Switchback Spring raised some hope among attendees at its first stand-alone trade show in Nashville, Tennessee, including the prospect that the outdoor industry will be able to deliver a robust national show again, as well as that the outdoor space will overcome its recent challenges.

As initially reported by SGB Media, the new show, which ran June 16 to 18 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, drew 194 brands, 290 retailers and 1,286 attendees. Switchback first debuted in November 2022 in Austin, TX, as part of The Running Event (TRE), a trade show also organized and operated by Diversified Communications.

Speaking with SGB Executive on the show floor, several attendees said the show exceeded their somewhat low expectations as inaugural shows often face slow starts. Concerns over tariffs and the economy were also expected to prompt many exhibitors and retail buyers to cut costs and skip the show. Industry veteran Sally McCoy posted an article “What’s Next” on LinkedIn talking about the state of the outdoor shows and said Diversified’s inaugural effort in Nashville reminded her of the early days of OR in Reno, Nevada. SGB Media CEO Jim Hartford added that the industry reception felt like in was the late 80s again – but with far more balance to the demographics and more diversity in the faces throughout the show.

“My biggest take-away from the show was the considerable advancements made by women in the outdoor industry over the last ten years,” offered Hartford, a white, male, 40-year veteran of the industry. “If I was to make a guess I would say that women comprised the majority of attendees on Monday evening and throughout the show. I had to remind myself that the early female pioneers in this space actually had to create an organization to support each other in their path to leadership in the outdoor industry. I have not been to a national outdoor show since Covid and the comparison in representation was stark and encouraging. I was also encouraged that we are also seeing early progress with racial diversity as well, based on my observations at the event, but we have a long way too go in that area. It took women a long time to reach the position they occupy today. It is not an overnight process.”

Switchback Spring won praise for its ability to attract major brands, including Merrell and The North Face signing on as official summit sponsors, after many had pulled out of the traditional Outdoor Retailer (OR) show. Other exhibitors included Asics, Arc’teryx, Marmot, Altra, Smartwool, Teva, Berghaus, Cotopaxi, Scarpa, Life is Good, Mountain Hardwear, Rossignol, BioLite, Rab, Darn Tough Vermont, Wigwam, Rovr, NRS, Norrøna, and Goal Zero.

Many attendees hailed the smaller setting, supported by the lack of colossal booths, that made the show more intimate and easier to navigate.

For many, the show further reinforced the need for a national platform to explore strategies for business growth, including insights gained from educational sessions, as regional shows and events from the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (GOA) have stepped up in recent years to dominate order-taking. Many attendees admitted that they had missed opportunities in recent years to network, brainstorm and bond around shared passions. Many also appeared to be reassured that the industry would find a way to weather the fallout from tariffs.

“We feel great,“ said Christina Henderson, event director at The Running Event and Switchback at Diversified Communications, on the last day of the show. “We weren’t sure what to expect and it’s exceeded expectations. I think it’s a testament to this community wanting to get together, and we feel really good, and it’s something we can build upon.“

Diversified Communications announced that, following the end of the 2025 show, Switchback Spring will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, from June 16-18, 2026, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Timing May be Key for Success – But No Guarantee

While energy was high and attitude was positive, the event did not escape the usual backroom banter and aisle talk about the show’s few shortcomings, particularly about timing. Despite the event’s apparent initial success, there was considerable discussion – particularly among industry veterans and specialty retailers – about the issues with having another show in June. At issue is the one-week difference between the timing of the Grassroots Connect show and Switchback (and the remnants of the Outdoor Retailer show) as well as rep shows and other regional shows that are considered “writing shows” to nail down discounts and futures ahead of ever-earlier booking deadlines.

“I was hit early and often on Monday night with the position that the Switchback show had to move to August, a once key timeframe for the industry when futures were due at the end of the summer,” Hartford continued. “Most argued that the show/conference could still be a central ‘meeting place’ to tie the industry together for that 1980s and 1990s feeling again but no one could confidently commit that the brands would finance such an event that was not tied to the success of the bottom line. After all, once a company exits a show and the business survives or grows, what is the motivation to attend again? That was, unfortunately, the lessons of the pandemic era and earlier lessons many of us learned when the Super Show was winding down.”

The other contingent pushing for August dates was some in the paddlesports space, arguing that there is no show for that group anymore, unless they consider Surf Expo for SUP. Others remarked that the addition of paddle would require a considerable investment in additional space, with unknown value to the show organizers. The fact that people NOT affiliated with Diversified were thinking about what made sense for a successful show was encouraging. It’s easy to push for something without skin in the game.

