In the back rooms of retail shops all over the country, mountains of plastic polybags are piling up every day. Whenever a new shipment arrives from a vendor, there鈥檚 always a sense of excitement at unboxing time: cool, new stuff has been delivered and the employees are eager to get it out onto the floor.

Then a grim reality sets in: nearly every item鈥攆rom apparel to accessories to hard goods鈥攃omes encased in a polybag. And that polybag needs to be disposed of.听

Polybags are not easy to recycle, which is why most towns don鈥檛. Yet so many polybags come printed with the recycling symbol, which is deceptive and counterproductive. When consumers see that symbol, they assume the bag is safe to toss into their single-stream recycling bin. This “wishcycling” results in clogged machinery at the sorting facilities.

The outdoor industry is well aware of its polybag problem and many companies have made steps to move away from them. PrAna has nixed them altogether and pioneered a new roll-packing method. Grunden鈥檚 has sourced a home-compostable paper bag that it now uses for its apparel. NEMO has done away with plastic tent pole bags.听

Cutting ties with polybags is not easy. The thin film is very effective at protecting items from liquid and dirt during transit. Polybags are cheap and widely available throughout virtually all supply chains.

The Plastic Impact Alliance, a coalition of more than 430 outdoor companies intent on eliminating single-use plastic from their businesses, and Eco-Cycle, one of the largest non-profit recyclers and Zero Waste organizations in the U.S., have just launched a three-month pilot program in Boulder, Colorado, to collect, recycle, and quantify the polybags accumulated from 11 outdoor businesses along the Pearl Street Mall.听

鈥淓co-Cycle is excited to support the commitment of our partners in the outdoor industry to develop an effective and efficient model of recovering polybags from retail settings,鈥� said Kate Christian, corporate sustainability manager at Eco-Cycle. 鈥淭his pilot will explore a novel bicycle-based collection system which minimizes environmental impacts and costs in hopes of establishing a replicable example of zero-emission collections.鈥�

How the Pearl St. Polybag Pilot Works

Once a week, two (paid) students from Boulder High School will pedal a custom trailer from store to store and collect the polybags. The students will deliver them to 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc.鈥檚 new Pearl St. headquarters for storage. Once a month, Eco-Cycle trucks will collect the bags and take them to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM). There, Eco-Cycle will catalog data about polybag generation rates, bale them, and send them to Trex. Trex uses polybags as the primary feedstock in producing their line of composite decking, a long-lasting product that does not require treatment with toxic chemicals, and simultaneously decreases the burden on hardwood trees like redwoods and cedars that are typically used to construct decks and piers.

“We will use the data we gather from the pilot to guide the development of polybag recycling efforts across retail brands鈥� operating footprints,” said Christian.听

The businesses committed to the pilot are all members of the Plastic Impact Alliance: Artilect, Backcountry, Black Diamond, 贵箩盲濒濒谤盲惫别苍, Helly Hansen, Himali, Norrona, 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc., Patagonia, Sherpani, and Stio.

鈥淓very single Plastic Impact Alliance member I speak with has ambitions to find polybag alternatives in the long term,鈥� said PIA co-founder Kristin Hostetter. 鈥淪ome companies are already there, some have just barely started the journey, and we鈥檝e got everything in between. In the meantime, though, the polybags are piling up at retail shops across the country. With this pilot program, we hope to put some numbers on the problem, and as a result encourage brands to step on the gas and work together to find solutions. And of course, we will also divert a whole lot of plastic from the landfill during the three month period.鈥�

Some large national retailers (like REI, Patagonia, and The North Face) already collect and properly recycle polybags at their retail locations. But the many hundreds of independent specialty outdoor retailers around the country simply don鈥檛 have the resources to do so.

“It’s a massive problem,” said Nate Porter, founder of Salida Mountain Sports in Colorado. “Sometimes the mountain of plastic waste we have to deal with after a shipment is received takes up more space than the shipment itself. And we are not equipped to properly recycle the stuff. As an industry we need to find more sustainable alternatives to polybags.”

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Last March, we all got really comfortable living life online. Even my three-year-old added 鈥淶oom鈥� to his vocabulary鈥攁nd not in reference to trucks. As for all the online shopping we鈥檇 already been doing? We did a whole lot more of it. In fact, 2020 online spending was up 44 percent year over year, according to research organization Digital Commerce 360.

And yet, this summer, many brands that have long succeeded in online, direct-to-consumer and partner-retailer sales (e.g., REI) are opening up new brick-and-mortar locations. Their reasoning: having a physical location will increase brand awareness among new customers and garner further trust with current customers. Oh, and they hope the stores will do better than break even.

Case in point: this summer, online giant Backcountry is putting its money where the customer is and opening two new retail locations in Park City, Utah, and Boulder, Colorado. The brand will rely on lessons from its 2019 pop-up presence in New York City鈥攏amely, that a store needs to offer more than just 鈥渙ne-and-done transactions,鈥� said Chris Purkey, senior VP of customer experience and head of retail for Backcountry. To do that, the brick-and-mortar locations will have experts (dubbed Gearheads) on site to help customers plan trips, host events like film screenings, and organize volunteer service days with local nonprofits. Ultimately, retail locations will allow the brand to take a page from the indie gear shop playbook and add value in a way that a stand-alone website can鈥檛.

It鈥檚 about meeting customers where they are鈥攁nd that鈥檚 omnichannel, Purkey explained. 鈥淚n recent years, there鈥檚 been a convergence of retail models,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got pure-play, e-commerce retailers like us now launching into brick and mortar, and traditional retailers investing heavily in digital capabilities.鈥�

Black Diamond, which has historically sold either direct to consumers or through partner retailers, is also slowly expanding its own retail presence. Since 2019, the brand has opened flagship locations in its hometown of Salt Lake City and nearby Park City, as well as in Big Sky, Montana. Black Diamond will open a store in Boulder, Colorado, this July, and has three others in the works.

All of Black Diamond鈥檚 stores take an aesthetic approach to community integration: the Big Sky site features local tie-ins like Montana barnwood, and the Park City shop has a memorial to a hometown athlete. Said Devin Gillette, Black Diamond鈥檚 director of retail, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the quick, plug-and-play retail store where you鈥檒l walk in and it will be like, 鈥極h, it鈥檚 a Black Diamond store.鈥� It鈥檚 going to be like, 鈥榃ow, I really want to go see another store because they鈥檙e all so different and unique and match the community.鈥欌��

While brands seem sincere in their desire to be a part of the surrounding communities, there鈥檚 considerable business strategy behind branded retail, too. Having a physical presence in an outdoor hub like Park City, Big Sky, or Boulder puts a brand front and center with outdoor-minded consumers. And custom retail shops allow brands to 鈥渢ell their story from A to Z,鈥� said Steve Stout, vice president of retail for brick-and-mortar veteran 贵箩盲濒濒谤盲惫别苍. Since 2010, 贵箩盲濒濒谤盲惫别苍 has opened 33 North American retail locations.

The sites serve as a vital, in-person touchpoint with the consumer, one that has allowed the Swedish brand to explain its origins, mission, and premium price point, Stout said. 鈥淭hose questions have to be answered along the way, and you have a much better chance of doing that in your own brand store.鈥�

Brick and mortar has been part of Stio鈥檚 strategy from day one. The apparel brand opened its first retail location in 2012 in its hometown of Jackson, Wyoming, to coincide with its website launch and first catalog mailing. 鈥淚 was a little nervous [that we would be perceived as] just another catalog company out there,鈥� said Stio founder and CEO Steve Sullivan. After all, anyone can set up a website. Opening the retail store was a strategic move to establish legitimacy. 鈥淚 think it added a lot of weight for a new, direct-to-consumer brand to have that,鈥� Sullivan said.

That proof of legitimacy is a vital step in building trust with consumers鈥攅specially when a brand is selling gear that lives literally depend on, Gillette said, referring to the climbing safety equipment Black Diamond is known for. 鈥淭his really strong trust relationship comes naturally with having human interaction and connection. And what better way to do that than having a brick-and-mortar store that provides community engagement?鈥�

Community members welcome those efforts. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had such an explosion of interest in the outdoors and so many people going out who are totally new,鈥� said Katie Massey, a Black Diamond fan, avid rock climber, and ten-year Boulder resident who frequently attends local retail events. She鈥檚 concerned about overuse of local trails and appreciates the kind of community that builds around retail shops鈥攅ven branded ones. 鈥淚t helps spread the word about the right ethics outside,鈥� she said. 鈥淸These stores] help people get into the outdoors in a responsible way.鈥�

Some local shops hope for a symbiotic relationship with their branded neighbors. Sally Gilman, owner of Boulder specialty climbing retailer Rock and Resole, says increased awareness of brands like Black Diamond just makes it more likely that her customers will recognize the brand in her store. She also points out that her shop may be better suited to serve local customers compared to the new stores on the tourist hub of Pearl Street. 鈥淲e have different niches that serve the climbing community,鈥� she said. 鈥淭ruly, I want to have a spirit of collaboration.鈥�

Shelley Dunbar, owner of the iconic Boulder store Neptune Mountaineering, agreed that retailers on Pearl will cater more to out-of-towners. She added, though, that the brands she carries could have provided her a courtesy heads-up that they鈥檙e moving to her neighborhood to allow her to adjust her orders. 鈥淚t鈥檚 better for brands to be up-front and transparent ahead of time so that we can adapt,鈥� Dunbar said.

