Is Running Tariff Proof? + Under Armour Could Use A Little More 'Grrrr'

Summary

The Rock Fight: Outdoor Industry & Adventure Sports Commentary

Episode: Is Running Tariff Proof? + Under Armour Could Use A Little More 'Grrrr'
Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Colin True
Guests: Owen Comerford (Industry Insider/Consigliere), Dave (“Producer Dave”/Brand/Creative Expert)

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Episode Overview

This Rock Fight episode dives into the current state of running brands amid tariff fears, analyzes why "On Running" is crushing it, and wonders if running is uniquely positioned to weather economic storms in the outdoor industry. The hosts also weigh in on the wild success of Vuori (and when/if they’ll move into footwear), and dissect Under Armour’s unclear future—suggesting it’s time for them to reclaim their “grr” branding mojo. Expect honest, playful debate on industry trends, brand blunders, and the ever-present tension between authenticity, fashion, and commerce within outdoor, running, and activewear segments.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Resilience of Running Brands Amid Tariffs (05:31–21:44)

• On Running’s Tariff Immunity (06:51–10:30)

  • Growth: On Running's Q2 sales are up 32% year-over-year; D2C sales especially strong (+40%).
  • Tariffs: CEO/CFO Martin Hoffmann: “We have not even spoken to retail or factory partners about mitigation efforts. We haven’t needed to.” (06:46)
  • Analysis: Owen and Colin speculate this is due to demand hugely outstripping supply, especially in D2C channels, with no price sensitivity among buyers. They note that On, despite its European roots, has America as its core market—a rarity.
  • Distinctive Success: On benefits from both Nike’s retreat from wholesale and its unique “visual tech” (the sole), appealing to younger buyers who don't want to wear “their parent's Nikes.”
  • Marketing: Landing Zendaya as a brand ambassador gives On a cultural edge, eschewing the fallback of second-tier athlete endorsements.
    • Owen: “Getting Zendaya...not just the tired 'which athlete is left?' playbook... just really break the playbook for athletic brands.” (09:07–09:45)

• Broader Running Segment Strength (15:13–18:57)

  • Altra, Saucony, Hoka, and Brooks all report major growth, with Brooks hitting all-time quarterly revenue.
  • Owen points to the rise of “super shoes”—$300+ running shoes—as raising the price anchor and boosting margins/profitability, making running as a category unusually resilient to price shocks like tariffs.
    • Owen: “No way that would ever happen... but people are out there buying super shoes to run their half marathon or 5K. It’s a little insane... but it’s changed the price anchor.” (16:49–17:38)

• Fashion, Trend, and Outdoor Connection

  • The crew notes that running brands' current dominance is as much about fashion/trend as athletic utility (e.g. hiking boots as streetwear in prior decades).
  • Owen wonders if the fashion trend of running might morph toward “trail running” aesthetics, even if actual trail running doesn’t surge.

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2. The Power and Peril of Brand Strategy: On, Vuori, and Merrell (21:44–35:59)

• Vuori’s Meteoric Rise & Specialty Retail Tensions (28:58–35:59)

  • Vuori, at age 10, just opened its 100th store—1 year ahead of schedule—with aggressive international growth.
  • Ongoing industry narrative: Specialty/outdoor insiders gatekeep, doubting Vuori's “outdoor” credentials. However, Vuori’s selective distribution strategy (e.g. refusing online sales through retailers) echoes Lululemon more than Nike.
    • Owen: “They were extremely selective...did not allow anyone to sell their brand online...It makes total sense if you can start with a clean slate.” (31:34–33:07)
  • Risks ahead: Potential over-reliance on D2C, possibly opening doors for new challengers if they abandon specialty retail.

• Will Vuori Enter Footwear? (33:43–35:59)

  • Speculation abounds:
    • Dave: "They did a collab with Clay in 2023...very basic, gender neutral, eco-conscious." (34:54–35:18)
    • Consensus: Footwear expansion inevitable, but “bones of brands” litter the space; timeline predicted in 3 years, possibly with an “Allbirds aesthetic.”

• Merrell: Modernizing the Trail & Innovating Internally (23:04–25:26)

  • Merrell claims to be "modernizing hiking," seeing share gains and launching initiatives like a “junior board” to tap younger perspectives.

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3. Under Armour’s Identity Crisis: Reclaiming Their Mojo (35:59–44:00)

• The Slide of Under Armour
  • Recent Q1 sales drop; CEO Kevin Plank talks rebuilding, emphasizing team sports/football for “cultural relevance.”
  • Colin asks: Has Vuori "market-corrected" UA, taking the growth path UA once seemed destined for?
    • Owen: “Under Armour is the reason Under Armour hasn't continued to grow...They've screwed the pooch fairly well...chasing top line, expanding into every category under the sun.” (37:07–37:55)
    • UA’s over-expansion, discount-led DTC, lack of strategic channel control, and missed athleisure trends are cited as key missteps.
  • Dave: “Their branding has never been to the point of a Nike or even Adidas. It's always had a little bit of little brotherism.” (41:29)
  • Discussion: UA’s “grr” factor—their brawny, masculine energy—feels diluted. In a more woke era, they lost their edge (or the world moved on).
    • Colin: “I wonder if that cultural moment has passed them by. We always described Under Armour as a 'grr' brand...” (40:00–40:33)
  • Owen: “Maybe it's back to strip clubs for Under Armour...maybe it's back to that football vibe—Protect this house!” (40:46–44:14)

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4. Industry Lightning Round & Fun Segments (21:44–28:58)

• Gildan Eyes Hanes Acquisition
  Owen: “Gildan is loungewear, not activewear. My favorite part: they called Hanes an ‘innerwear’ brand. Had you heard that before?” (22:16–22:48)

• Pickleball Corner: Pickle Rage
  – Panel jokes about the rage coming from losing to retirees, and pickleball’s exclusive partnership with Michelob Ultra (light beer for light sports). – Dave reveals: Michelob Ultra is actually #2 by total US beer sales (!).

