Gear Trends

Originally opened as a showroom for Hala Gear inflatable SUPs, the Hala GearSpace in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is filling with more and more whitewater gear by the day. Founder Peter Hall in January bought the online portion of Colorado Kayak Supply to give his business an ...read more

A dripping wet kayaker carries his neon yellow boat straight from the river. A family munches on food truck sandwiches at one of the many picnic tables. A live band performs for a crowd of energetic onlookers. It's a normal summer day on Main Street in Buena Vista, Colorado, and ...read more

Though shrouded in speculation and controversy, Cannabidiol—more commonly known as CBD—has quickly become trendy and it's emerging in the outdoor industry. Last year, the U.S. saw the federal decriminalization of hemp with the Farm Bill, further opening markets to the cannabis ...read more

Next week the outdoor industry will descend on Denver for Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. One of the best attended events is historically NPD’s “trend breakfast,” and it’s not because of the grub. Matt Powell, senior industry advisor and Julia Day, executive director, will serve ...read more

Some call them waist packs or hip belts, others call them fanny packs. Some wear them to Disneyland, others wear them hiking or fastened to their bikes. Whichever your preference, these compact bags are trending right now—up 50 percent as of November—and numerous outdoor brands ...read more

Established in 1979, Alpenglow Sports is Tahoe City, California’s prime shop for everything outdoor. When snow is falling, Alpenglow is a go-to shop for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. During the summer months, it switches gears and becomes a general outdoor goods shop for ...read more

Matt Powell’s trend talk is always a fixture at Outdoor Retailer. But for Winter Market, the senior industry advisor for the NPD Group decided to go about things differently: Instead of delving deep into numbers, he spent most of the time taking questions from the audience. The ...read more

To put it bluntly, Supreme is the cool kid on the block. The one whose lack of effort seems unattainably chill, whose attention you’re dying to grab but can’t ever seem to figure out how to get. Even if you think you don’t know them, you’ve almost certainly seen riffs on their ...read more

For the first time, Outdoor Retailer Winter Market is happening in November and reflects the show's commitment to innovating and adapting to the needs of the industry. Along the same lines, The Daily has adapted. This all new version of the Pre Show issue not only reflects our ...read more

When recreationists shop for outdoor gear, the sustainability of a product—from farm to factory to shelf—is becoming as important as the quality. The majority of U.S. consumers expect companies to act on social and environmental issues, and outdoor brands are moving that needle, ...read more

Don't get discouraged by the ongoing closures of sporting goods stores and other retailers because according to one expert, retail is making a comeback. Julia Clark Day, executive director of business development at NPD Group, is a number cruncher. With more than 20 years of ...read more

Small plastics are a big problem. The more scientists look for microplastics (or tiny plastic particles smaller than 5mm—about the size of a sesame seed), the more they find, even in seemingly pristine areas such as polar regions, glaciers, and river headwaters worldwide. And ...read more

Forget idyllic reservoirs and hour-long drives. This year's Demo Experience took the pre-show trials to Confluence Park in the heart of the city to highlight all the ways that outdoor and urban get together. The overwhelming message? The outdoors are bigger and more inclusive ...read more

Right now, coolers are more customizable and personal than ever before. Most recently, in January 2018, OtterBox launched a wheel set that snaps into place below the brand’s 45-quart and 65-quart coolers. “Customers can customize their cooler. Some people don’t want wheels at ...read more

Established in 1994 as Trailblazer, the Connecticut chain rebranded as Denali last year. Now with seven stores along the state's shoreline as well as in Rhode Island, this outdoor retailer serves New England's hikers, runners, climbers, campers, and travelers.  Amy Parulis, ...read more

Lisa Martens, owner and proprietor at Nat’s Outdoor Sports in Bowling Green, Kentucky, tells us what’s flying off the shelves and what refuses to leave the nest in the store her dad, Nat, founded in 1971. Find out what's in and what's out at other outdoor retailers across the ...read more

The newest store associate at Boulder, Colorado’s Go Far posts up near the wall of shoes on the store’s far end. Her job description at the running and active lifestyle specialty retailer is fairly specific: She’ll measure and analyze your foot, track your stride and gait, and ...read more

Betsy Bertram, brand manager at Townsend Bertram & Company in Carrboro, North Carolina, gives us the scoop on what’s selling like crazy in her shop, and what’s losing steam with her customers. What’s hot in your store right now? We brought in Landmark Project last fall and it ...read more

The outdoor and high fashion worlds collided with the creation of the Terra 65, a jacket from The North Face, designer Junya Watanabe, and Japanese fashion label Comme des Garcons. The jacket is made with three-layer Gore-Tex Windstopper fabrics with an outer shell in a layering ...read more

The average marketing director doesn’t come armed with a degree in chemical and biomedical engineering. But that background has proved the perfect fit for Cindy McNaull of CORDURA—a major player in the outdoor industry that engineers fabric and textiles to help apparel and gear ...read more

Normally, you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover. But for the slew of publications handing out “Best in Show” awards to Outdoor Retailer’s top new products, that might be the only way to get a handle on the bleeding edge of the industry. Compared to more ...read more

Alpine ski retailers across the country, located in both mountain towns and urban settings, are experiencing a renaissance of the all-mountain mid-fat ski (90 to 100mm at the waist). These daily drivers have become the bread and butter for consumers and retailers. “It’s been ...read more

The czars of color over at the Pantone Color Institute say the deep purple hue of “ultra violet” is the color of the year for 2018. The distinct color was chosen to evoke a counterculture flair, a grab for originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking, Pantone Vice President ...read more

With Star Wars: The Last Jedi set to hit theaters later this week, Columbia is hoping to outfit mega fans with Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia inspired jackets. Modeled after costumes worn in the movies, these jackets incorporate some of Columbia’s best tech like ...read more