Really Backcountry.com??

[Ted Striker]

also, their gear advisors are annoying.

[SchralphMacchio]

I get that trademarks must be defended, but this seems to be beyond any reasonable expectation. And way too after the fact.

I mean, they just got the marks approved last year, so it's not exactly after the fact. But it is ridiculous that USPTO awarded them registered trademarks for use of a common word, without requiring additional distinguishing marks (like the goat). One of their trademark registrations is for the word "Backcountry" when also used with a goat graphic. That trademark is fair in my book.

But here is what really lit a fire under my ass: some individual or individuals approved their agent (IPLA) to use said trademark registrations to wage a terror campaign against small businesses that probably have less total annual revenue than BC can pull in a single day of sales. Even moreso when you consider that many of these businesses are not direct competitors - like Backcountry Babes. Those persons should be fired for their decisions, and that's the point of "punishing" the company by refusing to purchase their products (or other associated products such as TSG products, or DPS, Flylow, etc).

Having companies like Backcountry Denim and any "Backcountry" marked skis available in the in the market affects the value of their exclusive brand partnership deals with Flylow, BD, and DPS. I get that.

But again, in my view the trademarks should have been awarded solely in combination with additional distinguishing designs like the goat. And then the various litigation threats against ski and clothing companies could have been handled according to whatever credible basis of brand confusion they could argue in front of an arbitrator.

(edit: the sandwich thing is unverified)

[SchralphMacchio]

Formerly Backcountry Delicatessen, Yampa Sandwich Company ...

That would explain the change of business name this summer.

According to their interview it was due to an overload of too many "backcountry" named businesses. It's possible that they saw the registered trademarks and decided to avoid as well.
https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/...ng-franchises/
But I got confused and thought that bc.com went after Yampa ... which right now it looks like there's no evidence to suggest that actually happened.

Edit: more info from that article above:

We worked with a number of consultants and a legal team that have a lot of experience in franchising. They wanted us to come up with a more unique name that we could trademark and that is not so diluted.”

[SkiLyft]

Massive kudos to Flylow— they just cancelled their contract with Backcunty!!


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[SchralphMacchio]

Massive kudos to Flylow— they just cancelled their contract with Backcunty!!


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Do you have a link? Where did they announce this? Insta?

[SkiLyft]

Via the Facebook group I posted above. I’m sure it will be public soon.


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[mcski]

Massive kudos to Flylow— they just cancelled their contract with Backcunty!!


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Thats amazing! Nice one, Dan!

[SchralphMacchio]

Nice one Dan Abrams!

I wonder if anyone at backcountry.com will read the part of my email where I ask them "what is the net present value of everyone on social media outdoors groups vowing to stop buying TSG products going into the holiday shopping season?"

"So much for the weekend" is probably what the execs at TSG and bc.com are thinking right now ...

If they fire whoever approved IPLA firm to go after all of the small businesses using the word Backcountry, and vow to stop enforcing and also cancel their trademark registrations *not involving a goat* or other distinguishing marks, and publicly apologize for their obvious mistake, then I'd consider buying Sweetwater and PBR again. Probably gonna be out with bc.com for a long while though ...

[SkiLyft]

Yeah, agreed. Honestly though not sure they will ever get any of my money... this truly is an unforgivable issue.

Not to mention the irony that “backcountry” is all about enjoyment and camaraderie — not whatever they have bastardized the term to mean.


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[snowaddict91]

Massive kudos to Flylow— they just cancelled their contract with Backcunty!!


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Wow. Now see that is how you keep a longtime customer happy.

[mooseknuckles]

According to their interview it was due to an overload of too many "backcountry" named businesses. It's possible that they saw the registered trademarks and decided to avoid as well.
https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/...ng-franchises/
But I got confused and thought that bc.com went after Yampa ... which right now it looks like there's no evidence to suggest that actually happened.