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5. The Parting Shot: “Don’t Overthink It—Rice Krispie Treats FTW” (45:16–47:42)

• Colin closes with a sharp critique of the sports nutrition industry’s overengineering, citing news that Rice Krispie treats are the snack of choice for elite endurance athletes at the Tour de France.
  • Quote: “It’s really pretty simple, folks. Don’t overthink going outside. You’ll figure it out. That’s my parting shot.” (47:15–47:20)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Owen on On Running’s Demand:
  "They’re really seeing their demand outstrip supply...it’s a great virtuous cycle. You can really kind of do what you want there." (07:02–08:10)

• Dave on On Running’s Branding Shift:
  “I think the stuff they’re doing now, it has heart. There is a soul to that, and that’s just a little different than what you expect.” (11:49–11:59)

• Owen on the Rise of the Super Shoe:
  “Super shoes have sort of changed the price anchor...It's changed the price perception to where it used to be that $120 felt expensive, now it's $150, $160.” (16:51–17:35)

• Dave on Running’s Fashion Cycle:
  “There's going to be a sneaker moment, there's going to be a boot moment, there's going to be a brown shoe moment. These are just big fashion cycles.” (20:17–20:53)

• Owen on Under Armour’s Strategic Errors:
  “They’ve screwed the pooch...doing all of the opposite things that we talked about. Not being strategic in distribution, discounting in DTC, chasing top line at expense of brand.” (37:07–37:55)

• Colin on Simple Fuel:
  “If you're training for that local half marathon, the Rice Krispie treat...or the peanut butter sandwich...will suit you just fine. Don't overthink going outside.” (47:14–47:20)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment & Highlights | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:31 | Main topic: Is running industry “tariff proof”? Deep dive on On Running, D2C vs. wholesale, tariff resilience. | | 08:29 | What On is doing differently: US as main market, strong marketing, timing, and Zendaya. | | 15:13 | Running brands overall—Brooks, Hoka, Altra, Saucony, Super Shoes, price anchors. | | 20:53 | Fashion trends: How sneaker cycles impact outdoor/activewear. | | 21:44 | Lightning Round: Gildan moves for Hanes, Merrell updates, Pickleball/Rage/beer trends. | | 28:58 | Vuori celebrates 10 years and 100th store—strategies and outdoor industry acceptance. | | 33:43 | Predicting Vuori’s move into footwear/Nike parallels | | 35:59 | Under Armour: Reflection on lost edge, brand blunders, possible comeback. | | 45:16 | Closing “Parting Shot”: Hype vs reality in nutrition & gear—keep it simple. |

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Episode Takeaways

• Running category brands, led by On, appear especially resilient to global tariff and economic headwinds thanks to sustained D2C growth, premium pricing, fashion/recreational crossover, and clever marketing.
• Brands like Vuori are rewriting the distribution playbook, bypassing mass online retail and deeply curating where and how they grow—much to the chagrin (or envy) of outdoor veterans.
• Under Armour’s woes are self-inflicted—overexpansion, loss of focus, and a dilution of brand identity—which contrast sharply with On’s and Vuori’s discipline and brand clarity.
• Trends are cyclical—what’s “out” now (Vans, boots) may return, and running’s current dominance may eventually wane.
• At the core: Don’t overengineer your outdoor life. Sometimes the simple solution—a Rice Krispie Treat for race fuel, a basic tee for hiking—works just as well.

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In the hosts’ words: This podcast is where the real, sometimes messy, always candid outdoor industry conversations happen—always with a little skepticism toward the latest “next big thing.”

Transcript

[Colin True]

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[Chris Demaicz]

She's.

[Colin True]

She's a shout floor hero. It may be lunchtime, but between sandwich bites, he learned about fog fighting tech and snow goggles. An hour later, that knowledge helped a customer pick the perfect pair and add a helmet, too. Learning on the go, selling with certainty, adding value. Yup, he's a shout the flow hero. Endeavor is a mobile first platform that equips retail staff with training, incentives, and tools to boost sales and brand engagement. Brands gain insights, sell through improves, while retail associates stay motivated. Ready to get started? Just head to Endeavor IO, update your brand profile and upload your dealer list to access the free features. And when you're ready, launch your first pay as you go campaign. With flexible scalable options, Endeavor turns everyday interactions into strategic wins. The result?

[Chris Demaicz]

Be a shop floor hero. Endeavor's here to stay. Shop floor hero. Sell through is the way. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight.

[Colin True]

Welcome to the Rock Fight, where we speak our truth, slay sacred cows, and sometimes agree to disagree. This is an outdoor podcast that aims for the head. I'm Colin True, and joining me today, just like they do every Monday here on the Rock Fight, the outdoor industry insider and consigliere to the Rock Fight, Owen Comerford and brand and creative expert producer Dave, AKA the Monday boys.

[Owen Comerford]

Hey, there it is. All right. We need to actually get a. You know, an actual sound.

[Colin True]

Oh, I like when you do it.

[Owen Comerford]

Okay, fine. I'm gonna charge extra.

[Chris Demaicz]

That.

[Owen Comerford]

That's it? I mean, I. Oh, that's a good idea.

[Colin True]

Actually. Yeah, that's not in your original contract.

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah, those have been free up to now, but yeah, those are gonna cost you.

[Colin True]

I don't know if you are aware cause it's on a text thread, Owen. But Shantae Salibar had some notes about your 90s band's preferences after listening to last week's EP.

[Owen Comerford]

Whoa, I missed that on the text string. Really? It's been a busy day. Okay. She didn't.

[Colin True]

She took particular exception to Sublime being referenced.

[Chris Demaicz]

What?

[Colin True]

Yeah. Really?

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah. Oh, okay. It's no longer PC in the current.

[Colin True]

World, I think it'd be more because his son took over. Bradley Null's son is the lead singer of Sublime now, which is kind of a cool story.

[Owen Comerford]

There were so many other bands. I mean, I could go on, on all the bands that you guys missed, but, you know, those are just some that. Those are just some that came to mind. At least you called out Matthew's Sweet Girlfriend as a classic. One of the best.

[Colin True]

I'm 100%, too. Today, we're going to get into some industry headlines, but first, some programming reminders. Tomorrow, Doug Schnitzman opens the container like he always does on Tuesday. His guest this week is Catherine Andrews, the director of Arkansas's Office of Outdoor Recreation. So make sure you're listening to Open Container and check that out. Also, come back to the Rock Fight this Wednesday, where I'll be joined by the aforementioned Sublime hater Shantae Salibar to check out the latest headlines that come out of the outdoor adventure community. And hey, Dave. Producer Dave, how can our listeners get a little bit more from the Rock Fight? If they, if they would like to.

[Dave]

Call in so many ways, I would recommend subscribing to our newsletter News from the front. Head over to Rockfight Co and sign up. And it's all right there in front of you. And it's pink and black and colorful glory and.

[Colin True]

Oh, and if our listeners want to reach out to us, what should they do?

[Owen Comerford]

Well, of course, they can always email [e-mail] apparently somebody had rockfightmail.com okay, anyway, myrockfightmail.com, probably the same asshole that owns rockfight.com probably. Son of a bitch. Anyway, because we're rockfight co. All right. But you can also obviously hit us up on LinkedIn. Just search on Rock Fight there to find our page or on Instagram where we are Rock Fight Co. And just follow along for all of the excitement. You can even send us a dm and I'm sure somebody will read it or maybe get back to you.

