The Voice by SNEWS by Active Interest Media

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the way forward

PANDEMIC IMPACTS AND STRATEGIES FOR RECOVERY

SUMMER 2020

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Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge Signatories These companies have signed The Pledge as of June 17, 2020

We are looking to partner with leaders within the outdoor industry who are committed to supporting our work, building a more inclusive industry, and pushing the conversation of diversity into the forefront. If this describes your organization, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to hear from you. >> insolidarityproject.com/partner-with-us

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The Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge

Inspired by the “The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, The Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge connects leading outdoor brands with inclusion advocates to advance representation for people of color across the industry. We’re focused on enhancing representation across staff and executive teams, media and marketing, and athletes/ ambassadors. By building a relationship of support, empathy and understanding, versus external skepticism and internal stress, we’re moving the outdoor industry towards authentic inclusion.

The Why

People of color are subject to stubborn inequities around the world. This lack of equity is especially pronounced in the United States. We have a valuable opportunity to take on racial, ethnic and other divides by promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within our outdoor communities.

outdoor brands, they invite the types of people who choose to recreate outside and shape how they behave. Dayto-day, they manage countless employees who do the same. In the way they manage, they can elevate inclusion to the front of our workplace culture. Advocating for inclusion isn’t just for social good, it’s also good for the economy: it improves corporate performance, drives growth and enhances employee engagement. Outdoor organizations with diverse groups of employees, athletes/ambassadors, and media representation perform better and leave our outdoor spaces in better hands for the next generation. We realize that racial and ethnic diversity doesn’t stand alone: it intersects with diversity of Age, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Religion, Disability, Socioeconomic Status and other categories of identity. We’re committed to empowering those whose identities have been underrepresented.

The Mission

We are the new outdoor industry. our outdoor spaces and the opportunities they provide and we’re here. We’re inspired to use our shared voice for change. It’s time for the outdoor industry to make a bold step towards diversity, equity and inclusion. It’s time to elevate people of color and other marginalized identities. The Outdoor Industry CEO Diversity Pledge was formed out of a desire for the outdoor business community to advance diversity and inclusion as part of their brands’ ethic.

Read

The Pledge in full at insolidarityproject.com/the-pledge

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contents / features

57 s p e c i a l s e c t i o n:

PANDE M I C 2 0 2 0

A deep look at how the coronavirus affected the outdoor industry this spring and how we will emerge on the other side. Getting personal: 10 industry experts share their pandemic stories (p. 58) Trade shows: What will the future hold? (p. 64) Recovery timeline: A breakdown of the impacts and when we will return to “normal” (p. 67) By the numbers: The coronavirus data trail (p. 70) The path forward: The pandemic changed everything, except what matters most (p. 72) Manufacturing meltdown: The long arm of China (p. 74)

c ome t oge the r Why embracing DEI is the key to saving the planet. BY J UA N M I C HAE L P ORTE R I I

82 I n v e s t i g at i o n:

p r o d ea ls in t h e o u t d o o r i nd u s tr y We went undercover to see just how easy it is to score a pro deal from outdoor brands—whether you’re a pro or not. BY E LI S AB ETH KWAK-H E F F E RAN

m e et th e d isruptors These four people and companies are challenging the status quo. BY K E LLY B ASTON E

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contents / departments

business

culture

gear

1 5 I nd u s t r y B u z z

25 fresh voices

35 The voi c e 5 0

How healthy is the Outdoor Industry Association?

Meet four rising stars: a climber, a community organizer, an inventor, and an entrepreneur.

Check out our rankings of the hottest gear of the coming season.

18 Your Next customer Get inside the hearts (and wallets) of Gen Z.

1 9 s h o p ta l k Food and gear are the perfect match.

20 show biz Learn how one new trade show aims to tread lightly on the environment.

21 messaging Experiential retail soars to a new level.

22 Pivot Behind the scenes of Outdoor Research’s transition to mask production.

23 face-off Should brands endorse political candidates?

28 Road Rules Sales reps have to pay for their own samples. Is it fair?

29 un filtered

47 the trend rep or t Why durability, affordability, and transparency are three topics your company needs to be talking about.

The customer isn’t always right.

54 ecofr ont

30 n ine-to-five

Is recycled polyester the sustainability cure we’ve been waiting for—or just a distraction?

Rise to DEI challenges and crisis-proof your company—without a big HR department.

31 five hard question s

96 the class i c fi les The humble Candle Lantern is a dark horse in retail.

Industry veterans talk about whether elaborate press trips have gotten out of hand—and how the coronavirus will change them.

32 hom age

The gear shop saved by its customers, the retirement of a legend, a lift-free ski area, and the nine lives of Malcolm Daly.

07 Editor’s No te 1 0 Con tr i bu to rs

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— WOODS TO WATER — The RoadTrip Rocker™ is ready for your next adventure. www.gcioutdoor.com | GCI OUTDOORS_THEVOICE_2020.indd 1

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editor’s note

Hard Truths Confronting racism in the outdoor industry starts at home.

I was recently called out as a racist on Facebook. The truth hurts.

he post came from a writer whose work I declined to publish. At first, her words flung me into a cyclone of overlapping emotions ranging from shock and anger to remorse and depression. I wallowed in self-pity, centering myself as the victim rather than focusing on the impacts I had on her. But then, with the guidance of two friends, I dug into a lot of reading and soul-searching. And I learned that my reaction was textbook for white people forced to confront an insidious form of racism, the kind that exists unnoticed within us. My blinders aren’t gone—far from it—but this experience tugged them down a bit. And one of the first things I saw was the reality about the demographics of the outdoor industry and this magazine’s audience: Like me, most of you are privileged white people who consider yourselves progressive. Which means you harbor unconscious biases and you’ve probably behaved in ways that perpetuate systemic racial inequities. Like I said, the truth hurts. Up until very recently, I didn’t fully understand the meaning of terms like “unconscious bias” and “aversive racism.” And so I couldn’t recognize these things in myself. I recognize them now. By not challenging racist systems that exist in our industry—which was the very topic of the story I decided not to publish—I was protecting those systems. I can’t change the way I responded to this writer’s story proposal or the fact that I ultimately passed on it. I can’t change the ways I’ve benefited from systemic racism. But I can change the way I behave going forward. There I go, centering myself again. Yes, it is a journey. Much of this issue of The Voice focuses on the pandemic impacts on our industry, yet I decided to use this page to highlight racism. That’s because someday the virus will pass, while systemic racism, if we continue to enable it, will go on and on. Many of us are waking up to this fact, and perhaps, like me, you have a lot of catching up to do. I will keep listening, learning. I recognize that as the gatekeeper to the platforms I lead, I have the power to elevate the voices of marginalized people or silence them. You have power, too. Whether you lead a company or just got your foot in

the door at one, you can foster much-needed change. I am working with others to change the culture at my parent company. And with my staff at The Voice and at SNEWS, I’m trying to take small steps at repair in these pages. When we started working on this magazine five months ago, the world was a vastly different place. The Black Lives Matter movement was founded seven years ago, but for many white people in our industry, BLM still meant Bureau of Land Management—until the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others ignited the country. And the coronavirus? Five months ago, it was just a 60-second blurb at the end of the nightly news. How long ago that all seems now. The magazine you hold in your hands has been revised dozens of times throughout this spring of discontent, as we’ve striven to keep it relevant in the face of a dizzying news cycle. We’ve tackled the coronavirus from multiple perspectives in a package starting on page 57 and throughout the entire issue as it relates to topics like OIA (p. 16), sales reps (p. 28), human resources (p. 30), and more. There’s also a consistent thread of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in these pages from activist profiles (pages 25 and 89), reports on transparency (p. 50) and gear affordability (p. 52). Finally, Juan Michael Porter II shares his story and calls on the outdoor industry to elevate JEDI work to the level of our conservation and climate efforts (p. 80). Is it enough? Clearly not. Is it genuine? You’ll know through our actions—and our words. The stories and people you see in our pages will change, and we will look to this community to help us report deeply and truthfully. After all, the truth can hurt, but it will also move us forward.

Kristin Hostetter Editor-in-Chief

Staff Question:

What was your quarantine silver lining? My closets and drawers have never been cleaner

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN- CHIEF

Kristin Hostetter DEPUT Y EDITOR

I finally digitized old trip slides

Dennis Lewon

No traffic More time to pursue passions

CULTURE EDITOR

Homemade sourdough bread

Corey Buhay

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

SALES GROUP SALES DIREC TOR

Rob Hudson

303-253-6324 rhudson@aimmedia.com

Take-out margaritas!

TR ADE SALES MANAGER

Casey Vandenoever

Getting my 80s Daryl Hall hair back

303-253-6419 cvandenoever@aimmedia.com

Shannon Davis, Casey Lyons I’m finally writing that book!

More time to play my banjo

Converted a camper van

Extremely short commute time (PR: 53 seconds)

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Andrew Weaver

CONTRIBUTORS

The world was available to listen to Black Lives Matter

Amelia Arvesen, Kelly Bastone, Leonard Beard, Nailah Blades, Jensen Brehm, JoAnna Haugen, Kiran Herbert, Michael Hodgson, Courtney Holden, Dave Howard, Abigail Johnson, New baby, Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan, Michael Lanza, Joe Magee, Justin WFH husband! LaVigne, Patrice LaVigne, Marc Peruzzi, Susan Pieper, Juan Learning Michael Porter II, Tracy Ross, Shawnté Salabert, Drew Simmons, cocktails and hand pies Nikki Smith, Chris Solomon, Kara Richardson Whitely, Participating in Leonardo Wolfson community mutual aid

Being forced to ski more backcountry

Disc golf and sanity walks

PRESIDENT & CEO

Andrew W. Clurman E XECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CFO

Brian Sellstrom

VICE PRESIDENT, GENER AL MANAGER/PUBLISHER

Sharon Houghton

More time with my kids

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPER ATIONS

Patricia B. Fox

DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY ART DIREC TOR

Erin Douglas

PHOTO EDITOR

Louisa Albanese

VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUC TION AND MANUFAC TURING

Barb Van Sickle

Early morning fresh air

VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL PRODUC TS & PL ATFORMS

Katie Herrell

VICE PRESIDENT, PEOPLE AND PL ACES Hanging out with my dog, Glinda

PRODUCTION PREPRESS MANAGER

Joy Kelley

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Kiran Herbert

Blades is CEO of Color Outside, which introduces women of color to the outdoors through coaching, workshops, and retreats (p. 27). “It’s no secret that the outdoor industry still lacks diversity,” she says. “I’ve often flipped through outdoor magazines or catalogs and felt like I didn’t fit in because no one looked like me. But when I do find someone like me, oh the sense of belonging! I wanted to share my story so that others might be inspired to keep moving forward on whatever their own big vision is.” Quarantine silver lining? “Despite the chaos, I’ve been able to slow down and connect more deeply with my family.”

Boulder-based Herbert has worked across industries at small companies without HR departments, so she knows the challenges many businesses face when it comes to budgeting for benefits. “The values-driven business model is important to me, and the pandemic has really highlighted how creating a culture of empathy and belonging—regardless of company size—is so important in today’s world,” she says of her piece outlining HR advice for small businesses (p. 30). Quarantine silver lining? “So many incredible resources have been made free, like wellness and meditation classes, which I’m definitely taking advantage of.”

Michael hodgson

Juan michael porter II

As an outdoor industry veteran (former president of SNEWS and co-founder of HITravelTales.com), Hodgson was eager to explore how our industry is responding to the coronavirus crisis (p. 64). “Overnight, thousands of businesses were having to answer one question: If you had to virtualize your business today, what would that look like?” he says. “I was surprised that some larger companies and events lacked imagination, inspiration, and leadership, and seemed completely unprepared to pivot. It’s clear that companies that were already engaging with their communities digitally and virtually will be the ones that survive this.”

Quarantine silver lining? “Everyone is developing a deeper appreciation for community, both personally and in business. We all have more concern and respect for each other’s well-being. I hope that continues.”

An avid hiker, former pro dancer, and running coach from Irvine, California, Porter is a culture journalist with a passion for introducing Black and Brown kids to the outdoors. “Whether teaching ballet in Brooklyn or designing outdoor fitness programs for kids from Jersey City housing developments, my greatest triumph has been introducing thousands of students to the world beyond their five-block, inner-city radius,” he says. “I wrote this article (p. 80) to inspire industry leaders to implement change. Current events have shown us that there’s a huge audience of marginalized people who are willing to fight the good fight to save the world. We all

know that it will take more than marching. So let’s work with protesters to preserve the environment not only for our community, but for the nascent hikers in theirs.” Quarantine silver lining: “We’ve all suffered tremendous loss but none of us are giving up on the world.”

BLADE (JUAN MICHAEL PORTER II); PHOTO BY COURTESY

Nailah blades

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BEN LINDBLOOM (NAILAH BLADES); PHOTO BY COURTESY; DAVID

contributors

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contributors

under the law even if we aren’t equal economically.” Quarantine silver lining? “I appreciate birds more than ever. And I’m glad that I’m surrounded by my family.”

Christopher Solomon A writer whose work often appears in Outside and The New York Times, Solomon was surprised to find how gun-shy many outdoor companies were when it came to talking about manufacturing in China. “At a time when ‘supply chain’ has become a household phrase, with the pandemic causing delivery disruptions of everything from protective masks to backpacking tents, I wanted to explore what supply chains for outdoor companies look like today,” he says of his report on page 74. “Even for companies not sourcing from China, the country’s reach and influence remind me of that quote from ‘The Godfather’: Just when I thought I was out, they

pull me back in.” Quarantine silver lining: “The main road into my home valley in Washington State was closed, so the locals had the trails to themselves.”

In 2018, Smith, a 20+ year veteran of the outdoor industry, came out as transgender. “Although I didn’t change as a person, how people now perceive me has changed drastically,” she says. Her experience inspired her to advocate for underrepresented groups through speaking, photography, and writing (p. 27). “As I’ve opened myself up and allowed people to know the real me, I feel so much more connected to my art,” says Smith. “And my ability to connect with others has grown with it.” Quarantine silver lining? “I’ve finally found time to focus on personal projects I’ve sidelined for paying work (like a second edition to my Uinta Rock climbing guidebook).”

Kara richardson whitely During her research for our Transparency Report (p. 50), Whitely learned that nine out of 10 Americans believe that transparency within businesses is more important than ever. The Summit, New Jersey-based author of Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds (which is being made into a movie), says “I’m one of those nine. As my family tries to make more sustainable choices, I’ve found myself wanting to know more about the things I buy.” Quarantine silver lining? “This article was assigned right as we went into lockdown mode, so many of my sources were still figuring out how to manage the chaos. But because of that, I found

everyone to be more human and vulnerable. I learned more about their families, fears, and hope for life when this global pandemic is behind us.”

PHY (KARA RICHARDSON WHITELY); KARI MEDIG (CHRISTOPHER SOLOMON)

Throughout his life, Peruzzi struggled with authority, especially when unjustly applied. “It grates at me,” he says. “That’s probably why I was a philosophy major in college and went on to write essays [for Outside and Mountain] that have to do with societal rules and customs that don’t make sense. The maxim ‘the customer is always right’ is one that I’ve wanted to write about for decades.” Peruzzi confesses that he was surprised to find he was still angry with the customer (p. 29) who treated his employee so poorly all those years ago. “We don’t live in a caste system in this country. We’re all equal

NIkki Smith

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: PHOTO BY COURTESY; LAURA HUGHES (NIKKI SMITH); RAJAN CHAWLA PHOTOGRA-

Marc Peruzzi

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GET OUT MORE

The Get Out More Tour has gone virtual!

JOIN US ONLINE FOR THESE EPISODES: July 9th: Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina • MAST General Store (Waynesville, NC) • River Sports (Knoxville, TN) • The Local Hiker (Spartanburg, SC)

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Around SD) Tour in your Look• Roam’n for the Get(Rapid Our City, More • Fin and Feather (Iowa City, IA) area• Bushwhacker April–November 2020. (Peoria, IL) For tour schedule, dates and details visit August 27th: Bitterroot Mountains of Montana

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oia HEalth check

business

A close look at the current state—and possible future—of Outdoor Industry Association’s funding model.

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIN DOUGLAS

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UNDERSTANDING GEN Z / PAIRING FOOD AND GEAR / EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL GOES NEXT-LEVEL / HOW POLITICAL SHOULD OUTDOOR BRANDS GET? 15

business / industry buzz

The state of OIA A healthy trade organization is key to a healthy industry. How has the pandemic affected Outdoor Industry Association, and how will OIA fare in the future? BY AMELIA ARVESEN

ow do I apply for a paycheck protection loan? What if I have to furlough employees? How do I pivot my manufacturing to make PPEs? What if I have to close my business? These are the types of questions the Outdoor Industry Association fielded when its 1,300 member businesses began calculating the economic impacts of the months-long coronavirus quarantine. OIA immediately changed course and established a COVID-19 resource hub, and redirected everyone on staff to work on coronavirus response. It would have been a challenging pivot in the best of times, but the pandemic came at a crux moment for OIA. The crisis threatens the 31-year-old organization’s funding model—which was already under pressure—and OIA’s new executive director, Lise Aangeenbrug, took office

just a week before stay-at-home orders started shuttering outdoor businesses around the country. “There’s no roadmap for this,” Aangeenbrug says. “Our singular goal right now is to help our members survive.” But by prioritizing its members, OIA is putting off a question of its own, one that it must answer from within: How will OIA survive this? Is OIA itself healthy and strong enough to be the beacon of leadership that the industry needs right now, and in the future? OIA’s complex relationship with Outdoor Retailer

Even before the crisis, OIA faced a potentially unreliable long-term funding model, with most of its eggs in the basket of Outdoor Retailer. OIA’s $8.9 million annual revenue comes, in large part, from Outdoor Retailer royalties (58 percent). The remaining revenue comes from Outdoor Foundation donations (18 percent), membership dues (16 percent), and other sponsorships (8 percent). In many ways, it’s a smart model because OIA doesn’t have to constantly ask its members for more money, says Phyllis Grove, OIA board member and VP of marketing and ecommerce at Hydro Flask. (Annual membership fees range from $250 to $30,000 depending on the size and type of the organization.) However, it also puts OIA at risk. Even with healthy reserves, Aangeenbrug says, OIA needs the national trade show, otherwise it would be in trouble. Now OIA is in that troubling situation. In response to the pandemic, Outdoor Retailer canceled the 2020 Summer Market. A few weeks later, VF Corporation chipped in 15 percent ($55,000) of its Summer Market refund to OIA, recognizing that the cancellation creates “a critical funding gap in OIA’s traditional revenue stream,” Smartwool (part of VF) Brand President Jen McLaren said in a news release. A few other brands—Patagonia, W.L. Gore, Hydro Flask, and NEMO among them— followed suit. And on June 1, OIA made

the tough ask to the broader industry. Nora Stowell, board chair, in a letter urged members to make a donation that replaces the royalty fee brands would have paid through exhibiting costs. “The health of OIA is tied to the health of the industry,” she wrote. “When they canceled this year’s show, I thought, ‘I don’t know how OIA is going to survive,’” says Carolyn Brodsky, co-founder of Sterling Rope Company. She has been among those in the industry to question Outdoor Retailer’s relevance and cost structure, as well as protest OIA’s dependency on the trade show, but she believes the association has an important leadership role to play. Peter Sachs is of a similar mindset. As the general manager of LOWA and a member of OIA, he relies on the trade show for business. But, “To me, [OIA] sold their soul when they agreed to endorse Outdoor Retailer exclusively,” Sachs says. “I wish they had owned it and then gotten an organization like Emerald Expositions to run it for them. OIA’s future is controlled by a corporation that’s not in the outdoor, ski, or bike industry. They’re in the trade show industry.” Wrestling with revenue

Revenue diversification has been on OIA’s slate for the entire 11 years Travis Campbell, VF president of emerging brands and Americas platforms, has served on the board. Because the partnership with Emerald Expositions, Outdoor Retailer’s owner, remains strong, he says, nothing signaled to the board that they needed to make a sudden, drastic change. Change has always been incremental. For example, new programs like the Skip Yowell Future Leadership Academy and the Futurist Project brought in $100,000 in (combined) sponsorship funds. In January, OIA gathered a task force to discuss funding alternatives—part of its ongoing efforts to tackle the problem. By March, when it became clear that its members were focused on trying to meet their own basic financial needs, OIA

2018 OIA Financials

Outdoor Retailer royalties & related activities - 58% Foundation contributions - 18% Membership dues - 16% Other sponsorships - 8%

Manufacturers, distributors & suppliers- 905 Associates- 217 Retailers & sales reps - 178

1,300 Member Companies decided to table the discussion about its own funding model. “It’s hard to talk to people about money when they’re hurting,” Aangeenbrug says. Another new, revenue-producing program, the Outdoor Industry Business Certificate, was due to launch in early 2020. OIA now expects it to go live later in 2020, with university partners like Utah State University and Western Colorado University. Still, the annual revenue it would generate is small potatoes compared to the more than $5 million from Outdoor Retailer. “It’s time to have a more transparent conversation with our members about funding,” Hydro Flask’s Grove says. “It’s very clear that with the cancellation of the summer show, we have to accelerate the way that we request more money from members.” Shifting to a direct dues model—a much higher cost for members—is the only real solution for relieving OIA entirely of its dependency on Outdoor Retailer, says Campbell. But to do that, he says OIA has to be clear on its value proposition: “You have to deliver a lot of value if you’re going to ask for more money and that’s the part we continue to wrestle with.” Shelley Dunbar, co-owner of Neptune Mountaineering and former co-owner of Sea to Summit, says she would much

rather pay a higher OIA membership rate and see OIA put on its own smaller show than pay gobs of money to the for-profit trade show that’s often unattainable for the smaller brands who make the industry competitive. “It’s the single biggest expense in our marketing budget,” she says. As Campbell sees it, though, it’s not an either/or conversation. He believes that while trade shows overall are struggling, OIA’s cut from Outdoor Retailer will never drop to zero because he has faith in OR. “Who knows, they may not even be called trade shows in the future,” Campbell says. “But OR will figure out an economic model that works for them that supports this industry.” Time to shine

During crisis, a trade association has the opportunity to be an invaluable resource. OIA was quick to establish a COVID-19 hub, which Grove found invaluable. Dunbar, however, wishes OIA used this time to refocus on the trade membership. Yes, fighting for public lands is important, she says, but there are other groups that can and should take the lead, like The Conservation Alliance and The Access Fund. Retailers are a subset of the indus-

$8.9 Million in Revenue try that has been underserved, Brodsky and Dunbar say. “It would be beneficial for me if OIA enabled retail members to share information like best practices, best software, and point of sale systems, or if they brought back the Retail Benchmarking Report,” Dunbar says. There’s also work to do on the diversity front, both internally and externally. OIA knows it has a responsibility to better integrate more BIPOC voices and make JEDI progress across all programs. And to help members do the same, OIA says it will host facilitated sessions this summer with people from diverse backgrounds educating industry leaders. Once the pandemic crisis settles down, Aangeenbrug says she looks forward to getting back to moving the outdoor industry forward. She cites the Climate Action Corps, a program launched in January to help companies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, as one such initiative. And of course, OIA’s future funding model will be top of mind as the industry moves into an uncertain trade show future. Whatever the fix, Brodsky wants to see OIA lead and innovate: “This is a time when retailers and organizations and members need their association the most.”

business / your next customer

THE AUTHOR ON THE TRAIL LAST SUMMER

Gen Z arrives Do you know how to connect with the country’s most diverse generation? BY ABIGAIL JOHNSON

hen I backpacked on the Long Trail in Vermont last summer, I received plenty of comments on my gear. The thru-hikers who camped with my friend and I had a laugh at my 40-year-old Therm-a-Rest, which probably looked even more weathered next to my new Osprey pack. According to an Ernst and Young report, Gen Z is known for our innovation and persistence, and my mismatched kit is just one

example of how my generation puts those traits to use in the outdoors. I’m a 19-yearold college student and an avid member of the Dartmouth Outing Club, and I have loved the outdoors since my first camping trip at age three. My story is one of countless in Gen Z, the largest and most diverse generation in the United States, ranging in age from roughly seven to 23. And despite fears that we’d be tied to screens, we’re getting outdoors. About 60 percent of Gen Z participates in outdoor recreation according to the Outdoor Foundation’s 2019 Outdoor Participation Report—that’s 10 percent more than the national average. But while existing research can give you some insights into how Gen Z thinks and shops, those generalizations don’t always apply to the outdoorsy among us. To learn more, I surveyed 42 members of various college outing clubs. First, good news for traditional retailers: We like to shop in stores. Other studies have found that’s true for a majority of Gen Zers, and my survey agrees (74 percent). But we use the web to research products, look for authentic testimonials, compare prices, and learn about a brand. We expect transparency, and to be able to find answers to all our questions fast whether we’re at home or on the shop floor.

