Cash was tight in 2022鈥斺�攁nd my budget for buying new outdoor gear was nonexistent. Thus, I relied heavily on trusty reliables, some freebies, and stuff I bought used or at a steep discount. I spent way too much time scrolling through listings on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist this year. I lowballed. I bargained. I circled back again and again. But the听 work paid off, as some of the items I used the most were acquired through shameless haggling.

And that is the thru-line that connects my ten favorite products from the year. This is the stuff that got me through skiing, cycling, and hiking seasons, and helped me enjoy precious outdoor time with my three-year-old daughter. It鈥檚 also stuff that I can scrutinize with my inner accountant and feel good about having either purchased or held onto. Because in 2022, I got my money鈥檚 worth.

Prana Red Slate Vest ($185)

As you may know, those lucky few of us who work in outdoor media benefit from a freebie piece of gear or apparel from time to time. This past spring I arrived at our headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, to find that an editor from a different title had dropped footwear and apparel from a recent gear test on the 鈥渇ree鈥� table in the cafeteria. I grabbed the stylish , and since then it has become part of my regular repertoire (yep, those stains in the photo are authentic). I鈥檓 a vest guy, and I love this one for its versatility. It has vintage Marty McFly puff matched with a contemporary color scheme that make it appropriate outerwear for a night on the town. Plus, its insulation and PFAS-free water repellent coating make the vest great for cold and camp conditions, and there鈥檚 plenty of pocket space with six total pockets (two of which are zippered). Yes, I scored this vest for free, but after using it heavily听I would buy it retail.

Thule Yepp Maxi Rack Mounted Child Seat ($249)

Earlier this year I got a Radwagon 4 electric cargo bike for carting my daughter around town, and I started researching which seats to buy. I had been stockpiling gift cards from REI, and in the fall I plunked down the $279 for a new version of the child seat with a rack mount (note: don鈥檛 buy the frame mount version if you own a cargo bike). I was bummed when I was unable to get the Maxi Nexxt鈥檚 mounting jaws to work with the metal cargo cage on my Radwagon 4鈥攖hey wouldn鈥檛 fit into the square-shaped hole in the bike鈥檚 built-in ack. (A Thule rep told me that the seat and its clamping system does work with the Radwagon 4, but I couldn鈥檛 figure it out). Luckily, REI has a friendly return policy, and I was able to get a refund. But we still needed a seat.听I found someone on Craigslist selling a 2020 edition of the original seat (not the Maxi Nexxt), and haggled the price down to $150. The mounting system for this seat is a rectangular-shaped box that simply drops into the Radwagon 4 rack and then tightens. It鈥檚 been ideal for our trips to and from my daughter鈥檚 preschool, and it gives me the presence of mind that my most precious cargo is safe and secure.

Shotgun Child Seat + Handlebars ($135)

My wife bought me the by Kids Ride Shotgun last Christmas鈥攖hanks honey!鈥攁nd it has transformed my life as a parent who craves outdoor adventures with my child. As many parents know, getting your kid to enjoy an outdoor activity is a lesson in patience and frustration. We鈥檝e done hikes with my three-year-old daughter where our turnaround point was well within sight of the car. The Shotgun enabled us to go on long rides that span hours, and take us far away from the parking lot and trailhead. My daughter loves riding in the front of the bicycle due to the vantage point it gives her. The plush seat is cushy enough for small to moderate bumps, and the kid handlebars give her something to grip onto for the twists and turns. Note: It only works with a mountain bike. As with most outdoor kids gear, your results may vary, but my experiences with the Shotgun Child Seat + Handlebars thus far have been extremely positive. Just remember that the seat and handlebars don鈥檛 include the most important component of any outdoor adventure with your kids: snacks.

Trek X-Caliber 9 ($1,929)

I’ve bought and sold used bikes online for decades, and am keenly aware of the frustrations that are present on both sides of the exchange. Everyone wants the best price, and few sellers are willing to budge. This year I was looking to purchase a hardtail mountain bike for my daughter’s Shotgun seat. I was shocked by the high asking prices on Facebook Marketplace. After a few whiffs, tried a new buying strategy: I would message a seller, praise their item, and immediately admit that I could not meet the asking price. Instead, I鈥檇 tell them the ceiling of my budget, acknowledge that it was below asking, and then simply say that my offer would stand if no buyer met their price. Then, I鈥檇 wait. It took a few weeks for this strategy to bear fruit, but I was patient. Eventually it worked, and I purchased this (with a dropper post) for under $1,000. The 100 millimeter fork and tubeless tires offer more than enough cush to enjoy the buffed out trails I ride in Summit County, Colorado. The frame geometry works well with the Shotgun seat, and I’ve taken my daughter on multiple long trail rides deep into the backcountry. Sure, I鈥檝e found myself wanting the forgiving squish of a dual-suspension bike from time to time, but this hardtail works for me鈥攁nd my pocketbook鈥攔ight now.

Banjo Brothers Small Handlebar Bag ($20)

Have you ever accidentally left a metal multitool in your jersey pocket and then sent it through the 鈥淗eavy Duty鈥� cycle in your tumble dryer? I have, a few times, and it makes your laundry room sound like a gravel quarry. I promised my wife I would stop damaging our home appliances with bike parts. So, earlier this year I purchased the (at $20, the cheapest handlebar bag I could find), as a way to permanently remove the gear from my pockets. I chose this bag because it has a rigid liner that provides the bag its cylindrical shape. I’ve used soft-sided handlebar bags in the past, and on both occasions the rattling of the bag鈥檚 metal contents actually chipped paint from the head tube. I鈥檝e had zero problems with rubbing or paint chips with this. More importantly: I have yet to dent the washer or dryer with my bike stuff.