[Colin True]

I'll read it.

[Owen Comerford]

Oh, oh. Colin will read it. There we go.

[Colin True]

I'll read it and then I'll heart it. Unless you're being mean and then I won't.

[Owen Comerford]

Oh, okay.

[Dave]

Send you to our Discord server and our Snapchat.

[Colin True]

Yes. All of which are real things. Okay. The opening shot on today's episode of the Rock Fight is presented by Lem's shoes. As the summer season wraps up, now's a great time to get ready for fall with Lem's guys All right. From easygoing slip ons and refined leather lace ups to tough trail ready boots, Lemz offers footwear for every occasion and their fit is unmatched. If you've never experienced the fit of a pair of Lems, well, I just feel sorry for you. You guys have experienced the fit of some, some Lem's shoes and boots.

[Owen Comerford]

I believe not actually.

[Dave]

Oh yeah.

[Colin True]

What? Oh yeah, I thought we got you some of those.

[Owen Comerford]

You got. I think we got me the, the sandals but.

[Colin True]

Sandals.

[Owen Comerford]

I'm not a sandals person so we're.

[Colin True]

Going to rectify that as soon as we' today because they're built with comfort, durability and versatility at the core. The collection, their collection is ready to take you to whatever the season leads. And with fresh and exciting styles just around the corner, be sure to stay tuned. But in the meantime, head to lemshoes.com right now to get your feet into the best fitting shoe you've ever worn. And today guys, we're starting where we've been a lot lately. We're talking about running. Now this isn't a full on edition of Tariff Watch 2025, but there were some stories that come out of the past week from the running world that puts us on Tariff Watch's corner because I want to explore the run world, particularly the brand on running and how they might, it may be, it might be a little tariff proof. So let's get into this here with some news about on running per retail dive.com on second quarter sales were up 32% year over year and the brand raised its full year outlook to 31% growth after previously saying they thought they would grow to be 28% in regards to tariffs on seems to be non plussed when it comes to the topic that is driving a lot of the conversations we're having on this show recently. CEO/CFO apparently Martin Hoffman over there wears both hats and he was quoted as saying, quote, we have not even spoken to retail or factory partners about mitigation efforts. We haven't needed to, end quote. So Owen, does that read to you as hubris, confidence? Maybe a little of both.

[Owen Comerford]

Maybe a little bit of both. I'm sure there are some executives out there that are thinking what a fucking dickhead.

[Colin True]

You know, we just don't need to. I can't do a Swiss accent. I don't know.

[Owen Comerford]

I don't need to. Whatever. Yeah, but it comes from the fact that they're really seeing their demand at strip supply and I thought it was really interesting that actually their D2C sales were quite a bit. The growth was even much, much higher in D2C, it was like over 40% growth in D2C whereas wholesale was like mid twenties in growth. Right. Which tells me that basically the wholesale didn't buy enough. They sold out. And so everyone went to D2C because their D2C is a full price DTC, they're not driving their D2C sales with discounts. So people are coming to them because they can't get it at wholesale. And it's this great virtuous cycle of demand outstripping supply. And so you can really kind of do what you want there and potentially just hey, if we're going to hit with tariffs, we'll just raise our prices a little bit, you know, because we're not worried about demand elasticity with price increases because we're selling everything we can make. So it's a great place to be. You're not always going to be there as a brand typically, but yeah, good for them.

[Colin True]

Apart from tariffs, you know, we talk a lot about the European brands who are eyeballing coming into the US and expanding into this territory here. But. And as a European brand, you know, ON does seem to be doing things differently. They're finding success here when other brands are struggling to get traction. Like what do you think that difference is? What are they doing differently?

[Owen Comerford]

Well, first the thing that jumped out at me is the fact that they're America. So they're a European based brand out of Switzerland, I believe. Typically what you'd see is that brands are biggest in their home markets and the European market is generally speaking about the same size as the North American market. So you'd have thought Europe would be at least slightly bigger than North America. Not so for an. Actually America is I think two or three times bigger than Europe. So they've really not just been successful here. This is their main market. And I think there's a few reasons for that. One is Nike's retreat from wholesale really opened the door for. For ON and other challenger brands. Quite frankly, ON also really benefited from having a distinct visual tech approach because of their soul and the whole things that are there. Right. Which really stood out as being very different for customers, especially younger customers who didn't want to be seen wearing their mother's or father's Nikes. Right. And so they said they've really embraced the brand. This is cool and different and fun. Okay. All this came at the same time that Covid was booming. So their timing was just perfect. Really Through. No, not, not. They were just, you know, good timing. And then finally they've really understood the importance of top of the funnel marketing. Rather than just come over here, sell in at wholesale and hope things happen, they came in, had some initial traction and then really started to invest on top of the funnel to where now I think getting Zendaya as an example, as a brand ambassador, rather than just the tired, oh, let's figure out what athlete hasn't signed with Nike or ID DASA yet and get the second tier athlete. No, we're going to go first tier superstar and you know, just really break the playbook for athletic brands. So they've just made so many great moves in this market, I think so.

[Colin True]

As you know, it's Zendaya just for futures. I want you to get in trouble with the youth in your family, in your life. You know.

[Dave]

We made the consigular speechless.

[Owen Comerford]

Had to do it.

[Dave]

Zendaya, he said, yeah, led you down the path, he lets you go there.

[Colin True]

Well, you are making really good points. I also didn't want you to, you know.

[Owen Comerford]

True. Yeah. No, I mean, if we, if we can't be accurate on this podcast, what are we?

[Colin True]

I seriously, this is the proven to be the most 100% accurate podcast of all time.

[Dave]

I believe this is not a guarantee.

[Colin True]

Dave, what do you like, what's going on over on running from a brand perspective?

[Dave]

I think he hit all of that. I mean, brand perspective, right? I mean first the visual tech, it's a clean look, so that's always going to be popular. It's always going to have a hit and they do it well. I think the, like you said, the top of the funnel, the Zendaya, it's not just the fact that they signed an A list celebrity and a very generational one. I think they're using her really well. I think the. Honestly, when you're, when you're Swiss and you're clean tech, the inclination is to be very structured and very linear about your communication and everything must look in that way. And they did a lot of that at the beginnings, for sure. But I would say the stuff that they're doing now, it has heart.

[Owen Comerford]

Right?

[Dave]

There's just, there is a soul to that and there's a. And that's just a little different than what you expect. And again, that's, you know, that's the Nike playbook. Right. They've been always very good at bringing out some kind of heart or soul in the athletes that they bring to their communication. And I think that they've done that but they're also using kind of a future tech kind of wrapping around that. So I think it does help that at the same time they are hitting the core pieces of this. I mean it's on running right that they are lean into that.

