Q’s flagship winter industry event aims to reignite the industry — encouraging engagement, connection, and growth for 2027 and beyond

Minneapolis, Minn. (Sept. 22, 2026) – Quality Bicycle Products (Q), the leading North America-based bicycle parts distributor and brand manufacturer, is excited to announce the return of its industry event, Frostbike. Taking place February 25–27, 2027, at Q headquarters in Minneapolis, Frostbike is back after a five-year hiatus, bolder and more intentional than ever, with the powerful theme Take the Lane.

A long-standing winter highlight for the bike industry, Frostbike 2027 will reconnect hundreds of Q retailers, supplier brands, and thought leaders from across North America through a product expo, meaningful education sessions, and authentic peer-to-peer connections.

The theme Take the Lane empowers and calls on all members of the bike industry—retailers, suppliers, non-profits, Q staff, and beyond—to step up, show up, and engage with the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving market. Rooted in cycling safety, “taking the lane” is a move riders make to assert their presence on the road, placing themselves visibly in the center to navigate complex or hazardous environments. Applied more broadly, it’s about leadership, boundaries, and confronting change head-on.

“Frostbike has always been about bringing the industry together—and this year, that connection feels more important than ever. With Take the Lane, we’re creating space for honest conversations, shared learning, and the momentum we need to move the industry forward,” said Rich Tauer, Q President. “On behalf of all of us at Q, we invite you to take the lane with us.”

This year’s programming will challenge participants to share their strengths and expertise while also embracing growth opportunities. Explore new products through hands-on access from the industry’s leading and emerging brands at the expo. Learn new ways to drive your business through educational sessions designed for today’s evolving retail landscape. Frostbike attendees can expect to take with them actionable business insights tailored to support growth and adaptability.

“With Frostbike, Q is creating a central space for collaboration, learning, and inspiration, to help the industry forge ahead with intention and resilience. Everyone gives a little and takes a little at Frostbike—because progress happens together,” said Tauer. “Frostbike 2027 is about taking action and controlling what is within our power to ensure our businesses thrive in 2027.”

Retailer registration will open on October 27. Additional details, including seminar topics, the keynote speaker, vendor list, and additional activations, will be rolled out over the next few months.

About Quality Bicycle Products

Quality Bicycle Products works to advance the experience of bicycling for the well-being of people and the planet. From developing our own compelling bicycle and accessory brands to distributing the most comprehensive portfolio of top brands in the industry, to sparking advocacy efforts that increase ridership, Q serves as a common thread that weaves together retailers, suppliers, industry partners, and riders. With distribution centers in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Colorado, Vancouver, and Toronto, Q reaches a network of more than 5,500 independent retailers. As a certified B Corporation, we strive to be an extraordinary business partner and employer, and we have made good on that goal for more than 40 years. For more information about Quality Bicycle Products, visit qbp.com. 

About Frostbike

Frostbike, Q’s flagship winter industry event, serves as a central gathering place where retailers, suppliers, and thought leaders come together to share knowledge, showcase innovation, and build meaningful connections. For more information about Quality Bicycle Products and Frostbike, visit qbp.com.

Media Contact: Verde Brand Communications, frostbike@verdepr.com

Snow Peak Debuts Landlock X Tent to US Market

PORTLAND, OR (September 21, 2026) – Snow Peak, the renowned Japanese outdoor lifestyle brand, with a 68-year legacy, today is debuting the Landlock X to the North American market for the first time today. Landlock X is a renewed and upgraded version of Snow Peak’s Landlock Shelter, which has been popular among US camping enthusiasts for many years.

Landlock X sleeps four people across a flexible two-room layout, creating a comfortable outdoor dwelling with separate spaces for sleeping, cooking, or gathering. Landlock X is highly water-resistant and compatible with Snow Peak’s wood-burning tent stoves, making it ideal for all-season camping.

