Outdoor Retailer 2025

So, the curtain drops on Emerald's Outdoor Retailer 2025 in Salt Lake City. I was trying to get a feel on what others at the tradeshow thought before putting it in here. So here goes.

Were we, CRUA happy with the investment? No. There simply didn't seem to be enough retail buyers / resellers in attendance which is what a lot of the exhibitors seemed to be looking for.

Also, it was hard to define this show. It seems to have morphed into a smaller version of its former self. It really needs to refresh itself. Maybe a consumer day? The demo days of yore seem a distant memory. I'm believe that a stand alone general trade show is a thing of the past. Niche such ICAST, and even involve the consumers to create a better atmosphere - a la Emerald's Overland Expo shows. Some more imagination & creativity required. The venue didn't do it any favors either.

On the plus side, I did get to catch up with some people that I hadn't seen for a while and met some new faces. So the networking benefit was real. And great to see some four legged friends in attendance..

On speaking to some people who were there and who had attended inaugural Switchback Event Spring Show, and to be fair the reviews were mixed. Some really though the new event had a breath of fresh air while others very much didn't. We'll have to give them a bit more time.

And I did get to hear speakers such as Lloyd Vogel (we won't mention the burrito!!), Stephan Jacob and others.

Will we be back in 2026? I'd have to be convinced, and I'd have to see some more event innovation..

By the way, an honorable mention to Salt Lake City International Airport - one of the best in the business, despite the delays from United Airlines!!

Kickstarter Launch

In other news, we’ve just launched a new product on Kickstarter over the last few hours.

This one was a little stressful, mostly due to third parties! Anyhow, we’ve developed a new CULLA which can adapt in width, height, and length. Hence we spent millions on research to come up with the name CULLA Adapt!!!

We’re really excited about this product, so take a look please. Feedback welcome, email below.

Anyhow, our prelaunch CPL and CRP suggests that this will be a decent launch, without breaking records, which is fine as we’re bringing it to market anyhow, and this was just a little push.

I’ll revert with more data over the next 3 weeks. And an honorable mention to eufyMake

who has just become the biggest ever Kickstarter campaign but surpassing $44m and counting. We can dream..!!!

Quick poll before we deep-dive into this week’s case study.

▓ How Voilé Quietly Built a Category—and a Cult Following

Executive Summary
Voilé is one of the most quietly influential brands in backcountry snow sports. Founded in the early 1980s in Utah, the company pioneered split-boarding technology and built a loyal customer base—without outside capital, overseas manufacturing, or flashy marketing. In a market now valued at nearly $500 million, Voilé remains small, independent, and widely respected. This deep dive unpacks how product-first innovation, vertical production, and strategic restraint created one of the most trusted names in backcountry gear—and what B2B leaders can learn from it.

◆ From Salt Lake Garage to Backcountry Standard

Voilé (pronounced “vwah-LAY”) was founded in 1980 by Mark "Wally" Wariakois, a skier, gear maker, and mechanical engineer who began fabricating telemark skis and ski hardware in his Utah garage. His mission was simple: build tools that work in serious terrain, without gimmicks.

At the time, the backcountry ski world was small and gear options were even smaller. Most companies focused on downhill or alpine systems. Wally went the other way—designing for uphill mobility and rugged, all-conditions use.

By the mid-80s, Voilé was producing its own backcountry bindings, climbing skins, adjustable poles, and accessories. Everything was designed and manufactured locally. This in-house approach became a core part of the company’s DNA: quick iteration, high quality control, and long-term reliability.

✳ The Splitboard Origin Story

In 1991, local avalanche forecaster and snowboarder Brett “Kowboy” Kobernik showed up at Voilé with a bizarre prototype: a snowboard sawed in half down the middle and bolted back together. The goal? Skin uphill like a skier, then ride downhill like a snowboarder.

Most would almost have laughed. Wally didn’t. He saw a solution.

Instead, the two began collaborating on what would become the first commercial splitboard system. In 1994, Voilé launched the Split Decision Kit—a game-changing hardware solution that let riders split, tour, and rejoin their boards on the fly.

This wasn’t just a new product. It created an entirely new sub-category: backcountry snowboarding.

