RE: Questionaire for all outdoor users!

Age 29 Sex F Hometown Canterbury How did you hear about Macpac? borrowed a friend's pack for my first tramp and it was a macpac What was your first Macpac purchase and what was the reason behind this purchase? espirit 65L pack. my old pack was dying. How often would you make a purchase at Macpac? 1-5 times a year 5-10 times a year 10-20 times a year 20+ times a year not sure what you mean. I don't know of a store called Macpac - but see (or have seen) macpac products in other stores. I think the pack above is the only macpac gear i have bought. What is the main reason you go to the Macpac store? - There is something I want/need – I am just going there to get that - To Browse - To Check the prices against other stores see above How often do you wear Macpac clothing? don't have any Do the Macpac products you have purchased perform as well as you expected? yes Would you wear Macpac clothing in a situation other than trekking, travelling etc. For example; out to a casual dinner? no If Macpac were to offer more formal or urban clothing for example a shirt, or a skirt, do you think this is something that would interest you? not at all. it should stick to tramping gear. What other brands do you purchase? I do not shop much. I have had most of my gear quite a few years and am happy with it. don't know what brand a lot of it is. What activities do you partake in? tramping What kind of travel do you do? (eg- backpacking, tramping, holidays etc) tramping, work, non tramping holidays How often do you travel? uhh.??..not sure what you mean. to work? =every day. significant tramping trips? =three or four times a year. overseas? =one trip in last 10 years. Where do you travel to/where have you travelled to? again not sure what you're after here. Overseas? Places I go for day or weekend trips from home? do most of my tramping in arthurs pass, lewis pass, nelson lakes, queenstown areas. In the past I have travelled overseas to canada, US, australia, tonga, japan. How do you tend to pack when you travel? depends where and why i'm travelling!!! I went to wellington to sit an exam and took a suit in one of those suit hanger things. ????. if I'm tramping i take my tramping gear in my pack. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed a product that was not available to you... please describe this situation... At work if i'm too late to dinner the cafeteria closes and I need food products and cannot get them!!!!! Often at a hut I need an axe or a saw and one is not available!!! I am always needing 14G 50mm cannulas at work and the ward I work on does not stock them!!!! I treat patients who need some new chemotherapy drugs that are not available in New Zealand!!!!! - Perhaps you could be a little more specific in this question :-) Is there a product you feel Macpac does not currently offer that you would like to see them offer? No How do you feel Macpac stands against competition such as Kathmandu, icebreaker etcetera? ok Are there any other improvements you feel could be made to the products provided by macpac? Yes, in the range of packs that came out in 2007, there was no 65L-ish pack with a waistband short enough to fit me. Even fully shortened it was too loose and completely unuseable for me. If you saw a radical change in the Macpac products, for example very different colours/styles etcetera, how do you think you would respond? would depend entirely on the functionality of the new products.

Market Questionaire Age 26 Sex M Hometown Blenheim How did you hear about Macpac? I think we owned a old Macpac pack when I was a kid.... Probably the first I heard of the brand. What was your first Macpac purchase and what was the reason behind this purchase? Probably a pair of pants from 1-day.co.nz , I purchase them because they were heavily discounted.. How often would you make a purchase at Macpac? 1-5 times a year What is the main reason you go to the Macpac store? - To Browse and to compare prices. How often do you wear Macpac clothing? Most days. Do the Macpac products you have purchased perform as well as you expected? They perform as I exptect them to perform.... No worst or better then comprable brands. Would you wear Macpac clothing in a situation other than trekking, travelling etc. For example; out to a casual dinner? Yeap. Would wear them to formal dinner if I could get away with it. If Macpac were to offer more formal or urban clothing for example a shirt, or a skirt, do you think this is something that would interest you? If you mean something like the Mountain Design Baltoro shirt I could be interested, I wear mine to formal occasions. Would be cool if they marketed a series of skirts to males. What other brands do you purchase? To many to list... Sticking with outdoor clothing. Wear on Earth, Earth Sea Sky, Mountain Design (Shirts are great), Columbia (Pants are great), Ice Breaker, Swazi, Swandri, Stoney Creek, Back country..... What activities do you partake in? Tramping, Surfcasting, Trout fishing (both spin and fly), Kayaking. What kind of travel do you do? (eg- backpacking, tramping, holidays etc) All kinds of travel How often do you travel? Whenever I want.... I travel to a fishing spot 3-4x a week during summer. Travel to work every day. Overnight trips 4-5x a year, multi day trips once a year. Where do you travel to/where have you travelled to? To many to list. How do you tend to pack when you travel? Throw everything I need, and think I need into the back of my car and create a massive mess. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed a product that was not available to you... please describe this situation... Yeah, I once drove 50 minutes to a fishing spot and then realized I left my rods at home :( Is there a product you feel Macpac does not currently offer that you would like to see them offer? Yeah a Olympus tent which weighs less then 1kg.... How do you feel Macpac stands against competition such as Kathmandu, icebreaker etcetera? Kathmandu mostly sells rubbish, Ice Breaker is a merino company so has very little overlap with Macpac. They seem to be competitive with other companies... Are there any other improvements you feel could be made to the products provided by macpac? Heaps, the legs on most of their pants are to short, the sleeves on their jackets are to short... Tents are to short. If you saw a radical change in the Macpac products, for example very different colours/styles etcetera, how do you think you would respond? I would love to see a radical change in the Macpac website.... I struggle to see how the styles can be radically different while still remaining functional.

