Outdoor recreation is a $697 billion economy — and it belongs to people who fish before sunrise, ride before work, and sleep under stars they actually went to find. Here's a look at every corner of that world, and where Tymmber fits in it.
In 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measured outdoor recreation at $696.7 billion in value added — 2.4% of gross domestic product. That's larger than mining, larger than agriculture, larger than most industries people consider "serious." The people driving that number aren't corporations. They're anglers, cyclists, birders, and families camping under the Milky Way. Their spending is a vote for the kind of life they want to live.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · Outdoor Recreation Economic Statistics · March 2026
Eleven pursuits. Millions of people. One shared conviction: time outside changes you. Find yours — and see how Tymmber fits the life you're already living.
"I go because the quiet is different out there. My mind slows down in a way it doesn't anywhere else."
Camping and hiking are where most outdoor lives begin. From car camping with kids to multi-day backcountry trips, this pursuit spans every age, fitness level, and budget. The barrier is low — the payoff is high. Over 57 million Americans camp each year, making it the largest single gateway to the outdoor lifestyle.
Outdoor Foundation → Learn moreThe RAAK was designed with the campsite as its primary theater. Cook like home wherever you stop — the T-Island deploys in minutes, the ARCH lights the workspace after dark, and the IGT surface accepts cookware you already own. For families who want to wake up where they went to find something, the TRAILPOD and SOLOPOD bring that closer to every night.
"My dad fished. I fish. My son is starting to ask when we're going again. That's the whole story."
Fishing is the largest single conventional outdoor activity in the U.S. by economic output — $54.9 billion. It spans fly fishing in mountain streams, bass tournaments on reservoirs, deep-sea charters, and a kid's first pole at a neighborhood pond. It is multigenerational, meditative, and competitive all at once. Roughly 55 million Americans fish annually.
Take Me Fishing / Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation →The fishing camp is a serious kitchen. You're out early, back late, and the meal at the end is the reward. The RAAK brings a full cook-and-serve platform to the waterside — prep, cook, and gather in one organized surface. For anglers who travel to their water, the TRAILPOD brings the whole operation mobile.
"The moment we leave the dock, everything else stops mattering. Three hours on the water does what three weeks of therapy can't."
Recreational boating — from pontoon boats to sailboats to offshore powerboats — is a $38.4 billion activity that centers around the water as a social and restorative space. Boaters are among the most committed outdoor spenders, investing in boats, gear, storage, and destinations. The boat is often the family's primary outdoor gathering place.
National Marine Manufacturers Association →Every boat eventually comes back to shore — and shore is where the RAAK lives. The gathering after the boat ride is where the RAAK earns its place: a full kitchen platform at the dock, the marina parking lot, or the lakeside campsite that caps a day on the water. The STUMP brings the soundtrack. And the TRAILR handles the haul.
"We sold the house. We spent two years on the road. Our kids saw 38 states before they started high school. No regrets."
RVing and overlanding represent the most committed expression of mobile outdoor living — $44.3 billion in annual output, second largest conventional activity in the country. From weekend warriors in Class A motorhomes to overland enthusiasts in lifted 4x4s, this community values self-sufficiency, remote access, and the freedom to go where pavement ends.
RV Industry Association →The TRAILPOD was built for this community. EV power-assisted, expedition-grade, six active sides — it's the travel trailer that works as hard outside as it lives inside. RVers and overlanders are the TRAILPOD's primary tribe. The RAAK is the kitchen for everyone who pulls off the road at a spot worth stopping for.
"The shot I've been waiting three years to get requires me to be in a specific meadow at 5:47am on a morning when the fog is right. You can't drive to that. You have to sleep there."
Wildlife watching — including birding, nature photography, and field naturalism — draws over 96 million participants and produces some of the most committed outdoor travelers in any category. Photographers and wildlife observers plan entire trips around specific species, migration windows, seasonal light conditions, and remote habitat access. This community doesn't just visit nature — it studies it, documents it, and returns to it obsessively.
National Audubon Society →The best wildlife and photography opportunities happen at dawn — which means sleeping where the subject is, not driving to it. The SOLOPOD puts you at the migration site, the meadow, or the marsh the night before. The TRAILPOD Upper Deck is a purpose-built elevated photography platform — stable, railed, and positioned above the treeline for an unobstructed shooting angle at golden hour.
"I had never actually seen the Milky Way until I was 34. I drove two hours into the desert and sat there for three hours. I went back the next weekend."
