The Outside Media Summit is all the time a good time. It’s not the most important gathering of outside of us, however every year, it’s a major group to attach, community, and be taught from. OMS brings collectively media and types from throughout the vast spectrum of outside recreation. It’s maybe essentially the most noteworthy meeting of this business’s media voices and creatives within the nation.
It’s additionally an opportunity to mingle with manufacturers like Patagonia, Simms, and Nemo. Breakout periods give insights into every part from the state of the business to how one can keep away from wild animal conflicts. It’s a novel alternative for editors and types to put aside differing agendas and share insights that assist uplift everybody.
In fact, it wraps up with the awards, which GearJunkie is proud to as soon as once more have been a recipient.
At most of those exhibits, I typically really feel like a little bit of a “backrow child.” In a room stuffed with bikers, backpackers, skiers, climbers, and runners, I’ve typically been among the many few hunters within the crowd — if not the one one.
Searching doesn’t fairly have the crossover participation that the others do; it divides folks, even throughout the looking house. I imply, we’re individuals who kill issues; that’s going to deliver sturdy opinions.
The ethics, morality, or tradition of looking are both embraced, rejected, or someplace in between. It’s a straightforward group to outcast within the better woods of the outside house — the one vegan backpackers may glare at (understandably).
However at this present, one thing felt totally different. From the conversations I had with “hunt-curious” backpackers to the foodies who have been not within the tradition or custom of looking, however within the locavore, natural, eco-conscious advantages of it, the sensation was far more one in all acceptance and curiosity than it had been in years previous.
Not solely was there a tone of acceptance, nevertheless it appears this yr, we have been the tone.
‘Subject & Stream’ Keynote
In what could also be some of the inspiring keynote speeches I’ve heard, Colin Kearns of Subject & Stream kicked off this yr’s summit. That alone speaks volumes. For the keynote speaker to be the editor-in-chief of a strictly looking and fishing publication actually charted a course for OMS. Searching content material within the outside house was entrance and heart in a giant method.
I believe it could have struck me greater than most, however to spotlight writers and editors within the hunt house is massive. Not solely does it legitimize the media that hunters produce, nevertheless it factors out that these aren’t simply backwood tales from the sticks.
The brand new period of Subject & Stream is a shift towards creating absolute artwork in journal kind. These aren’t disposable magazines. The primary two editions are sitting in entrance of me now, and I’ll probably put them in mud jackets.
They’re stuffed with poetic tales from wild locations, embellished with artwork and pictures that belong in frames. Hunters and anglers are additionally typically unimaginable writers, photographers, and poets. That recognition is a breath of recent air for a looking author who typically looks like our area of interest of writing lacks some literary legitimacy.
To cap the keynote, Yoon Kim, founding father of OMS, offered Kearns with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
On the gear facet, there has all the time been some hunt-specific presence at OMS so long as I’ve been attending. However this yr, that was actually cemented with manufacturers like Montana Knife Firm, Thriller Ranch, and onX all current.
In an area that has been dominated by kayaks, ultralight daypacks, hammocks, and sustainably harvested wool sweaters, I noticed way more hunting- and fishing-specific manufacturers becoming a member of the summit. For these firms to not solely have the chance, but additionally to really feel welcome within the room, was a shift.
Gear Pace Relationship is a superb a part of OMS, the place media attendees can transfer rapidly from sales space to sales space and get all these compulsory gear chats and conferences whipped via. It’s not terribly totally different from precise velocity relationship, with all of the perks offered and make contact with information exchanged. It takes the mundane assembly up a notch, leading to minimal wasted time and most gear publicity.
The occasion felt oddly comfy with way more acquainted faces than I’m used to seeing at this vast of an business occasion.
In a room the place I typically felt like somebody could have been losing time pitching their not-hunt-centered merchandise to me, it appeared each three cubicles had one thing particularly helpful to a hunt viewers.
The Camo Ball
The opening reception discovered of us from throughout the county two-stepping on the “Camo Ball.” Sponsored by onX, the Camo Ball was an evening of line dancing, beer consuming, camo-wearing enjoyable. It was fairly the icebreaker to kick off this yr’s summit.
Although the camo interpretation definitely wasn’t what you may discover within the deep woods, the theme was very a lot hunt-centered. From Western music to line dancing, within the coronary heart of western Montana, the theme felt warmly acquainted and, to be sincere, fairly comical. There’s one thing enjoyable about seeing somebody put on flip-flops, board shorts, and a camo high, significantly as somebody who has a closet that’s primarily made from invisible cloth.
The opening reception felt like a “welcome to the membership” social gathering for the looking business.
Will This Acceptance Stick?
It might have solely been the looking phase’s first crack on the highlight, however deep down, I believe it says extra.
Perhaps the “children within the again” even have one thing to supply in any case. I believe this shift towards being self-sufficient, eco-conscious, and guaranteeing we ethically supply our meals is extra broadly accepted throughout the outside house.
Maybe what I noticed is a shrinking divide between those that drink honest commerce espresso and people who solely eat domestically harvested wild sport, the non-hunting metropolis dweller and the non-trendy camo wearer. That hole wasn’t all that vast, to start with, however culturally, the shrink appears to be occurring in actual time.
I’m right here for the camo revolution. For as soon as, I even have the appropriate outfit for the event.
