Nature is often known as the “great outdoors,” and for good reason. The wilderness is vast and wide open, and it offers all sorts of terrain from forests to plains to mountains and caves. Many sports and leisure activities have been built up around these natural features, and they usually call for special gear ranging from climbing supplies all the way to adventure clothing, fishing equipment, hunting licenses and firearms, and more. When a person needs climbing supplies or a tent, for example, they can visit a local retailer that specializes in outdoor activities, and these retailers often have their own online catalogs as well. And while urban life is standard for many people in today’s developed nations, human beings are a product of nature and not everyone has forgotten their natural roots. In fact, some mental and physical health benefits can be had when someone visits nature.
Who Is Going Outside
The United States is one of the geographically largest nations in the world, and it varies widely from the redwood forests of the northwest coast to the Arizona and Nevada desert to the Great Plains to the Great Lakes and beyond. This makes the United States an ideal place to visit nearly any type of biome outside of rain forests or large taigas, and today’s American outdoor industry is a big one. Many adult Americans are looking for the right climbing supplies and more for their next outing, and consumer spending for camping gear totals $1.8 billion USD per year. Camping and going on trips is popular among nearly everyone, from groups of college friends all the way to retirees looking for a fine adventure. Public campgrounds are often the most convenient place for visiting the wilds, as they come pre-made with open spaces, utilities, and safe places to make a fire.
The Goods
What should a person buy before embarking on their next wilderness trek? This depends on what they are planning. For going fishing, a person may need to visit a fly fishing shop or fishing outfitters if they need new gear or if they are getting into fishing for the first time. Catching fish dates back to the “caveman” days, and although everyday American citizens don’t often fish to feed their community, fishing can be a lot of fun, and caught fish can be cooked. At a fishing shop, a newcomer may get a pole, fishing line, bait (real or synthetic), a tackle box, and more. A fisher may want a bucket of water for containing live fish caught, and a fisher may choose to rent a boat for fishing in the middle of a lake. When visiting a lake to fish, an angler may want to consult local guidelines about what species they may catch and keep, and how large the fish must be. In order to protect breeding fish populations, conservation agencies set a minimum size for caught fish that may be kept. Juvenile fish must be released so that they can help maintain the local population.
Climbing and Hiking
Dry land offers a lot of outdoor fun, too. Rock climbing is difficult for some, but it can be a rewarding challenge, and there’s plenty of climbing supplies that someone can buy to make this easier. Most supplies are based on safety or getting a better grip, such as ropes and pulleys, metal hooks for gripping a rocky surface, a helmet in case of falls, and more. Many general outdoor retailers may have the right climbing supplies for the job, and a customer there may ask the sales associates to direct them to the climbing supplies on hand.
Hiking is simple enough: visiting the local area on foot, whether through a forest or up a series of hills or even a mountain path (as opposed to actual mountain climbing). But even this calls for the right gear, and a hiker may want the right boots that are tough, waterproof, and durable for hiking for hours on end. A hiker should also have a backpack and gear such as snacks, a water bottle, a compass, a map, a hat for keeping sunlight off the face and neck, and sunglasses if need be. Weather-appropriate clothing ranges from breathable shirts and shorts to heavy jackets.
