Get Outside and Play!

America’s renewed appreciation and love for the great outdoors will continue into 2021 as consumers seek exploration, discovery, play, and healing through the wonders of nature.

Winter or not, here they come! Don’t expect cold weather to hold back the millions of Americans who have discovered or reignited their relationship with nature this past year. Adventurers, yearning to feel freedom and breathe fresh air, will be layering up, masking up and heading outside for recreational activities, regardless of weather conditions. To help brave the elements, outdoor enthusiasts will need the right equipment and accessories to keep warm and stay safe while exploring, discovering, playing, and healing with nature.

Marketplace and Consumer Trends

Outdoor lifestyles are here to stay for every season!

Restrictions on indoor gatherings, sports and activities in 2020 have helped generate and accelerate consumer interest, desire and need to get outside. For some, time and funds typically spent commuting, traveling, dining out, and on other social activities, have been diverted to newly discovered outdoor activities and gear to enhance experiences closer to home and in smaller, controlled group settings.

Ski resorts have been seeing significant increases in season pass sales, and shoppers were purchasing ski equipment in October to prepare for potential shortages similar to mountain bikes in the summer.
Retailers like REI who saw significant increases in consumer demand for bikes, outdoor furniture, and portable stoves in spring and summer 2020, are seeing a similar trend in demand for cross country skis, snowshoes, insulated boots and winter hiking gear. Many of those customers are purchasing entry-level gear.
Some outdoor products that have seen recent spikes in Google searches include: trekking poles, ski poles, snowmobile gear, snowshoes, snowboard goggles, headlamps, bike helmets.
Other seasonal outdoor product categories that saw spikes in sales in 2020, and are expected to pick up again in 2021, include paddle sports, golf equipment, camping equipment, and binoculars.
Surveys conducted in 2020 indicate that outdoor recreation trends will continue post-pandemic.
- 38% of consumers said they expected COVID-19 to “change their participation in outdoor recreation for the continued future.”
- 43% of Americans said they will increase participation in certain outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, camping, and visiting parks.
- For some, cycling may become the preferred method of commuting when people return to work – 80% of consumers view cycling as safer than public transportation.

Product Highlights

Panther Vision POWERCAP® 2.0 Fleece LED Lighted Headlamp Beanie

When the light begins to fade, the comfortable and practical POWERCAP LED Lighted Beanie gives you the sight you need to continue on. With 4 angled LEDS, it gives you a wide range of vision. Built for warmth and comfort, the Panther Vision POWERCAP LED Lighted Beanie features a soft, moisture wicking lining to draw sweat away from you head. Guaranteed and backed by the Panther Vision POWERCAP Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Leki Micro Vario Carbon Trekking Poles

The Leki Micro Vario Carbon poles are jam-packed with quality features. The break-apart design makes these poles incredibly packable, while retaining the ability to adjust the length with a flick-lock system. Leki Micro Vario Carbon trekking poles use the SpeedLock2 adjustment system and an ELD (External Locking Device) release mechanism for an even friendlier knockdown and lockout experience when hiking.

Sierra Madre Hot Pocket

The Sierra Madre Hot Pocket is a radiantly heated compression sack that stores, compresses, and pre-heats your sleeping bag or quilts and when you’re ready for sleep, open it up, slip it inside your sleeping bag, and enjoy its instant warmth. It’s multi-functional and wireless, so its perfect for any outdoor adventure. It will charge your devices lightning fast and best of all it has water proof and dust proof ports – the whole system is made for the wild.

Rumpl NanoLoft® Puffy Poncho

The NanoLoft Puffy Poncho in waterproof and made of 100% post-consumer recycled polyester shell and NanoLoft insulation. It is has a fleece lined snap pouch, a hidden pocket drink holder and packs into itself to use as a pillow.

Rumpl is a 1% for the Planet member

The North Face® Pamir Windstopper® ETIP™ Gloves

For versatile performance while backpacking, this lightweight Windstopper fleece glove is touchscreen-compatible and offers midweight warmth while blocking the wind.

Data Sources

Sources: Lincoln International’s Consumer Group; Leave No Trace consumer survey, 3/11/2020; CivicScience consumer survey, 3/30/2020; Trek Bicycle and Engine Insights survey, 5/18/2020; NPD Group; Statista; REI; snews