Cohabitating and, in some cases, collaborating with local shops offer additional听 benefits to brick-and-mortar branded stores. But the drawback? It鈥檚 expensive. Personnel and real estate cost a pretty penny, especially in prime locations like Pearl Street where lease rates can be so high that stores become more about marketing than moneymaking. In these cases, 鈥渋f you break even, you鈥檙e stoked,鈥� Sullivan said, though he was quick to note Stio鈥檚 stores have always ended up in the black.

As for the timing? The pandemic had some impact on Backcountry鈥檚 retail strategy,听 Purkey said, but it never left higher-ups hesitant. 鈥淚f anything, because of quarantine, there鈥檚 pent-up desire to create epic memories outside, to create human connection,鈥� Purkey said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e probably better positioned to do this, and do it in a way that will be received by our consumer positively, now more than ever.鈥�

The post Behind the Rise in Branded Outdoor Retail Stores appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Boulder, Colorado, has long been seen as a hub for outdoor business, and the latest surge of brands and retailers opening brick-and-mortar locations here is further proof that both the town鈥檚 outdoor cred and the industry鈥檚 allure never wavered during COVID-19. If anything, they鈥檝e grown stronger.

In the last few weeks, Black Diamond Equipment, Stio, and Backcountry have opened stores on Boulder鈥檚 famous Pearl Street in hopes of tapping into the city鈥檚 natural alignment with the outdoors.

Those brands joined such outdoor stalwarts as Patagonia, The North Face, Fjallraven, Montbell, Norrona, Volcom, and others in downtown Boulder, most of which also call Pearl Street home.

Plenty of other brands have doors elsewhere in town, and the city鈥攁long with other towns in Boulder County like Louisville and even nearby Broomfield鈥攊s home to the global or North America headquarters for several companies.

Why Boulder and why now? The city is an obvious draw for outdoor enthusiasts, and it鈥檚 become even more attractive during COVID as more people look for quick escapes nearby, whether that means scaling routes at the Flatirons, backpacking through Rocky Mountain National Park, or just strolling along Boulder Creek.

To document this recent retail trend, we spoke with brand leaders about why these companies chose Boulder, and what expectations they have for the new retail ventures.

Black Diamond Equipment

People are used to their favorite store closing and becoming a Starbucks, but the outdoor industry is on such a roll right now that one brand鈥�Black Diamond Equipment鈥攆ound a way to reverse that retail trend.

On July 10, Black Diamond opened the doors to its retail store at 1427 Pearl St., in the site of a former Starbucks. This locale marks Black Diamond鈥檚 sixth retail location following Big Sky, Montana; Salt Lake City, Millcreek, and Park City, Utah; and Castle Rock, Colorado.

Black Diamond鈥檚 leadership team鈥攊ncluding president John Walbrecht and Devin Gillette, director of retail鈥攕ays the brand expects to continue adding retail locations as part of its omni-channel approach, but that Boulder was the logical next opening based on its proximity to the mountains and its population of BD super fans and newcomers alike.

鈥淏lack Diamond鈥檚 retail strategy is to focus on opening in key mountain towns, like Boulder, so that we can engage with these rapidly growing mountain communities,鈥� Walbrecht told OBJ. 鈥淏oulder is a perfect fit with its rich climbing heritage, vibrant outdoor community, and its pulse on outdoor trends. Black Diamond is a key player in these outdoor markets, making Boulder an ideal match for the brand. It is exciting for us to integrate with Colorado鈥檚 expanding Front Range population and build on our roots with this passionate, engaged, and iconic outdoor community which BD already serves.鈥�

Stio

Stio, the Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based mountain lifestyle brand, recently opened its doors at 1505 Pearl St. The Boulder location is the brand鈥檚 fourth Mountain Studio retail store, after its Jackson and Teton Village stores in Wyoming and Park City store in Utah.

鈥淲e are super stoked to open our next Mountain Studio in one of America鈥檚 most vibrant outdoor communities,鈥� said Steve Sullivan, Stio鈥檚 founder and CEO. 鈥淭he combination of an engaged and active local population, energetic college community, and outstanding year-round recreational activities make it an ideal match for us. Having grown up in Colorado, and lived in Boulder for a short time, it has always had a warm place in my heart. I still have a lot of friends down there and know it to be a wonderful community. We are really looking forward to being part of it.鈥�

Backcountry

Though traditionally an e-tailer, Backcountry opened a brick-and-mortar store at 1537 Pearl St., its second store opening this year along with a new door in Park City, Utah. The retailer already had one store adjacent to its fulfillment center in Salt Lake City.

When Backcountry CEO Melanie Cox spoke with OBJ earlier this year for a deeper dive on the retailer鈥檚 brick-and-mortar plans, she said, 鈥淚 think that omni-channel more and more is the most viable approach to retail. You need to meet customers where they want to be met.鈥�

And when asked about the potential for backlash from the retail communities in Park City and Boulder, Cox said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just opening up a store. We want to contribute to the communities [we鈥檙e moving into]. We鈥檙e going to be supporting local nonprofits and establishing partnerships that will give back to the community. Our stores will work hard to reflect the DNA of the communities we鈥檝e selected.鈥�

Don鈥檛 forget Denver

Just 30 miles southeast of Boulder along U.S. 36 sits Denver. Not surprisingly, the Mile High City also has seen a rapid rise in outdoor brands moving into town. Last month, for example, Thule, the Swedish rack and accessories brand, opened a brand store in Denver in conjunction with longtime retail partner Rack Attack.

鈥淲e鈥檙e confident that the Denver store is going to be a great success,鈥� Thule鈥檚 new Americas president, Hilary Hartley, told OBJ in a recent Q&A.

Added Thule鈥檚 Chris Ritchie, 鈥淔or us, connecting the Thule brand to consumers that like to explore in the outdoors and live the active lifestyle with their families is important, so choosing a city like Denver was an easy decision for us. The community here in Denver and suburbs throughout the area is full of adventure seekers, athletes and people who love the outdoors, so we couldn鈥檛 be more excited to share our award-winning products with them.”

Meanwhile, Portland, Oregon-based boot maker Danner is expanding its footprint with the brand鈥檚 seventh retail store and first outside its home turf of the Pacific Northwest.

鈥淎s a brand, we thrive outside and craft high-quality footwear ready to tackle Colorado鈥檚 diverse terrain, making the Mile High City the perfect location for the newest Danner store,鈥� the company told OBJ in our recent report on the opening.

Both Thule and Danner set up shop at Denver鈥檚 Basecamp at Market Station, which has targeted outdoor brands as its chief tenants. It鈥檚 in Denver鈥檚 LoDo neighborhood between 16th and 17th streets.

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Over the past 15 months, as COVID fueled a surge in all outdoor activities, John Walbrecht realized that Clarus Corp.鈥檚 five-brand portfolio had a glaring hole.

The publicly traded, Salt Lake City, Utah-based holding company already owned backcountry equipment brand Black Diamond, avalanche beacon maker Pieps, skincare company SKINourishment, and a pair of bullet manufacturers.

Each one is what Walbrecht, the president of Clarus, calls a 鈥渟uperfan鈥� brand. These are companies with four commonalities: strong market share for at least one product in their primary category, a history of innovation, a near 100 percent brand awareness among its core audience, and a singular focus on product development.

But while Clarus鈥� superfan brands helped consumers explore the outdoors by making a multitude of premium gear, the company needed an asset that could help those enthusiasts safely and securely transport said gear to their local river, trail, park, or crag.

Walbrecht and his executive team believed they should target a roof rack maker and identified Rhino-Rack, an Australia-based brand that checked all the boxes of a superfan brand and tapped into the current outdoor trends. And this week, Clarus announced it will round out its portfolio by acquiring the company for $198 million.

鈥淲e have a very clear view of how we define superfan brands, and we鈥檙e always looking for the right ones at the right time to join the Clarus portfolio,鈥� Walbrecht told 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal. 鈥淩hino-Rack is one of those in a category we鈥檝e been watching for a while and seeing huge opportunities.鈥�

More than Numbers

Those huge opportunities are primarily because of COVID, Walbrecht said. The pandemic has driven more people outside to embark not just on epic adventures but also what he calls microadventures鈥攁n overnight backpack, a weekend of mountain biking, a three-day paddling trip, a hike out the back door.

鈥淭he market has just exploded,鈥� Walbrecht said. 鈥淭he COVID-driven rise in outdoor activities has made that even more apparent today. It has become the new escape.鈥�

What better way to outfit the new form of escape than by acquiring a roof rack maker with a similar brand ethos as the rest of the assets in Clarus鈥� portfolio, Walbrecht thought.

鈥淓very brand has a product,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very brand has an image, whatever that may be鈥攇ood or bad. What makes a superfan brand is this emotional connection to the product and the brand that becomes a definer to who your ethos is.鈥�

Rhino-Rack, founded in 1992 by Rich Cropley in Sydney, Australia, makes a collection of roof racks and accessories it sells around the globe. In the 12 months ended March 31, the brand generated $90 million in revenue and $16.7 million of adjusted EBITDA. Clarus in 2020 posted revenue of $224 million, so Rhino-Rack, which will operate independently as a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Clarus, boosts the company鈥檚 top line by more than a third. Those interested can find more financial details on Clarus鈥� website.

