Tips for retailers

Shopping in the outdoor market

Remember the tyre-sole hiking boot? External framed backpack? Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? But it’s not. (Well, not unless you’re still wearing Bata Toughees and learning long division.)

There’s no doubt about it: the SA outdoor market has grown – no, exploded – in recent years. The result is better, lighter, stronger gear. And lots of it.

Of course, while all this choice is great news for the consumer, it makes retailing that little bit more challenging.

Gone are the days when you could stack a couple of Bleuet gas canisters and some red woolly hiking socks on the shelf and call yourself an outdoor shop. Now you need all 27 brands of camping stove, Gore-Tex nose warmers and GPS receivers that double as PDAs. And that’s just to keep the hikers happy.

What about the rock climbers, the abseilers, the adventure racers, the trail runners, the mountain bikers? And don’t forget those orienteering nuts. It’s easy to see why overseas outdoor one-stops now resemble multi-story department stores.

"The trend is definitely towards multi-activity," says Simon Larsen of RAM Mountaineering. "Ten years ago if you were the outdoor type that invariably meant you were a hiker. Now the five day trail is almost a thing of the past… instead people prefer to spend shorter periods of time enjoying a range of different activities."

Does it mean retailers have to stock everything from ice axes to puncture repair kits?

Definitely not.

The staples — things like backpacks, clothing, footwear and hiking accessories — are still going to be the best sellers.

But, it follows that gear that is versatile is going to be more popular: a tent that can be used for adventure racing and climbing; base layers that are suitable for hiking and kayaking; a headtorch for camping, but that’s also bright enough for a night-time mountain bike ride or trail run.

Hand-in-hand with this is a growing demand for equipment that is lightweight and compact.

Fast and light are the buzzwords for many outdoor lovers, and gear manufacturers have responded by cutting kilos … but not performance.

"Equipment is definitely getting more efficient," notes Larsen. Two examples he uses are the recently updated Black Diamond Camelot range (these climbing cams are now 25% lighter than their predecessors), and the new Jetboil stove, which delivers two cups of boiling water in just 120 seconds.

John Fontyn of Eiger Equipment agrees, and says he thinks this is one of the main reasons for the startling success of his Thermal Comfort range of inflatable mattresses. "We’re selling more and more of these as weight and price come down."

Versatility and efficiency also seem to be the main drawcards in the outdoor clothing arena, with our two main local apparel manufacturers, Capestorm and First Ascent, both noticing a steady increase in the sales of lightweight, multi-tasking items like soft shells (a part fleece, part hard shell that insulates while offering partial protection from the elements).

Is the good ol’ fleece jacket on the way out then? Not at all. But where polar fleece was a specialist item found only in dedicated hiking and climbing stores five years ago, it’s now become far more prevalent in mainstream shops and chains. The result? Outdoor stores have had to shift their focus to more technical garments.

Not too technical, mind you.

This year First Ascent completely revamped their soft shell line-up, with the specific purpose of offering less technical garments.

Says First Ascent’s Andrew Gold: "Up until now SA soft shell design has been strongly dictated by what the European and American markets were offering (i.e. highly specialist jackets for ski and alpine use). But we weren’t convinced that the local market was actually benefiting from all these bells and whistles."

After all, our climate is very different … plus the cost of manufacturing one of these top-end soft shells is often prohibitive. So, they’ve introduced a selection of jackets that are not only less expensive, but also more suited to local conditions. And body shape.

According to Gold, many imported garments simply don’t fit the South African physique. "We’re slimmer!" he says.

Which gives us yet another reason to support locally-made apparel — it looks better on you!

Perhaps the biggest trend with outdoor clothing right now is the strong emphasis on female-specific cuts.

At this year’s outdoor trade fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, Outdoor Woman was the core theme, a clear sign that overseas manufacturers are now realizing the huge potential of this market. Here in South Africa we’re catching on too.

And, according to Morné Strydom of Capestorm, this growth is not just with less technical apparel: "We’re noticing an uptake right across the board — all the way to top-end items like hard shells."

That said, women still seem to shop very differently from men. "What attracts them is style," says Strydom. "Guys look for features and performance. Ladies place more emphasis on appearance and fit."

What about brand consciousness? According to Larsen, South Africans seem to be far more choosy about what they are buying.

"People are definitely recognising quality — they’ve decided that it’s worth spending money and getting a good product."

And there’s no doubt this also translates into brand loyalty. This is good news for retailers: stick with respected outdoor brands and you’re definitely going to move stock.

But, the flip side is the danger that all the stores end up looking the same — of becoming clones, as Larsen puts it.

He feels that it’s vital, especially for the independents, that outlets stock a broader range of products. By limiting their stock to a small number of steady sellers, independent retailers are not only ridding the market of a lot of good products; they run the risk of being swamped by the larger chains.