THE SURVEY | Why We Did It
To better understand women’s relationship to - and attitudes toward - the outdoors and the external pressures they face, REI surveyed 2,010 women between ages 18 to 35 in the U.S. in January 2017. Demographic data was weighted to a nationally representative sample including age, race, education and geographic region.
THE HEADLINE | Women Say the Outdoors is Where They Feel Free
According to survey data, nearly 7 out of 10 women feel they are under more pressure to conform to social norms than men. They feel this pressure is coming from all directions. But, importantly, our research also showed that women see the outdoors as a way to escape these pressures.
KEY FINDINGS | What We Learned
Women face significant cultural pressures to conform. 7 out of 10 women believe that women are under more pressure to conform than men. Top pressures women hear include:
“Be sexy” – 73 percent
"Lose weight” – 72 percent
“Smile more” – 69 percent
The outdoors offers an escape from these pressures:
More than 85 percent of all women surveyed believe the outdoors positively affects mental health, physical health, happiness and overall well-being
Women who spend at least an hour a day outside on average feel happier, healthier and more equal to men than those who do not
74 percent see the outdoors as a place where they’re free from the pressures of everyday life
72 percent say they feel liberated or free when they are outdoors
But women still face barriers to getting outside:
Lack of time, accessibility (uncertainty regarding where to go and who to go with) and competing priorities are key barriers. Advancing in a career, furthering education and starting a family are considered just as important - if not more so - than spending time outside on a regular basis
Additionally, more than 6 in 10 women say that men’s interests in outdoor activities are taken more seriously than women’s, and that men are taken more seriously than women when shopping at a sporting goods stores
Women’s perceptions of themselves are surprising:
84 percent of women consider themselves at least “somewhat active,” yet only 32 percent describe themselves as “outdoorsy.” Even less – 18 percent – describe themselves as “athletic”
Less than half of women believe that women and men are equal in the outdoors, even though 74 percent believe women know just as much as men do about the outdoors
But women who spend time outdoors are more likely to feel: happy, adventurous, confident and fulfilled, and are more likely to feel equal to men across all areas of personal and professional life
Women desire more time outdoors:
73 percent of women are actively looking to spend more time outdoors
And, contrary to popular belief, 83 percent of millennial women say getting content for social media has no influence on their outdoor activities
2. In January2017, REI Co-op set out to better
understand women’s relationship to—and attitudes
toward—theoutdoors andthe externalpressures
they face.
3. WHO
women
18 to35
U.S.
HOW MANY WHEN HOW
January
2017
20 minute
online
quantitative
survey
n = 2,010
demographic datawas
weighted toanationally
representativesample*
METHODOLOGY
*weighted demographics include: age, education,race, geographicregion
This survey was conducted by Edelman Intelligence, anindependent international researchfirm
4. We heard from 2,010 women between ages 18to 35
in the U.S.
The sample reflected women nationally across
geography, raceandeducation.
5. 33%
32%
8%
19%
7%
Graduated high school or
less
Somecollege
Associates degree
Bachelors degree
Post-graduatedegree
Age
18-25: 42%
26-35: 58%
Ethnicity Education
DEMOGRAPHICS
Childrenin
household
Yes: 53%
No: 47%
Income
<$50k: 60%
$50k+: 33%
2%
1%
6%
15%
22%
58%
Other
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian/Asian American
African
American/Black
Hispanic/Latino
Caucasian/White
7. § Womensay the outdoors is where they feel free.
§ Nearly three-quarters of womenfeel they are undermore
pressure toconform to social norms thanmen.
§ They feel this pressure is comingfrom all directions.
§ But,importantly,our researchalsoshowed thatwomen
see the outdoors as a way toescape these pressures and
they wantmore time outside.
THE STORY
8. 72% of women say they feel liberated
or freewhen they are outdoors.
9. This sense of well-being acts
in sharp contrast to the pressures
women face in daily life.
10. Almost 7 in 10
women believe
women are
under more
pressure
to conform
than men.
11. “Stop being so dramatic”
“Be sexy”
“You should lose weight”
“Don’t be so emotional”
“You should smile more”
73%
73%
72%
71%
69%
Social pressures are pervasive . . .
Please select how muchyouagreeor disagree thateachof thefollowingstatements represents asocial pressure womenface today.
(Top 2 box <Somewhat/Completely agree> reported)
12. . . .and that pressureis coming fromall directions
82%
74%
69% 69%
61%
56%
43%
Society in
general
Social
media
Mainstream
media
Men Other
women
Family Friends
14. 69%
74%
“The outdoors is a place
to escapethe stressesof everyday
life”
“I feel happierwhen
I’m outdoors”
15. Morethan 85 percent of all
women surveyed believe the
outdoors positively affects mental
health, physical health, happiness
and overall well-being.
19. moretimeoutside = healthier
MENTAL HEALTH
SPIRITUAL HEALTH
PHYSICAL HEALTH
46%
45%
42%
SPENDS ATLEAST1 HR. ADAY
OUTSIDE ON AVERAGE
(36% of respondents)
SPENDS LESSTHAN 1 HR. ADAY
OUTSIDE ON AVERAGE
(64% of respondents)
37%
35%
27%
How would you rateyour current overall…? (Top 2 box (Very good/Excellent> reported)
20. But women still face barriers to getting
outside. Women don’t feel they’re taken as
seriously as men in the outdoors and role
models are hard to come by.
21. … andthat men are taken more seriously than
women when shopping at a sporting goods stores.
More than 6 in
10 women say
that men’s
interests in
outdoor activities
are takenmore
seriously than
women’s …
22. AND 6 IN10COULD NOT THINK OF AN OUTDOOR FEMALE ROLE MODEL.
Topmentions among thosewho could included Serena Williams, Jillian
Michaels and Michelle Obama.
(While theabove women areincredible, they’redistinct from women like
Lindsey Vonnor AshimaShiraishi)
24. More than any
other woman or
celebrity women
cite their
mother
as their top
woman role model
(35%)
25. REMAIN ACTIVE TODAY
CONSIDER SPENDINGTIME
OUTSIDE A‘VERY HIGH
PRIORITY’
45%
42%
HIGHLY ENCOURAGEDGIRLS* LESSENCOURAGEDGIRLS**
Women whoweremoreencouraged to participatein outdoor activitiesas
young girlsaremorelikelyto . . .
86%
26%
78%
11%
*Women who were encouraged as younggirls to participateinoutdoor activities ‘all thetime/often’
**Women who were encouraged as younggirls toparticipatein outdoor activities ‘sometimes/rarely/never’
26. importance of
“having excitement / adventure
in yourlife”
HIGHLY ENCOURAGEDGIRLS
LESSENCOURAGEDGIRLS
AND PLACE HIGHERVALUE
ON ADVENTURE
64%
49%
27. 2x more likely toreport their
mother was the one
encouraging them
1.5x more likely toreport it’s
important to them that their
daughterhas a relationship
with the outdoors
Those who weremoreencouraged to
spend timeoutside as young girls are. . .
28. Turns out thatbeing outdoors offersa lot of
goodness all the wayaround.
Feeling active Feeling free Feeling happy
61% 61% 60%
PHYSICAL MENTAL EMOTIONAL
Which of the followingdescribe howyoufeel whenyouare outdoors? Please selectallthatapply.
29. It’sno wonder that 73% say they would
liketo spend even moretimeoutside.
