PREVIEW Vertical-Life 2020 International Climbers' Survey

2020

INTERNATIONAL CLIMBERS’ SURVEY Preview

2020

INTERNATIONAL CLIMBERS’ SURVEY Preview

Published by Authors: Olivier Aubel, Mareike Stobbe, Mariana West Design: Stefano Gaio June 2020. Brixen, Italy and Strasbourg, France Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH. All rights reserved and for internal use only.

Do not share or publish these materials nor results with any third party.

Any use of these contents beyond the strict internal use is only permitted after consulting Vertical-Life GmbH and receiving written permission.

Info & Contact Vertical-Life GmbH | S.r.l.

Brennerstr. | Via Brennero 32 I - 39042 Brixen | Bressanone VAT-Nr. IT02779070214 Tel: +39 0472 611 753 simon@vertical-life.info vertical-life.info

table of contents WHY THIS SURVEY ABOUT THE AUTHORS

7 7

INTRODUCTION

8

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

9 10 10 10

data collection data analysis

OVERALL CLIMBING MARKET

12 12 14 16 18 20 24 25 26 28 29

demographics

climbing interests

indoor climbing

outdoor climbing

travel & tourism media values

shopping beahavior brands events

KEY CONSUMER PROFILES

Beginner gym climbers

recreational climbers

hardcore boulderers

ambitious generalists alpinists

climbing elite

COMPARISON OF KEY CONSUMER PROFILES

regional profiles

North america

dach (germany, austria, switzerland)

united kingdom scandinavia

benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

eastern europe

southern europe

Comparison of regional profiles

demographic profiles

40 40 41 41 42 42 43 43 44 46 46 48

BY GENDER

BY AGE group

CONCLUSIONs appendix Survey Questions by Chart

30 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

Data tables for all comparison charts

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

50 54 55 65

why this survey Climbing is one of the fastest-growing trend sports, shaping the market in unique ways. Not only is climbing one of the only sports that attracts both indoor fitness enthusiasts and outdoor fanatics, but it also brings together people of all different backgrounds. The fast growth in popularity of the sport has driven thousands of climbing gyms to open up in urban centers. Its Olympic debut in 2021 has also generated even more attention to the sport.

All this growth is re-shaping the outdoor and indoor

climbing industry. Therefore, it is time for an in-depth analysis of climbers as an attractive, evolving target audience. We’ve developed this in-depth consumer report to help you gain the right insights into climbing as a trend sport, as well as climbers’ preferences, including purchasing behaviors, media usage, and demographics. It will help you evaluate climbers as a target audience and identify growth opportunities for your market activities and product development.

about the authors The study was designed, conducted and analyzed as a joint effort between Vertical-Life and Olivier Aubel, PhD, with the support of the IFSC. Olivier Aubel holds a PhD in sport sociology, has done multiple sports-related global market studies and is an expert consultant for climbing brands, outdoor retailers and sports federations. He has written a deep analysis of the free-climbing market in France

and develops climbing crags in Greece in his free time.

Vertical-Life is the world’s largest climbing network, connecting almost 3 million climbers around the globe. We connect climbers on our Vertical-Life app as well as the climbing community 8a.nu with the industry - through software solutions for local bolters and developers, climbing gyms, the IFSC competition result system and innovative training solutions.

VERTICAL-LIFE: THE WORLD’S LARGEST CLIMBING COMMUNITY

OUTDOOR

INDOOR

GUIDEBOOKS & TOPOS

GYM MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

1.2 million climbers use our digital outdoor guides and topos every year

Over 200 gyms with a total of around 2 million indoor climbers

TRAINING

EVENTS

DIGITAL TRAINING PLANS

COMPETITIONS & CONTESTS

20.000 individual training plans have been created on VerticalLife

70.000 climbers in competitions, contests, and promotional events

Special thanks goes to Olivier Aubel, Mareike Stobbe, Mariana West, and Stefano Gaio who worked tirelessly to make this report a reality.

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

7

INTRODUCTION

Branching out from its roots in mountaineering and alpinism, sport climbing has grown into a true worldwide phenomenon. From the first ascents of Yosemite Valley’s notorious granite faces to the birth of redpointing in the Frankenjura, the last century has been the focal point of climbing’s transition into its modern multi-disciplined form. In the last decade alone, the sport has experienced numerous triumphs, including once-thought impossible outdoor sends, award-winning documentaries, and its addition into the Olympic games.

