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Farewell appearance: Outdoor Retailer Summer show opens

By Dennis Huspeni June 9, 2022 | updated 3 years ago

Outdoor Retailers Summer show opened at the Colorado Convention Center Thursday to what appeared to be more crowds than the 2021 Summer show, which had been postponed to August.

An estimated 550 retailers filled the exhibition hall floor with all the latest gear, gadgets, clothing, accessories, camping supplies and electric bikes.

Jeff Sampson, director of sales for Rambo Bikes, said they haven’t done Outdoor Retailer shows for five years, but were happy to get back to Denver for the last show here.

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Aaron Dooley with Rambo Bikes, left, talks with Anysonic Inc. buyer Hector Vides among a display of Rambo Bikes’ electric bikes during the Summer Outdoor Sports Retail Expo & Conference on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colo. (Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette)

Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette

061022-dg-biz-outdoorretailer01.JPG

Aaron Dooley with Rambo Bikes, left, talks with Anysonic Inc. buyer Hector Vides among a display of Rambo Bikes’ electric bikes during the Summer Outdoor Sports Retail Expo & Conference on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colo. (Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette)



Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette


Outdoor Retailer is moving back to Salt Lake City, its original home, in 2023.

“Frankly, Denver is a lot easier for us,” said Sampson, whose company is based in Centerville, Iowa. “We’re probably going to continue to do shows like this in Denver, whatever it does next. People out here buy a lot of mountain bikes.”

The Rambo isn’t just any mountain bike.

“We were one of the first fat-tire bikes to market,” said Aaron Dooley, sales manager. “Seven years ago, we were only one of two electric bike retailers at the (Outdoor Retailer) show. Now there’s a lot more. It’s a quickly evolving market.”

PHOTOS: Outdoor Sports Retail Expo’s final show in Denver

The biggest of the Rambos, The Venom, has two, 1,000-watt motors and is capable of all-wheel drive, up to 45 miles-per-hour speed and up to 80 miles on a battery charge.

“It’s a great hunting eBike,” Dooley said. “We make a gun rack for it … You can haul an elk out with this.”

“Turkey hunters love them. They can get out to their blind in silence,” said Sampson. “Ebikes are really transforming the way we use the outdoors. Once you’re old, and past the stage you can use a mountain bike, this will extend your time in the outdoors by about 30 years.”

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Over at the Tenkara USA booth, Social Media Manager Jen Hansen was showing visitors the telescoping fly fishing rod that was first developed in Japan.

“It’s a fun, simple way to fish,” she said. “It’s the Japanese method of fly fishing.”

There’s no reel and the rod can extend to any length. The compact nature of it means it fits easily into backpacks, she said.

“Anyone who wants to add fishing to their outdoor experience can,” said Hansen.

Formerly based in Boulder, the company is now headquartered in San Francisco – though everyone works remotely, said John Greer.

“It’s really popular here,” said Greer. “Colorado really has the perfect environment, and winding rivers and creeks where it works great. That’s why our founder opened here – it’s similar to the environment of Japan.”

061022-dg-biz-outdoorretailer07.JPG

Kristen Miller with nonprofit Alaska Wilderness League, left, reacts after being told to take a hat from a Bass Outdoor rep during the Summer Outdoor Sports Retail Expo & Conference on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colo. (Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette)

Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette

061022-dg-biz-outdoorretailer07.JPG

Kristen Miller with nonprofit Alaska Wilderness League, left, reacts after being told to take a hat from a Bass Outdoor rep during the Summer Outdoor Sports Retail Expo & Conference on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colo. (Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette)



Timothy Hurst/The Denver Gazette


Bridgford Food Corp. officials handed out samples of it’s ready-to-eat sandwiches. The 3.5 ounce sandwiches come with bread, or a wrap/tortilla, and several different ingredients like BBQ beef, pork or chicken or the new pizza sandwich. They’re sealed in a waterproof package that can stay fresh for up to three years and are made to eat cold, though it’s easy to heat them up in boiling water, said Monty Griffith, general manager.

The Chicago-based company is also well known for its beef jerky and processed meat products.

The sandwiches were developed for the United States military as replacement to the not-so-good tasting “meals ready to eat” (MRE).

“This is a great opportunity for us to get to that outdoor market,” said Griffith. “We’re about the only food here.”

The Outdoor Retailer Summer show runs through Saturday.

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