◉ Scaling Carefully, Not Quickly

Over the decades, Voilé has deliberately stayed small. The company remains:

• Privately owned

• Vertically integrated

• Made in Utah, with nearly all R&D and production under one roof

They’ve consistently resisted outside investment and avoided high-volume retail distribution. This strategy has meant slower growth—but remarkable brand consistency and quality.

This discipline is what gives Voilé long-term credibility with specialty retailers, pro guides, ski patrol teams, and core users who prioritize function over hype.

☰ Products That Built the Brand

Today, Voilé's core product range includes:

• Splitboard Kits & Hardware – Pucks, plates, hooks, clips, and DIY systems

• Touring Bindings – Lightweight, rebuildable hardware for skiers and riders

• Backcountry Skis & Poles – All-terrain models designed with weight-to-durability in mind

• Avalanche Safety Tools – Shovels and probes trusted by professionals

• Voilé Straps – Their orange polyurethane straps became a global essential across bike, snow, moto, and overland categories

What connects these products? Minimalism, repairability, and ruggedness. Everything Voilé builds is designed for years of abuse—not seasonal replacement.

Takeaways for the Outdoor Industry

1. Inventing a Category Isn’t About Hype

Voilé didn’t “launch” splitboarding with a campaign. They listened to a real user need and built hardware that solved a friction point. The lesson? The best product strategies often come from customer pain, not trend-chasing. Again, solving a real consumer pain through innovation.

2. Vertical Integration Pays Dividends

In-house production has helped Voilé:

• Control costs

• Adapt quickly to supply shocks

• Maintain consistent quality
  It also gives retailers confidence—especially when competitors are struggling with overseas delays.

3. Niche Dominance > Mass Confusion

Voilé didn’t diversify too early. Instead, they went deep—owning the splitboard retrofit space before expanding into full setups and accessories. Their presence in specialty shops feels earned, not bought.

4. Dealer Trust > Ad Spend

Voilé has never spent heavily on paid media. Instead, they built long-term relationships with retailers through reliability and support. As ad fatigue grows, this “under the radar” strategy looks more like a competitive edge.

▤ The Market Context: Small Share, Big Respect

As of 2025, the global splitboard market continues to expand:

Voilé doesn’t dominate market share—but their hardware is still a very trusted standard, especially for DIY users, avalanche educators, and specialty retailers.

Competing brands like Spark R&D, Union, and Burton have flooded the space with performance-forward systems and broader marketing. Yet Voilé maintains relevance through simplicity, durability, and legacy positioning. And I absolutely love the ‘screw you’ ethos.

Global Reach Without Flash

Voilé Europe, established in the mid-2000s, supports the brand across Austria, France, Germany, and Italy. Unlike many North American brands that falter in EU translation, Voilé’s splitboard systems found traction in Alpine touring communities through:

• Technical camps

• Guide partnerships

• Instructional demos

All without major distributor disruption or rebranding, which in this day and age, is astounding really, and a testament to the product.

What can we learn from Voilé?

✔ Niche is a strategy, not a constraint
Voilé shows that staying focused can deliver more defensible margins and deeper customer loyalty than chasing volume.

✔ Resilience beats hype
In a market shaped by supply chain shocks, their domestic, lean operation proved more resilient than higher-growth, investor-backed peers.

✔ Design from the field, not from the boardroom
Voilé built gear by solving real-world needs—often based on feedback from guides, patrollers, and avalanche educators. That field-to-factory loop remains a massive product advantage.

✔ Brand trust compounds
In an age of seasonal turnover and collapsing attention spans, Voilé’s long-game approach proves that consistency, authenticity, and humility can still win.

░ Final Thoughts: Building with Intention

Voilé isn’t the loudest brand. It’s not the biggest, flashiest, or fastest-growing.

But, in my opinion, that’s precisely why it matters.

In an industry where scale often erodes soul, Voilé offers an alternative: an intentionally small company that builds gear with purpose, tests it in the wild, and earns its place in people’s packs.

They didn’t go viral—they went durable.

For specialty buyers, Voilé means dependable margins and low risk. For founders, it’s a blueprint for product-led growth without compromise, and with a focus on product. For gear makers, it’s proof that even today, the garage brand can still lead—quietly, and on its own terms. And I love that.