A recent redesign has resulted in all-around performance improvement, including higher-strength aluminum alloy poles designed for higher wind resistance and easier setup. The frame structure has been redesigned to create a higher vertical wall, which increases internal volume by 10%. The interior includes dual side panel windows and a skylight, along with a door panel lift up. The exterior includes a light-blocking pigment PU coating and a 3,000 mm waterproof rating, holding up under heavy rain or night-long downpours. The frame becomes self-supporting early in the setup process through the use of ball and socket joints and cross frame swivels. The setup takes under 30 minutes and is packed in a 25-lb carry bag.

Landlock X is available in Snow Peak retail locations and on snowpeak.com for $1,999.95.

Snow Peak Media Contact: Hazel Rogerson | hazel@jamcollective.net

About Snow Peak

Founded in Japan in 1958, Snow Peak is a camping brand serving customers in the USA for more than 20 years, with a mission to unite people and alleviate the stresses of modern life through time gathering outside. Its Japanese-designed, lifetime-guaranteed camping equipment serves as a catalyst for restorative experiences in nature.

Focused on bringing people together, Snow Peak operates immersive retail locations in Portland, Seattle and Brooklyn, and offers hospitality experiences through its restaurant Takibi, and campground, the Long Beach Campfield. More at snowpeak.com.

 

Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation Adds a Record 804 Schools in 2026, Extending Its Reach as the Only K–12 Program Teaching Kids Outdoor Recreation Skills and Conservation

San Antonio, TX, September 21, 2026 — Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF), the nonprofit behind the nation’s only K–12 curriculum teaching the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, has added over 60 school districts and over 800 new schools to its Outdoor Adventures (OA) program since January 1, 2026. This year to date marks the largest number of schools added in any eight-month period in the organization’s history. These additions have brought roughly 60,000 new students into the program this year, growing OTF’s reach from 210,000 students at the start of 2026 to approximately 270,000 students across all 50 states and into Canada. OTF plans to bring in more schools by December 31, 2026, bringing the total schools using the OTF Outdoor Adventures programming to over 2800.

The growth caps three years of efforts building relationships with schools that wanted Outdoor Adventures but couldn’t afford it. A $600,000 grant from Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and SCIF Sables, OTF’s largest single donation ever, let OTF quickly add roughly 800 of those schools in 2026, with new adoptions in New York, NY, Charlotte, NC, Jacksonville, FL, and across Texas and California.

OTF’s waitlist of schools registered for Outdoor Adventures but not yet served shows demand still outpacing capacity. It fell from 2,358 schools in 2025 to 1,221 after this year’s grant-funded push, then climbed back to approximately 2,000 as another 600–700 schools requested the program.

“When we say OTF is committed to safeguarding our outdoor heritage and children’s outdoor futures, we are not just being dramatic,” states Keith Tidball, Executive Director of Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation. “The average American spends seven hours a day on a screen; the average American child spends 4 to 7 minutes a day outside in unstructured play, or 30 minutes total counting structured activity. That’s a crisis, and OTF meets it where it matters most: the schoolhouse, during school hours. Our Outdoor Adventures K-12 curriculum has proven efficient, effective, and extremely popular. The beauty of this program is that it isn’t an extracurricular activity, it is actually scheduled into the school day to help children thrive and enhance their health, wellbeing, and physical and mental fitness.”

Founded in 2009, OTF’s Outdoor Adventures curriculum is the nation’s premier PE curriculum for outdoor education skills, growing roughly 20% year over year as the only national program bringing wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation education directly into K–12 classrooms. The curriculum spans 40 units and 360 lessons including but not limited to hunter education, archery, fishing, orienteering, wildlife identification, and Leave No Trace principles, all delivered through a PE class in school. In Texas alone, 19,000 students earned hunter education certifications in 2025.

Since its founding in 2009, OTF’s Outdoor Adventures program has onboarded a cumulative total of 2,741 schools and has introduced more than 1,250,000 students to the outdoors. Graduates of the program have gone on to work in careers as wildlife biologists, game wardens, hunting and fishing guides, and outdoor educators, and the organization continues to hear from alumni now teaching their own children the same skills and values they learned through OA.