The market does not need to think back too many years when the former OIA Board pressed Outdoor Retailer to move dates up to appease their softgoods brands while leaving the hardgoods brands behind. The idea to move a January show into November –  and then just the softgoods half of it – killed the acquired SIA show that once sat happily as a seven-day working session in March each year. What was remarkable was that many of the very brands represented on the OIA Board failed to invest in the November show that was so “critical.” Timing was always an issue for many for Summer Market, which existed faithfully for years in August, only to fall apart as the show attempted to move ahead into the late spring.

The “C” word – colocation – also came up, at which point those in the know winced and walked away.

Diversified will need to be careful who they listen to and the motives of those pushing in each direction or the outdoor industry risks a deja vu event with this new potential gem.

It’s the Vision Thing and Community, Stupid

Troy Sicotte, president of Mountain Hardwear, sees a winner in the making with the Switchback concept. “One blessing” from the pandemic was that regional trade shows and events from Grassroots Outdoor Alliance became ‘hyper-efficient’ in coordinating rep meetings and taking orders, he said. However, Sicotte still sees the need for a national show, in part, to help brands explain their “vision.”

Switchback Spring was Mountain Hardwear’s first national-focused show since 2020, allowing the brand to showcase its relaunch to buyers. “This was our opportunity to bring the landing page of our website to life and introduce our reimagined brand in a space that’s very open and inviting with limited samples just to invite conversation about Mountain Hardwear,” said Sicotte. “We have a great location, and the crowd’s been good. We’ve seen people that we haven’t seen in a while.”

He said the brand is seeing a “lot of momentum” with the help of its updated “Seek Wilder Paths” brand identity and refreshed sportswear offering. The brand is also gaining credit for its commitment to outdoor specialty. Sicotte said, “We have about 400 dealers, not 4,000 in the U.S.”

Sicotte also noted that the U.S. outdoor industry has not grown “for the better part of a decade and a half” and needs a robust national show to collectively explore strategies to revive growth. Sicotte said, “We’re all just taking share from each other. We have to figure out how to bring more consumers to our industry.”

He believes the ideal time for a national show would be August after companies finalize orders at the regional and Grassroots events. Sicotte said, “It’s not an order-taking show. It’s an opportunity for us to gather, move this industry forward together and also plan our businesses.”

Sicotte, an SGB 40 Under 40 honoree from 2012, went on to suggest that the August timing would actually provide three opportunities to engage with customers: review the Spring/Summer business; review and update the on-order book; and lastly, to pre-line product ranges for the following year(s).

Mike Bruno, sales director at Merrell, believes the industry has been a “little starved for an opportunity to connect,” and that includes not only retailers and vendors but OIA and numerous other organizations affiliated with outdoor recreation.

“All of the organizations that are associated in our industry have not had an opportunity to connect like this in a long time,” said Bruno. “It’s just been great to feel that energy and regain that ability to connect and talk about consumer insights and behaviors. The outdoor industry has changed a lot over the last seven to 10 years, and we have all been studying it from afar, so to be able to reconnect and dig in with friends and partners has been super amazing.”

Bruno said Merrell has achieved “tons of retailer engagement” at the show, from some select national accounts to independent specialty outdoor dealers and footwear independents. Bruno also noted that while tariff concerns are high, the overall conversations with retailers in the outdoor space are back to driving growth after a few years spent liquidating overstocks. “It feels like the conversation is more around associate engagement, how do we present the brand in the store and how do we engage with the community. How do we partner to return to long-term strategic growth?,” said Bruno.

As far as the ideal timing of the show, Bruno that any shift toward middle to late July would be too late for Merrell because the brand has to nail down order commitments in June. He said of timelines, “We’re trying to figure it out. It’s always busy in our world. It will never be perfect.”

“The vibe is really good,“ said Bill Supple, managing director for North America at Mountain Equipment/Bridgedale, when talking on the show floor. “It reminds me of a smaller version of OR in its heyday. The collection of brands is really good, and the operation is well-run. It’s a good size, and it could be a bit bigger, too.“

Supple felt the show could be a “little earlier“ while noting that recent OR shows, which took place in late July or early August, were “far too late for apparel companies.” Supple was among those who felt that many retailers were generally reluctant to “try new things,“ including introducing new brands, due to the uncertainty in the marketplace. He said, “Even though they would like to try something new, they’re reluctant because they’re not sure how everything’s going to shake out.”

“We decided to support this show because we felt we need to have a national show where we can get together and learn from each other,“ said Kris Versteegen, national sales manager at Teva and employee No. 1 at SportsNewSource, the predecessor of SGB Media, Sports Executive Weekly, and The B.O.S.S. Report. He also noted that Teva uses national shows to soft-launch new products for the upcoming season and engage with the media, but the company’s order-taking primarily occurs at regional shows and Grassroots events.

“The energy here was definitely above expectations,“ added Versteegen about Switchback Spring. “We’ve seen a lot of retailers, and we’ve also had a ton of media appointments. It’s also nice not to have the huge, mega booths that take up the entire floor space, so everyone is on an equal footing.”

