GearTrends® Outdoor - Summer 2004

Welcome to the GearTrends® Outdoor Summer 2004 magazine -- issued to the trade August 2004. 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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TABLE OF CONTENTS INCLUDES: WELCOME LETTER from publishers Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian -- Sometimes, a closer look at ourselves is needed if we are to decide what needs a little refreshing. | CONTRIBUTORS -- Take a look at who makes GearTrends® the page-turner it always is

AN IDEAL FIT? | PADDLESPORTS MARKET: Can the paddle market find any unity among the alphabet soup of consumer and trade associations?

BUYING OUT OF THE BOX | RETAIL TRENDS: Playing it safe doesn’t cut it anymore. Retailers and manufacturers need to shake up their product mix to draw in new customers.

TALKIN’ ABOUT A REVOLUTION | CLIMBING EQUIPMENT: New designs in cams, shoes, ice tools and other climbing gear are rockin’ the industry.

SIZING GIVES INDUSTRY FITS | APPAREL TRENDS: Sizing standardization is as elusive as the Holy Grail. Will anyone ever be able to definitively answer the question, “What size are you?”

GADGETS GALORE | ELECTRONICS: It’s a digital world and the outdoor industry has tons of new gadgets— from headlamps to watches to MP3 players—to electrify sales.

SPREADING THE WORD | SPECIAL REPORT: Research funded by the outdoor industry is grabbing the attention of federal agencies and putting us on the road to attracting new customers.

KICK OFF YOUR SHOES | TECHNICAL SANDALS: Technical sandals turn 20 this year and have evolved into an essential piece of gear for any outdoor adventure.

LETTER OF THE LAW | LEGAL CONTRACTS: A good contract between manufacturers and independent reps can ensure a sound business marriage and smoother breakup, if it comes to that.

VERTICAL WORLD | CLIMBING MARKET: An in-depth analysis of the state of the climbing and bouldering market reveals a few surprise findings, and ponders what the future holds.

A WORLD BEYOND COLUMBUS | NAVIGATION: Navigation has moved beyond paper maps and compasses into a digital world of GPS receivers and computer mapping.

FABRIC SUPPLEMENT | SPECIAL SECTION: GearTrends® in partnership with FabricLink.com covers the world of fibers and fabrics in this 20-page section.

CREATING A FIT OUTDOOR PLANET | SPECIAL REPORT : Government agencies, private associations, non-profits and businesses are working together to fight inactivity and obesity among Americans—and the outdoor industry is poised to reap the benefits.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS | HEALTH & SAFETY: A look at the subtle innovations happening in the world of first aid, sunscreens, insect repellents, energy bars, water filtration and footbeds.

HOW GREEN CAN WE BE? | SPECIAL REPORT: Although we all love the outdoors, our industry’s manufacturing processes have an impact on the environment. Is it that hard for us to reduce our footprint on this earth?

SPACE CASE | MERCHANDISING: Make the most out of a limited amount of merchandising space.

THE BIG SHOW | CONSUMER EVENTS: Large consumer paddle events not only bring big bucks, they’ve become the center stage to launch products, market the sport and build momentum for the spring and summer selling seasons.

BALANCING ACT | FITNESS: Stability balls and wobble boards are fitness products that can add balance and stability to your bottom line, not to mention offer a world of fun for your staff and customers.

PAIN KILLERS | PADDLE ACCESSORIES: Innovative thinking is making boat seats and PFDs a lot more comfy than they used to be for backs, behinds and legs.

WAY OF THE WOMAN | WOMEN’S MARKET: With 17 million women recreating in the United States, you can bet they’re expecting a lot from their apparel and gear.

INFORMATION PORTAL | WEB BIZ: Your website can be a key stop on the information highway.

STAYING SHARP | KNIVES: Knife and multi-tool companies are still finding cutting-edge trends to make their products even better.

2004 SNEWS® EDITORS’ VOICE PR AWARDS | AWARDS: Editors vote to recognize good PR and offer tips for better communication.

GEARTRENDS® PRODUCT ZONE Featuring new products from Asolo, Asystec, Bauer Vehicle Gear, Camelbak, Bison Designs, MSR, Sealline, Therm-a-Rest, Chrome, Coghlan's, Coccon, Deuter, DeFeet, ExOfficio, Fitter First, GCI Outdoor, First Need, Arc'Teryx, Nike, Mountain Hardwear, Gore-Tex, Gregory, HighGear, High Sierra, Hilleberg The Tentmaker, Hi-Tec, Horny Toad, ITW Nexus, Keen, Kelty, Kinesys, Lafuma, Layers, Leki, memory-Map, Merrell, Mountainsmith, Nalgene, Nanofilm, National Molding, NRS, Osprey, Outdoor Research, Red Ledge, Rivers Edge, Slumberjack, SmartWool, Spenco, The North Face, Tricots Liesse, Trixter, Timberland, United Cutlery, Vasque, Woolrich, Perception, Dagger, Yakima, and TrekPod.