Inside Outdoor Spring 2016

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$1 million in sales after two years of
more than 30 percent annual growth.
It’s similar to what we are seeing
in outerwear, says Powell, where
Millennials are choosing lighter-
insulated, layered systems that they
can peel off or pile on depending on
the season. “Consumers are doing
more with less; rather than purchasing
specific products for every season or
activity, they are buying adaptable and
multipurpose items,” he says.
If this trend continues, one might
expect near-term sleeping bag
purchases to favor warmer-rated bags
that can be beefed up with an overbag
or liner during colder weather.
Multiple-season tents, likewise, may
benefit from longer camping seasons
due to warmer winters. Both three-
season and four-season backpacking
tents did quite well the last two years,
with year-to-year growth rates ranging
from the low to high teens.
Some other camp-oriented
categories that enjoyed healthy growth
the past few years, according to The
NPD Group’s retail tracking data,
include tent accessories and tent
replacement parts, battery-powered
(non-combustion) lanterns, coolers,
first-aid kits, stoves and stove parts,
kitchen utensils and water filters.
Sure, the sales numbers may
be just a blip – the result of normal
replacement cycles and one warmer
winter. Even so, a more comfortable
camping experience is widening the
appeal of an important category to
outdoor retailers, while new attitudes
of what it means to camp is exposing
the activity to folks who might not have
participated otherwise.
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Outdoor Retail ‘Camp Comfort’ Items Dollar Volumes
Category 2013 2014 2015 % Change
’13 to ’14
% Change
’14 to ’15
Camp Chairs $88,112,952 $95,094,239 $102,459,606 7.9% 7.7%
Camp Cots $21,442,887 $23,029,455 $24,450,475 7.4% 6.2%
Other Camp Accessories $113,636,738 $119,115,743 $139,393,920 4.8% 17.0%
Recreation Sleeping Pads/Mattresses Total $53,863,343 $57,182,028 $64,304,512 6.2% 12.5%
Sleeping Bag Accessories Total $23,157,903 $24,928,638 $28,151,209 7.6% 12.9%
Other Cookware Accessories $25,951,938 $34,557,761 $42,836,600 33.2% 24.0%
Mess Kits $11,473,763 $12,023,620 $12,538,856 4.8% 4.3%
Utensils Total $9,302,090 $9,689,340 $10,992,524 4.2% 13.4%
Hard Sided Coolers $38,937,397 $46,463,795 $75,854,616 19.3% 63.3%
Soft Sided Coolers $6,153,433 $11,775,033 $34,203,477 91.4% 190.5%
Source: The NPD Group retail tracking reports
Inside Outdoor | Spring 2016 39