step back and looked at what Outdoor Retailer is, everything that it stands for, and really [immersed] themselves in some of the [sessions] and not just focused on selling, I think they could have gotten so much more out of it.鈥�

The power of discovery: 鈥淚 run a motel gift shop and my son is a fly fishing guide who sells gear,鈥� said Liz Furman of Black Bear Inn in Dubois, Wyoming. 鈥淚 found an amazing African boot company [here at the show], Jim Green. They look really well made, thick-soled, and the price point is great. I would never have known about this brand and that鈥檚 why I come. Even though there are so few vendors here, there are some good ones.鈥�

A vision for future shows: 鈥淲e have to take the words 鈥榯rade show鈥� out of the equation and really think about what a community event looks like,鈥� said Nick Sargent, president of SIA. 鈥溾�楾rade show鈥� has such a negative connotation. It speaks of yesterday; it doesn鈥檛 speak about tomorrow. We need to be thinking about how we can come together as an industry tomorrow with no walls or barriers. Look at what happens at the Sea Otter Classic. It is a must-attend event. It鈥檚 outdoors, it鈥檚 full of great panel discussions, great educational moments, and a powerful sense of community.鈥�

A louder voice for minority business owners: 鈥淢y biggest reason for still coming to the show are people of color,鈥� said Anthony J. Clark, a photographer with The 16,000 Studio in Denver. 鈥淭he BIPOC community is here. Outdoor Retailer has historically been that show to not really give the proper attention to a lot of our advocates who want to be on this floor, who want to get in touch with these major companies. [Now] it鈥檚 way more welcoming. You鈥檙e seeing way more people feeling comfortable about who they are and where they fit in. At a smaller scale, [the show] is giving so much room to minority owners to come in and make an introduction.鈥�

Lesson of the Day

Dismantling silos is the key to climate justice progress: Climate change. Environmental justice. Policy. Advocacy. Accessibility. Diversity. Indigenous perspective. Inclusion. Partisanship. These are a few themes OR explored this year over a lineup of extracurriculars featuring a diverse range of experts, legislators, and thought leaders. It all culminated in today鈥檚 Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) panel highlighting federal climate-related initiatives like Justice40 (which funnels 40 percent of federal climate and sustainable transportation investments to disadvantaged communities) and America the Beautiful, a.k.a. 30 by 30, which aims to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.聽

Bottom line: intersectionality. When we examine the Biden administration鈥檚 pending Build Back Better Act, we can confidently say that these problems, solutions, ideas, and goals do not exist in silos. To truly tackle climate change, we must discuss racial inequities. To pursue environmental justice, we must figure out how to bridge the political gap between left and right. To preserve the outdoors, we must change business operations. 鈥淲e have a climate crisis, a nature crisis, a Covid crisis, and a justice crisis,鈥� said Angelo Villagomez, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and an Indigenous conservation leader. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 deal with those one at a time. We have to deal with them all together as one world, as one issue.鈥�

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Right on cue, the flakes were flying outside the Convention Center as the second day of the OR Snow Show ramped up. The morning kicked off with an early session covering outdoor market research and consumer trends, which parsed data on a phenomenon we鈥檝e all happily witnessed over the past couple of years: more people are itching to buy outdoor stuff. In fact, the core outdoor market grew by $5 billion between 2019 and 2021, now sitting at $27.4 billion. Accompanying this data was the pointed remark that most of this growing market consists of novice and backyard (read: not elite) outdoor participants鈥攁nd that retailers need to embrace these new customers on every level.聽

It was an interesting observation, reinforced as we perused the floor and noticed a scarcity of the usual retailer badges. Yes, the pandemic is the obvious culprit. But it also seemed to go hand-in-hand with the types of exhibitors and companies lining the hall; niche products that can be applied to the outdoor world, but veer a bit from the traditional OR lineup. Then again, perhaps it鈥檚 just another upshot of a pared-down show鈥攏ew voices and creative ideas snagging a piece of the mainstream.

Here are our takeaways from our trek across the hall as we scoped new gear and pondered new ideas.

Cool New Products

The coziest: Jetty鈥檚 men鈥檚 Sherpa-lined 鈥渟hackets鈥� have been the company鈥檚 best sellers for years. But now the women鈥檚 line is gaining steam, too, thanks to more styles and fresh new colorways. The Jetty Nivean Flannel Jacket ($120) caught our eye for its blue-and-gold cotton face fabric and gunmetal snaps. But the real magic is in the 鈥淭eddy Bear鈥� fleece, which lines the body, sleeves, and pockets for maximum warmth.