Second, Gen Z outdoor enthusiasts approach bargain hunting in a different way than our mainstream peers, who prioritize low price above all. My research found that 55 percent prioritize either overall quality or durability in outdoor gear. Elliot Ng, a Dartmouth undergrad, is a good example. He identifies his socioeconomic status as lower-middle class, but he won’t trade reliability for a lower price. His response may also explain a crucial difference between outdoorsy Gen Zers and the average: Though a 2019 Cassandra report found only 23 percent of Gen Z consider themselves brand-loyal, my survey reported 50 percent—for critical outdoor gear, we go back to brands we trust. These findings should encourage brands that are embracing the values in this issue’s trend report (p. 47): durability, affordability, and transparency. However, it’s important to realize that half the battle in marketing to us occurs before we’re ready to buy. The college students I surveyed have all borrowed or rented equipment before buying, and 69 percent rent from their schools. That’s an opportunity for brands: Engage with the programs that are helping us get outside and forge relationships with us from the very beginning. Finally, consider this: Two-thirds of Gen Zers surveyed reported that some aspect of their identities—whether it be socioeconomic status, gender, race, or something else—challenged their access to outdoor gear. Remember, this generation is 48 percent non-white and is seeing historical increases in female outdoor participation. It’s time to double down on making newcomers feel welcome, not “ashamed and afraid to ask dumb questions” as one respondent put it. The industry has work to do to welcome women and minorities. We see right past a new color on a women’s product or a token image in an ad. Tell us what you’re doing behind the scenes in product development, management hires, and outreach programs. Many Gen Zers are working to address the injustices that prevent equitable outdoor access, and we expect the outdoor businesses we support to do the same.

business / shop talk

A Taste For Retail Brand shops from Philly to Portland blend consumer goods with good food. BY COURTNEY HOLDEN

ommunity building is a natural evolution of outdoor gear shops. After all, they’re great places to learn, get inspired, and meet would-be climbing, riding, or hiking partners. But it’s hard to achieve this in traditional retail, which is designed around product, not people, says Matt Liddle, chief operating officer at Snow Peak USA. “You’re cramming a bunch of people who want to find community into spaces that are not designed for that to happen.” What Liddle describes isn’t a secret. Savvy outdoor retailers across the country host a range of gatherings from speaker nights to how-to events. They house coffee shops, snack bars, and even taprooms. These strategies all get people in the door for reasons other than pure buying missions, but a handful of brand stores are raising the bar even further. “Sitting around a campfire with friends is healing,” Liddle says. “We thought, ‘How do we put that at the heart of our headquarters?’ And it’s obvious: It’s food and drink, a place for people to gather.” As a result, the almost 15,000-square-

ROCKY MOUNTAIN UNDERGROUND COMBINES SKI GEAR WITH PUB FARE, CRAFT COCKTAILS, AND A HIP APRÈS VIBE AT ITS WHISTLER BLACKCOMB LOCATION.

PHOTO BY COURTESY

foot flagship store Snow Peak is building in Portland will dedicate roughly one fifth of its footprint to a 120-seat, open-kitchen concept restaurant called Takibi. Drawing from the company’s Japanese roots and inspired by similar projects in Japan, the name means “campfire,” and will be a lunch/dinner/bar hub pairing the ambiance of a fire with the casual shared-plates menu of a mountain izakaya, or Japanese pub. United By Blue (UBB) was an early pioneer in this trend, first pairing food with fashion when it opened its Philadelphia-based flagship in 2017. Featuring locally sourced, seasonal, organic ingredients, the food is an embodiment of the brand’s core value: sustainability. Meanwhile, Rocky Mountain Underground’s (RMU) take on restaurant-plus-retail focuses on night life. Its Whistler Blackcomb store, which opened in 2019, includes an art-filled café serving salads and sandwiches by day, and transforms into a hip bar with award-winning craft cocktails and pub fare by night. Despite their different approaches, each brand serves up community, something we all have a taste for. “These spaces are about connection and being able to be a part of something,” says Mike Waesche, president of RMU. So what’s the ROI on fostering community? These store owners say adding food and beverages to their retail spaces has been a smart business decision, one that gives their customers a chance to, as Liddle says, “marinate in your brand.” UBB co-founder Mike Cangi agrees. “Even if you’re a super fan of the brand, you’re not coming in more than once or twice a month, whereas we have people come in literally seven days a week. They may just be getting food from us, but they’re consistently surrounded by our brand,” he says. “It’s in their subconscious, so when it comes time to make an intentional purchase, our customer is more likely to spend a little more on our organic cotton button-up versus the one they could buy at J.Crew for a little less.” Liddle emphasizes that Takibi is not just a marketing play; it’s meant to be profitable

in its own right. Both UBB and RMU’s restaurants already are. In fact, since 2017 UBB’s Philadelphia flagship store as a whole has experienced double-digit year-over-year growth and roughly 50 percent of its revenue comes from food and beverage. It was on course to maintain those numbers until midMarch when COVID-19 forced closures. Like so many other businesses, both UBB and RMU have since responded to the crisis in ways fitting for their brands. When forced to close its doors, UBB transitioned to takeout, and also began operating as a mini grocer offering organic produce and eco-friendly dish soap, laundry detergent, and toilet paper. RMU’s take on takeout includes craft cocktails. Takibi still plans to open this summer, but with more of a mercantile-meets-Michelin-star vibe offering chef-prepared camping meal kits, firewood, and other outdoor sundries. Like all of us, these retailers are eager to reconnect with family, friends, and customers. About Takibi’s eventual grand opening, Liddle says, “My hope when we’re on the other side of this thing is that Takibi is a place to gather and celebrate being able to go outdoors together again.”

business / show biz CARPET-FREE AISLES (SHOWN AT OUTDOOR RETAILER) ARE JUST ONE OF MANY WAYS A TRADE SHOW CAN GREEN UP.

The Big Gear Show promises to keep sustainability front and center from day one. BY JOANNA HAUGEN

utdoor Retailer Summer Market 2020 will go down in history as the lowest-impact mass trade show the outdoor industry has ever seen. But that’s only because it didn’t happen. Joking aside, let’s assume—and hope—that once the coronavirus pandemic is behind us, we will once again convene as a big, happy outdoor family at Outdoor Retailer and other events. And when we do, many hope that shows will level up on sustainability. With so many outdoor companies committed to minimizing their impacts on the planet, shouldn’t our trade shows represent the pinnacle of our sustainability efforts? Amy Horton, senior director of sustainable business innovation for Outdoor Industry Association, thinks so: “If we’re going to tackle sustainability, then we have to reflect that in all our events,” she says. By nature, trade shows inflict a huge environmental footprint. “It’s constructing a small city inside a convention center, tearing it down after a few days, and building a

new one, over and over again,” says Kenji Haroutunian, former Outdoor Retailer show director and current director for The Big Gear Show (BGS). Over the years, Outdoor Retailer has made efforts to reduce its environmental impact by eliminating aisle carpet and single-use plastic bottles, among other things. But it’s not enough. Outdoor Retailer knows it has to up its sustainability game. That’s why it conducted a sustainability audit of the 2019 Summer Market and 2020 Snow Show to establish a baseline of event impact. At press time, audit results had not been released. The Big Gear Show is not waiting for an audit. The brand-new event, which had to postpone its debut from this summer to August 3-5, 2021, plans to set a new standard for sustainability out of the gates. Organizers say low-impact practices will be baked into the show’s foundation, and go way beyond carpeting and recycling. BGS promises to be a zero-waste event by year three. One key component of BGS will be an early-and-often communication plan with exhibitors and attendees to create a waste-conscious buy-in. Incentivization is key, Haroutunian says. For example, exhibitors will be able to snap a photo of a palette wrapped in cord instead of plastic visqueen and submit it for a discount. The same goes for companies that use upcycled or recycled booth materials or

host zero-waste happy hours. “Based on how an exhibitor does, they’ll get discounts and preferred locations at the next show,” says Haroutunian. BGS also plans to closely monitor the trash exhibitors leave behind during take down and be proactive about communicating with them, both by celebrating the stars and helping offenders to do better. Beyond the show floor itself, BGS is exploring other ways to make the event sustainable. Through a partnership with Utah State University’s Outdoor Design Program, they will collect unusable fabric from exhibitors prior to the show. Students will then upcycle it into sellable product on site, reducing carbon and water pollution impacts in the supply chain. BGS will offset carbon for both the show and qualified retailers in year one, and for exhibitors down the road, says Haroutunian. “We’re also thinking about rules of engagements with food trucks and hotels to support our zero-waste goals,” he says. Haroutunian acknowledges that there could very well still be large event restrictions in place next summer. “Managing waste from masks and gloves may be a new reality,” he says. “But we will adapt. We cannot allow sustainability to be forgotten about in order to just get back to business. That’s out of step with our end customer.”

PHOTO BY ADAM MOWERY

Shows get green

business / messaging THE FUTURELIGHT CABIN IS A STEAL AT $50 PER NIGHT, WHICH INCLUDES LOANER GEAR AND OUTERWEAR FOR TWO PLUS A CHILI DINNER.

retail gets real Deep in the Wyoming wilderness, an innovative brand/retail partnership proves that authentic experiences lead to sales— and next-level loyalty. BY LEONARDO WOLFSON

PHOTOS BY MEGAN BAUMEISTER

es Allen, co-owner of Sunlight Sports, had a problem. His shop in the Yellowstone National Park gateway community of Cody, Wyoming, bustles with tourists during the busy summer months, but business tapers off sharply during the long, quiet winter. An ardent proponent of experiential retail, Allen struck on an idea that would allow his local customers to experience—and ultimately buy—the new, high-end line of Futurelight apparel from The North Face, which had impressed him during early testing. He found a charming cabin an hour from town with out-the-front-door access to a ski area, Nordic trails, and endless miles of backcountry. Then he pitched the idea to The North Face: an immersive, authentic outdoor experience with Futurelight gear at its core. The North Face immediately signed on.

Allen sent an email blast to his local customers, explaining the concept: Check in at Sunlight, pick up a customized duffel of apparel and gear and a cooler of food, head off to the cabin for a few days of outdoor fun, then come back to Sunlight to return the loaner gear. (Each customer gets to keep a pair of TNF ThermoBall booties.) Within 36 hours, the whole winter (14 weekends) was sold out. Although Sunlight doesn’t turn a profit on the cabin rental itself, Allen says that’s OK. “Our end goal is to get consumers to have a great time and really associate that quality experience with our shop and the Futurelight collection,” he says. Although his desire to better connect with his own winter clientele was the catalyst for the idea, he was also looking for an industry-focused outcome, proving to other specialty retailers just how doable these types of experiential retail projects are. TNF Account Marketing Manager Katie Ratchuk says her brand has worked with all its specialty stores in different ways to effectively launch Futurelight (which hit markets in October 2019). “The best way to understand the benefits of Futurelight is to experience it,” Ratchuk says.

Cody residents Dean Olenik and Annmarie McMahill were among the cabin’s first guests. “It was a dream weekend,” Olenik says. “We had an awesome day snowshoeing out the door and followed fresh mountain lion tracks for miles over logs and through thick brush. And we fell in love with our stretchy, breathable Futurelight outerwear. We’ll definitely be upgrading our shell gear.” The log cabin itself is cozy, but nothing fancy: three beds, a fireplace, a small kitchenette, a supply of board games, and plenty of TNF imagery on the walls. At the end of the season, all involved dubbed it a big success, and an example of how brands and retailers can work together to bring products to life for the consumer. Allen reports that nearly everyone who stayed at the cabin purchased Futurelight gear at full price. “From the beginning, it wasn’t so much about getting a large quantity of customers,” Ratchuk says. “It’s about building credibility with trend-setting influencers and establishing credibility in the market. Yes, it’s a small pool of people, but the ripple effect is huge.”

business / Pivot

Go behind the scenes to learn how Outdoor Research transformed its Seattle factory overnight so it could make much-needed masks. BY SHAWNTÉ SALABERT

n early April, when Washington Governor Jay Inslee asked local manufacturers to aid the coronavirus response by producing personal protective equipment (PPE), Outdoor Research already had a head start. The Seattle-based brand had announced two days earlier that it was pivoting production to medical-grade masks, aiming to produce 200,000 per day by June. Outdoor industry brands across the country have responded to the crisis by providing critical aid, from shoes to cash (see page 70). But Outdoor Research was uniquely positioned to make a significant contribution on a tight timeline. Not only does the company have a Seattle factory filled with skilled, veteran sewers, it has also spent the last 30 years producing tactical gear for the Department of Defense, which necessitates nimble operations. Still, building the capabilities to make technical PPE for medical professionals is no small task. Especially when you have to do it on the quick and keep workers safe from a highly contagious virus. Step 1: The factory shuttered for two weeks while a team made preparations

for safety and specialized manufacturing. They repurposed an entire floor, converting warehouse space to a production facility with both cut-and-sew capabilities and a handful of new machines purchased for making N95 respirator masks. Materials sourcing proved an even bigger challenge, since it had to be done domestically; shipping from overseas would take too much time. Jason Duncan, Outdoor Research’s head of tactical, innovation, and corporate social responsibility, says that when his team finally connected with suppliers, they found a silver lining. “Nobody tried to gouge us,” he says. “Everybody wanted to help.” That spirit of camaraderie was crucial to navigating the complexities of securing approval from the FDA; help came both from within Outdoor Research and from external consultants, including a contact of Duncan’s in the medical field who advised the brand pro bono. Perhaps most importantly, the factory employees, all of whom returned to work in staggered shifts, felt a sense of shared purpose. “During our two weeks off, a lot of my sewers actually asked, ‘How can we help in the meantime?’” says Feng He, senior production manager. Those workers have been busy crafting three types of PPE since returning to the job, starting with cut-and-sew fabric masks. They then began producing roughly 140,000 FDA-approved surgical

masks per day in late April. And once the new machines were tooled to churn out FDA-approved N95 respirators (50,000 per day), another hundred new hires joined the factory. Of course, safety protocols were also enhanced. For example, anyone who enters the facility waits outside on a series of spaced, painted dots, where they get temperature checks, answer health-related questions, and don protective equipment. While the pivot to mask production was a response to this unique crisis, it will likely remain part of Outdoor Research’s business model well into the future. “Because we’re new to this business, we’re not exactly sure what ‘normal’ looks like in terms of sales channels, value, or cost. We believe we have a sustainable model, but we’ll be evaluating constantly,” says Brent Zwiers, director of operations and production. “For now, our goal is not making money; our goal is helping the community and helping those in need.”

PHOTOS BY OUTDOOR RESEARCH

mask maker

THESE MASKS ARE DESIGNED FOR USE WITH AN INSERTABLE FILTER AND ARE MADE FROM POLYESTER FABRIC SOURCED IN THE U.S.

business / Face off

Should outdoor brands endorse politicians? This year, the question may be more important than ever, but two industry powerhouses—Patagonia and REI—disagree.

Yes, we support candidates who support the home planet. —CORLEY KENNA, PATAGONIA DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

PHOTOS BY PATAGONIA / BOONE SPEED; REI CO-OP

From Patagonia’s first catalog essay about clean climbing, published in 1972, to our most recent film, “Public Trust,” we have worked to foster an honest and direct conversation with our community about the value of wild places. These conversations are guided by an important rule: We always communicate as friends and equals. It was with these principles in mind that, in 2018, we decided to do something no large outdoor company had ever done before. Ahead of the midterm elections—and with

our name and label front and center—we endorsed candidates running for federal office in Montana and Nevada. We wanted to make it clear to voters in those states who we thought would best champion public lands in the U.S. Senate. These endorsements were neither supported by dark money nor intended to turn the Senate blue. Instead, they were about continuing a conversation we started 48 years ago. They were about naming candidates who would protect America’s “best idea.” As our founder Yvon Chouinard put it in a letter to members of 1% for the Planet this April, “Remember, vote the assholes out—all of those politicians who don’t believe we should do anything about climate change. Vote for the planet and against those who would do nothing.” Patagonia’s mission statement is: We’re in business to save our home planet. We see an important opportunity for protecting our planet by making our position crystal clear on who we think will champion clean air over reckless profits, wild rivers over greenhouse gas-emitting dams, public lands over mines

and wells, and a regenerative organic food system over industrial, chemical-intensive factory agriculture. In the end, we think our friends want to know.

No, they shouldn’t. It’s not our job to pick candidates. —MARC BEREJKA, REI CO-OP DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

For decades, REI Co-op has believed in the power of engaging and partnering with lawmakers on issues affecting the outdoors. We’ve also deliberately chosen not to engage in individual campaigns for public office. This approach has roots in the co-op structure that is core to who we are. We align

business, member, employee, and social goals, all to awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors. This commitment to shared purpose—building bridges rather than widening political divides—is central to our cooperative business model. Individual campaigns for office are inherently multi-faceted. Candidates’ campaigns compel strong positions on the environment, individual liberty, gender and racial equality, healthcare, character, and more. For REI, it’s natural to engage on outdoor issues. Yet we ultimately serve our member-owners, a community of 19 million with a breadth of perspectives and beliefs well beyond the outdoors. We’re committed to championing and acting in accordance with our values, but we don’t see the role of the business as taking “sides” around individual candidates. Recent court decisions may make it easier for corporations to influence campaigns, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. We celebrate informed voting but believe it’s better for individuals, not companies, to choose their candidates.

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culture

Fresh Voices Meet some of the strongest emerging voices in the outdoor industry. These four took a break from reinventing outdoor essentials, pushing the limits of climbing media, and shattering preconceptions about gender and race to introduce themselves. And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all ears. NIKKI SMITH

PHOTO BY LAURA HUGHES

THE MYTH OF FREE SAMPLES / CRISIS-READY HR / TOUGH CUSTOMERS / SHOUT-OUTS AND LOVE / THE PROS AND CONS OF PRESS TRIPS 25

26 1 2

3 4

CLAIRE OSWALD; PHOTO BY COURTESY

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: PHOTO BY VANCE JACOBS PHOTOGRAPHY; PULL PHOTOGRAPHY;

culture / fresh Voices

1 [E NTR E PR E N E U R]

Susan Pieper

CLAIRE OSWALD; PHOTO BY COURTESY

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: PHOTO BY VANCE JACOBS PHOTOGRAPHY; PULL PHOTOGRAPHY;

FOUNDER AND CEO OF DMOS COLLECTIVE @THESUSANPIEPER, DMOSCOLLECTIVE.COM

MAKING SHOVELS WAS NOT my childhood dream. But around 2014, I noticed my son using (and breaking) garden spades to build kickers in our backyard in Jackson, Wyoming. I realized no one was making tools durable enough or packable enough for people like him. In 2015, I founded a company to reinvent the shovel for a modern, outdoor life. That year DMOS, which stands for “Do My Own Sh*#” as a nod to independent adventurers, launched its first Kickstarter for the Kicker Tool (now the Stealth Shovel), a collapsible, full-size shovel and rake combo, to overwhelming response. Then, a year later, came my next moment of inspiration: I got my vehicle stuck in Wyoming’s Wind River Range 14 miles from the nearest road. A portable shovel would have saved me a $600 tow—or worse if I hadn’t had cell service. In 2019, DMOS introduced the Delta Shovel for car campers and off-roaders. Today, we empower people to get out in the backcountry with the knowledge that they can get themselves unstuck. Because the worst shovel problem is not having one when you need it.

I STARTED CLIMBING IN THE 1990s and was instantly hooked. In 1998, I found work at a climbing gym and have been a member of the outdoor industry ever since. I’m the author of five climbing guidebooks, have photographed and written features for climbing magazines, and completed more than 150 first ascents across the West. Throughout my 30-year climbing career, I was always looking for people like me, but I never encountered another trans climber, at least that I knew of. Eventually I began to believe I wouldn’t be accepted if people knew who I really was. That feeling almost cost me my life. Now, I’m trying to change that lack of representation in the outdoor industry by speaking out for LGBTQIA+ issues, changing the focus of who I photograph and write about to improve representation, and working to empower and support others who are advocating for change, both in this industry and beyond. I didn’t have someone to look to during my journey of self-discovery. Now, I want to be the woman I needed to see when I was younger. [PHOTOG RAPH E R]

Nikki Smith CLIMBING PHOTOGRAPHER AND ATHLETE @PULLPHOTO PULLPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

3 [I NVE NTOR]

Jensen Brehm FOUNDER OF OMBRAZ SUNGLASSES @OMBRAZ OMBRAZ.COM

IN 2011, I WAS ON A CAMEL SAFARI in India when someone sat on my sunglasses. Both sidearms immediately snapped. Desperate, I tied a piece of cord to the broken hinges and wrapped it around the back of my head. It worked so well, I wore that same pair of MacGyvered sunglasses for five more years. Enough people inquired about the design to propel the business idea. In 2018, I teamed up with a friend, Nikolai Paloni, and launched an IndieGogo campaign for Ombraz Sunglasses (ombra means “shade” in Italian), where we raised $200,000 in pre-orders. Within three months of shipping the first shades, Ombraz won a BACKPACKER 2019 Editors’ Choice Award. Ombraz plants 20 trees for every pair of sunglasses we sell, sequestering 330 times more carbon than it takes to produce and deliver each pair. By our calculations, that makes our glasses the most carbon-negative product on the market. That first pair of broken glasses should have ended up in the trash. Instead, they inspired some revolutionary shades for eyes everywhere, and some much-needed shade for degraded landscapes.

I’D ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF an adventurous person but not an outdoorsy one. That changed when my family and I moved from Southern California to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2016. It was during a time of personal and professional transition, and I found that exploring the outdoor spaces around my new home helped me slow down and reconnect with my passions. I also felt intimidated by how homogeneous outdoor recreation was. I soon discovered how powerful it felt to show up confidently as myself in these spaces that haven’t traditionally existed for people like me. This epiphany inspired me to start Color Outside, a nationwide organization that combines personal coaching, a supportive community, and curated outdoor adventures to help women of color use the power of the outdoors to create joy-filled, balanced lives. In 2020, we’re building more local chapters in North Carolina, California, and the Northeast so we can continue spreading the message and creating more experiences to empower women of color to move confidently in the outdoors, and in turn their daily lives. [COM M U N ITY B U I LD E R]

Nailah Blades Wylie @NAILAHBLADES COLOROUTSIDE.ORG

4 27

Sampling Error? Most brands require reps to pay for their sample lines, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Is it fair? BY COREY BUHAY

or reps, there’s no such thing as a free sample. While ambassadors, athletes, and media get free products to test, independent agencies are responsible for ordering, paying for— and offloading—every product they show. “For one of my brands, I carry on average almost $40,000 a year in samples,” says Andy Molter, founder of Brandywine River Reps, which serves New England and the Mid-Atlantic and represents brands like Eagle Creek and Chaco. Compare that $40,000 to a $70,000 commission on the same brand, and the stakes of recouping the cost of those samples at the end of the season are high if the agency wants to make payroll for its employees. This is especially tricky this year, given that some reps footed sample bills before the coronavirus halted spring retail. For others, samples weren’t available to buy. “Our facility was shut down before we could finish manufacturing them,” says Wigwam sales director Brad Bates. He says production will restart soon, but predicts most brands will delay Spring ’21 launches to give retailers time to work through existing inventory (see p. 67). Other reps expect their brands to save Spring ’21 lines for Spring ’22, or to let them return unused samples for a refund. Even in normal years, most brands have buy-back programs that let reps return samples of products that get dropped. But for most samples, it’s usually up to the rep to find a way to recoup costs. Because sample prices are negotiated as part of every sales agency contract, they

SAMPLE SALES—LIKE THIS ONE OUTSIDE SALEWA’S BOULDER, COLORADO, OFFICE—ARE ONE WAY REPS OFFLOAD GEAR AND RECOUP COSTS.

vary. On average, though, vendors give reps 20 to 50 percent off wholesale. That might sound like a pretty good deal, but it’s still 10 to 20 percent above “landed cost,” the bare-minimum dollar amount it takes to manufacture the final product. It hasn’t always been this way. When Molter entered the outdoor industry 20 years ago, samples were often covered in the contract and provided at no cost to the rep. (In some industries, like housewares, that’s still the norm.) According to Molter, it’s only the last 10 years or so that outdoor brands started charging reps a reduced wholesale cost. “We’ve become a profit center for a lot of these companies,” says one rep, who preferred not to be named. “They look at us as a line item.”