But Walbrecht looked beyond the numbers in his pursuit of this deal. He instead focused on the fandom the brand garners at off-road events or on popular YouTube channels. He zeroed in on Rhino-Rack鈥檚 quality rather than quantity of products. He connected with the company鈥檚 owner and its brand ethos.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just manufacture superfan brands because you like the term or you want to be one,鈥� Walbrecht said. 鈥淪uperfan brands come about a certain way. They鈥檙e founder led. They鈥檙e product centric. What we love about Rhino-Rack is exactly all that. Rich Cropley started this brand to make the best rack system for his world, which just happens to be Australia and the Outback.鈥�

Cropley, who called Rhino-Rack a 鈥済o-to鈥� brand that has been tested and proven in the rugged terrain of the Outback, said Clarus was the ideal home for the company鈥檚 next chapter. The holding company offers the right synergies for helping grow Rhino-Rack, and its new superfan portfolio mates are a perfect fit.

鈥淎s a family man and someone committed to running the business with a family-style culture, it was imperative to have a very close alignment with a partner company that lived and breathed the same ethos in the outdoor space,鈥� Cropley told 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal. 鈥淎t Rhino-Rack, we have a passion for customers, we strive for operational excellence and, most importantly, a relentless drive for innovation. This can only be achieved with great leadership and a loyal and passionate team of staff. I saw these same qualities in Clarus.鈥�

What鈥檚 Next for Rhino-Rack?

Clarus鈥� goal now is to grow the brand globally but especially in North America. Even though Rhino-Rack has strong brand awareness among superfans, only 20 percent of Rhino-Rack鈥檚 sales occur here with the remaining 80 percent from Australia and New Zealand.

Walbrecht said the company is bringing its innovate-and-accelerate strategy to Rhino-Rack, adding new product lines such as rooftop tents. Clarus will ramp up manufacturing and distribution in markets around the world with an emphasis on the North America market through the same sales channels in which Clarus brands such as Black Diamond thrive.

鈥淭oday, Rhino-Rack sells through Backcountry.com, Moosejaw, and accounts like that,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 an opportunity for an explosion in growth by making more product and innovating for the U.S. market. We don鈥檛 have an Outback, but we do have places like Moab, and we do have the Rockies, and the everyday consumer and all the things they want to take to go out further to wherever their new micro-adventure takes them. We will continue to preserve and accelerate the superfan nature of Rhino-Rack.鈥�

Cropley couldn鈥檛 be more excited to be joining a portfolio of brands cut from the same innovative cloth鈥攅specially at a time when demand for outdoor products is as expansive as the Australian Outback where Rhino-Rack was forged.

鈥淭he outdoor space is full of potential and has so much to offer these days,鈥� Cropley said. 鈥淥verlanding, exploring, hiking, cycling, skiing, 4WD-ing, you name it. Every country has amazing places and activities to do and explore right in their backyard. Rhino-Rack saw the opportunity to partner up with a like-minded outdoor adventure company that could accelerate and grow our potential to provide more equipment for our collective superfans. After maturing as a company in its systems, processes, and relocation, Rhino-Rack saw the next opportunity as one to expand. We want to be the world鈥檚 number-one roof rack company. And bringing in a like-minded partner cemented the timing.鈥�

The post Behind the Deal: Clarus Racks up Another 鈥楽uperfan鈥� Brand appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The past 14 months have been a dark season of disconnect for many in the business of outdoor. As much as anything else, we’re all likely to remember 2020 as the Year Without Trade Shows鈥攖he year we couldn’t hug, shake hands, or do business the way many of us prefer: in person. For an industry that prides itself on connection and compassion, the sting has been vivid.

The good news is, it’s almost over. The Outdoor Retailer (OR) Summer Market is coming back to Denver, Colorado, on August 10-12, and registration is currently open. The Big Gear Show (BGS), which delayed its inaugural event last year, is set to stage just a week earlier, August 3-5, in Park City, Utah. After a year of red Xs on the calendar鈥攃ancelled events, dashed plans鈥攆olks are once again buying plane tickets and dusting off booth hardware, getting ready to see each other. There’s more than a modest buzz of anticipation in the air.

The time away has changed things, however. We’re not fully out of the pandemic yet, and in the months we’ve spent apart, most of us have adapted to new ways of doing business. Budgets have already been set for the year. Some people are eager to meet face-to-face as soon as possible, while others are still wary of crowds, or restricted by company travel bans. This year, a big question on everyone’s mind is who, exactly, will be at the trade shows?

In a typical year, almost no one would question whether the big industry players like Patagonia, The North Face, or Black Diamond would show up to our national shows. Those booths have been the anchors of such events for decades.听

We’re living through the shoulder season of the most disruptive global crisis in a century, though, and the August shows are by no means a return to “normal,” as we hoped for so long they might be. At this point, it seems the only way to get a sense of who’s going鈥攁nd who鈥檚 not鈥攊s to pick up the phone and start calling brand leaders, asking directly whether they plan to attend, yes or no.

Which is exactly what we did.

A Quick Disclaimer

First things first: ten weeks is a long time. Trying to pin down a comprehensive, definitive list of who’s attending the shows, nearly three months before they stage, is impossible. Over the course of the summer, as the situation develops, brands can and will change their minds about attending or skipping one show or the other. It’s just too soon to tell.

But we have to start somewhere. To begin piecing together a picture of the attendee lists, we reached out to dozens of key industry players to ask about their plans. Some dodged our calls and emails (no hard feelings). Others outlined their thoughts in lengthy manifestos. Some wanted to talk, but felt they couldn’t, as in the case of a notable hardgoods brand that refused to go on the record for fear of upsetting its specialty retailers. Response, in other words. was all over the place.

As of today, our list of exhibitors attending or skipping the shows鈥攕ubject to change at any moment鈥攊s more comprehensive than what OR and BGS directors have published, but it’s still miles from complete. Everything we know so far is outlined below.

Which Brands Are Exhibiting at the Shows?

Outdoor Retailer鈥檚 latest exhibitor list, released today, includes about 150 brands, though show director Marisa Nicholson told us previously that more than 300 brands are registered with 鈥渕ore contracts coming in daily.鈥�

Brands exhibiting at Outdoor Retailer (confirmed by OR leadership): 4ocean, 国产吃瓜黑料 Medical Kits, Aetrex, Airhead Sports Group, Aloe Up Suncare, American, Alpine Club, American Backcountry, Amundsen, Avalanche, Backpacker’s Pantry, Bertucci Watch, Big City Mountaineers, Bison Designs, Body Glide, Bridgford Foods Corporation, Brightz Ltd., Brookwood Companies Inc., brrr, Buck Knives, Inc., Bula, Camp Chef, Carson Optical, Centric Software, Chaos / CTR, Chums, Coala, Cougar Shoes, CRKT, CWR Wholesale Distribution, Dakine Equipment, Dakota Grizzly, Dansko, Disc-O-Bed Retail, Inc., Dometic, Downlite, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, drirelease, Duraflex, Earth Shoes, Ecovessel, U-Konserve, Equip, Everest Textile Co., Falcon Guides, Farm to Feet, Flexfit, Flylow Gear, Fox 40 USA, Frost River, GCI Outdoor, Geckobrands, Glacier Glove, Goal Zero, Gore-Tex, Grabber Inc. / Heatmax, Groove Life, G-Shock, GSI Outdoors, Hans Global / Pacific Fly, Hurley, Igloo, Ignik, UCO, Morakniv, Esbit, Pedco, ITW Nexus, Jambu & Co., Jetty, JTreeLife, Kavu, Inc., Kijaro, Killtec NA, Klean Kanteen, Klymit, Kokatat, Kokopelli, Komperdell Sportartikel GmbH, Korea Outdoor & Sports Industry Association, Labtex Co., Lamo Footwear, Ledlenser, Liberty Mountain, Lifeline First Aid & Fifty Fifty Bottles, Lorpen North America, Lowa Boots, Masterfit Enterprises Inc., Milliken & Company, Minus33 Merino Wool Clothing, Mountain and Isles, Mountaineers Books, Xtratuf, Mustang Survival, Nanga / Tomoyuki Yokota, Natural Tribute, Nomadix SPC, Ocun NA, Optic Nerve Eyewear, Osprey Packs, Otis Eyewear, Otte Gear, Outdoor Products, Outdoor Sports Insurance, Outerknown, Peak Refuel, Pendleton, Poler, Princeton Tec, Propet USA, Purnell, Qalo, QuietKat, Rab, Reusch USA/TruSox, Rome Industries, Salty Crew, Santero, Sawyer Products, Scully, Shwood Eyewear, Skratch Labs, SMC PMI, Solstice Watersports, Sperry, Sport Hansa, Spyderco, Stansport, Sterling Rope Co., Storm Care Solutions Ltd., Storm Creek, Sun Company, SureFire, Sustainable Down Source, tasc Performance, The Landmark Project, The NPD Group, Thermore, Tilley Endurables, Tincup Mountain Whisky, Trango / eGrips, Turbo Tent., Tweave, ust gear, Vandoit, Wallaroo Hat Company, Water Sports, Watershed, Western Mountaineering. Westfield Outdoors, Wild Tribute. Wolverine Footwear and Apparel, wow watersports / Big Mouth, Zippo Manufacturing.