A better snowmobile: Moonbikes, a French company with offices in Boulder, Colorado, are like the Teslas of snowmobiles鈥攅lectric, stylish, and (by the looks of them) rip-roaringly fun to drive. Founded by a former aerospace engineer, the company went through three years of research and development before selling its first production run of 50 bikes last year. This season, they鈥檝e upped production to 400, and have almost sold out already, said Business Project Manager Gaston Lachaize. 鈥淲e just got $5 million in investment from a private partner, which is going to allow us to produce 1,500 bikes next year,鈥� said Lachaize. The bikes retail for $8,500 and can be transported on standard car-mounted bike racks, due to their ridiculously low weight of just 191 pounds. They鈥檙e silent, emissions-free, and can reach speeds of 26 miles per hour.

A slick way to prop your skis: If you鈥檝e ever leaned your planks against your car while you de-boot and de-layer after a long day on the hill, you know the feeling when they inevitably fall over, leaving your car with a souvenir scratch where the edges scraped down the side. RigStrips, the brainchild of co-founders Steven Graf and Zhach Pham, was born as a solution to this problem. The patent-pending grooved magnetic strip fits ultra-securely to your vehicle鈥攖ested on highways and in all weather conditions鈥攚ithout damaging the paint. With a design that blends seamlessly with exterior vehicle embellishments, it can stay affixed permanently (minus trips to the carwash). Skis and snowboards (SnoStrip), or fishing rods (SunStrip) can sit snugly in the grooves, which act as a buffer between the metal edges and the car surface. They recommend placing the strip on the rear quarter panel right above the back tire. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 seen and heard their stuff come crashing down in the parking lot,鈥� Graf said. 鈥淥r someone gets in the car and it falls. We鈥檝e had so many customer emails saying they鈥檝e seen their skis get rolled over, or someone鈥檚 dog got injured from falling skis. They鈥檙e sharp.鈥� Both the SnoStrip and the SunStrip retail for $49.95.

Notable New Exhibitors

A new custom ski company from Utah: Allred Custom Skiworks is one of the few ski makers actually exhibiting on the floor this time around鈥攁 lucky stroke for an upstart brand trying to make a name for itself in a crowded market. 鈥淭his is our first OR and we鈥檙e getting a lot of feedback,鈥� said the brand鈥檚 founder, Chad Allred. 鈥淟uckily, it鈥檚 all been great so far.鈥� Allred was a physical therapist for 20 years before starting his company, and he brings a deep knowledge of body movement to his process of handcrafting skis that work flawlessly with customers鈥� unique physiologies. A pair of custom skis starts at $1,200 and uses locally sourced beetle-kill pine and diseased aspen for core wood to maximize the brand鈥檚 sustainability.

Sustainable Swiss-made kids鈥� outerwear: The only things cuter than toddlers in snowsuits are toddlers in snowsuits who aren鈥檛 cold and wet. Enter: Namuk, a Switzerland-based maker of children鈥檚 outdoor apparel that launched in North America in December. The colorful parkas, fleeces, and snowsuits are designed with nifty features like reflective threads and magnetic closures, plus eco-conscious materials like biodegradable PrimaLoft insulation (Namuk was the first to bring this to market). 鈥淭here鈥檚 never bad weather; there鈥檚 just bad gear,鈥� said Becky Hendee of Obviouslee Marketing, who handles Namuk鈥檚 marketing. 鈥淎nd kids should be raised knowing that.鈥� Our pick: The Eon 鈥渟tarter鈥� rolltop backpack ($120), designed to keep out the elements for kids with stuff to carry.

Hot Takes from the Show Floor

A big showing: 鈥淲e had a bunch of key meetings scheduled with big retail buyers and dinners every night,鈥� said Nathan Dopp, CEO Americas at 贵箩盲濒濒谤盲惫别苍, which had one of the largest booths on the show floor. 鈥淎ll of that got canceled because of Omicron, but we鈥檙e still here. We knew we would be one of the only big brands in attendance again, and that鈥檚 OK. But we can鈥檛 do that much longer. I believe June will be bigger and more normal. We want some more company!鈥�

A firm stance on plastic: Matt Gowar, owner of Rab and Lowe Alpine, is fired up about plastic. After conducting an 18-month polybag recycling pilot in partnership with the European Outdoor Group, he believes that plastic is not the evil monster that many make it out to be. 鈥淲e need to use plastic sparingly, to be sure, but plastic is a resource, and needs to be respected for that. It鈥檚 good at what it does: protect goods for shipping in a lightweight manner. The outdoor industry needs to keep the plastic polybags we use for shipping inside the B2B environment and not put it out there into the consumer world, where the recycling wheels fall off the truck. Distribution centers need to remove plastic packaging and sell it to local recyclers. When a big retailer like REI imposes a plastic tax on brands, it鈥檚 backwards. Polybags are a valuable commodity that need to be respected and repurposed.鈥�

All in the family: 鈥淲e鈥檙e not here to write orders. We鈥檙e here to make marketing connections and build relationships,鈥� said Jahmicah Dawes of Texas-based retailer Slim Pickins, who came to the show with his partner Heather Dawes and their two kids, plus Heather鈥檚 sister, her husband, and their baby. 鈥淭his right here is the beautiful mess that Slip Pickins is. We鈥檙e a true family business and we want our kids to grow up around trade shows because we鈥檙e building this for the next generation.鈥�

Lesson of the Day

What to do about all this plastic: our industry has a plastic packaging problem, and we all know it. The big question is: What can we鈥攚hat should we鈥攂e doing about it? Snow Show attendees gathered in the Trend + Design Center this afternoon to grab some insight from a panel of companies (including Rab North America, mountainFLOW eco-wax, and Krimson Klover) working to promote greener packaging.

The perception of and approach to plastic differed between companies; for instance, mountainFLOW founder and CEO Peter Arlein has adopted a fairly anti-plastic philosophy and uses biodegradable or recycled materials for his plant-based wax packaging, in contrast to Rab鈥檚 Matt Gowar (see above), who proposes that treating plastic as a valuable commodity鈥攕omething to be respected and kept around instead of tossed in the trash after the box is opened鈥攊s a at least a start to drying up our waste stream. But the bottom line for each brand is this: as an industry and as consumers, we cannot let the scope of the problem deter us from taking steps in the right direction, and we must open-source our solutions. Seek knowledge. Copy those who are doing it well. And when it comes to grappling with how to start implementing solutions to chip away at something so daunting, don鈥檛 be afraid to tap everyone in your supply and distribution chains to see what鈥檚 possible. 鈥淎sk the question,鈥� said Krimson Klover senior designer Olivia O鈥橬eill. 鈥淎sk if they’re willing to change the packaging to include more bulk. Ask what they鈥檙e willing to do.鈥�

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The Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2022 returned to the Colorado Convention Center today on an appropriately wintery morning. The general vibe? Subdued. And as the morning unfolded, cautiously hopeful.聽

Thanks to the recent surge in COVID, attendees were expecting a scaled-down event from the get-go, but the exhibitor hall seemed perhaps even more cavernous than usual. Entrance signage displaying the show鈥檚 daily schedule was dotted with 鈥淐anceled鈥� bulletins where events should have been. And the early-morning welcome vibe was quiet, as if the industry wasn鈥檛 quite sure what to make of a gathering that should have been buzzing and exuberant, but instead exuded an almost solemn air. You could say the experience was reminiscent of OR鈥檚 reduced-attendance Summer Show coming off of the COVID hiatus. Except somehow, that slow feeling was more pronounced鈥攑erhaps a byproduct of the fact that the industry (well, the world, really) hoped we鈥檇 be past the masking and distancing by this point.聽

Noticeably missing were the behemoth brands鈥擝lack Diamond, Patagonia, Keen, and many others. But as many exhibitors shared with us, that鈥檚 actually a better scenario for the smaller brands and startups with a mission to network, make connections, and put their names out into the world. (Hear what some attendees have to say below.)

Debuting this year on the floor are the 鈥淔resh鈥� zone for new exhibitors and brands, designed as an area for buyer discovery, and the 鈥淩esource Center,鈥� a hub where attendees can book one-on-one meetings with industry experts. But maybe the biggest new feature of the show this time around is the sense that Outdoor Retailer is changing, morphing into a gathering less about product and orders, and more about redefining our understanding of the outdoors and who shapes it.聽

With all this in mind, our reporters roamed the (spacious) aisles with notebooks in hand to bring you our roundup of the Snow Show鈥檚 first day.

Cool New Products

Scarpa鈥檚 first alpine ski boot: Scarpa is introducing its first bonafide alpine boot, the Quattro ($699-799). 鈥�These are true alpine boots but they have a walk-tour mode, tech fittings, and a GripWalk sole,鈥� said Dave Simpson of Verde PR, who handles public relations for Scarpa. 鈥�As the backcountry and alpine categories converge, people are looking for gear that does it all.鈥� The Quattro is the lightest boot on the market with a GripWalk sole (1500 grams for size 27) and is a collaboration between the Scarpa R+D team and its athletes, including Chris Davenport.