Brands argue that pre-production sample runs are expensive, and the landed cost of a sample can actually be higher than that product’s in-season wholesale cost. Rather than profiting off the rep, the brand is simply sharing that loss. Besides, says one in-house rep who asked to remain anonymous, selling discounted samples to agencies gives those agencies an opportunity to make extra profit. That’s misleading, say the independent reps. Yes, they can offload samples through yard sales, consignment shops, or one-off deals with friends and family, but it’s not a good solution. “I run sample sales out of my office for four weeks at the beginning of each season, but it’s cumbersome,” Molter explains. “It’s disruptive to the agency.” Leta Kalfas, owner of Colorado-based agency MtnStuff, says she profits on some individual samples but always takes an overall loss. (On average, she’s able to recoup 70 to 80 percent of what she pays for samples each year.) For small agencies, or those with a lot of clients, those losses add up and deflate already slim margins. Another issue with high sample pricing is that it makes it hard for reps to show dealers a rainbow set, versus a few samples and a bunch of swatches. That can harm the vendor, says Molter, especially with apparel, where being able to show off a jacket in all its colorways—an expensive proposition—can make or break a sale. The solution? One rep says vendors should pony up and provide the sets for free. Another would like to see brands with retail spaces support reps by buying back samples and selling them there. Others suggest a more moderate fix. “I’ll probably get daggers thrown at me for saying this, but I think the rep should have some skin in the game,” says Kalfas. “It’s our cost of doing business. However, I think we should get more help from the vendor [to bring sample prices down].” Reps don’t expect a free handout, says Kalfas. But making samples a little cheaper would help reps give dealers the best showing possible, rather than just the best showing they can afford.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CASARRUBIA

culture / road rules

culture / unfiltered IS THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS RIGHT? WE POLLED 175 RETAILERS TO FIND OUT.

just say no Whoever said “the customer is always right” needs a lesson in retail. BY MARC PERUZZI

came running up just in time to hear the customer verbally abuse my employee—a single mom struggling to make rent in Vermont’s then-depressed Northeast Kingdom. I was running retail operations for Jay Peak ski area, and I’d been working in or managing ski shops since I was a kid. By now, I could tell when a situation was about to blow up. I forget what the guy’s grievance was—I seem to recall he’d smashed his new goggles and wanted a free pair. Classic. Some customers have learned that if they repeat the words “I’m not happy” over and over again they get what they want. He started with that tactic, but then he got nasty. Hell, I’d have offered the guy a deep discount if he’d been civil. But he hadn’t. He’d been caustic to someone who worked exceedingly hard for little pay. When I politely asked the gentleman to leave, his face flushed and he puffed himself up. More obscenities followed, now directed at me. Resigned to a yelling match, I said something like, “You need to leave now,” and then, “Hit the bricks before I call security.” A college kid I’d just hired stepped up behind me in case the customer came over the counter. The guy stormed out but not

92 Say NO 8% Say YES %

87%

Have ejected customers from their store for bad behavior before letting fly a spittle-flecked “Do you know who I am?!” No, I thought, but I’m sure I will soon. And I did. He thundered directly into the office of the resort president (my boss) and chewed his ear off, too. Turns out he was a homeowner with some clout. Fortunately my boss just let the guy blow off steam, then stood behind me just like I’d stood behind my employee. The customer is not always right. That’s a worthless trope that should be retired from the retailer’s lexicon. Take undisciplined children for example. Letting them run around a store is parental negligence. (I know; I’m a parent.) But who gets sued when Little Billy opens up his scalp on an ice axe? Just as it’s better to lose a customer than an invaluable employee, it’s better to lose a customer than a lawsuit. That’s the behavioral stuff, but customers are often factually wrong, too. I worked in a basement ski rental shop in northern New Hampshire in college. One morning, a guy came in who was easily six foot seven. He asked for some 155-centimeter skis. I said, “Sir, those skis are at least 20 centimeters too short for you. On the hill, it’ll feel like you’re strapped to a pair of squirrels.” He wouldn’t be dissuaded, so I gave up. At about 4:30 p.m. he barged back into the shop with a blood-spattered face. In his mitts he grasped the pair of short skis like a broadsword. I stepped back from the counter, thinking I might get cleaved. “Look what your skis did to me!” the

berserker shrieked. He’d lost control, crashed, and landed on an edge. Textbook. People work in specialty ski, bike, and outdoor shops because they have a passion for such pursuits—and expertise in them, too. After the incident with the short skis, I decided to lean into that expertise. When shoppers insisted on buying ski boots two sizes too big, I’d first try a patient explanation, but if that approach failed? I’d make it abundantly clear that the fit guarantee was nullified. Sometimes I wouldn’t sell them the boot. When big boots pack out, you can’t control a ski properly, and skiers that lack control tend to get injured or quit the sport. The same is true for backpackers who buy ill-fitting packs, or cyclists who buy bikes that are too big for them. Retail work is about more than making a sale—it’s about asking questions, listening to the customer, and trying to intuit what they’re really after. There’s pride in that work. Outdoor industry salespeople aren’t just clerks. They’re responsible for spreading the love of a sport. We may live in a hostile and posttruth world these days, but decency and honesty still matter inside a shop. As you welcome customers back into your store after this unwelcome, virus-related hiatus, you might be tempted to heed any request, no matter how misguided. Don’t do it. Instead, stand up for the people who work for you. Control the unruly. And don’t be afraid to try to dissuade rogue customers from their ill-informed beliefs. It will only help them, even if they end up buying thier gear somewhere else. Be polite, but tell customers they’re wrong when they are. Own the expertise that you’ve earned. I shouldn’t have rented that goon those short skis that day. I’d been a ski instructor. I’d seen people flounder and hurt themselves on the wrong gear. You can’t always protect people from themselves, but it would have been the right thing to do.

culture / 9 to 5

Homegrown HR Is your small company prepared for crisis? BY KIRAN HERBERT

n March, as COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and an economic earthquake ensued, small businesses were hit hard. Many were forced to navigate layoffs and benefit reductions without an HR department. Then, in the wake of the summer’s protests against police brutality and systemic racism, many companies reexamined existing policies and prioritized new ones through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Both crises underscored the need for strong human resource policies. A disaster preparedness plan can insure small companies against unexpected illness, family emergencies, and interpersonal blowups. And HR policies form the scaffolding of company culture; fostering an anti-racist culture is the key starting point for any workplace DEI efforts. If you don’t have an employee handbook, start there, says Roy Notowitz, president of Noto Group Executive Search and host of the podcast “How I Hire.” It should outline leave and time-off, workplace behavior, social media guidelines, and other issues. Companies should also state their policies around improving workplace inclusivity, including clear expectations for attending any mandatory

trainings or scheduled meetings devoted to DEI topics. (You can access handbook templates and workplace culture resources with a Society for Human Resource Management membership for $219 per year.) To find your standing on issues, says Lu Setnicka, owner of Setnicka HR Consulting, “You should ground all conversations around your mission and your values.” Do that and your policies will resonate with employees, improving trust and making them more likely to comply. Setnicka, who spent seven years as the global director of HR at Patagonia, recognizes that fulfilling company values is often easier said than done—not all small businesses can afford a comprehensive benefits package or onsite childcare facilities. Fortunately, some perks are free. “Flextime is the biggest thing small companies can offer that doesn’t cost a lot,” says Setnicka. It’s inexpensive to let people set their own hours, work remotely, or take off early on summer Fridays. Flexible or remote schedules can also be a component of inclusive hiring, as they let new hires stay rooted in their home communities. Besides, companies that already supported remote work and flexible hours also had an easier transition when the coronavirus hit. One example: Seattle sales agency Waypoint Outdoor. Before the crisis, some of its 26 employees already worked remotely and all benefited from a flexible schedule. Last year, Waypoint invested in technology upgrades, including virtual tools—just in time for a smooth transition to home-quarantine.

“HR policies form the

scaffolding of company culture.”

Carly Morava, a sales rep at Waypoint, credits the company’s high retention rate to its benefits and culture. She would know: As a cancer survivor and someone with fibromyalgia, Morava accepted her position at Waypoint in 2017 because of the company’s benefits and willingness to let her work on a schedule that suited her needs. “If I’m having a rough day it doesn’t matter if I stay home,” says Morava. “It’s just nice to have the flexibility to make things work for my life.” Hiring is another piece of the puzzle. “Busy leaders often do not have time or resources to recruit a strong pipeline of candidates beyond what is in front of them,” says Notowitz. He recommends looking beyond the pool of applicants, proactively calling and networking, and re-advertising the position on new job boards—including those beyond the outdoor industry—if the right candidate doesn’t apply the first time around. When employee grievances do arise, stick to what’s in the handbook, Setnicka says. For situations not clearly outlined, she recommends acting with compassion on a case-by-case basis, and listening to the needs of those involved. “It’s helpful to flip the narrative, and let the employee envision the solution,” she says. Above all, whoever is tasked with managing human resources—whether it be your operations manager or your senior software developer—has to have a direct line to leadership. “Human resources is the voice of the people,” says Setnicka. “And they need a seat at the table.”

COURTESY OF CARLY MORAVA

HR-APPROVED: STAFFERS AT WAYPOINT OUTDOOR ENJOY A POST-WORK HAPPY HOUR.

culture / 5 hard questions

Who’s talking

Trippin’ A single brand-sponsored press trip can cost between $10,000 and $100,000. Will coronavirus signal the end of an era? And if not, is the return worth the expense? 1. Is the cost of press trips excessive?

HEADSHOTS BY COURTESY; GROUP PHOTO: LOUISA ALBANESE

Josh Weichhand: We’ve taken people packrafting in Alaska and cliff jumping in Baja, California, and those trips usually cost about what you’d spend if you went on your own—$2,000 to $3,000 per person. For us those costs make sense because they’re not a single line item—they’re an opportunity to generate press leads and gear reviews ahead of a trade show that we can point to as we’re meeting buyers. It’s also a way to generate assets for marketing the product. That said, Chaco has made the decision to cancel all our press trips through the remainder of 2020. We do not expect a return to normal any time soon. The pandemic has affected not just industry travel or attitudes about staying near home, but media outlets and their budgets, too. Lots of brands pulled advertising during Q2, and we’re seeing many established media companies steering toward contribution models or other means of funding. That means they may not have the flexibility or staff support to attend trips anytime soon. 2. Will coronavirus put an end to big-ticket trips? Ryan Hayter: I expect small-group press trips to start up again by fall of 2020.

Josh Weichhand (@weichhandddd) Creative Director of Chaco

Will Taylor (@dubyataylor) Gear Director at Outside Ryan Hayter (@haytergram) Founder of Hayter Communications and Founder/President at Hayter Industries

Brand marketers are still measuring when it will be safe and responsible to activate, but the media and influencers I work with are anxious to get back on the road. I can’t say that life will ever get back to normal, but people in our industry have a thirst for big adventures, and that will never change. Plus, at the end of the day, the goal is to build life experiences where everyone on the trip becomes close allies. Do that, and you’ll see stories about that trip coming out for the next decade. I’ve taken journalists to Stockholm, Honduras, and Alaska. We’ve sat with bears on the Katmai Peninsula. Those are experiences that participants still talk about years later. 2. How do journalists decide which press trips to join? Will Taylor: For us at Outside, the bar is really high—a trip has to meet the litmus test of is there enough potential of a good story that it’s worth sending someone. It’s hard to justify spending time out of the office if it’s not going to give us a return on that investment. I think there’s a lot to be said for press trips that are smaller and closer to home. They’re easier for those of us with family or other commitments, and would potentially have a lower environmental impact. In the future, it would be nice to see a balance of different types of press trips— from nearby to far-flung.

CHACO TOOK JOURNALISTS PACKRAFTING IN ALASKA IN 2018.

4. How do you decide whether a trip was worth the investment? Josh Weichhand: To measure a trip’s success, I’m grading first on impressions, second on quality of content, and third based on the relationship building that’s come out of it. I look at the articles that get published and how many people they’ve reached. Are the people who came posting on social media? Are they reaching their personal networks? Does that create a little FOMO that will create additional interest from other media? 5. Do media get booted from the invite list if they don’t generate impressions? Ryan Hayter: I’ve often seen executives say something like, “I didn’t see a story from this person and we spent this much money.” But it’s up to your marketing or PR person to create an event that deserves that coverage. The other thing is that the stories don’t always come out right away. That’s OK. If you put on a good experience, that relationship is there, and you’ll eventually see the fruits of that. We once took a journalist on a Coleman trip and got nothing out of her for quite some time. A year later we got a feature story in the Wall Street Journal and it sold a lot of product. So it doesn’t always happen overnight, but it always happens.

culture / homage BLUEBIRD BACKCOUNTRY CO-FOUNDER ERIK LAMBERT GETS IN SOME WELLEARNED TURNS AT HIS NEW SKI AREA.

lovefest

sales manager. In August, after 50 years in the industry and 35 with Asolo, Franks will retire from his role as general manager. Asolo Sales Director Henry Barber, who’s known Franks since carpooling to Yosemite with him and Yvon Chouinard in 1974, calls Franks honest and consistent, with a skill for remaining unruffled in high-stress situations. “He’s an industry legend,” Barber says. Franks plans to continue as an Asolo board member, but aside from that, he says his future is undecided. “I’ll leave that page open and blank,” he says.

BY COREY BUHAY

Earn Your Turns

eff Woodward didn’t realize how hard it was to get into backcountry skiing until he took his brother for a tour, got him hooked, and had to break the news: To do this sport properly, you need avalanche training, expensive equipment, and lots of mentorship. Cue light bulb moment. Woodward called ski partner Erik Lambert, and the two founded Bluebird Backcountry, a beginner-friendly, ski-patrolled, human-power-only ski area. “We wanted to create a welcoming, safer place for people to get the basics down,” says Lambert. After a few trial days in 2019 to gauge interest, Bluebird opened for a 14day test season near Kremmling, Colorado, in February 2020. For $50, guests got allday access, plus amenities like free bacon and hot cocoa, on-site gear rentals, and beacon trainings. Within a month, Bluebird had 1,000 paying guests. The takeaway, says Lambert: The world is finally ready for a human-powered ski area.

Road to Recovery

April 20, 2020, Malcolm Daly, the O nfounder of Great Trango Holdings and a

prominent and beloved figure in the outdoor industry for more than 45 years, suffered a stroke after an e-bike ride near his home in Hailey, Idaho. This was his third stroke, which his wife Karen Daly says is likely related to damage from a 2004 heart attack. After surgery to remove a clot in his brain, Daly spent nearly two months in an intensive neurological therapy program to repair damage to his language center. Karen says Malcolm tackled the work with his customary optimism and made good progress, but will continue daily therapy

from home for at least the next year. As of June, family, friends, and colleagues raised over $53,000 via GoFundMe to cover the high cost of that ongoing care. Despite the difficulties ahead, the couple plans to continue biking, camping, and Nordic skiing. “We’re going to keep living our lives,” Karen says. “Every day is a gift.”

Banking on Conservation

he term “card-carrying environmentalist” just got a new definition. This July, in partnership with 1% for the Planet, Bank of the West launched a new savings account designed for climate action, the first of its kind in the U.S. It comes with a compostable debit card, lets users track the carbon impact of their purchases, and donates one percent of account revenue (which would otherwise go to the bank) to environmental causes. Bank of the West already had a strong environmental record. In 2016 it began restricting the financing of fossil fuels, palm oil, and other industries that harm the planet. In February 2020, it became the first financial institution to join the Conservation Alliance. The eco-conscious divestment strategy has also helped the bank attract new business: Protect Our Winters became a customer just this summer.

A Legend Retires

n 1975, a friend called Bruce Franks, then a rep for sleeping bag brand Camp 7, and offered him a job: “Want to get into the shoe business?” Franks’s response: “Shoes stink, don’t they?” After some convincing, Franks became Asolo’s first U.S.

Love Letter: to our customers

Your loyal support kept us from going under. By Brendan Madigan coronavirus W hen forced us to close our doors in midMarch, I knew we had to get creative to survive. As the sole owner of Alpenglow [in California], taking on more debt wasn’t an option for me. By then, some customers reached out to offer bridge loans, which got me thinking. I sent a heartfelt email to our customers on March 19, asking them to support us by buying gift cards. That money would become our bridge loan—a win-win because customers got future gear and we got an interest-free cash advance. We were floored by the response. Multiple people purchased $5,000 to $20,000 worth of gift cards, amounting to $100,000 as of April. People told me that, in the early 90s, as ski bums living the dream, they bought their first backcountry kits at Alpenglow—and still shop with us today. Whatever curves life threw, Alpenglow was there for them. Now, those customers wanted to be there for us. They kept us alive, allowing us to continue to inspire others to do what inspires them.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN WILHELM (TOP), SCOTT ROKIS PHOTOGRAPHY (RIGHT)

Tipping our hats to big ideas and the best folks in the biz

Announcement! July 1, 2020 Since joining Pocket Outdoor Media as CEO last August we have made a number of investments in the business. Most notably we added to our editorial staff, acquired the Roll Massif cycling events series, and closed a seed fundraising round that advanced the development of our digital web experiences that we launched in April. Today I am excited to announce another major investment to the Pocket Outdoor Media business with the acquisition of the Healthy Living, Fitness, and Outdoor divisions of Active Interest Media (AIM). Included in the AIM acquisition are 16 iconic brands, some of which date back over 50 years: Yoga Journal, SKI, Climbing, BACKPACKER, Warren Miller Entertainment, Oxygen, IDEA Health and Fitness Association, Clean Eating, Vegetarian Times, Better Nutrition, NatuRx, Muscle & Performance, Nastar, Fly Fishing Film Tour, National Park Trips, and SNEWS. The AIM brands will join Pocket Outdoor Media’s stable of endurance sports brands: VeloNews, Women’s Running, Triathlete, PodiumRunner, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloPress, and Roll Massif, a recently acquired event production company that produces a series of 8 iconic Colorado cycling events. The acquisition brings together best-in-class brands, diversifying Pocket Outdoor Media’s platform and allowing us to better serve the active lifestyle enthusiast as well as our media and strategic partners. The expanded business will continue to focus on putting the needs of our readers first by delivering content and experiences across the wide range of activities that you are passionate about - not just running, cycling, and triathlon. The strength of these collective brands positions us to build the premier active lifestyle media destination to meet the needs and interest of our readers on a daily basis, whether they’re beginners or experts—looking for a training plan, healthy recipe, event coverage, nutrition advice, injury prevention and more. Our mission is, and will continue to be, to inspire people to do the activities they love—yoga, cycling, cooking, skiing, running, swimming, hiking, or climbing—with greater enjoyment and knowledge. The future of Pocket Outdoor Media is bright and I look forward to the next 12 months as we integrate these amazing brands to deliver best-in-class content and experiences. Please join me in welcoming the Fitness, Outdoor, and Healthy Living teams from AIM to the Pocket Outdoor Media family. Thanks for your continued support and I hope to see you at an event or out on the road. Be healthy and stay safe, Robin Thurston CEO, Pocket Outdoor Media Have questions or comments? Email me at CEO@PocketOutdoorMedia.com

POM_THEVOICE_2020.indd 1

7/1/20 1:11 PM

PROMOTION

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6/23/20 11:26 AM

gear

The voice 50 The hottest products of the season, ranked. BY JUSTIN AND PATRICE LA VIGNE

fter all but losing spring 2020 to the pandemic, retailers and consumers alike are looking for gear to get excited about in 2021. So excited, in fact, that we decided to add their votes to our ranking of the season’s top products. Together, we’ve pored over, narrowed down, and rated this year’s submissions to bring you the 50 most coveted products of the season, ranked.

Winner!

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

With all the supply chain disruptions and bleak sales during the pandemic, many brands and retailers are focused on selling through what’s currently in stock. So we opened up our TV50 nominations to select in-line products as well. They are indicated with an Available Now! icon.

Available Now!

WHY DURABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND AFFORDABILITY ARE TRENDING IN THE OUTDOORS / ARE WE FOOLING OURSELVES ABOUT RECYCLED POLYESTER?

gear / season’s top 50

BREAKING DOWN THE VOTES

2 3

Winner! $199 (for Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket, insulation pictured on previous page) THE PROMISE This new synthetic insulation makes a massive dent in carbon emissions. THE DEETS Patagonia’s Nano Puff will be the first jacket to feature the lightweight and highly compressible PrimaLoft Gold P.U.R.E. (Produced Using Reduced Emissions), a 100 percent recycled synthetic microfiber material. The production process saves roughly half the carbon emissions by binding the synthetic fill without heat, instead using an eco-friendly treatment to cure it with air.

2. Big Agnes TwisterCane Bio Foam Pad

material grown with rainwater, reducing the industry’s dependence on EVA foam.

3. MSR Guardian Gravity Purifier $250 THE PROMISE Get pure

water in minutes without breaking a sweat. THE DEETS The MSR Guardian Gravity Purifier uses two stages for purification. The hollow fiber technology removes viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, while the activated carbon reduces chemicals, tastes, and odors. The result: one liter of clean water in two minutes without any pumping. Bonus: no backflushing necessary, as the integrated purge valve does the work.

$50

4. Leatherman Free T4

THE PROMISE This su-

$65

perlight pad (8 ounces) is made from sugarcane, not petroleum. THE DEETS For the first time, a closed-cell foam mat is made from renewable

THE PROMISE Get a mul-

Available Now!

titool with true one-handed operation. THE DEETS Twelve tools are accessible from the outside with simple magnetic

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

1. PrimaLoft Gold with P.U.R.E. Tech

4 36

How did we come up with this list? We received 359 submissions from 159 brands. Prices ranged from $2 (for a packet of energy gel) to $4,799 (for a kayak). We culled the list to the most interesting 65 products, then put these finalists out for vote among three different user groups: our internal editorial team, a panel of retail shop owners, and consumers drawn from a group of superfans of BACKPACKER, our sister publication. Everyone voted on each product, assigning a rating from 1 (not interested) to 10 (very interested). Here are the top picks of each voter group. THE TOP PICKS FOR RETAILERS: Big Agnes TwisterCane Pad; Nemo Roamer Double Sleeping Pad THE TOP PICKS FOR CONSUMERS: PrimaLoft Gold with P.U.R.E. tech; Big Agnes TwisterCane Pad and Leatherman Free T4 (tie) TOP PICKS FOR OUR EDITORIAL TEAM: PrimaLoft Gold with P.U.R.E. tech; Big Agnes Sidewinder bag

7 8

6 closures, an architecture that eliminates fingernail use to deploy. Everything—from the four screwdrivers to the bottle opener—fit in this compact (3.6-inch) and light (4.3-ounce) package.

remains breathable and comfortable. The lid detaches to convert into a daypack, or just to slim down the pack for shorter trips.

6. Primus Lite+ $115

5. Osprey Aether/Aerial Plus 60L Packs $340

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

THE PROMISE This updated

version of a proven winner supports even heavier loads. THE DEETS The Plus version of the Aether (men’s) and Ariel (women’s) features a lighter frame that carries closer to the body to better stabilize heavy loads, yet

THE PROMISE Get a backcountry stove for every kind of chef and every kind of meal. THE DEETS Versatility is the name of the game for the 16-ounce Lite+. It’s equally adept at quick-boiling (2:45 per half liter) and gentle simmering, plus it has a low center of gravity and even flame distribution. Bonus: includes a hanging kit.

7. Honey Stinger Protein Waffles Available $27 (12 pack)

Now!

THE PROMISE These snack waffles pack a protein punch. THE DEETS Now with 10 grams of protein per pack, these anytime snacks aid muscle recovery and taste like a treat. Wild Berry or Apple Cinnamon filling is sandwiched between two thin, crisp waffles. Our taste testers keep asking for more.

8. BioLite HeadLamp 750 $100 THE PROMISE It’s almost as bright as your car’s headlights

yet weighs only 5 ounces. THE DEETS With six light modes, a burst option to briefly produce 750 lumens, and a 400-foot beam on max, this headlight screams safety and versatility. The battery lasts 5 hours using 500 lumens, but a full 100 hours on low, with an 8-hour reserve power mode and powerbank. Trail runners and mountaineers alike will love the constant brightness mode. Most lights using alkaline batteries dim, but the use of lithium batteries prevents the typical discharge curve and keeps the lumens in a steady state.

gear / season’s top 50

$400 THE PROMISE This plush

pad for two is so comfy you just might forget that you’re camping. THE DEETS With 4 inches of open-cell foam and an R-value of 6, this double-wide, self-inflating pad provides a deluxe mattress covered in soft, recycled polyester fabric. The included pump means speedy inflation.

now there’s a bag built just for us. The Sidewinder contours to a side sleeper’s position while also allowing freedom of movement for rolling over. Even the foot box is contoured to the angle of the side sleeper’s feet. Body-mapped fill (650fill DownTek with synthetic overlays near the hips and feet) optimizes warmth.

11. Klean Kanteen Food Boxes $15-$60

10. Big Agnes Sidewinder SL $280 THE PROMISE It’s the ulti-

mate sleeping bag for side sleepers. THE DEETS 70 percent of us sleep on our sides and

THE PROMISE These

reusable, super-tough containers are ideal for storing snacks. THE DEETS Sold as a set or in three different sizes, these dishwasher-safe, stainless-steel storage containers

The case is water-resistant and protects against drops up to 8 feet.

13. POC Sports Tectal Race NFC Available SPIN Helmet Now! $250

12. PHOOZY Apollo II $35

Available Now!

THE PROMISE Protect your

phone in the wildest environments. THE DEETS If anything can protect your phone from the elements, it’s NASA space suit technology. The Phoozy combines a thick EVA foam with a patent-pending chromium thermal layer and UV coating that protects the battery from dying in the cold and overheating in the sun.

THE PROMISE This helmet protects you during and after a biking accident. THE DEETS Thanks to a near-field communication (NFC) medical ID tag in the helmet, first responders can instantly read your medical profile via any NFC-enabled smartphone and use it to inform medical decisions when you’re unable to speak. The fully wrapped construction, combined with POC’s patent-pending SPIN (Shearing Pads Inside),

9 11 38

don’t rust, shatter, or retain flavors (like plastic containers often do). The silicone lids are leak-proof and BPA-free, and the containers are sized for trail mix, sandwiches, or a whole picnic lunch.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

9. NEMO Roamer Double Sleeping Pad

silicone-injected pads, and precision straps, improves rotational impact and structural integrity, but the helmet still weighs less than 14 ounces.

14. Gregory Katmai/ Kalmia 50-65L

$260 (55L) THE PROMISE This pack moves with your body to provide ultimate comfort. THE DEETS The Katmai (men’s) and Kalmia (women’s) packs feature a ventilated, suspended mesh backpanel that cradles your lower back for fit and comfort. The customizable 3D hipbelt hugs the body and decreases rubbing and hotspots.

15. Six Moon Available Now! Designs Wild Owyhee 2P Tent $600 THE PROMISE Even the

tallest campers can sit up straight under this tarp tent. THE DEETS The dual-pole design affords 48 inches of headroom, and not just at the center point. Two doors and vestibules offer convenience, storage, and access. The NoSee-Um mesh skirt perimeter provides full ventilation and bug protection, and of course you get complete rain protection, all for just 1 pound. Available 16. Patagonia Now! Provisions Cacao + Mango Bar

17 bar delivers 140 calories.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

$27 (12 pack) THE PROMISE This natural fruit bar breaks the granola bar mold. THE DEETS Our testers say these bars make you feel like you’re on a tropical island, thanks to the organic blend of sun-dried mangoes, cacao nibs, bananas, and almonds. The pocket-size

17. Black Diamond Capitan MIPS Helmet $100 THE PROMISE Maximum

head protection doesn’t need to be hot, heavy, or uncomfortable. THE DEETS With a sleek, cradled fit and plentiful brain coverage, the Capitan

is cool and comfortable without compromising noggin protection. The MIPS technology absorbs and redirects oblique impacts to the helmet.

18. SPOT Gen4 Satellite Messenger $150 THE PROMISE This one-

way communication device

stands up to the roughest elements. THE DEETS The newest SPOT Gen4 messenger has an upgraded outer casing and water-resistant rating (IP68), plus prolonged battery performance, all for less than 4 ounces. The new mapping option stores more than 50 waypoints for tracking.

gear / season’s top 50 $6 (7 pack) THE PROMISE

Available Now!

