I finally went to the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2015 (hereinafter referred to as OR), one of the largest outdoor equipment exhibitions in the United States
Held twice a year in Salt Lake City, Utah, this event is where outdoor manufacturers from all over the world unveil the next season's new outdoor gear before anyone else in the world, and we at Outdoor Gearzine have always wanted to see it with our own eyes. When we went, we were surprised, or perhaps it was just as we expected, but the scale of the event was beyond our imagination and hard to describe in a single word. It's impossible to cover everything in one report, so we'll be sharing information about the gear we're focusing on in several parts in the future, but for now, we'd like to show you the overall event with plenty of visuals!
Click here for featured gear in each category of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2015
table of contents
Starting with the slow atmosphere of Open Air Demo
First, the day before the main venue, the Convention Center, opened, an "Open Air Demo" was held on the shore of a lake about an hour's bus ride from downtown, where visitors could see and try out a variety of gear, including kayaks and stand-up paddleboards (SUP). The atmosphere at this venue was really relaxed and open. The official video has been uploaded, so please take a look if you're interested
The sandy beach along the lakeshore was lined with booths for paddle gear manufacturers, including SUPs, and anyone who happened to drop by could try them out. Unfortunately, I wasn't wearing clothes that I didn't mind getting wet (although most of the people around me were wearing light everyday clothing), so as a complete beginner, I refrained from trying them out
I'm not very familiar with paddle gear, but there were a wide variety of vehicles on display
What's interesting is that although the entire exhibition is basically only open to pre-registered people from manufacturers, distributors, retailers, media, designers, and other related parties, a wider range of people than I expected, including children who were probably family members of those involved, men and women of all ages (and even dogs), participated. Participants were free to try out canoes and SUPs on the lake, participate in games, or just relax with a craft beer (one free glass!) while listening to music. This open atmosphere was exactly what I was looking for, and I couldn't stop grinning to myself, thinking, "This is it..."
A game of "head sliding to scoop up squishy rubber toys."
Chill-out space. The music was like the Gypsy Kings, but it was a little different
A guy demonstrating an electric skateboard
The opening ceremony was overwhelmed by over 1,600 exhibitors
The town, which had been quiet until the day before, was bustling with people like a lie, and the venue, which was easily larger than the Tokyo Dome, was overflowing with outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world - what a relief! Over 1,600 exhibitors had booths packed into the vast venue
A slightly overhead view of the venue
Each manufacturer designs their own booth freely, and the major manufacturers, especially American ones, have created luxurious sets that are in line with their brand's worldview, as expected
KEEN is a new shoe manufacturer, but their booth was spacious and organized in a multi-dimensional manner, giving it a sense of momentum
OSPREY, a company well known in Japan, had a spacious booth with walls that evoked the mesh fabric of Anti-Gravity Suspension
prAna is only known to a select few in Japan, but the large booth was always crowded with people, showing how well-established yoga culture is in America
Excited by new products found everywhere
As I walked around the huge venue, I was taken aback at first by the chaos, as I saw all sorts of products related to almost every outdoor sport (backpacking, camping, hiking, climbing, alpine climbing, running, trail running, cycling, mountain biking, triathlon, fishing, health and fitness, military survival, high-performance nutrition, paddle sports, surfing, water sports, pet supplies, skating, lifestyle, exercise, yoga, etc.) all jumping out at me with little context (of course, my poor English skills were also a factor)
After going around once, I was able to organize my thoughts and realized that there were three types of gear that I found new
- New products from well-known Japanese manufacturers that will be launched in Japan in the future
- Existing products (and new products) from manufacturers well known in Japan, but in categories not yet available in Japan
- A never-before-seen product from a never-before-seen manufacturer (not available in Japan, of course)
These are the three points. At first, I was excited about new products from major manufacturers, but once I calmed down a bit, I realized that for things like 1. that will eventually be released in Japan, I was simply satisfying my fangirling desire to find out about them before anyone else (of course, it's important to know about trends in outdoor gear as a whole and communicate them to people who aren't here). Once I learned about them, it was actually 2. and 3. that I found to be gradually more interesting, as they are things I would never come across in Japan
Bergance, which is only seen in tents and canoes in Japan, has a really great new backpack product
Salewa, a long-established Italian brand, has become difficult to obtain in Japan, but they had a lot of great trekking shoes
When I actually went there, I realized that with globalization having progressed to this extent, it seems that most of the things that are fairly common in the US are also available in Japan. In that sense, there weren't a ton of unknown manufacturers, but if you dig around, you can still find some interesting gear in unexpected places (for example, the photo below). I'll be introducing more of these interesting gears in the next post, so please look forward to it
