Summer Gear: Are You Ready? Grand County is anticipating another busy summer season. Last year, companies producing outdoor recreational gear/products experienced record-breaking sales, as people sought the outdoors as a respite from the COVID pandemic. This has resulted in near depletion of everything used for outdoor recreation, and the industry is working diligently to catch up to meet the demand for the summer of 2021.
This has frustrated many who want to purchase gear only to learn that it is out of stock, backordered and/or may not even be available for this summer! So, people may end up settling for something that is not exactly what they had wanted, but are willing to purchase it anyway. After all, having something is sometimes better than nothing.
We recently felt this frustration when looking for new bikes. Inventories are depleted at the retail stores as bike manufactures continue to struggle to keep pace with the demand. I had almost given up my search one day after calling multiple retailers (and Trek directly) when Larry suddenly found one at a local bike store. This was pure luck.
Larry had his eye on a particular Trek bike as well, but it was also out of stock, with an anticipated availability in late August. He was able to locate a comparable bike made by Scott, and just so happened to find a retailer in Golden, Colorado who had two left. He also just got lucky. For many, they are not so lucky, unfortunately.
The gear that we have purchased over the years had been carefully thought through and researched. For example, we had researched stand up paddleboards for about two years before we ended up purchasing them. We had initially picked out boards by Cruiser SUP and had them in the online shopping cart ready to purchase one evening when we suddenly came upon the Isle paddle boards, which we ultimately purchased instead. Doing your research will help to ensure that you get exactly what you want, although that is not always a blanket guarantee.
Summer Gear: Are you Ready? highlights five different spring/summer/fall recreational products that we use. Below, you will find a brief description, along with a hyperlink that will then direct you to the full product review on our website.
Kayak ~ Perception Cove 14.5 Tandem
A two-person, sit-in kayak that is comfortable and offers exceptional stability. Designed with ample leg room for both users, bungee cords at the front of the kayak along with generous dry storage space in the rear.
Stand Up Paddleboards ~ Isle Gliderwood
These epoxy boards have exceeded our expectations in every way. Super easy to maneuver, handle all types of water conditions, and are very stable and durable. If you are debating between an inflatable board versus a hard board, then please read this full product review before you make that decision. It is our hope that it will encourage you to make an investment in a hard board.
Stella’s Bike ~ Trek Dual Sport 3 (Women’s)
This bike is fast, lightweight, comfortable, and easy to ride in any terrain. If you want a hybrid bike, this is one to highly consider (if you can find it).
Larry’s Bike ~ Scott Scale 940 Granite
Just purchased; look for a review shortly.
Tent ~ REI Co-op Half Dome 3 Plus
Sets up quickly and easily; the material and poles are highly durable. It has ample ventilation and is very spacious. And as an added bonus, it is simple to get back into the carrying bag!
