Ep 40: SHOT Show 2022 Recap

Welcome to the Rewild Gear Podcast. Modern life, society, and responsibilities have domesticated us, but now it's time to rediscover your adventurous side. Whether that's camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, or just spending time in the great outdoors, this is the podcast for you. Join us as we get back to the wilderness and rewild.

Welcome to the Rewild Gear Podcast.

Wild Gear Podcast.

Adventure Made.

The Adventure Made Podcast. I'm your host, Seth Spears, and I'm here—

Spears—

I'm here with none other than co-founder of ReWild Gear, David Spears, the younger brother.

Yep.

The youngest of the brothers involved with the company.

Yeah, it's true. I thought about that earlier today, actually.

It's kind of funny, and you're doing some of the most. So, um, well, this is the SHOT Show edition of the podcast. We're live from Las Vegas, Nevada, on the Strip, where we have been here in beautiful Vegas for the past couple of days attending the annual SHOT Show.

Although I don't think we've hit like the beautiful part of Vegas. It's just all lights.

Yeah, yeah, actually Las Vegas is really not that beautiful.

I mean, the desert's cool, but—

Yeah, but we haven't been in the desert. We've been amongst the lights and really just indoors walking the show the whole time.

Yes, we have been unwilding.

Yeah, there hasn't been a whole lot of wilding it all this week. So this show is gonna be kind of a catch-up about what's going on with the company, what we learned while here, and just kind of go from there and see what happens.

Free-flowing episode.

That's, that's the way it goes. All right, Dave, so, you know, we've been here for the past couple of days and yeah, we're heading out tomorrow. What has been the highlight of SHOT Show for you so far?

That's a good question. SHOT Show is something that we've talked about coming to for, golly, years. A lot of years. A lot of years. And last year we were planning on coming, and then it kind of last minute got canceled. So yeah, I was looking forward to coming to it this year, and I didn't really know too much, you know, what to, to expect, I guess. Um, I've been to some other, you know, conventions and stuff where you have a ton of different vendors and you have so many booths, so many different, you know, things to see, and I, I think at this one it was— at first it's overwhelming because you have so many.

There's a lot to see.

Yeah, I mean, and it's, it's in 2 different buildings and there's all these little side booths and everything. And so I, I felt like yesterday it was really just kind of taking it in, hitting like the, the main ones that we wanted to see, um, you know, the main, main booth people that we wanted to talk to. And then today was a little bit more strategic.

Yeah.

Um, as far as, you know, going around and looking at new product. releases and, and connecting with some different people. So I don't know, I don't know what the biggest surprise or the, or the biggest highlight. I mean, we spent a lot of time with White River over the last couple days and ESEE.

Um, all those guys are awesome.

Um, so I mean, that was a ton of fun getting to talk with them and, um, you know, just chat about the industry really.

Yeah, it's interesting because I mean, this is obviously SHOT Show is mostly gun oriented, but there's a decent amount of knife companies, um, and some other outdoor, both equipment, apparel, things like that. But But definitely the majority is— it seems like it's more tactical. And there's a lot of tactical. Yeah, a lot of very much tactical, a little bit of survival, but not as much. Mostly I'd say the biggest niche is tactical. So a lot of AR and yeah, type gun companies and things like that. So that was interesting to see because, you know, we're obviously more interested in the gear side as far as just outdoors in general and the knives and the gear and all that stuff. So that was interesting to see for sure.

Well, I felt like With that, we had to kind of look a little bit harder to find some of those booths that had more of the, you know, the outdoor gear rather than just all tactical or all guns. And because you have a lot of, a lot of the big names, you have Glock here, um, you know, you've got H&K, you've got a lot of ammo companies. Yeah, a ton of ammo companies.

Yeah, Remington.

And their booths are huge, you know. So you, for the, for the gear side of it, we had to kind of, you know, look a little bit harder to try to track those booths down and And, uh, kind of see companies that are more in line with our ethos as far as being smaller and, um, direct-to-consumer, that sort of thing. Yeah, yeah. Is it what you thought it would be?

Um, you know, like, I've heard about SHOT Show for years and I've always wanted to go. And I mean, I guess when I first started looking into it, I was mostly interested in the gun side. Uh, but then after it got canceled last year and I didn't really know what to expect this year, um, as far as like what it would be like and types of companies and stuff. So yeah, they said it's Not nearly as big as it has been in the past, which I'm okay with because it's definitely big enough.

I think so.

Um, you know, I think we walk like 5, 6 miles, 7 miles each day, so there's a lot of walking. Um, yeah, but it's been a lot of fun just getting to see the different booths and different companies and what they're doing and kind of the direction they're taking. Um, there, there wasn't quite as much of diversity of types of companies that I would prefer, uh, but I guess that's to be expected based on because SHOT Show stands for shooting—

uh, I looked this up just in case. What is it? What's the case? We'll get back to you on that. Yeah, well, I can't remember. Yeah, well, put it in the show notes.