Surprisingly, natural soaps and shampoos derived from natural ingredients have not yet arrived in Japan
I have yet to see an eco-friendly sock brand in Japan that uses polyester recycled from fishing nets
Being at the mercy of completely different responses from different manufacturers
What initially puzzled me when I was touring was the way each manufacturer treated the media. This may have been because I was a complete amateur media person with limited English skills like myself, but basically the attitude towards the media varied from manufacturer to manufacturer, with some not even willing to talk to you unless you make an appointment, to others who not only introduce you but also provide catalogs and samples. It really all depended on the manufacturer. Photography, even if you were a member of the media, was also not something you could feel at ease with, with some manufacturers forbidding it and others welcoming it
Yes, this is a place for serious business negotiations between manufacturers and retailers before it's a place for glamorous presentations. As proof of this, the more major the manufacturer, the more impressive the chairs and tables for business negotiations that are commonplace at their booths. As I happened to be there, a business negotiation was taking place as usual, with most of the staff being devoted to that. In that sense, I keenly realized that to get the information you want here, you need experience, courage, strategy, and excellent English and communication skills... Of course, even in places that seem difficult, there are times when, depending on the time of day, a guy with some free time will kindly help you out, and it seems that the typical "you won't know until you try" mentality of this country is still alive and well
The North Face booth was the largest I saw this time, but I was so busy dealing with customers that I didn't have much time to hear what they had to say
The booth of Western Mountaineering, famous for its down jackets, now has no room to move around except for the business negotiation area
The welcome from venture garage manufacturers moved me to tears
While this can be a tense experience, the booths of small, new garage manufacturers offer the excitement of new discoveries and friendly interactions that are unique to such an open exhibition. This time, the area where many of these garage manufacturers gathered was the pavilion tent across the street from the main venue. After walking around for several days, you'll realize that this is the true joy of OR. Photos are welcome, they'll explain things you didn't ask about, they'll try things out for you, and they'll keep insisting that you take samples with you. It's a truly enjoyable time
In the special pool in front of the pavilion, "SUP Yoga" classes were held all day long. Is the SUP boom here real?
The pavilion was packed with a variety of garage manufacturers
Relax in the party atmosphere at night
I didn't catch everything, but every night during the event, some kind of event was held in an off-site space or in a restaurant or bar, another big difference from Japanese exhibitions. Sometimes it was a charity party like the one in the photo below, a music event hosted by a sponsor, or a premium screening of a special film. In any case, the day was filled with thoughtful efforts and mechanisms to ensure that everyone involved in the outdoors could interact as deeply as possible and enjoy themselves to the fullest. From my and entertainment/tech festivals like SXSW in the United States , I can say that this type of approach and atmosphere is completely natural in America; in fact, this one seemed a little subdued (perhaps because it was primarily a business-oriented event).
Of course, families were welcome to attend the parties, and there were all kinds of attractions, exhibits, games, and more all over the place. There were some areas that were completely deserted, but that didn't mean anyone cared about whether what they were doing was popular or not (I might be the only one who thought that). Those who wanted to participate did. That was the normal atmosphere that was taking place
summary
In short, the four days were packed with exciting encounters that outdoor enthusiasts will find irresistible. While there are still many things I haven't been able to share, there is one thing that I realized clearly after actually visiting, even though I had expected it to some extent. It wasn't the excitement of the new products from each major manufacturer, but more than anything, the immeasurable value of this show as a place where people can share encounters with new value, experiencing something that could only be experienced here: "What kind of new sports, manufacturers, and gear with incredible concepts will emerge this year?" Being able to experience this was extremely meaningful when it comes to thinking about the future of outdoor activities in Japan
Speaking with Japanese manufacturers exhibiting here, I learned that the number of new manufacturers exhibiting has quieted down somewhat recently compared to a few years ago. Still, the fact that unknown and unproven manufacturers are given equal space and a chance to present their products to so many retailers (regardless of the quality of their products) is not simply wonderful, but also has great significance for fostering the development of industry and culture. The roots of America's strength, its constant innovation and constant metabolism, are clearly evident here in the outdoor industry. While the fields are different, the same pattern is evident in the IT and music industries. Is it really okay for Japan to just get a little something out of this? Having been here, I couldn't help but feel this strongly once again
Now, from now on, I'd like to introduce some noteworthy gear as a result of my three days of walking around so much, so please wait a little while longer
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