What Scandinavian Outdoor does

Scandinavian Outdoor Oy is a privately held, 100% Finnish-owned specialty outdoor retailer founded in 1970 in Turku (originally as Partiovaruste by scouts) and headquartered at Lukkosepänkatu 7, Turku. The company sells outdoor apparel, footwear, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and winter sports equipment from premium brands including Halti, Fjällräven, Rab, Haglöfs, Salomon, Outwell, Robens, Jack Wolfskin, and Ortlieb across a hybrid channel of five physical stores (Helsinki Forum, Pirkkala Veska, Pori Puuvilla, Raisio Kuninkoja, Vantaa Tammisto) and the e-commerce platform scandinavianoutdoor.fi, which ships to over 50 countries. The catalog spans more than 10,000 SKUs.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales (DTC retail and e-commerce) supplemented by usage-based and professional-service streams: ski maintenance at Kuninkoja and Pirkkala using Wintersteiger machines (waxing, grinding, edge sharpening), equipment rental (Vuokraamo), second-hand resale, and repair services operated in partnership with Vuota. Pricing is unit-based with a free-shipping threshold at €149, a 100-day return policy, and member discounts including -10% for Suomen Partiolaiset (Scouts) and Suomen Latu (Outdoor Association) members via the Elämää ulkona -klubi loyalty club. A corporate sales division (Yritysmyynti) handles B2B volume transactions.

The company is led by CEO Johanna Rantala (appointed 2019) with Kuutti Haapanen heading e-commerce and marketing. It holds the Avainlippu (Finnish-origin) certification, is GDPR-compliant, and carries a Central Chamber of Commerce Carbon Footprint Calculated mark covering GHG Protocol Scope 1 and 2. Scandinavian Outdoor is bootstrapped — no external funding rounds are disclosed — and transitioned from scout-foundation ownership to full private Finnish ownership in 2018.

Name

Scandinavian Outdoor

Legal name

Scandinavian Outdoor Oy

Website

https://scandinavianoutdoor.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Scandinavian Outdoor Oy is a 100% Finnish-owned specialty outdoor retailer founded in 1970, operating five physical stores across Finland and an e-commerce site shipping to 50+ countries, selling premium outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment alongside ski service, rental, repair, and second-hand services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Retail

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (4582), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Hiking & Trail Accessories Retail (CRAMAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Camping & Overlanding Equipment Retail (CRAMAAAC), Winter Equipment Rental, Demo & Repair (Skis/Boards/Boots, Tuning) (THAAAJAH), Nordic / Cross-Country Ski Retail (Skis, Boots, Bindings, Poles, Wax) (CRAMAJAG)

Keywords

• Outdoor retail
• Hiking equipment
• Camping gear
• Ski maintenance
• Outdoor apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Turku

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Retail sale of outdoor equipment, hiking gear, footwear, apparel, and accessories through e-commerce and physical stores. Products include tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, jackets, hiking boots, and skiing equipment from brands like Halti, Fjällräven, Rab, Haglöfs, Salomon, and others.
2. Ski Service: Professional ski maintenance and repair services offered at Kuninkoja and Pirkkala locations, including waxing, grinding, edge sharpening, and binding installation using Wintersteiger machines.
3. Rental Services: Equipment rental services ('Vuokraamo') allowing customers to rent outdoor gear for specific trips or seasons rather than purchasing.
4. Second-hand Sales: Second-hand marketplace ('Second hand') for selling pre-owned outdoor clothing and equipment previously purchased from the store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scandinavian Outdoor is a Finnish specialty outdoor retailer selling hiking, camping, trail running, and skiing apparel, footwear, and equipment from brands such as Halti, Fjällräven, Rab, Haglöfs, Salomon, Outwell, Robens, Jack Wolfskin, and Ortlieb through five physical stores in Finland and an e-commerce platform delivering to over 50 countries. The offering is extended by in-house services including professional ski maintenance (using Wintersteiger machines) at Kuninkoja and Pirkkala, equipment rental, second-hand resale, and product repair, all wrapped by the Elämää Ulkona loyalty community.

