Author: Eugene Buchanan

Taking advantage of the pandemic-driven increase in backcountry skiing, Colorado’s Bluebird Backcountry, the first “human-powered” ski resort, made as big of strides as its participants in its second year of operation and new Colorado location.

Going on four years as CEO of Simms, Casey Sheahan, 65, took the helm to spearhead its wader, outerwear and technical fishing apparel and accessory lines out of its 80,000-square-foot facility in Bozeman, MT. SGB Executive caught up with Sheahan for his take on the fishing industry, manufacturing in America, surviving the pandemic, and its new brand mission, Fish It Well.

The Grateful Dead has a long, strange history of aligning with outdoor brands. “Without question, there’s an overlap between the band and the outdoors,” said Eleni Gregoriou, director of global brand licensing, Warner Music Group. SGB Executive rounded up product collabs of late. 

Coming full circle, Inov-8 founder Wayne Edy is back leading the company he started 18 years ago, having repurchased it from Descente. SGB Executive caught up with him for his take on reinvigorating the brand.

In today’s hard-pressed, brick & mortar retail world, it’s much harder to leave a family legacy for the next generation to take over the business. SGB Executive caught up with two outdoor specialty retailers, one on the East Coast and one out West, whose businesses are thriving.

On January 25, 2021, kayak, surf and SUP company Hobie Cat Co. was discretely sold to a private equity group consisting of executives from Detroit industrial auction company Maynards Industries. SGB Executive caught up with its new Chairman, Taso Sofikitis, on what the future holds.

When GOA released its final 2020 year-to-year sales numbers from its 94 retailers operating 195 doors, it showed the up and down swings associated with the pandemic. SGB Executive caught up with Gabe Maier, vice president, GOA, to go behind the numbers, talk about the upcoming launch of its Switchback retail data tool, the outlook for 2021, and more.

The adventure travel industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. SGB Executive spoke with 50-year-old, family-owned adventure travel business OARS for insight into the market with Steven Markle, vice-president of sales and marketing.

For apparel maker Picture Organic, sustainable materials and fighting climate change have been core to their mission since its inception. SGB Executive sat down with CEO Julien Durant to learn more about sugar cane’s role in the brand’s journey to be a more sustainable company.

Kelty has launched a new line of CBD cream to tap into the $4 billion domestic CBD market. SGB Executive caught up with General Manager Russ Rowell, who credits the overlap between outdoor industry consumers and CBD users for the move.

With Outdoor Retailer recently announcing its Summer Market tradeshow will move from June to August 10-12, 2021, SGB Executive caught up with OR Senior VP and Show Director Marisa Nicholson to look inside the decision.

The ski boot line-up for 2021/22 places walking at the forefoot with new soles and walking mode mechanisms that don’t sacrifice power or performance. The following is a sampling from SGB of the ski boots you will find at retail for the season.

With 2020/21 marking one of the deadliest avalanche seasons on record, avalanche gear sales are booming. Joining transceivers, probes and shovel sales are those of airbags, a pack that houses an airbag that users can deploy to keep them near the surface.

When Surf Expo staged its winter tradeshow January 6-8, 2021 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, it marked the first in-person outdoor tradeshow in nearly a year since the pandemic began, bringing exhibitors and retailers together facemask to facemask. Did attendees, both vendors and retailers, feel it was a successful event worth attending? For that, SGB Executive canvassed the trenches for input from show attendees.

In 2019, textile manufacturer Milliken & Co. acquired Polartec from Versa Capital Management. This year Polartec celebrates the 40th anniversary of inventing synthetic fleece and the 30th anniversary of the brand. SGB Executive caught up with Polartec President Steve Layton for his thoughts on the company’s new owner, the pandemic and what’s next for Polartec.