Get gourmet coffee on the go. THE DEETS Cusa took the instant tea world by storm a few years ago, and now it’s jumping into the instant coffee game. For cold or hot brew, just shake or stir with water for 10 seconds to dissolve the blend. We got a sneak taste test and the verdict is thumbs up! Available in a variety of roasts and flavors.

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23. Big Agnes Goosenest Inflatable Cot $150 THE PROMISE This inflatable

20. Voormi Diversion Hoodie

Available Now!

$249

smooth impact and an unmatched gliding sensation. THE DEETS The newest Hoka debuts a lighter top layer of midsole foam paired with a radically extended heel section to absorb heel strike forces. The weight is just 7.2 ounces per shoe with 26mm of cushion in the heel and 21mm in the forefoot.

THE PROMISE It’s the cozy, stink-resistant hoodie you’ll reach for over all the others. THE DEETS This 21.5-micron merino wool jacket is reinforced with nylon fibers and finished with a DWR coating to deliver protection against the elements. Features include integrated thumbholes, a chest pocket with a headphone port, and a relaxed fit.

21. LEKI Cross Trail 3A $150 THE PROMISE These poles are purpose-built for both trail running and backpacking. THE DEETS At just over a pound per pair, the three-section Cross Trail 3A is a light and strong aluminum-shafted pole with a glove-like grip/strap system to help runners sail down the trail or trekkers power up big climbs, all while keeping a relaxed hand.

22. HOKA One One Clifton Edge $160 THE PROMISE The unique

heel geometry creates a

camp cot (pictured upside down to show the structural design) gets you off the ground for comfortable snoozing and packs down small for easy transport. THE DEETS The perimeter tubes elevate it 8 inches off the ground and stabilize the sleeper in the middle of the cot, even on uneven ground. The antimicrobial treatments inside the chambers prevent mildew, odors, discoloration, and degradation. At less than 3 pounds, it transports easily.

24. Superfeet Available Now! Trailblazer Comfort Insoles $50 THE PROMISE

Give your feet extra protection and comfort on the trail. THE DEETS This insole enhances the stability and comfort of any trail runner or boot and offers retailers a great upselling opportunity. Built with heel impact technology, shock-absorbing, dual-comfort foam, and a carbon-fiber stabilizer cap, these will turn the miles into smiles.

25. Therm-a-Rest Air Head Pillow Available Now! $43 - $48

THE PROMISE Get a better

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

19. Cusa Coffee

27 29

26 night’s sleep with this lofty but light synthetic pillow. THE DEETS Backpackers will hardly notice the extra 5.6 ounces, but they’ll appreciate the comfort of this 4-inchthick baffled inflatable pillow after a long day. It comes in two sizes and is shaped to fit into the hood of a sleeping bag. The brushed polyester outer is machine washable.

26. Vasque Footwear Satoru Trail LT $150 PHOTOS BY COURTESY

THE PROMISE This mini-

malist shoe protects and supports like a midweight hiker. THE DEETS The Satoru Trail LT strips away everything but comfort and versatility. With

zero drop for a natural stride and a one-piece molded mesh upper (no overlays, stitching, or glue), it’s lightweight but protective.

27. Cotopaxi Teca Calida Hooded Jacket $150 THE PROMISE A little bit

casual, a little bit technical, this colorful jacket diverts scrap textile from the landfill. THE DEETS Made from a combination of repurposed and recycled materials, this 2-ounce insulated windbreaker is sure to pop off the rack. It’s also reversible. One side features Cotopaxi’s signature color-blocking; the other a more subdued solid hue.

28. Matador SEG42 $190

Available Now!

THE PROMISE This load hauler combines the best features of a backpack, duffle bag, and packing cubes into one. THE DEETS With five zippered compartments, this 42-liter travel bag keeps you organized. Carry it like a pack or stow away the shoulder straps and use the top or side straps for duffel duty. It’s carry-on compliant and the nylon shell is durable and water resistant.

29. GSI Outdoors Lite Cast Frypan $29 THE PROMISE Get cast-iron performance without the weight.

30 THE DEETS Traditional cast iron fry pans are heavy, but, at 3 pounds, this thinner, 10inch skillet is 30 percent lighter than most. The polished cooking surface prevents sticking and eases cleanup.

30. Smith Lowdown 2 CORE $129

Available Now!

THE PROMISE Eco-con-

scious adventurers will wear these shades with pride. THE DEETS Created from recycled plastic bottles and castor oil plants, these are glasses you can feel good about. Even the microfiber bag comes from recycled single-use plastics. The polarized lenses reduce glare from sun and snow.

gear / season’s top 50 31. Kelty Grand Available Mesa Now! $130 (2P) / $190 (4P)

THE PROMISE This spacious

shelter won’t break your budget. THE DEETS Available in a two- or four-person version, this is an ideal three-season tent for entry-level backpackers. The color-coded corner pockets make setup a snap, and the large D-shaped single door and vestibule are roomy for easy entry/exit and gear storage.

proach shoes are so light and packable, they can send the route with you. THE DEETS The Tag LTs collapse readily into a flat package no bigger than their midsole, thanks to the twoway stretch polyester upper. A carry strap binds them together and the heel loop makes them a cinch to clip to your pack or harness once you reach the crag. They weigh 15 ounces per pair.

THE PROMISE These ap-

THE PROMISE This light-

weight, breathable, and grippy low-cut hiker is built for hot, dry, and rocky terrain.

drink with this affordable, allin-one device. THE DEETS The lightweight, reusable LifeStraw Go 1L bottle has an internal membrane microfilter along with a carbon filter, which combine

35. Kurgo TruFit Enhanced Strength Harness

Available Now!

$45 THE PROMISE Keep your

best friend safe, both in the car and on the trail. THE DEETS This multitasking harness works for standard walking as well as for clipping your dog into your car’s seatbelt system for safe road tripping. With steel hardware and five points of adjustment, the harness passes crash tests designed for child restraints.

32 33

$45

to remove bacteria, parasites, and harmful chemicals from up to 1,000 gallons of water.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

$135

34. LifeStraw Go 1L THE PROMISE Fill, filter, and

33. Danner Trail 2650 Campo $140

32. Black Diamond Tag LT Shoe

THE DEETS The Campo’s EVA midsole provides welcome cushioning and drainage ports, while the Vibram outsole easily tackles the desert’s sandy and uneven surfaces. The mesh upper and multiple drainage ports in the toebox and heel provide airflow and breathability to beat the heat.

36. Helinox Incline Festival Chair $120 THE PROMISE It’s the ulti-

mate festival chair. THE DEETS The DAC alloy

frame offers stability and support, and the sliding front feet adjust the seat angle for optimal comfort and positioning. The broad, flat contact points minimize impact on festival grounds and without legs, the 3-pound chair keeps a low profile, so you won’t block the action for people sitting behind you.

37. Merrell Moab Speed $120 THE PROMISE Merrell’s

best-selling shoe just lost some weight. THE DEETS The trail running version of this popular shoe keeps a low profile and weighs just over a pound per pair. The hybrid design tackles varied terrain with a Vibram outsole, 10mm drop, layered mesh upper, and padded collar.

38. Hydro Flask Outdoor Kitchen Collection $20 - $75 THE PROMISE Kitchenware

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

that’s ready to rough it, but sleek enough for fancy backyard cookouts. THE DEETS Eight pieces, including utensils, bowls, and lids, nest into a tote for easy portability. The stainless-steel construction is easy to clean and the double-wall vacuum insulation keeps foods hot or cold during travel.

39. Granite Gear Available Dagger 22L Now! Pack $100 THE PROMISE It’s the ideal

pack for ambitious dayhikers.

39 THE DEETS The Dagger utilizes Granite Gear’s arch system to anchor the frame to the hipbelt and distribute the load evenly. The 22-liter nylon packbag fits day trip essentials inside, but the stretch side and front pockets give it a little extra capacity.

40. Deuter Future Air Trek 50 + 10L $250 THE PROMISE This pack’s

calling card is versatility. THE DEETS One pack for

all: The ventilated mesh back and fit system adjusts to any body shape or size,

40 while the detachable toplid lets you add or subtract volume. A U-shaped front zipper means you can get to any part of the pack quickly and easily. And a roomy side pocket is big enough for a hydration bladder.

gear / season’s top 50

44. Bogs Footwear Kicker

35°F $150 / 20°F $170 THE PROMISE This zipperless bag is built with salvaged materials. THE DEETS Recycled, post-industrial fabrics that would otherwise go to waste form the 20-denier ripstop nylon shell, while the synthetic insulation is sourced from recycled water bottles. The bag has a self-sealing foot vent and an integrated pad sleeve.

$45

42. Karukinka Tase $329

Available Now!

THE PROMISE This will be

43 44

43. Outside Inside Explorer Essential Kit $50 THE PROMISE This kit is per-

45 44

the midlayer you reach for time and again. THE DEETS Combining three types of wool—alpaca, llama, and merino—into a single fabric is exciting, but comes at a high price point. All these cold-weather fibers have the overlapping benefits of wicking moisture and staying warm when wet, but the longer fibers of merino increase durability. Alpaca and llama fibers are hollow, contributing to the fast-drying and moisture-wicking performance.

fect for any kid who dreams of adventuring. THE DEETS Get your kids started early and safely with these essentials for exploring the great outdoors, whether it’s the backyard or the backcountry. The set includes a pair of binoculars, a legit orienteering compass, LED flashlight, a 4-in-1 whistle/thermometer, instructions, and a protective carrying pouch.

THE PROMISE Life hack for

parents: These eco-friendly, closed-toed kids’ shoes are easy on, easy off, and machine washable. THE DEETS Kids can use and abuse these shoes, all while keeping their feet dry, sweat-free, and less stinky. The new Bloom insoles come from algae blooms, which are dried into flakes and mixed with EVA to create a comfortable footbed, while also cleaning up water habitats.

45. Moon Fab Moon Shade $350

Available Now!

THE PROMISE Versatile

attachment hardware makes it easy to create ample shade whenever and wherever you need it. THE DEETS This portable, 420-denier polyester awning can attach to any vehicle or door frame (with heavy-duty suction cups) or even mount to trees, fences, and railings. When deployed, there’s 9 by 7 feet of coverage with UV protection and reflective coating. At 8 pounds (including its own carrying case) it can easily go from ball games to campgrounds.

46. Odlo Active F-DRY Light Eco Sports Baselayer $45 THE PROMISE This fast-dry-

ing tee is ideal for serious aerobic activity. THE DEETS Combining polypropylene with recycled polyester, this short-sleeved baselayer has a push-pull effect to regulate body temperature and keeps you smelling like a rose. And it’s ultralight at less than half an ounce.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

41. Sierra Designs Nightcap

48 47

47. EDELRID Tommy Caldwell Eco Dry CT 9.3 Rope $300-$380

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

THE PROMISE It’s a rope as

eco-conscious as Tommy Caldwell himself, with the first and only dry treatment that’s safer for the environment. THE DEETS Available in three lengths with a 9.3-mm diameter, the rope coils without tangles and has extreme abrasion resistance. The bi-color sheath makes finding the middle a cinch. And the Eco Dry 100% PFC core and sheath dry treatment are free of the fluorochemicals commonly used to provide

49 water- and stain-resistance to climbing ropes.

48. Level Six Freya Drysuit

for durability. The adjustable waistband system provides a precise fit.

$900

49. MTHD Traverse Trail Run Short

THE PROMISE This women’s

$95

drysuit has a unique rear access so she can answer nature’s calls, quickly. THE DEETS The zipper for the rear relief area is designed to be non-irritating when paddling in a kayak, sitting on a raft, or standing up on a paddleboard—so basically comfortable all the time. The waterproof/breathable fabric is articulated for unrestricted movement, with reinforced knees and elbows

THE PROMISE These men’s shorts are built to beat friction and irritation. THE DEETS A stretchy, 20-denier nylon paired with an underlying Polartec Power Dry polyester builtin boxer brief grants the flexibility and breathability runners need. A Polartec NeoShell pocket keeps your phone protected from sweat even while you’re Strava-ing a full day.

➲

KEEN Ridge Flex Mid $170 THE PROMISE These

boots actually make hiking easier. THE DEETS KEEN says that the pliable TPU inserts at key flex points (across the forefoot and at the Achilles heel) in this midweight hiker require 60 percent less energy to bend. That saves energy and combats foot fatigue, but it also nixes break-in times and improves durability, as leather tends to break down earlier at flex points. *This last minute entry missed our deadline for voting but we love the innovation and suspect it would have scored well, so we’re including it here without a ranking.

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6/30/20 7:58 AM

Gear / Trend report

The 2020 Trend Report With durability, transparency, and affordability gaining traction like never before, we dig into the forces behind these movements and some of the brands that are embracing them.

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIN DOUGLAS

Gear / Trend ReporT

[DURABILITY]

Tough is the new green If you’re serious about sustainability, nothing is more eco-friendly than products that don’t need replacing. BY MICHAEL LANZA

president of Mountain Hardwear, which has pledged that 80 percent of all materials used in its products will be recycled by 2024. “The best thing we can do to keep our impact in check is make really good things that people fall in love with and use over and over.” Making the connection between durability and sustainability will be a key part of achieving that goal. “We’re in the process of starting to put [that message] out in front,” he says. “For us, it’s going to be ‘love the jacket you have, repair it, use it, instead of just buying the latest, newest thing.’” That’s not an entirely new message, of course. Patagonia famously said as much in its 2011 “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad. But what’s new is the number of brands that are embracing the imperative and communicating it to consumers. Arc’teryx,

“The renewed emphasis on durability and its sustainability promise begs a question: How long should gear last?”

for example, is making it a brand priority. “While durability has always been part of our brand messaging and what our customers value about our product, we have increasingly articulated the connection between durability and sustainability,” says Katie Wilson, senior manager for social and environmental sustainability. She pointed to last year’s launch of Arc’teryx Used Gear, which has a clear message for consumers: “This program helps get the most use, and

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

trictly speaking, you don’t need to justify making durable products for the outdoors. “It’s just the right thing to do, to make equipment that isn’t going to fail in the field,” says Mystery Ranch project manager Luke Buckingham, speaking of the brand’s legacy of producing long-lasting packs. That design ethic drove the early evolution of the outdoor industry, and while it’s still embraced by many brands, we’ve also seen a trend toward flimsier fast-and-light gear, as well as influence by the broader consumer culture that favors everything new. But as more outdoor brands—and their customers—chase a sustainable future, they’re embracing product longevity in a new way. In a movement that’s gathering momentum, brands are recognizing and communicating that durability should be the first rule of reducing environmental impact. Of course, that doesn’t mean no impact. “Nothing any company in this industry does is sustainable. Everything we do is environmentally negative—it’s largely oil-based products,” says Joe Vernachio,

reuse, out of each Arc’teryx item, keeping Arc’teryx products in action and out of the landfill.” Patagonia’s Worn Wear program does the same, and REI is testing a pilot program that allows customers to sell used gear back to REI.

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

Measuring Durability The renewed emphasis on durability and its sustainability promise begs a question: How long should gear last? That’s not an easy question to answer. The amount of use—and abuse—a product endures varies. And while brands test and measure the durability of materials and construction methods, there’s no standardized testing for finished products. Plus, there’s the matter of intended use. A justin-case ultralight jacket isn’t as bombproof as an all-weather shell, but it can still last for years when used as intended. While many brand representatives express skepticism about creating a durability standard similar to, say, the EN standard for rating the warmth of sleeping bags, Christiane Dolva, head of sustainability at Fjällräven, says they’re involved in a project with the Textile University in Sweden researching how to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to create exactly that: a standard for measuring durability. In the meantime, should brands quantify their durability goals? Several months ago, Mystery Ranch began creating a two-pronged sustainability plan headed up by Buckingham, examining both sustainability—in materials, supply chains, and such—and durability. Mystery Ranch employs methods like doubling the fabric on pack bottoms and using heavy-duty zippers to ensure progress on the latter. Buckingham estimates a pack lifespan of “eight to 10 years as a good benchmark for regular use.” He says many of the packs that come in for warranty are that old.” As designers attempt to navigate these two tracks—sustainable materials and durability—they sometimes have to walk an awkward tightrope. Dolva says Fjällräven has found that recycled wool nearly matches virgin wool, but often needs some

mixing with synthetic (read: oil-based) material for reinforcement. High-tenacity and chemically recycled polyesters nearly match the durability of virgin polyester, but with mechanically recycled polyester, durability drops off by 10 to 15 percent. And then there are DWRs, or durable water-repellent treatments. The most effective DWRs are made with highly toxic chemicals, notes Vernachio. Eco-friendly versions don’t perform as well, and even though they can be reapplied, most consumers don’t go to the trouble. “People will only use a jacket [with an inferior DWR] for a year or two and then it will end up in a landfill,” he says.

review of Osprey’s new Archeon pack as an example. The review lauds its green materials, such as 100 percent recycled industrial scraps and a PFC-free DWR. But it also praises the 1,880-denier nylon canvas which “means this might just be the last daypack you ever buy (nothing’s greener than gear that doesn’t need replacing).” And it’s not just consumers who matter. Vernachio makes the point that Mountain Hardwear “wouldn’t be able to attract an employee under the age of 35 if we didn’t have a point of view on our impact on the environment. It’s one of the first questions people ask in an interview, regardless of the job.”

Growing Demand

Getting the Message Right

How much do outdoor consumers care about—or even understand—durability’s connection to sustainability? “There is a growing consumer awareness around taking care of and making repairs to products to prolong their lifespan,” Dolva says. “The connection to sustainability is perhaps not always clear, but that’s okay. If the motivation behind a consumer purchase is the desire to own a product they will wear and love for a long time, the sustainability factors are an added bonus.” REI, which is a driving force for most industry trends (see page 89), is also seeing consumers make the connection. “We’re continuously hearing from our customers that they want high-quality gear that’s built to last, all while minimizing our impact on the environment,” says Greg Gausewitz, REI’s product sustainability manager. “Every product has a footprint, but in turn every product is an opportunity to fuel a movement for good.” The media has a role to play in this movement as well. Eli Bernstein, gear editor at BACKPACKER, notes that while his team has spotlighted many green products in recent years and testers have critiqued product durability since the magazine’s first gear reviews were published, the connection between the two is a concept writers and editors should be promoting as well. Bernstein cites a recent BACKPACKER

It’s hard to make the case that any outdoor company has made sustainability central to its mission and brand marketing more consistently and effectively than Patagonia. As Corey Simpson, Patagonia’s communications manager, says, “This is what we’ve been doing for a really, really long time. We want it to be a social contract. We want you to take responsibility and we’ll take responsibility, too.” But that message has required decades of cultivation. Simpson acknowledges it won’t be easy for some brands to sell the concept that durability equals sustainability to their customers. “It’s really hard,” he says. “I talk to other brands and offer positive advice, but a lot of time a pivot like this feels foreign, it’s expensive, it’s not a language they can speak easily to their customer base. But those who stay committed are going to see success. For brands who just see it as a bullet point describing the company, it’s not going to work and it doesn’t stick around.” In an era when so many consumer goods—like electronics and fashion—get constantly updated and replaced, can the outdoor industry succeed by going in the opposite direction and selling products that discourage consumerism? If history is any guide, the answer should be clear. The industry’s past revolved around making gear that lasts, and its future will, too.

Gear / Trend report

[TRANSPARENCY]

show and tell Today’s consumers expect complete transparency from the companies they support. Sometimes, that means being so honest it hurts. BY KARA RICHARDSON WHITELY

Supply chain transparency is a fairly new concept. Fifteen years ago, nobody cared about where a product came from as long as it worked. But over the last decade—and even more so in the last five years—transparency has emerged as a key corporate value in the outdoor industry and beyond. Not only are we seeing governments, stakeholders, and NGOs demanding information about where goods come from, consumers are demanding it. “With the way people can track and trace everything these days, it’s very important to be open and honest,” says Ralph Oliva, professor of marketing at Smeal College of Business at Penn State University. Consumers are spending unprecedented time online researching the companies they support. That’s why, he says, more and more outdoor companies are lifting the veil when it comes to how they operate. Farm to Feet drills into all aspects of its operation on its website, which features a prominent “Our Supply Chain” tab with a wealth of information about where its

materials come from, how and where its socks are made, and the people involved in every step. And the company has invested heavily in communicating its story via packaging, custom videos, and more.

Supply Chains Can Be Messy Even if businesses find unsavory things when digging deep into their supply chains, these days it’s scarier not to be transparent about what you find. “Brands may discover things they aren’t proud of, but the best course is to fess up and admit it’s something they’re working on,” says Oliva. “The right customers will stay with you.” Transparency does eventually pay off, says Alex Scott, assistant professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University. “When companies audit suppliers, develop trusting relationships with them, and write contracts with penalties for unethical behavior, it will eventually lead to increased sales. Our research shows that people will pay two to 10 percent more for products from companies that provide

COURTESY OF BACKPACKER

ith all due respect to the many great outdoor sock brands out there, let’s be honest: For most consumers, socks are a commodity. So when the folks at Nester Hosiery, a North Carolina sockmaker, decided to launch a private label line called Farm to Feet in 2013, they knew they had to do something that would help them stand out. They landed on two key things: First, they would build socks that relied completely on a U.S. supply chain. Second, they would embrace total transparency. A prime example: When the leaders looked around the factory floor, they were appalled by the piles of wasted raw materials they saw, and asked themselves how they could divert waste from the landfill. The result was the Remix collection, launched in 2019, which turns these excess fibers into new socks. “This allows us to extend the life of existing materials while we figure out how to create less waste in the future,” says Katie Kumerow, director of sustainability for Nester Hosiery.

greater supply chain transparency.” He emphasizes that transparency isn’t so much about perfection as it is about progress.

COURTESY OF BACKPACKER

Leaders in Transparency Patagonia was an early adopter of transparency. According to the 2020 Fashion Transparency Index, it ranked 7th among 250 apparel companies analyzed (see right). In 2012, Patagonia launched a blog called Footprint Chronicles with a simple mission: to “be completely honest about where our products come from and the resources required to create them.” Vincent Stanley, Patagonia’s director of philosophy, has been involved with the blog from the beginning. Although he says it’s impossible to say how Patagonia’s transparency efforts have affected sales growth, it’s clear that the company’s honesty has created a lot of trust that they might not have had with products alone. “We make our values and how we act on them crystal clear,” says Stanley. “And we don’t shy away from talking about shortcomings.” For example, in 2014, Patagonia published an article called “Patagonia’s Plastic Packaging: A Study on the Challenges of Garment Delivery.” In it, the company admitted that it was contributing to the world’s plastic problem via shipping the garments it sells in polybags. The article details a series of failed experiments aimed at finding more sustainable solutions, like roll-packing with twine and paper mailers. As of fall 2019, Patagonia switched to 100-percent recycled polybags that can be sent back to the company for recycling (a spokesperson reports that 25 percent of bags shipped get returned). KEEN also has a strong transparency track record and, like Farm to Feet, a wealth of information on its website detailing its efforts. An example: In 2013, KEEN decided to examine its waterproofing treatments, which contained perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) that have been linked to a host of health problems. The company got to work. After 1,000 hours of testing, they hit upon non-toxic, PFC-free alterna-

The Most Transparent Outdoor Companies The 2020 Fashion Transparency Index ranks 250 large companies (with at least $400 million in annual sales) on their transparency in 5 categories: Policy & Commitments; Governance; Traceability; Know, Show & Fix; and Spotlight Issues. The following outdoor companies scored in the top 75 positions. Adidas (#3) Patagonia (#7) The North Face (#8, tied) Timberland (#8, tied) New Balance (#29) Helly Hansen (#60) Fjällraven (#69, tied) Mammut (#69, tied)

tives that met their quality standards. To date, this change means KEEN has avoided using more than 150 tons of perfluorinated chemicals. “It took cooperation and trust across our entire supply chain,” says Chris Enlow, senior director of philanthropy, advocacy, and sustainability. “We would never had gotten here without transparency.” And it’s not just consumers that are looking to support this kind of transparency, says Enlow. “Retailers are also demanding it in order to curate responsible and sustainable collections in their shops.” Lindsey Barr manages Blue Ridge Hiking Company in Asheville, North Carolina, which specializes in small batch ultralight gear. She says sourcing products with transparent supply chains gives them a leg up with customers. “It’s a way to differentiate what we sell from what everyone else sells,” she says.

Beyond the Supply Chain Other types of corporate transparency are equally important. Transparency in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts is

also on the rise among outdoor companies and recent events have created a sense of urgency. “It’s imperative that to begin the work of DEI, a company must first be transparent—at least internally—about the racial diversity of their employees and their failures to recruit or maintain a diverse work force,” says Teresa Baker, founder of the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge. Merrell, which signed the Pledge in early 2019, has fully embraced transparency in its DEI efforts and is among a handful outdoor brands doing an outstanding job, says Baker. Merrell knows that looking into the mirror is key to driving meaningful change. “Since signing the Pledge, we’ve done brand-wide, formal, biannual training sessions on JEDI topics,” says Chris Hufnagel, global brand president. “We have a culture audit next month that will inform our 2021 team learning sessions, and we’ll also be implementing a scorecard to keep us moving forward. [Merrell will share the results of both with customers.] As we continue the journey to diversify our team, our Merrell senior leadership team now more closely reflects the diversity of the population.”

Transparency is the Future Nester Hosiery’s Kumerow says brands need to be fearless in their transparency efforts. “By working to improve—whether it be supply chain or DEI efforts—and shooting straight, we’re opening the door for deeper connections and loyalty among our customers.” And hopefully that will be the saving grace as brick-and-mortar retail comes out of coronavirus hibernation. Kumerow says that when that happens consumers will want—more than ever—for the products they purchase to align with their values. She thinks that will give brands like Farm to Feet, which shares openly, an edge over the competition. In the end, the labels we wear are more than just labels. They stand for something, and most people want to know what they stand for.