[Colin True]

It's in the name.

[Dave]

And again I'll go anecdotally but they opened their, their concept store here in Portland not too long ago and a kind of a trendy spot kind of place you'd expect it to be. But I'll tell you a couple times a week, once a week that run club that they have in the evening there's 30, 40 people out in front of that store and they'll you know, probably a mile or so to the trail and then back again. So they're getting good people coming out to it regularly. It's always going on. And so to me that's just to get another sense that they're also resonating with the core user that they need to not just as they blow up and go go outward. So I just, I think the two things going together are in their favor for sure. And get clean aesthetic. You just can't. You have a nice looking product that goes with everything.

[Owen Comerford]

There you go.

[Colin True]

Yeah. The Zendaya of it all is really interesting. Anytime like one of their either spots or it doesn't add or something pops up with her in it, I always like wait, it takes me back. I'm like oh yeah, that's right, I forgot that she's in these. It doesn't, it's not what you expect in an athletic.

[Dave]

And you know they're also doing again you take away from the running the way they've used Federer to get into tennis though he's not longer playing and they've now signed some, you know they're making a definite move into court sports like in not, not holding back from that. And you know tennis doesn't have the population participation but it's on tv, it's on clips. It's definitely it, it marks you as a serious contender to a multi sport athletic brand. You know, not just a single, a single channel.

[Colin True]

So they're going after that sweet sweet pickleball money.

[Dave]

Sweet sweet pickleball club sports man. That's a, it's a way to keep your, your brand premium. You still play in performance and it's also, it's in a great extension if your clean running is kind of where you come from. A white court shoe, you know that that's just the other side of the equation. In terms of product that goes with lots of people's outfits.

[Owen Comerford]

The interesting thing for me from the outdoor perspective is for all of the running brands that we try to pretend are outdoor brands and sell in outdoor stores. It's the biggest stretch in my mind because they really don't have much of a, of a trail running background. Even their tech. Right. This big open cell thing doesn't work for trail running. Right. Because you get gravel and shit in there, it's a disaster. So they've created versions obviously that don't have that tech, but it's sort of anti the overall brand altogether. But it just does show that, hey, within the outdoor industry, if we can sell it to our customers, we're going to sell it even if it isn't really outdoorsy.

[Colin True]

Right, right.

[Dave]

It's outside. And I just, I do want to point out to all those that did not vote for my that ON is a power player here. So shame on you all.

[Colin True]

Looking at your fourth place finish, Dave, I don't know if that's what I mean.

[Dave]

I think there's a lot of miscalculation here. Who's laughing now?

[Colin True]

Shantae?

[Dave]

Shantae.

[Colin True]

Well, let's talk about running in general. Right, so last week we talked about Altra and Saucony having big quarters. A few weeks back we talked about Hoka being up again. And in addition to ON's earnings this past week, Brooks also reported a big Q2. So per SGB, Brooks set an all time quarterly revenue high for Q2, achieving quote double digit growth in every region and channel and expanding global revenue by 19% year over year. So Owen, I know we keep saying the worst is yet to come when it comes to tariffs, but is running the best position category to deal with tariffs? Because between all these facts and figures and the surge in brands bringing new trail running lines to market, I kind of wonder if we're going to be eating crow next year when it comes to running. Just got to keep on chugging along even in the face of all this uncertainty.

[Owen Comerford]

Well, running is not the outdoor industry. I would say that from the outset. So I think we're talking more about where the outdoor industry is going to be maybe in six, eight months. But yes, running as a category is really quite well positioned just because it's in a period of growing demand, whereas the outdoor category is flat to down single digits over the last number of years. So yeah, it's well positioned. I think the other thing that's really helped running as it deals with tariffs and other things is Actually the super shoe of it all. And what I mean by that is super shoes have sort of changed the price anchor around running shoes to be much higher than they used to be. You know, if you said to somebody, whatever, five years ago, oh, yeah, there's going to be a ton of $300 shoes out on the market, and they'll all actually be selling, you know, at some volume. People said, are you fucking crazy? No way. No way that would ever happen.

[Colin True]

No one would ever accept that price.

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah, I mean, maybe like for some ultra, ultra people who are just. But no people are out there buying super shoes to run in their half marathon in a 5K. I mean, it's a little insane, but obviously not a ton of people are buying super shoes, but it's just changed the price anchor or the price perception to where it used to be. $120, I mean, I felt like, was a relatively expensive athletic shoe. Now it's 150, 160. And so there does seem to be a little bit more pot for upward movement on price in this category, which obviously helps in the face of tariffs and price increases than in the wider outdoor space.

[Colin True]

Yeah, I was just back to school shopping with my kids yesterday at the Nike store with my one daughter, getting a pair of Nike Pegasus Zooms. And as much as we talk about this, it was 145 bucks, which was maybe one of the cheapest running shoes on the wall. And I still had a moment just my old brain being like, oh, these will be like a buck 20. And then I'm like, oh, yeah, that's right. This is what it costs for running shoes now. So, Dave, is there anything that can be taken from the broader running brand, categorically speaking, like the brand of running that can sort of be applied by runners, by others here?

[Dave]

Well, let's take our outdoor lens. You know, what goes up must come down.

[Colin True]

I mean, look, running is a big part of outdoor, and you go to shops that are running shoes.

[Dave]

It's just, look, you know, if anything, if a trend, if a fad moves to a trend, you know, we're. It will soften at some point. You know, I guess that adage about coming down is only true except for prices. Right? Prices are going to keep going up. But right now it does seem like running is a little impervious to this, and it's just gaining more and more traction and wider followers. You know, look, it's a. It's a gateway activity to the outdoors. Right? I mean, in terms of just even getting outside and doing Something we talk about that as the outdoor shifting. Of course that's going to be a, an important piece to that. So I just, you know, like I said, looking for the horizon. What's, where's it going? I don't know how high it's going to get, but at some point it will come back down.

[Owen Comerford]

As you talked about in this pod, it has been driven more by trend and fashion. People wanting to wear those shoes and they're very comfortable. Right. And so that makes a ton of sense. But really the hiking boot of the 10 years ago was also driven by trend. People liked the chunky boot look of things, the Timberlands, et cetera. So those things could still happen. Right? I mean, Timberland was a streetwear thing and then now streetwear is much more of a sneaker culture. But Colin, you even shared a YouTube video with us this week. And in that video, the guy there who was obviously very hooked into the streetwear of it all, was saying, now maybe streetwear is moving a little bit beyond sneaker culture and getting into things like loafers as an example. Hopefully not speed loafers.

[Colin True]

The Snofer Snowfur is a category now.

