For many outdoor athletes, the gear closet is the most important room in the house. Heck, some people even fill their garages with so much gear that’s there’s no room for the car. But that’s okay. Our gear makes our outdoor and sporty experiences that much better. So what’s happening in the $289 billion outdoor gear industry this year? We checked in with some local retailers along with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), which is based in Boulder, Colo. to get their thoughts and observations on what they’re seeing in gear trends.                      

What are some of the key trends you’re seeing in outdoor gear this year?

Kim Walker, co-founder of Outdoor DIVAS (www.outdoordivas.com): We are seeing a trend toward lifestyle apparel that is constructed from technical fabric. Customers love the lightweight durable fabrics that look as good as they function.  They’re apt to wear these functional sports wear styles for everything from coffee to climbing. We’ve also seen a huge demand for skirts—running, hiking, travel. Customers love the freedom, fashion and function of active skirts on the market.

Kelly Kraus, REI Gear and Apparel Director of Sales and Marketing (www.rei.com): Products that are more sustainable and easier on our environment is an important trend that more and more customers are looking for. One of the trends we are seeing is that our customers want the functionality and performance of their outdoor outerwear in styles that are appropriate for day-to-day use in town.  We are seeing sales increase in more urban style outerwear that looks great going to work or to the gym in, and keeps you warm and dry as well.

Kristin Choi, Women’s Soft Goods Division Manager at www.Backcountry.com: One of the most prevalent trends that is gaining major momentum is the “green” movement, which incorporates the use of natural fibers, recycled materials and environmentally friendly processes in conjunction with manufacturers’ individual mission statements that identify the importance of fair labor laws and healthy work environments. Usage of these principles has and currently is being applied to all types of gear—from jackets made from recycled pop bottles to biodegradable hangtags made from recycled material. A few manufacturers are even offering incentive programs to the consumer for recycling older products while purchasing new ones.

Clint Wall, Research Manager at OIA (www.outdoorindustry.org): 2007 was a robust year for industry sales through all channels. The 12 months ending December 2007 saw dollar sales up 10% in outdoor channels tracked in the OIA Topline Sale Report. Gains came largely from booming apparel and footwear sales, up 11% and 16.5% respectively. Women-specific sales increased 14% in 2007, outpacing overall industry growth.  Although still small, juniors’ apparel and footwear categories showed phenomenal growth.

What are your thoughts on the green gear trend? Do you think companies are doing a good job incorporating recycled/eco- friendly materials?

Walker: Although I do think companies are doing a good job with green gear, there is definitely room for improvement. Right now some of the green gear is cost prohibitive: green gear is often more expensive than its non-green counterparts. As demand grows and larger companies (non-outdoor industry) incorporate green into their product mix, supply will grow and the cost will ultimately level out. Hopefully once that happens we’ll see green as the baseline for all gear. I think there is also a lot of room for manufacturers to reduce packaging and shipping materials.

Kraus: Our customers care about the environment and they are looking for products that are gentle on the earth that still give them the performance they need. I think most of the top brands in the outdoor industry are working to incorporate environmentally sensitive products where they can and will continue to offer quality products with the performance our customers demand. REI introduced our Ecosensitive designation last year for REI brand products that incorporates over 50% recycled materials. 

Ann Obenchain, Vice President, Member Services & Marketing at OIA and member of OIA Eco Working Group: Industry companies have definitely raised the bar in the quantity and quality of product offerings made from sustainable resources. The industry is also collaborating through an industry-wide eco working group to develop a labeling or index system that measures the footprint of the development of the product.

Any other thoughts on trends and gear that you'd like to share?

Walker: There has definitely been a trend in the industry towards gear designed specifically for women. As an outdoor and snowsports shop catering exclusively to women we applaud the manufacturers for increasing their offering of real gear for women and steering clear of the “shrink it and pink it” philosophy.

Christian Castellani, Men’s Soft Goods Division Manager at www.Backcountry.com: A big trend that I see is the move toward fashion-inspired function. Everything has become much more style conscious. You can see that with any accessories. Smith has started to make more styles that have crazy prints and styles. All the purses that I see have different prints on them with loud colors instead of the drab browns and blacks. Even brands like Smartwool are doing artist-series socks and have a ton of socks in their line with patterns and bright vibrant colors.

Obenchain: It is definitely an exciting time in the development of eco-friendly products and we look forward to seeing the next generation of innovation.

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.