THE GEARTRENDS® OUTDOOR SUMMER 2005 MAGAZINE
No other magazine is more widely read, more frequently added to retail staff libraries, and more consistently passed from buyer-to-buyer and even on to store staff than the GearTrends® magazines are -- Summer Outdoor, Winter Outdoor and Fitness.

Welcome to the GearTrends® Outdoor Summer 2005 magazine -- issued to the trade August 2005. As a GearTrends® website visitor - you now have direct access to the same market-leading editorial, feature articles and product information that industry professionals have come to rely on. To maintain the quality that our readers and members have come to expect in GearTrends® publications, we are providing all magazines only in high quality Acrobat PDF format. (You can download the FREE Acrobat Reader here)

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COVER | WELCOME | TOC | CONTRIBUTORS

16 HIGHER EDUCATION | SPECIAL FEATURE
Retailers are rethinking the way they train their employees -- revamping tried-and-true methods like clinics, and turning to 21st century-inspired alternatives like the web.

24 HIVE MENTALITY | TRAIL RUNNING
With the outdoor world buzzing to find a bright spot among categories, apparent growth in trail running has created a surge in footwear, apparel and accessories -- some legit, some maybe not.

30 RAGS TO RICHE$ | CLIMBING APPAREL
Climbers and boulderers are ditching their dirtbag rags and embracing garments that go from the rock to the street with ease.

38 MERCHANDISING: IN A FIX
Keep your backroom from becoming a junkyard of unwanted fixtures.

42 MEET THE INTERNATIONALS | GLOBAL REPORT
GearTrends® offers a look inside a select number of international companies making their way around the globe and, they hope, into U.S. stores.

51 2005 SUPPLIER RESOURCE GUIDE | SPECIAL SECTION
After extensive research, GearTrends® has compiled a list of leading industry suppliers with a rundown of their latest products and a detailed overview of materials and characteristics of each.

60 WATER WALKERS | FOOTWEAR
Sales are surging in footwear for paddlesports -- is it a flight of fancy or a legitimately growing category? Check out what the industry has to say.

66 CLIMBING A NEW LINE | ROPES
New climbing styles are inspiring newer, thinner, lighter climbing ropes -- and more confusion.

72 BUILDING YOUR BRAND
Your store needs a solid brand indentity if you don't want to blend into the crowd.

76 DO THE MATH | ACCESSORIES
They may not be as sexy as a tent or a pack, but accessories are the diamonds in the rough that build strong margins and profitable sales over time.

82 THE BUSINESS OF WILDERNESS | SPECIAL FEATURE
Outdoor Industry Association is evolving into a powerhouse to reckon with as it works to preserve our nation's wild lands for today's -- and tomorrow's -- recreation enthusiasts.

88 MERCHANDISING: DOMINO EFFECT
Timing is everything, and our expert offers pros and cons on updating your store mix.

90 PONDERING PACKAGING | GREEN SCENE
Product packaging is a complex and convoluted part of any industry. Retailers sound off on the issue, while manufacturers share what they are doing to reduce waste.

98 WET AND WOOLLY | PADDLE APPAREL
What's the next trend coming down the pike in paddle apparel? We're laying odds on merino wool garments coming on strong.

102 ON THE CASE | LAW REVIEW
Summaries of the latest legal wranglings in the outdoor world from SNEWS®'s Law Review division and resources on how you can obtain more information.

104 EYE TEST | EYEWEAR
Protecting eyes has become a big business. We offer a look at the key players in the outdoor market and ways that savvy retailers can succeed in this competitive market.

110 EDITORS’ VOICE PR AWARDS | SNEWS® AWARDS
Nationwide, outdoor editor's voted to recognize good public relations and offer up tips for improving communication. This is the perfect place to begin your search for a PR agency.

113 THE PRODUCT ZONE
The place to look to see the freshest gear on the market today. It's all in da' zone -- the GearTrends® Product Zone that is.