Formerly considered as a noble practice exclusively reserved for silent mountainous landscapes, climbing has also become a significant presence in everyday urban life. Although originally founded as a training grounds for outdoor climbers, indoor climbing gyms, particularly in urban areas, have been reimagined to take on a persona and clientele of their own. Using a multifaceted-approach, gyms have transformed themselves into a new form of mainstream fitness centers, often showcasing features such as coworking spaces, guided fitness classes, and cafes.

These gyms are considered to be the urban gathering place for climbers of all backgrounds, many of whom now climb exclusively in gyms. In the U.S. alone, there are approximately 500 million new indoor climbers annually, with the quantity of gyms themselves doubling and even tripling in numerous countries over the past decade.

The growth of sport climbing through urbanization has also propelled many professional climbers into stardom. The top five climbers on Youtube have

8

already amassed a collective 250 million views.

Meanwhile, the most-followed climber on instagram, Alex Honnold, gained nearly 1 million new followers in just the past year. Moreover, landmark climbing achievements and their associated media coverage are consistently capturing the attention of the masses and continue to widen the overall reach of the sport.

As a result of this exceptional upward trend, the climbing industry is now estimated to be composed of 44 million climbers worldwide, with a market size of 44 billion euros, growing 15-20% yearover-year. With consistent trends towards mass commercialization, extensive media coverage, and significant future growth potential, the climbing market has never looked more promising. Such new lucrative markets, nevertheless, come with their own set of risks, including increased competition from new market entrants and minimal historical data. What’s most notable in the climbing industry, though, is the lack of consumer understanding. There has been no comprehensive international consumer study of the climbing industry to-date - all while the climbing community itself has undergone a significant transformation associated with the evolution of the sport. This development persists even until today, meaning that the typical climber of today, likely won’t be the typical climber of tomorrow. With that being said, consumer insights and a clear understanding of target segments are going to play an increasingly important role in developing and maintaining a competitive advantage within the industry.

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

This report strives to bridge the significant knowledge gap between consumers and organizations in the climbing industry by providing key stakeholders with insightful consumer data within the sphere of five subject areas. Examples of corresponding subtopics are listed below:

1

2

3

Demographics

Climbing Interests

Tourism and Travel

- Age Groups

- Skill Level

- Travel Habits

- Income Levels

- Experience

- Spending

- Gender Distribution

- Habits

- Information Sources

4

5

6

Climbing Media

Values and Ethics

Shopping Behavior

- Social Media

- Core Values

- Spending Habits

- Websites

- Outdoor Safety Funding

- Brand Perception

- Mobile Applications

- National Federations

- Pre-purchase Research

Through the analysis of these subject areas on both an overall global and segmental level, key consumer insights assist organizations in creating relevant marketing strategies, understanding ideal target audiences, and developing the best possible products and services for the right types of climbers.

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

9

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Data collection Data was collected using a comprehensive online questionnaire composed of 81 questions, broken down into the six subject areas. The questionnaire was distributed during a fixed data collection period of November 2019 to January 2020 and was offered in 5 languages: german, english, italian, japanese, and french. Vertical-Life’s own ecosystem of over 250,000 climbers worldwide was utilized as the primary distribution channel through emails, posts on the Vertical-Life app, the 8a.nu climbing news website, as well as various social media channels. In addition, further distribution channels were created

through partnerships with selected organizations, including over 200 partner gyms in 23 countries, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), various national alpine associations as well as social media advertisements targeted in specific countries.

Overall, it is estimated that approximately 50% of the participants are Vertical-Life users and the other half are from third party channels. This data collection strategy allowed for the reach of the most extensive global network of climbers in the industry.

In total, 12,565 responses were collected, with 8,943 respondents reaching the end of the survey.

Data Analysis Raw data collected during the data collection period has been analyzed in this report by sports sociologist Olivier Aubel PhD. For the purpose of data analysis, only responses with complete demographic and climbing profile data were taken into consideration, amounting to a total data set to be analyzed of 11,262 responses. The sample collected during the data collection period has been validated by confirming key demographic variables are in line with available market data and previous market studies conducted on a regional level.

All the results were controlled using statistical tests of significance, including the use of both descriptive and multivariate statistical tools. Statistical data analysis was run on R 3.4.2 version software (R Core Team, 2017), and the FactomineR package was applied in the usage of the following statistical tools: 1. Basic Data Presentation With basic data presentation, key information regarding the overall dataset has been communicated, in order to give an idea of the representation of our results. This includes variables such as the demographic data of the population sample.

Quantitative variables are also used throughout the report to identify the “average” within a dataset. The usage of the median is the preferred measure of central tendency, especially when it comes to questions involving financial variables, as it is not heavily influenced by outliers like the mean is. Therefore, the median gives a great representation of the dispersion of responses. In a case in which both mean and median have been presented, the median is considered to be the output of choice.

