Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Outdoor Retailer (OR) 2009

OR 2009 was fun as always, although not as interesting as it usually is. No new products worth mentioning (unless you are a dog) and many key players missing. Trendsetter Point 65;-) bailed out already last year and now many in the industry followed suit. Companies like Johnson Outdoor Watersports (Necky etc), Werner Paddles, BIC, Valley and many more followed Point 65's lead (joke) in missing out on Salt Lake City.
SUP at the demo day-I just don't get it... (photo by Jeroen)
At the demo day I was like a zombie, crazy jet lagged. I got lost driving there (directions were appalling) so it took me 2 hours. I only made it thanks to my iPhones maps ap. The drive through the mountains was, I must admit, incredibly beautiful.
Ones there I staggered around like a crazy person. I met some people I know but I did not recognize them (sorry guys). And my camera never left my pocket, so I have stolen one of Jeroens pictures.
Pierce SUP:ing. Maybe more fun if you live on Hawaii?

Anyway, Stand Up Paddleboards dominated the demo day on and of the water. I tried SUP a few years ago and must say it is nothing for me. Even though Pierce Brosnan is crazy about it my guess is that this thing will be over in a couple of years (as Bill Gates said about the internet:-)
With Stig Larsson, Level Six co founder. We now distributes Level Six in Sweden. Fantastic paddle apparel!

I was feeling a lot better as the actual show started and met a lot of interesting people and managed to do some business. The US paddlesport industry is in turmoil on account of Johnson Outdoor Watersports seemingly in chaos and the new paddlesport show being launched in 2010 by Jim Marsh of Canoe & Kayak Magazine and some others.
Jim Marsh, Editor of Canoe & Kayak Magazine and the North American Paddlesports Show

It is a bit of a tough situation. OR is a great show and I hope that paddlesport manufacturers will stay there for the sake of Outdoor retailers to have some choice of products while a speciality paddlesports show will be great for paddlesport retailers.
NRS, Terry and Bennet took good care of me.
As for JOW, time will tell. But the big surprise of the show was Riot. Looking very strong in a massive two story stand with tons of great looking kayaks all from their new production sources in the PRC. I was very impressed by this. Those guys must have worked 24/7 for a year to pull that of. Congratulations!
With Mark Pelland, Delphine and Jeff Rivest of Riot Kayaks on their terrace.

With Kokatats Michael Duffy.

Matt Poischbeg of Sealect Designs (formerly SeaDog)

Swedish maffia. With Bo, Renate and Petra Hilleberg (the Tentmakers)

6 comments:

OCBreeze said...

Interesting how you 'got some work done' without exhibiting or contributing to the show. Interesting that representatives from all the 'many' missing brands were all there too....
glad the show was productive for you. And you may want to talk with the Level Six guys you highlight. They had an awesome show. As did many others in paddlesports.
Lastly, where might the open discussion on the future of Paddle, not to mention the announcement of a competitive show for the industry, have happened without OR?

Just askin'...

Richard at Point 65 said...

Hey Mr. Pacific.
First, I usually don't post comments by folks who do not show who they are. It's so easy to scream bloody murder if you are hiding behind a table:-) But this time I make an exception. It would be nice though if you post your name.
And go easy man, you are barking up the wrong tree! If you actually read my post I wrote; "It is a bit of a tough situation. OR is a great show and I hope that paddlesport manufacturers will stay there for the sake of Outdoor retailers to have some choice of products while a speciality paddlesports show will be great for paddlesport retailers."

As for doing business, I also own a paddlesport retail chain in Sweden with 5 outlets. So buying stuff is an important part of my job and, I thought, the purpose of the show.

As a manufacturer I have exhibited at OR before and will surely come back. But I only have 10 dealers in the US so give me a break. At $23.62/sq foot it is a bit hefty... So Pacific, what is your contribution to OR?

As for the new competitive show. My experience is that competition is good. Choice is good. Nielsen might put up a better OR next year and go easy on the rate thanks to the new show. There is also talk about pushing it back to August. GREAT for paddling! And the new show might be awesome for the industry? I have exhibited at the equivalent European show (Kanumesse) for 6 years straight and it's real good for paddlesports here. So my contribution to the discussion you seek is, that if OR is viable it will survive and thrive. If not, well they are big boys at Nielsen and we live in a capitalist world. The new show might flourish or not. And who knows, there might be room for both? It's a BIG market. I wouldn't mind having the choice!

Just saying...

Anonymous said...

Hey Richard.
You mention only having a few stores here in North America.

I will tell you (and anyone else listening)I have had better customer service from your company in Sweden than other retailers here in Canada.

I had lost my hatch cover off my brand new kayak.Delaying my paddling adventures I wrote your company and they gave me the name of the hatch which I couldnt find here and then gave me an excellent option of sending it out within 3 days.

tomas was a pleasure to deal with.If your not promoting your product at this show I can PROMISE I will be contributing to your business by advertising word of mouth here in Canada.

fantastic Kayak,and REAL customer service.

My kayak will be all over Canada in the next few months...and maybe south when the playground freezes!

http://crosscanadakayak.blogspot.com/
Thanks again
(got any free hats? =0) )

Lee Gilbert

Richard at Point 65 said...

Lee, thank you for those kind words! What's you address and size? Happy Paddling! Richard

Unknown said...

Interesting!

A diary or a personal journal is your most intimate confidante. You can confidently share your secrets with it knowing that your personal diary will not talk to someone. So you should be very careful about your personal dairy. Leather is one of the most versatile materials that finds application in many areas. I would suggest to maintain a leather dairy instead of any normal dairy.

Richard at Point 65 said...

Not at all given that a diary has to be personal. Dictionary says:
diary |ˈdīərē|
noun ( pl. -ries)
daily record of events and experiences : I resolved to keep a diary of events during the war.
• a datebook.
ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Latin diarium, from dies ‘day.’

Having said that I use and love Moleskine notebooks every day.

Diary: A personal written record of daily events and thoughts. As private documents, diaries are supposedly not intended for an audience, but some, such as those of Samuel Pepys and Anais Nin, are known for their high literary quality.
The Diary of Anne Frank is an example of a well-known diary discovered and published after the author's death. Many writers have used the diary form as a deliberate literary device, as in Nikolai Gogol's story "Diary of a Madman." (Compare with Autobiography.)