Outdoor Research
Outdoor Research is a privately held, Seattle-based technical outdoor apparel and gear company founded in 1981, serving individual outdoor enthusiasts, athletes, and military/professional users across hiking, skiing, mountain biking, and trail running via DTC, wholesale, international, and tactical sales channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Outdoor Research does
Outdoor Research is a privately held, Seattle-based outdoor apparel and gear company founded in 1981, operating with 251-500 employees under founder, chairman, and CEO Dan Nordstrom. The company designs and sells technical outdoor clothing and equipment for hiking, trail running, mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking, with a current portfolio spanning rain shells (Aspire/Foray 3L, Helium UL), sun protection (Echo, Astroman, ActiveIce, Eclipse), performance bottoms (Ferrosi), gloves, hats, gaiters, and bivy sacks. Product technology relies on established performance fabrics (GORE-TEX, Pertex Shield, bluesign-approved materials) combined with proprietary developments such as ActiveIce cooling fabric, UPF 50+ sun protection, and a PFAS-free durable water repellent introduced for 2025 to remain compliant with New York and California PFAS bans. The Infinite Guarantee lifetime warranty underpins the brand's durability positioning.
The company operates a multi-channel distribution model that includes direct-to-consumer e-commerce on outdoorresearch.com with US and Canada storefronts, a Seattle flagship retail store, specialty outdoor retail wholesale accounts, international distribution, and a dedicated tactical/military sales channel for law enforcement and government customers. Go-to-market is driven by a curated athlete ambassador program (including Mark Abma, Georgia Astle, Casey Brown, and the van Steenbergen brothers), content marketing across social and blog channels, an email newsletter with first-time subscriber incentives, and event sponsorships such as the Ninety-Pound Rucksack Challenge. Pricing spans $35 accessories to $725 premium technical items, with seasonal sales of up to 60% off past-season styles and a free shipping threshold of $125 on US orders. The company is currently executing a corporate headquarters relocation to West Seattle (late summer 2026) and a flagship store relocation to a more central downtown Seattle location, alongside product recognition including a 2024 ISPO Award for the Foray/Aspire 3L jacket.
Outdoor Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Outdoor Research
- Legal name
- Outdoor Research
- Website
- https://outdoorresearch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Outdoor Research is a privately held, Seattle-based technical outdoor apparel and gear company founded in 1981, serving individual outdoor enthusiasts, athletes, and military/professional users across hiking, skiing, mountain biking, and trail running via DTC, wholesale, international, and tactical sales channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Outdoor Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor Apparel and Gear
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)
- SIC
- Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Women's, Misses', And Juniors Outerwear (2330), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing) (CRAMAMAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Camping, Hiking & Climbing Specialty Retail (CRAMABAM), Sports, Outdoor & Adventure Packs Manufacturing (Backpacks/Duffels) (IMAOAHAE), Climbing & Mountaineering Gear Retail (CRAMAAAB)
Keywords
Where Outdoor Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Outdoor Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Apparel Sales: Primary revenue from technical outdoor apparel including jackets, pants, tops, shorts across men's and women's categories. Wide price range from $35 to $725.
- Accessories Sales: Hats, gloves, gaiters, neck gaiters, and other outdoor accessories. Includes sun hats, running hats, beanies, balaclavas.
- Gear Sales: Bivy sacks, backpacks, duffels, gaiters, and gear care products (Nikwax). Products include Alpine XT Bivy, Helium UL Bivy, Bug XT Bivy.
- Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales through specialty outdoor retailers and international distributors.
- Tactical/Military Sales: Specialized product lines for military and professional markets, maintaining parallel civilian and military product offerings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Budget-friendly options under $50 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range performance apparel $50-$150 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium technical apparel $150-$300 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pro/Elite products $300+ |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Seasonal sale items up to 60% off |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Outdoor Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Outdoor Research designs, manufactures, and sells technical outdoor apparel and gear for hiking, trail running, skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering, and mountain biking. Core products include waterproof rain jackets, sun-protective clothing, hiking pants, insulated layers, gloves, hats, and accessories such as bivy sacks and gaiters.
Product overview
Outdoor Research is an outdoor apparel company offering a broad portfolio of technical clothing and gear organized across distinct sub-brands and product lines. Core offerings include rain protection (Aspire 3L, Foray 3L, Helium UL, Stratoburst collections), sun protection (Echo, Astroman, ActiveIce, Eclipse collections), activity-specific apparel (Freewheel MTB for mountain biking), and performance bottoms (Ferrosi, Timberline). The company also produces gloves, accessories, bivy sacks, and travel bags. Products are designed for activities including hiking, trail running, skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering, and paddling, with an emphasis on technical innovation and sustainability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aspire 3L Rain Jacket Three-layer waterproof rain jacket designed for hiking and outdoor activities, offering full weather protection with breathable fabric.
- Foray 3L Rain Jacket Men's three-layer rain jacket providing durable waterproof and breathable protection for outdoor adventures.
- Ferrosi Pant
Quantifiable outcome
- Products ranked among top 15 outdoor clothing brands globally
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Outdoor Research
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Outdoor Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Outdoor Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Christian Beckwith / Ninety-Pound Rucksack ChallengeminorPresenting sponsor of Ninety-Pound Rucksack Challenge, a military appreciation ski mountaineering event honoring 10th Mountain Division legacy. Event expanded to 27 ski resorts in 2026.
- Mark AbmacorePartnership with freeskiing icon Mark Abma for athlete representation and brand endorsement in outdoor/ski community.
- The Sideways Life PR AgencycorePartnership with The Sideways Life PR Agency to elevate brand awareness in North America through PR and media relations.
- 10th Mountain Division / Military HeritageminorContinues military heritage tradition, manufacturing parallel product lines for military and civilian markets. Brand founded with military influence through civilian collaborations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights10 records
Outdoor Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Outdoor Research social profiles
Digital presenceOutdoor Research compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Outdoor Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Outdoor Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Outdoor Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Outdoor Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Outdoor Research
What does Outdoor Research do?
Outdoor Research designs, manufactures, and sells technical outdoor apparel and gear for hiking, trail running, skiing, snowboarding, mountaineering, and mountain biking. Core products include waterproof rain jackets, sun-protective clothing, hiking pants, insulated layers, gloves, hats, and accessories such as bivy sacks and gaiters.
Is Outdoor Research a public or private company?
Outdoor Research is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Outdoor Research founded?
Outdoor Research was founded in 1981. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Outdoor Research based?
Outdoor Research is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Outdoor Research make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Apparel Sales are the primary driver. The others are accessories Sales, gear Sales, wholesale Distribution and tactical/Military Sales.
Does Outdoor Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Outdoor Research.
What industry is Outdoor Research in?
Outdoor Research's product category is Outdoor Apparel and Gear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAMAK, Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing), with a secondary code of CRAMABAM, Camping, Hiking & Climbing Specialty Retail. Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 3949.