Yeah, but I mean, it's put on by like the National Outdoors Shooting Sports Federation, I believe. Uh, I think it's something, something like that.

All the things we looked up at one point.

Yeah, exactly.

I've forgotten.

Yeah, um, I'd say the highlight for me was definitely, uh, sitting down with our manufacturing partner, uh, White River Knife and Tool, just because they've just been a fantastic partner for us. Um, and, you know, talking about strategy and the potential of going into retail, um, working with some wholesalers and just getting our knives in front of more people.

Yeah, which is funny because I don't think we had— we had briefly talked about that You know, and we're like, you know, really want to stay direct to consumer. That so that's kind of a new piece of even, you know, rehabbing the conversation. Sure. So, you know, I would say that was a big a big thing from the from yesterday to today.

Yeah, and talking to a lot of the guys at Essie Knives who you know we've had Patrick Rollins on the podcast before. It was great. And so we're going to get Ruben Boyer on on the show.

Shane Adams, I believe.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just to talk about some of their outdoor adventures because they do so much training and jungle survival. and all of that stuff. Um, so that'll be a lot of fun. And then their, their CEO, uh, Bruce— Bruce, uh, yeah, yeah.

Um, kind of blank on his last name.

Yeah, so just talking to him just about growing the company and all the things that they've done, because their strategy is very different than White River's. It is, because they don't do any direct-to-consumer, right? It's only, uh, dealers. How White River was strictly direct-to-consumer, um, but then they also have dealers as well and, um, wholesale and retail places also. But that's kind of been a different avenue for them.

Yeah, I think, I think with all that, you know, some of the big takeaways from it of, of just kind of relooking at some of the, some of the structure, you know, of the business and, um, you know, kind of moving forward. And then even, you know, having conversations about, uh, you know, product lines and, you know, the next knife and, and, uh, you know, kind of where we're taking it with that.

And even our pricing, just because cost of materials has gone up, right? We're gonna have to raise, uh, prices on, on some of the items, um, just because everything is going up across the board. Materials, shipping, so many things, which is unfortunate, but it's just the nature of business right now.

Yeah, yeah, yep. Some you can't help it, but yeah, just, uh, it is what it is.

Um, so speaking of products, it appears that all of ours that have been out of stock have finally cleared customs, and we should have them by the end of the week.

So we need to insert a bunch of like balloons and confetti.

So when this airs next week, we should have all of our products fully in stock and shipped out for those customers who have pre-ordered.

Yeah.

Um, or back-ordered. So that is very exciting, and we apologize in advance for all how long it's taken.

Um, I don't think any of us anticipated it taking this long.

Yeah, I mean, some of the products taking 6 months to get here has just been insane.

We knew it would take a little bit on some of them, but golly. Yeah, I mean, this has just been, yeah, way longer.

Yeah, from the time, from the design process to getting the manufacturers to, uh, samples, um, and prototypes to full-on production and just getting them here, uh, from across the, across the ocean. Um, that's taken a lot more time than anticipated. So definitely a learning experience all around.

Yeah, it'll be— yeah, it'll be awesome to get those pre-orders sent out to everyone and, uh, yeah, get product in hand and get feedback and go from there with it. Great.

Yeah, for sure. So all the feedback that we've gotten on the products here at SHOT Show, because we've talked to a lot of people. And we've had prototypes here for the ones that we, uh, both prototypes and in some of our in-stock products as well, uh, showing people. And the feedback has just been fantastic.

Every person I showed the Gasper 4 to, they're like, oh my goodness, they're like, this feels amazing. Yeah, it feels so great.

The ergonomic handle, the Terratuff, light, it doesn't weigh a ton.

It, uh, yeah, just great, great feedback from everybody I showed it to.

Yeah, totally. Um, the same with the utensil. I mean, that gets great, uh, feedback as well just because how lightweight it is, uh, the titanium, uh, construction, right, how it folds up, it'll fit in your car.

Nobody's done this.

No. Yeah, it's so different.

Yeah, it's, it's a very unique piece that really crosses, you know, all kinds of industries.

Definitely.

You know, it, it— so it's— yeah, I'm very excited about that one.

Yeah, and the grill, I'm super, super stoked about that too just because no one has created a backpacking grill like this. It's all titanium that has both vertical and horizontal stays for a great cooking surface area. It is that lightweight, made of titanium, um, you know, it's under a pound. So yeah, which is fantastic, especially in the backcountry. You're on a fishing trip, fly fishing or whatnot, or even if you're hunting and, you know, you shoot an elk or a deer or whatever and want to grill it up right there.

