Must Be This Way » Recession and the Outdoor World

I’ve been meaning to write, for a while now, about the recession and our outdoors world, indeed, I’ve even pitched an idea for an article to a well known magazine (no response though).

Roman in Germany has beaten me to it on his Lighthiker Blog. But he’s got me thinking.

What is very clear is that the recession is deeper and more serious that many envisaged only a few months ago. Despite all of the nonsense that was written about this being a different kind of recession it is now clear that this downturn will hit hardest the same kinds of people who are always at the sharp end. For us, the recession will have an impact on in several ways. It will effect our ability to purchase and it will also have an impact on the choice that is available to us.

It is probably no coincidence that the increase in UK interest in lightweight backpacking has developed at a time when the Pound was very strong against the dollar. This has made it very easy for us to source specialist kit from the US. After all, our market is probably too small to underpin the kind of small, independent gear sector that has sprung up in the States. I wouldn’t mind betting that some producers on the other side of the pond have been surprised in the number of customers they have found over here. Just think about how backpackinglight.com has employed Chris Townsend to great effect.

Much of this flow will now stop. the economic conditions are hitting the US as hard as they are hitting us. I don’t suppose many of the very small, cottage style business (producing Pepsi can stoves and so on) will disappear. I guess that some of those companies that have tried to grow and push towards a more mainstream audience will suffer the hardest. This is not an easy time to finance expansion.

I suspect that walking is one of those activities that will suffer less that others, after all our core activity is free or low cost. Nevertheless, we will see changes that may have an impact on our world.

Travel, for instance, is becoming more expensive. Can I really consider that jaunt in the US next year? Europe is also getting more expensive. I suspect that guidebook companies will do reasonably well but they may see a significant change in the titles they sell. Guides to walking at home will sell in greater numbers. To some extent this a trend that has begun to develop as people worry about their own carbon footprints. I think some companies may have seen this coming, some of them have certainly increased the quality and the diversity of the UK ranges over the last year or so.

I’m interested in how this is effecting you, my readers, individually. Have you changed your plans for 2009? Are you prolonging the life of existing gear?

11 Comments so far

Andy, I have warned on my blog several times months ago about how serious the situation was/is. My view is that the recession could be the worst since WW2 or at least as bad as 1980.

It is going to be very tough for a lot of manufacturers and retailers. Although walking/backpacking is a low cost activity, much of the gear that we buy is not strictly necessary. I could probably last another five to ten years without buying another item (other than food/gas and possibly footwear). If consumers feel the pinch, most will postpone purchases of what are essentially discretionary items.

Having said that, assuming I remain in a job I might still purchases more gear to cheer me up

Have you changed your plans for 2009?

Yes, I reckon that I’ll have to rethink the number of trips that I was considering, based on travel costs. Gearwise, I’m OK until stuff wears out or breaks, so that’s not so much of a problem right now, but who knows what the market will be like when the gear does eventually expire?.

Above all this, however, is the need for me to reassess the future as a whole, not just in convenient chunks such as the outdoors aspect. With the value of my pension funds having been reduced by over 35% during the last three months, the long-term future doesn’t look rosy, bright or Orange!

I really feel for those who have lost more (and there are many, many more who are in a much worse financial position than I am, and many have lost all), consider those who are just about to claim their pensions after a working lifetime of making what are now fruitless pension contributions.

I wonder if TGO Magazine staff are affected by the situation at The Herald/Evening Times:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7763356.stm

In case you don’t know all the staff have been made redundant and have to reapply for their jobs. Its caused much consternation here in Scotland.

Don’t know about that Neil but you can tell that things are getting tighter there.

BG: I know how you feel, My problem is that quite a bit of my gear does now need replacing!

I’ve been happy over the last few years as my work life is pretty flexible, but I can see commisions are getting harder and harder to come by.

Much more of this and I’ll be living in a bothy like a hermit …

.. come to think of it!

…I’m just glad I made the mad purchase of the lightweight Valez when I did. Luckily my Paramo vouchers came through the other day and so I can consider the Cascada trousers afterall…. but after that, it will be no more kit for quite some time.
On the flip side, walking in itself is a very cheap pastime (I was going to say ‘hobby’, but…), so now I have the kit, I’m generally ok. That Bavarian walking break may have to wait yet again, though.

I need to replace my Paramo Alta II, which I use every day in winter. I also wanted a Third Element. For walking this winter I shall probably fall back on my old Velez.

I need to replace my aging Golite Gust but I will have to make it do for next year. I must try making some side pockets for it………..

Reminds me Steve, I owe you an email!

I’m being a bit more careful about what I spend money on and selling off some of my extra kit to finance new purchases. I’ve found that the one item that I burn through pretty quickly are ultralight backpacks, but I’ve found that the US cottage manufacturers like Gossamer Gear and Six Moon Designs are more than happy to fix these for free, and they have my eternal loyalty for that.

Durability is an issue with lightweight packs. One of the reasons I like the ULA packs is that Dyneema is tough enough to deal with European baggage handlers!

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