[Owen Comerford]

There you go. But loafers and then also even more sort of classically styled products and then even some of the more outdoorsy running aspects. So are we going to see running as a trend from a fashion perspective, morph more into trail running, so taking more of an outdoorsy vibe to that same running shoe. And trail running takes off not because more people are running on a trail, just because the trail running of it is a cooler look than the non trail running of it.

[Colin True]

Right.

[Dave]

If you even go just even higher in terms of just mass styles look, there's going to be a sneaker moment, there's going to be a boot moment, there's going to be a brown shoe moment in this larger sense. And obviously brands and categories fit within those, but they just ebbs and flow. So if sneaker or you know, running and sneakers have been dominant for so long, boots are going to find their way back and become the Dom. And when that happens, then maybe they'll come back down to lower, lower to the ground. I mean, we haven't talked about barefoot. Not the kind of super end of the spectrum to that, but just its just its influence on overall styles.

[Colin True]

Yeah, the foot health function kind aspect of that category.

[Dave]

The trainers, I mean just the classic trainer are just tend to be flat. You know, vans has been down while, you know, at some point that's going to come back, you know, that's a version of sneaker, if you will. So I just, I think you're just kind of looking to see which traditional large segment will kind of come up and down and, and it'll move a lot of categories with it.

[Colin True]

I, I can confirm that as the gaze from one of my 14 year olds yesterday looking at the van store at the Grove in la just would have set it on fire if it could. Like vans, like, not into it at all. Like, that was like. Yeah, tough times for vans with the kids.

[Dave]

Yeah.

[Colin True]

That just means they're about to come back is what that means. The war, another couple years.

[Owen Comerford]

The war is back. Everything will be fine. Don't worry about it.

[Dave]

Yep, yep. Exactly.

[Chris Demaicz]

Lightning round.

[Colin True]

All right, it's time for the rock fight. Lightning round. Are you guys ready?

[Dave]

All right.

[Owen Comerford]

So ready.

[Colin True]

All right, first up, last week, Gildan Activewear announced a proposed acquisition of Hanes brand for $2.2 billion, with Gildan president Glenn Shamity saying the big upside of the deal is expanding Hanes in activewear. Oh, and I'm gonna give you two choices. You pick the most likely outcome. Does an expansion by Hanes and activewear look more like a Vuari competitor or being the dominant active casual brand at Kohl's?

[Owen Comerford]

Well, obviously Kohl's is the obvious answer here. You know, Gildan is being viewed as activewear. Well, I mean, it's teasing hoodies. Okay. Is that activewear? I guess it's activewear. Yeah, sure. It's really more loungewear more than anything else. Yes. They've got some performance pieces in there, but it's really, it's really pretty casual stuff. So my favorite, actually part of that press release is how they kept calling Hanes an innerwear brand. I, I, I, I. Had you heard that before? I had never heard.

[Colin True]

I think we're missing out and I feel like we're not doing our job if we don't know if there's the three of us. Don't know what Inner. I've not heard of Inner.

[Owen Comerford]

Innerwear because I've heard of an adwear brand, obviously.

[Colin True]

Is that like an Innie or an Audi with your belly button?

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah. Right. So, yeah. Is it. You have clothing for your stomach.

[Colin True]

Next up, last week, Merrell, who, like other footwear brands we just talked about, had themselves at Gray Q2, laid claim to, quote, modernizing the trail. Wolverine's CEO Chris Hufnagle said that Merrell's quote, faster, lighter, more athletic product offerings continue to fuel momentum and drive significant, significant share gains in the hiking category. End Quote Dave, we said that hiking is ripe as a category to be elevated. But between these and between these comments by Huffnagel and Shantae winning our top outdoor brand draft with Merrill on her team. Do you think Merrill is already setting the tone for hiking as a category?

[Dave]

I'm still thinking about the Gildan and Hanes acquisition. I think that is the largest unbranded acquisition I've ever heard of. Right. I mean, or not heard of of.

[Colin True]

Or don't care about the non brand.

[Dave]

Yeah, right.

[Colin True]

2.2 billion non brand.

[Dave]

2.2 billion non branded discussion.

[Owen Comerford]

Come on. Hanes is definitely a brand. I, I, I, I agree that Gildan is, is sort of the, a hidden brand, but Hanes is a brand. But it's known for its inner wear though. Let's, let's be clear.

[Dave]

Right? And in the 80s they had commercials right along with McDonald's. Yeah, no, no doubt, no doubt.

[Colin True]

I'm gonna just formally apologize to Merrill. Cause I really tried to throw them up bone this week and like, you know, and then we just went where we normally went with them.

[Owen Comerford]

Well, hey, I'll throw him a bone. I thought it was really interesting. They actually announced that they are establishing a junior board within the company. So they're taking key younger members of the Wolverine worldwide organization, you know, whether they be in design or digital marketing or whatever. And they're creating this junior board that's I guess advising the real board on like oh no, this is how the world actually works today and not what a bunch of 60 somethings think.

[Dave]

Are they translating memes? No, no, that's not what they really meant.

[Owen Comerford]

No, no gens they meet on TikToks.

[Dave]

I love that idea. I think that's actually awesome. And not only does it, it kind of help you identify talent, but it really does at least get some kind of structured way to get a, a truly relevant perspective to bubble up. No, no doubt. I don't think you have to be the 60 year old board member either to benefit from that. I think that the kind of those discussions and what that comes out of it could be really, really helpful.

[Colin True]

All right. Finally today we're on Pickleball Corner as Pickle Rage expanded their indoor pickleball. You have to say it that way. You can't just say Pickle Rage. You have to say Pickle Rage expanded their indoor pickleball facilities last week by opening a new franchise location in New Jersey for both of you. When playing at Pickle Rage, where do you think the rage comes in when you're out There playing pickleball. Where does the rage manifest itself?

[Dave]

The neighbors, the people that live next to these facilities are rage filled over the constant clacking sound. So I think there's plenty of rage, Colin.

[Owen Comerford]

I think the rage, the rage comes from losing to oxygen. Veterinarians, you know, you're out there, you think you're pretty hot stuff. You're, you know, you're a Gen X, you're in your, your 50s, say, and then, yeah, gramps, gramps and grandma come over and just kick your ass. Yeah, it's just not good, that, that. And also apparently all you're allowed to drink is MC Ultra, which I just.

[Colin True]

Exclusive partnership with Mick Ultra.

[Owen Comerford]

I cannot do that.

[Colin True]

Who drinks? The people. Someone must be drinking. Miggle. They keep advertising it. I think they just made a bunch. They can't sell it. They're just going to like keep advertising until it's finally gone.

[Owen Comerford]

Go drink it, apparently.

