CSR & SUSTAINABILITY
+++ Merrell has pledged £60,000 over three years to support the Youth Hostels Association’s mission of making the outdoors more accessible, funding youth hostel breaks and community initiatives in England and Wales that help underrepresented groups experience nature
+++ Dutch compression wear specialist Stox Energy Socks has become a Certified B Corporation, scoring 93.4 points on B Lab’s Impact Assessment and committing to continuous annual improvements in sustainability, fair production and responsible materials
+++ Circ has entered a sourcing partnership with H&M Group and Lenzing to commercialize recycled fibers from polycotton textile waste, marking the first time Circ’s recycled pulp will be used at scale in H&M products through Lenzing’s Refibra technology
+++ Canadian Tire Corp. has expanded its partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund to support Oshki Wupoowane | The Blanket Fund, pledging to donate all net proceeds and at least CA$1 million annually from Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket sales to Indigenous‑led cultural, artistic and educational initiatives across Canada +++
LEGAL & INSTITUTIONAL
+++ On is facing a class action lawsuit in Oregon alleging that its premium sneakers produce an “embarrassing squeak” not covered by warranty, rendering them unwearable without DIY fixes +++
FINANCIAL REPORT
+++ Chinese online retailer Temu more than doubled its EU profits to nearly $120 million in 2024 while employing only eight staff and paying just $18 million in tax, prompting renewed scrutiny of its minimal European economic footprint +++
TRADE SHOWS & EVENTS
+++ Kendal Mountain Festival will host a new industry summit, Outdoor Connections, on Nov. 20, 2025, exploring the future of brand storytelling, AI, and community engagement
+++ The Angling Trades Association (ATA), the voice of the British recreational fishing industry, will be holding its inaugural Angling Summit on Jan. 29, 2026, at Barston Lakes, in the West Midlands, with industry experts from across the globe ++++++
CORPORATE AND M&A
+++ Belgian compact bike specialist Ahooga has raised €5.5 million, including €3.5 million in equity and €2 million in debt financing, for its international expansion
+++ The Nidecker Group announced that #YES Snowboards will return to the leadership and majority ownership of its co-founders Romain de Marchi and JP Solberg in April 2026, marking the brand’s transition to an independent, rider-led company supported by the Nidecker Group through the 2025/26 season
+++ According to Telangana Today, South Korea’s Youngone Corporation — majority owner of Scott Sports — has begun commercial production at the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in Warangal, marking a key milestone in Telangana’s “Farm to Fashion” initiative to boost exports and local employment
+++ Swedish outdoor retailer Äventyrsbutiken i Norr AB, based in Luleå and operating for nearly four decades, filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 13, 2025, following a decision by the Luleå District Court
+++ On Oct. 14, 2025, Etsy transferred its stock listing to the New York Stock Exchange, marking the move with an opening bell ceremony +++
RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION
+++ British outdoor brand Finisterre opened on Oct. 6 a dedicated pop-up space at Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street, set to run until December 21
+++ Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) will open a 2,230-sqm store in Nanaimo, British Columbia, in December 2025, its second Vancouver Island location, featuring a bike and ski service area, a bouldering room and a community event space as part of its continued expansion
+++ Italian mountaineering clothing and equipment brand AlpineStandards has appointed Outback 97 as its exclusive distributor for the Italian territory
+++ Pure Fishing has opened an EMEA distribution center in Poland
+++ French sports eyewear brand Julbo is opening for six months its first Parisian pop-up store, located at the Au Vieux Campeur store at 38 rue des Écoles, in the Latin Quarter
+++ Galeries Lafayette will open its first Indian department store in Mumbai this November, targeting the country’s fast-growing luxury market in partnership with Aditya Birla Group +++
ADVENTURE TOURISM
+++ Starting in March 2026, more than 320km of Moab’s iconic mountain biking trails on Bureau of Land Management land will open to Class 1 e-bikes, marking a significant policy shift for one of the US’s top cycling destinations +++
EXECUTIVE CHANGES
+++ KSL Capital Partners, parent company of Alterra Mountain Company, has appointed former Goldman Sachs and Blackstone executive Sara Roure as Head of EMEA Capital Formation, strengthening its investor base and expanding its travel and leisure investment platform across Europe and the Middle East
+++ US-based Airmar Technology Corporation has promoted Guillaume Martino to Director of Marport Global Sales and Airmar EMEA, expanding his leadership to oversee international sales and operations across multiple regions
+++ Asics North America has promoted Mike Dougherty to Chief Operating Officer and elevated four executives, including new VPs for marketing, merchandising, run specialty, e-commerce, retail and wholesale, as part of a regional leadership restructuring under CEO Koichiro Kodama
+++ Running USA has appointed Shawn Sullivan, a veteran athletics and branding executive formerly with the Horizon League, as its new Executive Director to lead strategy, membership and programming across the US endurance industry +++
PRODUCT & MARKETING
+++ Boa has introduced a Dual Dial Fit System for alpine ski boots – adding cuff-and-shell micro-adjustment that lab tests show improves pressure distribution, wrap, power transfer and stability – with Atomic, K2, Salomon, Dalbello, Head and Nordica launching models for winter 2025/26
+++ After seven years of collaboration, the apparel partnership between Rapha and EF Pro Cycling is set to conclude at the end of the 2025 season
+++ Superfeet has launched the Run Pacer Elite, a high-performance insole combining Carbitex flexible carbon fiber and SuperRev foam to deliver enhanced propulsion, responsiveness, and comfort for runners
+++ Schöffel Sport has won the 2025 outdoor.markt Trophy for Campaign of the Year, honoring its consumer-focused “Bewusstes Rauskommen” initiative promoting mindful nature experiences and mental well-being
+++ The Slovak outdoor brand Zajo has introduced a complete layered apparel system for ski touring, featuring updated waterproof shells, recycled insulation and merino base layers for winter 2025/26
+++ BioLite has introduced the new Range Headlamp Series with three rechargeable, waterproof and USB‑C fast‑charging headlamps (Range 300, 400 and 500) designed for outdoor, travel and emergency use
+++ Rumpl has partnered with Michigan artist Rae Lang and her brand Woosah Outfitters on a limited-edition blanket collection that raises funds to protect the state’s Porcupine Mountains from proposed mining operations
+++ US-based mountain apparel brand Mountain Hardwear unveiled its most advanced backcountry ski apparel to date: the Mythogen Gore-Tex Pro Jacket and Bib, designed for maximum performance in harsh alpine conditions
+++ La Sportiva was once again, for the seventh consecutive year, an official partner of Festival dello Sport, which was held in Trento on Oct. 9-12, 2025
+++ Japanese biotech firm Spiber Inc. has partnered with China’s JNBY Group to introduce garments made with its plant-based Brewed Protein fiber, marking the first use of the material by a Chinese fashion brand and expanding Spiber’s presence in Asia’s consumer market
+++ Northwave has introduced the Celsius XT Arctic GTX, a high-performance winter cycling shoe for the 2025/26 season, designed for off-road use in extreme weather with Gore-Tex Cirrus XT, PrimaLoft insulation and Jaws Evo sole +++
Click here to access last weeks’ Short Stop
