What Backcountry Garage Isn't Telling You & 35 Years On The Inside of Patagonia

Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down what Backcountry Garage is actually asking of emerging outdoor brands and whether it's worth it, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance's positive mid-year results, and what's next for Portland's Next Adventure.

Then Eoin sits down with Bruce Old, Patagonia's Chief Marketplace Officer and 35-year company veteran, for a candid conversation on Patagonia's business performance, product innovation, the Work in Progress sustainability report, the Hold Fast Collective ownership structure, and where Patagonia stands on the future of outdoor trade shows. Sponsored by ENDVR and Crux Retail.

Timestamps

0:00 -- Introduction: Backcountry Garage, GOA specialty retail update, Next Adventure, and Bruce Old of Patagonia

0:47 -- Backcountry Garage deep-dive: what the program actually requires of emerging brands, including two-year exclusivity on online marketing and third-party marketplaces like Amazon

8:15 -- ENDVR ad: how ENDVR connects brands directly to over 140,000 frontline retail associates to drive sell-through

9:30 -- GOA mid-year update: Gabe Mayer reports GOA member retailers up 4.9% year over year through May, with analysis on what's actually driving the growth

12:11 -- Crux Retail ad: custom retail fixture design for outdoor brands including Yakima, Dometic, Wahoo, and Clif Bar

13:01 -- Unfiltered Upside: Next Adventure in Portland is staying open under original co-founders

15:05 -- Guest intro: Bruce Old, Patagonia Chief Marketplace Officer and 35-year company veteran

16:10 -- How Bruce landed at Patagonia in 1991 and what drew him to the company's values from day one

20:06 -- How Patagonia's business is performing today: modest growth, international expansion, and navigating tariffs