“In our first year working with SCI, the SCI Foundation, and Sables, we have been able to fight what I call ‘ecological amnesia,’ and are on track to add 1,000 schools,” Tidball says. “Our goal is to shift from adding more schools, to adding more school districts. With approximately 13,500 public school districts nationwide, if we establish an active OTF program in at least 6,000 additional districts, we can create a sustainable pipeline of lifetime outdoorspeople and wildlife conservation advocates.

Looking ahead, OTF will be debuting their Rock the Schoolhouse national awareness and expansion campaign at the SCI Convention in Nashville, TN, January 18 – 24, 2027. This campaign will encourage donors to financially sponsor an entire school district’s participation in the Outdoor Adventures program. Additionally, they will also launch a monthly giving program for those wanting to provide sustained support throughout the year.

For more information on Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation and the Outdoor Adventures program, visit gootf.com.

About Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation

Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF) is a public nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that exists to help educators introduce and conduct outdoor education in the classroom, and to promote and fund wildlife conservation. Its Outdoor Adventures (OA) program is the nation’s only K–12 curriculum teaching outdoor skills and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation across all 50 states and Canada. OTF is supported by a diversified base of foundations, corporate partners, individual donors, and state agencies, including Texas Parks and Wildlife, Safari Club International Foundation, MidwayUSA Foundation, the Weatherby Foundation, the Conklin Foundation, and Scheels, among others. Learn more at gootf.com or on Facebook and Instagram @outdoorstomorrowfoundation.com

Crazy Creek launches the Boat Chair, US Coast Guard-approved Type IV throwable PFD and Chair

Red Lodge, Mont. (Sept. 18, 2026) – Today, Crazy Creek Products, the originators of the legless camp chair and trusted innovators in outdoor seating, announces the launch of the Boat Chair, a Type IV throwable personal flotation device engineered to double as a stable, comfortable seat. This breakthrough 2-in-1 product combines a U.S. Coast Guard-approved throwable PFD design for boats 16 feet and longer with Crazy Creek’s nearly 40 years of legless chair engineering, turning a piece of required safety equipment into a functional part of the boat.

Every recreational boat 16 feet or longer is required to carry a Type IV throwable device on board, which is designed to be thrown to a person in distress in the water. Traditional versions, such as a ring buoy or horseshoe buoy, serve that single purpose and take up storage space that boaters could otherwise use. Fishing boats and many recreational craft also offer limited seating, often a hard, uncomfortable surface, while standard camp chairs tend to be too bulky and unstable to bring onto a deck. The Boat Chair is built to solve both problems at once.

“Every boat under 16 feet has to carry this gear anyway, so we thought why not make it versatile, comfortable, and something you’ll get more regular use out of,” said Karson Bagby, co-owner at Crazy Creek. “The Boat Chair turns a required safety item into something you’ll actually reach for every time you’re on the water.”

As a chair, the Boat Chair measures 16.25 by 17.5 inches with a 14.25-inch seat depth. Folded down as a throwable device, it measures 16.25 by 16.75 by 2.5 inches and weighs 2.5 pounds. An extra-thick bottom cushion adds buoyancy and comfort on hard surfaces, while reflective trim improves visibility in low light. The compact folding design fits most boat storage compartments, and the durable, quick-dry fabric is built to hold up to sun and spray, season after season. True to Crazy Creek, it’s a legless chair design, and this chair can be used seated on a boat, dock, shoreline or in the water.

The Boat Chair retails for $119.95 USD and will be available at crazycreek.com and at retailers starting November 2026.

For more information about Crazy Creek and its range of outdoor seating, please visit crazycreek.com.

About Crazy Creek

Founded in 1987 in Red Lodge, Montana, Crazy Creek was born in the backcountry

and built for people who spend real time on rough ground. For more than three

decades, Crazy Creek has equipped people to “Take a Seat”—whether deep in the

wilderness or close to home—providing dependable support wherever the ground works

against them. Learn more at crazycreek.com.

