Building a full-funnel network
AllGear Digital operates AGD+, an ad network spanning media brands and digital partners catering to outdoor enthusiasts.
Adding Backcountry—alongside platforms such as AllTrails and Teton Gravity Research—extends that reach beyond the open web and into apps and retailers, adding reach and diversification of platform.
The advertising capabilities on Backcountry will roll out gradually, beginning with standard display ads before expanding into more advanced retail-media formats, according to Phung.
AllGear Digital, which was founded in 2018, is on pace to see its ad business grow 137% in 2025, buoyed by new distribution partners and strong demand from outdoor brands, Phung said.
The company employs more than 50 staff, is profitable and cash-flow positive, and projects up to 70% additional ad-revenue growth next fiscal year, Phung said, adding that the company’s annual revenue is in the “eight figures.”
The deal also offers a blueprint for publishers facing a new era of platform volatility and compressed margins.
Rather than relying on traffic-driven advertising or affiliate commissions, media companies can now extend their influence deeper into the commerce funnel—especially when working with category-specific retailers that share audience DNA. Many publishers offer advertiser experiene and consumer insights that retail networks are looking to capture.
“The timeline of Backcountry building an advertising business from scratch would be years,” Phung said. “Being able to work with us allows them to turn that lever on from day one.”