Dynafit Mercury 2 Pants ($199)

For several years, outdoor brands Dynafit and Salewa liquidated their samples and excess inventory at an outdoor garage sale here in Boulder, Colorado. These events were like Christmas for me, and over the years I picked up an entire gear closet鈥檚 worth of backpacks, shoes, jackets, and other stuff. In 2015 I purchased a pair of Dynafit skimo pants, and wore them for a wide-range of outdoor activities, from high-altitude hikes, to warm-weather ski sessions. In January, these pants finally blew鈥攐ne of the welded seams tore apart. I鈥檓 part of a Facebook group called SKIMO GEAR SWAP AND FORUM, and sure enough, I found someone selling a lightly used pair of for less than $100. These pants immediately replaced the old ones as a versatile garment that can be comfortable for a wide range of activities. They are my go-to for my sunrise skimo sessions. When I wear an insulated base layer, these pants are more than up for a day of resort skiing as well, so long as temperatures don鈥檛 dip below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. After one ski session, I even wore these pants out for an evening in Boulder鈥攁nd I wasn鈥檛 the only one wearing them.

Black Diamond Element Hoody ($230)

Like听 many of the other items on my list, I purchased this one on Facebook Marketplace. The tags were still attached, and the buyer said he’d simply bought the wrong size for his torso. My is threadbare and covered in “forever” stains鈥攁 testament to how often I have worn it over the last two seasons. Had I kept track of my outfits, this would be my most-worn garment, by a wide margin. It kept me warm and dry during my pre-dawn patrol skimo sessions in the winter, and comfy in those variable shoulder-season conditions in the spring and fall. I even wore it during a 95-degree day in rural Kansas, as the fibers vented my body heat while protecting my neck and arms from the beating sun. And here in Boulder, Colorado, where performance outerwear counts as appropriate evening attire, this hoody has been my outfit of choice for social events as well.

Goodr Mint Julep Electroshocks ($35)

I learned long ago that fancy and expensive sunglasses are not my jam. I lose them, crush them, or scratch the lenses. In recent years, I’ve bought cheap ones from gas stations, or purchased name-brand glasses used. That was before I discovered Goodr, the consumer-direct eyewear brand that makes just-good-enough shades with contemporary styles for bargain prices. The size fit my large noggin perfectly. Are these glasses going to allow me to spot a smallmouth bass in low light from the bank of a river? Probably not. Will they block every ray of ultraviolet light from entering my eyeballs? Who knows? Will I feel bad when I eventually sit on them or back them over with my car? Nope. I鈥檓 already on my second pair of them鈥攖he first disappeared when I dove into a foam pit during a toddler birthday party. But the glasses are just $35 and they look great. I can tolerate buying another pair.

Shimano XC7 MTB shoes ($230)

I鈥檓 infamously finicky when it comes to cycling footwear. My long (size 13) and narrow foot is a tough ask for most brands, so when I find a shoe that fits, I tend to wear it until the sole literally comes off. This is what happened in June to my previous cycling shoes, a pair of size 45 Shimano XC5 lace-up kicks from 2016. These shoes were so blown out that I had cut new eyelets in the upper to accommodate the laces (the original lace holes tore). I was bummed to learn that Shimano discontinued the lace-up version of is XC5, and I also experienced some sticker shock when I saw the price tag for the new lineup. But I found a seller in the midwest liquidating his set of Shimano mountain bike shoes from 2020 on Ebay, and I purchased a pair new for well below MSRP. I like the for its stiff sole, with great power transfer to the pedals. Plus, the bottoms have a Goodyear rubber coating, which gives you plenty of grip on slippery rocks. I have broken plenty of Boa closure systems in my day, but after one year of use, the one on my pair of XC7 shoes is still going strong.

My Local Bike Shop (Priceless)

In December, 2021, my community was devastated by an urban wildfire, which burned more than 1,000 structures and left even more families either homeless or stranded. My local bike shop, , became a hub for the recovery. The shop asked customers to donate used bicycles in any and all conditions, and the mechanics fixed up the rigs and gave them free to anyone who lost a bike in the blaze. I鈥檝e been a regular at the shop for a few years, and throughout the winter and spring I marveled at how the shop became a social hub for cyclists who suffered from the fires. People just hung out at all hours of the day to chat with the sales staff and mechanics. It felt like a clubhouse. This community effort is just one of the many reasons why I love Louisville Cyclery, which has operated since 1980. Greg Jones, the owner, remembers every customer鈥檚 name. Doug Nishimura, the service manager, gives clear and straightforward tech advice without any hint of bike-shop-dude attitude. The sales staff are friendly. In a year when I had to pinch pennies, every cent I gave to Louisville Cyclery was money well spent.

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“If there’s any pattern to all this, it’s to听expect delays. Which categories, brands, or products鈥攖hat’s anybody’s guess. It’s best to just assume everything will be delayed and end up pleasantly surprised if it’s not.”

That’s Eastside Sports owner Todd Vogel’s take on the state of inventory challenges at this point in the pandemic, nearly eight months in.

“If there’s a delay, you pivot. Delay, pivot,” said Vogel, whose shop is based in Bishop, California. “That strategy has kept us going. It’s all about flexibility.”

It’s no secret that sellers of outdoor goods have been scrambling this year, trying to keep pace with a retail landscape strained by听supply chain disruptions, rapid shutdowns, unpredictable demand, and other hardships. Still, one way or another, many retailers are finding ways to keep their shelves stocked鈥攖o some degree鈥攁nd customers happy.

To figure out what retailers are seeing on the ground level, and how they’re coping, we got in touch with several shop owners and buyers to ask about what’s going right, what’s going wrong, and how everyone is bracing for the upcoming season.

What’s Causing Problems

To start things off, we wanted to know about specific pain points. In some sense, we were looking for a pattern, but that exercise quickly proved futile. After speaking with shop owners in several different states, the moral of the story seems to be that there’s no rhyme or reason to what goods or which brands are causing inventory problems on a consistent basis. All the retailers we spoke with say they’re trying their best to prepare for anything.

“Our biggest vendor overall is Patagonia,” said Sam Barg, a buyer at Ute Mountaineer in Aspen, Colorado. “Those orders have come in anywhere from 20 to 50 percent complete.听They can鈥檛 promise anything. But then other stuff trickles in that we didn鈥檛 expect. Our reps have no idea what’s happening either. Week to week, we have to reassess and chase what we can.”

Barg says Ute Mountaineer has seen cancellations from at least half a dozen vendors that are critical to the shop’s core inventory: Patagonia, Kuhl, Columbia, prAna, Hoka One One, Black Diamond, and Sorrell.

