SNEWS best outdoor reads from around the web

What did the SNEWS team read this week that other industry insiders might find interesting? Read on to find out!

• Attracting a more diverse consumer base is the key to the outdoor industry’s future success. This amazing Utne Reader story discusses the environmental movement as a whole, and why it has been so hard to attract more diverse environmental stewards, too. The point: The environmental movement was founded on racism, the Utne staff writes. Wealthy environmentalists discovered beautiful areas and promptly kicked out the natives who once lived in them. Whether or not you agree, this story is worth a read.

• But enough seriousness, let’s get to a real issue: The holidays are stressful. We in the industry are facing the pre-Outdoor Retailer crunch. Exercise sometimes gets put on the back burner as we burn the midnight oil in the office, trying to spot those trends. Plus, we’ve got turkey, cookies and treats on the brain (which will most likely later be on our butts). Check out this She Knows post about how wecan sneak in some calorie burn during the holidays.

• Since we’re facing the pre-Outdoor Retailer Winter Market crunch we can’t help but spot news articles about the trade show, like this one in Utah Business about how the show is focusing on welcoming new exhibitors. Show director Kenji Haroutunian discusses how attendees should hit up the booths of the new exhibitors as that’s where the big brands of tomorrow are. Keep in mind, though, that there is no new exhibitor pavilion at Winter Market, rather the new exhibitors will be scattered among all exhibitors at the show.

• The industry is always striving to get more people interested in becoming outdoor adventurers, and while your sales associates probably know exactly what to tell them to make them feel more prepared, this Springfield Daily Sun story for tips for winter recreation might be helpful.

• We have a lot of friends in the outdoor industry, and they can be hard to shop for since they get awesome gear to test all the time. Don’t worry, Trek Tech Blog’s writers have you covered. Check out their holiday gift wish lists.

• But if your friends and family aren’t lucky enough to test cool stuff for a living, splurge on one of these jackets mentioned by Men’s Fitness to keep them warm and toasty. Westcomb, Columbia, The North Face, Brooks-Range and Patagonia all got love in this slide show. Check it out to see which specific products were mentioned.

• Brendan Leonard’s writing always pleases, which is why you frequently see his stuff in SNEWS Reads. “The Greatest Mountaineering Survival Story Never Told” is a clever account of a friend’s brush with death at the hand of a sandwich.

• We thought this story on the Big Outside was interesting. Every New Year this Michael Lanza pulls out his guidebooks and determines which trips he’s going to take in 2013. Check out his top 10 trips wish list. Who knows? Maybe these 10 adventures will lead to another award-winning book for Lanza.

• We don’t know many people living double lives. Or maybe we do. Or maybe we see them on television all the time and look up to them. Check out this Competitor story about the secret life of former Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton, who was as a Vegas call girl.

• A friend of the SNEWS team was in a Denver hospital recently, after being diagnosed with cancer at a young age. A team of First Descents alumni came to visit her (without knowing of any sort of connection) and lifted her spirits. Perhaps that’s why the organization is so special to us. This Outdoor Hub story discusses what the Denver-based organization has planned for 2013. Looks like it’s going even more global!

Have you read anything interesting you’d like to share with us? Maybe we’ll include it next week’s column with a little shout out to whoever sent it to us. Send a link to the story with the subject line “SNEWS Reads” to be considered.

–Compiled by Ana Trujillo