[Dave]

I think it's got a sales leadership.

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah, it probably does. Yeah. It's people that actually don't. Not only do they not have taste, they just don't want taste.

[Colin True]

Right. They're wearing their innerwear and they want a beer to go with it.

[Owen Comerford]

Right, Exactly. Hanging out in their gilding teas, just drinking in the culture.

[Colin True]

Today's main event on the Rock Fight is presented by Oboz, who wants to share their love of hiking. And we want to help them by uncovering all the different reasons we love to take the long walk, including the following reasons. Number one, you can drink instant coffee while you're out there and pretend it's artisanal because you know, it's like, wow, you're drinking coffee and you. Right.

[Dave]

It's true.

[Owen Comerford]

Okay.

[Colin True]

Number two, you get to point dramatically at peaks and say, that's where we're headed. Number three, you get to judge other hikers gear choices in the wild, something I am convinced that everyone on this podcast does. Of course, Dave's just smiling. And number four, no one will judge you poorly if you're out there hiking in a pair of obo's highite mid waterproof boots. Obo's highlight is rooted in the spirit of OBO of Highlight Canyon. Designed for lasting comfort and made with recycled and biobased materials, the Highlight collection is designed to support your stride, whether that's out on rocky switchbacks or wandering closer to home. And this hiking appreciation moment is brought to you by obo's of Bozeman, Montana, the maker of premium quality footwear for the trail and the cupid to the outdoor world Oboz love hiking and I.

[Dave]

Just want to just apologize to Michelob Ultra. While I am not a connoisseur of your beer, evidently they actually have the highest market share in the country of 18.7% draft of shares of draft and they are the number 2 total sale size beer next to Modelo. So that's yes. So clearly pickleballers drink.

[Owen Comerford]

As if we didn't need another sign that this country is headed in the wrong direction. Oh my God.

[Colin True]

Nick on draft sounds terrible. Like just I guess I'm gonna hand me a cold bottle of it. I might drink it or something. But.

[Dave]

Well, look, it's the finest of what air and water can do.

[Owen Comerford]

It's. It's very hydrating, you know, which is important. It's important. It's important to hydrate.

[Dave]

So Y man number two best selling beer in the US Yep, there you go.

[Colin True]

These are the days we're living in, boys. Okay, so per SGB, last week Vuari celebrated its 10 year anniversary by opening its 100th store, beating its goal of 100 retail locations by a full year. And they were targeting to that for 2026. Vori also recently opened flagship locations in London and Shanghai, and this fall we'll be opening stores in Beijing. In Seoul, a quote from the company stated, after garning widespread attention and loyalty from consumers in the United States, the brand has strategically expanded its global omnichannel presence, now serving customers across close to 30 countries through a growing network of brick and mortar locations and a robust network of distributors. Because it's only been 10 years since they have arrived on the scene, the industry discourse or narrative I feel like is largely negative still towards Vuari on the from, from the folks we talk about in the specialty retail front and these sort of core outdoor fol, yet all they seem to do is go out and crush it. They are a GOA brand who sells to our best outdoor retailers and they are also actively changing the landscape of active apparel globally. So when will the more noisy voices in the industry move on from the narrative that Vuori doesn't really belong in the outdoor conversation?

[Owen Comerford]

I would say probably just in time for Viori to pull out of outdoor retail. I say that just because clearly they're traveling more down the arc' teryx path where D2C is their main channel, and then they strategically choose other distribution points that align with where they want to be from a customer perspective, from a pricing perspective, but also from a location perspective. So at Moosejaw we actually did. Vuori was our number one Brand in store number one. But we weren't allowed to have Vuori in every store because like our Boulder location, we couldn't have Vuori because guess what? They opened a Viori store across the street. So to what degree are we going to see more of that show up over time where it's like, oh, hey, Joe's outdoor store, guess what? We're opening the whatever store, the Viori Atlantis store is going to be down the street next month. So yeah, so sorry, we're not going to sell you anymore. So you could see some of that sort of thing, I think happening here.

[Colin True]

But they have to be seen as having a blueprint for success at this point. Right? I mean, it just, it's.

[Owen Comerford]

It's.

[Colin True]

I mean, have they had a misstep in your, in your eyes in the last 10 years? I mean, they're only 10 years old and they just kind of continue. I mean, I hear, hear stories about, they're like, oh yeah, we had our booth in the Venture out section next to Vuori and like at Outdoor retailer in like 2014 or whatever. Like they were one of those small up and coming brands and, and now look at them.

[Owen Comerford]

They were super smart because so much of, of what happens with brands in their early stages that you're just so desperate for sales that you'll kind of take any distribution you can get. Right? And they were not that at all. They were extremely selective in terms of the doors they went in. They were also very smart in that they did not allow anyone to sell their brand online. Right. So even with Moose, when we sold Vioria Moustro stores, we couldn't sell it on our website, which typically we wouldn't do because we're Omnichannel. We're not going to have you only in brick and mortar. But those were the rules of the game for them. And it makes total sense for a brand if you can start at a clean slate and say, well, let's see, do I want to compete online with all of my distributors, right. And have them bid up all my terms on Google and all these other places and potentially have to worry about them going on sale and doing all that kind of crap? No, I want to just own that brand online and then use brick and mortar to get that level of exposure into the market in other places, leverage them for what they're best at, which is being those local, those local stores, those local sources for people. So, you know, I think they did it right. And then obviously then they kept full price. They were just, just kind of Like Lululemon in a lot of ways did as well. It was like, hey, we're, we're just, we're a full price brand and if you, if you want to be part of this, you're buying it at full price. It's, it's where brands start to over distribute and then over discount. That's when the wheels start to fall off. Off.

[Colin True]

So with that in mind, like outside of things like tariffs, like what, what are the risks do you see going, you know, for them going forward?

[Owen Comerford]

Well, potentially they could end up actually maybe being over reliant on D2C which, which, which can be challenging. And if they do start to pull out of, of specialty, that then creates an opening for another challenger brand, sort of similar to what happened with Nike and on. So I just think they have to be very, hopefully they'll be as strategic in their distribution decisions going forward in terms of maybe where they pull out of as they have been up to this point.

[Colin True]

All right, I want to move on to a different topic, but I do want predictions because this to me is the most glaring thing that I'm surprised hasn't happened. And maybe it's the smartest thing they haven't done yet. When are we getting Vuari footwear tomorrow? Never.

[Dave]

It's got to be coming.

[Colin True]

Are they at apparel brand and that's it when.

[Owen Comerford]

Once Allbirds goes into bankruptcy.

[Dave]

Once they buy Allbirds. Yeah, that would have been my. That's exactly.

