outdoor-apparel
(7)
Sportsman's Warehouse
How a single Utah outfitter turned camo, cartridges and reloading powder into a $1.2 billion business - and why its edge is the stuff Amazon can't ship.
Ariat International
Ariat International is a Union City, California footwear and apparel company founded in 1993 that applied athletic-shoe technology to riding boots and grew into the world's largest equestrian sports brand. Today it designs performance boots, western wear, workwear and flame-resistant gear for riders, ranchers, tradespeople and outdoor enthusiasts, sold globally through retailers and direct-to-consumer channels.
Bealls, Inc.
Bealls, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned off-price retailer founded in Bradenton, Florida in 1915. Now in its fourth generation of Beall family leadership, the company operates more than 650 stores across roughly 23 states under the bealls, Bealls Florida and Home Centric banners, along with e-commerce sites. It employs about 14,000 people and generates annual sales of roughly $2-3 billion by outfitting value-minded families with branded apparel, footwear, accessories and home merchandise at prices marked well below traditional retail.
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi is a Salt Lake City outdoor gear and apparel brand built as a certified B Corporation around the promise of 'Gear for Good.' Founded in 2014 by Davis Smith, it makes colorful, durable backpacks, travel packs and jackets - including the one-of-a-kind Del Día packs sewn from remnant fabric - and channels 1% of revenue into the Cotopaxi Foundation to fight extreme poverty, largely in Latin America. Selling direct-to-consumer, through wholesale partners and a growing base of retail stores, Cotopaxi has grown past $150M in annual revenue while positioning purpose as central to the business rather than an afterthought.
L.L.Bean
L.L.Bean is a family-owned outdoor apparel, footwear and gear retailer founded in Freeport, Maine in 1912. Built on the Maine Hunting Shoe (the Bean Boot) and a mail-order catalog, it has grown into an omnichannel brand selling clothing, footwear, camping and fishing equipment, and home goods across retail stores, catalogs, telephone and online channels, with roughly $1.7-1.8 billion in annual revenue. The company pairs product sales with its Outdoor Discovery Programs, which teach skills like kayaking, fly casting and archery, and a mission of getting people outside.
The North Face
The North Face is an American outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment brand founded in San Francisco in 1966. Now a subsidiary of VF Corporation, it designs technical gear for climbers, hikers, skiers, and everyday adventurers - from the Nuptse and Denali jackets to Summit Series expedition kit - alongside a large lifestyle business, and generated roughly $3.7 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025. Its 'Never Stop Exploring' tagline anchors both a product philosophy and impact programs like the Explore Fund.
Title Nine
Title Nine is a women-owned outdoor and active apparel brand founded in 1989 by Missy Park and named after the Title IX law that opened school sports to women. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, it designs and sells sports bras, activewear, swimwear, and outdoor clothing built specifically for women's bodies. What began as a Bay Area mail-order catalog has grown into an estimated $100M direct-to-consumer and retail business - the largest independently owned retailer of women's fitness clothing - staffed overwhelmingly by women athletes and led by an all-women executive team. Alongside apparel, Title Nine has invested heavily in female entrepreneurs through its annual Pitchfest competitions.