North Face is now part of Vanity Fair. Mountain Hardware is now owned by Columbia. You're only going to keep seeing a sea of clothing at major outdoor retailers because, like others have said, it's where the PROFIT comes from. Socks are the most profitable thing at the place I work! Not sexy, but they keep the lights on so I can sell bigger ticket items(packs, bikes, tents) which have MUCH smaller margins( and take a lot more of my time).