Dark sky tourism and amateur astronomy are among the fastest-growing outdoor niches, driven by the sobering fact that over 80% of Americans can no longer see the Milky Way from their homes due to light pollution. Designated dark sky parks and reserves draw dedicated travelers who plan trips specifically around astronomical events — meteor showers, eclipses, planetary alignments.
DarkSky International →Dark sky experiences require being in a specific place at a specific time — which means the night before matters as much as the event itself. The SOLOPOD puts you at the site already. The TRAILPOD's Upper Deck is a purpose-built observatory platform — safety-railed, furnished, and completely dark when you need it to be. The SOLAR HUT provides off-grid power at remote dark sky sites.
"I can get to places by kayak that no motorboat can reach. That's the whole appeal — access to the quiet parts."
Kayaking and canoeing deliver access that no other pursuit can match — shallow marshes, technical whitewater, coastal sea caves, and backcountry lake systems all open up to a paddler in ways they never do to motorized craft. The sport ranges from recreational flatwater paddling to expedition-grade wilderness travel.
American Canoe Association →Paddlers travel to put-ins — which means the launch site is the camp. The RAAK and KADDY deploy at the takeout, the campsite, or the trailhead where the day's float ends. The TRAILPOD carries kayaks on its roof rack in transport mode and becomes the base camp when you arrive. The FLOAAT takes the platform onto the water itself.
"The mountain bike doesn't care about your job title. You're either riding or you're not."
Cycling spans road racing, mountain biking, gravel riding, bikepacking, and casual trail riding — a community of roughly 50 million Americans united by two wheels and the terrain they point them toward. Cyclists are committed outdoor consumers who invest heavily in gear, travel, and access. Bikepacking and gravel culture have driven significant growth in multi-day cycling expeditions that blend cycling with camping.
PeopleForBikes →Cyclists who travel to their trails need a camp at the trailhead — and the RAAK is that camp. The RAAK mounts alongside bike racks in transport mode via the YOKE system, then deploys as the kitchen when the ride ends. For the cyclist who wants to be on the trail at first light, the SOLOPOD is the answer — sleep at the trailhead, wake up already there, clip in and go.
"The ski resort is great. But the backcountry is where the mountain actually belongs to you."
Snow activities — skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and backcountry travel — generate $12 billion in annual output and define the winter outdoor economy. The snow community is intensely committed, planning seasons around snowpack, resort conditions, and backcountry access. Après-ski culture means the social gathering after the descent is as important as the descent itself.
National Ski Areas Association →The ski day ends at the parking lot — which is exactly where the RAAK begins. The T-Island deployed at the tailgate of a ski day is the après experience that doesn't require a lodge. Hot food, warm setup, STUMP audio. For the full ski weekend or backcountry expedition, the TRAILPOD is the base camp that travels to the mountain.
"You either understand what a perfect wave means or you don't. There's no explaining it. You just get in the water."
Water sports encompass surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, wakeboarding, water skiing, whitewater rafting, SCUBA diving, and snorkeling — all pursuits that center on a relationship with moving or open water. This community is coastal, sun-oriented, and deeply committed to access — beach breaks, river put-ins, and dive sites are as important to them as any gear they own.
USA Surfing →Water sports live at the beach, the river bank, and the lake shore — and so does the RAAK. The post-session meal is a ritual in every water sports community. The FLOAAT takes the Tymmber platform onto the water itself, extending the gathering to the surface. The TRAILPOD is the beach vehicle that carries boards and deploys camp when you arrive.
"Our tailgate has been in the same spot for eleven years. Different trucks. Same people. That parking lot is ours."
Tailgating and outdoor festivals represent $31.3 billion in annual economic output — the social layer of outdoor culture. From college football parking lots to music festivals to county fairs, these are gatherings that happen outside by design. The tailgate is a culinary and social competition. The festival is a community in a field. Both require a kitchen, an audio setup, and a reason to stay longer than you planned.
American Tailgater Association →The RAAK was built for exactly this. Hitch it, deploy it, cook for the whole row. The T-Island at tailgate height becomes the gathering point for everyone within range. The STUMP brings the sound. The KANOPY creates the covered social space. The KADDY keeps the cold drinks organized. This isn't gear — it's the reason people walk over and ask who you are.
Every pursuit here shares the same thing: it asks you to show up, pay attention, and be present in a physical place. That's the whole philosophy behind Tymmber — products and content built for people who already know what being outside does for them.