WASHINGTON, DC (March 3, 2014) – Today The Outdoor Foundation and The Coleman Company, Inc. released the Special Report on Paddlesports, which provides a detailed look at participation in kayaking, canoeing, rafting – and for the first time – stand up paddling. Among other findings, the report reveals that more than 19 million Americans participated in paddling in 2012 to enjoy rivers, lakes, streams and other waterways in their communities.

“Paddlesports have remained a popular way for Americans to connect with the outdoors,” said Christine Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor Foundation. “While paddling participation is stable, the report highlights outreach opportunities for growth – minority groups are significantly underrepresented in every paddlesports category.”

The Outdoor Foundation’s Special Report on Paddlesports helps the outdoor industry, public agencies and community organizations better understand the trends in paddling. The report uses the latest participation data collected annually by The Outdoor Foundation to present detailed information on participation in kayaking, canoeing, rafting and stand up paddling by gender, age, ethnicity, income, education, geographic region and more.

“Coleman has worked with The Outdoor Foundation on a variety of research projects over the years, and we’re excited to expand our partnership to provide valuable information about paddlesports participation in America,” said Robert Marcovitch, president and chief executive officer of The Coleman Company, Inc. “As our Sevylor brand team launches an all-new line of stand up paddle boards in 2014, we are pleased to enhance the report with data that examines this emerging sport.”
Some of the key findings from the Special Report on Paddlesports include:

Overall Participation
  • 19.2 million Americans ages six and older participated in kayaking, canoeing, rafting and stand up paddling in 2012.
  • 10.3 million Americans participated in kayaking in 2012. 9.8 million Americans participated in canoeing, 3.7 million in rafting and 1.5 million in stand up paddling.
  • Paddling participants made 202 million outings, averaging seven days per participant.
  • Outside of their paddling pursuits, paddlers generally prefer outdoor recreation, rather than indoor or other activities. Fitness walking is the most popular activity among paddlers.
Kayaking
  • Kayaking has enjoyed steady growth since 2010, climbing to a participation rate of 3.6 percent of Americans ages six and older in 2012.
  • Recreational kayaking is the most popular type of kayaking followed – by a significant margin – by sea/tour kayaking and whitewater kayaking.
  • 63.2 percent of kayakers get out one to three times per year.
  • Most kayakers live in states bordering the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean — the Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic and Pacific regions of the United States.
Canoeing
  • Canoeing is the second most popular type of paddling behind kayaking. 3.4 percent of Americans age six and older participated in canoeing in 2012.
  • Canoeing participants get out more often than kayaking participants. Nearly 50 percent of canoeing participants make four or more outings per year.
  • Canoeing appeals to youth and is the most popular paddlesport among Americans ages six to 17.
  • Geographically, most canoers – more than 40 percent of all participants – are located in the East North Central and South Atlantic regions of the US, those states bordering the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean.
Rafting
  • 1.3 percent of Americans ages six and older participate in rafting.
  • 38 percent of rafters make only one outing per year and 68 percent make three outings per year or less.
  • Participation in rafting fell from 2010 to 2011 but remained relatively steady from 2011 to 2012.
  • Rafting is most popular among teenage boys.
Stand Up Paddling
  • The emerging sport of stand up paddling has made modest participation gains over the past three years, up from 1.1 million participants in 2010 to 1.5 million in 2012.
  • In 2012, stand up paddling participants made 9.6 million outings.
  • Stand up paddling appeals most to young adults ages 18 to 24 and adults ages 25 to 44, an age group which saw significant participation gains in 2012.
  • Like kayaking, stand up paddling participants tend to live in the Pacific and South Atlantic regions of the United States.
Motivations and Barriers
  • A majority of kayakers, rafters and canoers participate in paddlesports for exercise.
  • Stand up paddlers participate as a way to spend time with friends and family.
To download a copy of the Special Report on Paddlesports visit http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/research.

About The Outdoor Foundation

The Outdoor Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. Through groundbreaking research, youth engagement and charitable investment, the Foundation works with partners to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all Americans to the great outdoors. In 2010, the Foundation launched Outdoor Nation, a pioneering initiative that aims to empower youth to champion the outdoors on campuses and in communities across the United States. 

For more information visit: www.outdoorfoundation.org and www.outdoornation.org.

About The Coleman Company, Inc

As an international leader in the innovation and marketing of outdoor products, The Coleman Company, Inc. helps people have fun and make memories by providing the gear integral to their favorite outdoor experiences. The company’s products include its legendary lanterns and stoves, as well as coolers, tents, sleeping bags, airbeds, backpacks, furniture, and grills under the Coleman® brand. Additionally, the company provides flotation devices, towables, rainwear and airbeds as well as safety and survival equipment under its Stearns®, Sevylor®, Sospenders®, Helium® and Aerobed® brands. Founded in 1900 in Wichita, Kan., and headquartered in Golden, Colo., Coleman is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation and can be found online at www.coleman.com.

About Jarden Corporation

Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of a diverse range of consumer products with a portfolio of over 120 trusted, quality brands sold globally. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, AeroBed®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Invicta®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Volkl® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Breville®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bernardin®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Lifoam®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex®, Tigex®, and Yankee Candle®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden ranks #383 on the Fortune 500 and has over 25,000 employees worldwide.

For further information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com.