Scarpa was not exhibiting at Outdoor Retailer but created an offsite showroom a few blocks away to support the launch of the product line. 鈥淲e still think trade events are vitally important to the industry,鈥� said Scarpa North America CEO Kim Miller. 鈥淏ut my first priority was to keep my team as healthy as possible. We don鈥檛 have a deep bench; when one key person gets sick we lose functionality. The main reason we chose to participate on the periphery of the show was the Scarpa Athlete Mentorship Initiative graduation ceremony. It was supposed to be a big event with hundreds of people. Instead, we cut all the guests and are keeping it to just the team, as well as requiring same-day COVID tests.鈥�

Heated camp chairs: Women-founded brand Gobi Heat used the show to debut its new Terrain Heated Camping Chair ($199), a cozy car-camping upgrade that does exactly what it sounds like. 鈥淲e launched the chair in April, and already it’s our top-selling product,鈥� said Gobi Heat CMO Kyle Jacobson. The chair鈥檚 battery lasts nine hours on a single charge and features three heat settings.

A green alternative to WD-40: For bike chains, stubborn gears, stuck zippers, rusty tent poles, and anything else in your toy shed that鈥檚 squeaky or snags or sticks: this plant-based, nontoxic alternative to WD-40, which has been on the market for two months, restores parts to better working order. Call it the duct tape of lubricants: it fixes everything, said co-founders Sergio Diaz and Andrew Aussie. In fact, they said, it can create twice the lubrication of WD-40 (yes, we watched a demo) with none of the noxious petroleum odor and mess. 鈥淗ere鈥檚 the irony,鈥� Aussie said. 鈥淵ou walk in a gear shop and everyone鈥檚 concerned about upcycled fibers in their clothing (and I love it), but every piece of [hardgoods] gear, from the canoe to the bike, it all needs lubrication. And you walk over to the lubrication, and it鈥檚 all made with petroleum.鈥� Gear Hugger is safe for children and pets, and retails for $12.89 per 11 oz. can.

Notable New Brands

Sunglasses made from ocean plastic: Opolis debuted at OR Snow Show with a preview of its new line of shades, the Recycled Ocean Plastic Collection, launching next month. This line follows its Bio Collection, featuring plant-based plastic frames ($175). Opolis鈥� mission is to give back to global communities most impacted by the plastic pandemic by teaching locals to commoditize plastic for collection and a new life. The company, three years in the making, works with networks in Indonesia, Kenya, and the Philippines to collect ocean- and landfill-plastic to be upcycled into its eyewear, creating sustainable local work and a sleek shade to boot. 鈥淭he first batch of production, we put in for 2,400 units; that is taking 300,000 water bottles out of the Balinese coast,鈥� said Opolis founder and CEO James Merrill. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just for a tiny order. Imagine what we could do with 50,000 units. This is the way that I want to impact change on my own terms.鈥�

The yaks have arrived: Happy Yak Socks made its OR debut in the Fresh section. Inspired by his wanderings and curiosity about how mountain people stay warm at altitude, co-founder Zach Price learned that yak wool is 40 percent warmer than merino. 鈥滻t鈥檚 hollow fiber, like polar bear fur,鈥� he said. 鈥淗appy Yak uses hand-gathered yak cashmere to make its collection of socks, beanies, and apparel.鈥� The Purist line is the softest (80 percent yak cashmere with 20 percent nylon for durability) and the most expensive. A pair of socks goes for $55 at retail. The Adventurist line is a blend of 40 percent yak cashmere, 40 percent Mongolian wool, 14 percent nylon, and 6 percent elastic; it鈥檚 more durable and less expensive at $40.

Radical supply-chain transparency: Solid State made its OR debut with a booth in Venture Out showcasing its 鈥渕eticulously made, radically transparent鈥� T-shirts ($55-70), which keep all aspects of the supply chain within 600 miles of the brand鈥檚 headquarters in Burlington, North Carolina. 鈥淲e鈥檙e showing that you can make great clothing that鈥檚 truly local,鈥� said brand manager Courtney Lockemer. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to push local sustainability further than it鈥檚 ever gone.鈥� Each shirt tag is stamped with a QR code that introduces customers to the farmers and manufacturers who made the garment. Even the shirts鈥� dyes are made from sustainable materials, like hand-harvested back walnuts boiled in a tank at a local brewery to produce brown coloring.