The Big Gear Show confirmed that more than 100 brands have registered out of a possible 250 on the show鈥檚 invite-only list. We were able to get our hands on an abbreviated roster, which event co-founder Sutton Bacon said is merely a snapshot of the show’s full makeup.

Brands exhibiting at The Big Gear Show (confirmed by BGS leadership): Aire, Aqua-Bound, AquaGlide, Astral, Barebones Living, Bending Branches, Bike Exchange, Black Diamond, CamelBak, Camp Chef, Diamondback, Eddyline Kayaks, Eldorado Walls, Esquif Canoe, Eureka, Fat Chance Bicycles, Five Ten, Giro, Goal Zero, Grand Trunk, Hydrapak, Jack Wolfskin, Jetboil, Kleen Kanteen, Klymit, La Sportiva, Liberty Mountain, Malone Auto Racks, Miir, Ocean Kayak, Old Town Canoe, Osprey, Outdoor Research, Oru Kayak, Petzl, Pinarello, POC Sports, Primus, Princeton Tec, Rumpl, Scarpa, Seattle Sports, SOG Specialty Knives & Tools, Stan鈥檚 NoTubes, Sterling Rope, Suspenz, Swarovski Optik, Tahe Outdoors / SIC, Tern Bicycles, Troy Lee Designs, Wahoo Fitness, Wenonah Canoe, Yakima.

Several of the industry鈥檚 largest brands have confirmed they鈥檙e skipping both shows, including Big Agnes, Marmot, Merrell, Mystery Ranch, Nemo, Outdoor Research, and Patagonia. And two companies we spoke with鈥敼舐崦け舯舭け贡鸩� and Lifestraw鈥攁re still undecided, though Lifestraw says it would likely attend only one.

Several brands did not respond to repeated requests for comment, including Smartwool, Mountain Hardwear, and Keen, among others.

One major player鈥擳he North Face鈥攑resented a curious puzzle in our reporting. A company representative last week said that the brand is “not participating in any major trade shows, including the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show, in the near term.” Yet OR’s partial exhibitor list, released today, named the company as one of the confirmed players.

When asked for clarification, Nicholson said, 鈥淲e’re in ongoing conversations with a lot of brands around creative ways they can participate in the show and what that looks like this year. The North Face is one of those brands, and we’re excited they are going to take advantage of opportunities provided at Outdoor Retailer to support specialty retailers and to engage with the community on important, relevant initiatives that help the industry move forward.”

At press time, multiple executives at The North Face had not responded to repeated requests for clarification.

Directors for both shows have stressed that comprehensive exhibitor information, including show floor plans, will be released soon. The Outdoor Retailer list is coming in mid-June, according to Nicholson, while The Big Gear Show’s list will be published in the next month or so, said Bacon.

Why Some Brands Are Dead-Set on Showing Up

In speaking with more than a dozen of the industry’s largest brands about their reasons for prioritizing the trade shows this year, no explanation came up more frequently than the issue of community support.

“There鈥檚 an awful lot of relationship value and passion that can鈥檛 necessarily be measured, but that will have long-term benefits,” said Lowa general manager Peter Sachs in reference to Outdoor Retailer, which the footwear brand plans to attend. “From a purely commercial perspective, it鈥檚 late in the [buying] cycle. For us, our deadline [for Spring ’22 product] is about a week after the show. But I鈥檓 not looking at it from a commercial perspective. It鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 walking out with purchase orders anyway; I鈥檓 walking out with handshakes, pats on the back, that kind of thing. For me, it doesn鈥檛 matter if it鈥檚 in June or August.”

Sachs estimated that he’s going to “overspend compared to the commercial value of the show,” but reiterated that, for his brand, attending Outdoor Retailer is a calculation that goes beyond dollars and cents.听

“We want to show respect for the dealers who do attend, re-engage relationships with industry partners, get real products in front of buyers and trade press, present the company’s updated branding and marketing, and start to process the emotional parts of resuming our trade show schedule so we can get ready for the January ’22 show,” Sachs said.听

Others like Jeff Polke, co-president of GCI Outdoor, echoed similar sentiments.

“It鈥檚 been 22 straight years that we鈥檝e been at Outdoor Retailer,” said Polke. “It鈥檚 been such a big part of growing my company that I wouldn’t feel right missing the show.”

He added that, because so many businesses are having problems with their supply chains and budgets, he understood the argument for skipping the trade shows for financial reasons. Still, he said, “it鈥檚 a small price if you do it right.”

“Get a smaller booth,” said Polke. “Make it work. Some of these brands need to step it up and show everyone that the trade show industry is still valuable. We can鈥檛 forget everything that made the outdoor industry what it is. The shows are part of that. There鈥檚 value in face-to-face. We have to go back to who we are as humans, shaking hands and saying thank you for your business.”

Respect for retailers was another topic that came up repeatedly in our conversations with brands. For the better part of a year, after the lockdown period of the early pandemic, specialty retailers across the country kept their doors open to customers, maintaining face-to-face relationships with the industry鈥檚 consumer base.

“These retailers have been meeting with consumers out on the front line for a year, while we鈥檝e been hiding behind our Zoom screens,” said Sachs. “We owe it to them.”

The post Summer Trade Shows: Who鈥檚 Attending Outdoor Retailer and the Big Gear Show? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Andrew Alexander King climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in boots he bought at Walmart. Now, his home is full of gear from some of the biggest brands in the outdoor industry like Black Diamond, Sea to Summit, and Mammut.

King will use the gear to achieve some grand goals like becoming the first African American to climb the Seven Summits. But here鈥檚 the thing: King isn鈥檛 your typical pro athlete who grew up learning to climb. He鈥檚 a freelance program manager who has worked for companies like Live Nation, Lego, and the New England Patriots.

So how did he become an athlete ambassador in the outdoor industry?

King was raised in poverty in Detroit and moved to Hawaii as a teen when he was adopted by his grandparents. It was there that he dove into the outdoors and taught himself to climb and surf. When George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery were killed last year, soon after his great grandmother died from COVID-19, King sought the one place where he felt safe.

鈥淢other Nature’s not trying to kill me. The outdoors was the safest space in my head,鈥� King said. 鈥淎fter George Floyd, my protest was going to the mountains and into the ocean. If you’re going to kill me for being Black, then you’re going to have to find me in the middle of the ocean or at the top of a mountain.鈥�

For years, King had been climbing around the world and volunteering and donating in communities he visited through his social awareness initiative, The Between Worlds Project. When he decided in 2020 to climb the Seven Summits, it was around the time that outdoor brands were spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement to reexamine their roster of athletes and take notice of the overwhelming lack of diversity. Many reached out to discuss partnerships with King, but he was mindful about how he entered the athlete ambassadorship space.

鈥淲hen you look at mountaineering, it is a colonial sport. Most people who are getting publicity are of Caucasian descent,鈥� he said. 鈥淚’m going to do this climbing goal in a way that’s breaking through glass ceilings and learning about issues in different communities along the way.鈥�

King estimates that it will take $190,000 and ten years to complete his goal of climbing the Seven Summits. He will soon climb Denali in June with 国产吃瓜黑料 Consultants. While most of his time is spent training for this endeavor, he found a moment to speak with us about how he鈥檚 holding brands accountable for how they work with and represent athletes of color.

How are you changing the way athletes work as ambassadors with brands?

I knew about athlete ambassadorships because I was a D1 track athlete at the University of Maine, and when you work for corporate spaces, you understand the economics and the contracts of what it means to be an ambassador. I think that’s what freaked out a lot of brands when they reached out this summer. They were like, 鈥淭his guy understands media rights contracts, like how much his image is worth. He’s not just going to take gear.鈥�

I don鈥檛 just want free gear because I know, when you put my face on an ad, how much it’s going to be worth over time. It’s very rare to have an athlete that’s not a pro athlete come in and be like, 鈥淵ou can have my photos for one year. Any time after that you have to re-sign or go through contracts.鈥� If you put my face up in 2023 without my consent, you’re profiting off that, which is exploiting my story and my culture to benefit your profits.

I’ve been working in the corporate space and know that every brand needs to have core values to keep them in line with what they’re doing. If your core values don鈥檛 align with mine, then I know you’re not going to be a good fit.

I tell outdoor brands, here are my core values: Can you leave a place better than when you found it? Do you empower people of color in that community, so they feel like you’re helping them? Do you give back to nonprofits? Do you establish some kind of ambassador program that lets people of color speak about their struggle and not take that struggle and profit off it? Can you show me your diversity and inclusion initiatives and how you’re going to elevate that over time?

I challenged the brands. I’m not putting any clothes on, I’m not tagging any photos, I’m not putting anything out, if you do not sign me with a contract because we’re in this together. And if you sign me, I’m not just going to take photos on top of a mountain. I’m going to talk about world issues, openly and publicly, and if you’re not comfortable with that, then we shouldn’t work together.

I’m trying to set up a place for athletes of color to really feel included. I think a lot of brands realized that I鈥檓 changing the way we think of activism and athletes in the outdoor space.

How did the brands respond?

