The Active Lifestyle Industry was Buzzing at the Backbone and rygr 2025 NYC Showroom

Dickies highlighted its core product lines—Icons, Pro Series, Tradebuilt, Denim, and Work Inspired—emphasizing the evolution of workwear from heritage pieces to modern innovations. The showcase underscored Dickies’ commitment to tradespeople, featuring products thoughtfully designed based on consumer and tradesperson feedback. Custom chainstitching by Victoria Rose Adrian added a personal touch, offering one-of-a-kind pieces to attending media.

“Backbone’s showroom is now one of the top PR moments of the year for us, and we're excited for next year's! In just one day, we connected with over 130 media contacts—something that’s hard to replicate anywhere else. The event was well-curated and thoughtfully run, which makes it easy to have real, meaningful conversations. Because we’re showcasing apparel, it’s important for journalists to experience the product firsthand. Having that tactile, in-person interaction really brought our brand to life and helped us stand out in a way that’s already generating strong results.” — Lindsay Burgor, Senior Manager of PR, Brand Media and Affiliate Marketing 

Gerber’s booth showcased the versatile ComplEAT camp cook collection, along with the latest keychain tools. In addition, the brand shared the new lineup of premium knives that have been updated with MagnaCut Steel.

icebreaker celebrated its milestone of reaching 97.56% plastic-free products with a preview of its Spring/Summer ’25 collection, including the 75 Cool-Lite Featherlight T-Shirt, the 150 MerinoFine™ Ace Long Sleeve Hoodie, and the Merino Blend Rib Lotus Bra. Early samples from the Fall/Winter ’25 collection also debuted, featuring a Classic Pile RealFleece made from 100% merino wool and the O-Zip Sweater—marking 30 years of icebreaker’s commitment to natural fibers and their growers in New Zealand.

La Sportiva presented its latest advancements in trail running, climbing, hiking, and apparel. Media attendees explored the Prodigio Pro and Prodigio Max trail running shoes, designed for responsive performance on technical terrain. The new hiking lineup included the Prodigio Hike, Aequilibrium Trek, and Aequilibrium Hike. La Sportiva also showcased its Everest kit, trusted by athlete Tyler Andrews in his quest for the Fastest Known Time on Everest, and previewed a premium down jacket line for Winter ’25.

Matador highlighted its travel-ready lineup with the GlobeRider35 Travel Backpack, Global Travel Adapter, and a range of packable bags and accessories. Guests were invited to mark their next adventure on an interactive world map, with the chance to win a Travel Adapter—a nod to powering every trip.

"Backbone’s NYC Showroom was one of the most valuable PR events Matador has attended. We had meaningful, face-to-face conversations with over 100 journalists, influencers, and other media contacts—including several we’d been chasing for months. One conversation led to an article published the next day, which directly drove a spike in eCommerce sales. The energy, networking, and follow-up opportunities made this event a no-brainer for us. We highly recommend it to any brand looking to make real traction with the press." — Kyle Ogilvie, Matador Marketing Director

Merry People, a newer face in the US market, introduced attendees to its complete range of waterproof footwear—The Bobbi Boot, Kids Bobbi Boot, Tully Boot, Andie Boot, Fergie Boot, and Billie Clog—plus a teaser of the Lochie Sandal launching this summer. Media guests had the chance to try on the boots and clogs, experiencing firsthand the brand’s comfort, lightweight design, and the introduction of the Aussie term “gumboot.”

"Attending the Media Showroom event for the first time, we weren’t entirely sure what to expect — but it more than exceeded our expectations. The atmosphere was welcoming and dynamic, and the opportunity to engage and build meaningful connections with key media outlets and other outdoor brands was valuable." — Marina Murray, Merry People

Norrøna, attending the NYC Showroom for the first time, showcased its premium outdoor apparel and brand initiatives. Guests explored key pieces from the Spring/Summer ’25 and Fall/Winter ’25 collections, including the falketind Dri1 Rain Jacket and lofoten GTX Down800 Snow Jacket. Norrøna also spotlighted its luxury adventure sailing yacht, Norrøna Varg, set to launch this summer in Northern Norway.

Ooni’s booth featured the newest generation of gas-powered pizza ovens—the Koda 2 and Koda 2 Pro—alongside a first look at the Halo Pro Spiral Mixer, expanding Ooni’s product range into dough preparation. Live demos by an Ooni ambassador showcased the Halo Pro’s capabilities, with Founder and Co-CEO Kristian Tapaninaho engaging guests throughout the event.

"I loved coming to the Backbone NYC showcase. It’s a great way for us to get our brand and products in front of key NY media - we always have some really great conversations there and encourage editors to get hands-on with our new releases. It’s buzzy, welcoming and an impressive set of brands to be alongside." — Kristian Tapaninaho, Founder and Co-CEO

Pendleton Whisky made a memorable impression with a Western-inspired bar featuring all five whisky expressions, led by a seasoned whisky educator. Media attendees sampled the robust and complex Pendleton 1910 Bourbon and took home custom leather-branded keychains. A handcrafted Pendleton Bourbon cocktail was served in a sleek, Pendleton-branded YETI tumbler at the catering station.

Picture Organic brought a taste of the French Alps to NYC, setting the scene with a cozy après-ski atmosphere—complete with fondue—while spotlighting its latest snow collection. The brand’s founder joined the booth to share stories of adventure and the inspiration behind Picture’s mission to create fun, sustainable, and premium outdoor gear.

Selkirk showcased its full lineup of pickleball paddles and gear, featuring the SLK Halo Pro Amped Pro Air, Luxx Control Air, and LABS008paddles. The booth also highlighted the new Courtstrike Pickleball Footwear, reinforcing Selkirk’s dedication to innovation in the sport.

Smartwool presented its Spring/Summer ’25 collection with key products like the Merino Hike Short and Active Lined Skort, alongside expanded activewear lines such as Active Mesh and Active Ultralite. A major highlight of Smartwool’s booth was the new Second Cut Fleece, launching this Fall, which represents a major step forward in the brand’s sustainability journey. The Second Cut Fleece utilizes pre-consumer scraps from Smartwool’s Classic Thermal Merino Base Layers, making their best-selling heritage product now zero-waste.

Superfeet unveiled its brand evolution focused on the Sport, City, and Industrial Athletes, showcasing new product innovations including the Run Pacer Elite, Sport Ultralight, ESD insole, and Puncture Resistant insole. Newly updated Run Support Low Arch insoles and a printed brochure detailed the brand’s performance-driven approach. Attendees received Superfeet-branded running hats, debuting the refreshed logo.

Thule featured a Subaru Crosstrek decked out with the new Thule Force cargo box and accompanying GoPack duffle set. Additional highlights included a preview of the Thule Spring 2 stroller, the Thule Aion rolling checked bag, and an in-depth look at the compact Thule Outpace bike rack, launching in June.

“The Backbone Showroom always delivers! It's an ideal environment for connecting with some of the best outdoor, lifestyle, and mainstream media in the city. Not to mention, you can count on Backbone's team to be totally on point with all logistics and organization, down to the finer details. This one is always on the Thule calendar!” — Ariana Stover, PR & Communications Manager

YETI showcased its latest innovations across key product categories, with a focus on establishing the brand’s growing presence in the bags space. On display was the full line of YETI bags, including a first look at the recently released Cayo Bag, as well as new additions to the Hondo Chair line. The booth also previewed the new Rambler® Bowls and several culinary-focused products launching later this year. With a mix of unreleased gear and core hero products, YETI’s display reinforced the brand’s evolution beyond coolers and into premium, all-season gear built for active, outdoor lifestyles.