Hot Takes from the Show Floor

OR should consider opening up to consumers: 鈥淚t would give more value to some of the smaller brands if you鈥檝e got a combination of buyers and consumers,鈥� says Natalie Ooi, teaching associate professor and one of the lead faculty of the Outdoor Recreation Economy Program at the University of Colorado Boulder. 鈥淸Maybe] you have a special buyers鈥� day only, like the first day where it could be really business-focused, but subsequent days you could open it up a bit more. Even inviting the public to the education sessions: ghey don鈥檛 know that the industry is necessarily having these conversations about diversity and being inclusive. When [consumers] are interacting with a brand, they may or may not know some of the great things [that brand is] doing, but they definitely aren鈥檛 exposed to what the industry is doing at that level. I bet, after this show, there鈥檚 going to be some kind of re-examination of what is going to be successful moving forward.鈥�

Fewer attendees means high-quality meetings: 鈥淵ou can feel that there鈥檚 a lot more space this time, but that means anybody here is going to have a meeting of high quality,” said Graham Stewart, founder of Duckworth. “The fact is, there鈥檚 more accessibility when it鈥檚 like this. There are all sorts of factors contributing to the show being quieter, but I know the meetings will be high quality, and I鈥檓 excited to be back in person. It makes a difference.鈥�

A new gathering spot focused on inclusion: 鈥淎s one of the few minority-owned companies in the industry, the Seirus booth has become a gathering place for different BIPOC groups,鈥� said Wendy Carey, Seirus鈥� CFO. 鈥淲e realized from a business perspective that the ROI was not going to be here at this show for us to bring staff and products. But we had already made a commitment to these groups to use our booth as a home base. We worked with OR and they very generously decorated the space and allowed us to make a new 鈥業nclusion Home Base鈥� for these advocates and groups that have been doing so much work to make this industry more expansive, welcoming, and inclusive.鈥�

Lesson of the Day

Climate change is not a partisan issue; the key is finding common ground: Every perspective matters. That鈥檚 the takeaway from Snow Show鈥檚 opening Industry Breakfast featuring a panel of Protect Our Winters (POW) athletes and ambassadors (including Hilary Hutcheson, Josh Jespersen, and Peyton Thomas), plus legislators from both Colorado (state senator Faith Winter) and Utah (U.S. Senate candidate and former Utah state representative Becky Edwards.) Together, these voices represent democrats and republicans; rural and urban upbringings; military, science, and athletic careers; anglers, trail runners, and skiers; advocates and policy makers; and more. The common thread that ties their diverse backgrounds and experiences together? A reverence for the outdoors, and an appreciation for the stories that connect us from all corners of the industry.聽

As each panelist explained how climate solutions fit into their diverse niches and roles in the outdoor world, one thing became increasingly clear: no matter where you hail from or to what region you鈥檙e returning after these three days of togetherness, we are all grappling with climate change in our own ways, none more or less important than the rest. To move forward as an industry, we need to identify and nurture commonalities that help us build bridges to change.聽

鈥淐limate change, and mitigating this problem, and making a C change for all of us makes all of us better,鈥� said Edwards, who passed the first piece of legislation to acknowledge climate change from a red state. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very different than a lot of conversations we have in politics. That abundance mentality, when you align with another group鈥hat is something we should all get behind. When we see each other in silos, break down those silos and boxes. Bring everything you can to the table. The table is big. If there鈥檚 not a chair for you, bring your own chair and make your voice heard.鈥�

Daily Poll

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How鈥檚 this for a branding achievement: In making the space-survival film of the year, The Martian, Ridley Scott turned to GoPro cameras as a key storytelling tool. , 鈥淕oPros had more screen time than Kristen Wiig or Donald Glover.鈥� Watching Matt Damon鈥檚 ill-fated astronaut log his every action with the small camera, you have to wonder at how GoPro has become synonymous with first-person video capture. One woman deserves much of the credit for that: Christina Anderson.

Anderson, 38, shapes how the company鈥檚 messaging and branding evolves as its capabilities expand. As GoPro鈥檚 vice president of brand and creative services, she鈥檚 responsible for all front-facing visuals, excluding video, for the multimillion dollar company, which is no small task鈥攅specially given GoPro鈥檚 paradigm shift from hardware company (where consumers buy camera products) to media company (where consumers store and share what they create with said cameras). What her job boils down to is helping GoPro reach the point of cultural saturation that it has.聽

To do this, Anderson has established聽GoPro as an essential tool that celebrates both the obviously awe-inspiring and the everyday. The camera, which mounts on everything from helmets to handlebars to selfie sticks, is a mainstay in adrenaline sports these days thanks to the brand鈥檚 nearly 聽of captured flips, splashes, crashes, and descents. But perhaps more important is Anderson鈥檚 relentless campaign to make everyone feel that their life is worthy of first-person filming. 鈥淣ot everyone is a pro athlete,鈥� she says. 鈥淕ood imagery is about picking moments that are from a new perspective. For example: swinging a child around by the arms鈥攃apturing that from your point of view is such a cool moment.鈥� That鈥檚 why, alongside daredevil 听补苍诲 聽on GoPro鈥檚 Instagram, you鈥檒l also see 听辞谤 .

