Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 52
BREAD+BUTTER / Gear Stories
Riding the Wave
For Hala Gear's Peter Hall, the best business
meeting is on the river. by Eugene Buchanan
STROLL ALONG COLORADO'S YAMPA RIVER IN DOWNTOWN STEAMBOAT
Springs and you'll likely find Hala Gear founder Peter Hall in his "office"- surfing one of his stand-up paddleboards on a local wave.
While Hall's real office is just a Frisbee toss away, the wave is where all
his ideas originate. After taking over CKS Online, the digital front for
Colorado's famed paddling retail shop, this past winter as an effort to
balance off-season revenues, Hala has grown into one of the inflatableSUP industry's most successful brands, claiming 14 full-time employees
working from a 3,200-square-foot office and 2,200-square-foot warehouse. It now sports a lineup of 18 different boards, in three constructions-Core, Fusion, and, its newest, Carbon-as well as eight paddles
and a burgeoning accessory line, and sells in 10 different countries.
The idea for Hala came after Hall got worked on a "cheapo inflat-
able Costco surfboard" on the Arkansas River in 2010. "I wasn't trying
to start a business; I just wanted a new way to run the river," says Hall, a
former bluegrass harmonica player. "I love making product better. I was
trying to make something for the river market that didn't exist."
In 2012, Hala became the first SUP manufacturer to push high-volume (six-inch-thick, 35-inches-wide), inflatable boards. Sales have
nearly doubled every year since, thanks to Hall's continual tinkering.
With three fully stocked vans traveling the country introducing the
sport to newcomers, Hall's also helping foster the sport's growth. He
points out that the company's stable HOSS is still its best seller. "You
need to set people up to be successful," he says.
Retailers agree. "He's a big part of the sport's explosion around here,"
says Peter Van de Carr of Steamboat's Backdoor Sports. "And he has a
great entrepreneurial spirit."
At Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, Hala will be showing a new
line of inflatable surfboards, including the 6-foot, roll-into-yourcarry-on Hala Bit, 6'11" Hala Peño, and 9-foot Playita, all made with
DoubleStack technology, featuring step-down shaped rails similar to
those seen on traditional, epoxy SUPs. And, of course, look for Hall testing these and even more prototypes this summer in his office. O.R.
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52 OUTDOOR RETAILER
/ Summer 2019
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Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019
OUTDOOR RETAILER - SUMMER 2019
CONTENTS
THE PULSE
HEADLINES
MERCHANDISING
MARKETING
BIG PICTURE
CASE STUDY
IDEAS
SUSAN WOOD
JO CASSIN
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
RESEARCH
THE SPINDLE
PROOF LAB
APPLACHIAN TRAIL
BREAD+BUTTER
FOOTWEAR
STYLE
GEAR STORIES
THE VIEW
HOW I GOT HERE
#REPLIFE
FROM THE ROAD
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - OUTDOOR RETAILER - SUMMER 2019
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - Cover2
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 1
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - CONTENTS
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 3
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 4
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 5
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 6
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - THE PULSE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - HEADLINES
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 9
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - MERCHANDISING
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 11
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - MARKETING
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - BIG PICTURE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - CASE STUDY
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 15
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 16
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 17
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 18
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - IDEAS
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - SUSAN WOOD
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - JO CASSIN
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 23
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - RESEARCH
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 25
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - THE SPINDLE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 27
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 28
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 29
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 30
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 31
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - PROOF LAB
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 33
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 34
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 35
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 36
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 37
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - APPLACHIAN TRAIL
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 39
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 40
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 41
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 42
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 43
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 44
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - BREAD+BUTTER
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 46
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - FOOTWEAR
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - STYLE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 49
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 50
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 51
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - GEAR STORIES
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 53
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - THE VIEW
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 55
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 56
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 57
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 58
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 59
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - HOW I GOT HERE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 61
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - #REPLIFE
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - FROM THE ROAD
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - 64
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - Cover3
Outdoor Retailer - Summer 2019 - Cover4
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