March 18, 2026 Outdoor leaders address sustainability at OIA Rendezvous

OIA Rendezvous 2026 brought outdoor industry leaders to Denver to discuss resilience, collaboration, and market challenges. More than 80 executives gathered after a decade-long hiatus.

More than 80 C-suite executives and CEOs from across the outdoor industry gathered at VF Corporation headquarters in Denver for Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Rendezvous 2026, marking the return of the executive convening after more than a decade.

The event provided a setting for leaders to engage with peers facing similar pressures. This year’s theme, “Building Resilience in Uncertain Times,” framed discussions around economic conditions, technological change, and evolving expectations related to sustainability, conservation, and consumer engagement.

The outdoor industry emphasizes trust and accountability. In activities such as climbing, backcountry skiing, and mountaineering, outcomes depend on communication, judgment, and trust among participants. These principles also apply to the industry, where responsibility is shared and trust is built through action and communication.

“Rendezvous is about bringing leaders together for open, honest conversations about the challenges shaping the outdoor industry,” said Kent Ebersole, president of Outdoor Industry Association.

“It’s also the start of rebuilding a stronger culture of collaboration across our industry. By listening to the leaders in the room, OIA can better understand the priorities that matter most and help turn those insights into meaningful action.”

“We have a track record as an industry of collaborating to make meaningful change and progress,” said Susan Viscon, REI Impact Executive.

“The conviction to do the hard work and do it together is born from face-to-face conversations. Rendezvous has brought together the right stakeholders from brands and focused on the topics that are critical to our future.”

OIA Rendezvous 2026 program highlights

The program included fireside chats, keynote presentations, and panel discussions with leaders from outdoor brands and partner organizations.

A session on investment and growth strategy, moderated by Lindsay Shumlas of Cotopaxi, brought together advisors and legal experts to address market conditions. Lesford Duncan of the Outdoor Foundation and Kelly Davis of OIA presented a preview of the 2026 Outdoor Participation Report, outlining data trends relevant to business planning. Matthew Thurston of REI led a discussion with representatives from Black Diamond, Gore-Tex, and Design for Impact on integrating sustainability into business strategy.

“I think we’re all responsible for being stewards of the soul of the industry,” said Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia.

“That means protecting the joy and the specialness of being outdoors, not just thinking about it as a commercial endeavor.”

Collaboration and next steps for OIA

The event concluded with small-group sessions focused on identifying priorities to inform OIA’s programming and initiatives.

“My big takeaway is that it’s time to do it,” said Neil Fiske, CEO of Black Diamond.

“We’ve got the tools, the will, the values, and the purpose. Now it’s about relentlessly focusing on operationalizing our objectives, so people feel empowered to act.”

The gathering included leaders from 65 brands and was supported by partners including Gore-Tex Brand, VF Corp, and REI.

“The Rendezvous was a remarkable display of the passion and the optimism that are at the core of the outdoor industry community,” said Christina Henderson, VP, Switchback and The Running Event.

“There were a lot of common themes – from the value of gatherings in the outdoor industry to the importance of being authentic and acting on your brand values – but the biggest one was a clear eagerness to lean in, collectively, to navigate those challenges as well as share the benefit of future opportunities.”

Lead image: Outdoor Industry Association