When Anderson joined the company five years ago following stints as an art and design director at several other companies, the GoPro concept was significantly less buzz-y than it is today. It was a labor of love for founder Nick Woodman听补苍诲 his cousin. 鈥淚 was the first creative role to come into GoPro,鈥� Anderson says. 鈥淚 took over everything that had been created to date and built a team of art directors, copywriters and editors, designers, producers, and photographers from the ground up. It鈥檚 been a lot of work, but that鈥檚 exactly what sold me on this position. That鈥檚 what makes it addicting.鈥澛�

She鈥檚 nailed the work-life balance, too, which could also help explained her drive and total resonance with the GoPro culture. Anderson recharges on Lake Tahoe鈥檚 alpine playground鈥攜ou鈥檒l find her at Squaw Valley听辞谤 Kirkwood聽on a powder day, but she refuses to divulge her go-to singletrack鈥攁nd does her best thinking on a mountain bike. And, yes, she takes a 聽on her own adventures: 鈥淚t鈥檚 super small, completely waterproof with no housing, and I鈥檓 having fun exploring new angles,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really a grab-and-go camera, which is nice. I don鈥檛 have to worry about jumping into a lake.鈥澛�

Now Anderson is looking ahead to an eventful 2016. On her to-do list is getting GoPro to athletes and events like the X Games, and making it look good pretty much everywhere鈥攕ocial media, print ads, product launches (you might remember ). For that task, Anderson is turning more and more to GoPro users themselves (check out the ). It gives everyday people the chance to see their special moments on, say, a billboard. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about seeing the way the brand is changing the way people are thinking and behaving,鈥� she says.

It鈥檚 a pretty sweet feeling to watch your passion project enter the zeitgeist鈥攚hich is exactly what GoPro seems to have achieved. Anderson is wowed by the totally unexpected places the camera鈥檚 already gone. She points out the GoPro , and the , which is so otherworldly that critics questioned whether it was computer animated. 鈥淚t blows my mind every time I see it. Showcasing those moments is what inspires people to get out and lead a bigger life. It鈥檚 about being whatever your own hero is.鈥�

Anderson鈥檚 Tips for Getting a Perfect聽GoPro聽Shot

1. Be a storyteller. The idea is to capture a narrative, an entire experience, in one shot. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about where your journey is about to go; a preview of what you leave up to the imagination of the viewer.鈥�
2. Get intimate with the camera. Experiment with new points-of-view and think outside the box. Step out of your shooting comfort zone. 鈥淭ry non-posed moments, intimate angles. Selfies are good for certain moments, but鈥︹��
3. Set the camera on time-lapse mode. 鈥淭hat way you鈥檙e capturing a photo every five seconds. It guarantees you at least one moment you fall in love with.鈥澛�
4. Frame your shots. Try the GoPro or LCD BacPac app to control the camera remotely and use the live preview function. Look for bright colored clothing that contrasts with the surroundings.
5. Consider timing. Shoot when the sun is low to circumvent harsh lighting and minimize shadows.
6. Seek the unexpected. Go beyond the activities you鈥檇 normally photograph. Look for hidden moments in everyday life that you might never think to capture: a walk with a child, buying produce at a market, morning coffee.聽
7. Be purposeful. Set a goal when you take a photo. Know what you want. Then review it to see if you succeeded.

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Although she鈥檚 come across plenty of rare species in her career and even discovered two herself, conservation biologist Lesley de Souza still remembers her first encounter with an arapaima, one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet.聽

While doing her PhD research on the molecular ecology of neotropical fish between 2003 and 2007, de Souza made several trips to southern Guyana. While there, she heard of the remote Rewa Village in the Rupununi savannah and wetlands region. It鈥檚 located at the juncture where the Rupununi River branches out to the Rewa River, a smaller tributary. The village is so remote that no other humans live farther upriver, and it鈥檚 reached on a two-hour bushplane trip and then three to six hours in a motorized aluminum boat, depending on river levels. De Souza assembled a research expedition to the region in 2011, with the intent of studying the aquatic life of the Rewa River. The first arapaima she spotted was five or six feet long. 鈥淚ts silvery-green head slowly came out of the water, then it gently arched its back and slapped its tail with red-flecked scales back into the water鈥攕ort of dolphin-like,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a monster. It鈥檚 hard to believe these guys even still exist. They鈥檙e true dinosaurs.鈥� Arapaima, which has to frequently poke its head above the surface of the water to breath air, can reach up to nine feet long and weigh more than 400 pounds.聽

