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.Timestamps0:00 -- Introduction: Backcountry Garage, GOA specialty retail update, Next Adventure, and Bruce Old of Patagonia0:47 -- Backcountry Garage deep-dive: what the program actually requires of emerging brands, including two-year exclusivity on online marketing and third-party marketplaces like Amazon8:15 -- ENDVR ad: how ENDVR connects brands directly to over 140,000 frontline retail associates to drive sell-through9:30 -- 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 growth12:11 -- Crux Retail ad: custom retail fixture design for outdoor brands including Yakima, Dometic, Wahoo, and Clif Bar13:01 -- Unfiltered Upside: Next Adventure in Portland is staying open under original co-founders15:05 -- Guest intro: Bruce Old, Patagonia Chief Marketplace Officer and 35-year company veteran16:10 -- How Bruce landed at Patagonia in 1991 and what drew him to the company's values from day one20:06 -- How Patagonia's business is performing today: modest growth, international expansion, and navigating tariffs21:04 -- Patagonia's distribution strategy: specialty retail, run, fly fishing, surf, and what's happening in run specialty24:03 -- Product innovation: what's new for spring '26 across sun protection, run, surf, waders, footwear, and fishing27:42 -- Patagonia's Work in Progress sustainability report: radical transparency, the blowback, and why 95% of emissions are in the supply chain29:00 -- The Hold Fast Collective: how Patagonia's ownership restructure works and how it's accelerated environmental giving to $75-100 million per year31:15 -- Trade shows: where Patagonia stands on OR, Switchback, TRE, Grassroots Connect, and what it would take to return to a national show34:48 -- What excites Bruce most about Patagonia's future: talent, shared sustainability infrastructure, and the next 40 yearsConnect With UsWe would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries or whatever's on your mind.DM Eoin Comerford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eoincomerford/Email: [email protected] follow the show and leave a five-star review. It helps other people in the industry find us.Our SponsorsENDVR -- The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel. www.endvr.ioCrux Retail -- Creating bold retail displays for bold brands. www.crux-retail.com