La Cordée

What La Cordée does

La Cordée is a privately held Canadian specialty outdoor recreation retailer founded in 1953 and headquartered in Montréal, Québec. The company serves outdoor enthusiasts across Canada through an omnichannel model comprising a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront (lacordee.com), multiple physical retail stores across multiple provinces, and in-store professional bike maintenance workshops. Its product catalog spans technical apparel and footwear for men and women, plus specialized equipment across hiking, cycling, climbing, camping, water sports, trail running, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Brand partnerships include featured product placements (e.g., LEKI poles, Sly Foods meals) and integration partnerships with Affirm (installment financing) and PayPal (payments). Marketing channels include email newsletters (Klaviyo), a content/blog program with expert buying guides, in-store events and demonstrations, social media (Instagram, Meta platforms), and member discounts delivered through outdoor activity association partnerships. Revenue mechanics are anchored in retail merchandise sales (one-time transactions) at standard unit pricing with periodic promotional sales, supplemented by recurring engagement via a loyalty/member program. Geographic service scope is restricted to Canada per the company's published terms, and the company operates with 101-250 employees and no disclosed external institutional ownership or funding rounds.

Name

La Cordée

Legal name

La Cordée

Website

https://lacordee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

La Cordée is a Canadian specialty outdoor recreation retailer founded in 1953, selling clothing, footwear, and equipment for hiking, cycling, climbing, camping, skiing, and water sports through Shopify e-commerce and a network of physical stores across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing) (CRAMAMAK)

Keywords

• Outdoor apparel retail
• Outdoor equipment
• Hiking gear
• Cycling equipment
• Skiing snowboarding gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Retail sale of outdoor clothing, footwear, and accessories through e-commerce and physical stores. Products include jackets, pants, footwear, climbing gear, cycling equipment, camping supplies, and winter sports equipment.
2. Hardware Sales: Sale of higher-ticket items including bicycles, boats, and sporting equipment with promotional offers such as 15% gift card bonus on bike purchases.
3. Professional Services: Bike maintenance and repair services offered at workshops (ateliers) in stores.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

La Cordée is a Canadian outdoor recreation retailer selling technical apparel, footwear, and equipment for activities including hiking, cycling, climbing, camping, water sports, trail running, and skiing through both a Shopify-powered e-commerce platform and a network of physical retail stores across Canada. The retailer also offers professional bike repair and maintenance services at in-store workshops and partners with Affirm for installment financing.