 

RECCO and adidas INFINITE TRAILS Partnership Highlight Integration of Safety, Preparedness into Running Culture

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — September 17, 2026 — RECCO, a global search and rescue technology, is celebrating a successful debut of a meaningful partnership with adidas INFINITE TRAILS, the international trail running festival held in Austria’s Gastein Valley. This year’s event brought together 1,600 runners from 59 nations, with RECCO reflectors as required safety gear for the event’s team competition and longer individual distances (30K, 45K and 60K).

The partnership will continue at next year’s event. Registration for adidas INFINITE TRAILS 2027 opened shortly after the race and sold out in just three hours and 25 minutes — a sign of the momentum behind both the race and the culture growing around it.

The atmosphere throughout this year’s race week was incredibly positive, and the mountain safety message was embraced organically by the running community.

Much of that adoption at this event is credited to adidas INFINITE TRAILS Director Mike Hamel, who is an advocate for the integration of safety components, and who introduced RECCO reflectors as part of the event’s core safety requirements this year.

“Preparation is an essential part of trail running, and adidas INFINITE TRAILS shows that adventure and safety go hand in hand,” Hamel said. “A tool like a RECCO reflector  that helps make runners searchable in the event of an emergency, helps support both those who might need assistance as well as the rescuers looking for them.”

Fredrik Steinwall, CEO of RECCO, said partnerships like this one help continue to grow awareness of what RECCO technology is, and the role it can play — along with other tools — in increasing safety in remote and rugged places.

“Mountain safety is a shared responsibility,” Steinwall said. “Tools that help make people more searchable can make a meaningful difference. By building knowledge, raising awareness and giving runners the right tools, we can help create a safer environment for everyone — in training and in competition. We’re proud to continue working with a partner who shares that (same) commitment to mountain safety.”

The RECCO rescue network continues to expand globally, with the system now used by search-and-rescue organizations in more than 900 locations across 32 countries. The RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector can search up to a square kilometer in six minutes under optimal conditions, helping rescue teams respond quicker across large and remote mountain terrain.

For more information on the global RECCO rescue network, please visit recco.com.

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Photo Link:  https://reccoab.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/RECCOExternalSharing/IgBo8_HUYj5lTZzzGLiZigrZAdgTffTTn7xt05GvNsTnRCo?e=KeDi4p

About RECCO

RECCO® advanced rescue technology makes outdoor enthusiasts searchable to rescuers in case of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. The technology builds on a two-part radar system. Rescuers carry RECCO® detectors that send out search signals which are echoed by RECCO® reflectors, carried by the user. RECCO® detectors are used worldwide at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 32 countries. RECCO® reflectors are integrated into select apparel, helmets, protection gear and boots manufactured by more than 150 leading outdoor brands. RECCO AB was founded in 1983 in Sweden and is owned by its founder Magnus Granhed and the publicly traded investment company Traction AB (listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm). More info at recco.com.

About adidas INFINITE TRAILS

adidas INFINITE TRAILS is an international trail running festival held annually in Austria’s Gastein Valley. More than a race, it is a gathering point for the global trail running community — a place where lasting friendships are formed and genuine emotion connects people from all over the world, regardless of age, background or ability level. This year’s edition welcomed 1,600 runners from 59 nations. Registration for the event’s 2027 edition sold out in just three hours and 25 minutes after opening. More information at infinite-trails.com.

Media Contact

Verde Brand Communications

(970) 235-0268

recco@verdepr.com

LOWA Adds a World-Class Talent: Theres Leboeuf

September 17, 2026 – Salt Lake City, Utah – Global footwear brand LOWA is deepening its commitment to trail running by welcoming Theres Leboeuf, one of the most accomplished athletes in the sport, to its athlete roster. The 41-year-old Swiss runner will represent the brand at the sport’s most prestigious events and play a hands-on role in developing LOWA’s trail running footwear line.