The only brand that really got me was Black Diamond. Tyler Wicutt, sports marketing manager (who has since left the brand), heard about what I was trying to do with The Between Worlds Project and how I鈥檓 making sure I understand the people and their issues in local communities and bring them forward as I climb. Wilcutt said, 鈥淭his is bigger than climbing mountains. This is actually pushing things forward.鈥�

They started loading me up with gear. They were followed by other brands over time, like Hoka One One and then Sea to Summit. Some people were pretty apprehensive because Black Diamond was tied up in the bad publicity with their parent company [who sold body armor, riot gear, and tear gas] used during the George Floyd protests. I met with them, we all sat down, and I said, 鈥淣one of us are perfect. I’m not perfect, you’re not perfect. But this story is about progression. If we’re going to do this, let’s build it together.鈥�

There are other brands that are in the outdoor space that gave gear and stuff, but when we sat down and I really pushed those core value questions, they couldn鈥檛 answer them. You鈥檒l put a [Black Lives Matter] posts up, but are you going to really start diversifying your portfolio of athletes? Can you tell me how you’re going to pick your athletes?

How can other athletes better navigate the ambassadorship space in the outdoors?

Find mentors and reach out. My mentor is Melissa Arnot Reid, the first woman to ascend and descend Everest six times. She already knows what it is to be a minority in a very male-dominant sport, and she did it on her own terms. Finding mentors that help you articulate what you’re trying to be and understanding your value really does help.

Secondly, understand from a corporate standpoint what your value is by knowing who you are.听 A lot of individuals just take the gear, because they break through the glass ceiling, and think, 鈥淚’m just taking anything I can get.鈥� You have to ask, how do you keep this going?

Can you explain why you started The Between Worlds Project and what you do with it?

Every time I go somewhere and climb, I give back to a nonprofit that is pushing through the glass ceiling, so we can stand above it collectively and diversely, to make a better place for the human race in the outdoor space. That鈥檚 The Between Worlds Project.听

I look at the region and I see what they鈥檙e really struggling with. Then I look for a nonprofit that is not heavily funded or funded by an individual. I reach out and say I’m looking to come and learn about their struggles and issues and help elevate it. Plus, I donate up to $200 of wishlist items to them. In the Dominican Republic, Charlie鈥檚 Foundation needed school supplies, so I donated face masks and up to 250 school supplies like construction paper, glue sticks, pencils, chalk, and white boards.

For Denali, the issue I’m going to tackle is racism because it鈥檚 one that’s close to me, and something we struggle with in America. I am going to donate $1,000 to Kai Lightner鈥檚 nonprofit, Climbing for Change. I don’t want to do just a monetary band aid, but I know for him, he needs it because he gives that money to other individuals and provides them the chance to buy gear. If I have enough, I want to donate $500 to the NAACP chapter within Minnesota for George Floyd.

I’ve always paid for The Between Worlds Project for the last six years. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to go to school, earn two degrees, and work for Fortune 500 companies. This is how I wish to give back on my journey.

What will you do after you summit the Seven?

When I’m at the top of Everest, I’m walking away. I’m going to go back to helping nonprofits, be an old guy surfing. It’ll be someone else’s turn. For now, I鈥檓 setting up structures with certain brands, so individuals, like women and men of color, really have an opportunity to speak and tell their story with brands that will help them.

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The outdoor industry continues to shine amid the economic ravages of COVID. For this installment of our quarterly earnings recap, we found that most publicly traded outdoor brands are performing well relative to other industries.

A few companies saw softness in certain categories, but on numerous earnings calls, CEOs cited healthy demand for outdoor apparel and gear and also projected continued growth throughout 2021 as the country eyes the end of the pandemic.

Below are Q4 summaries of the outdoor-focused public companies that reported earnings in the last few weeks.

Acushnet Holdings Corp. (NYSE: GOLF)

Acushnet, the parent of outerwear and ski apparel brand Kjus, reported fourth-quarter sales of $420.5 million, up 14.2 percent year-over-year. Net income grew 20.7 percent to $21.6 million. David Maher, president and CEO, said of the company鈥檚 outdoor brand, 鈥淭here’s a lot of talent within the Kjus organization. We are pleased with how the team is positioning the business for the future and the investments we are making to prepare Kjus for long-term growth.鈥澨�

Adidas AG (XETRA: ADS)

Adidas says persistent currency headwinds in Q4 sank revenue 5 percent to 鈧�5.5 billion (US$6.7 billion) while net income plummeted to 鈧�429 million (US$514.2 million) from 鈧�1.9 billion (US$2.3 billion) in the year-ago period. The company鈥檚 big announcement was its ambitious plan to invest 鈧�1 billion (US$1.2 billion) over the next five years in digital transformation.听

Camping World Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CWH)

RV dealer Camping World benefited from the growth of camping and #vanlife last year as more people looked to social distance in the comfort of their outdoor rigs. Q4 sales of $1.1 billion increased 17.5 percent, and net income of $14.4 million was up from a loss of $28.5 million a year ago.听

Canadian Tire Corp. (TSX: CTC)

The parent of Helly Hansen reported that the outdoor brand鈥檚 revenue was $196.1 million, up 11.4 percent, or 12.1 percent on a constant currency basis, from the same quarter a year ago. Canadian Tire CEO Greg Hicks said he was pleased with Helly Hansen鈥檚 performance in Q4 amid 鈥済lobal restrictions and closures.鈥�

Clarus Corp. (Nasdaq: CLAR)

Clarus reported sales increased 24 percent to $75.9 million in the fourth quarter, but that growth was driven by its Sierra Bullets asset. Sales at Black Diamond Equipment, Clarus鈥� flagship brand, were flat, but the company projects BD鈥檚 sales to increase 17 percent to $200 million in 2021. On the March 8 earnings call, Clarus President John Walbrecht noted that BD鈥檚 apparel sales spiked 19 percent鈥攇rowth that was 鈥渞eflective of our decision to not aggressively promote or discount Black Diamond products at the onset of the pandemic; we believe this has strengthened our long-term competitive position.鈥� He also gave a shout-out to BD for being named one of 鈥渢he best-selling climate equipment brands in a January installment of [国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal鈥檚] 2020 Retailer Survey.鈥澨�

Compass Diversified (NYSE: CODI)

CODI reported Q4 sales climbed 18.5 percent to $474.8 million, while net income of $8.4 million was more than double the profit from a year ago. During the quarter, CODI completed its acquisition of Boa Technology Inc., and that brand exceeded expectations by posting revenue growth of 2.5 percent and EBITDA growth of 29 percent. Says CODI CEO Elias Sabo: 鈥淲e remain impressed with the Boa team鈥nd we鈥檙e optimistic about the company鈥檚 future.鈥澨�

Conzzeta Group (SWX: CON)

The Swiss-based parent of Mammut Sports Group AG says sales for the outdoor brand were adversely affected by retail closures in Q4 but the brand offset that softness with 鈥渃ontinued progress in digital channels.鈥� Company-wide, sales dropped 18.6 percent in 2020.

Dick鈥檚 Sporting Goods Inc. (NYSE: DKS)

A surge in outdoor and sporting goods helped Dick鈥檚 grow revenue 19.8 percent to $3.1 billion, while its net income tripled to $219.6 million. Recently appointed CEO Lauren Hobart didn鈥檛 discuss DSG鈥檚 new outdoor retail concept, Public Lands, and the company鈥檚 CFO mentioned it only when he noted that Dick鈥檚 still plans to convert two Field & Stream locations into Public Lands stores this year, as executives discussed in late 2020.听

Emerald Holding Inc. (NYSE: EEX)

The parent company of Outdoor Retailer and numerous other trade shows not surprisingly posted a significant revenue dip and income loss in Q4. Sales fell 72.8 percent to $12.2 million and the company posted a loss of $58.1 million. On the earnings call, Emerald CEO Herv茅 Sedky didn鈥檛 discuss OR specifically, and he only briefly mentioned Surf Expo, saying that its in-person January show 鈥渃learly highlights the vital role that face-to-face events play in driving connections, commerce, and growth for customers and communities. This provides real optimism for the future.鈥� Outdoor Retailer was pushed back eight weeks but will happen in person this summer.听

Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN)

Watch and fitness tracker brand Garmin reported Q4 revenue of $1.4 billion, up 23 percent from the prior-year quarter, led by growth in its marine, fitness, and outdoor segments. Net income slipped 7.6 percent to $333.5 million.听

Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN)

Stymied by a 鈥渃hallenging operating environment as a result of COVID-19,鈥� according to CEO Rob Katz, Vail reported sales for its fiscal second quarter ended January 31 of $597.1 million, a 20.8 percent decline from the year-ago period. Net income fell 28.4 percent to $147.8 million. But the company is much better situated than it was a year ago when it had to shut down its resorts, and Katz said 鈥渙ur growth in pass holders this past year also positions us well as we head into the 2021/2022 season.鈥澨�

Wolverine World Wide Inc. (NYSE: WWW)

The parent of Merrell, Chaco, and other footwear brands reported Q4 revenue slipped 16.1 percent to $509.6 million. The company also reported a loss of $170.7 million in the period. One bright spot was the digital channel. Wolverine CEO Blake Krueger said the company鈥檚 鈥渆commerce revenue grew 50 percent in 2020, and we have planned further investment in this area to enable growth of 40 percent in 2021.鈥�

The post Heat Check: How Are Publicly Traded Outdoor Companies Performing Right Now? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

“If there’s any pattern to all this, it’s to听expect delays. Which categories, brands, or products鈥攖hat’s anybody’s guess. It’s best to just assume everything will be delayed and end up pleasantly surprised if it’s not.”