De Souza, now 38, recently wrapped up a Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Going forward, she鈥檒l divide her time between Guayana and聽the University of Illinois, analyzing her data, writing, and raising money to support her work. During her two- to three-month stints in the field, she鈥檒l be based in Rewa, a village of about 300 people whose livelihood comes in large part from fishing and an ecolodge that attract anglers and birders. From there, de Souza also spends time camping as far as 100 miles upriver. Her trips involve a mix of research, education, and advocacy to protect the region鈥檚 resources鈥攚hich include the arapaima and other rare animals like the Goliath bird-eating spider, gold, and species of trees prized for their wood鈥攁ll with a focus on putting local voices first.聽

Her do-it-all approach is a testament to de Souza鈥檚 hard-earned conservation savvy. Born in Brazil but raised in Alabama, she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at Auburn University, making a name for herself as a traveling conservation biologist with a talent for storytelling. She contributes to National Geographic鈥檚 explorer blog 听补苍诲 works with a production company called . 鈥淚 want to be out there on the ground getting the data that could potentially impact people,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 want to do science just for science鈥檚 sake. What I see is such a decline in connectedness. But people will care if they just hear it differently.鈥� After numerous research expeditions to South America, she鈥檚 developed a sensibility for the complexities of conservation, and sensitivity for the people impacted by these issues.聽

The Rupununi region is a good case study of how she puts her values to work. The area is home to a lush rainforest and meandering network of rivers that drain into the Amazon Basin. It鈥檚 remote enough that residents rely on a healthy environment for critical needs like food and construction materials: 鈥淭he forest is their backyard, their grocery store, their pharmacy, and their livelihood,鈥� de Souza says. But it鈥檚 not so remote that outsiders like logging and mining companies are ignoring it. In fact, when de Souza first heard of the arapaima, the species was headed the way of the actual dinosaur thanks to poachers, who often sold its meat over the border to Brazil. The overharvesting had arapaima numbers 聽to just over 400 in 2000.聽

The arapaima is a top predator in the area, feeding mainly on fish and sometimes birds, so it plays a critical role keeping this ecosystem in balance. It鈥檚 also at the center of a new, sustainable form of ecotourism in the area, thanks to a sport-fishing effort pioneered by the locals, with the help of de Souza, , and the . Anglers are an elite group, the thinking goes, who are willing to pay for the thrill and experience of reeling in one of these rare creatures in the Amazon鈥攅ven if they have to let them go after the catch. Bringing in these non-hunting tourists has helped younger people in the Rewa community stay closer to home instead of leaving for Guyana鈥檚 diamond or gold mines. 鈥淚t鈥檚 securing the future, financially,鈥� de Souza says.聽

To get more data that could inform regulations on arapaima fishing, she also tracks the species鈥� migration and breeding patterns鈥攕ometimes by aerial radio-frequency in a tiny plane鈥攚hich were previously a mystery. 鈥淭o protect the species, we need to know where they鈥檙e going,鈥� de Souza says. She conducts research alongside students from the University of Guyana, training a new generation who will help fight to protect the area鈥檚 resources. This combination of actions has helped restore the arapaima population to more than 4,000.聽

These days, de Souza is frequently focused on helping Rewa Village residents expand their tribal lands鈥攁nd more than that, get it designated as a conservation area, which offers more protections. At the same time, a major company wants to log that same land, and does not need to ask permission from Rewa Village because those protections don鈥檛 yet exist. In hopes of changing that, de Souza travels with Rewa residents to meet with officials in Georgetown, Guyana鈥檚 capital city. It鈥檚 a tough battle, perhaps more so because she often meets resistance as a female leader鈥攁nd at times the only female鈥攐n expeditions. 鈥淢y approach is that I鈥檓 capable. When I feel [the judgment] in the air, I prove myself,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hen there鈥檚 that shift鈥攖he 鈥極h, she can handle herself鈥� shift.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e had guys that can鈥檛 really handle it,鈥� she adds. 鈥淚鈥檝e had to ask, 鈥榃hat, are you scared to get in the water because of piranhas?鈥欌�澛�

Lesley de Souza's Most Memorable Close Encounters in the Animal Kingdom:

Electric eel. 鈥淚 was hit by an electric eel while I was fishing. It totally shocked me. My arm felt numb for a couple of days. I had a steel leader on the end of my fishing line so the piranhas wouldn鈥檛 bite my line off. I was fishing at night. I got the eel, and it started to send electric signals. I thought, wow, you know, I鈥檝e always wanted to see one in the wild, but鈥β�

鈥淎pparently they have a 鈥榢ill鈥� organ for when they鈥檙e going after prey for food, and a 鈥榮tun鈥� organ for when they feel threatened. I ate the eel鈥攁nd it was not good. I figured it was in dire straits, so let鈥檚 go ahead and roast it up with the other fish. I鈥檓 a hunter, but I won鈥檛 hunt anything I won鈥檛 eat.鈥�

Jaguar. 鈥淗earing one in the forest and knowing that it was the cadence of a big cat, and climbing a tree because I was scared he was coming after me. You have to be in a skinny tree [which deters the cat from climbing]. I did not pick a good tree.鈥�

Harpy eagle. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible species to lay eyes on. It鈥檚 kind of the king of the upper canopy. It can kill monkeys.鈥�

Anacondas. 鈥淣ineteen feet long!鈥�

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In the fall of 2014, Taylor Rees was part of a team of adventurers that spent two weeks slogging through the remote jungles of Myanmar, picking off relentless leeches and eventually abandoning more than half of their supplies to save weight鈥攁ll before starting their climb up Hkakabo Razi to confirm that it was the highest peak in southeast Asia. Rees endured all this and captured footage for Down to Nothing, a documentary on the expedition. The 29-year-old co-directed the film with professional climber and filmmaker , who鈥檚 also her fianc茅.聽

鈥淲e were so unbelievably exhausted at times鈥攁fter 18-mile hikes you just want to sleep,鈥� Rees says. 鈥淏ut if you don't suck it up, put out the solar panels, charge batteries and dump cards, all while running around trying to capture the porter camps and the various debacles, then that鈥檚 it. No film.鈥澛�

The expedition itself was painful until the very end. The team didn鈥檛 make the top of the approximately 19,000-foot peak, then trudged for two more weeks, worn down to the bone, back through the jungle to civilization. The resulting film earned the 2015 cinematography award at this year鈥檚 . And it was a valuable learning experience in Rees鈥檚 quickly accelerating career: 鈥淭his was just the next level of pain tolerance in the name of capturing moments,鈥� she says.聽

Taylor Freesolo Rees (her actual middle name鈥攁 legacy of climber parents) is best described with a multi-hyphenate title: filmmaker-photographer-environmentalist-anthropologist-climber. Born in Idaho and raised mostly in New Jersey and Massachusetts, Rees developed an early interest in environmentalism that started down a path globe hopping. While doing field ecology research in Greenland during her undergrad years at Penn State University, Rees wondered why so few of the visiting scientists to the area spoke to the native Inuit residents, who were well aware of how climate change was affecting their home. 鈥淚 could no longer investigate changes in the environment while neglecting the human element,鈥� she says. From her experiences in Greenland, Rees created a film that launched a whole new passion. Shortly after graduating with a degree in biology, she left the sciences altogether, opting to teach school and create short films about聽sovereignty and land stewardship on a Pueblo/Navajo reservation in New Mexico. Her newfound fascination with the human-nature relationship would become a unifying thread seen in much of her future work.聽

Rees went on to receive a master鈥檚 degree in forestry from Yale, lived in Yosemite鈥檚 famous Camp 4 for a year and became obsessed with climbing, and did some nomadic activism with environmental organizations like . But in recent years, she鈥檚 tirelessly pursued all manner of adventures in the role that best suits her: storyteller.聽

She currently spends a third of her time on an anthropology project based in Alaska, studying how communities experience natural resource conflicts. 鈥淚 also weave photojournalism and film, so it's a chance to do everything I love at once,鈥� she says. Another third goes toward producing and creative directing projects with Ozturk. The rest of her time is devoted to what Rees calls her true passion: 鈥淎 top secret documentary project with a team of filmmakers who I have long admired and respected for their willingness to take risks and get weird with adventure and environmental storytelling. Stay tuned!鈥� (Also stay tuned for an expanded version of Down to Nothing that Rees and Ozturk are working on. 鈥淭here's a lot of story that couldn't make the 30-minute cut,鈥� she says.)

So yes, you鈥檙e going to be seeing a lot more from Taylor Freesolo Rees very soon, but you won鈥檛 see much of her. Rees is most interested in staying behind the camera (case in point: her 聽feed, which is pretty much the only way to keep up with her whereabouts.). The recognition she鈥檚 getting is just the side effect of lots of hard work and an outlook that keeps her always looking for the next story. 鈥淏e curious. Be curious. And be curious,鈥� is her mantra. 鈥淭he worst thing ever is assuming you know what is what.鈥澛�

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