Yeah, yeah, it's hard to beat it. Um, yeah, it's just super convenient, so light that you can throw it in, in a pack really easily, you know. The length of it is great because, you know, it doesn't have to be a huge backpack to, to fit it in. So yeah, just very happy with how that turned out.

Yeah, for sure. And then the ferro rod, obviously that's kind of a standard ferro rod, just with a better handle, ergonomic, using a more sustainable material since it's bamboo. Yeah. Uh, then our bellows, which, uh, is collapsible and expandable, so it'll fit right in a pack. Got the lanyard hole and the mouthpiece and everything. So that's— excited to get that in people's hands as well.

Yeah, definitely.

And then our Pyro Balls.

Yeah, those have Those are cool.

Those, you know, and people that have— we've had them professionally tested out and they've just gotten rave reviews.

Yeah, so someone we were talking to, um, who had recently tested them out, he was talking about how wet the conditions were that he was using them, you know, snow, rain. And, uh, yeah, he complimented them a lot and just— they worked great, started right up. So yeah, really, really pleased with how those are working out. Yeah, and the tin is cool. I mean, I mean, you know, tons of different uses for that.

Yeah, the tin that it comes in, so you can put kindling, tinder, fatwood, anything like that. Yeah, and which is great.

Lots of different options.

Yep.

And then we got our hats in stock as well. What do we have, like 8 colors, 7 colors, something like that?

I think that's right. Yeah, somewhere around there.

So pick the color you like. Yeah, the Mountain Trucker hat is your new favorite everyday cap.

Any occasion, it suits you.

Yeah, totally.

I mean, my Favorite, personal favorite is the orange, obviously.

Obviously.

Stands out a little better.

That orange pop.

Yep. Yeah, for sure. What else you got, Dave?

Uh, goodness. Um, first time really being in Vegas. I mean, I've driven through and I think I've flown in here before. And, um, but yeah, it's bright and lots of people, although I guess not as busy as it normally is.

No, this is probably the tamest that I've ever seen Vegas.

It has— it's not—

it's not that crazy like it has been when I've been here in the past. I was back in October for a conference.

Yeah.

Um, and it was definitely a lot, a lot busier.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was cool to see, see all the, the, uh, light show or the water light show last night. That was cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was really neat.

Um, had a little fun going to a blues bar.

Yeah, the Sand Dollar.

The Sand Dollar Lounge, which is like one of my favorite all-time bars.

Yeah, that was a good— the band there was good too.

Oh yeah, I mean, live blues is my jam, so that was, that was fantastic.

Yeah, that was a good—

Drinks are relatively inexpensive and the pizza was wonderful.

Yeah, pizza was a great decision.

Yeah, totally. Even though it was very late and I don't like eating that late, but still.

Yeah, worth it.

Oh, totally worth it. Yeah, I mean, the food here in Vegas is always amazing. Like, I mean, the amount of restaurants and celebrity chefs and stuff who have kitchens here is just fantastic.

Yeah, which is really cool because, I mean, you don't get that every day, you know? If you do, you have to drive a ways.

Yeah.

So yeah, that's been really cool.

Especially where you are in Kentucky.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hoorah.

Or should we call it the inbred capital of Kentucky? Considering there's 4 last names in Owensboro.

Yeah, yeah, it is a weird component of Owensboro.

Yeah, it's just an interesting town in general.

Yeah, it's great. It's the promised land. Come visit.

What's the promise there?

That you'll love it.

Oh, I don't know about that. That wouldn't be my experience.

But hey, teach their own.

Yeah, indeed.

Oh, this is a good free flow. You got anything else we need to—

um, what else do we have today? I mean, you know, we'll be getting products for all those pre-orders and stuff shipped out next week.

As soon as we—

those should be at the fulfillment center, otherwise known as Adam's garage, uh, within the next couple of days. So yeah, by the time you're listening to this, hopefully anyone who has pre-ordered some of those products that have not come in yet, they will be at your doorstep.

Yep, very soon.

That is the hope anyway.

Come to a doorstep near you.

Yep. Yes, indeed. Yeah, let's see what else we got today.

Uh, I mean, we've, we mentioned in a previous podcast about the, uh, kind of next knife we're working on, or kind of we have in the funnel right now. So, you know, after, after talking with, um, you know, some different people, we've got some some cool ideas, then push that forward.

Tentatively calling it the Gasper 3. It's probably more like a 3-inch blade. Yeah, probably we'll be tweaking the, the, uh, the design of it a bit from the Gasper 4, but it'll be smaller, 3-inch blade. Handle will be updated a little bit, but, you know, have nice clean lines and more like a river runner slash dive knife. Although I don't know how deep we're going to go down that path.

But yeah, looking at some, some different steels right now and, uh, Yeah, trying to fit it for, you know, the specifications we want to have.

A little more smaller multi-use option. It will probably be a little bit better for everyday carry than the Gasper 4 just because the size is smaller.

