SaleSurf Growth will operate as a standalone agency within the TBA Worldwide network, with its existing team and leadership remaining.
Category: Outdoor

NSGA’s and Sporting Goods Industry Veteran Tom Doyle Passes Away
Tom Doyle died on April 22 at the age of 86. He worked at the NSGA for 39 years and was the association’s vice president of Information and Research when he retired in the fall of 2010. He was also president of the National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) from the time it was founded in 1987 until 2010.

Sea to Summit Names North America GM and Senior Sales Director
The company has added industry veterans Chris Sword as general manager and Aaron Baker as senior director of sales to its North American team.

Baffin Expands International Reach with DTC Shipping
With a longstanding presence in Canada and the United States through Baffin.com and retail partners, the company is expanding with direct-to-consumer shipping to France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

RV Industry Association Sees Q1 RV Shipments Grow 14 Percent Year-over-Year
RVIA’s survey of manufacturers found that total RV shipments amounted to 37,348 units for March 2025, an increase of 15.8 percent compared to the 32,243 units shipped in March 2024. First quarter was up 13.9 percent.

EXEC: Woom Boasts 40 Percent Premium Bike Sales Growth in Q1
Kasper Rørsted, the former Adidas CEO and chair of the Board at Woom, is now helming a growth company boasting double-digit growth in established countries and 50 percent growth in the Nordic countries, the UK and the Benelux.

Trickstuff Partners with Outdoor Gear Canada as New Distributor
Outdoor Gear Canada said it will be ready to begin shipping product from the Germany-based maker of brakes and components to retailers as of June 2025.

Cotopaxi Signs New Canadian Market Distributor
Montreal-based In-Sport Fashions Inc. is said to bring 35 years of experience representing premium outdoor and lifestyle brands across Canada.

Vail Resorts Sees Lower-than-Expected NA Spring Lift Ticket Visits
CEO Kirsten Lynch said destination visitation among pre-committed pass-holder customers improved as expected in March and April; however, visitation from lift ticket customers was below expectations.

Hudson’s Bay to Close Balance of Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue Locations
The Hudson’s Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Canada are expected to operate until no later than June 15, 2025; however, some may close earlier. The company will close 9 Saks Off 5th stores on Sunday, April 27.

SGB Media Relaunches SGB Outdoor Email Newsletter
The publishing company, which has focused on the active lifestyle market since 2003, is now delivering a weekly SGB Outdoor Update email newsletter each Friday morning, except for holidays, to provide a focused view and weekly wrap of the top stories of the week for outdoor market industry professionals heading into the weekend.

EXEC: Mips AB Sees Strong Growth Continue in Q1; Sports Helmets Up 40 Percent
The helmet technology company delivered growth in the Bike sub-category, Mips’ largest sub-category, for the sixth quarter in a row. The company also saw continued growth in the Snow sub-category despite a relatively weak winter season in several geographies.

EXEC: Osprey Grows, Hydro Flask Falters in Q4; Parent to Pause China Goods
CFO Brian Grass said the company is pausing all China purchases in the short term with a few exceptions and expects over 60 percent of U.S.-bound goods to be sourced outside China by the end of fiscal 2027.

Sweet Protection Names Brand Marketing Manager for U.S. and Canada
Industry veteran Jon Jay is responsible for increasing Sweet Protection’s brand awareness in North America through marketing and public relations channels and also working with large- and small-scale retailers in the territories.

EXEC: Shimano Posts Solid Q1 Results, Led by DD Growth in Bicycle Components
North American market retail sales of completed bicycles remained weak, but market inventories were said to return to “appropriate levels.” In fishing tackle, North American market sales were flattish to Q1 2024 due to unfavorable weather.