My first trip to ISPO was in February 1999. I clearly remember the huge scale of the event back then, and the deep snow that was also a visitor that year. I had joined Berghaus Ltd the previous November and it was my first experience of a trade show. The brand’s stand was one spoke of many on a big wheel-shaped Pentland Brands booth, with a proper restaurant and meeting area behind the walls that hid its hub – a very impressive set up. Walking the show properly took an age and among the many familiar names, there was also a bewildering array of brands that I’d never heard of before. The crowds, the noise, the buzz – all were a little intoxicating.
As a newcomer to Berghaus, I was very conscious of the senior figures from Pentland and its brands who were present throughout (and I was on my best behaviour of course!). As it turned out, I was also very grateful to one of them – Andy Rubin, who allowed me to jump into his car back to the airport at the end of the show, meaning that I managed to get out of Germany on a flight when many others got stranded by the wintry weather! It was the first of many ‘adventures’ in and around Messe Munich – memorable, valuable business experiences and interactions with peers and colleagues, some of whom have become good friends.
How the industry landscape (and trade fair calendar) has changed since 1999! It was a strange feeling leaving the venue for the final time this week – a mixture of some sadness and nostalgia, but also plenty of anticipation for what the future has in store. So much in our industry has shifted since the turn of the century, and we must all admit that sometimes we’ve struggled to keep up with factors that are at least partly outside of our control, but which have nonetheless made a huge impact on events like trade shows, and at a very rapid pace. The most engaged and enthusiastic visitors who I saw at ISPO this week were those who attended workshops, seminars, presentations on the Sustainability Stage, or who packed out the European Outdoor Group (EOG) General Assembly. I reckon that there was more product on display on the Pentland ‘wheel’ in 1999 than in entire halls in 2025, of which there were far fewer.
During the EOG meeting, we heard from Christian Schneidermeier, Benedetto Sironi, Harald Kirchschlager and Mike Seaman about their visions and plans for the European Outdoor Week and ISPO respectively. There are some genuinely exciting developments in the pipeline for 2026, which I really hope our sector gets behind, to deliver long-term, sustainable and vibrant platforms.
Yes, an awful lot has changed since 1999, but my brief, final visit to the messe this year reminded me of the high value and vital role of in-person events, where we make real connections and can have proper face-to-face conversations, blessedly free of ‘you’re on mute’, avatars, and AI. It is those conversations that spark genuine, deep discourse, and which will help us to develop opportunities and address challenges together. So, while it is indeed farewell to Messe Munich, it’s also ‘hello’ to Riva del Garda and Amsterdam, where we can gather again, refreshed and reinvigorated.
Finally, thank you Munich for the contribution that you’ve made to the growth and development of the outdoor industry and, if I may briefly be self-indulgent, for the role that you’ve played for me throughout most of my own working life.
Chris
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