[Colin True]

Why would they do that though, when they just rather, I mean, I guess, you know, what are you buying? You know, they don't have to do that.

[Owen Comerford]

No, they don't. I mean, you look at, look at Vori is much, much bigger than all birds, is like probably four times the size. So no, they're not going to all birds, but I do see, I do see the Vuori footwear aesthetic being in that vein. I guess when it does come out, which will be in three years, you think? Three years? I think so.

[Colin True]

It sounds about right. So are we saying that, hey, Consiglieri, are we saying that Vuori is the Michael Corleone and Allbirds is the Fredo in this conversation?

[Owen Comerford]

Sure, yeah. I don't know so well.

[Dave]

Okay, look, you know, part of. They have already dipped their toe, if you will, into footwear. They did a, you know, a collab with Clay in 2023 and it was, you know, very basic, gender neutral, you know, mostly recycled, eco conscious kind of kind of positioning, kind of what you'd expect from that.

[Colin True]

What was the like function of the shoes, it's like an everyday shoe. Was it like a running shoe?

[Dave]

Just an everyday. No, I know, just a comfortable again, nice looking, clean, clean, clean sneaker. But so, yeah, so like I said that that line's been crossed. So we'll see where it goes.

[Colin True]

I mean, Lulu came out with a shoe finally. Eventually, just someone's gonna say, all right, guys, it's time. We gotta make, we gotta make shoes now.

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah, no, that's, that's actually a fair point because that took a long time in terms of Lulu's scale before they went into footwear. I'm not sure if I would get into footwear if I were them. The landscape is obviously scattered with the bones of brands that have tried to make that leap, so we'll see.

[Colin True]

It does seem like there are a lot more smaller niche footwear brands or something we need to talk about. I think on the pod soon. But yes, I agree with you. On the flip side of the athletic coin, now we have Under Armour, who is in the news this week according to sgb, for still trying to right the ship, so to speak. So per that article, which came out out after Under Armour's Q1 results were down year over year, CEO Kevin Plank said the brand is, quote, executing a phased plan to rebuild brand loyalty, improve revenue quality and lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. End quote. Plank also added that he believes the brand is regaining cultural relevance in the US by shifting their focus away from gym based activities and focusing back on team sports, particularly American football, which was instrumental into their initial growth and rise. You know, by no means is Under Armour not relevant. They are a billion dollar activewear brand, but. And you compare them to the ascendant brand they were 10 years ago, I think it's fair to ask some questions. So my first question is, has Vuori sort of market corrected Under Armour? Right. So Vori launches 10 years ago and is currently on the path that we all thought Under Armour would probably be on now, or still be on anyway. But instead it feels like they've run into roadblocks along the way.

[Owen Comerford]

I don't buy that Vuori is the reason why Under Armour hasn't continued to grow. Under Armour is the reason why Under Armour hasn't continued to grow. They've. They've screwed the pooch fairly well here just in terms of doing all of the opposite things that we talked about. Not being strategic in terms of their distribution decisions, having their DTC be all about discounting and promotion, not being strategic in terms of who can sell their brand online. And having it be all over everywhere and then just chasing the top line, expanding into every single category under the sun. Like their outerwear collection and hunting. They just lost the script quite frankly. And whereas Vuori has been vori also, I would say they're different. Different going after different customers, different segments, etc.

[Colin True]

It's not a one for one, but I sort of look at the things you just described or it seemed to be some of the things that Fiori has done well. So if it's just you're, if you're like a buyer or even just a consumer and you're kind of looking at these two brands and like Under Armours is like cruising along, chugging along. Like when I was At Polar Tech 10 years ago they were, oh, they're going to be, it's going to be Adidas, Nike and Under Armour. Right then that was that all weird. They had conquered the us, the world was next. And now it seems that Vuor just sort of has taken that place. A lot of it's self inflicted wounds to your point from Under Armours created that. But I do wonder, that's an interesting sliding doors moment if you know Vuoria now did that open up the door for Vuori to kind of become what it is?

[Dave]

I think it's just more of Under Armour just didn't adapt or meet the athleisure trend at all. I mean Nike has the same customer base that Under Armour and has moved into the that very well and that just goes into kind of the DNA of the different brands. Right. And how they're able to bring artistry and a little bit of subtlety to aesthetics and design and trend. And you know, like, like you said, Under Armour got kind of over their skis into a lot of things and returning back to football is definitely going back to home base. Personally, I don't think gym sports are necessarily that different from team sports in a, in an overall sense and vibe. So that to me is a little bit of most mushy, mushy side. But you can, you can be in the gym and be, you know, be a football brand or be a team sport brand at the same time. So I, I think missing that trend. Like you said, again, they've had inventory issues going back for years as, as recently as 2023 they had a billion dollars of $1.2 billion in inventory sitting there. So like just getting the house in order, you know, you mentioned hunting which you know, maybe were relatable to the outdoor. That was a billion dollar category. You know, 10 years ago. I mean, so it's like they were doing something. Right.

[Colin True]

Yeah.

[Dave]

And just missed out on consolidating that or taking it forward. I mean, they definitely, again, they do seem like every. Every few years they have an unforced error that kind of takes them off their stride.

[Colin True]

I wonder if the moment has passed them by. Right. We. We always described Under Armour as a. As a gir brand. Right. Just like that was kind of like their whole thing. It's like, you know, coming out of the gate, like the protect this house, like very masculine and big, bulking, hulking dude kind of brand. I wonder if that cultural moment has passed them by. And then you also, given that they kind of. You have these other challenges they're trying to overcome, you know, that's maybe not as acceptable, largely speaking, among the populace. And then also you have brands like A View, Ari or maybe even others kind of. Or even Lululemon to kind of step in and fill in the opportunities that were there for Under Armour back in the day.

[Owen Comerford]

I think what you missed, Colin, though, is that misogyny is actually. Actually is back. We, you know, that's Right, right.

[Dave]

It's timeless.

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah, exactly. We've got our misogynist.

[Dave]

You're not misogynistic enough, Colin.

[Owen Comerford]

Yeah. So, I mean, maybe. Maybe it's. It's. It's back to strip clubs for. For Under Armour, you know, and, yeah, those days are coming back. Right, because it's a good point. Yeah. I potentially, I think it's. It's an interesting thought from a brand perspective. Did Under Armour lose that sort of gur edge trying to chase the changing tides of culture around masculinity and this whole concept of toxic masculinity, which I hate that term. I think it should be banned. But anyway, did they feel like, oh, we can't be ourselves, so we're going to try to be something else? And then they became nothing, really.