2. Hierarchical Ascendant Classification This was used in order to create the consumer profiles representing the different consumer segments within the climbing industry. In order to do so, comparable observations of key climbing criteria including climbing level and main climbing activities were used.

(Graphic)

10

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

Visualization of Hierarchical Ascendent Classification segment 1 segment 2 segment 3 segment 4

1

....

1

1

1

1

1

n

n

n

n

n

1 1 1

n

n 1

n

n

A regrouping took place, in which 11.262 respondents were grouped into segments based on the relevant criteria stated above.

n

3. Logistic Regression The aim with this tool is to study the link between two modalities of two variables, while excluding all other variables. In statistics, it means building a reasoning ceteris paribus or “all other things being equal.” For example, it could determine the probability of a respondent participating in hiking or not depending on if they come from the DACH region… all other things being equal.

4. Modality Profile & Q of Yule As presented in the comparison of profiles, the Q is included as a way to determine if a consumer segment has significantly strayed from the overall population average in any given question.

If the Q is positive, there is a positive attraction between the segment and the variable.

Ex. There is a positive link between being from a DACH country and practicing mountaineering. Therefore, you are more likely to participate in mountaineering when you’re a climber from this region, than the overall population.

If Q is negative there is a repulsion force between the segment and the variable.

Ex. There is a negative link between being from the DACH region and being a fan of traditional climbing.

Therefore, you are less likely to participate in traditional climbing when you’re a climber from this region, as compared to the overall population.

To determine the strength of the link, the closer the Q is to either -100/+100, the stronger it is. Meaning -75/+75 demonstrates a stronger tie than -20/+20.

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

11

OVERALL CLIMBING MARKET ABOUT THE general results The following pages elaborate on the data insights obtained from the overall climbing market. The data used to convey these insights is derived from the overall responses gathered from the survey, before any segmentation.

To see the specific survey question each chart corresponds to, please refer to the appendix.

DEMOGRAPHICS Overall, the survey was completed by respondents from 100 countries. The data for this study is heavily concentrated on European climbers, representing over 3/4 of the dataset. A significant amount of responses were received in many European countries, including Spain, Italy, and the DACH (Germany-Austria-Switzerland) region.

1. Top 20 countries (N=9.003)

3. Climbing population in Germany (N=1.636)

2. Continents (N=9.003)

Europe North America Asia Oceania South America Africa

12

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

4. age (N=8.994)

5. Gender (N=9.003)

6. Children in the Household (N=8.104)

7. Net Household Income (N=6.677)

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

8. Education (N=8.841)

13

CLIMBING INTERESTS Nowadays, climbers tend to start climbing indoors, having been introduced by their peers, and later seek to transition into outdoor climbing after building some confidence. Thus, the vast majority of climbers self-report themselves as both indoor and outdoor climbers.

9. Do you climb indoor / outdoor? (N=11.262)

10. Did you first start climbing outdoors or indoors? (N=9.299)

11. First introduction to climbing (N=11.262)

12. Highest grade climbed, Bouldering (N=9.986)* 14

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

13. Climbing Frequency (N=11.262)

14. Have you participated in a climbing class? (N=11.262)

15. Years of Climbing Experience (N=11.262)

16. Memberships & Association (multi-select, N=11.262)

17. Highest grade climbed, Lead (N=9.950)* Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

*FRENCH GRADING SYSTEM

15

MEDIA

42. Apps & Websites (N=9.823)

43. Social media usage (multi-select, N=10.081)

n 44. How do you use social media for climbing? (multi-select, N=9.299)

24

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

values

45. Climber values (multi-select with max. 3 responses, N=9.666)

46. Climber‘s perception of national federations (N=9.507)

47. Financing crag safety (multi-select, N=9.666)

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

25

SHOPPING BEHAVIOR Climbers dedicate the majority of their expenses to essential staples, including shoes and gym entrances. The rest of their climbing budgets are then allocated to further expenses, including gear and travel.

