Veteran Journalist Marcus Woolf Covers Outdoor Industry Trends and Insights on Trailheads, a new digital site produced by Switchback.

Over the last four years, about 30,000 people have moved into the metro area of my hometown, Huntsville, AL. The rapid growth has brought a flood of new houses, apartments, restaurants, and hotels. It’s eye-opening to drive around town and witness such dramatic change.

I imagine that outdoor retailers sometimes feel the same way as they wake up daily to a rapidly changing business landscape. Recent years have brought an avalanche of challenges, from the pandemic to supply-chain issues to rising direct-to-consumer sales and the fracturing of the trade show scene.

Navigating the New Landscape

While dealers must navigate a rapidly changing business environment, they have fewer resources to help them succeed. Many outdoor business magazines and other trade media have shut down, so there’s less reporting on retailing, manufacturing, and other aspects of business.

Retailers especially point to the lack of tutorials and “how to” content offering advice on running a business effectively.

“More educational resources would be very beneficial,” says Dave Edmonson, footwear buyer at Buffalo Peak Outfitters in Jackson, MS. “It would really help younger sales associates who aren’t as familiar with brands and aren’t as experienced in selling a category like running.”

My conversations with Edmonson and other retailers inspired me to join the team launching Trailheads, by Switchback, a new digital platform that will launch in August 2024 and feature content that speaks directly to the needs and concerns of outdoor retailers.

Education, Connection, and Business

Just like the Switchback industry gathering, Trailheads will have three foundational pillars: education, connection, and business. It will feature tutorials on various topics, from staff training to merchandising to inventory management. We’ll share best practices from innovative dealers and provide tips to help dealers incorporate new, creative ideas.

As Trailheads strives to educate retailers, it will also work to build connections between people in various industry sectors.

“A lot of us got into this industry partly for the camaraderie, but there’s not as much of a sense of community now,” says Ed McAlister, owner of River Sports Outfitters in Knoxville, TN. These days, there are fewer informal gatherings, events, and adventure trips where industry members can build relationships beyond the trade show floor.

To help build connections, Trailheads will spotlight retail owners and store employees nationwide. Our editors will travel to stores in various regions to speak directly with retailers, hear their insights and concerns, and start conversations that spread throughout the industry. As we road trip to different corners of the country, you’ll get a better sense of trends happening beyond your own city or town.

From store profiles to educational pieces, Trailheads will always emphasize its third pillar: business. Each piece of content will provide practical takeaways to apply to your company and improve your bottom line. Also, we’ll cover the industry comprehensively with content concerning retail and manufacturing, the rep business, trade shows, non-profits, and other organizations.

Snackable Content

Retailers are busy, so Trailheads will offer easily digestible videos and articles, as well as informative images and graphics. On Trailheads, you’ll have the chance to watch a webinar on using AI to strengthen your store. Next, you can examine a graph that shows the growth of a specific product category. While much of the content will be brief, the site will offer podcasts that delve deeper into larger outdoor industry issues.

Building the Community

The manufacturing, marketing, and selling of outdoor gear has changed remarkably since I launched my writing career 30 years ago. As a newcomer, I was struck by how this “industry” seemed very different from other business sectors. Outdoor retailers, manufacturers, reps, and media not only conducted business with each other but also shared a love of the outdoors and climbed, hiked, paddled, and ran trails together.

We built meaningful relationships, shared our knowledge, and drew inspiration from each other. While the mechanics of commerce have changed, people in the outdoor industry still share that fundamental appreciation for the outdoors. They still desire to connect with others and feel part of a larger community. At its core, the mission of Trailheads is to strengthen and grow that community.

Click here to subscribe to Trailheads; click here for information about Switchback at The Running Event (November 19-21 in Austin, TX) and Switchback Spring (June 16-18, 2025 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN.)