Outdoor Retailer: My First Real Show

If you follow me on Twitter, it’s not a secret that I’ve been out of town for the past week. ‘Tis that glorious week that only arrives but twice per calendar year: Outdoor Retailer!

For many of my readers, you’ll know exactly what OR is, and if you didn’t visit, you were probably wishing that you had been able to swing it. However, I know that lots of you aren’t as addicted to into the outdoor scene as I am, so I imagine a quick explanation is due. In short, OR is a twice-yearly event where every single outdoor company rolls into the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City and sets up booths full of their newest upcoming gear. Summer OR showcases gear that will be available for purchase the following spring, and Winter OR is for future winter gear. Obviously, this was a summer show, so I got the chance to check out gear that will be appearing on shelves in Spring, 2014.

Downtown Salt Lake on my first morning. I was on a mission to find a Starbucks!

Most of the outdoor brands are at OR so they can entice retailers into placing orders for the upcoming gear. After all, many of these outdoor companies are nothing without the retailers that sell their products, right? However, the other large component of OR is the media. Credentialed media is allowed on the show floor in order to check out the future goods and write the articles you’ll soon see saturating the online world. If a product immediately impresses the journalists educated in this industry, there is a good chance that it will equally wow the consumers that will (hopefully) be making their purchases next season. In short, the media is a big freakin’ deal.

When I went to my first show this past winter, I had no idea what to expect. However, that experience was a helluva lot different than this go ‘round. You see, OR cracked down on media credentials a few seasons ago and dramatically limited who could obtain a media pass. Previously, tons of bloggers and random individuals were registering as media and walking the show floor, regardless of whether or not they should truly, honestly be there. Yes, I know many bloggers would love the opportunity to check out the show, but in all fairness, does a smaller personal blog with 1000 pageviews/month warrant a media pass? Not really. Fortunately for some, there are ways to bypass this crackdown, as I lucked into this past winter. GeigerRig, a hydration company, wanted to take me on a press trip to Idaho after the winter show. Obviously, I needed to be at the show to go on the press trip, so they got me a GeigerRig pass. Because of this, I was able to walk the show floor and check out all sorts of high-tech outdoor wonders.

However, last week’s trip was significantly different for me. I had planned on registering as media through my blog (since I easily meet the minimum audience requirements), but wasn’t sure if it would work since they don’t accept “personal” blogs. Yes, I do plenty of gear reviews, but my site unapologetically showcases a large personal contingent.  After all, how else would I share my Tally stories?! I was pondering this conundrum when I was presented with an opportunity to cover the show for Active Junky. Naturally, I jumped on the opportunity!

My media badge

So, how was it different this time around? Holy cow, I was so insanely busy that it wasn’t even funny! If you’re pre-registered for the show as media, your inbox will get inundated with press releases about the upcoming products. If you are curious about particular items, you can contact the appropriate PR rep to set up an appointment at the show. For me, I knew I was going to be swamped: I agreed to cover sleeping bags, packs, and shoes for Active Junky, which is quite the endeavor. With roughly 1500 different companies present, you can imagine how many items there were for me to check out!

Additionally, it was important to me to do a good job. In agreeing to tackle three separate categories for AJ, I was launching myself into three days chock full of meetings. After all, there are a lot of good companies out there that make excellent products in these categories. I couldn’t agree to undertaking this project if I thought I wasn’t going to be able to do a thorough job. Luckily, I excel when I’m busy and was able to make it work! Even better? Will was at OR with me! As per usual, he was covering the show for Backpacker magazine’s Outdoor Gear Guide, so we were able to go together. Having him there was like a little beacon of sanity. We’d meet for lunch every day and rehash the ups and downs of the morning. Then, we’d catch up at the end of the day before heading out into the night full of PR dinners and beers. He’s been going to these shows for a bit, so it’s awesome to have his helpful advice. Additionally, he knows everyone and I swear, everyone loves him!

I’ll get my personal “Best of OR” post up later this week, but first, I need to focus on my roundups for Active Junky. I saw quite a few products and new lines that won’t fit into my AJ recaps, but I’d like to feature here. So, just sit tight because they’re coming!

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Have you ever been to OR or a similar show?

Do you have a fascination with new gear and products?