48. Annual climbing expenses (N=11.620)

50. Pre-purchase research (multi-select, N=9.153)

26

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

49. Ranking of climbing expenses (1 to 7, N=10.921)

51. Items that climbers have rented (multi-select, N=9.153)

52. Number of items bought per climber in the past 3 years (N=11.262)

53. Purchase decision based on product‘s or brand‘s environmental or social impact (N=9.091)

54. Criteria for environmental and social impact of products (N=6.103)

1 very important fair working 1.79 conditions local 2.25 produces

1.67 Eco-friendly materials

2.22 eco badges

5 not important Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

27

brands

55. Most representative climbing brands (N=7.890)

* Percentage of climbers who named this brand in their top 1-5 brands 56. Top 3 climbing brands for each product

Quickdraw (N=11.259)

Rope (N=11.261)

28

Belay Device (N=11.259)

Climbing Shoes (N=11.249)

Hike/Approach Shoes (N=5.844)

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

Harness (N=11.261)

Helmet (N=11.261)

events

57. Participation in competitions (N=11.038)

59. World cup viewership (multi-select, N=11.261)

58. Competition Type (multi-select, N=5.332)

60. Did you know that climbing will be in the program of the Olympic games in 2020? (N=9.576)

61. Climbers‘ perception of the Olympics (N=9.207, 1 = totally agree - 5 = do not agree)

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

29

KEY CONSUMER PROFILES Six consumer profiles were constructed with the goal of identifying key target audiences within the climbing community. Each profile represents a consumer segment holding unique views, characteristics, and behaviours.

Many factors are explored in the following pages, including media usage, travel behavior, and level of climbing expertise. Expertise, for example, allows one to understand a climber’s dedication to the sport, understanding of the market/existing brands, and involvement in the climbing community. Knowledge of such factors is essential for building market insights, as well as effectively reaching the desired audience.

To create such profiles, hierarchical ascendant classification was used to conduct a regrouping of respondents according to fundamental climbing-related traits. To analyze the created segments, the variable “Q” is often presented alongside the standard results, as a means of signifying a relationship between the consumer segment and a particular variable. For example, one way climbing expertise is expressed is through the difficulty of grades they climb. This is expressed in both percentage of respondents and Q values (signified correlation).

Variables which produce an output Q between -10 and +10 show no significant relationship to the segment.

Negative (-)Q values signify that the target segment is less likely to have the given trait. Conversely, positive (+) Q values signify a positive relationship between the consumer and the characteristic. Hence, positive Q values demonstrate the target segment is more likely to have the given trait (as compared to the overall population).

The closer the number is to -100/+100, the stronger this relationship is.

Less Likely

-100

No significant Negative Link Positive Link link

-10

0

+10

More Likely

+100

To learn more about the statistical tools used in analysis, including “Q,” please refer to page 6 of this report.

Please see the appendix for to see the comparison of profiles in table-format.

Note: All grades shown are in the French grading system.

Beginner gym climbers 30

Recreational Climbers Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

Hardcore Boulderers

Six consumer profiles by preference and frequency of climbing

Ambitious Generalists

Alpinists

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

Climbing Elite 31

Beginner gym climbers „My gym is great! It‘s got easy boulder problems and a sweet top-rope area.“

15.9% Population

28.7

years old

32.8%

4a to 5c+ Indoor

67.2%

lead climbing grade with the highest correlation *

Outdoor

Finances Expertise Level

Events

Media Usage

Travel

does NOT show the average grade climbed, * This but the grade that is climbed significantly more than the overall average. This is determined using Yule’s Q as described in P. 26.

Why they matter

32

How to reach them

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

Recreational Climbers „My goal this summer is to find a partner and start sending more single pitch outdoor climbs.“

18.9% Population

32.5

33%

years old

6a to 6c+ Indoor

67%

lead climbing grade with the highest correlation

Outdoor

Expertise Level

Media Usage

Finances

Events

Travel

Why they matter

How to reach them

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

33

COMPARISON OF KEY CONSUMER PROFILES

Beginner gym climbers

Recreational Climbers

Hardcore Boulderers

Ambitious Generalists

Alpinists

Climbing Elite

demographics Age [Mean] 35

45

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

€2.000

€2.750

€3.500

25 years Gender Female [Q]

Income [Median]

Climbing Interests Years climbed [Mean]

10

20

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

6

7

0 years

Started climbing indoors [Q]

Competitions [Q]

French Climbing grade [av. boulder & lead]

5

Indoor -100

-10 0 +10

Frequency 1+/week [Q] Boulder [Q] Rope [Q] Training [Q]

38

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

+100

outdoor Frequency 1+/week [Q] -100

-10 0 +10

+100

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

50%

100%

Boulder [Q]

Single Pitch Sport [Q]

Alpine (MP, Trad, Mount) [Q]

Travel for climbing? [%] 0%

shopping Expenses [Median] €500

€850

€1.200

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

-100

-10 0 +10

+100

Online Shopping [Q]

In-store Shopping [Q]

values [Q] -100

-10 0 +10

+100

Having fun Spending time in nature Pushing Myself Active lifestyle Sustainability Experiencing community Supporting local developers Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

39

Regional profiles Climbing is both a sport and a lifestyle with participation in nearly every corner of the globe. Although, depending on the region which any particular climber calls home, they are more prone to certain characteristics. In order to ensure key regional hotspots are accurately portrayed, an in-depth analysis of core consumer traits in such regions has been conducted. By this means, one can better understand how consumer traits in areas of interest deviate from the global average.

