This year's OS Outdoors Show was, frankly, a disappointment. The OM editor laments a missed opportunity that really does need reassessing if the show is to carry on.
I can remember the lead-up to the first ever OS Outdoors Show -
back then, people simply weren't sure that it would work. Would
outdoors people really flock to Birmingham to meet manufacturers,
browse travel company stands and watch the odd TV celebrity, famous
climber or gear expert do their public speaking thing?
Fast
forward four years and the Show has become an established part of the
outdoors year with brands and retailers sharing floor space with the
likes of adventure travel companies and regional promotional
agencies.
Tired...
This year though, the place had a tired, uninspiring feel to it
that was salvaged only by the odd individual stand and the chance to
take in some interesting talks in the lecture theatre. The rest, for
the most part, was frankly mostly dull. It's a real shame as it's the
one obvious opportunity that the outdoors industry gets to speak
directly to its customers and based on the weekend's showing, it's an
opportunity that's being wasted.
Too many of the stands were simply uninspiring and missed the
chance to involve show-goers in something fun or interesting. Sure,
for many visitors, the Show seems to be about grabbing gear bargains,
but that's partly the tail wagging the dog - if you build something
dramatic and involving then people's idea of what the show is will
change.
I'm sorry if that sounds harsh or simply jaded, but just stuffing
an exhibition hall with retailers, dull stands advertising the
mountains of East Anglia and the odd sausage stand simply isn't good
enough. What decent interactivity there was came from the paddlers
with their indoor pool, the climbing wall - tucked way out of view at
the far end of the hall - and, refreshingly, the Scouts - above -
with their weird crate building game.
Missed Opportunities
Where were the opportunities to test different packs on a
simulated indoor trail? Where were the climate chambers and wind
tunnels that would let people sample different designs and fabrics in
a simulated hoolie? And where's the exhibition of interesting new kit
from all the different manufacturers?
I'm not blaming individual brands, but someone needs to step back
and up the inspiration content of the show or watch it die. It's a
great opportunity that, right now, is being wasted and makes me think
that the doom-sayers who damned the whole concept in the beginning
might have a point after all.
On the plus side, it was great to catch up with the OMers who
turned up in the pub on Friday plus a lot of mates in the industry
and apologies to Saturday goers who we missed.
