Hiking Gear & Equipment Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Hiking Gear & Equipment Market is projected to expand from a valuation of USD 5.67 Billion in 2025 to USD 8.38 Billion by 2031, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 6.73%. This industry sector encompasses specialized clothing, footwear, carrying mechanisms, and protective accessories engineered to facilitate outdoor walking and trekking across varied landscapes. The market's growth is largely fueled by the booming adventure tourism sector and a global cultural movement toward health and wellness that emphasizes physical engagement with the outdoors. These favorable conditions are supported by data illustrating sustained consumer interest; for example, the Outdoor Industry Association reported that the base of outdoor recreation participants hit a record high of 181.1 million people in 2025.

Despite this optimistic outlook, market expansion faces significant hurdles due to the instability of global supply chains and escalating raw material costs. These economic pressures drive up production expenses, which manufacturers frequently pass on to buyers, resulting in higher retail prices. Such inflationary trends constrain discretionary spending and may discourage price-conscious consumers from purchasing premium hiking gear, potentially retarding volume growth in emerging market segments.

Market Drivers

A dramatic increase in outdoor recreational participation is fundamentally transforming the market, driven by a worldwide emphasis on physical well-being and immersion in nature. This surge is creating robust demand for specialized hiking apparel and equipment among users of all skill levels, as active lifestyles take precedence over passive leisure.

Notably, regional markets are recording unprecedented engagement levels that directly boost sales volumes and broaden the consumer demographic; for instance, the General Administration of Sport of China revealed in its October 2025 'China Outdoor Sports Industry Development Report (2024-2025)' that over 400 million individuals in China are now participating in outdoor sports. This substantial influx is forcing manufacturers to expand their product offerings to cater to both casual hikers and serious mountaineers, ensuring continued growth despite economic headwinds.

Concurrently, consumer preference is shifting heavily toward sustainable and eco-friendly products, influencing manufacturing standards and material sourcing. Brands are increasingly adopting circular economy models and using recycled synthetic fibers to satisfy the ethical expectations of environmentally aware adventurers, making this a central competitive requirement rather than a niche trend.

Major players are adjusting their inventories accordingly; Decathlon reported in its April 2025 '2024 Non-Financial Reporting Declaration' that 48.5% of its sold products utilized an ecodesign approach, a 10 percentage point rise from the prior year. This strategic shift is reinforced by high usage of public outdoor spaces, with the National Park Service noting in 2025 that the U.S. National Park System achieved a record 331.9 million recreational visits in 2024, highlighting the strong link between nature exploration and equipment demand.

Market Challenges

The combination of volatile global supply chains and increasing raw material costs presents a formidable obstacle to the growth of the Global Hiking Gear & Equipment Market. These supply-side difficulties force manufacturers to deal with higher expenses for logistics and critical production inputs like technical fabrics and durable metals. Consequently, these elevated operational costs are often transferred to the customer via increased retail prices for performance clothing, footwear, and carrying systems. This inflationary atmosphere erodes discretionary purchasing power, leading price-sensitive buyers to postpone transactions or select less expensive alternatives, which in turn diminishes the sales volume of the premium equipment that usually drives market value.

The real-world effect of these economic limitations is apparent in recent sales figures, which show a contraction in gear purchasing despite high participation levels. As consumers reduce spending on non-essential items due to high prices, core hardgood categories have been negatively impacted. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the total camping equipment category - a key segment containing essential trekking gear - fell by 1.9 percent to $3.9 billion in 2024. This decline demonstrates how cost-related friction within the supply chain is effectively suppressing consumer investment in physical outdoor gear, establishing a disconnect between the desire for outdoor activities and actual expenditure on equipment.

Market Trends

The product landscape of the global hiking market is being reshaped by a distinct transition from heavy hiking boots to lightweight trail footwear. Enthusiasts are prioritizing speed, agility, and immediate comfort over the traditional ankle support and durability associated with leather boots, leading to a broad shift toward trail running shoes for trekking. This demand for versatile, ultralight options has compelled manufacturers to redesign their product lines to feature high-cushioning foams and breathable materials suitable for both long-distance hikers and casual trekkers. The financial success of this trend is visible in the rapid growth of specialized brands; for example, Deckers Brands reported in May 2024 that net sales for its HOKA brand rose by 27.9 percent to a record $1.8 billion, highlighting the immense demand for performance-focused lightweight footwear.

At the same time, the blending of outdoor performance gear with urban fashion aesthetics is extending the market's reach beyond active adventurers. Technical apparel built for extreme environments, such as waterproof hard shells and insulated down jackets, is increasingly being bought for everyday city wear, driven by a preference for functional utility mixed with premium status appeal. This convergence enables outdoor brands to enter the lifestyle sector and justify elevated price points by incorporating professional-grade materials into streetwear designs. This trend has resulted in significant revenue growth for premium technical brands; Amer Sports reported in March 2025 that its Arc’teryx brand exceeded $2 billion in revenue and spurred a 36 percent growth in the Technical Apparel segment, confirming the commercial viability of positioning high-performance gear as a luxury lifestyle essential.

Key Players Profiled in the Hiking Gear & Equipment Market

• The North Face
• Mountain Hardwear
• Black Diamond Equipment Ltd.
• Marmot Mountain LLC
• Amer Sports
• Equinox Ltd.
• TATONKA
• mont-bell Co., Ltd.
• AMG-Group
• Sierra Designs

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Hiking Gear & Equipment Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Hiking Gear & Equipment Market, by Product Type:

• Clothes
• Footwear
• Backpack
• Equipment
• Others

Hiking Gear & Equipment Market, by Sales Channel:

• Online
• Offline

Hiking Gear & Equipment Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Hiking Gear & Equipment Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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