Gear / Trend report

Image TK

going Low to grow

With lofty goals to be more inclusive, the outdoor industry is at a crossroads. Some say the key is lower-priced gear. BY TRACY ROSS

olly 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. “I always got cold in cheap sleeping bags. And if it rained, the tent walls would soak through,” says Phillips. As a result, Phillips’s earliest outdoor experiences were a combination of joy, because she was outdoors, and sufferfests, because her gear was so low quality. “But even as I grew older, I didn’t know any better because people like me—low income and outside the normal demographic of backpackers, climbers, or even avid hikers—are left out of the outdoor conversation,” she says. It wasn’t 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’s premier outdoor stores, Neptune Mountaineering. “When I saw the price tags, I was so bummed,” says Phillips, who was making roughly $16 an hour at the

time (which is more than five dollars above the national average minimum wage). “I knew I could never afford that stuff.” She is not alone. Outdoor Foundation’s 2018 Outdoor Recreation Report shows the high cost of gear is the second most common deterrent for getting outside. (“Too busy” was number one and “Places for outdoor recreation cost too much” 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’s a common problem says activist Cianna Walker-Flom, who has criticized the outdoor industry for being “intimidating and exclusionary for those who are underrepresented.” 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

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

[AFFORDABILITY]

new) gear at greatly reduced prices for lending libraries. The fact is, “affordable” 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: “It would take a minimum wage worker two full eight-hour days to afford new hiking shoes from most outdoor brands,” 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.

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

Gear Everyone Can Afford Brands have very different views on what’s 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 “entry-level” tent is out of reach for many people like Phillips. But, he says, skimping is risky. “Check the dumpsters in Moab. They’re full of Costco and Walmart tents,” he says. “It’s just not possible to make a $100 tent that will last. At least I haven’t figured out how to do it.” Kelty has almost cracked that nut—it 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’t intend to chase even lower prices. “Once a brand presents itself downstream, it’s very hard to go upstream,” he says. That creates a hole in the market which is precisely where two companies—Decathlon and Walmart—see 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. Con-

sumers 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’s scale—it has 93,000 employees worldwide—allows it to build gear at prices so low it’s easy to doubt the quality, but review after review, from the likes of Outside, BACKPACKER, and Runner’s World, praise the brand’s performance-to-price ratio. And hot on Decathlon’s heels is the icon of affordability in the U.S.: Walmart.

Walmart’s 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 “premium outdoor store” online. At the time, Comerford believed he was introducing high-end outdoor products to people who’d 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’d take the special out of specialty brands. Comerford learned from the failure. In April, he told The Voice, “We [moved] away from the Premium Outdoor Store because the whole idea of premium versus everyday brands ran counter to our goal of inclusivity.” Instead, he wanted to create an “everyday” brand that would offer “specialty-level performance and quality” to customers of Walmart and fill what he says is a huge gulf between mass market and specialty backpacking gear. “The most likely source of beginner backpackers are car campers who already enjoy life in a tent,” he says. “The 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—51 percent—of firsttime campers in 2018.” Comerford believes that price is standing in the way of more people becoming backpackers. So in May, he led the Walmart launch of two “mid-tier”

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’s and women’s 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’s huge audience—many 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’s move as opportunistic, not altruistic. “This is an issue of stores realizing they’re missing out on a whole market segment of passionate campers with limited funds. It’s great to have access to more affordable gear, but when it’s lower quality, you’ll pay now and then pay again when it wears out or breaks.” But Comerford remains adamant that Lithic and Allforth will break down barriers by leveraging Walmart’s massive, loyal customer base and introducing them to better quality gear. “With the current backdrop of Black Lives Matter, it’s never been more important to grow the outdoor pie by making participation more inclusive,” he says.

Gear / eco front

Recycled Poly: Eco savior or false hope? As more brands tout recycled polyester as the holy grail of product sustainability, it’s time to take a closer look at the stuff. BY COREY BUHAY

urning disposable plastic bottles into performance apparel sounds like a miracle. And on the surface, there’s a lot to like. According to a study from Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment, producing recycled polyester (rPET) uses around 60 percent less energy and emits 30 percent less carbon than its virgin counterpart (PET). And textiles made of recycled polyester also keep plastic bottles out of landfills, where they would otherwise take hundreds of years to decompose. So what’s the problem? For starters, rPET is responsible for the same microplastic-shedding issues as virgin PET. And though rPET has the same molecular makeup as PET, it isn’t

always pure. Most recycled polyester is mechanically recycled, which means it can be less durable than virgin PET because it’s been rigorously chopped up and remelted. Mechanically recycled PET also retains pigments from the original bottles and often has to be dyed multiple times to achieve consistent color, says Cheryl Zukowski, director of marketing at textile manufacturer Unifi. (Unifi makes a popular brand of traceable rPET called REPREVE.) Extra dye means extra pollution. Another issue with polyester clothing (recycled or not) is that it’s usually interwoven with fibers like spandex or cotton, so the finished product can’t be melted down and reused without taking it apart first. There are efforts to make products from 100 percent rPET, like GoLite’s ReGreen Windshell or The North Face’s Eco Trail Synthetic sleeping bag. But in a world where the average American throws out 70 to 80 pounds of clothing per year, most rPET will likely still end up in a landfill. Which begs the question: If rPET just pushes off today’s problem to tomorrow, should companies be using their R&D dollars to discover a more permanent solution? “We all lose sleep over this question,” says Matt Dwyer, senior director of materials innovation at Patagonia. Today, 85 percent of Patagonia’s synthetic materials

are 100 percent recycled. Dwyer says the brand is actively researching other options, but right now, he argues, rPET is one of the best stopgap measures we have. After all, the alternative to synthetic is natural fibers, which aren’t necessarily superior. “There’s this myth out there that because you grow it, it’s better, and that’s not really true,” says Dwyer. According to the Higgs Materials Sustainability Index, the current gold standard for eco-materials audits, both cotton and wool have impact scores twice as high as rPET. That’s because cotton and sheep farming are water intensive, and processing those fibers requires a lot of chemicals and energy. Even if you accept that rPET is the best choice at the moment, there are still obstacles to adoption. First, the economics: rPET can be up to 30 percent more expensive than virgin PET, especially for small brands that can’t leverage economies of scale with large product runs. There are also issues with fraud and “green-washing,” but those aren’t problems with the material itself. Eliminating plastic pollution completely is still the ultimate goal, albeit a long ways off, says Dwyer. “Recycling isn’t a perfect solution. But it’s today’s solution, and it’s a great place to start,” he says.

PHOTO BY COURTESY

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pandemic 2020 How the coronavirus crisis changes everything, from retail to manufacturing to trade shows

PHOTO BY LIGHTSPRING/SHUTTERSTOCK

PANDEMIC 2020

The pandemic shuttered retailers, canceled events, and forced members of the outdoor industry to do what they do best: dig deep. Get insight and advice from these 9 perspectives. PHOTO BY LEAH JEFFERS PHOTOGRAPHY

BY DAVE HOWARD

TO 58

Retailer

JAHMICAH DAWES

Owner, SlimPickins Outfitters PHOTO BY LEAH JEFFERS PHOTOGRAPHY

SlimPickins is a single-door specialty shop outside of Forth Worth, Texas.

y wife, Heather, was 30 weeks pregnant when she left town for a longplanned girls’ trip on a Friday night in March. At that time the details of the virus were still murky. On Sunday, Heather called and said, “Hey, I think my office is going to have to close down. The schools are all closing, too. What are we going to do about the shop?” At that moment we both realized it was going to be a big deal, not only for our business, but also for keeping her safe for the remainder of her pregnancy. Within a week and a half we had closed our physical shop. Fortunately, we did not have to lay off or furlough our three employees. We quickly got to work filing for PPP and EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loan) loans. And I got a second job as an overnight stocker at a home improvement store to help sustain us. Throughout the pandemic we got creative. We canceled most of our spring orders to focus on selling through what we had in stock. We offered curbside pickup and got active on Instagram to spotlight items we wanted to move. We also released a series of T-shirts called “Respect the Locals” that encouraged shopping local. We had been trying to get our website up to snuff for the last few months and decided to dedicate some efforts there. The pandemic was the

push we needed to take it to the next level, giving us focus and motivation during the days we were closed. Our community has loved and supported us during the seven weeks we were closed. There were raffles that benefited local businesses and a new local Facebook group where Fort Worth businesses could post sales. Customers started writing rave reviews for us, and many called and messaged just to check in. On May 1, we opened with limited hours and capacity. We’ve taken this opportunity to transition to shortened “summer hours.” It’s been good in the sense that we’ve seen some sales. But in the back of my mind, I wonder if we opened too early. Our city has seen an uptick in Covid-19 cases and I worry about my staff and about bringing the virus home to my family. We are determined to stay in business. At this time, we’re hanging in there and are actually in better shape than we expected, but these are still precarious times. We will be grinding it out for the next few months. We expect things to be difficult for the remainder of 2020 and we will push ourselves creatively to make SlimPickins survive. As hip-hop artist J-Givens says: “You were created creatively, so be creative.”

PANDEMIC 2020 Sales

Owner, Wild Onion Outdoors LLC

Kuhn, based in Wisconsin, runs an independent sales and marketing services agency.

arly on, people were talking about social distancing, and I’m shrugging, like: I work in an office all by myself. But I took the virus very seriously from the start. I have relatives who work in the pharmaceutical industry, so I started hearing things in early January. And I had pneumonia a number of times as a kid, so I’m susceptible to Covid-19. When I went to Outdoor Retailer in January, I took precautions. I get sick from flying normally, so I was already being careful and wearing surgical masks that I’d gotten to wear on the plane. I noticed that most of the Asian suppliers I walked past were wearing masks and keeping their distance a little better than everyone else. There was already this hint that something big was going to happen. Our brands did a really good job of communicating with us—early on they had concerns about the Asian market, with supply chains and delivery. But it was still a shock how fast everything changed. My normal schedule—and normal business—just evaporated. Most retailers are selling from inventory, and they cut back on their spring orders, or canceled them, and they’re doing the same for summer. Right now, I’m looking at lots of zeros, and as independent reps, our margins are already razor thin. I wish there were better safety nets in place for independent reps, but I think that’s true for independent contractors everywhere. The looting that happened during the protests over George Floyd’s killing have set back a few of the dealers I work with—in Minneapolis and Madison. They were just starting to look to reopen and now they can’t even do curbside pickup because they have to wait for the insurance to process. Beyond that, we’re going to see more spikes of Covid-19 that might cause some states to scale back their reopening plans. Really what it comes down to is that no one really knows what’s going to happen. We’ve all suffered before, we’re suffering now, and we’ll probably suffer again. But there’s a bit of stiff upper lip going on. This is what we have to do, so we’re doing it, and in some cases all we can do is cheer from the sidelines. It’s sunk in how much more important it is to take care of each other than it is to take care of business.

MELISSA ARNOT REID

Guide

Mountain guide and sponsored athlete

In addition to guiding the world’s highest mountains, Arnot co-founded the Juniper Fund, a nonprofit that provides support to the families of local workers killed on alpine climbing expeditions in Nepal.

had been planning to spend the month of April in Nepal, and as of early March, that was still my plan. I was going to be traveling with my 2-yearold daughter and a filmmaker and working with one of the widows that the Juniper Fund supports. We were all watching the situation closely, knowing that we may need to change our plans but hoping things would work out for us to go. How quaint it seems now that we were only worried about whether or not we could go to Nepal. Soon after, the European travel ban was announced. That immediately halted some of my husband’s upcoming ski-guiding trips—his clients were coming from Europe. He was just getting ready to leave for seven weeks of guiding in Alaska, a huge part of our business. I suddenly felt the weight of what was happening, and what was going to happen next. A few days later, Washington State, where we live, issued a shelterin-place order. Within a few days of that, the government announced the closure of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. At that point, over the course of about a week, we had canceled or postponed 12 weeks of mountain guiding work, canceled our trip to Nepal, and watched the prospect of future work evaporate. A lot of guides are filing unemployment or waiting to see if the summer season will happen in some form. It has been a huge transition to go from matrixing two full-time guide schedules while taking care of a toddler to fighting to work out finances and loan/unemployment programs just to keep afloat. I feel grateful that we have a home and our health. We’re just taking it day to day, and we’re hopeful that people will want to adventure again when it’s safe to do so.

JOHN SLOAN

Retailer

Co-owner, High Country Outfitters

High Country operates four retail locations in Greater Atlanta and a rental business on the Chattahoochee River.

hen I first heard about the pandemic really escalating, I was on vacation in Cartagena, Colombia, with my wife, who’s a partner in the business. We were at a restaurant and I said to her, “Things might be different by the time we get back.” And they were. Three days after returning, on March 16, we made the difficult decision to close all four of our stores. The order from the

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

BRYAN KUHN

Media

SHANNON DAVIS

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

Editorial director, BACKPACKER

BACKPACKER has been a leading outdoor media brand for almost 50 years. Pocket Outdoor Media (which also owns The Voice) is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.

e started working from home about a week before we were going to ship our May/ June issue. We had to skip things like proofing actual pages and putting the whole magazine up on a wall for a review—these changes were a little anxiety-inducing, but we had no real problems. Still, I definitely miss being in the same room with people. The level of creativity you can achieve when you’re together—I think that’s hard to match in a virtual environment. Nevertheless, we’ve had some lively Zoom meetings. When quarantine orders started, we thought, What can we do to provide some moments of calm and sanity and stress relief? That was our big question. We were on Slack, and our photo editor, Louisa Albanese (also photo editor of The Voice), said, “Everybody loves to be around a campfire, why don’t we have a live campfire and people can

state hadn’t come yet, but it felt like the socially responsible thing to do. After a couple of days, when we had no business at all and other places were still open, we started to question our decision. But we remained closed and told our staff we would pay them for a minimum of two weeks. As things continued to get worse, we made another difficult decision, furloughing all but one of our staff of 40. We had our first-ever company Zoom meeting, and communicating the furlough news was gut-wrenching. These are people we’ve climbed with, hiked with, drank with, and now we’re sitting at the computer telling them we can’t pay them anymore. For the next week or so, we were just trying to figure out what the hell was going on. It was just me and my wife and my dad, who started the business in the ’70s. We could either just go home and wait it out, or we could try to fix every problem that we’ve ever wanted to fix. The biggest thing was starting an ecommerce site; we’d gone 11 years without selling a single thing online. Within seven or eight days, we were able to

just watch it and hang out with us?” So that’s what we did every evening for two months. Hundreds tuned in, occasionally more than a thousand, and we developed this new way to create community. And then we decided to add to that by having our executive editor, Casey Lyons, read one of his more notable features, a story about a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker with terminal cancer. We also launched a one-day virtual festival called the BACKPACKER Camp-In. Every hour an artist or a photographer or musician or athlete led a live session, and we encouraged people to post photos of their own backyard camps. We had yoga, mountain fitness, art, cooking, and a musical lineup capped off by G. Love. These efforts aren’t setting new traffic records just yet, but they are making a difference in people’s lives. You see the comments and you know that

we’ve provided something meaningful. And now we’re thinking, How do we continue this in better times, as we navigate a new normal? So we’ve had some successes connecting with our audience, but other parts of our business have suffered. Like other publishers, we’ve seen a steep drop in ad revenue. The short-term consequences are painful—we had to cancel our July/August print issue—but the brand has diversified since the last recession and will be able to weather this one, too. There are other reasons to be optimistic as well. We surveyed our audience about a month into the pandemic, and 90 percent said they were still getting outdoors close to home. Spending time outdoors is a critical part of our readers’ lives, and if anything this crisis has made everyone realize that getting out is more important than ever.

accomplish what would’ve taken us six months before. We hired a few people back to set up our site on Shopify and started earning revenue—nothing like what it was before, but it was something, and we were able to stay relevant to our customers. We did curbside pickup and local delivery—my dad and I were driving around, dropping stuff off at people’s doors. We also did a gift card promotion and got a tremendous response ($24,000) from our customers. In early June, four weeks after reopening to the public, business was getting stronger every day. We’re optimistic that sales will return to normal levels by the end of summer. Customers’ desire to travel and get outside is stronger than ever. The only difference we’re seeing is that vacation destinations are moving closer to home (local beaches instead of Hawaii, local parks instead of Yellowstone, etc.), which is actually a positive change. Customers now have their vehicles to bring paddleboards, tents, sleeping bags, bikes, and more. The good old-fashioned road trip might just be back, and we are excited to be a part of it.

PANDEMIC 2020 Brand

CEO, Coalition Snow

Gurecki’s snowsports gear company is headquartered in Reno, Nevada.

he ski resorts closed a couple of months early because of the pandemic, and as a seasonal business, we lost six to eight weeks we can’t get back. You don’t sell skis in June and July. Like most small businesses, we don’t have huge savings, so we were counting on those two months for revenue to get us through the summer and to help with production for next season. We’ve lost purchase orders and lines of credit and are just tightening everything up and we are looking for any possible way to save. Coalition Snow is like a lot of businesses in the outdoor industry—small, launched with more passion than capital, with a strong connection to our staff and customers. So the emotional toll has been significant, and it’s been really hard to work right now, especially in the weeks right after the pandemic was declared. I feel like I’m one of the most productive people you’ll ever meet,

F Public Relations

KRISTIN CARPENTER Owner, Verde Brand Communications

Verde is a PR, digital marketing, and communications agency that focuses on the outdoor space, with offices in Colorado and Wyoming. 62

and I don’t even know where the days go. You hear a lot about buying gift cards for small businesses (p. 32). The thing is, that’s like a loan from your customers that you’re going to have to pay back in a couple of months, when there may not be any additional sales involved. We’ve tried to get Coalition Snow better positioned for when this turns around by surveying customers to get a handle on what products matter most to them. And I’ve been using some of the time this pandemic has created to try to deepen our relationship with our audience. I’ve tried to be as real and honest with our community and customers as I can be. There’s no reason to move through this stoically, as if we are immune to the pain and challenges Covid-19 delivers daily both personally and professionally. Part of being in this “all together” means that we share our struggles so that we don’t feel alone. We launched Inside Voices, a weekly small business and freelancer support group that brought together subject matter experts on various topics from the PPP and EIDL loans to effective messaging and marketing during the pandemic. Our last Inside Voices culminated with an Anti-Racism in Action webinar. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed: We lead with our values. We’re small so we don’t have red tape to work through or internal dilemmas about how to respond and act. As a small business, there’s a lot that’s out of our control. But we know we’re done with business as usual. Between the coronavirus and Black Lives Matter, if we haven’t come to terms with radical change—with business as usual being a thing of the past—we’re not ready for the future.

or a lot of people, the pandemic all but halted work. For me, it was the opposite. The first three weeks after this started were pretty much nonstop—literally a seven-day workweek of 10- to 12-hour days. I worked on my mindset every day—I would wake up and say, “Okay, what can I do today?” A lot of it was just talking to people. It was probably 80 percent clients and 20 percent just fact-finding with CEOs and friends who are in brand equity and venture capital. I felt like the more I could learn and connect and support, the more I could bring back to my team and my clients. You could see how brands didn’t know how to communicate and would just shut down and go dark. There was a lot of

anxiety that was almost crippling them, and I feel like in the industries we’re in, it’s really important for our customers to hear from us, because we’re basically what they self-identify with. And so it was really important to enable my team to get competent and coach their clients to communicate. We started to do some webinars and content around it, helping them look around corners. My universal message was to communicate more than you think you need to, especially to your internal team. It also was really intense to see those big emotional drops happen. For example, when the pandemic was officially announced or when various restrictions were imposed, there was a sentiment change. I remember a few times when

people just kind of pulled the covers over their heads. Sometimes, we’d have to change strategies multiple times a day. One of my partners has a little kid, and it was really clear the struggle that parents with young children were having— managing work and school, easing fears. I have teenagers here at home and they’re very, very anxious. That brings a whole different layer into it because I was tethered to the phone, and not able to do as much as I wanted to do, and there were a lot of chicken nuggets and frozen French fries. But this is giving us a choice to rebuild in a very intentional way. And I’m not going to take that for granted ever again. So that’s also something I think about a lot: What is it that I would like to build back?

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

JEN GURECKI

Events

KENJI HAROUTUNIAN,

President, Kenji Consults

Los Angeles-based Haroutunian offers event strategy and planning for outdoor retailers and nonprofits.

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

traveled to Salt Lake on March 11 with the leadership team for The Big Gear Show. We were having breakfast the next morning before a meeting with the Utah Outdoor Association and we got a ping from the director saying, “Meeting’s canceled.” We had five meetings scheduled that day and three were canceled like that, on very short notice. We had planned to fly from there to Madison for Canoecopia, and that was canceled, too. We were canceling flights literally at the airport. So things got fairly real fairly fast on the ground in Salt Lake. I had just moved back to Culver City from Orange County and have a vulnerable family member in the house, and my elderly parents are a block away, so I was already aware of the coronavirus. My world is normally consumed with live, faceto-face events, so it’s been nothing short of a revelation to realize just how affected the events industry is, on top of the outdoor industry. The effects on the live show industry are dire. In California, concerts and festivals could be gone for a year or more. We had to cancel the inaugural Big Gear Show scheduled for this summer. That being said, some events will happen in late fall or later. But rejiggering them is a little bit of an exercise because we really don’t know what it’s going to feel like or look like, or what the regulatory framework will be. Some events are naturally more spaced out, like Climb Smart, which is one that I manage for Friends of Joshua Tree. That gathers 300-plus climbers around education and stewardship once a year. It’s happening (hopefully) in November, and that’s exciting. The evolution of virtual events is great to see, but in the end they won’t displace the need for face-toface interactions. Also, we’re learning more about transmission of the coronavirus. Outdoor settings are far less likely to result in transmission than indoor, which is great news for the industry. But there’s still a lot we don’t know. I’m a climber, and it’s like I’m focused on the task at hand, on finding some anchor up higher on the wall. Because right now I don’t know where that next anchor is.

Businesses aren’t the only organizations affected by the pandemic. Nonprofits and advocacy groups have also faced radical change. We reached out to the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, which is supporting Tribal communities in their efforts to save lives.

PATRICK GONZALESROGERS

Advocacy

Executive director, Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, Albuquerque, New Mexico

This consortium of sovereign tribal nations works to protect and promote the sacred, spiritual, historical, natural, scientific and cultural resources on lands within the Bears Ears landscape.

s the nation absorbs the full effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on its public health, what is clear is that the novel coronavirus has disproportionately impacted communities of color. Specifically, Indigenous peoples have been among the hardest hit by the virus due to a litany of historical, racial, socioeconomic, and cultural factors; the Navajo Nation and the White Mountain Apache Tribe currently have the highest number of cases per capita in the country. As such, Tribal communities work tirelessly to enforce safety procedures to ensure the survival of their people. In my 30 years of doing almost exclusively Native work, I have not witnessed such dire impacts coupled with such a profound need. At the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, it was necessary to have our staff make an adjustment of their time to respond to the needs of our member Tribes. As always, this was met with courage and enthusiasm. Over the past few months, we have utilized our platforms and engaged our supporters to shine a light on the incredible community-driven efforts of Indigenous peoples to support the most vulnerable (e.g. elders and

those with pre-existing conditions). Tribal members and their partners are creating emergency mobile pantries, food drives, public education campaigns, and fundraisers; they are delivering PPE, hand sanitizer, and medical supplies to households with limited access to grocery stores or running water. We are witnessing the same resiliency, strength, and creativity of Indigenous peoples which have helped them survive since the arrival of colonists to this land hundreds of years ago. It is clear that given the current situation facing our Tribal communities, our work will continue to strike a balance between supporting their relief efforts and working to protect Bears Ears for the foreseeable future. Bears Ears—a place of spiritual and cultural significance to Tribal people—all the while continues to be threatened by oil, gas, and energy industries amidst this pandemic. It is incumbent on all of us to support Tribes in their efforts to protect their people and their homelands. To learn more about how you can help Tribal communities and the Bears Ears landscape during the ongoing pandemic, visit bearsearscoalition.org.

PANDEMIC 2020

BY MICHAEL HODGSON 64

PHOTO BY THIN AIR

THE PANDEMIC SHUT DOWN TRADE SHOWS AND SET THE STAGE FOR A REVOLUTION IN VIRTUAL EVENTS.

t’s no secret that the outdoor community has questioned the value and format of trade shows in recent years. But it’s hard to change the status quo, and radical reinvention has seemed a long way off. Until now. The coronavirus pandemic has ushered in an era of total transformation, accelerating a shift to digital and virtual events after Outdoor Retailer, Grassroots Connect, and The Big Gear Show all canceled this summer. The rush to provide virtual alternatives has been fast and furious. But is this just a phase we’re going through, or will this digital experiment have lasting impacts? “I think trade shows are still important for a variety of reasons, but they will be forever changed as a result of this pandemic,” Rich Hill, executive director of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, says. But the question remains: What, exactly, will that change look like? The first step toward an answer requires deciding what we want from a trade show. Most will agree on the intangibles: networking, discovering new ideas and trends, establishing new partnerships, education, and finding inspiration through collective storytelling. When it comes to actual commerce, the value of national shows like Outdoor Retailer was already greatly diminished even before the pandemic. “If we’re flying to Denver just to meet with our local sales rep for a full line presentation, that’s a complete waste of time and money,” says Hill. But even if such transactions were happening at a local level, they still largely revolved around face-to-face events and meetings. Because of the lockdown, retailers and vendors have been forced onto a completely digital platform to conduct business. The concept of buying digitally rather than in person at a trade show is not new. For nearly a decade, retailers and brands have been buying and selling product through wholesale ecommerce platforms such as NuOrder, Joor, Envoy B2B, and Faire to name just a few. But in the last few months, it became clear to retailers and vendors alike that if this digital evolution is to work with the scale and efficiency needed, the whole process—from catalogs to conversations—needs to evolve quickly.