That’s Eastside Sports owner Todd Vogel’s take on the state of inventory challenges at this point in the pandemic, nearly eight months in.

“If there’s a delay, you pivot. Delay, pivot,” said Vogel, whose shop is based in Bishop, California. “That strategy has kept us going. It’s all about flexibility.”

It’s no secret that sellers of outdoor goods have been scrambling this year, trying to keep pace with a retail landscape strained by听supply chain disruptions, rapid shutdowns, unpredictable demand, and other hardships. Still, one way or another, many retailers are finding ways to keep their shelves stocked鈥攖o some degree鈥攁nd customers happy.

To figure out what retailers are seeing on the ground level, and how they’re coping, we got in touch with several shop owners and buyers to ask about what’s going right, what’s going wrong, and how everyone is bracing for the upcoming season.

What’s Causing Problems

To start things off, we wanted to know about specific pain points. In some sense, we were looking for a pattern, but that exercise quickly proved futile. After speaking with shop owners in several different states, the moral of the story seems to be that there’s no rhyme or reason to what goods or which brands are causing inventory problems on a consistent basis. All the retailers we spoke with say they’re trying their best to prepare for anything.

“Our biggest vendor overall is Patagonia,” said Sam Barg, a buyer at Ute Mountaineer in Aspen, Colorado. “Those orders have come in anywhere from 20 to 50 percent complete.听They can鈥檛 promise anything. But then other stuff trickles in that we didn鈥檛 expect. Our reps have no idea what’s happening either. Week to week, we have to reassess and chase what we can.”

Barg says Ute Mountaineer has seen cancellations from at least half a dozen vendors that are critical to the shop’s core inventory: Patagonia, Kuhl, Columbia, prAna, Hoka One One, Black Diamond, and Sorrell.

“Those are the big brands a lot of people have had trouble with,” he said.

Marinna Merkel, co-owner of Round House Ski and Sports Center in Bozeman, Montana, says she’s also had a lot of trouble with Patagonia and The North Face.

“Patagonia’s Powder Bowl Pant always does great for our store, and I can鈥檛 get them, none. That鈥檚 a staple piece for Patagonia, so it says something about where they’re at,” Merkel said. She also says the company expects not to see the bulk of its winter order from The North Face come through until late November鈥攁 huge problem for getting product out the door before ski season starts.

Across the state in Missoula, Todd Frank, owner of The Trail Head, says he’s experienced similar cuts from Patagonia.

“Patagonia is our biggest vendor. They cut about 40 percent of our pre-season order, but customer demand also dropped, so it evened out,” Frank said. “This year, we’re making a lot of concessions with product鈥攁ccepting different colors than we wanted, things like that鈥攂ut we’ve found that people are less picky about color and other small details these days. They’re willing to support us, even if they can’t get the exact product they want.”

Down in Flagstaff, Arizona, Steve Chatinsky says he’s had a lot of trouble with survival items his shop, Peace Surplus.

“I ran out of Reliance water containers for two weeks. We鈥檝e had three or four shipments of those since the summer, and we usually do one per year,” Chatinsky said. “We鈥檝e been a little slow on freeze dried food, too. We went seven or eight days without any at one time. But we鈥檝e been chasing it between multiple vendors.”

Perhaps Vogel, at Eastside Sports, summed it up best. “It’s hard to find a pattern,” he said. “Lots of things are in short supply, but it’s hard to predict. Tents have been hard to get your hands on; backpacking stoves and Black Diamond cams have been problematic. Bikes and car racks have been tough. Even bear canisters have been strangely difficult to get. What do all those things have in common?”

Answer: nothing. Inventory is simply tough right now across the board.

Areas of Success

It’s not all doom and gloom, however, these retailers were quick to point out.

“For us, footwear has done well鈥攖hough it’s hit or miss by brand,” Vogel said. “Other than Merrell, which basically ran out of shoes, we鈥檝e done pretty well. La Sportiva and Topo Athletic are two that have been outstanding in terms of getting us product.”

Merkel says that while inventory hasn’t been easy in any category this year, there have been areas with fewer challenges. Round House has most of the downhill skis it ordered for the season, as well as a healthy selection of Nordic hardgoods. Some of that, she noted, is carryover product from last year, but that hasn’t posed a problem; there’s more of an appetite for older gear this season.

“There鈥檚 something to be says for reminding consumers that we do have carryover product from last year,” Merkel said. “Brands are cutting back expansion of their lines, so there鈥檚 probably going to be a lot more carryover for the next few years as well. It’s good to get customers used to that now.”

At The Trail Head in Missoula, Franks says he was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the vendors he uses for his watersports categories.

“All of our boat vendors did a really excellent job,” he said. “We struggled with kayaks and paddles and accessories a little, but not as much as you might have imagined.”

Softgoods vs. Hardgoods

Slicing things a different way, there’s no clear trend in supply differences听between softgoods and hardgoods, according to the retailers we spoke with. Here, though, there’s at least some pattern in demand difference.

“Apparel is down by double digits this year,” Frank said of overall sales at The Trail Head. “The more casual it is, the more people don’t want it.”

Franks says that technical clothing has done well and hardgoods are flying off the shelves. He attributes the demand change to one simple factor: caution. Customers don鈥檛 want to try things on unless it’s something they absolutely need, like a raincoat, or something they feel safe trying on, like a ski boot.

“On the hardgoods side, we鈥檙e up 100 percentage points on uphill gear,” said Barg of his sales in Aspen. “Brands like Dynafit, Blizzard, and Technica are flying out the door. And surprisingly the inventory from those guys has been pretty good thus far.”

Again, though, there’s no clear pattern from a supply perspective, taking into account an experience like Merkel’s. She noted that, even though Round House has most of its pre-season ski orders filled by now, special orders are another story entirely.

“Our story with hardgoods is shipping delays,” sayidMerkel. “Companies are short-staffed, they don鈥檛 have the manpower to get special orders out, and that causes a trickle-down effect. We’ve been turning people away on the hardgoods side for special requests, just telling customers we’re sorry, but we can’t get them what they need.”

Add to that a massive fire this fall that burned down the main ski factory for Fischer, one of Merkel’s big vendors at Round House. Hardgoods have been wildly unpredictable, even with some modest success at getting orders filled, she says.

Solution: Sourcing from Multiple Vendors and Leaning on Relationships

One workaround many retailers have pursued is quick pivots to different vendors.

“We鈥檝e been able to keep things going because we have three or four vendors for each of the items in camping, which is a big category for us,” Chatinsky said of Ute Mountaineer. “For instance, in the past we’ve ordered solar showers from Tech Sport, Coghlan鈥檚, and Reliance. Those channels are all open, so if one of them closes, we lean more heavily on the other two.”

Chatinsky says that, in his view, that communication and multiple channels to source product are key to managing inventory chaos as the pandemic progresses.

“Of course, that’s just another way of saying it’s all about relationships,” he said. “When it comes down to crunch time, relationships will sink you or keep you afloat. When you call a vendor and get a friend on the other end of the line, that’s when things get done for you. Pay attention to who you do business with and why. It鈥檚 not all about price.”

Vogel echoed the sentiment, and says that another important factor is nimbleness.

“You have to be quick on your feet,” he said. “You have to anticipate shortages and either stock up ahead of time鈥攍ike we did with fuel canisters this summer鈥攐r pivot quickly and look for smaller quantities of similar items from different vendors.”

Of course, pivoting to new vendors and maintaining relationships are two strategies that don’t always play well together. Frank, at The Trail Head, says he chose not to introduce uncertainty for his vendors out of respect for their business. They rely on him just as much as he relies on them, after all.

“We talked about pivoting to new suppliers, but we wanted to stick with the people we鈥檝e always been working with,” Frank said. “We鈥檝e had some new vendors reaching out. I got an email yesterday from a big brand鈥擨 won’t say who鈥攖hat started as a direct-to-consumer operation and now wants to get into wholesale. We鈥檒l probably take a hard pass on that. We want to support people who have supported us in the past. That’s just how it works.”

For Merkel, the courtesy of sticking with your old partners has another benefit鈥攊t gives you room to ask for flexibility when needed. That give-and-take might include discounts, shipping assistance, or changes to invoice dating.

“The willingness to flex is different for each company,” Merkel said. “When we go and ask our vendors to ship additional product or cover freight, we know they鈥檙e in a hard spot too. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t done it. One area we鈥檝e succeeded in is asking our vendors to pay for expedited freight. We tell them we need such-and-such product, we can鈥檛 wait weeks, so we need you to ship it overnight and cover that cost. And most of the time they’re willing. Yes it’s a big ask, but ultimately it’s to support sell-through, which benefits them too.”

Frank says that his big ask always comes down to invoice dating. He doesn’t push his vendors too hard to ship product faster, but he does insist on keeping the timeline for payment at its agreed-upon length if an order arrives late.

“My standard approach is, if you ship something 30 days late, I鈥檓 adding 30 days to the dating for payment. I鈥檓 going to call up and ask for more time, because we had less time to sell it,” he said. “To me, that just makes sense.”

How Are Customers Handling It?

In the end, all these retailers seemed to agree that customer flexibility is a big factor鈥攑erhaps the biggest鈥攊n dealing with inventory challenges during the pandemic. If customers are willing to wait a little longer for their gear, reserve pickiness about color and other details, and occasionally shop around for carryover product from last season, much of the inventory chaos can be buffered enough to keep retailers and brands going until things even out again.