Versteegen said Teva’s having a “great spring 2026 selling season“ despite the marketplace disruption. “We’ve been taking some market share and expanding the business,” he said.

Versteegen added that figuring out when a national show should happen is “super tough,” noting that last November’s Switchback at The Running Event occurred in the same week as seven regional shows.

“We’re right in the middle of selling season so June is still a very busy time of year for us,” said Versteegen. “But I don’t have an answer on when they could put it better. If you go much later, then you’re after deadline and it’s kind of irrelevant. If you go earlier, then the product is just not ready yet.”

OS1st used the show to introduce a Merino wool sock set to release in September, providing an opportunity to enter the outdoor channel. “We came into the show not knowing what to expect because it was a new show, but it’s been awesome,“ said Chris Bevin, SVP of business development. “We’ve been busy.”

Bevin said he believes the industry has to find the right balance between having too many and too few shows. He doesn’t want to see the market get “too bifurcated where you’re having to go to six shows to meet six different categories of people.“ At the same time, the OR show’s challenges demonstrate the risks of creating an overly expansive show where “you’re never going to see everybody you want to see.”

As far as timing, Bevin said the sock category isn’t as restrained by lengthy production turnarounds as categories such as footwear, but the mid-June timeline worked for OS1st. He said, “It’s sort of a slower time of year for what we’re doing so it works out really well.”

Travis Campbell, CEO of Eagle Creek, felt that retail attendance was a “little light” but suspects the travel brand will pick up “some incremental business.” He said the show overall outpaced his expectations, thanks to key brands investing in booths.

“We’re super supportive of the idea of a large-scale industry gathering that’s strong, healthy and vibrant,“ said Campbell. “A big part of a national show is the energy in getting to collaborate with your peers and competitors and your friends to take stock in how the industry’s doing.”

Eagle Creek, which Campbell acquired from VF Corp. in 2021, benefited from a rebound in travel during the latter stages of the pandemic. However, business has softened entering 2025, with retailers exhibiting more cautious buying stances at recent shows. He believes the consumer is “spooked“ by both tariffs and geopolitical conflicts. The renewed threat to sell public lands, he also feels, is a concern to some outdoor enthusiasts. Campbell said, “At the end of the day, the noise about public lands is causing people to worry about whether they can go on that camping trip this summer, and they might not buy a tent because they don’t know. It’s all linked together under this chaos umbrella.”

“The show is great with the energy and vibe,“ said Trudy Hutton, VP of sales at Helinox, the maker of portable furniture and games. “It’s nice just being able to see old friends. We all wish there were a few more buyers, but that’s just a matter of getting it going. First shows are always tough, and a first show during the craziness of the tariffs is also difficult.”

Hutton believes that overall retail traffic has declined since Memorial Day, as consumers face “so much uncertainty“ amid the tariff chatter. Said Hutton, “We’re all dealing with interesting times when pricing keeps changing.”

Hutton admits that the timing of the national show has long been challenging. She said, “If you put it in August, that’s way too late, and then buyers won’t come. If you put it too early, you’re on top of other shows. We were just at GOA and now we’re here, and there’s 15 regionals happening from the reps’ standpoint. So, I don’t know. I would like to see Switchback and GOA see if they could work together or maybe time it back-to-back in the same space.”

“We’re having a great show,“ said Rick Case, CEO and founder of Nite Ize. “We like the spirit and energy of the show, and it feels like old times with other industry members. It’s nice to have conversations with people we’ve missed over the years. It’s also nice to see the brands coming back.”

Case believes that challenging economic conditions only increase the need to showcase innovative products for retailers. He said, “People need to be compelled to come into stores for a reason.”

“For a first edition, we’re pretty pleased,“ said Marc Paris, buying director at Montreal-based e-tailer Altitude-sports.com, of Switchback Spring. He last went to OR in 2022 and felt the show had become less relevant as major brands stopped attending and the halls were filled with exhibitors that “didn’t fit in outdoor.” Paris added, “I think we’re all in need of a North American show where we can all gather as an industry.”

He said the overall outdoor business in Canada had been stagnant recently, similar to the U.S., amid concerns about the repercussions of tariffs. He said, “We’re cautious about our inventory. I think that’s the main game right now.”

Mason Brent, wholesale director and partner at Howler Brothers, the Austin, TX-based outdoor lifestyle brand with roots in surf and skate, said Switchback Spring marked a return to a “more social“ outdoor show, focusing on networking, marketing, and showcasing product.