Yeah, yeah. I'm excited about it though. I think it's gonna be fun to— yep, put pen to paper again and, and, uh, yeah, get it, get it going.

Be calling Jason to finalize it in CAD for us.

Exactly.

Here's what we've got.

No, that was still one of our most popular podcast episodes. Everyone just loved that with Jason Teets. Yeah. Just because we got really nerdy about the steel and the design process and everything. So if you haven't listened to that one with our knife designer Jason Teets, um, that was a fun episode and has been—

Yeah, he's a good dude and yeah, knows a lot.

Yeah, he's a great—

Knowledge.

Yeah, give him a follow, follow on social media.

Yeah, definitely, for sure. Teets Design. Yep.

Yeah, he does, he does good work.

Yeah, it's cool.

I feel like we should call out Josh for not responding to any of our texts lately.

Where'd your texts come to Vegas?

I thought I saw him in Vegas, didn't you?

That's who I saw. Yeah, I saw another Rewild hat.

Yeah.

Josh, is that you?

Where are you at?

Oh man.

Adam's holding down the fort, fulfilling orders.

Yeah, like a champ.

Yep, like a champ.

I mean, we, we could talk about, uh, upcoming shows. We've got, we've got Blade Show.

Yeah, Blade Show Texas coming up that we're, uh, planning. Well, if they get back to us about having a booth there. So that's the plan. We'll at least be there walking around. Um, yeah, probably selling some knives, maybe some other products. Um, and then Blade Show Atlanta in June, so which is the national blade show, we'll have a booth there for sure.

Yeah, that'll be fun. We, um, yeah, I talked to different— some different people here are going to be out there. Yeah, uh, for those as well, so it'll be good to reconnect with them.

Yeah, indeed.

Yeah, Blade Show, I'm excited about that. That'll be—

Yeah, because you haven't been.

I haven't. No, no, another, another one that I wanted to go.

Blade Show is great. I mean, it's a lot smaller than SHOT Show, right? It's all knives primarily.

Yeah.

Uh, So it's, uh, you, you know, you can walk around it and see everything in a couple of hours, really. Yeah, that'll be cool. Not all day. Oh my goodness, my feet are just so tired by the end. Oh yeah, my feet are wrecked.

Well, it's funny because I guess it was only today I realized why some of the really big booths have such thick, thick carpet. I was like, oh, my feet feel much better on here. That's why they want me to stay longer.

I wonder how much extra they had to pay for having this thicker carpet. Larger pads for it.

No telling.

Yeah, it's amazing to me how much money some of these companies spend on their booths.

Yeah.

Like the size of them, um, the amenities, just the look, the feel, the design, everything, how many employees they have there. They're spending a lot of money on some of these.

Yeah, bringing a whole team in. I mean, yeah, and so there's a lot of people that had to fly international.

Yeah, yeah, so yeah, it was like the— that Amok company, um, Arguilla?

Arguilla?

Arguilla? Arguilla? Arguilla?

I don't know, something.

They're from Spain and they produce in Mexico. They said like all in, they probably spent like $1.2 million just on being here, like with a booth and the amount of product and employees and flights and all of that stuff. That's crazy.

It's pretty wild. And I don't know how you would even calculate your return on that.

I don't think you can. Yeah, I don't think you can actually correlate a direct return. I mean, there's ancillary benefits and return you're going to get, but as far as like right off the bat, I don't think there's a way.

I don't see how you would. Yeah, that's, that's pretty bizarre.

Yeah, so nice booth though. Yeah, really nice booth.

Carpets, man, they feel great.

Giving away lots of like swag and brochures and handouts and all of that.

Yeah, they were, uh, or some of the booths were handing out free beer and stuff today.

Yeah, I, I might have partaken of a lot of that. Yeah, I mean, free beer is free beer, right?

Yeah, hard to beat that. Yeah, totally. I think sushi has our name on it.

Yeah, it's, uh, almost time for dinner, so, uh, this will be one of our shorter episodes. Yeah, uh, but yeah, just a quick catch-up about everything that's going on. But it's time to go, um, partake of some of Vegas's fantastic food. And you're gonna hit the craps table.

Oh my goodness, I've got an early flight. I might die.

I mean, you're pulling an all-nighter.

Yeah, we'll see about that.

Yeah, we'll see.

That'll hurt.

But yeah, I may hit the blackjack table later.

Oh, there we go.

So it'll be a good time for sure.

For sure.

All right, sounds good. All right, well, Well, that is a wrap for today's episode. So until next time, everybody out there, stay wild.

Thanks for listening to the Rewild Gear Podcast. You could check out the show notes for today's episode at rewildgearpodcast.com. If you're ready to spend more time in the wild, our line of high-quality minimalistic outdoor gear can help you do just that. Check us out at rewildgear.com.