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The incredible growth in the past year is great for business, but it's also great for the environment.The more people engage with the outdoors, the more they care for it and want to protect it.
I'm most excited about the resurgence of small local shops and experiences in our backyards. Paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts flocked to their local stores last summer and fall, looking for the best and most accessible equipment, so they could get out on the water and be well.That is a good sign for the industry and a sign a good percentage of people are following a visceral gut instinct and getting out in nature,
Before the pandemic changed everything, paddling participation was concentrated in a fairly static and homogenous core audience, Now,we're seeing a larger and more representative range of people paddling, a positive trend likely to continue. We can all help by working to make our sport more welcoming and inclusive,
Right now, the most exciting trend is a move toward growing the sport through diversity. It's great for the adventure sports industry and connecting more people to nature's health and social benefits.The best thing the wider community can do is support people of color on the water, Ask if they'd like to come out and try the sport and be welcoming at every opportunity, This is stepping out of the comfort zone for a lot of people. You may have to ask more than once, I think it's worth it.' What all of us want is more cool people to boat with,
Portability, More people want to have the ability to do multiple activities when on vacation, That means bringing kayaks, bikes, fishing gear, paddleboards and more, With one or two kayaks packed in a duffel, this is possible. The RV boom during the past year has added to this need, and a couple of kayaks of SUPs in a storage locker in your RV or trailer means less gear on racks outside to worry about.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING THE INDU$TRY?
The pandemic has challenged the paddlesports industry, The unexpected growth, coupled with insufficient supply, shipping and fulfillment, has caused problems for brands and retailers, Service providers have had huge challenges with ever-changing and unclear rules of operation, and they have had to regularly pivot to do their best to meet customers' needs and safety protocols.
Meeting demand, Phones have been ringing of the hook, and there was no offseason. For most of 'the industry,the challenges are managing the supply chain, the shortfall, keeping costs down, limiting price increases, and prioritizing who to sell to. I don't know anyone who isn't having some issues, That means extensive lead times and a shift in expectations for consumers, I think one of the questions we're all asking is, when is the dropoff? When will demand soften or fall out? Some people hope it'll take years; others think it'll be weeks or months.There's a lot of presold boats, a lot of panic-buying inventory, and the question is, when does the inventory hangover start to impact dealers. It'll be a real challenge in the future.