“Those are the big brands a lot of people have had trouble with,” he said.

Marinna Merkel, co-owner of Round House Ski and Sports Center in Bozeman, Montana, says she’s also had a lot of trouble with Patagonia and The North Face.

“Patagonia’s Powder Bowl Pant always does great for our store, and I can鈥檛 get them, none. That鈥檚 a staple piece for Patagonia, so it says something about where they’re at,” Merkel said. She also says the company expects not to see the bulk of its winter order from The North Face come through until late November鈥攁 huge problem for getting product out the door before ski season starts.

Across the state in Missoula, Todd Frank, owner of The Trail Head, says he’s experienced similar cuts from Patagonia.

“Patagonia is our biggest vendor. They cut about 40 percent of our pre-season order, but customer demand also dropped, so it evened out,” Frank said. “This year, we’re making a lot of concessions with product鈥攁ccepting different colors than we wanted, things like that鈥攂ut we’ve found that people are less picky about color and other small details these days. They’re willing to support us, even if they can’t get the exact product they want.”

Down in Flagstaff, Arizona, Steve Chatinsky says he’s had a lot of trouble with survival items his shop, Peace Surplus.

“I ran out of Reliance water containers for two weeks. We鈥檝e had three or four shipments of those since the summer, and we usually do one per year,” Chatinsky said. “We鈥檝e been a little slow on freeze dried food, too. We went seven or eight days without any at one time. But we鈥檝e been chasing it between multiple vendors.”

Perhaps Vogel, at Eastside Sports, summed it up best. “It’s hard to find a pattern,” he said. “Lots of things are in short supply, but it’s hard to predict. Tents have been hard to get your hands on; backpacking stoves and Black Diamond cams have been problematic. Bikes and car racks have been tough. Even bear canisters have been strangely difficult to get. What do all those things have in common?”

Answer: nothing. Inventory is simply tough right now across the board.

Areas of Success

It’s not all doom and gloom, however, these retailers were quick to point out.

“For us, footwear has done well鈥攖hough it’s hit or miss by brand,” Vogel said. “Other than Merrell, which basically ran out of shoes, we鈥檝e done pretty well. La Sportiva and Topo Athletic are two that have been outstanding in terms of getting us product.”

Merkel says that while inventory hasn’t been easy in any category this year, there have been areas with fewer challenges. Round House has most of the downhill skis it ordered for the season, as well as a healthy selection of Nordic hardgoods. Some of that, she noted, is carryover product from last year, but that hasn’t posed a problem; there’s more of an appetite for older gear this season.

“There鈥檚 something to be says for reminding consumers that we do have carryover product from last year,” Merkel said. “Brands are cutting back expansion of their lines, so there鈥檚 probably going to be a lot more carryover for the next few years as well. It’s good to get customers used to that now.”

At The Trail Head in Missoula, Franks says he was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the vendors he uses for his watersports categories.

“All of our boat vendors did a really excellent job,” he said. “We struggled with kayaks and paddles and accessories a little, but not as much as you might have imagined.”

Softgoods vs. Hardgoods

Slicing things a different way, there’s no clear trend in supply differences听between softgoods and hardgoods, according to the retailers we spoke with. Here, though, there’s at least some pattern in demand difference.

“Apparel is down by double digits this year,” Frank said of overall sales at The Trail Head. “The more casual it is, the more people don’t want it.”

Franks says that technical clothing has done well and hardgoods are flying off the shelves. He attributes the demand change to one simple factor: caution. Customers don鈥檛 want to try things on unless it’s something they absolutely need, like a raincoat, or something they feel safe trying on, like a ski boot.

“On the hardgoods side, we鈥檙e up 100 percentage points on uphill gear,” said Barg of his sales in Aspen. “Brands like Dynafit, Blizzard, and Technica are flying out the door. And surprisingly the inventory from those guys has been pretty good thus far.”

Again, though, there’s no clear pattern from a supply perspective, taking into account an experience like Merkel’s. She noted that, even though Round House has most of its pre-season ski orders filled by now, special orders are another story entirely.

“Our story with hardgoods is shipping delays,” sayidMerkel. “Companies are short-staffed, they don鈥檛 have the manpower to get special orders out, and that causes a trickle-down effect. We’ve been turning people away on the hardgoods side for special requests, just telling customers we’re sorry, but we can’t get them what they need.”

Add to that a massive fire this fall that burned down the main ski factory for Fischer, one of Merkel’s big vendors at Round House. Hardgoods have been wildly unpredictable, even with some modest success at getting orders filled, she says.

Solution: Sourcing from Multiple Vendors and Leaning on Relationships

One workaround many retailers have pursued is quick pivots to different vendors.

“We鈥檝e been able to keep things going because we have three or four vendors for each of the items in camping, which is a big category for us,” Chatinsky said of Ute Mountaineer. “For instance, in the past we’ve ordered solar showers from Tech Sport, Coghlan鈥檚, and Reliance. Those channels are all open, so if one of them closes, we lean more heavily on the other two.”

Chatinsky says that, in his view, that communication and multiple channels to source product are key to managing inventory chaos as the pandemic progresses.

“Of course, that’s just another way of saying it’s all about relationships,” he said. “When it comes down to crunch time, relationships will sink you or keep you afloat. When you call a vendor and get a friend on the other end of the line, that’s when things get done for you. Pay attention to who you do business with and why. It鈥檚 not all about price.”

Vogel echoed the sentiment, and says that another important factor is nimbleness.

“You have to be quick on your feet,” he said. “You have to anticipate shortages and either stock up ahead of time鈥攍ike we did with fuel canisters this summer鈥攐r pivot quickly and look for smaller quantities of similar items from different vendors.”

Of course, pivoting to new vendors and maintaining relationships are two strategies that don’t always play well together. Frank, at The Trail Head, says he chose not to introduce uncertainty for his vendors out of respect for their business. They rely on him just as much as he relies on them, after all.

“We talked about pivoting to new suppliers, but we wanted to stick with the people we鈥檝e always been working with,” Frank said. “We鈥檝e had some new vendors reaching out. I got an email yesterday from a big brand鈥擨 won’t say who鈥攖hat started as a direct-to-consumer operation and now wants to get into wholesale. We鈥檒l probably take a hard pass on that. We want to support people who have supported us in the past. That’s just how it works.”

