"Capturing Camping Demand"... Outdoor Industry Also Accelerates Entry into Camping Gear Market

Outdoor Industry Enters Camping Gear Market
Camping Industry Size Reached 7 Trillion Won Last Year
Challenging Market Dominated by Overseas and Specialized Brands

Black Yak, Field Series. Photo by Black Yak

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The popularity of camping, which grew significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, shows no signs of waning even after the pandemic, prompting the outdoor industry to increasingly enter the camping gear market.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization on the 6th, the domestic camping industry was estimated to be worth about 7 trillion KRW last year. This represents approximately 20% growth compared to the previous year (5.8336 trillion KRW). The camping market, which was around 2 trillion KRW in 2017, expanded to 2.6474 trillion KRW in 2018 and rapidly grew to 3.0689 trillion KRW in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, it grew to 5.8336 trillion KRW, increasing about 2.5 times in four years.

Until now, the camping gear market was dominated by well-known international camping brands and domestic specialized camping gear brands. Although outdoor companies have consistently released camping products such as tents and sleeping bags in the past, the fandom around camping gear centered on a few brands was so strong that these products were often seen as niche. Since their main focus was on hiking and fashion products, camping gear was often perceived as being of lower quality.

However, fueled by the recent surge in camping popularity, outdoor companies are gradually stepping into the camping gear market. K2 launched the ‘COZY Series’ in August, a line of emotional camping gear designed for easy and convenient camping and picnics. The series consists of five items?tent, chair, table, sleeping bag, and mug cup?that are highly functional for camping, easy to set up, and have good storage capacity, making them suitable for minimal camping. K2 Korea Group also plans to newly launch the Danish outdoor brand 'Nordisk,' popular among campers, in Korea starting from the spring and summer seasons next year. While the focus will be on apparel products, some camping gear will also be introduced.

Black Yak also made headlines in August by releasing the ‘Field Series,’ developed through extensive research based on field experience by an expedition team and tent designers. The products were pre-released via Wadiz crowdfunding, achieving a funding rate of 3040%. The series includes the ‘Field Dome Shelter’ and ‘Field Tunnel Tent,’ characterized by a wide-open feel and emotional design. Leveraging its expertise in tents, backpacks, bottles, lanterns, and other camping gear, Black Yak plans to focus on segmenting the camping gear category to meet the diverse needs arising from the growing camping population.

Eider recently launched the 'Cordura Collection,' which includes tunnel-type tents, chairs, and other camping gear. The collection offers 10 items designed to help organize outdoor spaces and provide comfortable rest. Notably, the large tunnel-type tent ‘Cartiz Quantum Tunnel Tent’ attracted significant attention from campers. Eider plans to continue releasing related products next year based on multifaceted analysis. Additionally, National Geographic has consistently introduced related gear, including this year’s launch of 'The Original Cabin House EX Camping Tent,' and Kolon Sports is expanding its fan base with the ‘Odumak’ cotton tent series.

An industry insider said, "The camping gear market will likely continue to be divided between high-end and low-cost brands. Many outdoor companies possess sufficient technical capabilities and are gradually expanding their categories, so competition within the market is expected to intensify."