The Digital Showroom Evolution

PHOTO BY THIN AIR

In March, NuOrder reached out to 2,000 of its retailers to gauge how the coronavirus lockdown was affecting their business. “At first it was all gloom and doom,” says Heath Wells, the co-founder and co-CEO of NuOrder. “But then brands and retailers began wondering, without shows or the ability to meet in person, how showing product lines and writing orders could be solved digitally.” In response, the company tasked its engineers to come up with a solution, and in June it launched what it dubs Virtual Showroom. A no-cost add-on for existing NuOrder customers, the showroom will allow retail buyers to view and order products in 3D and 360-degree formats. “It’s as if they were viewing the product in person,” says Wells. In the virtual showroom, there are shoppable hotspots a

I think trade shows are still important for a variety of reasons, but they will be forever changed as a result of this pandemic.” buyer can click on to navigate immediately to specific products or shoppable videos. It all combines to offer what Wells terms an “immersive brand experience”—no VR goggles required. Additionally, Wells points out that reps and brands can use the Virtual Showroom to actually present to a retail buyer via Zoom integration or other interactive platforms. Darren Ferguson, director of global commercial operations for Arc’Teryx, and a NuOrder customer, says “The virtual showroom will change the way we sell. While a lot of folks might be afraid of the idea, once we get a buyer to look at it, and see how easy it is to use, the vast majority are open to this new way of buying.” Ferguson also sees a greater opportunity to be more efficient with this new digital platform. “If brands are wise about how they develop the assets for a virtual showroom, so that the assets have multifunctionality, then you can use the same asset to help your rep network train retailers, you can use it to train your own customer service folks, and you can use it for consumer-facing functions, too.”

Could Trade Shows Go Entirely Virtual?

Though there are still plenty of skeptics that the experience and value of attending a physical trade show can be mimicked by a virtual experience, Gearmunk is going all in, creating a digital-only platform for its new trade show. The Thin Air Show, launching in September for media and retailers, is a virtual world, billed as a trade show, that’s equal parts video game, immersive line presentations, and interactive experiences complete with conference rooms where attendees can raise their hands to ask a question and networking happy hours. Attendees can experience Thin Air on any computer, tablet, or smartphone, no accessories like VR goggles needed. For the inaugural show, no buying component for placing orders EXPRESS YOURSELF: AT THIN AIR, ATTENDEES FIRST GO TO A DRESSING ROOM WHERE THEY CAN CUSTOMIZE THEIR AVATAR.

PANDEMIC 2020 will be incorporated, CEO Erik Boles says, but it is certainly something the company is looking at adding. Outdoor Retailer is also going virtual, at least for this summer. Details were still vague at press time, but OR is partnering with Convey Services (a digital marketing portal company) and launching Outdoor Retailer Online from July 21-23. “[It] is designed to support our industry’s current needs in the absence of an in-person meeting this summer,” says Marisa Nicholson, senior vice president and show director. “We’re also looking at digital solutions that allow brands to connect beyond the show, as well as enhance the experiences when we do gather again.” Regardless of the platform, virtual and digital show formats do have one significant selling point: Small brands can gain visibility alongside large brands. “The digital world allows underdogs with a powerful story to have a seat at the table,” says Rob Reedy, CEO for Echos Communication of Reveal, a virtual event he launched in late April to connect brands and media. “A small brand that has its voice side by side with Adidas—that doesn’t happen due to the layout complexities of a physical trade show, but in a digital world, you can have equal shared space and time.”

Expect Hybridization

“Every event will have to become a hybrid event going forward,” says Kenji Haroutunian, show director for The Big Gear Show. “Having strong digital offerings as part of a trade show has gone from a niceto-have to an essential-to-have, and I do not think we will go back.” Wells agrees and says NuOrder believes in an omni-channel approach where trade shows will still be part of the way people conduct business. “Shaking hands and seeing people is vital to that energy we all need as human beings,” says Wells. “But the digital component plays a vital role.” Informa Markets, producer of Magic, Project, Coterie, and Micam Americas trade shows, believes the digital component is critical, too, and recently partnered with NuOrder to launch a companion to its physical shows, which it’s calling “the industry’s largest digital trade show” (in the lifestyle, fashion, and footwear industries). For buyers, one registration gets access to both the physical and the corresponding

The Race to Go Digital The pandemic sparked a flood of digital offerings, as companies were forced to get creative to showcase 2021 products to media and retailers. Here’s a look at some of the solutions and our hot takes after sitting in. —M.H. ◆ ECHOS partnered with Outside PR to host the REVEAL digital media conference. Forty-five brands presented products to over 300 registered journalists. THUMBS UP The strict schedule meant you could pop in and out based on what brands you wanted to see. NEEDS WORK On-camera skills of some presenters were weak. ◆ JAM Collective held a media preview event, JAM Connect. Ten brands presented to 75 registered media with an emcee from the JAM team. THUMBS UP You could sign up for just some of the live presentations, but get full access to each of them post-event via individual recordings. NEEDS WORK Some brands used workbooks rather than actual product, and some of the presenters lacked energy. ◆ Grassroots Outdoor Alliance launched ConnectHub, a simple, free buy/sell platform designed to aggregate as much product info as possible into one place. As of press time, 120 brands had signed up. THUMBS UP GOA opened it up to all retailers (not just members). ◆ Momentum Media PR and Akimbo Communications’ Virtual Media Showroom was a media preview event. Five brands, five minutes each. THUMBS UP Pre-recorded video segments were tight, and pitches were focused, making it super efficient. NEEDS WORK Some videos were way better than others. ◆ Outdoor Retailer Online will debut July 21 to 23, 2021. ◆ The Thin Air Show will launch September 15 to 17, 2020.

digital show. Brands that cannot attend the physical show can be part of the digital one. For brands, the potential audience at an online show is the world: Buyers are not limited by distance, budget, or time. Jon Faber, CEO of Envoy B2B, a wholesale ecommerce platform, also sees great benefit in the integration of ecommerce wholesale platforms and trade shows, with a catch. “Adding a digital platform to a trade show is essential if that show hopes to remain relevant,” says Faber. But he cautions against adopting a closed environment where brands are forced to use one ecommerce platform over another. “What Grassroots Connect has done with ConnectHub, creating a central destination for brands and buyers, is a start,” he says. “Digital shows of the future must be open to any brand, any retailer, regardless of the ecommerce platform each may rely on to conduct business.” Doing this will foster another level of productivity for the industry, he contends, by allowing brands to bring their own solutions while still putting the buyer at the center of the experience. It remains to be seen how trade shows will adapt, and how the digital and physical worlds of future trade shows will meld. The one certainty in all of this disruption, though, is that the pandemic is forcing the industry to evolve at a rapid pace. And that’s not such a bad thing after all. SPEED DATING: THE VIRTUAL MEDIA SHOWROOM FEATURED FIVE BRANDS PRESENTING FOR FIVE MINUTES EACH.

no end in sight The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the outdoor industry’s typical timelines—and “normal” looks to be a long way off. Here’s how the domino effect will change the manufacturing and retail calendar for years to come. BY KELLY BASTONE

JANUARY TO MARCH 2020 Idle factories

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIN DOUGLAS

China’s lockdown was announced during Chinese New Year in January, keeping factories shuttered beyond the usual holiday period, and once they reopened, production ramped up slowly. The slowdown caused some manufacturers to delay Fall ’20 launches. Slowdowns spread beyond China. India—which manufactures much of the sportswear sold by U.S. brands— projected four-month production delays, reports Flylow co-founder Dan Abrams. “We have some Spring ’20 product groupings that are so delayed that we’re not going to deliver them until Spring ’21,” he says. Domestic manufacturing also suffered slowdowns as states imposed shelter-in-place orders. For example, Farm to Feet sent almost all personnel home for three weeks while it developed alternate production procedures that accounted for social distancing and increased safety guidelines. The company’s manufacturing facilities reopened at the beginning of May after extensive training for these new procedures, and was running at full capacity by June ’20.

PANDEMIC 2020 We have way more inventory than we can move on normal channels.”

APRIL THROUGH MAY 2020 Balky Spring ’21 Planning

—CARVE DESIGNS CO-FOUNDER THAYER SYLVESTER

APRIL 2020 Accelerated Discounting Manufacturers and retailers typically delay discounting until late in the season, but this year, the sales started in April. According to Vernachio, the industry experienced an unofficial yet widespread “MAP (minimum advertised price)” holiday during which pricing dipped by 20 to 25 percent. Such sales help brands and retailers (especially those with ecommerce platforms) convert inventory to cash. But, says Flylow’s Abrams, “After June 1, Flylow and its retailers returned Flylow’s Spring ’20 product to full price.”

Many brands are pushing back product updates that had been planned for Spring ’21 because such items would relegate Spring ’20 items to the clearance rack. “We want to support our retailers by allowing them to sell through the inventory they have,” says Gregory Vice President John Sears. Across the industry, he also expects to see fewer new-product launches for Spring ’21. Brands such as Carve Designs and Mountain Hardwear are eliminating marginal styles that weren’t likely to be high-volume sellers. Brands are also extending the timeframe for retailer orders. “We’re preparing for a longer selling season for Spring ’21,” says Abrams. For Flylow, that could mean weaker forecasting, since the company expects to have to place its factory orders before it confirms retailers’ demands. Mountain Hardwear, however, will shift its factory buyout (the time it reserves on the Asian production lines) by a month to line up with delayed orders.

MARCH 2020 Slow Spring Sales Stores were receiving Spring ’20 products and closing out Winter ’19-20 goods when they were shuttered. That convergence created a glut of unsold stock. According to NPD, outdoor retail sales in March ’20 declined 24 percent from February, and were 41 percent lower than in March ’19. With brick-and-mortar retailers closed, brands that rely heavily on instore shopping took a big hit. Without venues for shoppers to try on shoes, Vasque, for example, saw spring sales dip by 50 to 60 percent. But it wasn’t all downside. Gregory’s hydration and daypacks continued strong through spring, and Mountain Hardwear sold lots of hiking pants to people who turned to outdoor workouts when coronavirus closed gyms. “It’s really an inventory game,” says Mountain Hardwear President Joe Vernachio. Like many outdoor brands, Mountain Hardwear is doing everything it can to help retailers sell what they can—including swapping out winter items for spring gear, paying retailers a 40 percent commission on Mountain Hardwear sales, and lengthening billing terms. Mountain Hardwear is urging retailers to accept deliveries when possible. After all, says Vernachio, product “has zero chance of selling in our distribution center.”

The pandemic has forced us to invest in a lot more photography because normally we can photograph just one color but show the rest of them in person.” —CARVE’S THAYER SYLVESTER

SPRING 2021 Uncertain Sales Strategy Some brands are aiming to replay Spring ’20 product in Spring ’21, so that retailers can sell through the glut. “Spring ’20 will feel fresh [in Spring ’21] because it didn’t really get a full season,” says Sears. Thus Gregory plans to re-run its lauded Paragon and Maven backpacks. However, cautions Vernachio, leaning solely on past-season goods risks looking stale. “It’s a balance,” he explains. “We’re still going to have a lot of fresh new ideas and fabrics.”

FALL 2020

It seems safe to say that the worst-case scenario is that 2021 is a recovery year and by 2022 we can expect to return to growth relative to 2019 levels. ” —GREGORY VICE PRESIDENT JOHN SEARS

SPRING 2022 Gear Development Impacts Spring and summer 2020 is when brands design Spring ’22 gear, but this year, social distancing eliminated in-person evaluations with fit models, prototype testing, and trips to factories to discuss nascent designs, slowing the process.

SPRING 2022

Delayed and Staggered Shipments

Lengthy Trickle-Down

At the very first signs of trouble in early 2020, brands rushed to scale back their orders with factories in an attempt to avoid Fall ’20 surplus. And as Winter ’20-21 arrives, brands may consider delaying deliveries to retail—so that the season’s products appear in stores later than they typically would. “Honestly, we’re happy about that,” says Vernachio, “because it seems like winter arrives a little later every year, so waiting until March to bring spring in is probably the right timing.” Sears says Gregory is mulling the benefit of delivering certain categories on January 1 as usual, with other types of product following behind. “Maybe we could introduce daypacks earlier in the year, with other packs arriving later,” Sears suggests. “And that way, we wouldn’t have new product replacing old product right away in stores.”

Returning to “normal” timelines after the Spring ’20 surfeit may take a surprisingly long time. Some predict normal timing won’t resume until Spring ’22. But the silver lining is the resiliency of the outdoor sector—which has historically weathered economic downturns better than most. When the coronavirus closed ski resorts in March ’20, Abrams saw a spike in sales of backcountry gear, and he expects hiking and outdoor leisure to follow suit. “When times are tough, people axe the exotic vacations and go camping,” he says.

PANDEMIC 2020

Charting a Crisis

How do you understand the widespread effects of the coronavirus? Check the numbers. BY ANDREW WEAVER

THE INDUSTRY STEPS UP

Across the outdoor space, companies and individuals have pitched in to help.

$10,000 Annual salary that Tim Boyle, CEO of Columbia, volunteered to receive indefinitely (in recent years, his total compensation has exceeded $3 million) to keep paychecks flowing to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3,500 retail employees.

VF Corporation donated $1.5 million to coronavirus relief funds.

$75,000

Value of gift cards purchased from Alpenglow Sports in Lake Tahoe, California, in just four days (March 19-22) as part of a successful community eďŹ&#x20AC;ort to keep the retailer open (see p. 32).

KEEN gave away $10 million worth of shoes to people in need.

Outdoor Research is currently producing 200,000 medical masks per day (see p. 22).

45,000+

Dickies will make 3.4 million medical gowns by September.

Pairs of ski goggles donated to hospital workers through the Goggles for Docs program.

Pandemic Best Sellers DEHYDRATED FOOD

MEALS

BICYCLES

CAMPING GEAR In the second half of April, nationwide sales of camping equipment increased across the board: recreation tents (+30%), hammocks (+103%), camp sets (+119%), campfire gear (+42%), and bike trailers (+133%).

In March, sales of commuter and fitness bikes rose 66%; leisure bikes rose 121%; childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bikes rose 59%; and electric bikes rose 85%.

TRAVEL BOOKS U.S. travel book sales increased 77% from mid-April to mid-May.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MADDIE JARRAD AND ERIN DOUGLAS

MOUNTAIN HOUSEÂŽ

ADVENTURE

In February, sales of dehydrated meals on MountainHouse.com were up 1,093%. In March, Good To-Go reported a sales increase of 1,000%.

79 Percent of outdoor businesses that have laid off or furloughed employees since the pandemic began. Of those, 11% have closed entirely or laid off most of their staff.

80 Percent of outdoor industry trade associations that have seen a decrease in revenue since the pandemic began. Of those, 30% have seen a decrease of more than half.

Ozone levels dropped 43% in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the week of March 18-25 compared to past averages. Global CO2 emissions were down 18.7 million tons, or 17%, in early April compared to mean 2019 levels.

Percent of outdoor businesses that have seen a decrease in sales since the pandemic began. Of those, 39% have seen a decrease of more than half their revenue.

When the same people were asked why they hadn’t recreated outside before, 59% said lack of time 29% said lack of knowledge about what to do outdoors 18% said price of gear and apparel 12% said lack of access

Percent of individuals participating in outdoor activities for the first time during the pandemic who say they will continue to do so after the crisis ends.

Clean Air Consolation

SIZE MATTERS

Small businesses will be hit hardest by the economic fallout from the coronavirus. In the U.S., 92% of the specialty outdoor and cycling markets are comprised of small businesses.

12,100

8,000

$500 million*

Projected losses in ski season revenue across 13 of Colorado’s busiest ski towns—from Aspen to Breckenridge to Steamboat Springs—due to early resort closures.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MADDIE JARRAD AND ERIN DOUGLAS

*Revenue losses include all taxable sales in these towns.

15,000 Retail stores projected to close permanently in 2020.

CYCLING

INDUSTRY/SIZE

TRAVEL TROUBLE

Small Medium-Large

• 63% decrease in adventure travel bookings during Q2 of 2020, compared to the same period last year.

Small Medium-Large

• 38% decrease in total projected business volume for the adventure travel industry in 2020, compared to last year.

Percent of corporate staff at REI’s Seattle headquarters laid off in April. The co-op also furloughed the majority of its roughly 14,000 retail and field employees for 90 days.

Number of beds in Moab Regional Hospital, the nearest healthcare facility to Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, which see a combined 2 million visitors per year. The parks remained open until March 28, despite weeks of outcry from park employees and Utah residents to close them. (As of May 29, both have reopened.)

1,052

696 SPECIALTY GEAR

84% DECLINE

in the stock value of Emerald Holding Inc., Outdoor Retailer’s parent company, from February 3 to April 3, when the OR Summer Market was canceled ($10.49 to $1.63).

Data gathered from The Adventure Travel Trade Association, The American Hospital Directory, The Associated Press, BACKPACKER, CGPR, CNBC, The Colorado Sun, Denver Business Journal, Nature, The New York Times, The NPD Group, The Oregonian, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Outside, and SNEWS.

PANDEMIC 2020

What next? A spring of sheltering in place changed all of us and our relationships with the outdoors. The outdoor industry had better be ready for change, too. BY DREW SIMMONS ILLUSTRATION BY JOE MAGEE

hile our industry got buried by a slow-moving avalanche of uncertainty this spring, one thing became clearer than ever: The outdoors, and everything our industry represents, matters. During our unthinkable quarantine, we all needed the outdoors, craved it, missed it, dreamed about it, and wondered if it would ever be the same again. And now, as we all start to navigate an onramp toward recovery, it’s a timely moment to think about the outdoor industry— what it means, what defines it, what it has done for us, and what we can do to get it back up and rolling. “We’re all looking forward to a return to some semblance of ‘business as usual,’” says Rich Hill, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance. “Like in previous downturns, outdoor will be on the leading edge of the recovery. And what happens as we bridge that gap is going to define all of our businesses for a long while.”

THE GOOD: New localism will create opportunities The extended staycation of spring 2020 did more than create a few million remote offices. It also transformed our homes into schools, gyms, and coffee shops. And it shriveled our range for outdoor excursions to nearly nothing. Long, slow, near-to-home “sanity walks” became the new national sport, and previously obscure hyper-local, low-risk recreation opportunities became the new dream vacation. It turns out that outdoor’s traditional definition—human-powered, non-competitive, low-impact, minimalist activities— was a near perfect match for a season of self-isolation. And, as quarantines started to lift, those basic elements began to draw a direct line to outdoor’s foundational activities like hiking, camping, and paddling. In other words, the “new normal” looks a lot like the world we always knew was there. “Small-scale, low-density, socially distant activities will surely see long-term benefits from all of this,” says Russell Walters, president of Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort in Maine and regional director for North America for the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Maine, a regional four-season destination, has seen similar

“Small-scale, low-

density, socially distant activities will surely see long-term benefits from all of this.” bumps of activity during previous economic downturns. “Hiking, biking, and day trips to the beach will likely all surge in popularity, along with any destinations reachable within a short drive,” he says.

THE BAD: An elitist message will not win hearts and minds For fortunate locals in outdoor destination areas—where trails and waters and uncrowded areas are right out their doors— the quarantine spring was an opportunity to hit it hard. Perhaps too hard. By the time industry groups had weighed in on the dangers of unnecessary gatherings from the Tetons to Tuckerman’s Ravine, the narrative had already been set in stone. Outdoor people were living one life, and the rest of the world was living another. From truly tone-deaf “hey, check me out social distancing” social media posts to branded feeds that struggled to find the right voice, our spring spotlighted the difference between outdoor “haves” and “have-nots,” a gap that grew increasingly stark during nationwide Black Lives Matter protests and critical new conversations regarding racial inequality and institutionalized privilege. While the current status of inclusivity in the outdoor industry is imperfect at best, during the pandemic pause the contrast between some people’s stoke imagery and other people’s grim realities was impossible to unsee, and will have lasting effects on both the process and end goals of brand storytelling. “[In early spring] most of us were thinking of survival, and the idea of remote and exotic places portrayed a disconnect, or a lack of sensitivity, or worse,” says Hansi Johnson, a founding member of the Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force and

a journalist based in Duluth. “At the same time, a lot of brands were on auto pilot survival mode, with a social media feed full of months’ worth of pre-scheduled content, all created with a pre-virus mentality.” Framed by a new normal in which most expect to see the first signs of economic life at the most local—and hopefully inclusive—level, it’s natural to assume that brands which embrace an approachable, humble tone will win some early converts. “For many, outdoor recreation will simplify,” adds Johnson. “I think the industry would do well to consider that concept in how it portrays itself going forward.”

THE REALITY: Participation and health are the metrics that matter Broad-based economic impact numbers have long been the most meaningful stats in the outdoor industry. How big the industry is and how it compares to others are key whether you’re lobbying for a new bike trail or a state office of outdoor recreation. But after the seismic coronavirus shakeup of 2020, it’s an easy bet that a new dominant metric will be found in the connection between public health and outdoor participation—a central concept driving the reopening of public lands and waters nationwide. The spring of solitude will also remind consumers of the connection between nearby outdoor recreation and their own well being, as station-wagon vacations return to prominence, long-distance travel becomes a rarity, and the value of outdoor’s greatest American destinations goes from high to stratospheric. “After being confined for so long, city folk might flock desperately to wild places once this is all over. The ones who have a taste for the outdoors will need to soak in some fresh air,” says Karrie Thomas, executive director of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. It’s easy to see the importance of the natural world right now, but it’s just as easy to be intimidated by the massive economic climb that lays ahead. While nobody knows exactly how to make sense of it all, a large group of like-minded people with a common goal—an industry—has a far better chance to find a path that others can follow. Especially when there’s one guiding principle and truth: The outdoors matters.

PANDEMIC 2020

The pandemic shutdown devastated the world’s manufacturing center—and many of the companies that rely on it. And there were already plenty of reasons to get out. BY CHRISTOPHER SOLOMON ILLUSTRATION BY LEONARD BEARD

WORTH

the

PANDEMIC 2020

and center” in the outdoor industry right now, says Drew Saunders, a member of the Outdoor Industry Association’s Trade Advisory Council and the country manager for Oberalp North America. Saunders knows from experience. He says that Oberalp’s brands—including Salewa, Dynafit, and Pomoca—have been making a “slow pivot” away from producing apparel in China over the last five years. For other firms, the U.S. trade war with China and now the global pandemic that has convulsed through China and the rest of the world have forced them to face the question: Is China worth the trouble? The issue seems urgent amid the economic crisis ushered in by the coronavirus, but the truth is that other factors are at play, and despite the reasons to leave, there are also compelling reasons to stay. Here’s what the manufacturing landscape looks like—both in and out of China—and why the only certain thing is that this question is not going away.

Outdoor companies are all for reducing pollution, of course, but it still changes the cost of doing business. Sitting like a sour cherry atop these varying concerns are the tariffs of the U.S.-China trade war. Those costs are driving Fishpond USA to seek manufacturing elsewhere. Fishpond has successfully relocated some of its softgoods production, but still has significant ties to China, says founder Johnny Le Coq. “Oh yeah. We’re looking. We’re looking at every opportunity we can, for the factories who have the ability, from a quality perspective, to make our products,” he says. “Our duty on packs and bags made in China is now over 42 percent, up from 17.6 percent just a few years ago.” That extra cost creates another frustration, Le Coq says. “With reduced margins, the incentive to innovate within that category is reduced and compromised. And we live in a world of innovation.” That leaves few options, Le Coq says. “The implications of the tariffs are forcing brands like us to move.”

THE CASE FOR LEAVING

Human Rights

Rising Costs Until recently, the primary issue pushing companies to leave China was simple: the increasing cost of doing business there. Once, cheap labor was a huge draw. That’s no longer the case: Hourly labor costs in China-based manufacturing reached $5.78 in 2019, according to Statista.com. In Vietnam, it was $2.99 an hour. Wages aren’t the only rising costs. The Chinese government has imposed increased regulatory requirements, and costs related to the environment have risen as well, as the country tries to address major pollution problems. “You can’t just dump stuff anymore,” says Mary Lovely, a professor of economics at Syracuse University and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

“And that’s the key:

disproportionate. It’s almost like Napoleon realizing he’s too far into Russia.”