Product overview

Scandinavian Outdoor is a 100% Finnish-owned specialty outdoor retailer founded in 1970, operating 7 brick-and-mortar stores across Finland plus an e-commerce platform. The company sells a wide range of outdoor brands including Halti, Rab, Fjällräven, Haglöfs, Outwell, Robens, Jack Wolfskin, Ortlieb, and others across categories like apparel, footwear, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and accessories. The portfolio includes complementary service offerings: the Elämää Ulkona -klubi loyalty program, professional suksihuolto (ski service) at two locations, korjauspalvelu (repair service) via Vuota partnership, second hand resale marketplace, and vuokraamo (rental) equipment service. The Elämää Ulkona -blogi content platform provides expert advice, guides, and product tests to support the customer community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outdoor Equipment Retail (multi-brand assortment) Specialty retail sale of hiking, camping, trail running, and skiing apparel, footwear, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and accessories from premium brands (Halti, Fjällräven, Rab, Haglöfs, Salomon, Outwell, Robens, Jack Wolfskin, Ortlieb, and others), sold to individual consumers and corporate customers via physical stores and the scandinavianoutdoor.fi storefront.
• Suksihuolto (Ski Maintenance Service) Professional ski maintenance service available at the Raisio Kuninkoja and Pirkkala Veska locations, using Wintersteiger machines to provide waxing, stone grinding, edge sharpening, binding installation, and base repairs for cross-country and alpine skis. Target customers: recreational and competitive skiers owning winter sports equipment.
• Korjauspalvelu (Repair Service) Repair service implemented in collaboration with Vuota repair service for damaged outdoor clothing and equipment, extending product lifespan as part of the Fiksusti Elämää Ulkona circular-economy offering. Target customers: outdoor gear owners seeking to extend the usable life of products.
• Vuokraamo (Equipment Rental) Outdoor equipment rental service allowing customers to rent gear for specific trips or seasons rather than purchasing, supporting trial-before-buy and circular-economy usage. Target customers: outdoor enthusiasts wanting to try activities without large equipment purchases, and travelers needing temporary gear.
• Second Hand -palvelu (Resale Service) Secondhand marketplace where customers can sell pre-owned outdoor clothing and equipment originally purchased from Scandinavian Outdoor, enabling circular economy and reuse. Target customers: outdoor gear owners looking to recoup value on used items and buyers seeking discounted pre-owned outdoor gear.
• Elämää Ulkona -klubi (Loyalty Club) Free customer loyalty program offering members exclusive club-priced discounts, club-only deals, early access to sales, event invitations, and contributions toward Luonnonperintösäätiö forest conservation. Target customers: existing and prospective individual retail customers of Scandinavian Outdoor.
• Yritysmyynti (Corporate Sales) Dedicated B2B sales division serving companies, organizations, and groups with volume pricing and dedicated service for outdoor gear used in corporate gifts, team events, and institutional purchases. Target customers: corporate procurement, HR/event coordinators, and institutional purchasers in Finland.
• Partiolaisten jäsenalennus (Scouts Member Discount Program) Discount program for Suomen Partiolaiset (Finnish Scouting Association) members offering 10% off outdoor and hiking products in stores and online (with exclusions for scouting products, electronics, gift cards, and club-priced items). Target customers: registered Finnish scouts and scouting families.
• Suomen Ladun jäsenalennus (Suomen Latu Member Discount Program) Discount program for Suomen Latu (Finnish Outdoor Association) members offering 10% off most products and 5% off electronics (GPS, watches, heart rate monitors), valid in stores and online. Target customers: members of the Finnish Outdoor Association.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue exceeded €10 million annually as of 2011
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vuota-korjauspalvelucoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRepair service partnership for fixing damaged outdoor clothing and gear. Vuota provides professional repair services that complement Scandinavian Outdoor's sustainability focus on product longevity and circular economy.
• Posti and Post NordcoreOthersLogistics partners targeting carbon neutrality by 2030. Scandinavian Outdoor uses these partners for package delivery to Finnish customers, aligning with sustainability commitments.
• UPSminorOthersLogistics partner targeting carbon neutrality by 2050. Used for international shipments.
• Suomen Partiolaiset ry (Finnish Scouting Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing official supplier partnership. Scandinavian Outdoor handles sales and distribution of official scouting merchandise including badges, uniforms, and official products nationwide for Finnish scouts.
• Suomen Latu ry (Finnish Outdoor Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMember discount partnership offering -10% discount on outdoor products and -5% on electronics for Suomen Latu members. Collaborative event partnerships for outdoor activities.
• Luonnonperintösäätiö (Nature Heritage Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonation partnership for forest conservation. Together with customers and partners, Scandinavian Outdoor collects donation funds to establish Elämää Ulkona forest protection area in Southern Finland.
• AdtractionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate marketing platform for blog collaboration. Outdoor and hiking bloggers can register to become publishers and earn commissions through the partnership program.
• Easywhistle OyminorOthersExternal independent whistleblowing channel provider. Provides secure, privacy-protected anonymous reporting system for employees, partners, and stakeholders to report concerns.
• WintersteigercoreTechnology or IntegrationSki service machine manufacturer. Scandinavian Outdoor uses Wintersteiger grinding machines for professional ski maintenance including waxing, stone grinding, and edge sharpening at Kuninkoja and Pirkkala locations.
• LuontohaasteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on in-store events and outdoor content, including preparation events and outdoor cooking demonstrations.
• SalomoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand days, running events (Gravel Run), and ski testing events at stores. Salomon experts available for product guidance and demonstrations.
• Fjällräven and HanwagcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCare & Repair brand days at Kuninkoja, Pirkkala, and Forum stores. Expert guidance on product care, repair services, and sustainability.
• KlarnacoreOthersSwedish payment provider for online payment transactions. Enables flexible payment options including buy now, pay later for customers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sportamore: Swedish online sporting goods and outdoor retailer with broad multi-brand assortment. Comparable in DTC-led model and overlapping product mix (apparel, footwear, equipment), though with a stronger sports-fashion tilt than Scandinavian Outdoor's outdoor specialist positioning.
• Addnature: Swedish online outdoor specialist selling hiking, camping, skiing and trail-running gear from premium brands. Highly comparable product mix and target customer (Nordic outdoor enthusiasts), operating exclusively online without Scandinavian Outdoor's physical store footprint.
• Outnorth: Nordic outdoor and lifestyle e-commerce retailer headquartered in Sweden, selling similar multi-brand outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment to Scandinavian consumers. Closest comparable in product mix, target customer (Nordic outdoor enthusiasts), and omnichannel DTC model.
• Partioaitta / Speider-Sport: Finnish scout-equipment and outdoor retailer, the most direct domestic peer. Shares the scouting heritage (Scandinavian Outdoor originated as Partiovaruste) and overlapping product categories including outdoor apparel, footwear and scouting-specific merchandise.