“If we were to come back next June, we’d probably focus more on introductions to the brand as opposed to trying to actively get line showings done for sell-in like we’ve been doing for the last few weeks,“ said Brent. “But it all has its place in the sell-in cycle. It’s just back to a type of show that we don’t tend to do in outdoor anymore, which is refreshing.“

Brent described the mood of buyers at the show as a “little less pessimistic“ than at the time the industry faced massive inventory imbalances during the pandemic, which he found encouraging given the tariff uncertainty. He also believes the outdoor space is faring better than his brand’s core surf channel, which is undergoing major disruption following the sale of Boardriders, the parent of Quiksilver, Billabong and other action sports brands, to Authentic Brands.

Paka Apparel was among the few brands drawing significant buzz by bringing two alpacas to its booth to showcase the fleece used in the manufacturer of the brand’s apparel. “When we first started looking at coming to Switchback, one of the things we thought about was how do we stand out,“ said Christian Castellani, director of wholesale sales. “So, we partnered with a local farm here in Nashville, and everybody loved it.”

Castellani said that while brands “always want more“ buyers at shows, the show was “really positive“ for a debut, with the alpacas helping drive a “good amount of traffic“ from retailers as well as media attention.

He still feels that “caution“ defines retail buyers’ moods, given the uncertainty caused by the trade war, but sees more promising open-to-buys compared to recent years, when the focus was on clearing bloated inventory levels. Said Castellani, “I think that the bullwhip effect we all experienced through COVID working through all the excess inventory has people feeling like things are in a better spot, and people are excited to find something new and different.”

Scott Jensen, owner and founder of NearZero, a maker of lightweight backpacks with a focus on packability, said he had a “great“ show with quality time spent with major retail chains, including REI and Decathlon, but also numerous Mom & Pop independents, a few of which were interested in NearZero’s rental program. Jensen said, “The quality of people here was fantastic.”

Jensen also felt the mood of buyers had improved over the last month due to less apprehension over the likely impact of tariffs. “I think that they’re buying again. People are seeing a little more hope,” he said.

“I think the biggest testament right now to the show is just how awesome some of the major brands have shown up here and have invested in the space,“ said Matthew Withrow, director of specialty sales at Oofos. “The show’s been very solid for us. We’ve had great conversations with some of the smaller to mid-sized retailers. We’re getting what we wanted out of it as we try to expand more into the outdoor sales channel.”

Withrow said that while there is still some “apprehension“ from buyers about business conditions, it’s less than it was two or three months ago. “I’m hearing the scary ‘R-word’ (recession) less and less, which is a good thing for all of us,” he remarked.

Suunto utilized Switchback Spring to showcase its new bone-conduction headphones while also reintroducing the brand to many buyers following the sale of Suunto by Amer Sports to Liesheng, a China-based consumer electronics supplier.

Dan Suher, Suunto’s U.S. sales director, believes Diversified leaned on many of the lessons learned and partnerships gained in developing The Running Event to deliver an encouraging inaugural stand-alone Switchback show.  Said Suher, “You always want to see more people, but I’ve seen people that I wanted to see, and I’ve seen people that I didn’t expect to see.”

Suher believes the overall industry remains anxious about how consumer spending will hold up amid likely higher prices in the second half of the year. Suher said, “It’s a bit of a roller coaster that we’re all on.”

Jeff Polke, the former co-founder and co-owner of GCI Outdoor, used Switchback Spring to launch Packfire, a packable and portable fire pit. “I like the size of the venue,“ said Polke. “It’s a tight venue, so there’s a good hustle here. I also like that there are no 40,000-square-foot booths here. Once they get too big, it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of people.”

Polke believes retailers will increasingly look to smaller brands with an entrepreneurial spirit to bring innovation to the marketplace. He said, “Obviously, there’s been compression among brands and private equity coming in and buying a bunch of companies. As we see, that formula doesn’t always work.”

He also said that while the impact of tariffs remains a concern, the outdoor industry has shown resiliency. Said Polke, “I think the attitude is really good in the outdoor industry right now. People still love getting outside. And I think that with a tougher economy, you‘ll see more people getting outside because it’s a staycation. It’s going to make its way back around again.“

“The quality of the brands that are here are amazing,“ said Mark Gandy, president and CEO of Mobile Warming, a maker of battery-heated outerwear, of the show. “We’re glad to be a part of it.”

Gandy also enjoys the interaction possible at trade shows with both other exhibitors and retail buyers. He said, “Every time we talk to a customer, we learn something.”

Gandy said Mobile Warming was looking to showcase its improved styling and functionality at the show but also meet with retailers to demonstrate the brand’s commitment to partnering to drive success at the store level. He said, “The more we do in helping them to better their business, the better our business.”

Images copyright SGB Media

See below for additional SGB Media coverage of Switchback Spring 2025:

Switchback Spring Posts Healthy Debut; Heads to New Orleans in 2026

EXEC: OIA Study Finds Outdoor Stores Still Missing Emerging Casual Consumers