Concerns about working conditions in China are hardly new (see: Apple and FoxConn). Human rights violations aren’t, either. But a report released in early March now links these two in a troubling way. The Chinese government has transferred Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic minority, and also other ethnic-minority citizens, to factories across the country and is making them work “under conditions that strongly suggest forced labor,” according to the report “Uyghurs for Sale” by the Australian Strategic Policy Group, an independent, nonpartisan think tank. The Uyghurs are in the supply chains of “at least 83 wellknown global brands in the technology, clothing, and automotive sectors,” the report alleges, citing Apple, BMW, Nike, Patagonia, and L.L.Bean, among others. In reply, companies told media outlets they take an ethical supply chain seriously and are committed to upholding compliance standards that prohibit forced labor. Patagonia and L.L.Bean both issued statements affirming this, with L.L.Bean saying, “Our Supply Chain Code of Conduct strictly prohibits the use of forced labor of any kind. Our global compliance programs and auditors cover every country

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HESTRA

few years ago, as the trade war with China heated up, Mark Wolf decided he had had enough. Already frustrated with theft of his company’s intellectual property in China— Wolf makes outdoor fire pits, camp grills, and fireproof covers, under the name Fireside Outdoor, among other products there—he shifted production of a large chunk of the work out of the country, to Vietnam. Then, last winter, the coronavirus hit. And Wolf, like many in the outdoor industry, felt just how inextricably his fortunes remain tied to China. The contagion all but shuttered the country for weeks, including its border with Vietnam and the flow of raw materials and components Wolf required. “We had 13 containers sitting in Vietnam, stuck there. They were filled with kits waiting for nuts and bolts, the right fasteners,” Wolf, the president of Fireside Outdoor, says about his predicament at the end of March. All of those nuts and bolts come from China. What’s more, he says, the aluminum ingots his Vietnamese factory needs also come from China. “The coronavirus really exposed how dependent we are on China and their massive, disproportionate supply of raw materials,” he says. “And that’s the key: disproportionate. It’s almost like Napoleon realizing he’s too far into Russia.” A reckoning is afoot, Wolf predicts. “We can’t all leave China in the short term,” says Wolf, who still makes 60 percent of his goods there. “But I can’t imagine there isn’t a boardroom in America that isn’t considering changing or offsetting their supply chain with China.” China has long been the world’s workshop, producing one fifth of the manufacturing output across the globe, according to the Brookings Institution, a public policy nonprofit. Increasingly, however, many companies have been wondering whether China is still the place to make their products. Some companies already have shifted elsewhere, or plan to. Nearly 40 percent of respondents in an American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China survey in mid-2019 said they had either relocated manufacturing from China or were considering doing so. This conversation is “absolutely front

HESTRA USA ESTABLISHED A HUNGARIAN FACTORY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SKILLED LOCAL LABOR AND REDUCE FREIGHT AND DUTIES FOR THE EU MARKET.

where a factory makes L.L.Bean-branded product, including China, and we are actively working with our fellow industry leaders, associations, and our partners in the region to ensure that our supply chain standards are being met at the highest level.” Amy Celico, principal at global business consultant Albright Stonebridge Group, expects this issue will continue to be a big deal in the coming months. Some companies will decide remaining in China is not worth it, she says, given the need to police supply chains.

Emerging Alternatives

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HESTRA

While forces within China are pushing companies out, there are opportunities elsewhere that are pulling them in. For example, skilled workers in other countries are drawing brands that need cut-and-sew manufacturing. Vietnam is one of those places. Osprey discovered it years ago, and recently the ski glove maker Hestra USA followed suit. About three years ago, the company purchased a building there and installed new equipment, as part of a long-range plan to shift part of its glove production from China to Vietnam, says Dino Dardano, the company’s president. “We’ve had tremendous success—so much so that we actually expanded the facility by about 30 percent last fall to accommodate about 125 more workers,” he says. Dardano says Hestra has been in China for 50 years, owning two companies there in a joint venture. But experienced sewers are in decline there, and the company has not found young people to replace them. “I can tell you that I’ve had a lot of conversations with my peers and they’re faced with the same challenges when it comes to sewn goods,” he says. Dardano attributes the change in part to China’s now-defunct one-child policy, and the problem is likely exacerbated by the natural evolution of a maturing economy. Vietnam isn’t the only country benefiting from the exodus. South Asia saw a 34 percent increase in demand for factory inspections and audits in the first half of 2019 over the same period in 2018, according to supply chain consultant QIMA. And the migration is not limited to Asia. Tariffs and the coronavirus have also made it more appealing to bring production

PANDEMIC 2020 closer to home. The volume of inspections and audits ordered of factories in Latin America by U.S. businesses increased nearly 50 percent last year, QIMA reports. Another shift away from China came at the prompting of the outdoor industry itself. Travel goods—luggage, backpacks, sports bags—made in China can be taxed steeply upon entering the U.S. Sensing opportunity, the outdoor industry lobbied to have such goods made eligible for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a trade-preference program that allows qualified products to enter the U.S. duty-free when a substantial amount of their value is produced in more than 120 developing countries. The effort has been successful in recent years. “Since that went into effect, we’ve seen a movement out of China to Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and other GSP countries on travel goods,” says Rich Harper, manager of international trade for Outdoor Industry Association. In 2015, China produced about 64 percent of GSP-eligible travel goods. By January of this year, that share of “made in China” had been cut by 40 percent. “The duty savings that first year was something like $90 million” for outdoor companies, Harper says.

A Natural Evolution

matures, so does the nature of the work that’s done there.” This evolution has played out elsewhere. Japan, for instance, became the place to produce cheap goods right after World War II, and was later supplanted by Taiwan. Eventually manufacturing went to places such as Korea. Thirty years ago, South Korea was the world’s primary supplier of backpacking tents. Now it supplies the high-end fabric and poles for those tents, but the tents themselves are made elsewhere. Today, South Korea has a booming outdoor recreation scene and its participants now buy those tents.

THE CASE FOR STAYING Quality and Capacity Despite qualms about China, many outdoor companies say it’s not good for business to leave. For starters, the work is usually fast and high quality. Of course, not every company’s experience in China is the same because not every supply chain is the same, says Lovely, the economics professor. Small companies that don’t require much sophistication, or don’t need many subcontractors to make their products, can pick up and move rather quickly in the face of headwinds, she says. Meanwhile, very large multinational companies (Samsung, for example) may be able to shift production to another factory they own elsewhere, if trouble strikes. But a lot of outdoor companies probably fall in between the two, she says. Their products require knowledge to make, perhaps specialized equipment and techniques, a mature supplier system, and contractors and subcontractors. Finding this elsewhere is not easy, she says. That makes China “sticky,” as it were. Big Agnes manufactures throughout Southeast Asia, including in the Philippines for furniture and, more recently, in Vietnam for stuff sacks. But the Colorado-based

company has no plans to move production of its well-regarded sleeping bags and tents, the latter of which can command $700 or more, out of China, says founder Bill Gamber. “The best sleeping bag manufacturers in the world are in China. Same goes for tents,” Gamber says. In 2019, 95 percent of all down sleeping bags imported to the U.S.—and nearly 90 percent of all kinds of sleeping bags—came from China, according to statistics from the International Trade Commission.

Relationships More than a physical factory and skilled workers keep Big Agnes in China, however. “A really high-end, ultralight backpacking tent is not as complicated as an electric car,” Gamber acknowledges. “But our supply chain is very specific for building a very specialized tent.” Big Agnes’s manufacturer leans on an ecosystem of suppliers. “We’ve been working with both our factory and fabric supplier for 20 years,” he says. “It would take years to rebuild what we’ve done.” Such talk of “relationships” is not mushy sentiment; a relationship can save you money, says Gail Ross, chief operating officer of Krimson Klover, whose apparel company continues to work with the same factory in China that it has for a decade, even as some of the brand’s manufacturing of sweaters and other clothing has shifted elsewhere. “I can say, ‘Hey, do you remember that silhouette from five years ago? I want you to haul that out, and do this, this, and this with it,’” Ross says. Less back-andforth with a factory owner translates into less time and money spent air shipping prototypes. And a longstanding relationship means Ross only goes to the factory in person twice a year. “With brand-new factories, we need to go three, maybe four times a year.” A small company like Krimson Klover also found something else when shopping around for alternative manufacturing options: “There are other countries—Indonesia, Vietnam—that are really great at cut-and-sew and printing. But the minimums are much higher,” Ross says. So, for now, the same Chinese factory that gets the “carrot” of her fall business is willing to accept the “stick” of her tiny spring production.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HESTRA

What companies are experiencing overall with China is part of a natural evolution: As a country matures, so does the nature of the work that’s done there. You can see the Chinese government directing this transition, says Celico, of the Albright Stonebridge Group. “As the country has become more economically advanced, it’s not just that it became more expensive to manufacture there, it’s that the Chinese government started to—sorry for the lack of a technical phrase—pooh-pooh low-end manufacturing,” Celico says. “The government has started to become more selective about the kinds of manufacturing it wants to encourage, as well as the location of manufacturing facilities.” Celico recalls working with a sporting goods manufacturer there. Government officials told the company they didn’t want the factory in the middle of Shenzhen anymore because the area was being turned into a high-tech manufacturing zone. “We just decided that if we’re gonna move, we’re gonna move to Mexico,” Celico says.

“As a country

HESTRA USA FOUND SKILLED CUT-ANDSEW WORKERS IN VIETNAM.

Culture

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HESTRA

And then there are cultural differences that can work in China’s favor. In China, “a normal shift is 12 hours,” says Wolf of Fireside Outdoor. “They work seven days a week. And then they really, really enjoy their holidays.” He adds, “What we’re seeing in Vietnam, and we also saw this in the Philippines, is that they have a different work ethic. In Vietnam we’re having challenges where an employee won’t show up for three days. Then he just shows up on the fourth day and says, ‘Here I am.’ It’s hard to do a production line when someone doesn’t show up at their post.” In China, workers historically have been more willing to move where the work is, says Neil Burch, who has 35 years of experience manufacturing in Asia and today is president of the North American group of Joinease, which designs, manufactures, and does market research for drinkware for the suppliers to Nike, Gatorade, and Brita. “But in Vietnam, they kind of want to live at [or near] home,” he says, which can cause issues for manufacturers in locating and moving factories. Burch says his company

has looked at Vietnam, and could establish a factory there eventually. But not yet. And China is not alone in wrestling with issues of human and workers’ rights. Ethical ratings in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines have been “slipping,” according to the consultant QIMA, and factory safety can be poor. (One outdoor company executive says she wasn’t comfortable leaving China for another country, where working conditions and human rights would be even harder for her to track.) For his part, Burch’s company is refocusing on China. “We’re looking at doubling down and reinvesting,” he says.

Emerging Middle Class An enormous reason to stay in China is the Chinese market itself. “China is poised to replace the United States as the biggest consumer market in the world,” says Celico, from the Albright Stonebridge Group. “That is a massive change. This is a country of 1.4 billion people. The middle class is basically larger than the population of the U.S.” China has a thriving outdoor gear market. It was worth $60 billion in

2018, and it’s expected to be worth $100 billion by 2025, according to a 2019 report by Research in China. “And so, what a lot of companies are doing is sort of splitting the baby, saying, ‘OK, maybe we have to diversify our global supply chain, but we still have to manufacture inside China, for China,’” says Celico.

TO LEAVE OR NOT TO LEAVE Every company will use a slightly different calculus to determine if it’s time to go. And many will find, like Wolf, that even when you decide to get out, truly disengaging from China is harder than it appears. But every company will have to confront the same basic issues, and this unavoidable fact: The worldwide ecosystem of manufacturing and consumer sales is more complicated, and more intertwined, than ever before. China is at the center of that world and no matter what you make or where you make it, managing how the global Goliath impacts your business matters more than ever.

To Save The Planet,

INVEST IN JEDI TH E I N TE R S E CTI O N B E T W E E N EQUA LIT Y A N D S US TA I NA B I LI T Y I S CLEAR : W I TH A L A R G E R, M OR E D IVE R S E A R MY O F E NVI R ON M E N TAL ACTIVI S TS , W E A LL W I N.

was visiting my buddy’s family cottage in West Sussex, England, when I decided to escape for an adventure in the adjoining woods. Four hours later, after scaling ledges, splashing through bogs, and stumbling across numerous property lines, I realized that I was lost. No cell service, no GPS. While pondering my next move in a grassy field that was home to a dozen grazing horses, I was startled by an older gentleman—clearly a farmer, dressed in a sweat-stained, beige shirt and much-patched denim pants—who calmly informed me in clipped tones that I was on private grounds (which is commonly legal when hiking in England). I steeled myself for an uncomfortable confrontation that never happened. Instead, he noticed my canteen, asked if I needed a refill, and then withdrew a water bottle from his weathered knapsack as he sat down to chat. If only all outdoor experiences for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) were this positive. Having spent much time backpacking on public lands throughout the U.S., I was initially confused by his kindness. I was more accustomed to receiving suspicious stares when I encountered white people on trails. But here I was trespassing, and instead of rancor, I was granted fellowship. I just had to travel to another country to experience it. Though the outdoor community welcomes self-determined adventurers, there is a pervasive bias against BIPOC on the open trail in the U.S. I promise you. It is real. It’s as if we are crashing a party that has falsely advertised itself as open to all.

I’m sure you’ve heard something like this before. That people of color feel “unwelcome” on the trail. But you’re a liberal member of the progressive outdoor industry, so you probably think, “I would never do anything to make anyone feel unwelcome. That just means it’s hard to feel comfortable when there’s no one else like you around.” Wrong. There’s no anti-racism magic line at the trailhead. Systemic racism exists everywhere. That’s what systemic means. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve faced white hikers who have either overtly or passively challenged my right to being on the trail. To cut the tension, I typically sing “This Land is Your Land” and walk away when they ask me what I’m doing there, though I’d rather reply, “Isn’t it obvious? The exact same thing you are.” This hostility, this suspicion, these assumptions of sinister intent are precisely the same as when a police officer presumes that my bank visit is a potential robbery attempt. As a Black man, I am all too often seen as a threat, wherever I go. When I’m ascending a mountain, these problems don’t go away, but for the duration of that hike, they stop mattering. And when I make it to the summit of whatever peak I’m climbing, such as the mile-long, brutally steep Incline at Manitou Springs in Colorado, the payoff is the view (all the way to Kansas, as they say), the feeling, and the freedom. The first time I ascended the Incline, my pupils actually dilated. Afterward, my friend told me that I looked like I’d just had a religious experience. And I had. I’d fallen in love with the planet. Since then I’ve wanted to protect it. And I want all people to have

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

BY J UAN M I C H A E L P O R T E R I I

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

FROM LEFT: THE AUTHOR EXPRESSING HIS JOY OUTDOORS IN SUSSEX, ENGLAND, GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA’S FRANKLIN CANYON PARK, AND ATOP KATAHDIN IN MAINE.

that experience and that connection to the land. Especially those who have recently protested for my right to live. You see, I’m HIV positive and can’t risk marching during this Covid-19 season. So when I return to climbing, I want to introduce the people who launched this new civil rights movement to what I believe in. Compared with their white counterparts, fewer BIPOC have had the privilege of accessing the outdoors. But we are absolutely out there. You just might not know it because our participation is rarely celebrated, marketed, or shared. When the only images you see of BIPOC showcase us in urban settings, you can be forgiven for dismissing us as uninterested in nature. Uninterested in protecting wild spaces. Uninterested in climate change. This perception is only sharpened when the default image of hikers is white. But this is a false narrative, and it fuels the belief that someone who looks like me at Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes is not passionate about treasuring the space, but rather out of place or up to no good. It should be enough to want equality in the outdoors just for equality’s sake—ending racism everywhere is its own reward. But there’s another reason to champion JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) in nature, and the outdoor industry should acknowledge and embrace it. If this industry is serious about sustainability and climate change, it should elevate anti-racism efforts to the same level as conservation efforts. The intersection between fighting to save the planet and protesting to protect Black lives could not be more obvious to me. If we want to preserve the planet, we have to acknowledge that it will re-

quire expanded outreach into untapped communities of color. We need to create a bigger army of environmentalists, standing side by side to fight for public land access, conservation, and climate action. Plenty of well-meaning members of the outdoor industry will likely agree with this sentiment, and even feel they’ve been an ally on this path all along. But look at the reality. I’ve spent hours exploring the roster of 39 staff and board members and researching the 49 advisory council members of the Outdoor Industry Association. Of the 88 people in that group of leaders, only three are not white. How can JEDI exist outdoors when it is missing at this level of leadership? The outdoor industry has galvanized to move our trade show from Salt Lake in short order. We’ve synchronized our voices to Congress, as shown by the recent Senate passage of The Great American Outdoors Act to fully and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. We’ve funded the Conservation Alliance for 31 years and through it donated many millions to wilderness preservation. We can do so much more. Now is the time for the entire outdoor industry to rally together to champion justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion with the same urgency and fervor that we’ve devoted to saving the planet. Just imagine the progress we could make in the name of public lands and climate action if we did. I’ve heard many people ask, “How do we champion diversity?” Simple: the same way you ascend the Incline. One step at a time, with eyes wide open.

Minnie Mouse

Took a NOLS course!

Yoga Teacher

President James Madison

Shoot nature photos for my blog

SPECIAL REPORT

AR E P RO P RO G RAM S A LE G I T I M AT E P E R K FOR I N D U S T RY P ROF E S S ION ALS OR A D I S C OU N T S ALE S C H AN N E L R U N AM OK ? S OM E I N S I D E R S AR E CALLI N G T H E W H OLE SC E N E A C OM P LETE FARC E. H E R Eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S W H Y. BY E LI S AB E T H K WAK- H E F F E RAN

ski patroller? Full-time mountain guide? Retail employee? Most everyone can agree that these professions get a green light. But how about a seasonal whitewater guide getting a deal on skis or a yoga instructor getting a discount on a tent—greenish yellow? How about someone who takes an avalanche safety course or an amateur photographer with a nature blog—red? What about average enthusiasts who just claim they do one of the above? Figuring out who deserves a steep gear discount is crucial to running a successful brand pro program. Connect with the right pros, the theory goes, and a manufacturer helps these influencers do their jobs, while also familiarizing them with the gear and driving full-price sales to local retailers for a win-win. But if standards loosen so much that practically anybody can stock up on gear for 40 percent off or more, then pro deals become something else entirely. “Pro programs are a complete farce,” says Wes Allen, owner of Sunlight Sports in Cody, Wyoming. “The idea of a program where you discount to shop employees and people who work in the industry is a solid one. But anybody who’s being honest about it knows that the programs are completely out of control. It’s a way for brands to sell direct-to-consumer at a discount without violating their MAP [minimum advertised price] policy. And let’s be real, there are brands out there encouraging this behavior because they see it as an easy, high-margin sale.” Without any industry-wide standards or watchdogs for pro programs, it’s tough to judge how well the system is really working. So we went digging for evidence.

The Broadening Definition of “Pro”

mployees at The Trail Head, an independent outdoor retailer in Missoula, Montana, run into shoppers with pro deals “every single day,” says owner Todd Frank. Sometimes they’re just showrooming—trying on boots and apparel in the store before heading off to order their gear directly from brands or on third-party pro platforms. Sometimes they’re attempting to use a prAna influencer card (good for direct purchases from prAna only) for a discount in the store, not understanding how the program works. Sometimes they’re getting their new pro-deal skis mounted. “Over the last bunch of years, the number of skis we sell has dropped 15 to 30 percent a year, but the number we’re mounting has gone up,” notes Frank. “People are very open about [getting a pro deal]. It’s a badge of honor in a community like Missoula. It makes you a legit outdoor guy.” “Legit” is exactly the point of contention. Who’s legit? Brands and retailers alike agree that true industry professionals deserve a gear hookup, noting that gigs like ski patrolling, guiding, and wildland firefighting often pay so poorly that these pros would struggle to buy needed equipment. Without pro deals, “there’s no way you could afford this stuff,” says Steve Kunnen, an avalanche forecaster, educator, and guide for Washington’s Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort, the Northwest Mountain School, and the Northwest Avalanche Center. He considers his pro deals an essential part of his job: This past winter season alone he bought two pairs of Atomic skis and goggles, a Patagonia ski pack, and Arc’teryx shell pants, all at 40 percent off or more. “People don’t realize you hammer your gear” with daily, hard use, Kunnen says. “There’d be a lot more patches and duct tape without pro deals.”

And in the right hands, pros do serve as valuable influencers. “If a retail consumer sees a pro using a product, that’s a pretty big stamp of approval,” notes Derek Young, who manages the pro program for Sawyer Paddles and Oars. Getting gear into the hands of specialty retailer employees can also pay off for outdoor stores: Not only is it a valuable perk for recruiting workers, but an enthusiastic recommendation from a shop clerk can drive sales. “All you have to do is walk into [a store] and meet an employee who’s like, ‘I was using this last weekend’—that’s hugely positive,” notes Gabe Maier, vice president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance. What some retailers do object to, however, is the extension of pro deals to the far margins of the outdoors, such part-time yoga teachers, students enrolled in AIARE avalanche courses, or “literally people who work in the parks department—not Yellowstone park, but tennis courts,” says Sunlight Sports’s Allen. Another gripe: Often, pro members are eligible for discounts well beyond their job categories, as in a backpacking guide also qualifying for ski boots. And some report concerns about straight-up fraud, with faux pros falsely claiming they deserve a deal. Young of Sawyer Paddles and Oars says applicants have sent him snapshots of themselves in a whitewater raft as proof that they’re professional guides. Nobody in the industry tracks overall pro purchases, says Grassroots Public Relations and Policy Advisor Drew Simmons, but the organization has heard plenty of anecdotes from its member shops. “It’s an income stream [for brands] that’s based on promotional, off-price behavior,” Simmons says. “It seems to be broadening and growing at a significant pace.” (Several retailers say pro programs really started going off the rails about 10 years ago.) Adds Simmons, “Retailers are understandably concerned that it has become such a significant part of many brands’ businesses that they will have a really hard time reining it in.” And stores argue there’s much at stake when pro programs get bloated well beyond their original intention. “Everybody and their dog

has a pro form in a mountain town like ours, when they absolutely should not,” says Brendan Madigan, owner of Tahoe City, California’s Alpenglow Sports. “You’re effectively retraining the public to shop online always and first, and to look for discounts online, which makes them think brick-and-mortar stores are always more expensive. Brands are effectively undercutting retailers.” “If a product that we sell is readily available from the vendor for 40 to 50 percent less, it makes us look really bad,” adds The Trail Head’s Frank. “And it harms the vendors just as much, because they’re going to end up with nothing but a discounted sales channel.”

The Middlemen

ou can’t talk pro deals—and their potential for abuse—without taking a hard look at third-party pro platforms like ExpertVoice, Outdoorly, Liberty Mountain, and Outdoor Prolink. These businesses partner with brands to manage their pro programs, in many cases vetting applicants, facilitating orders, and providing other services in exchange for a fee and/or a cut of each sale. (Another site, IPA Collective, approves applicants and then connects them directly to brand pro programs.) Such programs maintain that they help vendors find and vet influencers, and also instruct their pros to send anyone who admires their gear to buy it at a local retailer. “The clear reason to have a pro program is to drive more full-price consumer sales,” says ExpertVoice CEO Tom Stockham. “It’s [about] finding the people who have the most credible influence with consumers, and making them better ambassadors for your brand.” Reps for all platforms we questioned for this article (ExpertVoice, IPA Collective, and Outdoor Prolink) stressed they use strict protocols to evaluate applicants. “If you’re not careful with your pro program, you start to undermine your price point and extend discounts too broadly,” says Stockham, who adds that ExpertVoice uses anti-fraud software and cross checks with professional organizations’ databases to limit its members to true pros. A spokesperson for Outdoor Prolink notes the company has five staffers who review the thousand-plus applications it receives weekly (90 percent are accepted, which the company chalks up to clear criteria on its website that weed out unqualified would-be applicants) and requires members to recertify annually: “This ensures that 100 percent of our base [is made up of ] vetted professionals.” Retailers aren’t buying it. “The third-party sites are like drug dealers,” says Allen of Sunlight Sports. “They’re coming in with this story about how ‘we’re going to get influencers to push people to your retailers.’ That’s such a bunch of crap.” He argues that third-party shoppers don’t have any real connection to their local outdoor stores. Frank adds that the sites’ business model encourages them to view applicants with a generous eye. “[Third-party sites] are making commission sales,” he says. “So they’re going to drive as much volume as possible, because that’s the only way it works.” What’s more, some retailers say their vendors are on board with such everybody-in policies. According to a member of the sales team who worked closely with Black Diamond’s pro program, left the company within the past year, and asked to remain anonymous, “Using ExpertVoice captures a broader audience and requires less in-house maintenance. Yes, ExpertVoice is too lax with who they approve for pro deals, which Black Diamond is acutely aware of. However, it is also a huge revenue driver for the brand.” In response, the brand shared a statement acknowledging that the pro program isn’t perfect, but Black Diamond continues to improve its system. It also notes that the brand is a key player in an industry working group on pro sales, which meets to share notes on best practices, including dealing with abuses. So what’s the truth behind becoming a pro? We went undercover to find out. In our investigation (see p. 87), the third-party platforms we applied to accepted our fake profiles more often than not. “If you’re willing to lie about who you are, it can be hard to catch someone like that,” notes ExpertVoice’s Stockham. “But it will happen, and you’ll be

kicked off the platform forever. We will always want to work with retailers and others to figure out how to make the system work better.” Some brands say they recognize the loopholes as well. “We are aware of some issues regarding pro/industry purchase sign-up validation and are taking aggressive steps to correct any problems around our internal approval process as well as those of our chosen partners to … tighten controls in a way that ensures a healthy program,” says Andy Burke, head of commercial sales at Outdoor Research.

Bro Deals— and Consequences

n some pro programs, membership comes with an extra perk: periodic discount codes meant to be shared with friends and family, aka the “bro deal.” Recent promotions from Patagonia and prAna have offered each of their pros three codes at 40 percent off to share—much to the chagrin of the retailer community (Patagonia’s codes were each good for up to $2,500 worth of gear). “The question is, is a friends-and-family program really an extension of the pro purchase influencer program?” asks Grassroots’s Simmons. “Expanding accessibility to everyone you know—is that supporting the original idea [of a pro program], or is it a whole different area of revenue generation? Friends-and-family promotions seem like the number-one thing to train people to [wait for] a good deal every year.” Besides, members of a pro’s social circle could otherwise be full-price customers—so why offer them deep discounts? According to prAna’s vice president of marketing, Jeff Haack, “We want to give [our influencers] an opportunity to share their love of the brand and products.” (No other brands we approached agreed to comment.) But retailers suspect otherwise. Allen guesses these promos are a way to unload excess inventory, and Frank says, “Friends-and-family discounts are prolific because most of the companies are just using them to drive volume. We have a lot of publicly traded companies in the outdoor industry now, and they’re beholden to the board and the shareholders”—which means they’re under pressure to maximize profits every quarter by whatever means necessary. Ultimately, such complaints about excessive pro deal activity can translate to concrete consequences for brands. Frank dropped Scarpa from The Trail Head last winter: “There are people who should not be getting deals from Scarpa who are getting deals every day. Consequently, I just can’t sell it.” (Scarpa did not reply to our

requests for comment.) Allen has similarly scaled back business from several brands so far, and is “having super-hard conversations with” a few others (he declined to name which ones). And Maier of Grassroots predicts that overly generous pro programs will backfire industrywide. “It seems like the programs were created to enhance brand loyalty,” he says. “But where the programs are now, all the anecdotal information points to creating price loyalty. Instead of building up brand equity, it’s having the opposite effect.”

