Trends in the Great Outdoors

by Diane Lofshult

More and more Americans dream of taking to the wilderness to pursue activities like hunting and hiking. Trouble is, they just don’t have the time for such pursuits, according to new findings released in the SGMA International’s latest report on “Outdoor Recreation in America” (2003 edition).

Here’s a look at some of the other findings of this annual study of participation figures for more than 30 outdoor activities:

Snowboarding, mountain biking, kayaking and wake

boarding are among the hottest outdoor activities.

Males account for 70 percent of all mountain bikers.

The top outdoor equipment sales category is water sports.

Among water sports, scuba diving, kayaking and surfing have had the largest percentage rates of growth since 2001.

The report is available in a print version or a downloadable version. Contact SGMA International by calling (561) 840-1165 or visiting the association’s Web site at www.sgma.com. >