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If you鈥檙e an American and have attempted to buy literally any consumer product in the past six months, you know that supply chains have severely disrupted everything from kids鈥 toys to microchips. COVID-19 has thrown a bagful of wrenches into our country鈥檚 distribution system, and the product funnel for the outdoor industry has not been spared.
First there was the initial pandemic lockdown. Then we experienced an outdoor boom. And now demand for outdoor experiences is booming even harder and the industry is thriving almost across the board. If the pandemic wasn鈥檛 still a rampant threat to our communities, some might say we鈥檙e enjoying an outdoor-industry golden age.
The only problem is that manufacturers can鈥檛 keep up with the demand for their products. Whether it鈥檚 a shortage of raw materials, or backlogs at ports, brands are facing challenges at every stage of building and distributing their products.
Over the past two months, 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor David Ferry spoke to leading manufacturers to find out what was happening on the ground.
鈥淚t is absolutely crazy,鈥 Vista Outdoors CEO Chris Metz told him. 鈥淲e鈥檝e never seen anything like this in our entire careers or lives.鈥
How does this affect you? Here are the three key takeaways from Ferry鈥檚 piece:
- The problems aren鈥檛 letting up anytime soon. If you need something, plan ahead and buy it early. While you can get some items on short notice, deliveries on items like bikes are often six months to a year out. Also, keep in mind that consumer buying habits are also changing. 鈥淭he idea of seasonality has just gone out the window,鈥 says Ben Johns, REI鈥檚 general merchandising manager for action sports. Consumers are buying whatever is in stock whenever they can, he says. This demand has ports backed up鈥攁nd there aren鈥檛 enough dock workers to unload containers, or truckers to get the goods out across the country. Pent-up consumer demand continues to strain the system, and until something gives, we鈥檒l be in a similar position.
- Even if a company manufactures its products in the U.S., it鈥檚 not totally invulnerable to distribution snarls. Salt Lake City鈥揵ased DPS Skis sources materials for its skis from countries all across the globe. 鈥淵es, we鈥檙e made in America, but we鈥檙e dependent on the world,鈥 says Thomas Laakso, its vice president of product and operations. 鈥淭he supply-chain crunch has exposed just how profoundly interconnected the manufacturing sector is,鈥 Ferry wrote.
- Outdoor companies are doing their best to get you gear. Brands are getting scrappy in order to get their gear into consumers鈥 hands. The camping company MSR, based in Seattle, found new resin for some of its snowshoes, Vista is sharing shipping containers with other companies, and small ski makers are swapping materials. Keep your expectations in check and treat people kindly as you shop for gear.
Member Exclusive
鈥Truck Stuck? We Put Maxtrax to the Test and It Did Not Disappoint鈥 After a pair of quality tires, contributing editor Wes Siler鈥檚 number one suggestion for any driver anticipating snow, mud, and sand has always been a pair of Maxtrax. Yet every time he recommends them, inevitably a reader suggests that an improvised solution鈥攌itty litter, floor mats, etc.鈥攚orks just as well. Who鈥檚 right? Siler sets out to settle the debate once and for all.聽国产吃瓜黑料
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