For Merkel, the courtesy of sticking with your old partners has another benefit鈥攊t gives you room to ask for flexibility when needed. That give-and-take might include discounts, shipping assistance, or changes to invoice dating.

“The willingness to flex is different for each company,” Merkel said. “When we go and ask our vendors to ship additional product or cover freight, we know they鈥檙e in a hard spot too. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t done it. One area we鈥檝e succeeded in is asking our vendors to pay for expedited freight. We tell them we need such-and-such product, we can鈥檛 wait weeks, so we need you to ship it overnight and cover that cost. And most of the time they’re willing. Yes it’s a big ask, but ultimately it’s to support sell-through, which benefits them too.”

Frank says that his big ask always comes down to invoice dating. He doesn’t push his vendors too hard to ship product faster, but he does insist on keeping the timeline for payment at its agreed-upon length if an order arrives late.

“My standard approach is, if you ship something 30 days late, I鈥檓 adding 30 days to the dating for payment. I鈥檓 going to call up and ask for more time, because we had less time to sell it,” he said. “To me, that just makes sense.”

How Are Customers Handling It?

In the end, all these retailers seemed to agree that customer flexibility is a big factor鈥攑erhaps the biggest鈥攊n dealing with inventory challenges during the pandemic. If customers are willing to wait a little longer for their gear, reserve pickiness about color and other details, and occasionally shop around for carryover product from last season, much of the inventory chaos can be buffered enough to keep retailers and brands going until things even out again.

“Thankfully, there鈥檚 a push this year to shop local,” Merkel said. “People know that shipping is backed up, and they’re sympathetic. Many consumers still want to buy things locally. Even if we can’t guarantee special orders or promise to have every single new product in stock, the forgiveness of our customers can get us through. And we won’t forget that when things get back to normal.”

The post The Puzzle of Inventory During the Pandemic appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This story originally ran in the Summer 2020 issue of The Voice.听

A few years ago, as the trade war with China heated up, Mark Wolf decided he had had enough. Already frustrated with theft of his company’s intellectual property in China鈥擶olf makes outdoor fire pits, camp grills, and fireproof covers, under the name Fireside Outdoor, among other products there鈥攈e shifted production of a large chunk of the work out of the country, to Vietnam.

Then, last winter, the coronavirus hit. And Wolf, like many in the outdoor industry, felt just how inextricably his fortunes remain tied to China.

The contagion all but shuttered the country for weeks, including its border with Vietnam and the flow of raw materials and components Wolf required. 鈥淲e had 13 containers sitting in Vietnam, stuck there. They were filled with kits waiting for nuts and bolts, the right fasteners,鈥� Wolf, the president of Fireside Outdoor, said about his predicament at the end of March. All of those nuts and bolts come from China. What鈥檚 more, he says, the aluminum ingots his Vietnamese factory needs also come from China. 鈥淭he coronavirus really exposed how dependent we are on China and their massive, disproportionate supply of raw materials,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 the key: disproportionate. It鈥檚 almost like Napoleon realizing he鈥檚 too far into Russia.鈥�

A reckoning is afoot, Wolf predicts. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 all leave China in the short term,鈥� said Wolf, who still makes 60 percent of his goods there. 鈥淏ut I can鈥檛 imagine there isn鈥檛 a boardroom in America that isn鈥檛 considering changing or offsetting their supply chain with China.鈥�

China has long been the world鈥檚 workshop, producing one fifth of the manufacturing output across the globe, according to the Brookings Institution, a public policy nonprofit. Increasingly, however, many companies have been wondering whether China is still the place to make their products. Some companies already have shifted elsewhere, or plan to. Nearly 40 percent of respondents in an American Chamber of Commerce in the People鈥檚 Republic of China survey in mid-2019 said they had either relocated manufacturing from China or were considering doing so.

This conversation is 鈥渁bsolutely front听and center鈥� in the outdoor industry right now, says Drew Saunders, a member of the Outdoor Industry Association鈥檚 Trade Advisory Council and the country manager for Oberalp North America. Saunders knows from experience. He says that Oberalp鈥檚 brands鈥攊ncluding Salewa, Dynafit, and Pomoca鈥攈ave been making a 鈥渟low pivot鈥� away from producing apparel in China over the last five years. For other firms, the U.S. trade war with China and now the global pandemic that has convulsed through China and the rest of the world have forced them to face the question: Is China worth the trouble?

The issue seems urgent amid the economic crisis ushered in by the coronavirus, but the truth is that other factors are at play, and despite the reasons to leave, there are also compelling reasons to stay. Here鈥檚 what the manufacturing landscape looks like鈥攂oth in and out of China鈥攁nd why the only certain thing is that this question is not going away.

The Case for Leaving

Rising Costs

Until recently, the primary issue pushing companies to leave China was simple: the increasing cost of doing business there. Once, cheap labor was a huge draw. That鈥檚 no longer the case: Hourly labor costs in China-based manufacturing reached $5.78 in 2019, according to Statista.com. In Vietnam, it was $2.99 an hour.

Wages aren鈥檛 the only rising costs. The Chinese government has imposed increased regulatory requirements, and costs related to the environment have risen as well, as the country tries to address major pollution problems. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just dump stuff anymore,鈥� said Mary Lovely, a professor of economics at Syracuse University and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Outdoor companies are all for reducing pollution, of course, but it still changes the cost of doing business.