Key information regarding the consumers in following regions are presented in the next pages:

north america

DACH

united kingdom

Scandinavia

BENELUX

EASTern EUrope

southern europe

north america First Climbing Mode

Indoor 76%

24% Outdoor

Media Usage

31.3% 68.7%

Other outdoor activities

Core Values

1.

Hiking

2.

Skiiing

3.

Running

Events Travel Finances

40

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

dach (germany, austria, switzerland) First Climbing Mode

38% Outdoor

Indoor 62%

Other outdoor activities

Travel 26%

1.

Hiking

2.

Mountaineering

3.

Skiing

74%

Media Usage Core Values

Events Finances

United Kingdom First Climbing Mode

Indoor 69%

31% Outdoor

Other outdoor activities

Media Usage 25.9%

1.

Hiking

2.

Cycling

3.

Running

74.1%

Finances Events Travel Core Values

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

41

demographic profiles / BY age group <25 years old

21.99% of climbers

25-30 years old

First Climbing Mode

Indoor 72%

28% Outdoor

32.6% 67.4%

Events Core Values

Media Usage Finances Travel

25.42% of climbers

First Climbing Mode

Indoor 72%

28% Outdoor

29% 71%

Events Core Values

Media Usage Finances Travel

48

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

31-40 years old

>40 years old

22.75%

First Climbing Mode

Indoor 72%

of climbers

16.5%

28% Outdoor

83.5%

Events Core Values

Media Usage Finances Travel

29.84% of climbers

First Climbing Mode

Indoor 72%

28% Outdoor

Events

22.9% 77.1%

Core Values

Media Usage Finances Travel

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

49

conclusions

50

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

about vertical-life

Vertical-Life is a digital platform for the entire climbing community. Developed by passionate climbers, we have built an ecosystem of products and services for climbers and market participants. We are passionate about innovation and love creating digital solutions for better access, better community, better climbing and better connection between all key participants in the climbing world.

It is our mission to create value through innovations for climbers and the entire climbing industry.

Value... ...For climbers

•• access to climbing routes, always up to date •• world's largest climbing community ...For climbing brands

•• access to the most active, dedicated climbers •• innovative marketing solutions ...For climbing gyms

FILTER

Tivoli

01

6b

FILTER 25 m

Green

5.1 02

Fra fra

6b

Tower

20 m

03

Für eine Hand

6a+

18 m

04

Dottor Plantier

6a

15 m

05

Zlù

6a

20 m

06

Nino

6a

20 m

Massone

157 routes

Arco

3 min

Yellow

5.2

Tower

5.3

Tower

5.4

Tower

Pink

6b+

5c

7b

E, S Blue

•• professional gym management system •• expertise & training innovations ...For climbing federations & alpine clubs

•• scorecard & competition result system •• direct channel ro reach younger memebers

6c+

<5a 5a 5b 5c 6a 6b 6c 7a 7b 7c 8a 8b 8c >8c

Within our ecosystem, we connect...

•• 2.8 million climbers •• 4.5 million climbing routes & boulders (indoor & outdoor) •• >100 authors of climbing guides •• >2.000 climbing gyms •• IFSC and multiple national sport-climbing federations •• Alpine clubs across Europe •• Hundreds of climbing events

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

51

appendix

• Survey Questions by Chart • Data tables for all comparison charts

54

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

Survey Questions by Chart 1.

What is your nationality? (Single select)

2.

Same as 1.

3.

Which region in Germany are you from? (Single select)

4.

What is your age? (Open question)

5.

What is your gender? (Single select)

6.

How many children under 18 years old do you have? (Open question)

7.

What is your monthly net household income? (Open question)

8.

What is the highest level of formal education you’ve completed? (Single select)

9.

Do you climb outdoors? | Do you climb indoors? (Single select) a. Yes b. No c. No, but I’d like to

10. What kind of climbing did you practice first? (Single select) a. Indoor climbing b. Outdoor climbing c. Both at the same time 11.

