Why the Outdoor Industry Is an Augmented Contradiction
How do we experience nature in an overwhelmingly digitized world? That was the question at the core of this year’s 520M in Munich, the third installation of the Highsnobiety x ISPO summit that aims to unpack the outdoors and its cultural evolution from all angles: environmentally, socially, and stylistically.
As is becoming tradition, 520M is an opportunity for outdoor industry leaders and pioneers to come together and nerd out over the products and innovations that are moving our experience forward, and this year was bigger than ever.
What started as an unpacking of gorpcore in 2022 — exploring how functional gear has become a way of life for fashion crowds who once typically bought technical products for flex over function — the summit is now ground zero for anyone actively interested in how this monumental shift is impacting mainstream culture at large, and where it’s heading next.
The Augmented Outdoors
Last year, we spoke of this shift as The New Outdoors. The 2024 edition takes it one step further. The Augmented Outdoors investigates the increasingly enmeshed relationship between the natural world and technology. More specifically, it acknowledges that tech now touches every aspect of our lives and that its omnipresence can be overwhelming. So suffocating, perhaps, that we are increasingly looking for activities that root us in nature as a means of escape, to protect our mental and physical health, to breathe for a minute. We’re not necessarily taking up extreme sports, but we’re getting outside more and more. We’re joining running groups and bikepacking crews, we’re bird watching, trekking, foraging, planting. We’re turning off our phones and reconnecting with ourselves and our surroundings, discovering places away from the reels.
“The struggle to truly switch off from tech is becoming more and more prevalent,” says Lewis Wilson, founder of creative agency and outdoor product platform, 114.index. “Disconnecting from tech in the outdoors gives you a whole different perspective on the outdoors. You feel more alive when you rely on your own sense of direction and understanding of the environment without any technological aids.” Michael Washington, founder of LA guided excursions company, Usal, adds: “If I’m taking my phone out on a hike to take pictures with it’s strictly on airplane mode.”
Yet there’s a contradiction here that is crucial. While on the one hand, we’re fed up with the intensity of over-connection, on the other we know that tech is the present and the future. It’s getting faster, not slower. And while that is a little overwhelming, we also know and are excited by the way technology opens up the world to us that would otherwise be unfeasible. Or maybe would remain simply unknown. We’re using tech to discover new ways to be in nature, and forming bonds with new communities to do it with before taking the adventures offline. We’re finding trail running groups on Instagram and then documenting our progress on Strava; we’re using AI with highly advanced GPS systems to plan a trekking route that we then explore IRL; we’re gaming through advanced headsets like Apple Pro Vision VR which offer deep immersion in the outdoor world and give vast discovery potential, without leaving the house.
It might not sound logical but in many ways, tech facilitates and enables a deeper connection with our surroundings. Many brands already understand that and are responding to it through innovative gear that enhances both performance and enjoyment. Take Columbia’s Omni-Heat range, for example, which uses metal to reflect infrared-radiated heat from our bodies back to us to keep us warm. Or Shimano’s cycling shoes, which have a wireless electronic cleat system just to make sure your foot positioning is always adjusted relative to the pedals as you ride. Or Oura rings, which track heart rate and performance and send you live updates.
Technical gear is working to increase access for those with mobility issues, too. Skip x Arc’teryx has built an exoskeleton called MO/GO that’s integrated into a pair of pants, employing innovations that have until now been a thing of sci-fi movie dreams. Such wearable tech supports users in their quest to be more active by increasing stamina and reducing pain through robotics that tackle mobility challenges caused by fatigue, aging, and injury. Functional brands are also working to minimize digital distractions, which will also enhance safety: Shokz headphones use bone conduction technology to transmit vibrations through your cheekbones to your inner ear, bypassing your eardrums so you can remain in tune with your surroundings while listening to playlists and podcasts, while Swiss watchmakers Garmin creates timepieces that are equipped with alerts and prompts about potholes and traffic; the list goes on.
Ultimately, we’re seeing that there is a unique type of tension between the outdoors and tech that has the potential to enhance our experience and enjoyment without the constant rattle of notifications and the gravitational pull of the doomscroll. With caveats, naturally. Firstly, intention is key: Arguably, engagement with nature is not really authentic if you’re just heading there to count your steps or share photo evidence on Instagram or TikTok. The classic “pics or it didn’t happen” mindset kinda defeats the point. Secondly, the price point for certain products is often hefty, meaning that access to such products is currently far from accessible to most.
All in all, 520M gave us a clear idea of where the outdoor industry is going next. Brands will continue to use technical innovations that, contradictorily, aim to alleviate the presence of technological stressors in our lives. Safety features will evolve; products will become multifunctional, replacing the need to carry multiple pieces of equipment. As Amend.World founder Patrick Stangbye put it: “I want the data that I need to feel secure, and that I need to understand my surroundings. If my Oakley Glasses could replace what I need on my watch, I would use it running in the mountains to avoid having to look down.” Watch this space.