Sitting like a sour cherry atop these varying concerns are the tariffs of the U.S.-China trade war. Those costs are driving Fishpond USA to seek manufacturing elsewhere. Fishpond has successfully relocated some of its softgoods production, but still has significant ties to China, says founder Johnny Le Coq. 鈥淥h yeah. We鈥檙e looking. We鈥檙e looking at every opportunity we can, for the factories who have the ability, from a quality perspective, to make our products,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur duty on packs and bags made in China is now over 42 percent, up from 17.6 percent just a few years ago.鈥�

That extra cost creates another frustration, Le Coq says. 鈥淲ith reduced margins, the incentive to innovate within that category is reduced and compromised. And we live in a world of innovation.鈥�

That leaves few options, Le Coq said. 鈥淭he implications of the tariffs are forcing brands like us to move.鈥�

Human Rights

Concerns about working conditions in China are hardly new (see: Apple and FoxConn). Human rights violations aren鈥檛, either. But a report released in early March now links these two in a troubling way. The Chinese government has transferred Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic minority, and also other ethnic-minority citizens, to factories across the country and is making them work 鈥渦nder conditions that strongly suggest forced labor,鈥� according to the report 鈥淯yghurs for Sale鈥� by the Australian Strategic Policy Group, an independent, nonpartisan think tank. The Uyghurs are in the supply chains of 鈥渁t least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing, and automotive sectors,鈥� the report alleges, citing Apple, BMW, Nike, Patagonia, and L.L.Bean, among others.

In reply, companies told media outlets they take an ethical supply chain seriously and are committed to upholding compliance standards that prohibit forced labor. Patagonia and L.L.Bean both issued statements affirming this, with L.L.Bean saying, 鈥淥ur Supply Chain Code of Conduct strictly prohibits the use of forced labor of any kind. Our global compliance programs and auditors cover every country听where a factory makes L.L.Bean-branded product, including China, and we are actively working with our fellow industry leaders, associations, and our partners in the region to ensure that our supply chain standards are being met at the highest level.鈥� Amy Celico, principal at global business consultant Albright Stonebridge Group, expects this issue will continue to be a big deal in the coming months. Some companies will decide remaining in China is not worth it, she says, given the need to police supply chains.

Emerging Alternatives

While forces within China are pushing companies out, there are opportunities elsewhere that are pulling them in. For example, skilled workers in other countries are drawing brands that need cut-and-sew manufacturing.

Vietnam is one of those places. Osprey discovered it years ago, and recently the ski glove maker Hestra USA followed suit. About three years ago, the company purchased a building there and installed new equipment, as part of a long-range plan to shift part of its glove production from China to Vietnam, says Dino Dardano, the company鈥檚 president. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had tremendous success鈥攕o much so that we actually expanded the facility by about 30 percent last fall to accommodate about 125 more workers,鈥� he said.

Dardano says Hestra has been in China for 50 years, owning two companies there in a joint venture. But experienced sewers are in decline there, and the company has not found young people to replace them. 鈥淚 can tell you that I鈥檝e had a lot of conversations with my peers and they鈥檙e faced with the same challenges when it comes to sewn goods,鈥� he said. Dardano attributes the change in part to China鈥檚 now-defunct one-child policy, and the problem is likely exacerbated by the natural evolution of a maturing economy.

Vietnam isn鈥檛 the only country benefiting from the exodus. South Asia saw a 34 percent increase in demand for factory inspections and audits in the first half of 2019 over the same period in 2018, according to supply chain consultant QIMA. And the migration is not limited to Asia. Tariffs and the coronavirus have also made it more appealing to bring production听closer to home. The volume of inspections 鈥淎s a company has no plans to move production and audits ordered of factories in Latin America by U.S. businesses increased nearly 50 percent last year,” QIMA reported.

Another shift away from China came at the prompting of the outdoor industry itself. Travel goods鈥攍uggage, backpacks, sports bags鈥攎ade in China can be taxed steeply upon entering the U.S. Sensing opportunity, the outdoor industry lobbied to have such goods made eligible for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a trade-preference program that allows qualified products to enter the U.S. duty-free when a substantial amount of their value is produced in more than 120 developing countries. The effort has been successful in recent years. 鈥淪ince that went into effect, we鈥檝e seen a movement out of China to Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and other GSP countries on travel goods,鈥� said Rich Harper, manager of international trade for Outdoor Industry Association. In 2015, China produced about 64 percent of GSP-eligible travel goods. By January of this year, that share of 鈥渕ade in China鈥� had been cut by 40 percent. 鈥淭he duty savings that first year was something like $90 million鈥� for outdoor companies, Harper says.

A Natural Evolution

What companies are experiencing overall with China is part of a natural evolution: As a country matures, so does the nature of the work that鈥檚 done there. You can see the Chinese government directing this transition, says Celico, of the Albright Stonebridge Group. 鈥淎s the country has become more economically advanced, it鈥檚 not just that it became more expensive to manufacture there, it鈥檚 that the Chinese government started to鈥攕orry for the lack of a technical phrase鈥攑ooh-pooh low-end manufacturing,鈥� Celico said. 鈥淭he government has started to become more selective about the kinds of manufacturing it wants to encourage, as well as the location of manufacturing facilities.”

Celico recalls working with a sporting goods manufacturer there. Government officials told the company they didn鈥檛 want the factory in the middle of Shenzhen anymore because the area was being turned into a high-tech manufacturing zone. 鈥淲e just decided that if we鈥檙e gonna move, we鈥檙e gonna move to Mexico,鈥� Celico said.

This evolution has played out elsewhere. Japan, for instance, became the place to produce cheap goods right after World War II, and was later supplanted by Taiwan. Eventually manufacturing went to places such as Korea. Thirty years ago, South Korea was the world鈥檚 primary supplier of backpacking tents. Now it supplies the high-end fabric and poles for those tents, but the tents themselves are made elsewhere. Today, South Korea has a booming outdoor recreation scene and its participants now buy those tents.

The Case for Staying

Quality and Capacity

Despite qualms about China, many outdoor companies say it鈥檚 not good for business to leave. For starters, the work is usually fast and high quality. Of course, not every company鈥檚 experience in China is the same because not every supply chain is the same, says Lovely, the economics professor. Small companies that don鈥檛 require much sophistication, or don鈥檛 need many subcontractors to make their products, can pick up and move rather quickly in the face of headwinds, she says. Meanwhile, very large multinational companies (Samsung, for example) may be able to shift production to another factory they own elsewhere, if trouble strikes. But a lot of outdoor companies probably fall in between the two, she says. Their products require knowledge to make, perhaps specialized equipment and techniques, a mature supplier system, and contractors and subcontractors. Finding this elsewhere is not easy, she says. That makes China 鈥渟ticky,鈥� as it were.

