WICHITA, Kansas - Americans in search of recreation, relaxation and quality time with family and friends are returning to the outdoors in increasing numbers, according to the 2010 Special Report on Camping. The report, which details important trends on car, backyard and RV camping, is the culmination of a partnership between global outdoor equipment manufacturer, The Coleman Company, Inc., and The Outdoor Foundation.
The 2010 Special Report on Camping gives an overview of camping in the United States, presenting detailed information on participation by gender, age, ethnicity, income, education and geographic region. Data is also provided on common barriers to entry as well as popular "crossover" sports for this important group. Also, for the first time, the report shows the distances travelled by campers and the preferred types of camping experiences.
Presented in detail within the report, the study reveals that 44 million people participated in camping in 2009, nearly one million more participants than in the previous high of 1996. The average camper spent 13.2 days camping and in aggregate, campers made a combined 580.7 million outings during the year.
"In today's economy, people are returning to simpler lifestyles - the 'less-is-more' ethic," said Christine Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor Foundation. "Reservations for campsites and sales for camping gear are up. Camping provides fun, affordable opportunities for families to enjoy time together as evidenced by the fact that households with children are approximately 50 percent more likely to participate in camping than households without children."
The study results also show that first-time campers are increasingly taking to the outdoors with their more experienced friends, suggesting that more people are recognizing the benefits of getting outside.
"More people are realizing the benefits that come from spending time outdoors," said Coleman CEO, Sam Solomon. "I am encouraged to see an increasingly more diverse group of Americans taking advantage of outdoor recreation as a way to recreate, recharge and reconnect with family and friends."
Other outdoor enthusiast sports lead the way in crossover participation rates among campers, according to the report. Angling had the second-highest rate for crossover activities at 43.6 percent, trailing only fitness walking (48.8 percent). Hiking, wildlife viewing, kayaking/canoeing/rafting were also in the top one-third of other preferred outdoor activities for campers. Hunting (15.1 percent) and other shooting activities (18.3 percent) were also well represented. For backyard and car campers, 9.8 percent reported participating in hunting sports while camping, slightly higher than the 9.5 percent which reported hunting while RV camping. Hiking led all activities enjoyed while camping, with 53.7 percent of backyard/car campers and 41.8 percent of RV campers reporting participation.
The 2010 Special Report on Camping is based on extended analysis of unreleased data collected for the Outdoor Recreation Participation Report, produced annually by The Outdoor Foundation. The report uses the responses of over 40,000 Americans ages six and older captured in an on-line survey covering 114 different activities. The survey is the largest of its type examining participation in sports and outdoor activities.
The 2010 Outdoor Recreation Participation report, which will include high-level, 2009 participation data and trend analyses for 40 outdoor sports, will be released by The Outdoor Foundation mid September and will detail the quality and extent of participation in outdoor recreation among all Americans age 6+, with a special focus on youth and diverse groups. To download a copy of the Special Report on Camping visit http:// coleman.com/trends or http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/research.
About The Coleman Company, Inc.
As an international leader in the innovation and marketing of outdoor products, The Coleman Company, Inc. helps people have fun and make memories by providing the gear integral to their favorite outdoor experiences. The company's products include its legendary lanterns and stoves, as well as coolers, tents, sleeping bags, airbeds, backpacks, furniture, and grills under the Coleman® brand. Additionally, the company provides flotation devices, towables, rainwear, waders, hunting and fishing gear as well as safety and survival equipment under its Stearns®, Sevylor®, Sospenders®, Hodgman®, Mad Dog Gear®, and Helium® brands. Founded in 1900 and based in Wichita, Kan., Coleman is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation and can be found online at COLEMAN.com.
About Jarden Corporation
Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of niche consumer products. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, Fenwick®, Gulp! ®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Völkl ®, and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Forster®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Leslie-Locke®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Spontex® and Tigex®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden has over 25,000 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit www.jarden.com.
About The Outdoor Foundation
The Outdoor Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. Through groundbreaking research, action oriented convening and outreach and education programs, the Foundation works with partners to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all Americans to the great outdoors. In 2010, the Foundation launched Outdoor Nation, a pioneering initiative that aims to empower youth to champion the outdoors on campuses and in communities across the United States. For more information visit: www.outdoorfoundation.org and www.outdoornation.org.
