Today on THE ROCK FIGHT (an outdoor podcast that aims for the head) Colin digs into the recent OIA report that shows how outdoor participation is at an all time high.
But it also shows that hardcore outdoor enthusiasts are on the decline.
How can both of these things be the case? Because more people than ever have learned The Secret of going outside and the old guard is aging out.
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Episode Transcript
Colin (00:00):
Welcome to the Rock Fight where we speak out truth, slay sacred cows and sometimes agree to disagree. This is an outdoor podcast that aims for the head. I'm Colin Tru, and today we're talking about the changing retail landscape in the outdoor industry as a result of more and more people learning the secret of going outside. But first, have you followed the rock fight on whatever podcast app you're listening to us on? If you have, thank you. You are our number one fan. If you haven't, well then we need to have a little talk now, don't we Support the best outdoor podcast around by clicking that follow button and then rating the show. And if you leave a written review on Apple Podcasts and tell us about it by emailing my rock fight@gmail.com, we can send you a rock fight and gear and beer sticker. Now that we have that out of the way, let's take a quick break and then let's start the show.
(00:57):
All right, everyone, before we keep going, I need to tell you about our amazing teammates at Darby Communications. If you run an outdoor, an endurance or an active lifestyle brand, there is no better PR or digital marketing belay partner or drinking buddy than Darby. They can help your business reach new heights and they might just keep you from falling on your ass. I mean, since we started working with Darby, more and more people have been reaching out to us here at the rock flight because of that messaging. Look, guys, if they can help us, they can help anybody, hit them up@darbycommunications.com. Do it today. Alright guys, how did you, listening to this right now, how did you learn the secret? What was it? Was it a hike, a bike ride, a force rafting or backpacking trip where you started out convinced you were going to hate it, but that you ended up with a changed life where all you wanted to do was be out in wild places?
(01:51):
Anyone listening to this has their own secret origin story, and if you're asking what the secret is, then it must be because you've stumbled upon this weird outdoor podcast at the beginning of your journey out of doors. The secret is that thing that we all learn the first time we go outside and see what the natural world has to offer. At some point, you get to the top of a mountain or have a wildlife encounter or gasp at a waterfall or watch an incredible sunrise or sunset, and you see this thing and a switch gets flipped in your head and you walk away thinking, yeah, this is all I want to do now. And if you're wondering why I've spent so much time thinking about this, it's because I can consider the secret to be the common ground that we all have as outdoorsy people.
(02:32):
And that common ground extends beyond the human powered stuff that we talk about mostly here on the rock fight. I mean, I imagine that dirt bikers in our viewers, snowmobilers hunters, they all feel the same way, for the most part about going outside as I do. The secret is also what separates the outdoors from other industries that are primarily driven by footwear and apparel sales. The process to make apparel is the same, whether you're American Eagle getting ready for the onslaught of back to school shoppers looking for $30 jeans or you're a technical outdoor brand bringing a new winter kit to market. But outdoor brands, one would assume would adhere to a higher standard because they're populated by a lot of folks who know the secret. But this isn't a sustainability episode where I get to make fun of greenwashing. Outdoor brands will do that in a future episode.
(03:14):
Don't worry. The reason I'm talking about the Secret is because apparently a lot more people are learning about the secret. According to the recent outdoor participation report published by the Outdoor Industry Association, 2023 was a record setting year when it came to people in the United States going outdoors for recreation. Participation in outdoor activities grew to a record 175 million participants, and for the first time, more than half of American women are participating in outdoor activities. On the flip side, there's been a decline in what the OIA describes as the core participant. Loosely, that means the person who does the sports we love as a lifestyle more than just occasionally, like all the freaking time. We're going to dig into what all of this means with Kelly Davis from the OIA in the very near future. But for now, I want to weigh in on this bigger picture shift that is happening in the outdoor space.
(04:05):
One that I think is verified by this report because I see the decline of the hardcore as a reflection of my generation of outdoorsy folks getting older and being replaced by those who don't go outside in exactly the same way that we do because people are discovering the secret in lots of new ways because for all the crying about how the internet is causing more people to be isolated, it's also making it way easier to find others who think like you or do the things that you do. Prior to the internet, all we had to communicate our individual likes and dislikes was fashion. The brands we chose to wear, the way we dressed, how we styled our hair, et cetera, could communicate a small amount about who you were. So if you were hanging out at an airport bar in 1989 with dyed black hair that was messily teased out in hairspray to keep its height while wearing black eyeliner and clothing, you were sending a message to other travelers that day that, Hey, I too am into Robert Smith and the cure for outdoor enthusiasts.