“Thankfully, there鈥檚 a push this year to shop local,” Merkel said. “People know that shipping is backed up, and they’re sympathetic. Many consumers still want to buy things locally. Even if we can’t guarantee special orders or promise to have every single new product in stock, the forgiveness of our customers can get us through. And we won’t forget that when things get back to normal.”

The post The Puzzle of Inventory During the Pandemic appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

September 15 to October 15 marks National Hispanic Heritage Month and in honor of the rich cultural traditions of our Hispanic neighbors, friends, and colleagues, 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal听would like you to meet five designers with roots in Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru. Some have worked in the industry for decades; others are fresh faces just starting out. All are working to bring about positive change in the outdoor industry.

While it鈥檚 important to reflect on and celebrate Hispanic culture, elevating these voices should not be limited to just a month. 鈥淚 understand the importance of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month,鈥� said Martha Garcia, director of global brand creative and communications at HOKA ONE ONE. 鈥淏ut how can we get to a point where we鈥檙e doing that and also being intentional about bringing these people into the conversation beyond DEI? Where we鈥檙e bringing them in because they鈥檙e expert communicators or designers or whatever?鈥�

As Garcia says (echoing 国产吃瓜黑料PR鈥檚 Massimo Alpian), people of color deserve to be part of our industry鈥檚 narrative on a regular basis, and not just on issues relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will all be better for it.

Tahany Huerta

Technical softgoods equipment developer at Black Diamond

As a technical softgoods equipment developer at Black Diamond, Tahany Huerta has a lot of responsibility. Although she鈥檚 just two years into her role, she鈥檚 already fully accountable for the physicality of her projects鈥攃osting, materials, 3D versions of design鈥攁s well as managing the team to, well, make sure shit gets done.

Her leadership position gives her a voice. And Huerta, whose mother is Mexican and whose father is of Spanish descent, is using it.

鈥淚 kind of feel like I鈥檓 a pain in everyone鈥檚 ass, honestly,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut overall, I think it鈥檚 just the fact that I’m there and part of the team, it feels like it鈥檚 my obligation and also my opportunity to bring these things to peoples鈥� forefront.鈥�

The 鈥渢hings鈥� she speaks of: products designed in a silo. She points to examples of packs and harnesses designed for a single user-base (read, slim, white, and male)..

鈥淲e see so many different body frame styles throughout different culture groups, but because the outdoor industry has been dominated by majority white men, those groups are never served,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey may be seemingly arbitrary examples, but they鈥檙e not arbitrary to me.鈥�

Huerta recognizes that the problem is institutional, not just insular, and she cuts the outdoor industry some slack.

鈥淚 have moments of doubt and think, 鈥楢m I being crazy? This feels like an issue to me, but it鈥檚 not an issue to everyone else here,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淏ut it makes sense. They鈥檝e never had to deal with these experiences [of feeling unheard and unrepresented]. It鈥檚 hard to constantly be the one or one of a few people bringing up a problem when the majority is like, 鈥楴o, no, no. It鈥檚 fine.鈥欌��

Yet even if the oversight is understandable, Huerta emphasizes it鈥檚 not acceptable from a moral, ethical, or even financial viewpoint.

鈥淥ur world is changing and even if that change doesn鈥檛 feel relevant to you, if all you care about is business, this is relevant to your business too,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have more people of color coming into climbing spaces or trail running spaces, and if we鈥檙e not going to speak to those new people entering those spaces, then you鈥檙e just choosing ignorance.鈥�

Daniella Manini

Textiles designer with Patagonia

Rolled 鈥淩s鈥� and curved 鈥溍憇鈥� ring through the hallways of Patagonia headquarters thanks to Daniella Manini, one of the brand鈥檚 in-house textiles designers. Born and raised in Peru, she slides effortlessly into her native tongue when chatting with her Latinx co-workers.

鈥淪peaking to them in Spanish is a nice way to connect and bring diversity into the hallways, emails, and any communication,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love to connect with them because some of them have been at Patagonia for a while, some of them for 30 years. Chatting with them makes me feel a bit at home.鈥�

Having worked with Patagonia for more than six years after stints with ocean artist Aaron Chang, Billabong and Vouri, Manini is an industry veteran in her own right. Her prints and patterns have graced the Gore-Tex and recycled polyester canvases of kids鈥� puffy jackets, women鈥檚 swimsuits, men鈥檚 board shorts, and much more.

鈥淚 like to create bold and colorful pieces,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eru is known for that and I like to bring that inspiration from my youth whenever I get a chance.鈥�

鈥淪o many Hispanic countries are being impacted by climate change. You can see it all around you there,鈥� she said. 鈥淧atagonia has so much history in South America and I think we have a great opportunity to be a voice for Hispanic cultures in the outdoor industry. I hope my designs for Patagonia can be a tiny reminder of this.鈥� In addition to breathing Peru鈥檚 passion for color into Patagonia鈥檚 palettes, Manini also aspires to represent her country on issues of global importance. She points to the brand鈥檚 mission statement, 鈥淲e鈥檙e in business to save our home planet,鈥� a credo that permeates everything it does. Hailing from a country facing deforestation, mining, fires in the Amazon, and displacement of Indigenous people, Manini recognizes her potential to speak out on behalf of her people.

Jorge Rojas

Footwear designer with Industrial Design Workshop and consultant to Vasque

Jorge Rojas began tagging along with his parents in the strawberry fields outside Portland, Oregon, when he was just a little kid. By the time he was a teenager, he was joining them in the backbreaking picking process, rising at four or five in the morning in order to get to the field by 6 P.M. For him, summer 鈥渂reak鈥� was no break.

鈥淚 was in the strawberry fields,鈥� Rojas said matter-of-factly, without complaint.

It鈥檚 clear the footwear designer and development consultant respects his parents greatly for the values they demonstrated.

鈥淚 picked up a good strong work ethic from being out there,鈥� he said. 鈥淪eeing my parents get up every day, really early in the morning and working until really late in the evening. Working hard is in my heritage. It鈥檚 in my DNA.鈥�

Now with six years as a footwear/industrial designer with the wearable product experts at Industrial Design Workshop under his belt and a resume that reflects collaborations with big-name outdoor brands like Vasque,听Rojas brings his staunch work ethic to the office every day.

He鈥檚 also actively helping to groom the next generation of designers, many of them Latinx. Someday he hopes to work as an instructor at a design school, but for now he mentors these aspiring footwear designers over Instagram.

鈥淚鈥檝e never met them, but they reach out and ask what you think about a sketch,鈥� he said, noting that he鈥檚 able to provide feedback on their designs, suggesting changes and providing tips for how to break into footwear design.

Passing on his knowledge to the next generation of designers is Rojas鈥� version of making sacrifices to ensure someone else has a better future鈥攋ust like his parents did for him.

鈥淚 see it in my parents鈥� eyes that all the work we鈥檝e done has paid off,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad that I鈥檓 able to make them proud.鈥�

Anna Medina

Designer at Title Nine

Anna Medina, a designer with women鈥檚 outdoor apparel company Title Nine, actively brings her Hispanic roots with her to the office each day.

鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to leave your heritage at the door,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 who you are, the essence of what makes you you.鈥�

She鈥檚 currently working a year out on apparel for the Fall 鈥�21 collection, a line that she hopes will level the playing field and 鈥渄emocratize the outdoors鈥� by reminding us that outside is outside, whether you鈥檙e covering miles of backcountry terrain or walking your dog through your neighborhood.

鈥淭he outdoor experience is not exclusive to visiting national parks, going surfing, or going on a climbing trip. That is a privileged experience that is not accessible to many communities for so many different reasons,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hile my designs may not feel as rugged as traditional outdoor apparel, the aesthetic is more inclusive and the garments are just as tough.鈥�

Medina鈥檚 lived experience and Ecuadorian heritage have given her a wider lens to what an outdoorsperson looks like.

鈥淲hen you think about your target (outdoor) customer, I see much more beyond that because I am part of communities who experience the outdoors much differently,鈥� she said.

And though Medina is barely three years into her tenure with Title Nine, she already has big plans to tackle inequality in the outdoor space.

鈥淚 plan to disrupt the industry as much as possible and aim to use my position to change the status quo and support marginalized communities,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I can鈥檛 do it alone, and together, we can really shake things up.鈥�

Vince Mares

Senior creative director with Kelty and Exxel Outdoors

Vince Mares鈥� great-grandfather walked a long road, roughly 1,100 miles, from Mazatl谩n, Mexico to L.A. to look for work. As the story goes, his industriousness was rewarded and he earned a job in a factory in L.A. Around him, the Great Depression was ravaging the U.S.

But while there鈥檚 a clear note of pride in Mares鈥� voice when he recalls his family lore, he鈥檚 quick to caveat his own California upbringing, calling himself the product of an assimilated culture more than a purely Hispanic one.

