David Hanney is the Co-founder and CEO at Alpkit, an outdoor and bike brand for enthusiasts and adventurers.

Show Notes

David Hanney is the Co-founder and CEO at Alpkit, an outdoor and bike brand for enthusiasts and adventurers. We chatted about buying and selling stuff, what makes a good adventure film, the community of working in an outdoor brand, taking the elitism out of adventure, the need for a new approach to adventure, sustainability, and Blue Peter annuals.

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SHOW NOTES

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https://twitter.com/alpkit
https://alpkit.com/
If a product we develop is something I want to take to the Alps, and if it works in the Peak District, then it's a good product.
Years of buying far too much stuff teaches you to manage stock - to flow stuff in.
Good buying and retailing is about flowing stock.
Being able to sell a t-shirt for £3 raises so many horrible issues
SteepEdge - Video on Demand - https://vimeo.com/steepedge
What makes a good adventure film - good narrative, good charaters, interesting people
It's a very modern world when we all make films / social media about our holidays
52 Peaks adventure - https://www.matthewdickinson.com/52peaks/
Lives on the edge of the Peak District deliberately - to be close to the outdoors
Loves the community of working in an outdoor brand
Alpkit doesn't see itself as 'hardcore' and therefore can help take the elitism out of adventure
The queue on Everest - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/26/i-wont-be-joining-queue-everest-overcrowding-summit
Can't justify flying to Nepal or Antarctica for "middle aged man going on holiday"
Alpkit tries to make gear for UK conditions
Arc'Teryx and Mountain Equipment are doing good jobs
Patagonia have held good principles over 30-40 years
Let My People go Surfing - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-People-Surfing-Education-Businessman-Including/dp/0143109677/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=58661334172&dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwqML6BRAHEiwAdquMnZGqCfCRTFSF_lU9BV8YAsnvLebpFhO5Cpv4sp49YBSwmO7c_RyzNhoCfyAQAvD_BwE&hvadid=259100687418&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9044998&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=5075519006684598494&hvtargid=kwd-296089210690&hydadcr=18711_1817486&keywords=let+my+people+go+surfing&qid=1599130212&sr=8-1&tag=googhydr-21
Alpkit founded by a group of friends who enjoyed the outdoors but were frustrated by the gatekeepers of the retail stores.
Listen to your customers. Make a really good product. Serve your customers.
Alpkit moved from online to stores. Retailers just have an urge to have shops. Commercially it makes sense as the internet isn't the free democratic space it seems to be. Google and Amazon are the gatekeepers.
Web sales are stronger in places that they have stores. The stores make a sense of place. Becomes a hub to do stuff.
Half of product searches are on Amazon.
Rosie Watson's article: https://adventureuncovered.com/stories/building-a-sustainable-outdoor-community-after-covid-19/
There's a contradiction of brands who make stuff claiming to be benefiting the environment
Need to build a relationship with your equipment and make it last
Blue Peter Green Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Peter-Green-Book-Laminated/dp/0563208864
Really hard to make a work environment a 'green' place
Don't want to be all doom and gloom - a 'shouldist'
The outdoors is a good place, it's where we want to be, it can play a crucial role in the revitalisation of our cities
Us outdoor enthusiasts can lead by example
Alpkit Foundation - https://alpkit.com/pages/foundation
We need better infrastructure to help larger numbers enjoy the outdoors
Circular economy - the Continuum project finds good homes for old gear: https://alpkit.com/pages/continuum
Have a meaningful specific - don't try to please everyone
If you want to do really quality work that only appeals to a niche - go for that. Do it.

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Living Adventurously, with Alastair Humphreys, is the story of ordinary people choosing to live extraordinary lives.
Alastair interviews artists and chefs, students and pensioners, athletes and travellers. He wants to discover what living adventurously means to different people, what universal obstacles stand in the way, and how each of these people took the first step to overcome them and begin their own fascinating journeys.