camping hiking backpacking gear?
- on 03.01.10
- Hiking Gear
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
hello I am going to open a store and it will be for outdoor activities I was wondering if you guys/gals have a favorite brand and or suggestions to what brand you like I already have a few in mind actually about 100 diff. brand but I want to narrow that list down to what would sell better since I’m just opening and can add stuff later.
Also what types of gear do you like that you have a hard time finding?
thank you
Well the list would be too long as for brands and such. It’s the prices and quality of service that will attract customers away from the big stores. And of course location. Top brands for outdoor gear in the USA, Colman for example can be had at Walmart cheaper probably then you could sell it for. Now if you were to be an authorized repair shop for Colman products then your going to grab my attention. I may be willing to spend a bit more to get what I need from someone who knows what their doing then from some punk at Walmart.
Location location location and did I say location? Put your business in a destination location central to more then one activity. In a community that values the outdoor sports. Los Angeles Ca. for example is no place to try an open a sporting goods store that sells guns. to much red tape. Now change to Redding Ca. your at the center of all the best hunting, fishing, camping vacation destinations Ca. has to offer in a community that values the outdoor world.
Start to research the trends in outdoor activity, whats hot, whats new and carry these items and know how to use them. You won’t be able to sell me a "curve nut set" if you don’t know what it’s for. Also include ways to demonstrate your product you carry free or at very low cost ie indoor ranges climbing walls etc. If I like the product and learned how to use it from you I would tend to buy it from you.
Anyway tons of advice is always good hope you have the best of it and good luck
for my most recent hiking trip the hardest thing to find was 100% deet.
i know nothing really about opening up an outdoor sports store, but would think it would be important to pick an area to concentrate on–least to start with. hiking vs biking vs kayaking…etc. or u might be ending up with another bass pro shop or cabella’s.
good luck to ya!
References :
Well the list would be too long as for brands and such. It’s the prices and quality of service that will attract customers away from the big stores. And of course location. Top brands for outdoor gear in the USA, Colman for example can be had at Walmart cheaper probably then you could sell it for. Now if you were to be an authorized repair shop for Colman products then your going to grab my attention. I may be willing to spend a bit more to get what I need from someone who knows what their doing then from some punk at Walmart.
Location location location and did I say location? Put your business in a destination location central to more then one activity. In a community that values the outdoor sports. Los Angeles Ca. for example is no place to try an open a sporting goods store that sells guns. to much red tape. Now change to Redding Ca. your at the center of all the best hunting, fishing, camping vacation destinations Ca. has to offer in a community that values the outdoor world.
Start to research the trends in outdoor activity, whats hot, whats new and carry these items and know how to use them. You won’t be able to sell me a "curve nut set" if you don’t know what it’s for. Also include ways to demonstrate your product you carry free or at very low cost ie indoor ranges climbing walls etc. If I like the product and learned how to use it from you I would tend to buy it from you.
Anyway tons of advice is always good hope you have the best of it and good luck
References :
been there shoped that
I would suggest checking out some of the backpacking forums and looking especially in their gear threads. Since most backpackers love to compare, show off, debate their gear and who has the best setup. You can use that to see what seems to be most popular. I personally like gregory (packs), western mountaineering, north face, msr, katadyn, steripen, jet boil.
References :
a couple AT sites http://www.trailplace.com http://www.whiteblaze.net
Nalgene water bottles
Dr Bronner’s all in one soap
Hennessey hammocks
You also might want to look at High Peak gear. Their stuff is super rugged and very reasonable cost and they are a small company that would probably appreciate some new retailers.
These are my fav brands of camping gear, where I am picky. And if I were you I would concentrate on accessories rather than big ticket items in this economy. Stocking stuffers, if you will.
With all the online retailers and camping superstores, you are going to have a hard time. Not discouraging, just saying. It also depends if you have a hot pocket of enthusiasts and no retail store in your area to serve them. If there is an Academy, Cabella’s, REI, or even a well stocked WalMart within 50 miles you won’t make it.
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I tend to look for ultralight stuff in outdoor stores and am a long-distance hiker, so i don’t buy heavy stuff or all those little trinkets like full silverware sets or that other stuff that isn’t absolutely necessary, so i’m not really your typical consumer. It’s tough–you can’t go all low-end stuff because there’d be no competing with a place like Dick’s Sporting Goods. You can do high-end, but you can’t really be everything to everybody.
One thing I don’t find in outdoor stores are backpacks that don’t cost $400. Everything you find at a store weighs 5 lbs. and costs too much. I got one of my packs, a 2-lb. one, online for $70.
You can find a lot of lightweight tents at stores, but rarely find tarptents or camping hammocks.
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