How did you first get introduced to climbing? (Single select) a. Friends or family took me b. I took a class c. I hired a guide on a vacation d. I was introduced at school e. I learned the basics in a book / magazine / online f. Other

12. What is your highest climbing grade achieved in bouldering? (Single select) a. French 3 | Font 3 | Yosemite 5.3 | VBF 4a | Font 4- | 5.4 | V0b. F 4b | Font 4 | 5.5 | V0 c. F 4c | Font 4+ | 5.6 | V0+ d. F 5a | Font 5- | 5.7 | V1 e. F 5b | Font 5 | 5.8 | V1 f. F 5c | Font 5+ | 5.9 | V1 g. F 6a | Font 6b | 5.10a | V2 h. F 6a+ | Font 6b+ | 5.10b | V3 i. F 6b | Font 6b | 5.10c | V3 j. F 6b+ | Font 6b+ | 5.10d / 5.11a | V4 k. F 6c | Font 6c | 5.11b | V4 l. F 6c+ | Font 6c+ | 5.11c | V5 m. F 7a | Font 7a | 5.11d | V5 n. F 7a+ | Font 7a+ | 5.12a | V6 o. F 7b | Font 7b | 5.12b | V7 Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

55

p. F 7b+ | Font 7b+ | 5.12c | V8 q. F 7c | Font 7c | 5.12d | V8 r. F 7c+ | Font 7c+ | 5.13a | V9 s. F 8a | Font 8a | 5.13b | V10 t. F 8a+ | Font 8a+ | 5.13c | V11 u. F 8b | Font 8b | 5.13d | V12 v. F 8b+ | Font 8b+ | 5.14a | V13 w. F 8c | Font 8c | 5.14b | V14 x. F 8c+ | Font 8c+ | 5.14c | V15 y. F 9a | Font 9a | 5.14d | V16 z. I’m not sure aa. Other 13. On average, how often do you climb indoors? | “...”outdoors? (Single select) a. About once a year b. A couple times a year c. A couple times a month d. Once a week e. Twice a week f. Three times a week g. More than three times a week 14. Have you ever participated in a climbing class? (Single select) a. Yes b. No c. No, but I’d like to 15. How many years have you been climbing indoors? “...”outdoors? (Open question) 16. Are you a member of any of the following climbing associations? (Multi select) a. Climbing gym membership b. Climbing or alpine association c. Climbing club or national federation d. Social club (youth / work / school / university-related association) e. None of the above f. Other 17.

56

What is your highest climbing grade achieved in lead climbing? (Single select) a. French 3 | UIAA 3 | Yosemite 5.3 b. F 4a | UIAA 4 | 5.4 c. F 4b | UIAA 4+ | 5.5 d. F 4c | UIAA 5- | 5.6 e. F 5a | UIAA 5+ | 5.7 f. F 5b | UIAA 6- | 5.8 g. F 5c | UIAA 6 | 5.9 h. F 6a | UIAA 6+ | 5.10a i. F 6a+ | UIAA 7- | 5.10b Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

j. F 6b | UIAA 7 | 5.10c k. F 6b+ | UIAA 7+ | 5.10d / 5.11a l. F 6c | UIAA 7+/8- | 5.11b m. F 6c+ | UIAA 8- | 5.11c n. F 7a | UIAA 8 | 5.11d o. F 7a+ | UIAA 8+ | 5.12a p. F 7b | UIAA 8+/9- | 5.12b q. F 7b+ | UIAA 9- | 5.12c r. F 7c | UIAA 9 | 5.12d s. F 7c+ | UIAA 9+ | 5.13a t. F 8a | UIAA 9+/10- | 5.13b u. F 8a+ | UIAA 10- | 5.13c v. F 8b | UIAA 10 | 5.13d w. F 8b+ | UIAA 10+ | 5.14a x. F 8c | UIAA 10+/11- | 5.14b y. F 8c+ | UIAA 11- | 5.14c z. F 9a | UIAA 11 | 5.14d aa. F 9a+ | UIAA 11/11+ | 5.15a ab. F 9b | UIAA 11+ | 5.15b ac. F 9b+ | UIAA 12- | 5.15c ad. F 9c | UIAA 12 | 5.15d ae. I’m not sure af. Other 18. What types of indoor climbing have you done in the last 12 months? (Multi select) a. Bouldering b. Lead climbing c. Toprope climbing d. Auto Belay climbing e. Speed climbing f. Training area g. Other 19. What is your main indoor climbing activity? (Single select) a. Bouldering b. Lead climbing c. Toprope climbing d. Auto Belay climbing e. Speed climbing f. Training area g. Other 20. How long do you travel to your main climbing gym? (Single select) a. Less than 10 minutes b. 10-30 minutes c. 30-60 minutes d. More than one hour Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

