Airmarker Great Outdoors S/S 2026 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Great Outdoors S/S 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Airmarker
Interviewee: Marketing Team

What trends are currently shaping the outdoor industry?
One prominent trend is the obsession with reducing weight. While understandable, we believe this has gone too far. Reducing weight often means compromising on comfort, functionality, and—most critically—safety. We’re seeing more and more outdoor users going on serious tours with insufficient equipment. In emergencies, this can be fatal. Lighter is not always better.

How is your brand responding to the increasing demand for sustainability and ethical production?
Our system was designed from the very beginning with a circular economy in mind. We use durable materials, ensure our designs are easy to maintain and repair, and build with recyclability in focus. But the most sustainable element of our work is functional: if we can reduce search and rescue time, we conserve enormous resources—both human and mechanical—while increasing the chances of saving lives.

What challenges are you seeing in the outdoor market today—retail, consumer behavior, or otherwise?
The greatest challenge is market oversaturation combined with a lack of true innovation. Products are often very similar, differentiated only by branding. For consumers, this creates confusion—and makes it hard to identify real functional benefits. The industry needs more clarity, innovation, and genuine solutions that make a difference in the field.

How are the latest U.S. tariffs and customs regulations affecting your business strategy and supply chain?
Tariffs and complex customs rules create uncertainty—not just for us but for our partners around the world. These political barriers slow down innovation and global collaboration. They help no one and only make things harder. Unfortunately, policy is not always guided by logic or long-term impact.

What is your brand’s core mission or philosophy, and how does it influence your product development?
Our mission is to make search and rescue faster and to make the outdoors safer. That’s our focus, and we put 100% of our energy and technical know-how into that goal. We don’t do “me too” products—we create solutions that didn’t exist before, and we’re proud of the impact they can have.

How has your brand evolved in the outdoor market over the last few years?
Slower than expected—because true innovation takes time. Many startups promise big things fast. We chose a different path: testing, iteration, and real-world validation. We’re building long-term trust, not short-term hype.

Who is your target customer today, and how has that profile changed over time?
Our typical user is anyone venturing into nature beyond controlled, marked trails—mountaineers, hunters, forestry workers, and search-and-rescue teams. We’re also expanding into water sports. In the near future, our systems will support kayakers, paddleboarders, and others in open water.

Which items should every nature lover take on their next outdoor adventure?
An AirMarker. Visibility saves lives—full stop.

Take us through your product line for Spring/Summer 2026.
The AirMarker R.One remains our flagship—field-proven, compact, and reliable. We’re adding two key models:

Five, developed specifically for marine environments and integration with life jackets.
Four, a lighter variant tailored for personal watercraft and day-use situations.
All models share the same core platform but are tailored to different environments.

Key Products:

R.One:
The original, designed for mountaineering and backcountry use.