鈥淲hile I acknowledge my heritage and embrace all the different things like the culture, the music, and the food, I don鈥檛 express it in an outward way,鈥� the senior creative director and 11-year veteran with Exxel Outdoors, parent company to household name brands like Kelty and Slumberjack, said. 鈥淚f you ask most people around here, they wouldn’t be able to tell you I鈥檓 Mexican. They think I鈥檓 Italian.鈥�

Mares鈥� trail to the outdoor industry is different from most. His passion wasn鈥檛 honed after a childhood spent exploring national parks or working in the family gear shop. After high school, Mares had to forge his own way in the world, so he signed up for the GI Bill and headed off to the U.S. Army, eventually serving in Operation Desert Storm.

鈥淚 found my love for the outdoors through the Army,鈥� he said. 鈥淏eing in the Army with a Light Infantry Airborne unit, I had to carry everything on my back. I learned about backpacking through romping around the woods at night and I thought, 鈥楾his could be really fun in the daytime without this camo on and all this heavy stuff on my back.鈥欌��

Back in California after completing his active duty tenure, Mares started a degree in product design鈥攚orking part-time, yep, at a gear shop鈥攁nd fell in love with backpacking, passions he consistently wove together in school projects. His senior thesis design for a big-wall haul bag was sponsored by Wayne Gregory, founder of Gregory Mountain Products, giving him a foothold in the outdoor industry and cementing his future.

鈥淚 had a long road to get here and I had to do it myself, but I鈥檓 also proud of that,鈥� he said reflecting on the 鈥渄o-it-yourself mentality鈥� and gritty 鈥渞oll-up-your-sleeves鈥� perseverance that comes second nature to him. 鈥淢aybe it does relate to that story of my great-grandfather.鈥�

Two long roads. Two uncharted paths. Two success stories. Mares may not express his heritage in an outward way, but he鈥檚 certainly, and proudly, a product of it.

The post It鈥檚 Hispanic Heritage Month. Here Are 5 Hispanic Gear Designers You Should Know. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Holly Phillips grew up in Ona, West Virginia, exploring the outdoors on fishing trips with her dad. The two would set out on a Friday evening, camp near a river, and start casting the next morning. Their gear consisted of what they could afford at the local Kmart or Walmart. 鈥淚 always got cold in cheap sleeping bags. And if it rained, the tent walls would soak through,鈥� says Phillips. As a result, Phillips鈥檚 earliest outdoor experiences were a combination of joy, because she was outdoors, and sufferfests, because her gear was so low quality. 鈥淏ut even as I grew older, I didn鈥檛 know any better because people like me鈥攍ow income and outside the normal demographic of backpackers, climbers, or even avid hikers鈥攁re left out of the outdoor conversation,鈥� she says.

It wasn鈥檛 until she moved to Boulder, Colorado, in 2012 at age 29, that the single mom even heard of Patagonia or Black Diamond. One day, she ventured into one of the town鈥檚 premier outdoor stores, Neptune Mountaineering. 鈥淲hen I saw the price tags, I was so bummed,鈥� says Phillips, who was making roughly $16 an hour at the time (which is more than five dollars above the national average minimum wage). 鈥淚 knew I could never afford that stuff.鈥�

She is not alone. Outdoor Foundation鈥檚 2018 Outdoor Recreation Report shows the high cost of gear is the second most common deterrent for getting outside. (鈥淭oo busy鈥� was number one and 鈥淧laces for outdoor recreation cost too much鈥� is number six.) For years, the outdoor industry has claimed it wants to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. If affordability is one of the biggest barriers to inclusion, are we really addressing it?

What Does Affordable Mean?

When Phillips struck out at Neptune, she headed to REI and was overwhelmed by the prices there, too. It鈥檚 a common problem says activist Cianna Walker-Flom, who has criticized the outdoor industry for being 鈥渋ntimidating and exclusionary for those who are underrepresented.鈥� She believes a key way to welcome them in is for brands to partner with nonprofit organizations that serve underrepresented populations to offer them upcycled (or new) gear at greatly reduced prices for lending libraries.

The fact is, 鈥渁ffordable鈥� is a relative term. But you could say several brands in the industry are already delivering. In the sleeping bag realm, for instance, Marmot, Kelty, The North Face, and Slumberjack have produced sub-$100 bags for years. But even a $79 bag would be pushing it for a minimum wage earner. [Patricia Cameron reported on this problem in our Winter 2020 issue: 鈥淚t would take a minimum wage worker two full eight-hour days to afford new hiking shoes from most outdoor brands,鈥� she wrote.] And there remains an undeniable performance gap between a $69 Kelty bag that works as a legitimate (albeit bulky) backcountry option and the $25-dollar Walmart variety that left Phillips cold.

Gear Everyone Can Afford

Brands have very different views on what鈥檚 possible when it comes to price versus performance. Durability, for example, is subjective (see p. 48), and Big Agnes founder Bill Gamber acknowledges that even his $200 鈥渆ntry-level鈥� tent is out of reach for many people like Phillips. But, he says, skimping is risky. 鈥淐heck the dumpsters in Moab. They鈥檙e full of Costco and Walmart tents,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just not possible to make a $100 tent that will last. At least I haven鈥檛 figured out how to do it.鈥�

Kelty has almost cracked that nut鈥攊t offers several quality two-person tents that are just north of 100 bucks. Senior vice president and general manager Russ Rowell is content in that middle market and doesn鈥檛 intend to chase even lower prices. 鈥淥nce a brand presents itself downstream, it鈥檚 very hard to go upstream,鈥� he says. That creates a hole in the market which is precisely where two companies鈥擠ecathlon and Walmart鈥攕ee opportunity.

In 2017, the 43-year-old French sporting goods giant Decathlon entered the U.S. market. The brand takes pride in providing quality gear at extremely low prices, and its one-year, 352 percent sales growth in the U.S. proves that people are hungry for decent gear at rock bottom prices. Consumers flock to the 47,000-square-foot Bay Area store for daypacks as low as $3.50 (not a typo) and tents that cost just $59. The company鈥檚 scale鈥攊t has 93,000 employees worldwide鈥攁llows it to build gear at prices so low it鈥檚 easy to doubt the quality, but review after review, from the likes of 国产吃瓜黑料, BACKPACKER, and Runner鈥檚 World, praise the brand鈥檚 performance-to-price ratio.

And hot on Decathlon鈥檚 heels is the icon of affordability in the U.S.: Walmart.

Walmart鈥檚 Bid for Backpackers

Eoin Comerford, CEO of Moosejaw, which is owned by Walmart, made a splash in 2018 with his efforts to bring premium brands and premium prices to Walmart customers by creating a 鈥減remium outdoor store鈥� online. At the time, Comerford believed he was introducing high-end outdoor products to people who鈥檇 never been exposed to them. But the project failed after brands including Black Diamond, Deuter USA, Katadyn, Therm-a-Rest, and Leki pulled out, insinuating that by selling on Walmart.com, they鈥檇 take the special out of specialty brands.

Comerford learned from the failure. In April, he told The Voice, 鈥淲e [moved] away from the Premium Outdoor Store because the whole idea of premium versus everyday brands ran counter to our goal of inclusivity.鈥� Instead, he wanted to create an 鈥渆veryday鈥� brand that would offer 鈥渟pecialty-level performance and quality鈥� to customers of Walmart and fill what he says is a huge gulf between mass market and specialty backpacking gear. 鈥淭he most likely source of beginner backpackers are car campers who already enjoy life in a tent,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he most recent KOA North American Camping Report shows car camping is already becoming more diverse. Non-white active camper households increased from 12 percent in 2012 to 31 percent in 2018. Even more encouraging, people of color made up the majority鈥�51 percent鈥攐f first-time campers in 2018.鈥�

Comerford believes that price is standing in the way of more people becoming backpackers. So in May, he led the Walmart launch of two 鈥渕id-tier鈥� brands that sell through both Walmart and Moosejaw channels and cost the same on each website. Lithic is a backpacking equipment brand that includes tents, bags, packs, stoves, and cookware (also sold in Walmart stores) for prices ranging from $25 to $148. Allforth (online only) offers men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 fair-weather (nothing waterproof or insulated) hiking apparel in regular and plus sizes with prices ranging from $13 to $40.

The products are made in China by factories with experience manufacturing enthusiast-grade outdoor equipment, says Comerford. R&D was a team effort between Moosejaw experts, Walmart development and sourcing teams, and these factory partners.

The least expensive Lithic sleeping bag is a 35-degree synthetic that weighs just under 4 pounds and costs $64, which is comparable to many price-point bags already offered by established outdoor brands. The thing is, Walmart shoppers may not be familiar with Kelty and The North Face. This effort is about bringing new and better-performing alternatives to Walmart鈥檚 huge audience鈥攎any of whom may be people who, as Phillips says, are left out of the outdoor conversation.

The new brands launched just a few weeks before press time. Reviews are still coming in, and some of them are not glowing (google it for yourself).

Performance aside, some skeptics, like Walker-Flom, see Walmart鈥檚 move as opportunistic, not altruistic. 鈥淭his is an issue of stores realizing they鈥檙e missing out on a whole market segment of passionate campers with limited funds. It鈥檚 great to have access to more affordable gear, but when it鈥檚 lower quality, you鈥檒l pay now and then pay again when it wears out or breaks.鈥�

But Comerford remains adamant that Lithic and Allforth will break down barriers by leveraging Walmart鈥檚 massive, loyal customer base and introducing them to better quality gear. 鈥淲ith the current backdrop of Black Lives Matter, it鈥檚 never been more important to grow the outdoor pie by making participation more inclusive,鈥� he says.

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