57

21. How many climbing gyms do you visit on a regular basis? (Open question) 22. What does indoor climbing mean to you? (Single select) a. An attractive activity in itself b. Training to stay fit for outdoor climbing c. Both of the above d. Other 23. What kind of entry pass(es) do you use in your main climbing gym? (Multi select) a. Hourly (e.g. 3-hour pass) b. Day pass c. Punch card d. Monthly e. Six-month membership f. Annual membership g. Other 24. Other than climbing, do you practice these activities in a climbing gym? (Multi select) a. Fitness and cardio b. Sauna c. Yoga / stretching d. Food and drinks / cafe area e. Kids play area 25. What is your main activity in outdoor climbing? (Single select) a. Bouldering b. Single-pitch sport climbing c. Multi-pitch climbing d. Traditional climbing e. Mountaineering f. Aid or big wall climbing g. Ice climbing or dry tooling h. Deep water soloing i. Other 26. What types of outdoor climbing have you done in the last 12 months? (Multi select) a. Bouldering b. Single-pitch sport climbing c. Multi-pitch climbing d. Traditional climbing e. Mountaineering f. Aid or big wall climbing g. Ice climbing or dry tooling h. Deep water soloing i. Other

58

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

27. What are your reasons for not climbing outdoors? (Multi select) a. Lack of time b. Too far to travel c. Too dangerous d. I need to learn outdoor skills first e. I prefer indoor climbing f. Other 28. In which seasons do you climb outdoors? (Multi select) a. Spring b. Summer c. Fall d. Winter e. All seasons 29. Besides climbing, what other activities do you participate in? (Multi select) a. Hiking b. Mountaineering c. Via ferrata d. Mountain biking e. Ski touring / split boarding f. Skiing / snowboarding g. Trail running h. Cycling i. Running j. Kayaking / rafting k. Canyoneering l. Surfing / kitesurfing / windsurfing m. Other (outdoor and indoor sports) 30. What is your primary sport? (Open question) 31. Do you climb during your vacations? (Single select) a. Yes b. No c. No, but I’d like to 32. What are your reasons for not climbing on vacations? (Multi select) a. It’s too expensive b. I don’t have time c. I need more experience climbing outdoor first d. It’s too hard to find information on climbing spots e. My travel companions don’t climb f. Other 33. On average, how much of your vacation time do you spend climbing? (Single select) a. 10% per trip Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

59

b. c. d. e.

25% 50% 75% 100%

34. On average, how many times do you travel for climbing each year? (Open question) a. Weekend trips b. One-week trips c. Multi-week trips 35. Same as 34.

36. What are your preferred types of accommodation for climbing trips? (Multi select) a. Rented room or apartment b. Hotel (up to 2 stars) c. Hotel (3 stars) d. Hotel (4+ stars) e. Camping f. Sleep in my vehicle g. Other 37. Same as 36.

38. Can you please estimate the cost of an average climbing trip? (Open question) a. Transportation (cost per trip) b. Accommodation (cost per day) c. Food (cost per day) d. Climbing guide / topo (cost per trip) 39. Where do you find inspiration for climbing vacations and information for planning them? (Multi select) a. Climbing websites and apps b. Travel websites and apps c. Climbing magazines d. Travel magazines e. Destination website f. Social media g. Personal advice from others 40. How important are the following topics when choosing a climbing destination? (Scale select) a. Quality of the rock b. Climbing grades available c. Beauty of the scenery d. Total costs of the trip e. Accomodation / Restaurants / Entertainment nearby f. Accessibility of destination & crags g. Total travel time h. Other outdoor activities available i. Achieve a specific climbing goal 60

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

j. Authentic experience of the local culture 41. What are up to five most attractive climbing destinations for you? (Open question) 42. Which of these smartphone apps or websites are you familiar with? (Scale select) a. Vertical-Life App b. Rakkup App c. 8a.nu d. UK Climbing e. Camp to camp f. Rocknâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ice g. Planet Mountain h. Rock Fax App i. Klettern.de j. Mountain Project k. Climbing Away l. Climbing.com 43. Which of these social networks do you use? (Multi select) a. Instagram b. Facebook c. Twitter d. Youtube e. None f. Other 44. How do you use social media in regards to climbing? (Multi select) a. Follow my gym b. Follow my favorite climbers c. Follow national / international competition d. Follow climbing magazines and blogs e. Follow outdoor and climbing brands f. I am member of a group or forum dedicated to climbing g. Create and share content about climbing h. Other 45. Which of these values of climbers are the 3 most important for you personally? (Multi select up to 3) a. Having a fun time b. Keeping an active lifestyle c. Pushing myself towards a climbing goal d. Supporting local developers wherever I go climbing outdoors e. Protecting the environment / Sustainability f. Experiencing community g. Spend time in nature 46. What is your impression of your national climbing federation? (Single select) a. Positive impression Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

61

b. c. d. e.

Neutral impression Negative impression I don’t have an opinion / not interested I don’t know anything about national federations

47. To keep outdoor climbing safe and accessible, investments must be made, for example in re-bolting of

old sport routes. To your knowledge, who currently pays for these kinds of crag safety initiatives? | In

your opinion, who should help fund these? (Multi select) a. Climbing organizations b. Bolters c. Local communities d. Tourism associations e. Climbers themselves f. Companies that profit from climbing g. Other

48. On average, how much money do you spend on climbing each year? (Open question) 49. Please rank these categories in order of money spent on average. (Ranking) a. Gym entrance b. Climbing clothes c. Climbing shoes d. Climbing gear e. Weekend trips f. Climbing vacations g. Books, topos, magazines, subscriptions 50. Where do you get information before buying climbing clothes and equipment? (Multi select) a. Brand website or online shop b. Retailer (multi-brand) website or online shop c. Talk to people at a brand’s physical store d. Product comparison websites and articles e. Talk to friends and family f. Climbing media (magazines, websites, blogs) g. Social media h. Other 51. Have you ever rented these types of climbing equipment? (Multi select) a. Shoes b. Rope c. Harness d. Belay device e. Crash pad f. Other 52. In the past three years, how many of these items did you buy? (Open question) a. Quickdraws 62

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

b. c. d. e. f. g.

Belay devices Harnesses Ropes Climbing shoes Hiking / approach shoes Helmets

53. Have you ever chosen a product or brand specifically based on its environmental or social impact?

(Single select) a. Yes b. No c. No, but I plan to in the future 54. What criteria do you generally base this decision on? (Scale select) a. Eco-friendly Materials b. Eco Badges or seals c. Locally produced d. Fair wages/working conditions e. In your opinion, what are the most representative brands of the climbing community? (name up to 5) (Open question) 55. In your opinion, what are the most representative brands of the climbing community?

(Open question up to 5) a. Quickdraw b. Belay Device c. Harness d. Rope e. Climbing Shoes f. Hiking / Approach Shoes g. Helmet

56. What are your trusted brands for these items? (Name up to 3 per category) (Open question) a. Quickdraw b. Belay Device c. Harness d. Rope e. Climbing Shoes f. Hiking / Approach Shoes g. Helmet 57. Have you ever participated in a climbing competition? (Single select) a. Yes b. No c. No, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to 58. What kinds of climbing competitions have you participated in? (Multi select) Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

63

a. b. c. d.

Bouldering Lead Speed climbing Other

59. Have you ever watched a world cup climbing event? (Multi select) a. No b. No, but I’d like to c. Yes, Boulder Worldcup d. Yes, Lead Worldcup e. Yes, Speed Worldcup f. Yes, Combined Worldcup 60. Did you know that climbing will be in the program of the Olympic games in 2020? (Single select) a. Yes b. No 61. What is your opinion on climbing becoming an Olympic sport? Do you agree that the Olympics will…

(Scale select) a. … be a great show that I will follow b. … make climbing more attractive to me c. … make climbing more attractive to many climbers d. … make climbing more business and money focused

64

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

Data tables for all comparison charts Page 34 All highlighted numbers show a significant correlation.

Demographics

Unit

Age

mean

Gender Female

Q

Income

median

Climbing Elite

Alpinists

Ambitious Generalists

Hardcore Boulderers

Recreational Climbers

Beginner Gym Climbers

Alpinists

Ambitious Generalists

Hardcore Boulderers

Recreational Climbers

Beginner Gym Climbers

Alpinists

Ambitious Generalists

Hardcore Boulderers

Recreational Climbers

Beginner Gym Climbers

All highlighted numbers show a significant correlation.

Climbing Interests

Unit

Seniority (global)

mean

Started climbing indoors

Q

Competitions

Q

Grade

average boulder and lead

Climbing Elite

All highlighted numbers show a significant correlation.

Indoor

Unit

Frequency 1+/ week

Q

Boulder

Q

Rope

Q

Training

Q

Climbing Elite

Copyright Š 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH

65

Thank you! We’re honored by your interest and support and look forward to our next market survey together.

We’re also able to run custom focused surveys for your brand within our ecosystem for any specific brandrelated, climbing behavior-related or product-feedback questions you want to ask the climbing community.

For more information as well as data or report upgrade requests, please reach out to our brand expert Simon Nagler at simon@vertical-life.info.

70

Copyright © 2020 Vertical-Life GmbH