Big Agnes manufactures throughout Southeast Asia, including in the Philippines for furniture and, more recently, in Vietnam for stuff sacks. But the Colorado-based company has no plans to move production of its well-regarded sleeping bags and tents, the latter of which can command $700 or more, out of China, says founder Bill Gamber. 鈥淭he best sleeping bag manufacturers in the world are in China. Same goes for tents,鈥� Gamber said. In 2019, 95 percent of all down sleeping bags imported to the U.S.鈥攁nd nearly 90 percent of all kinds of sleeping bags鈥攃ame from China, according to statistics from the International Trade Commission.

Relationships

More than a physical factory and skilled workers keep Big Agnes in China, however. 鈥淎 really high-end, ultralight backpacking tent is not as complicated as an electric car,鈥� Gamber acknowledged. 鈥淏ut our supply chain is very specific for building a very specialized tent.鈥� Big Agnes鈥檚 manufacturer leans on an ecosystem of suppliers. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been working with both our factory and fabric supplier for 20 years,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would take years to rebuild what we鈥檝e done.鈥�

Such talk of 鈥渞elationships鈥� is not mushy sentiment; a relationship can save you money, says Gail Ross, chief operating officer of Krimson Klover, whose apparel company continues to work with the same factory in China that it has for a decade, even as some of the brand鈥檚 manufacturing of sweaters and other clothing has shifted elsewhere. 鈥淚 can say, 鈥楬ey, do you remember that silhouette from five years ago? I want you to haul that out, and do this, this, and this with it,鈥欌�� Ross said. Less back-and-forth with a factory owner translates into less time and money spent air shipping prototypes. And a longstanding relationship means Ross only goes to the factory in person twice a year. 鈥淲ith brand-new factories, we need to go three, maybe four times a year.鈥�

A small company like Krimson Klover also found something else when shopping around for alternative manufacturing options: 鈥淭here are other countries鈥擨ndonesia, Vietnam鈥攖hat are really great at cut-and-sew and printing. But the minimums are much higher,鈥� Ross says. So, for now, the same Chinese factory that gets the 鈥渃arrot鈥� of her fall business is willing to accept the 鈥渟tick鈥� of her tiny spring production.

Culture

And then there are cultural differences that can work in China鈥檚 favor. In China, 鈥渁 normal shift is 12 hours,鈥� said Wolf of Fireside Outdoor. 鈥淭hey work seven days a week. And then they really, really enjoy their holidays.鈥� He added, 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e seeing in Vietnam, and we also saw this in the Philippines, is that they have a different work ethic. In Vietnam we鈥檙e having challenges where an employee won鈥檛 show up for three days. Then he just shows up on the fourth day and says, 鈥楬ere I am.鈥� It鈥檚 hard to do a production line when someone doesn鈥檛 show up at their post.鈥�

In China, workers historically have been more willing to move where the work is, says Neil Burch, who has 35 years of experience manufacturing in Asia and today is president of the North American group of Joinease, which designs, manufactures, and does market research for drinkware for the suppliers to Nike, Gatorade, and Brita. 鈥淏ut in Vietnam, they kind of want to live at [or near] home,鈥� he said, which can cause issues for manufacturers in locating and moving factories. Burch says his company听has looked at Vietnam, and could establish a factory there eventually. But not yet.

And China is not alone in wrestling with issues of human and workers鈥� rights. Ethical ratings in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines have been 鈥渟lipping,鈥� according to the consultant QIMA, and factory safety can be poor. (One outdoor company executive says she wasn鈥檛 comfortable leaving China for another country, where working conditions and human rights would be even harder for her to track.)

For his part, Burch鈥檚 company is refocusing on China. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at doubling down and reinvesting,鈥� he said.

Emerging Middle Class

An enormous reason to stay in China is the Chinese market itself. 鈥淐hina is poised to replace the United States as the biggest consumer market in the world,鈥� said Celico, from the Albright Stonebridge Group. 鈥淭hat is a massive change. This is a country of 1.4 billion people. The middle class is basically larger than the population of the U.S.鈥� China has a thriving outdoor gear market. It was worth $60 billion in听2018, and it鈥檚 expected to be worth $100 billion by 2025, according to a 2019 report by Research in China.

鈥淎nd so, what a lot of companies are doing is sort of splitting the baby, saying, 鈥極K, maybe we have to diversify our global supply chain, but we still have to manufacture inside China, for China,鈥欌�� said Celico.

To Leave or Not to Leave

Every company will use a slightly different calculus to determine if it鈥檚 time to go. And many will find, like Wolf, that even when you decide to get out, truly disengaging from China is harder than it appears. But every company will have to confront the same basic issues, and this unavoidable fact: The worldwide ecosystem of manufacturing and consumer sales is more complicated, and more intertwined, than ever before. China is at the center of that world and no matter what you make or where you make it, managing how the global Goliath impacts your business matters more than ever.

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Full disclosure: gear is a wicked subjective thing. Always has been, always will be. To curate this list, our team of hardcore鈥攁nd highly opinionated鈥攇earheads pored over hundreds of new product launches, reading the specs and sifting through the marketing promises. We zoomed in on photos and watched embargoed video clips. And we debated. We culled the massive list down once, then made another pass until we had our 50 most coveted products. Then we voted to determine the rankings (we are a democracy, after all). In order of how badly we want to try it, here is Part Two of our list of the 50 most exciting product launches for Fall 2019.

24. Jones Snowboards Super Sap Bio-Resin [$479]

THE PROMISE It鈥檚 the greenest snowboard on the market.

THE DEETS All Jones boards are now built with Super Sap Bio-Resin, a bio-based, USDA-certified, renewable epoxy resin made with plant-based carbon instead of petroleum-based carbon.

THE STOKE Resins are the most toxic component of skis and boards. Super Sap is a huge sustainability step in this category, and we hope other brands follow suit.

25. HydraPak IsoBound [$38]

THE PROMISE The world鈥檚 first insulated reservoir (no hose jacket required) keeps your water at the perfect temp, always.

THE DEETS Double-wall construction and open-cell foam insulation create a barrier around the reservoir, keeping fluids from freezing in winter and cooler longer in summer.

THE STOKE We鈥檒l miss Grandma鈥檚 hand-crocheted bladder sleeves, but not our frozen water bottles.

26. inov-8 Roclite 335 [$150-$175]

THE PROMISE It鈥檚 the first hiking boot to feature graphene in the outsole鈥攁 super strong carbon-based material that adds ultralight durability.

THE DEETS This winter fast-hike/trail runner hybrid boot has a PrimaLoft upper and a graphene-infused rubber outsole for greater wear, traction, and flexibility. When graphene was developed in 2004, the scientists who isolated it earned a Nobel Prize, and the incredibly durable, super thin substance was heralded as world changing.

THE STOKE Boot soles that never wear out? Challenge accepted.

27. Dynafit TLT8 Carbonio [$849]

THE PROMISE It鈥檚 an ultralight touring boot with real drivability on steeps.

THE DEETS An update to the popular TLT6, the 8 has Grilamid and carbon construction; a single, strong cuff buckle; and a reinforced, lower-volume shell to maintain performance while conserving weight. The cuff rotates a full 60 degrees for a natural, energy-saving walk mode.

THE STOKE Two-buckle boots don鈥檛 normally have the all-mountain performance the TLT8 claims, so our curiosity is piqued.

28. Vasque Coldspark UD [$140]

THE PROMISE This is one of the nimblest winter boots out there.

THE DEETS Vasque swapped out traditional insulation for a heat-reflective barrier to bump up the BTUs in this revamped favorite while cutting out weight and bulk.

THE STOKE If the space blanket idea works inside footwear, it could be a big step toward agility in winter boots.

29. Nite Ize RunOff Collection [Starting at $25]

THE PROMISE Drybags with the world鈥檚 first toothless waterproof zippers.

THE DEETS Expanding into a brand-new category, Nite Ize launches six different bags, all featuring its new Tru Zip, which is superquiet, smooth-running, and easy to operate. The pouches are made of welded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is flexible and compressible. They鈥檙e waterproof (and sand- and dustproof) down to one meter for 30 minutes.

THE STOKE Sounds like it takes the fiddlework out of sealing a drybag. Our iPhones await samples.

30. Hestra Freeride CZone Mitt [$160]

THE PROMISE Handwear created specifically for snowboarders.

THE DEETS The Freeride removes the ski pole-specific pre-curve and gets rid of the outside stitching that skiers like for better grip. Increased durability/flexibility in the cuff and bottoms of fingers stand up to repeatedly ratcheting bindings.

THE STOKE The riders on staff finally feel loved.

31. Leki Helicon Lite Backcountry Pole [$80]

THE PROMISE These touring-specific poles are dialed to make your transitions silky smooth, like the pow you crave.

THE DEETS The Helicon Lites feature a strap that releases quickly when pulled upward for safety in avalanche terrain. The notched Binding Basket is designed to manipulate touring bindings鈥攍ike adjusting heel lifters and popping boot buckles.

THE STOKE The less futzing we need to do during transitions, the better.

32. K2 Mindbender Skis [$500]

THE PROMISE The Mindbender鈥檚 new laminate has unrivaled torsional and longitudinal stability.

THE DEETS The key tech here is carbon fiber woven in different directions to boost torsional and longitudinal rigidity separately for better stability all over the mountain.

THE STOKE The carbon braid means a damp shovel, but makes the tail more manageable鈥攊deal for a wide variety of ability levels.

33. Somewear Personal Satellite Hotspot [$350]

THE PROMISE A superior app user experience means unprecedented ease of use and reliability in a messenger beacon.

THE DEETS This compact, lightweight unit pairs with your smartphone to听provide global two-way text, location sharing, weather updates, and SOS emergency services with a mobile-first approach.

THE STOKE Every emergency beacon worth its batteries is two-way now, but听this one saves some cost by hitching your SOS to your phone, which is cool. But if your phone dies, you might, too.

34. OluKai Pehuea Heu [$130]

THE PROMISE If a sneaker and a slipper had twin love children, the result would be these cozy kicks.

THE DEETS The upper is made from waterproof nubuck leather and lined with genuine shearling, and the beefy rubber sole and gel footbed mean your feet will be high, dry, and comfy all day long.

THE STOKE Because why should wearing slippers all day be frowned upon?

35. Matador Freerain 24 [$65]

THE PROMISE It鈥檚 the super-packable backpack that doesn鈥檛 compromise on features.

THE DEETS At 6.6 ounces, this frameless 24-liter backpack packs down to five by three inches and has a roll-top closure, front organization pockets, and plenty of adjustable straps for dayhikes or travel.

THE STOKE Compared to other compact packs, the Freerain 24 has features galore. But the real test will be how it carries.

36. Mountain Hardwear Phantom Alpine 15掳F [$900-$930]

THE PROMISE Free your arms and stay warm on that chilly bivy with the Phantom Alpine鈥檚 dual side zips.

THE DEETS The bag features 850-fill goose down and a zipper on each side听that lets you pop out your arms to do camp stuff.

THE STOKE We鈥檝e loved the Phantom collection for years, and the addition of dual side zips brings more versatility and comfort to the table.

37. Mammut Diamond Fingerboard [$450]

THE PROMISE This hangboard is your personal trainer.

THE DEETS An attached mobile-phone holder automatically operates the Mammut training app as you weight and unweight the hangboard so you can follow the free training workouts hands-free and keep your phone from getting chalked.

THE STOKE Did hangboarding finally get fun? Maybe a little bit.

38. Ortovox Trace Ski Pack [$100-$120]

THE PROMISE It鈥檚 the ultimate skimo pack.

THE DEETS It keeps weight low and close to the body for optimum balance, while the ventilated shoulder straps and hipbelt stay comfortable during sweaty ascents. Main pack access is through the backpanel, with dedicated spots for a shovel and probe. Available in four sizes, from 18 to 25 liters.

THE STOKE Seems like everything we want for daily missions.

39. Mountain Equipment Odin Jacket [$200]

THE PROMISE Fewer stitches, fewer holes, fewer little white feathers floating in the wind.

THE DEETS Each baffle is created during the fabric weaving process, resulting in improved durability and better heat retention, plus it virtually eliminates migration of the 700-fill, water-resistant down.

THE STOKE听Woven baffle jackets have been around for a few seasons (think: Mountain Hardwear) but this is a similar tech at an easier-to-swallow price point.

40. Full Windsor Splitter Titanium Multi Utensil [$60]

THE PROMISE Toss all your old sporks and melted spatulas. This is the only camp utensil you need.

THE DEETS The 1.8-ounce Splitter is made of two separate titanium utensils: a spatula and a long spork (perfect for reaching into dehydrated-meal bags). When joined, they morph into tongs.

THE STOKE Does the world really need another titanium spork? No. But this is so much more. Declutter. Simplify.

41. Noso Pride Patch [$7]

THE PROMISE It fixes ripped gear and stands up for inclusivity.

THE DEETS The 2.25 x 1.5-inch patch features the iconic rainbow flag and is suitable for repairing tears in puffy jackets, sleeping bags, and shells in seconds.

THE STOKE We love these patches: why use duct tape to make a temporary, messy repair when you could do the job right and make a statement of unity?

42. Helly Hansen Odin Mountain 3L Shell Jacket and Bibs [$475-$600]

THE PROMISE It鈥檚 a tailored-just-for ski-tourers top and bottom outer layer.

THE DEETS The Odin shell and bib use a new proprietary membrane built for the stop/start tendencies of ski touring; the hydrophobic microporous membrane that releases moisture quickly in cold and dry weather. For backcountry relief, the men鈥檚 bib has a front zip, while the women鈥檚 has a drop seat that allows you to keep the suspenders up.

THE STOKE The membrane sounds a lot like others out there, but we do like the design of this outfit.

43. MSR Paragon Snowshoe Binding [starting at $260]

THE PROMISE Snowshoe bindings are notoriously cumbersome. These slip on easily, stay snug around your boots, and keep you stable even on the steepest of slopes.

THE DEETS This one-piece TPU mesh binding is light, durable, freeze-proof, and conforms to a wide array of boot sizes with a glove-like fit. The single-piece design makes them easier to adjust (no more messing with multiple straps over the foot). The mesh and variable thickness of the TPU help prevent pressure points without sacrificing durability or strength.

THE STOKE Could the perfect binding make us actually want to go snowshoeing? We鈥檒l get back to you on that one.

44. Terracea Beacon and Huntington 2L Jackets [$360]

THE PROMISE The Beacon (for men) and Huntington (for women) look at home on city streets and have the technical chops to keep you warm and comfy on the slopes.

THE DEETS These water-resistant insulated jackets feature body-mapped PrimaLoft Silver insulation, helmet-compatible hoods, magnetic zipper and pocket flaps, and long, butt-covering cuts to combat icy chairlift seats.

THE STOKE A fresh new brand on the apparel scene is always welcome. We hated to send our sample back after living in it for a week in Vermont.

45. Merrell Thermo Rogue Boa 2 Mid GTX [$250]

THE PROMISE This athletic hybrid is packed with the best in protection, but stripped of any bulk, so you can move fast on any winter adventure.

THE DEETS PrimaLoft Gold, along with Aerogel over the toes, provide warmth, and a Gore-Tex lining keeps things dry. The Boa lacing system ensures quick adjustments and a secure lockdown. Vibram鈥檚 Arctic Grip Dura 2 compound combined with Merrell鈥檚 new lug geometry enhances the grip and adds speed and confidence on trail and ice.

THE STOKE We dug the Rogue when it came out last year. This is a worthy upgrade.

46. The North Face Summit L6 Insulated Belay Skirt [$250]

THE PROMISE This women鈥檚 wrap-around puffy skirt will keep anyone鈥檚 tush warm on the chilliest belays.

THE DEETS It鈥檚 a puffy for your butt and legs. Measuring 27.5 inches long, the skirt uses 800-fill, water-resistant down and a ten-denier Pertex Quantum shell for weather resistance and durability.

THE STOKE Women will love it as a winter wardrobe staple, but there鈥檚 no law against men wearing it, either.

47. LiftRider Ski Backpack [$125]

THE PROMISE You won鈥檛 grapple with bringing an extra layer and/or lunch, because wearing this ski pack is like wearing nothing at all.

THE DEETS The super-low-profile, wedge shape of this 20-liter pack allows you to jump on the chairlift with it right on your back. The main compartment holds an extra layer and the included two-liter hydration system, while a padded upper compartment keeps your PB&J from getting squished (it rests above the back of the chairlift). Breakaway pack straps add safety, ensuring you never get caught on the chair. Also cool: A dedicated cell phone garage keeps your phone insulated and the battery life fresh.

THE STOKE We love the idea of having everything we need for a full day of frontcountry skiing, without the hassle of hauling a traditional pack.

48. Kathmandu Connect Smart Backpack [$350]

THE PROMISE The Connect pack is a powerful, smart travel bag that won鈥檛 ever get stolen.

THE DEETS The 28-liter, travel-specific Connect Smart Pack features a Joey integrated power system that will charge multiple devices and pair with your phone via Bluetooth to prevent theft. If your pack gets too far from the phone it鈥檚 paired with, the Joey inside will ring and make noises to avert a thief. Or if you lose your phone, the Joey can actually call it to help you find it.

THE STOKE OK, it feels like a slightly paranoid product, but how fun would it be to bust a thief with this?

49. Osprey Daylite Waist [$30]

THE PROMISE Fanny packs are hot right now, and this one is sleek, non-fussy, and affordable.

THE DEETS Like the rest of Osprey鈥檚 Daylite line, the new Waist is lightweight and simple, yet functional. It features a zippered main compartment, an interior mesh organizer, key clip, and adjustable waist belt in a superlight and portable package.

THE STOKE If we鈥檙e wearing a fanny pack, it鈥檚 gonna be this one.

50. Popia Hat Collection [$60]

THE PROMISE These high-quality, on-trend merino hats will brighten your winter wardrobe and keep your head toasty.

THE DEETS All Popia hats (like the POW, pictured) feature supersoft, lightweight, fine-gauge merino wool; a double-layer design with a contrasting interior; and a generous pom to top it off. Small-batch, exacting craftsmanship (in playful motifs and bright colors) ensure it will last for decades.

THE STOKE Big fuzzy hat toppers are all the rage. We dig.

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