Product overview

La Cordée is a Canadian outdoor recreation retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of outdoor clothing, footwear, and equipment across multiple activity categories. The company operates both physical retail stores and an e-commerce platform powered by Shopify. Their product assortment spans technical apparel for men and women, specialized footwear, and equipment for cycling, hiking, camping, climbing, water sports, skiing (cross-country, downhill, and snowshoeing), and trail running. The company also offers value-added services including bike repair and maintenance workshops. La Cordée serves outdoor enthusiasts from casual hikers to serious adventurers, with products ranging from entry-level to professional-grade technical gear. The business model combines retail operations with e-commerce, supported by financing options through Affirm and payment processing via PayPal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outdoor Clothing - Men's Technical and casual outdoor apparel for men including jackets, windbreakers, fleece, sweaters, shirts, pants, shorts, base layers, underwear, and accessories for Canadian consumers engaged in outdoor recreation.
• Outdoor Clothing - Women's Technical and casual outdoor apparel for women including jackets, windbreakers, fleece, sweaters, shirts, dresses, pants, shorts, base layers, underwear, and accessories for Canadian consumers engaged in outdoor recreation.
• Footwear - Men's and Women's Outdoor footwear for men and women including winter boots, hiking boots, trail running shoes, casual shoes, sandals, slippers and related accessories for outdoor and casual wear.
• Cycling Equipment Complete cycling gear including bikes, cycling clothing, cycling shoes, helmets, accessories, parts and components, bags and racks, trailers and child seats, and trainer stands for cycling enthusiasts.
• Hiking and Trail Running Equipment Hiking essentials including backpacks, hiking boots and shoes, headlamps, outdoor care and safety, food and hydration, hiking poles, compasses and GPS, knives and tools, binoculars, dog accessories, trail running shoes, men's and women's running clothing, running watches, and running accessories.
• Climbing Equipment Complete climbing gear including climbing harnesses, climbing shoes, ropes, cordelettes and slings, camming devices, nuts and pitons, carabiners and quickdraws, belay devices, ice axes and crampons, climbing helmets, and climbing accessories.
• Camping Equipment Camping essentials including tents and shelters, sleeping bags, camping mattresses, camping kitchen equipment, and camping furniture.
• Water Sports Equipment Water sports gear including boats and vessels, paddles and oars, personal flotation devices (PFDs), water sports clothing, and water sports accessories.
• Skiing and Snowshoe Equipment Cross-country, telemark, alpine touring and alpine ski gear plus avalanche safety equipment, ski clothing, ski goggles, helmets and protections, snowshoes for men and women, and snowshoe accessories for winter sports consumers.
• Travel Gear Travel equipment including travel bags, hammocks, pillows and sheets, and travel accessories for outdoor and adventure travelers.
• Outdoor Essentials and Footwear Accessories General outdoor essentials including care products, batteries and chargers, care and safety supplies, plus footwear accessories such as socks, gaiters, insoles, foot care, footwear care, crampons, and heated accessories.
• Bike Repair and Maintenance Services Professional bike repair and maintenance services offered at in-store workshops including adjustments, repairs, complete tune-ups, and in-store preparation for customer pickup.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• LEKIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLEKI is featured as a partner brand on La Cordée's website, with promotional banner highlighting their hiking poles and trekking equipment.
• Sly FoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSly Foods freeze-dried vegetarian meals are featured as a brand discovery on the website, positioned as convenient adventure food.
• AffirmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffirm provides financing options for customers, allowing installment payments on purchases.
• Outdoor Activity AssociationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner member discounts offered through association membership programs, with promotional codes provided to members.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mountain Equipment Company (MEC): Canadian member-owned outdoor retailer selling clothing, footwear, and equipment across hiking, camping, climbing, paddling, and cycling. Directly comparable to La Cordée in geography, customer base, and multi-category outdoor assortment.
• SAIL: Quebec-based outdoor retailer with a comparable multi-category assortment spanning camping, hiking, skiing, and apparel. Most direct Canadian peer given shared Quebec roots and similar heritage retail model.
• Atmosphere: Canadian outdoor and active lifestyle retailer (formerly Coast Mountain Sports) operating stores and e-commerce across Canada. Directly comparable in product mix, target customer, and omnichannel strategy.
• Backcountry: US-based premium outdoor e-commerce retailer specializing in technical apparel, footwear, and equipment for hiking, camping, climbing, and skiing. Comparable in curated premium-brand positioning, though primarily online.

Broad incumbents

• Sport Chek: Canada's largest sporting goods retailer with broad assortment including outdoor categories. Less specialized in technical outdoor than La Cordée but competes for the same Canadian active lifestyle consumer.
• REI Co-op: US member-owned outdoor co-op retailer offering curated multi-brand apparel, footwear, and gear across hiking, camping, cycling, and climbing. Comparable in curation model, services, and brand positioning, though larger and US-focused.
• Decathlon: Global sporting goods retailer with growing Canadian presence, offering owned-brand value-priced outdoor and sports equipment. Competes with La Cordée across most product categories, particularly on price.
• Cabela's / Bass Pro Shops: Large North American outdoor and sporting goods retailer with broad assortment across hunting, fishing, camping, and outdoor recreation. Overlaps with La Cordée in camping, hiking, and outdoor apparel categories at a larger scale.

Emerging players

• Mountain Warehouse: UK-headquartered value outdoor apparel and equipment retailer expanding internationally. Comparable category mix (hiking, camping, skiing), though positioned more value-tier than La Cordée's premium assortment.

Others

• Patagonia: Premium outdoor brand with owned retail stores and strong DTC e-commerce in Canada. A key supplier-brand competitor relationship for La Cordée: comparable customer, but vertically integrated brand versus La Cordée's multi-brand retail model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/lacordee
• Xx.com/lacordee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Cordée