The Death of Core: Why Action Sports Needs a Reset
Hola, my friends
I was reading a piece on XOutdoor this morning about Volcom’s co-founder, Richard Woolcott, investing in Florence, John John’s brand. His reasoning struck me. He called them a "breath of fresh air, a positive light in a sea of chaos," and said he’s "more in the camp of focusing on the core customer."
A "sea of chaos." He’s not wrong. Many of us have been feeling this for a while—a lack of authenticity, a slow draining of the core from the surf, snow, and skate worlds we love.
And that chaos? It’s fueled by a total disconnect. I see an announcement for another webinar, this one with CEOs and managing directors discussing "Strategies and Opportunities" for 2026. You can just picture it: a panel of 'Bigs' trying to find the why of our sports in a dataset, plotting new ways to extract cash from our wallets, all from their sterile Zoom rooms.
They're not in the line-up with us. They're not on the lift, on the skin track, or on the trail. They're not even just... outdoors.
This is the very disconnect that hollowed out our community gathering spots. Remember the old trade shows? Action Sports Retailer (ASR), SIA in Vegas, and then Denver. They were our watering holes. They were where the indy brands, the true believers, could get a foothold. It was where shop owners could talk shop, share the stoke, and filter out the noise.
We allowed the COVID closures to take away our tribe's celebrations. And yes, they were celebrations—of our spirit, our craft, and our community.
We still have a few beacons left. The big ones like Surf Expo and Outdoor Retailer are still standing, along with the vital regional shows like WWSRA. These are no longer just about writing orders; they are our last real places to gather, to reconnect, and to remind the industry what "core" actually looks and feels like. If we want to find our center, we have to show up.
Here are the dates. Let's make a plan to be there.
Surf Expo (Orlando, FL)
January 7-9, 2026
September 16-18, 2026
Outdoor Retailer Show
August 19-21, 2026 (Minneapolis, MN)
WWSRA (California Shows)
Northern California Preview Show: December 2-4, 2025 (Roseville, CA)
Northern California Winter Show: January 6-8, 2026 (Reno, NV)
Southern California Winter Show: January 13-15, 2026 (Costa Mesa, CA)
WWSRA California On-Snow Demo: February 3-5, 2026 (Mammoth Lakes, CA)
This needs to be a pay-it-forward moment for all of us.
The heritage brands we loved? Many were owned, bought, and traded like a second-hand Stratocaster. It's sad, but the power isn't gone. It's just sitting with us, waiting.
Woolcott’s move proves that the core is still where the true value is. It's time to reset. It’s time to move from the soulless click-and-ship world back to brick-and-mortar. We need to support our local shops. We need to actively seek out and support the indie brands. We need to be mindful of where our dollars go, because every purchase is a vote for the kind of industry we want.
It can be done. We just need to drive the bus, support each other, and put the core back in the mix.
I'll see you at the shows.
Stay'nThirsty for POW
Coop
