Outdoor recreation spending is estimated to total $646 billion for 2014 with almost half of Americans participating in outdoor activities. Although there was a net increase of outdoor recreation participants from 2013 to 2014, the number of outdoor excursions is down slightly, indicating that future market growth may be a function of increasing outdoor enthusiast’s frequency of participation in outdoor activities.

Although there are outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, young men and consumers with high household incomes make up the core demographic. The majority of outdoor recreation spending comes from travel-related expenses, as opposed to gear and equipment purchases. Most outdoor enthusiasts currently own the basic equipment they need to participate in their chosen activities, making it necessary for outdoor gear and apparel brands to rely on innovation and technology to drive new purchases.

For the purposes of this report, an outdoor enthusiast is a person who enjoys sports and activities in nature and wilderness areas. Interests associated with outdoor enthusiasts include fishing, camping, backpacking, hiking, trail running, biking, four wheeling, hunting, skiing, snowboarding, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, horseback riding, mountain or rock climbing, and snowshoeing. The term outdoorsman may also been used to describe someone with an affinity for the outdoors.

Mintel uses the term “outdoor enthusiast” when discussing respondents who have participated in any of these activities in the past 12 months.

Excluded from the definition are motorized water sports.

Readers may also be interested in Mintel’s Camping and Camping Equipment – US, April 2012 and Water Sports and Leisure – US, February 2013.

• US Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement – for characteristics such as marital status and education

• NPS – National Park Service

• OIA – Outdoor Industry Association

• ARC – American Recreation Coalition

• NCNRER – National Center for Natural Resources Economic Research

• FICOR – Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation

For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumers’ participation in and attitudes toward outdoor activities. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in December 2014 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, and region so that they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly over-samples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and to allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. Please note that our surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in our survey results.

Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Marketing Services, using the NHCS (Simmons National Hispanic Consumer Study), the Simmons NCS Teen Study and the Simmons NCS Kids Study.

The Experian Marketing Services Simmons NHCS was carried out during Summer 2014 and the results are based on the sample of 26,053 adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the US adult population. The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS Teen Study was conducted during Summer 2014 and based on a sample of 1,692 teenagers aged 12-17, with results weighted to represent the US teen population. The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS Kids Study was conducted during Spring 2014 and based on a sample of 1,975 kids aged 6-11, with results weighted to represent the US kid population.

Additional data from Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NHCS Adult Study is included for Summer 2008, 2010, and 2012. Data from the Simmons NCS Teen Study is included for Spring 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012. Data from the Simmons NCS Kids Study is included for Spring 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012.

Adults:

• Summer 2008 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month, July 2007-September 2008; 24,898 adults aged 18+

• Summer 2010 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month, July 2009-September 2010; 23,656 adults aged 18+

• Summer 2012 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month, August 2011-August 2012; 24,545 adults aged 18+

Teens:

• Spring 2006 Simmons NCS Teen Study 12-Month, May 2005-June 2006; 1,903 teens aged 12-17

• Spring 2008 Simmons NCS Teen Study 12-Month, April 2007-June 2008; 1,992 teens aged 12-17

• Spring 2010 Simmons NCS Teen Study 12-Month, April 2009-June 2010; 1,847 teens aged 12-17

• Spring 2012 Simmons NCS Teen Study 12-Month, April 2011-June 2012; 1,906 teens aged 12-17

Kids:

• Spring 2006 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month, May 2005-June 2006; 2,225 kids aged 6-11

• Spring 2008 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month, April 2007-June 2008; 2,209 kids aged 6-11

• Spring 2010 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month, April 2009-June 2010; 1,986 kids aged 6-11

• Spring 2012 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month, April 2011-June 2012; 1,978 kids aged 6-11

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

In addition to quantitative consumer research, Mintel also conducted an online discussion group among a demographically mixed group of adults aged 18+. This discussion group was asynchronous (ie not run in real time), functioning like a blog or bulletin board, with questions remaining posted for a predetermined period of time. This method allows participants to respond reflectively, at their leisure, or to log off to think about any issues raised, and return later to respond. Participants were recruited from Lightspeed GMI’s online consumer panel with responses collected in December 2014. Relevant quotes are included as stated, however, Mintel has corrected typos and grammatical errors prior to publishing.

All consumer direct mail marketing creatives and online ad imagery are provided by Mintel Comperemedia.

Mintel Comperemedia is a searchable competitive database tracking direct mail, print, and online advertising in the US and Canada, as well as email in the US Comperemedia tracks information across nine sectors: Banking, Credit Card, Investments, Insurance, Mortgage and Loan, Telecom, Travel and Leisure, Retail, and Automotive.

For more information, please contact Account Services Management at 312.450.6353 or www.mintel.com.

The following is a list of abbreviations used in this report:

Generations are discussed within this report, and they are defined as:

*Also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers