Covid & Camping

With nationwide travel restrictions curbing airline bookings and hotel stays, COVID-19 has driven a boom in camping and outdoor activity.

We see strong YoY sales at equipment and specialty retailers; Yeti and Camping World lead the pack, followed by Bass Pro and Cabela’s (the latter two may be partly driven by firearm sales). REI’s weakness is notable, while Dick’s outdoor sales are likely offset by restricted sporting activity.

Outdoor apparel hasn’t benefited as much, with L.L. Bean seeing the least negative impact in March through May, (possibly related to its catalog focus), followed by Patagonia, which turned positive in June, and Columbia trailing behind.

As cases continue to rise, we’ll be tracking whether a resurgence of consumer interest in the great outdoors is a lasting one.