The Outdoor Industry Association’s 2025 Footwear Trends Report provides a deep dive into footwear sales, trends, and user behavior. But it also reveals striking gaps: racial and ethnic diversity in hiking lags far behind other outdoor activities. Here’s why that matters.
The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) has published its first-ever category-specific Outdoor Footwear Trends Report, providing detailed participation insights into walking, running, hiking, and backpacking. While the report outlines shifts in footwear usage and consumer habits, some of the most revealing findings concern who is – and isn’t – engaging in outdoor activities.
“Running is the most ethnically and racially diverse activity when comparing walking, running, hiking, and backpacking,” states the report, “and hiking is the least.”
Despite being widely considered a gateway activity, hiking remains disproportionately the past-time of white people. This finding, however, stands in contrast to another trend the report identifies:
“Most of the overall growth in participation in outdoor is being driven by People of Color.”
Walking is female-dominated; running skews male
Gender disparities are also clearly reflected in the data. Walking is the most common outdoor activity and is dominated by women, who make up 56 percent of participants. Men dominate more intensive activities such as running and backpacking. Hiking is one of the few activities with near parity between genders, but deeper analysis shows the aforementioned continued inequity in terms of racial representation.
Why inclusive hiking matters
The report identifies hiking as a key leverage point for expanding outdoor participation, stating:
“Hiking is considered an outdoor gateway activity with 85% of hikers also participating in other outdoor activities like camping, fishing, and paddling.”
Yet according to the report’s authors, this foundational role is undermined by its lack of inclusivity. Brands and organizations that aim to grow the market and diversify their base may therefore find hiking a logical starting point. Or as the report suggests:
“This represents an opportunity to engage more People of Color in hiking.”
Failing to do so not only limits the potential market – it reinforces longstanding barriers to access in outdoor spaces.
Read the Outdoor Footwear Report 2025 Executive Summary.
About Outdoor Industry Association
Based in Boulder, Colorado, the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is a member-based collective of business leaders, climate experts, policy makers and outdoor enthusiasts committed to supporting the outdoor recreation economy. OIA provides resources and strategies focused on market research, climate action, policy, and inclusive participation.
Photo by Ben Lambert on Unsplash