Leboeuf’s path to the top of trail running has been anything but conventional. A mother of three, she didn’t lace up for her first race until 2015, and has since become one of the sport’s most respected names. Her breakthrough came with a win at the 2023 Jungfrau Marathon, followed by a bronze medal at the 2023 Trail Running World Championships in Innsbruck and a string of podium finishes on the Golden Trail World Series circuit. Today, she sits ninth overall in the series standings, a testament to the consistency she’s built over a career that started later but moved faster than most.

“What stands out about Theres isn’t just her results; it’s the path she took to get there,” said Samuel Grill, Global Category Manager, Trail Running at LOWA. “She’s proof that big goals don’t require a conventional career. Her genuine love for the mountains and dedication to the sport make her exactly the kind of person we want on our team.”

Beyond racing, Leboeuf is deeply invested in supporting the next generation of trail runners. She’s a member of the leadership team at several youth trail running camps, where she mentors young athletes, encouraging an active, healthy lifestyle both on and off the trail.

“Partnering with LOWA means a lot to me,” said Leboeuf. “I value the outstanding product quality, the family-like culture, and the chance to bring my own experience and ideas to the table. I’m excited to have a partner who shares my passion for trail running and will be with me for the next stage of my journey.”

Remaining among the world’s top trail runners, Leboeuf will close out her 2026 season with appearances at the Myoko Trail in Japan and the Muju Trail Grand Finale in South Korea. To learn more about LOWA USA and the latest brand news, visit us.lowa.com or contact Katie Richter at katie@darbycommunications.com.

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About LOWA

With over 100 years of hand-crafted European heritage, LOWA is a globally respected footwear brand located in Jetzendorf, in Upper Bavaria. Since 1923, LOWA has created premium outdoor boots and shoes featuring beautiful silhouettes, best-in-class quality, and proprietary technology. Its designers adeptly navigate the outdoor performance, trail running, lifestyle, and tactical categories, always nurturing brand integrity. LOWA is one of the only footwear brands to receive ISO 9001 status for the highest quality construction and process standards. LOWA certified tactical boots are also made to comply with the European Union’s PPE standards. For more information, visit www.us.lowa.com.

About Tecnica Group

A global leader in outdoor footwear and ski equipment, Tecnica Group boasts a portfolio of some of the industry’s most historic brands: Tecnica (ski boots and footwear), Nordica (skis and boots), Moon Boot® (footwear), LOWA (trekking and outdoor shoes), Blizzard (skis), and Rollerblade® (inline skates). Founded in 1963 by the Zanatta brothers, the company has been highly innovative from the very beginning, pioneering the first double-injection plastic ski boot that revolutionized the industry and creating iconic design products such as the legendary Moon Boot.

Today, Tecnica Group is an international company with 10 subsidiaries, along with more than 40 distribution partners, exporting to over 80 countries worldwide. The company employs 3,722 people, around 400 of whom are based in Italy, primarily at its headquarters in Giavera del Montello (Treviso). In 2017, the Zanatta family, still at the helm of the Group, opened the company to external capital with the entry of Italmobiliare as a minority shareholder. For more information, visit www.tecnicagroup.com.

AllTrails and REI Introduce a Partnership Built on Outdoor Adventure and Trail Stewardship

SAN FRANCISCO — AllTrails and REI Co-op today announced a multi-year partnership designed to help people discover trails, plan adventures, and spend more time outside. By bringing together AllTrails’ and REI’s member communities, the partnership makes it easier to explore the outdoors while fostering a connection with nature and taking care of public lands.

With this partnership, REI Co-op members can now save on AllTrails Plus and Peak memberships. The companies are also expanding the Better Trails Club, a joint community program for guided hikes and trail cleanups. The Better Trails Club brought together more than 500 volunteers last spring, with nine additional events planned across the US this autumn.

“This partnership felt natural to us from the start,” said Carly Smith Costello, Chief Business Officer at AllTrails. “We’re equipping REI members with the app they need to explore the outdoors and connecting them to real insights from the AllTrails community – from trail reviews and photos to current conditions and popular times. This is the start of a long-term partnership to support our communities’ shared love of the outdoors.”