Broad incumbents

• XXL ASA: Norway-listed sporting goods and outdoor retail chain operating 80+ stores across the Nordics. Comparable multi-brand outdoor/sports assortment and physical-store footprint, but at much larger scale with broader sports coverage including fitness, cycling and team sports.
• Decathlon: Global sporting goods and outdoor retailer with own private-label brands at value price points. Competes on hiking, camping and ski equipment across all price tiers; serves Finnish consumers via physical stores and e-commerce, and competes head-to-head on multi-brand outdoor assortment.
• REI Co-op: US outdoor co-operative retailer known for premium outdoor assortment, in-store expertise, sustainability programmes and lifetime membership. Functionally comparable on curation, expert staff and circular-economy services (used-gear, rentals, repairs), though operating in a different geography.
• Stadium: Swedish sporting goods retailer with strong physical store presence and e-commerce. Overlaps with Scandinavian Outdoor on outdoor, hiking and running categories but also covers broader sports, fashion and athleisure; serves a similar Nordic consumer base.

Regional players

• SportScheck: German multi-brand sporting goods retailer with strong outdoor and ski coverage. Comparable in multi-channel DTC model and broad third-party brand assortment, but serves DACH rather than Nordic consumers.
• Friluftsbutikken: Norwegian online outdoor retailer focused on hiking, camping, hunting and ski equipment. Comparable multi-brand assortment and Nordic outdoor customer, but primarily serves the Norwegian market rather than Finland.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@scandinavian_outdoor/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/ScandinavianOutdoorStore
• Instagraminstagram.com/scandinavian_outdoor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scandinavian-outdoor

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Scandinavian Outdoor