From the desk of Rock Fight's own consigliere, Eoin Comerford, comes a running list of direct to consumer brands you may not be familiar with. Notice one missing? Send it to myrockfight@gmail.com
And be sure to also follow Eoin on LinkedIn for more looks inside the outdoor industry.
When we talk about the “U.S. outdoor industry”, we tend to focus on the brands that sell at retail… the brands that make up the $28B that Circana counts. But in reality there are many other outdoor brands that only (or primarily) operate direct-to-consumer, skipping traditional retail. A recent post on LinkedIn drew almost 100 posts chock full of such brands. We covered the subject on the Rock Fight podcast but couldn’t mention them all due to time, so we’re including a more complete list here. Enjoy.
Last Updated Monday January 13, 2025
Ultralight Brands
While many of these are well known within the ultralight and thru-hiking community, those outside that tight-knit group probably won’t be as familiar.
… and most of the other 200+ brands on Garage Grown Gear
Camping Gear (not ultralight)
Many innovators seem to take time around the campfire to think up ways to make their adventures more comfortable and more enjoyable.
Snowsport Gear and Apparel
Snowsports is another enthusiast category that draws a lot of innovation from start-up brands and attention from larger brands seeking a piece of the lucrative business.
Made in U.S.
True cottage industries, these apparel and bag brands are all made in the U.S.A., usually in small bespoke factories.
The Tech Fleece Crowd
These brands all generally have core products based on a Polartec fabric that provides unique properties or style. These all happen to be made in the U.S., but it’s such a specific group that it deserved its own category.
The Wool Crowd
All of these brands have chosen a specific wool (merino, alpaca, etc.) as the core of their brand.
The Sleek Silhouettes
Each of these brands follows a sleek, minimalist design aesthetic, typically employing high end materials and commanding high end prices.
The "Different" Clothing Crowd
These founders couldn't find the apparel to 100% meet their needs in terms of style, performance, versatility, individuality, sustainability or whatever... so they made their own.
The Female Founders
Female founders are gaining a foothold in the outdoors, more through their own grit and determination than through much help from traditional investors and outdoor retail.
Plus Size
Despite mainstream brands touting “inclusive sizing”, most stop short of true plus sizes or lack the expertise in fitting those sizes properly. Brands are gaining traction by meeting the specific demands of the larger outdoor customer.
The Euros
There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of European outdoor brands that are all but unknown in the U.S. market (most aren’t DTC in Europe but are in the U.S.) Here are just a few of ones that people mentioned…
… and so, so, many more. How many of the 900+ brands on Berg Freunde do you recognize?
The Scandinavians
Scandinavia is such a hotbed of outdoor brands that they deserve their own category. Not only do they include more traditional brands like Amundsen or Fjallraven, they also are spawning some of the biggest DTC players in Europe like Revolution Race.
Kids’ Apparel
Most kids’ outerwear in the U.S. is relatively disposable as parents figure “they’re going to grow out of it in a year or two.” Europe takes its kids’ outerwear much more seriously, with multiple premium, high performance brands.