[Dave]

I don't even know if they got that far in it. Again, I think the athleisure side is really a trend in aesthetic, specifically for maybe the women's business that they could have brought into it. But their branding has never been to the point of a Nike or even Adidas. It's always had a little bit of little brotherism to it. It doesn't have the same kind of soul. Now some of that work has changed. Like the stuff that they're bringing back. They did a video piece with. I think it was. It's Jackson State, one of the historically black colleges that won the National Title last year. Really emotional piece to it. Some of their branding work is starting to get to that. But I just think before it just kind of missed and that's going back a while where they just, they kind of lost the emotion. And so I actually think that a gur brand is actually a great idea in the sense of where everything is going and creating a difference and one that actually goes to their heritage. It doesn't mean you have to pick up all the stupid tropes that you know that existed in terms of misogynistic culture and still have strength and power and leadership. Look at the, at the end of the day, we're an alpha based country. We reward sports and brands that take the lead and show by example. And that is to me that is an opportunity for them to get their place back.

[Colin True]

Frankly, a women, a female ledger campaign would be really interesting and they've done some of that.

[Dave]

Nike just did that very well. Well, right. And so I just, I think there's a place for that across the board for all of their, all their categories. But you got to get out of the price point.

[Colin True]

Well, right.

[Dave]

You got to get out of the tech business. All those stupid apps that they bought up and all that kind of stuff. It's just like get back to making great looking product, be on trend and build me something I can want to associate with, with an emotion.

[Colin True]

Right. I mean part of this is very, a very podcasty conversation. Right. Because 10 years ago that we just saw them as the, the, the next big brand. Maybe they take down a Nike or an Adidas and it definitely be one of the, the third one version of those. And then also we, we were dealing, working with them a lot on the outdoor side. They really had aspirations to be a, to sit next to a Patagonia or a North Face. They really wanted that outdoor business and they was all sitting there. Then they launched down Reebok. Oh, who hasn't at this point?

[Dave]

Actually not that many.

[Colin True]

No, I know that's true.

[Dave]

Right. I mean they were, that was part of the big three. They definitely really sharpen their elbows and got themselves in. No doubt about it.

[Colin True]

But if you look at them now, the opportunity is still there. But it is just kind of interesting what they're trying to do and it probably is a brand going back to that sort of roots of football.

[Dave]

I would like to lead them with heart, heart on, wear it on their sleeve. Be emotional and be strong.

[Owen Comerford]

I think it's smart going back to that football vibe. Protect this house, you know, just about solidity and something you can rely on, you know, being that, that core and having that core to, to drive the brand. I, I think that's the, the right move.

[Colin True]

Well, I mean. Oh, and you do have better notes. Like they are still a $6 billion brand. So they're still, you know, they're still kind of out there.

[Owen Comerford]

They're still, I mean, yes, they've had some hard times obviously over the last. I don't know what they peaked at. Maybe more like eight. But yeah, they're still a player and still a key partner for Dick's Sporting Goods as an example. So. Yeah, I certainly wouldn't write them off. Yeah.

[Dave]

No, no. Their merit if seems to be about, well, you know, SEC finds inventory management carousel. I mean, really, that's not.

[Colin True]

And then now they're going to deal with the whole tariff situation on top of all solving those problems too.

[Dave]

That's right. That's not what you want. Yeah. As your. Is your main business narrative. So something that can get away from that would certainly be helpful.

[Chris Demaicz]

It's time for a body shot.

[Colin True]

All right. Time for the parting shot. And Owen had to peel off. So it's just Dave here with me for the parting shot. But first of all, Dave, I just want to say I love it when the world gets caught up to kind of obvious things. Right. So last week, FrontOfficesports.com ran a story about the moment that Rice Krispie treats are having with endurance athletes, particularly at this summer's Tour de France. Apparently, a single prepackaged Rice Krispie treat can deliver the sugar and carbs that many endurance athletes consume when they are participating in their events. And it's also a little more tasty. Tasty, you know, than maybe some of the other things they have at their disposal.

[Dave]

And a lot cheaper and cheaper sports.

[Colin True]

Speaking of cheaper sports, nutrition has grown a ton over the past two decades. And according to that front office sports article, gels alone are on track to be a billion dollar category by 2034, which is a lot of two dollar sugar packets. Now, the funny thing is that the point of that whole category being gels and what is being shown by the Rice Krispie treat boom is that the point point is to get the right kind of calories into your body. Right? So gels were invented for ease of consumption and easy digestion, not because the sugar in a goo works any better than the sugar in a handful of candy. So much like people who think you simply can't hike unless you have a specific shirt or jacket procured at an outdoor Gear shop. There are still those who believe that you shouldn't get on your bike without your sports branded drink or gummy treats or whatever. So sustainability, sustainability is the key driver, right behind the we make too much stuff mantra of the outdoor industry for sure. But a close second to sustainability is the better mousetrap to solutions. We probably already have hanging in our closet or on. In our shelf. On a shelf in our pantry. So if you're an elite athlete who is paid to perform athletically, that's one thing. Figure it out. Go use all the sciencey shit you got. But if you're training for that local half marathon, the Rice Krispie treat, or a miniature three musketeers from last Halloween or the peanut butter sandwich that you had have will suit you just fine. It's really pretty simple, folks. Don't overthink going outside. You'll figure it out. That's my parting shot.

[Dave]

Are you saying that a cotton T shirt might be okay? You know what you're saying?

[Colin True]

I think that's what I'm saying.

[Dave]

Maybe so, though. I do. I could. I can't see. The next big boom could be crispy kills.

[Colin True]

You have to wear your synthetic shirt.

[Owen Comerford]

That's right.

[Colin True]

With your jones, you can't have your crispy kills. We might be litigating cotton kills at some point in the future.

[Dave]

That's right. I think we should. I'm bringing crispy treats to that.

[Colin True]

Oh, we should eat them there.

[Owen Comerford]

Oh, yeah.

[Colin True]

All right. That's the show for today. We want your emails. Send them to myrockfightmail.com the Rock Fight's a production of Rock Fight LLC. Today's episode produced by producer Dave Art direction provided by Sarah Genser. For the now departed Owen Comerford, I'm Colin Truth. Thanks for listening. And here to take us out once again, Chris Demaicz with the Rock Fight Fight song. He never gets sick of playing it and you never get sick of listening to it. We'll see you next time. Rock fighters.

[Chris Demaicz]

Welcome to the Rock Fight where we speak our truth Slay sacred cows and sometimes agree to disagree. We talk about about human powered outdoor activities and big bites about topics that we find interesting like pop culture music, the latest movie reviews, ideas that aim for the head. This is where we speak our truth. This is where we speak our truth. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. Welcome to the Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight Fight. Welcome to the rock light Rock light Rock fight. Rock light rock light Rock fight Welcome to the Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight. Rock fight.