The Outdoor Media Summit is always a great time. It’s not the largest gathering of outdoor folks, but each year, it’s a prime group to connect, network, and learn from. OMS brings together media and brands from across the wide spectrum of outdoor recreation. It is perhaps the most noteworthy assembly of this industry’s media voices and creatives in the country.
It’s also a chance to mingle with brands like Patagonia, Simms, and Nemo. Breakout sessions give insights into everything from the state of the industry to how to avoid wild animal conflicts. It’s a unique opportunity for editors and brands to set aside differing agendas and share insights that help uplift everyone.
Of course, it wraps up with the awards, which GearJunkie is proud to once again have been a recipient.
At most of these shows, I often feel like a bit of a “backrow kid.” In a room filled with bikers, backpackers, skiers, climbers, and runners, I’ve often been among the few hunters in the crowd — if not the only one.
Hunting doesn’t quite have the crossover participation that the others do; it divides people, even within the hunting space. I mean, we’re people who kill things; that’s going to bring strong opinions.
The ethics, morality, or culture of hunting are either embraced, rejected, or somewhere in between. It’s an easy group to outcast in the greater woods of the outdoor space — the one vegan backpackers might glare at (understandably).
But at this show, something felt different. From the conversations I had with “hunt-curious” backpackers to the foodies who were interested not in the culture or tradition of hunting, but in the locavore, organic, eco-conscious benefits of it, the feeling was much more one of acceptance and curiosity than it had been in years past.
Not only was there a tone of acceptance, but it seems this year, we were the tone.
‘Field & Stream’ Keynote
In what may be one of the most inspiring keynote speeches I’ve heard, Colin Kearns of Field & Stream kicked off this year’s summit. That alone speaks volumes. For the keynote speaker to be the editor-in-chief of a strictly hunting and fishing publication really charted a direction for OMS. Hunting content in the outdoor space was front and center in a big way.
I think it may have struck me more than most, but to highlight writers and editors in the hunt space is big. Not only does it legitimize the media that hunters produce, but it points out that these aren’t just backwood stories from the sticks.
The new era of Field & Stream is a shift toward creating absolute art in magazine form. These aren’t disposable magazines. The first two editions are sitting in front of me now, and I’ll likely put them in dust jackets.
They are filled with poetic stories from wild places, decorated with art and photography that belong in frames. Hunters and anglers are also often incredible writers, photographers, and poets. That recognition is a breath of fresh air for a hunting writer who often feels like our niche of writing lacks some literary legitimacy.
To cap the keynote, Yoon Kim, founder of OMS, presented Kearns with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Big Hunting Brands & Sponsors Where Few Were Before
On the gear side, there has always been some hunt-specific presence at OMS as long as I’ve been attending. But this year, that was really cemented with brands like Montana Knife Company, Mystery Ranch, and onX all present.
In a space that has been dominated by kayaks, ultralight daypacks, hammocks, and sustainably harvested wool sweaters, I saw far more hunting- and fishing-specific brands joining the summit. For these companies to not only have the opportunity, but also to feel welcome in the room, was a shift.
Gear Speed Dating is a brilliant part of OMS, where media attendees can move quickly from booth to booth and get all those obligatory gear chats and meetings whipped through. It’s not terribly different from actual speed dating, with all the perks presented and contact info exchanged. It takes the mundane meeting up a notch, resulting in minimal wasted time and maximum gear exposure.
The event felt oddly comfortable with far more familiar faces than I’m used to seeing at this wide of an industry event.
In a room where I often felt like someone may have been wasting time pitching their not-hunt-centered products to me, it seemed every three booths had something specifically useful to a hunt audience.
The Camo Ball
The opening reception found folks from across the county two-stepping at the “Camo Ball.” Sponsored by onX, the Camo Ball was a night of line dancing, beer drinking, camo-wearing fun. It was quite the icebreaker to kick off this year’s summit.
Though the camo interpretation certainly wasn’t what you might find in the deep woods, the theme was very much hunt-centered. From Western music to line dancing, in the heart of western Montana, the theme felt warmly familiar and, to be honest, pretty comical. There’s something fun about seeing someone wear flip-flops, board shorts, and a camo top, particularly as someone who has a closet that is primarily made of invisible fabric.
The opening reception felt like a “welcome to the club” party for the hunting industry.
Will This Acceptance Stick?
It may have only been the hunting segment’s first crack at the spotlight, but deep down, I think it says more.
Maybe the “kids in the back” actually have something to offer after all. I think this shift toward being self-sufficient, eco-conscious, and ensuring we ethically source our foods is more widely accepted across the outdoor space.
Perhaps what I saw is a shrinking divide between those who drink fair trade coffee and those who only eat locally harvested wild game, the non-hunting city dweller and the non-trendy camo wearer. That gap wasn’t all that wide, to begin with, but culturally, the shrink seems to be happening in real time.
I’m here for the camo revolution. For once, I actually have the right outfit for the occasion.