“Helping our members spend more time outside is one of the most meaningful ways REI delivers on the promise of co-op membership, and this new partnership with AllTrails helps us do just that,” said Abigail Jacobs, Chief Marketing Officer at REI Co-op. “Together, we are making co-op membership more valuable by making it easier to discover new places, plan adventures, and explore with confidence. We’re excited to help more people deepen their connection to the outdoors and the commitment to protect it.”

REI is serving as AllTrails’ official outdoor retailer in the U.S. and AllTrails as REI’s official outdoor exploration app partner, and will host in-store activations across the US. REI Co-op members can become AllTrails Plus members for $25/year (regularly $35.99) or AllTrails Peak members for $50/year (regularly $79.99), giving members access to real trail insights from the AllTrails community and tools to help them prepare for the outdoors and navigate the trail. Members can learn more and sign up at alltrails.com/rei. Upcoming Better Trails Club event details are available at rei.com/blog/better-trails-club.

About AllTrails

AllTrails is the app for exploring the outdoors. We help people spend more time outside by connecting them to their next adventure. Home to the world’s largest outdoor community, with members and trails around the globe, you can find AllTrails in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and at alltrails.com to learn more.

About REI

REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of 26 million members who expect and love the best quality gear and outstanding customer service. In addition to the co-op’s many stores across the country, outdoor enthusiasts can shop at REI.com, REI Outlet or the REI shopping app. Everyone is welcome to shop REI, but members who join the co-op enjoy a range of benefits. REI is a purpose-driven and values-led company dedicated to enabling life outside for all.

Pajarito Mountain Unveils Largest Infrastructure Investment in Resort History Ahead of 2026-27 Season

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (Sept. 15, 2026) — Pajarito Mountain Ski Area is heading into the 2026-27 winter season on the back of the biggest infrastructure updates in the resort’s 70-year history. The multimillion-dollar program, Project Pajarito, increases snowmaking capacity with 2700% more water available. The new snowmaking capabilities improve the on-mountain experience for skiers and riders with more dependable coverage and extended operating days. The resort is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 season on December 4.

Also new this year is an updated Alpine Lift, improving reliability on the 1,107-foot chair. Project Pajarito is part of a multi-year, multimillion-dollar investment to expand snowmaking to 75 percent of the mountain and update its infrastructure — all with the goal of improving the on-mountain guest experience while maintaining Pajarito’s community culture and world-class tree and bump skiing.

“This investment is a game changer for Pajarito,” said Jasen Bellomy, General Manager of Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. “With consistent water feeding our snowmaking, skiers can count on a reliable season from day one. And with snowmaking now running from top to bottom on more trails, we’re able to open up the mountain for everyone.”

Pajarito Mountain is located on 750 acres, and offers more than 1,200 vertical feet of skiing and snowboarding across 53 trails and six lifts. The resort was founded in the 1950s by Nobel Prize-winning scientists from the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The mountain was run by volunteers until it was purchased in 2014 by Mountain Capital Partners. The resort is known to have the state’s “best fall line,” resulting in steep, fast terrain and legendary bump runs — though its ski school and family-friendly programming make it a great destination for skiers and riders of all levels.

For more information about the 2026-27 season, visit pajarito.ski and follow @skipajarito on Instagram.

Seasonal media assets available here.

Media contact: Becca Katz I Verde Brand Communications I becca@verdepr.com

About Pajarito Mountain Ski Area

Located in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and 30 minutes northwest of Santa Fe, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area offers 53 trails and 6 lifts, all located on 750 acres on the eastern edge of the Jemez Mountains. Known for its spectacular views of the Rio Grande Valley and the Valles Caldera National Preserve, the ski area was founded and developed in the late 1950s by the Los Alamos Ski Club. The fall line and bump runs are heralded as some of the best in the state, and the mountain offers a ski school, restaurant and an equipment rental facility. During the summer season, Pajarito is the closest resort to the Albuquerque metro area. For more information, visit www.Pajarito.ski.