(05:00):
This message was normally sent by integrating our outdoorsy apparel and gear into our everyday lives. A Dana design backpack with a short sleeve plaid shirt, Patagonia baggies, along with some Oslo boots, sprouting wool socks at the top could confidently tell the universe to send hikers and campers your way. There were just a smaller number of groups to be part of back then. And by the way, this is why I'm an internet defender. You can tell me all day long how terrible the internet is and how terrible social media is, but there are so many people who have found connections through those platforms that would never have before. It ain't all bad guys, and all of this is where the hardcore badass outdoor persona was forged because we'd see people doing incredible things outside like Dan Osmond racing up cliff faces and Reinhold Meer dominating the Himalaya, Eric Jackson Conjuring whitewater boating out of thin air, Lin Hill, showing us all what could be real, the outdoors, the sports, the I do dangerous stuff, so I'm kind of better than you vibe.
(05:59):
It was intoxicating at the time for a lot of people. Your choices were pretty simple. You could stay in your hometown, go drinking with your high school or college friends on the weekend, and maybe eventually you could join your local country club. But now it's simple to find others who do the things that you do or try new things without as much anxiety and you can simply dress the way you want to regardless of who you hang out with. And because of all those hardcore pioneers, the masses have started going outside as we have seen in the aforementioned OIA participation report. And as a result, the outdoors is friendlier. People realize the true benefit of knowing the secret is improved mental and physical health. Two things that are tough to maintain if you're constantly putting yourself in harm's way in the name of being a badass in the back country.
(06:43):
Now with all these positive changes come, other changes and the decline of the hardcore is going to be felt most at retail outdoor retailers rely on those regular participants who need sports nutrition, a new pair of shoes or socks, and upgrade to their hydration system to stop in their shops multiple times a year. It's great to get the person who buys a kayak on a whim, those consumers matter too. But the day-to-day, consistency of the hardcore is shrinking as the hardcore AKA. My generation shrinks, and this is complicated by the fact that new specialty retailers aren't exactly popping up all over the map. Most independent outdoor retailers that exist today likely existed over 20 years ago. If a new outdoor store opens, it's more likely to be a new REIA new Dick's public lands or academy or Sierra. And that means we're in danger of losing the soul of our industry and community because like it or not, Americans are conditioned to start their adventures at the gear shop.
(07:38):
And there's a difference between going to a privately owned shop that was started out of passion for adventure and the big vanilla chain store. These are places that staffs employees who not only understand the stuff they sell, but also do all of these sports themselves. Now, I'm not saying you can't find knowledgeable folks at a big box outdoor store. What I am saying is that you'll find way less of them. Small shops were born out of the secret and losing these taste makers will be detrimental to our community. And if you think of being hyperbolic, fine, but you have to admit that at the very least, it will definitely be way more boring if all we have to choose from are chain stores. I mean, do you really want your options to be the outdoor equivalent of Home Depot and Lowe's? So what's the point?
(08:18):
I guess that it's simply to say that the future's uncertain and we're entering uncharted territory. More people are going outside and learning the secret than ever before, but it's happening differently than it ever has before. And we all need to adjust. If these independent shops I've been lavishing praise on don't heed these changes and continue to do things per normal, it won't just be age that takes them out. And figuring this out doesn't have to fall exclusively on the shoulders of these shop owners. This is an industry problem. It's as much in the brands and consumers' interests to find a way forward here because the news that more people than ever are going outside is good news. The more people that learn the secret and go outside and make it an important part of the community, they are choosing to be a part of. The more they learn about the environment and sustainability, the more they champion social causes that protect the places we love to play.
(09:06):
So we want as many people to learn the secret as possible and as they do, we want them to have a local gear shop where they can have the same opportunities that we did back in the day. This is a topic we're going to be talking about a bunch in the coming months. So buckle up and if you're an outdoor retailer, we want to hear from you what are the differences in 2024 that didn't exist in the past? How has the evolving consumer base helped or hurt your business? What are you doing to evolve with consumers? Send your feedback to My rock fight@gmail.com. The rock Fight is a production of rock Fight LC. Today's episode was produced by David Kasad with Art Direction by Sarah Genser. I'm Colin True. Thanks for listening and here to serenade you and get you all sorts of fired up. It's Krista Makes with the Rock Fight Fight song. We'll see you next time. Rock fighters. Rock
Chris DeMakes (09:56):
Fight. Here we go. Look into the rock bike where we speak our truth, stay sacred cows and sometimes agree to disagree. We talk about human power, outdoor activities and pick bikes are about topics that we find interesting like five culture, music, the latest movie reviews, ideas for the head. This is where we speak our truth. This is where we speak our truth. Bike, rock.