Edit: more info from that article above:

Thanks ScralphMacchio. Total ASSumption on my end. I read OPs post. Instantly searched Backcountry Provisions Steamboat. Then remembered it was no longer Backcountry Provisions and now delicatessen. Discover it is no longer Backcountry anything but now something Yampa related. I dial up the fam in SS and ask when they changed their name “this summer.” I find yelp evidence/proof of name change and post to the TGRz.

Appreciate you digging deeper and following up with all the details here!

[ACH]

Massive kudos to Flylow— they just cancelled their contract with Backcunty!!


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Like!

[kidwoo]

Via the Facebook group I posted above. I’m sure it will be public soon.

I can't find shit in that mess. Certainly not a post from flylow.

edit: found it "my friend's buddy's uncle's cousins said"


meh they give money to winter wildlands so I'm still never buying anything from them.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Wow.

Yeah, someone at the patent office must be fucking clueless. Without a logo or a dot com it's just a word that was already in the common lexicon of outdoorsy people. And that's besides the fact that there's already products directly called or described as backcountry in the same damn industry.
Don't see how the next judge to look at this doesn't say "bye Felicia"

[SkiLyft]

I can't find shit in that mess. Certainly not a post from flylow.

edit: found it "my friend's buddy's uncle's cousins said"


meh they give money to winter wildlands so I'm still never buying anything from them.

Not quite - good friend of Dan the owner. So first hand — now second hand still if true is great for flylow. Big financial decision nonetheless.


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[abraham]

Massive kudos to Flylow— they just cancelled their contract with Backcunty!!


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Too bad they still hate boobs

[kidwoo]

Not quite - good friend of Dan the owner. So first hand — now second hand still if true is great for flylow. Big financial decision nonetheless.


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Just giving you a hard time. Until it comes from flylow inc. though it's just hearsay. That's not firsthand btw.

I'd be stoked to see them pull out. DPS and black diamond need to follow. How sick would it be if bc.com kept the people in the dark who are actually making the shit? I'm betting that's the case. "here's your big fat supply contract, and in the meantime we'll be putting out of business every other business like yours"

Actually now that I think about it...........

[mcski]

I’ll ask dan in the am if I see him

[garyfromterrace]

Fuck em. Boycott!
Trademarking the word backcountry. That's fucked up.
Fuckers.

[MakersTeleMark]

You guys are hilarious. Do you really think they give 2 shits?

Like DPS and Flylow are really going to affect their bottom line?

I couldn't recognize one single brand of theirs besides PBR, so you should know the shit you are dealing with already.

[Jax]

Massive kudos to Flylow— they just cancelled their contract with Backcunty!!


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This is flipping amazing. Power to the people.

[bigdude2468]

I have a new Flylow jacket I bought last month from BC. If in fact Flylow has cancelled their contract I will definitely take it back.

[XavierD]

You guys are hilarious. Do you really think they give 2 shits?

Like DPS and Flylow are really going to affect their bottom line?

I couldn't recognize one single brand of theirs besides PBR, so you should know the shit you are dealing with already.

If bc.com loss their contracts with Flylow and DPS it would absolutely effect their bottom line. Two strategic Co-branding partners pulling out would be huge.

It would also send a very loud message.

[whyturn]

Backcountry started as two guys in a garage. Now that they got bought by multi millionaire venture capitalists they want more. This is absurd. Do they have shareholders?

They left BCA alone because they have big lawyers too.

I am also a big customer over the years but the gear I buy is 99% other retailers and if I stopped doing business I can get my gear elsewhere.

This is just bad from a company who has been really great over the years.


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[Skidog]

Backcountry started as two guys in a garage. Now that they got bought by multi millionaire venture capitalists they want more. This is absurd. Do they have shareholders?

They left BCA alone because they have big lawyers too.

I am also a big customer over the years but the gear I buy is 99% other retailers and if I stopped doing business I can get my gear elsewhere.

This is just bad from a company who has been really great over the years.


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Pretty sure Backcountry access is owned by k2 or whomever owns.k2. so yeah deep.lae pockets. That's what makes this so crappy. Edgerly of backcountry access was friends with the orig founders of bc.com. backcunty is going after only those they know can't fight. Total fucking bullshit.

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