Reining It In

obody tracks the precise number of pro program members across the industry— or what percent of total purchases they account for—but our investigation shows how easy it is for someone without real credentials to get access to a killer deal. So how can the industry dial back the free-for-all and restore pro programs to their original purpose? The first, and likely most effective, step: tightening up the vetting process. “It would be a huge positive step to get some validation at all levels,” says Maier. “If these programs are truly intended to be there for influencers or people who are connected at retail, then what’s the harm in doing a little more work in verifying who’s accepted?” Despite assurances from program managers that all applicants must pass strict scrutiny, our undercover investigation proves otherwise: In some cases, fake pros were granted almost instant access using fake credentials. Instead, managers could require additional documentation if something in an application looks fishy—such as professional certifications or, for retail employees, the store’s invoice number—or even call someone’s claimed employer to double-check. Another safeguard for retail employees: Mandate that all purchases be shipped to the store, as Patagonia does. The best-run pro programs also require members to recertify every year, Maier says, so former pros can’t hang on to their discounts. And, “if there’s not a direct connection to the local retailer, it doesn’t work,” says Frank. Many programs do include a note in their acceptance email about sending anyone who admires the gear to their local outdoor shop to make purchases, but there’s currently no guarantee that members even know which shops carry the products. Young of Sawyer Paddles and Oars says he asks his qualifying pros to send curious clients to specific local shops: “I’m trying to build that bridge between the pros and the retailers. Retailers have to trust that manufacturers aren’t abusing that discounted sales channel.” He even suggests taking the connection a step further: “Maybe it’s time for retailers to vet who’s qualified for programs.” Wrestling these pro programs back down to size, of course, depends on vendors and third parties actually wanting to limit pro deal purchases—not intentionally treating them as a lucrative discount DTC channel, as some retailers contend they do. The current state of pro programs “isn’t a misunderstanding,” says Allen. “It’s not people making a mistake in executing pro deal programs. This is a calculated business practice that people are being dishonest about.” Patagonia is one brand heeding its dealers’ calls for overall reform by embarking on a revamp of its own program. Among other steps, the company is reviewing pro categories and individual members and scrubbing those not deemed to match a stricter set of criteria, plus ending its twice-yearly friends-and-family promotions. “We know we can have a deeper connection with fewer pros … that supports our business in a better way,” notes Patagonia’s Bruce Old, VP of global business, and John Collins, leader of global sales teams, in a statement to The Voice. “We also realize there are too many access points for discounted products in the market.” The fact that the brand is investing in more environmentally and socially responsible—and expensive—production practices, they add, helps make its full-price business even more important. These kinds of brand-led reforms—essentially, hiring tougher bouncers for the pro deal club—are likely key to reducing abuses and maintaining a more exclusive definition of “pro.” After all, when everybody’s a pro, then really, nobody is. And that renders a pro program essentially meaningless.

Getting In

Just how tough—or easy—is it to get into a pro program? We went undercover to find out.

ost brands and third-party platforms say their pro programs are for true outdoor industry professionals only, and that applicants are carefully vetted to ensure only the deserving get in. Not everyone believes it. Industry insiders report concerns about several types of objectionable “pros.” There are the applicants with questionable outdoor credentials— part-time guides, one-time NOLS students, etc. There are straight-up liars posing as legit pros. And some retailers even charge that platforms will accept absurd applications that are obviously frauds (The Trail Head’s Todd Frank successfully applied to ExpertVoice as President James Madison). We tested the system ourselves with three fake personas, complete with bogus credentials, designed to probe brands’ defenses against those concerns. “April O’Hara” posed as a retail employee using a free, fake pay stub created online. Yoga instructor “Rashida Samat” submitted a screen shot of a real teacher’s online profile that didn’t include a name. And for our most ridiculous attempt, “Minnie Mouse” applied with a photo of a coffee shop punch card. We tried 11 pro programs (five third-party pro platforms and six brands directly). When admitted, we placed an order and, in all cases, received the gear (items will be donated). In some cases, our applicants received a green light within a few minutes, suggesting no vetting process or a very limited automated one. In others, someone reviewed the application, but didn’t probe deeply into our supporting documents. Andy Marker, founder and principal of IPA Collective, who approved our application for “Rashida Samat,” notes, “I saw the [online studio] profile, and on that day, it was good enough for me.” Ten of the 11 targets rejected Minnie Mouse (Liberty Mountain accepted her without question). But the results were mixed for April and Rashida. Here are the details.

The “Pros” The Liar: April O’Hara Job: Retail associate at The Trail Head, Missoula, MT (a real shop) Cred: A fake pay stub created online for free

PROGRAM

ADMITTED?

EXTRA VERIFICATION REQUESTED?

ExpertVoice

Yes, instantly

No. Didn’t even need to upload the fake pay stub.

IPA Collective

Yes, the next day

No. IPA Collective connects applicants directly with brands, and 11 of the 12 we requested let us in. The North Face did not.

Liberty Mountain

Yes, the next day

Outdoorly

Yes, the next day

Outdoor Prolink

Yes, within 10 minutes

Black Diamond

Yes, such as guide certification, resume, or link to website

Kühl

Yes, within 3 hours

The North Face

Outdoor Research

Yes, the next day

No. We were also offered an additional $10 off for every pro referral we could provide.

Patagonia

Yes, the store’s invoice account number and phone number.

prAna

Yes, the next day

The Pseudo-Pro: Rashida Samat Job: Yoga instructor at Inner Peace Yoga in Milton, MA (a fake studio) Cred: A screen shot of a real teacher’s profile, cropped to remove the name

PROGRAM

ADMITTED?

EXTRA VERIFICATION REQUESTED?

ExpertVoice

Yes, same day

Yes; we sent the URL of a real yoga studio in Indianapolis, which was accepted even though Rashida listed a Massachusetts address.

IPA Collective

Yes, the next day

No. IPA Collective connects applicants directly with brands, and 7 of the 10 we requested let us in. Helly Hansen and Icebreaker didn’t, and The North Face requested additional documents.

Liberty Mountain

Yes, within a few hours

Outdoorly

Yes, the next day

Outdoor Prolink

Yes. We sent the URL of a real yoga studio in Indianapolis and were rejected.

Black Diamond

Yes, through IPA Collective

No. Note: We didn’t attempt to use this profile directly with Black Diamond because yoga instructors aren’t (usually) core users of the brand’s gear.

Kühl

The North Face

Outdoor Research

Yes, the next day

Patagonia

Yes, a certification, studio profile link, and/or website

prAna

Yes, within 4 days

No 87

TA RG E T :

S TAT U S Q U O Like nature, the outdoor industry needs change, renewal, and adaptation—and disruptors to challenge and supplant the way we do things. Here’s a peek into what’s coming around the bend. Because under the law of evolution, if you don’t adapt, you don’t survive.

PHOTO BY TIM DAVIS

PHOTO COURTESY OF REI

BY KELLY BASTONE

STA M PI NG OU T R ACISM THE OUTDOOR CEO D I V E R S I T Y P L E D G E C A T A LY Z E S BUSINESS LEADERS TO BUST UP T H E A L L- W H I T E C L U B .

PHOTO BY TIM DAVIS

During the summer 2018 Outdoor Retailer show, Teresa Baker roamed the aisles and asked company leaders to sign her just-launched pledge to make outdoor businesses more inclusive of people of colTERESA BAKER LEADS A TEAM OF 30+ STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO CONDUCT QUARTERLY EVALUATIONS OF EACH or. More than just a statement of intent, COMPANY THAT SIGNS THE PLEDGE. the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge committed signatories to developing a bona the Pledge had amassed 28 CEOs who promised to craft a specific fide action plan. set of actions for their companies to hire and support a diverse And Baker is all about action. She was workforce and executive leadership; present representative marfar from the first person to talk about the keting and advertising in media; engage and support broadly replack of diversity in the outdoor industry. resentative ambassador and athlete teams; and share best (and But her Pledge, and the accountability it unsuccessful) practices within the industry. creates among leaders, has accelerated Those focus areas and the consultations with Baker’s team have change in a powerul way. helped Granite Gear take DEI “to another level,” says Rob Coughlin, Initially, Baker didn’t rouse an avalanche general manager, who signed the Pledge in 2018. of responses. As founder “Teresa has had such an influence on me and of the African American made me look at myself really hard,” Coughlin National Park Event, she “TERESA HAS HAD SUCH AN says. That scrutiny prompted the brand to diverwasn’t a well-known figINFLUENCE ON ME AND MADE ME sify its team of trash-removing Grounds Keeper ure within the industry. hikers, to represent BIPOC and LGBTQ+ issues But she sensed that gear LOOK AT MYSELF REALLY HARD.” on its social channels, and to emphasize diversity brands represented a -ROB COUGHLIN, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND when hiring. Still, Coughlin knows the work is far powerful way to amplify DEVELOPMENT, GRANITE GEAR from done. When detractors slam the company’s her DEI efforts beyond representation of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ hikers in the national parks. After its newsletters and social media feeds, “That just makes us want to all, Baker’s hikes around Big Sur and other do more,” says Coughlin. spots near her California home convinced Such efforts are snowballing into even greater impact. At press her that outdoor enthusiasts already intime, more than 220 brands had signed the Pledge and 200 more cluded people of color. “We hike, ski, were in the pipeline. The program’s job board now lets participating climb—we do all these things,” says Bakorganizations target and recruit diverse candidates. er. “But looking at the social media feeds The current climate has awakened Americans’ understanding of [gear] brands, you wouldn’t know that.” that opposing racism requires active change rather than passive So along with Chris Perkins, a Yale Uniagreement in the status quo. But the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge versity forestry student, Baker developed issued that call to action more than two years ago. Its earliest adoptthe Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge and ers are showing how a real commitment to this issue can lead to real its supporting program. Marmot’s generchange. “People are finally understanding that the demographics in al manager, Joe Flannery (who has since this country are shifting into a scenario where people of color are moved on to Callaway Golf), was among dominant,” says Baker. “We need and we demand a change.” the first to sign in May 2018. A year later,

G R EE N P OL ICE

PHOTO COURTESY OF REI

asks. After all, who would argue against the treating factory workers fairly, or avoiding the use of toxic chemicals? Yet standard manREI CO-OP PUSHES THE ENTIRE ufacturing practices continue to rely on habits that harm people, INDUSTRY TOWARD A MORE animals, and the planet—because changing those norms takes tremendous effort and resources. REI has forced the issue, and brands S U S TA I N A B L E F U T U R E . are scrambling to comply. Of course, not all manufacturers are behind the curve. For some, REI’s requirements merely describe practices that they’ve already How can the biggest outdoor retailer in put in place. But they’re the exception, not the rule. REI wanted to the country be a disruptor, you ask? Its hasten widespread adoption, so it issued an ultimatum and set out size gives it leverage, and it’s using that a clear path to reach it. “Our standards are meant to help scale susleverage to change the way the industry tainability best practices beyond just these leading brands and to makes gear. make them more achievable by every brand across our industry,” In spring 2018, REI unveiled a new set explains Greg Gausewitz, REI’s product sustainof sustainability stanability manager. dards and told its more Some standards resonate with consumers than 1,000 vendors that “BRANDS THAT AREN’ T WILLING (those who prefer humanely collected down, for they’d need to comTO WALK THE SUSTAINABILITY example). Others dictate back-end changes to ply with everything supply chains, logistics, and sustainability monon that list by fall TALK WILL LOSE OUT ON THE itoring. The requirement for brands to complete 2020—or lose the INDUSTRY’S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER the Higg Index self-assessment tool has proven opportunity to sell to be so difficult that REI is revising the timeline through REI. The five DOOR, POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING for its compliance, to be released sometime in guidelines (see sidebar, THEIR BUSINESSES.” 2020. But the disruptive effect of REI’s product right) direct compasustainability standards is about more than any nies to pursue healthione requirement. It’s the sum of the parts, and the fact that brands er supply chains, get savvy about harmful that aren’t willing to walk the sustainability talk will lose out on the chemicals, and incorporate sustainable materials such as organic fibers, humanely sourced down, and Bluesign-certified fabREI IS LEVERAGING ITS STATUS AS THE MOST COVETED SALES rics into their products. FLOOR IN THE INDUSTRY TO PUSH FOR GREENER MANUFACTURING STANDARDS. These might not seem like controversial

Here’s your Crib Sheet on REI’s Product Sustainability Standards. 1) Create fair and safe supply chains, using a manufacturing code of conduct that outlines social and environmental standards and pursuing Fair Trade certification wherever possible. 2) Manage chemical use to avoid toxic substances, such as oxybenzone (in sunscreens) and long-chain PFAS. 3) Source materials that comply with guidelines for responsible land stewardship, such as organic crops and wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. 4) Ensure that animal-derived materials (such as down, wool, and leather) come from animals that received humane treatment.

PHOTO COURTESY OF REI

5) Address products’ environmental impacts across their entire life cycle— including disposal—by completing the Higg Index Brand & Retail Module.

industry’s most sought-after door, potentially devastating their businesses. The threat shocked a number of brands, says outdoor industry veteran Ammi Borenstein. As principal at Snaplinc Consulting, Borenstein has helped a half dozen brands comply with REI’s standards. “They were asking, ‘How do I get my arms around this?’ Because many of them didn’t have any basic, meaningful sustainability foundation in place,” Borenstein says. Yet REI’s requirements also set brands on a clear path to best practices, Borenstein says: “If you’re coming from zero, it’s very hard to know what to do first, but the standards provide a starting point and roadmap.” Even Royal Robbins, which wasn’t starting from zero, received valuable guidance from the Product Sustainability Standards. “There were a lot of things that we were working on, but the guidelines helped to sharpen our focus,” explains Kaytlin Moeller, Royal Robbins’ brand sustainability manager. As a member of the Fenix Outdoor family of brands

(which includes Fjällräven and Primus), Royal Robbins had already begun to map its supply chain and had asked its tier 1 suppliers (which sell directly to Royal Robbins) to sign onto a sustainability code of conduct, but REI’s standards nudged Royal Robbins to extend that code of conduct to tier 2 suppliers (which sell to tier 1). Now, Royal Robbins is evaluating how to eliminate the practice of wrapping individual products in polybags. “It can’t happen overnight because we need to make sure our logistical system is set up to process that change,” says Moeller. Ditching polybags represents a significant change in any company’s operations, but the hope from REI is that Royal Robbins and other brands will find big strides to be more achievable once the Product Sustainability Standards lay down the stepping stones. Of course, REI benefits from its vendors’ advances in sustainability. “Third-party brands account for the majority of REI’s product sales,” says Gausewitz. “These products also account for the most significant component of REI’s environmental footprint. So if we want to bring a more sustainable offering to our customers and continuously reduce our footprint, it’s critical that we partner with the brands we work with.” REI has dropped brands that do not align with its standards, he adds. However, says Borenstein, some of the most exciting and far-ranging impacts of the REI guidelines have been the ways that brands are now exploring sustainability beyond those basic requirements. Fulfilling REI’s sustainability expectations has prompted a groundswell of excitement within companies that’s buoying them to greater things. “People want to do the right thing, and they want to work for a company where they know they do the right thing, so we’ve seen [REI’s guidelines] activating employee excitement,” he says. “When it becomes meaningful to brands’ customers, employees, and leadership, companies start dedicating money and time to it. That’s when sustainability takes on a life of its own.” As with any change to the status quo, results can be somewhat hard to track, but REI remains optimistic that its efforts will address the biggest problem of our time: climate change. “We do not yet have data to show the carbon benefits of our standards,” Gausewitz says. “Addressing climate change is at the heart of our mission to fight for life outdoors, and our Product Sustainability Standards are an important tool in that fight. We continue to work to get better data so we can fine-tune our efforts and better understand our impact.”

NO ST R I NG S AT TACH ED S T I O P R O V I D E S R E TA I L E R S W I T H NEW GEAR ON CONSIGNMENT TERMS.

It’s one of retail’s most fundamental tenets: Shops buy goods at wholesale, sell them to consumers, then figure out what to do with the inventory that doesn’t sell. But, in 2016, Stio hatched a novel kind of consignment deal that placed new apparel “on wheels” in select brick-and-mortar outdoor retailers. If items don’t sell there, Stio takes them back and doesn’t charge the shop. The program, called Outpost, lets Stio sell product in retail shops while retaining the direct-to-customer model at the core of its business. But it also opened retailers’ eyes to a new realm of possibility for their

PHOTO COURTESY OF STIO

PHOTOS BY COURTESY

fering retailers product on wheels strengthens retailers’ negotiating partnerships with manufacturers and the position and puts pressure on manufacturing brands to earn their idea is catching on. spot in brick-and-mortar showcases. “It gives specialty retail some bargainCurrently, the Outpost program includes about 40 stores, and ing leverage,” says Brendan Madigan, Sullivan expects that number to grow—albeowner of Alpenglow it slowly. “I think a lot of the other brands are Sports in Tahoe City, “OFFERING RETAILERS PRODUCT ON probably pissed off at me for having stuff on California. He says wheels, so we won’t expand it too aggressively,” that his participation WHEELS STRENGTHENS RETAILERS’ Sullivan jokes. Besides, Outpost is most valuin Stio’s Outpost proNEGOTIATING POSITION AND PUTS able as a piece of Stio’s broader puzzle of margram has made him kets; leaning too hard on it for sales incurs too reevaluate his existPRESSURE ON MANUFACTURING much inventory risk. But from a branding and ing relationships. “I BRANDS TO EARN THEIR SPOT IN marketing standpoint, says Sullivan, it’s been can say hey, here’s very successful. “It’s hard to quantify what it’s a company that’s BRICK-AND-MORTAR SHOWCASES.” done,” he admits. “For us, it’s been a way to build giving me the same consumer awareness, especially in major metro terms you do, but areas away from our core markets in the mountains.” with zero inventory risk,” says Madigan. Not every apparel brand is likely to be able to offer product on And Outpost addresses one of Madigan’s wheels, Sullivan says, because most are dedicated to traditional biggest, most persistent problems: cash wholesale models. Nevertheless, at least one major brand—The flow. North Face—is dabbling with buy-backs. When contacted, the With Outpost, Stio provides retailers company declined to elaborate on its policies. “While we don’t diswith product, delivered about eight times close our specific sales programs, we do support our retail partper year (compared to the two deliveries ners in a number of ways to ensure our relationship is positive for in spring and fall that are the norm for the them,” says The North Face spokesperson Kali Platt. But multibroader apparel industry). Those retailers are not permitted to market Stio pieces using any kind of national reach, so Stio STIO’S OUTPOST PROGRAM LETS RETAILERS STOCK ITS PRODUCTS WITHOUT THE INVENTORY EXPOSURE. retains control of its brand identity. But retailers are expected to honor flash sales and seasonal clearances that Stio occasionally offers through its DTC channel. Retailers collect the typical, keystone wholesale margin. And they return unsold items to Stio, which developed the program because retailers kept asking for a way to carry Stio apparel in their stores. According to Stio, only a very small percentage of product has been returned, which Stio combines with its other inventory for sale online. “It started at the insistence of a bunch of old retail friends of mine,” explains Stio founder Stephen Sullivan, who had developed extensive retailer relationships during his days at Cloudveil (another Jackson-based apparel brand that Sullivan helmed until 2010). Jans in Park City, Utah, and Sturtevants in Ketchum, Idaho, were among the first retailers to become Stio Outposts. “We seek out high-quality shops that really focus on customer engagement, have high-quality staff, and invest in a lot of staff training,” Sullivan says. Madigan likes that such terms let him be more financially fluid. But he also thinks they separate the wheat from the chaff. “There are a lot of average brands in a saturated, competitive market,” he says. Of-

ple retailers have confirmed that they’ve accepted “on wheels” deliveries of The North Face product, such as the high-dollar Summit Series line of alpine apparel. If so-called pinnacle products are shipping to stores on wheels, that could be enough to tip the entire brick-and-mortar retail model.

T H E BR E A K AWAY THE BIG GEAR SHOW

PHOTOS BY COURTESY (2)

PHOTO COURTESY OF STIO

G O E S I T S O W N WAY.

The Outdoor Retailer trade show has been the industry’s reigning conference since 1982, when 93 exhibitors gathered in Las Vegas. But The Big Gear Show has designs on OR’s dominance: This upstart is planning a new trade show, to stage just weeks after Outdoor Retailer’s typical Summer Market (and in the very city that OR abandoned, Salt Lake), with exhibitor rates that radically undercut OR. Of course, there’s no telling yet if anyone will win this showdown or if the industry has an appetite for two shows. Both were canceled this summer because of COVID-19—but The Big Gear Show has clearly fired a shot across Outdoor Retailer’s bow. The Big Gear Show’s founders, Darren Bush and Sutton Bacon, both hail from retail—specifically the paddling realm (Bush currently owns Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, Wisconsin, and Bacon was CEO of the Nantahala Outdoor Center from 2007 to 2018). Convinced that OR had become too expensive and too focused on apparel, they launched the Paddlesports Retailer show in 2017. Buyers liked that the show took place in late summer (rather than in June, which is the busiest month for paddling shops) but they preferred the diversity of brands and traffic that comes with a multisport exhibition like OR. So Bush and Bacon revised Paddlesports Retailer into The Big Gear Show, which includes paddling, cycling, camping, and climbing brands—but is limited to hardgoods only. “So much of the [outdoor] industry is based around apparel, but that timing doesn’t work for all aspects of the outdoor industry,” says Kenji Haroutunian, who directed the Outdoor Retailer and Fly Fishing Retailer shows before Bush and Bacon

BACON (LEFT) AND BUSH BELIEVE THAT THE INCUMBENT TRADE SHOW—OUTDOOR RETAILER—WAS NOT SERVING THE NEEDS OF MANY RETAILERS. SO THEY’RE BUILDING ONE THAT THEY SAY WILL.

tapped him to direct The Big Gear Show. Tents and kayaks, for example, aren’t always updated every year (as apparel generally is) and such hardgoods aren’t always made in Asia, where most apparel gets sewn, which makes lead times shorter. Plus, Haroutunian adds, the buying practices for apparel and hardgoods differ, so most retailers dedicate separate buyers for each category. “Hardgoods buyers from retail stores can order just a few tents to test how they sell; they don’t have to buy a whole season’s worth of jeans and button-down flannels as they would for apparel,” he explains. By calling out jeans and flannels, Haroutunian hints at the increasingly mainstream character of OR. As that trade show welcomes more streetwear, home furnishings, fashion footwear, and other goods that don’t qualify as “gear,” it has ballooned into a much bigger, more generalized production that can seem less relevant to core outdoor brands. Beyond hardgoods, there are other ways that The Big Gear Show offers a narrower focus than OR. Its target is specialty retail, “not so much the big-box stores or even REI,” says Haroutunian. Nor is The Big Gear Show chasing the biggest manufacturers, he adds. Instead of exhibiting Patagonia and The North Face, says Haroutunian, the show will highlight 50 to 100 smaller brands such as Inno, which makes roof rack systems, and Liberty, a purveyor of water bottles. And those brands will benefit from exposure to consumers, since The Big Gear Show is expected to be partially open to the public, as OR was in its earlier days. Adaptations to COVID-19 forced The Big Gear Show to reschedule its debut for August 3-5, 2021. In the interim, smaller brands and retailers will have an even greater need to compare ideas for how to survive and overcome this common challenge. Thus COVID-19 is likely to make The Big Gear Show even more relevant. Retailers are ready for a trade show shakeup. As Wes Allen, owner of Sunlight Sports in Cody, Wyoming, says, “The advent of the Big Gear Show will disrupt the outdoor trade show landscape, giving retailers and brands a large-format show experience for discovery, without the large price tag.”

The Hotsheet

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Bright Idea Timeless products generate consistent sales year after year. Here’s how candlelight has stayed in style for four decades. BY KRISTIN HOSTETTER

veryone loves innovation, but it’s the stalwarts that anchor a brand. UCO’s classic Candle Lantern hearkens back to the days before LEDs, and people still love it—and buy them. “The warmth and quality of a flame is so compelling,” says Drew Keegan, president of Industrial Revolution, UCO’s parent company. “There’s the reliability factor, too. If you have a match, a candle is foolproof.” Here’s how this simple product has stood the test of time.

(in thousands)

# of Lanterns Sold

200

Candle Lanterns, produced entirely in UCO’s Seattle plant, hit the market at $14.95.

UCO launches, making metal parts used in applications like ski boot buckles and pack fittings.

150 100

Two new versions are launched, the Mini and the Candelier (a larger, 4-candle version).

UCO sold to Keith Jackson who created Industrial Revolution (now the parent company). Price goes up to $19.99.

Candle Lantern manufacturing moves to China. “Our tooling was wearing out, our rent rose, and several of our skilled factory workers were retiring,” explains Keegan.

Price rises to $21.99, but not in keeping with inflation (which would be $26.13). “We’ve seen an increase in demand due to the coronavirus,” says Keegan.

50 0

1971

1981

1985

1990

1995

2000

Year

2005

2010

2015

2020

PHOTO BY LOUISA ALBANESE

Preppers drive record sales for lanterns and accessories (~$2.3M) due to Y2K scare

250

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