The KORE Outdoors Summit, Canada’s only outdoor gear design conference, returns to Kimberley for its fifth year on September 17 and 18.
Words :: Jayme Moye
Some of the most interesting things happening in the outdoor industry aren’t coming from corporate headquarters. They’re coming from small mountain towns like Kimberley, B.C., home of the fifth annual KORE Outdoors Summit on September 17 and 18. The two-day gathering brings together company founders, gear designers, engineers, athletes and other industry leaders to share ideas on everything from product development and manufacturing to sustainability and entrepreneurship.
KORE, which stands for Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise, is a non-profit dedicated to growing the outdoor gear industry in the region. “What began as a grassroots gathering of people who believed the Kootenays could play a bigger role in the outdoor gear economy has grown into a must-attend event for industry professionals across North America,” says KORE Outdoors Board Chair Matt Mosteller.
“What began as a grassroots gathering of people who believed the Kootenays could play a bigger role in the outdoor gear economy has grown into a must-attend event for industry professionals across North America.”
The keynote presentation at this year’s KORE Outdoors Summit will feature Mountain Equipment Company’s Chief Merchandising Officer Chris Speyer who will discuss the state of outdoor retail and MEC’s progress since its return to majority Canadian ownership in 2025. Attendees can then choose from concurrent workshops on topics ranging from wearable sensors in technical fabric to community gear libraries to what the growth of adaptive mountain biking means for the cycling industry.
Thought leaders from some of Canada’s most innovative brands will be speaking at this year’s Summit, including G3 General Manager Cam Shute, who runs the company’s new Nelson-based R&D centre, and Durston Senior Design Developer Chris Stone (formerly of The North Face and Arc’teryx), who now helps drive product development at the Golden-based ultralight gear company.
Lizzie Shilko will give the closing keynote presentation. A former McKinsey consultant, Shilko left the corporate world to launch ski-helmet brand Revi Gear in Colorado in 2025. She’ll offer a behind-the-scenes look at building a brand from scratch.
Throughout the conference, the KORE Rehub Trailer will be providing free outdoor gear and apparel repairs to speakers and participants.
One of the defining features of the KORE Outdoors Summit is the way it builds socializing and outdoor recreation into the event. The conference is held at the base of Kimberley Alpine Resort in the rugged Purcell Mountains.
In the late afternoon, attendees can opt for a group run, hike or mountain-bike ride on the surrounding trails, or make the eight-minute drive into town to climb at the Spirit Rock Climbing Centre.
Dinner is served on the resort’s scenic outdoor patio, with picnic tables and camp chairs arranged around fire pits. Local musicians entertain the crowd well into the evening.
The Summit has sold out the past three years at 150 participants, and Mosteller expects the same for 2026. “It’s our best lineup yet,” he says. As of press time, just 20 tickets remain.
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