The Oberalp Group not only wants to observe this kind of phenomenon but also aims to understand this trend more deeply. What are the emotional motives for such a trend, what are the drivers for a first experience, what are the fears involved? The international behavioral research institute Karmasin Behavioural Insights from Vienna set up a wide-ranging study in the DACH region for the South Tyrolean company and a total of almost 900 participants were surveyed on the topic of "My first experience in the mountains". The behavioral researchers' questions focused on the motivations of all those who had spent their summer vacation in the mountains for the first time in the summer of 2020. "You didn't know exactly what you needed," respondents said of their fears and difficulties getting started, "and in hindsight, maybe one should have relied on better equipment or taken advantage of rental options," many of the people surveyed said. "This is exactly where we as mountaineering specialists need to start with our solutions. We are still too complex when it comes to products and applications," says the CEO of the Oberalp Group, Christoph Engl. Lowering barriers to entry is the motto of mountain sports specialist Oberalp, which feels it has to do so with its six mountain sports brands. Whether it is the first safe moves in climbing with the climbing brands Wild Country and Evolv, or the new desire for lightness and speed with the athlete brand Dynafit, whether the focus is on enjoying a purist mountain experience with the Dolomite brand Salewa, or it is about a new interpretation of the feminine experience expectations of the women's mountain sports brand LaMunt: the brand managers have made it their mission to make it easier for the new mountain enthusiasts to access the mountains and to keep them as a newly discovered passion.
Last year, the Oberalp Group observed a significant number of new entrants to outdoor and mountain sports. The significant increase in demand figures for 2021 confirms this trend. The Covid-19 pandemic was the reason for many people to consider a nature and mountain experience for the first time. The mountain theme thus became a new subject on the personal experience level.
This is exactly where we as mountaineering specialists need to start with our solutions. We are still too complex when it comes to products and applications
The detailed results of this motif study will be presented during the Oberalp Virtual Convention on May 18 at 5 pm CET online on the website convention.oberalp.com. The proven digital format will make it possible to view content and findings from it in detail. In addition, this date is also considered the official season launch of the collections, with the new products for summer 2022 from mountain sports brands Salewa, Dynafit, Pomoca, Wild Country, and Evolv being presented to a wider audience than has been the norm in the past. "We believe that retailers and end consumers need to be brought to the same level of information in a digital world," says CEO Christoph Engl, explaining the Oberalp Group's revolutionary decision to make its brand collections for the following year visible not only to retailers but also to end consumers. "This way, fans of our brands can look forward to the news a year in advance," Engl continues.
The eagerly awaited presentation of the first collection of the latest brand creation in the house of Oberalp can also be looked forward to: LaMunt stands for premium mountain sportswear, which mountain-experienced and mountain-loving women have designed for a rapidly growing number of followers. The 32 pieces of the LaMunt 2022 summer collection, which will be presented to the retailers for the first time by brand founder Ruth Oberrauch and her female team, will be available very selectively in stores from February 2022.
From November 2021, however, there will already be a small selection of our products available on our online store
The Oberalp Group pioneered a new form of presentation in the 2020 pandemic year and was the first company to go public with a digital convention platform in May. "Now - one year later - it is also time again to create a suitable framework for personal relationships and contacts with partners and customers," emphasizes Christoph Engl. "We want to do everything we can to ensure that there is once again an opportunity to organize an exchange of ideas away from screens." The company is therefore planning an exclusive event for June 7th and 8th for a very limited number of partners at the LUMEN Museum in Kronplatz, South Tyrol. On this occasion, the motif study on the topic of "My first experiences on the mountain" will be presented personally by the institute's founder, Dr. Helene Karmasin. Experts from the sports retail sector will be able to exchange views on the results of the study in small groups and apply the findings to the way they form their customer relationships. In addition, the summer 2022 collections of all six mountain sports brands will be on display and can be experienced live.