Helping someone try the outdoors is only the beginning. The harder task is giving them a reason, and the confidence, to return. New participation research from the United States offers a useful perspective on that challenge.
More participants, fewer outings
The Outdoor Industry Association’s 2026 participation summary reports 183.2 million Americans taking part in outdoor recreation, equivalent to 59% of people aged six and over. Yet the average participant takes five fewer outings a year than in 2019. The summary also reports growth among younger children and older adults.
This is US research, not a measure of British participation. Its relevance for UK businesses lies in the question it raises: how well does a business support the second and third outing after the first purchase?
Outdoor Insight analysis: reduce the next hurdle
A retailer could ask new customers what would make their next day outside easier to organise. The answer might be finding a suitable group, understanding transport or knowing where to ask a basic equipment question. None of those needs is resolved simply by displaying another jacket.
A short follow-up guide could explain product care and point towards established local activity providers. Businesses should distinguish clearly between selling equipment and providing qualified instruction or route guidance.
Make community activity dependable
For a shop working with an existing walking or outdoor group, consistency may matter more than the scale of a launch. Customers need to know who the activity is for, how to book, what it involves and whom to contact with questions.
A modest partnership could begin with an information evening led by an appropriate local provider. The retailer’s role would be to make the introduction useful and transparent, while avoiding the impression that buying a product is a condition of joining in.
Measure repeat engagement
Brands and retailers could assess a participation initiative through return attendance and participant feedback, alongside reach. Someone who joins once and then disappears may have encountered a barrier that a headline attendance total will miss.
It would also be useful to ask those who return what helped them. That feedback can shape communications, opening hours or future partnerships. The aim is not to turn every casual participant into an expedition customer. It is to make the level of outdoor activity they want feel achievable enough to repeat.
Image: Outdoor Industry Association.