Hi Kathryn. I read your survey, but similar to how Chris expressed things I found the way you phrased most of your questions to be very confusing and too general to provide a meaningful response. I'd be happy to help, but I think you might need to make your questions more specific for it to be clear what you want to know. You might also want to consider providing an email address so that people can provide direct responses.

If anyone would prefer to respond via email the address is [Email address removed]. Just to clear up the questions you seem to be confused on, by travel I do not mean everyday travelling to work, I mean tramping,holidays,backpacking etc. when i ask where you travel to i mean anywhere you travel to when you are tramping etc, i want to get a grasp of what environments kiwis are travelling in to, to be able to design products accordingly. Yes chris macpac is a store of it's own, but perhaps there is not one in canterbury. come to wellington there are two. Thanks

Hi Kathryn Would love to assist with your research, however your profile only allows emails from friends. So, I have added you as a friend. It appears to be the only way to make contact, after which I will be only too willing to answer as many questions as you wish. Good luck

Market Questionaire Age 55 Sex Male Hometown Rotorua How did you hear about Macpac? I used to know one of the founders of the company back in the 1970s. What was your first Macpac purchase and what was the reason behind this purchase? Probably a pile jacket I bought in the early 1980s, or maybe it was a Sanctury Tent. How often would you make a purchase at Macpac? At the moment never, in the past maybe 1-2 times a year What is the main reason you go to the Macpac store? - To Browse How often do you wear Macpac clothing? I don't think I have any MacPac clothing right now Do the Macpac products you have purchased perform as well as you expected? In the past I have found them to be supurb quality but the clothing is overpriced compared to others Would you wear Macpac clothing in a situation other than trekking, travelling etc. For example; out to a casual dinner? Probably If Macpac were to offer more formal or urban clothing for example a shirt, or a skirt, do you think this is something that would interest you? Not really. If I go into a MacPac shop I am thinking about tramping. What other brands do you purchase? Khathmandu, Mountain Designs. I seem to have bought a bit in Mountain Designs lately What activities do you partake in? Tramping What kind of travel do you do? (eg- backpacking, tramping, holidays etc) Tramping How often do you travel? Tramping, usually get away about once a month Where do you travel to/where have you travelled to? In the Forest and National Parks of the Central North Island, occasionally further afield How do you tend to pack when you travel? Just cram everything in Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed a product that was not available to you... please describe this situation... Am finding that there is a scarcity of good quality tramping gear at the moment. Packs and boots in particular. The amount of different products on the market at the moment and the rate of change is very confusing. Is there a product you feel Macpac does not currently offer that you would like to see them offer? I am not quite sure what MacPac offers now as there is noone stocking the product in Rotorua. In the past I have relied on MacPac for good quality tents, packs, sleeping bags and parkas. I have avoided the clothing because it is overpriced. How do you feel Macpac stands against competition such as Kathmandu, icebreaker etcetera? MacPac was a premium brand that we could rely on to provide top quality product, especially in tents, sleeping bags and packs. I would expect MacPac products in these areas to be superior to any other brand in the local market. However I am unsure of where it would stand with the new ownership. Are there any other improvements you feel could be made to the products provided by macpac? They need to be available in a wider range of outlets. At the moment MacPac is out of my reach because there is no local store. If you saw a radical change in the Macpac products, for example very different colours/styles etcetera, how do you think you would respond? Couldn't give a hoot about colour and style. I want functionality, quality and good design.

Hello. Market Questionaire ::Age 30 ::Sex M ::Hometown Wellington ::How did you hear about Macpac? I'm unsure since it's always been around. I probably saw Macpac products on shelves and/or saw people using it as I was growing up. ::What was your first Macpac purchase and what was the reason behind this purchase? Macpac Glissade (pack) for tramping. ::How often would you make a purchase at Macpac? 1-5 times a year ::What is the main reason you go to the Macpac store? There is something I want/need – I am just going there to get that (Note -- I don't typically go to browse because Macpac products are advertised online. I don't go to compare prices because Macpac stores typically don't stock anything sold anywhere else anyway.) ::How often do you wear Macpac clothing? Usually when tramping. (I have a pair of Macpac short shorts.) ::Do the Macpac products you have purchased perform as well as you expected? Mostly. My recently purchased sleeping bag seems to be showing signs of wear and tear more quickly than I'd have expected. (Flakes of down escaping somehow, etc.) ::Would you wear Macpac clothing in a situation other than trekking, travelling etc. For example; out to a casual dinner? Yes, if it successfully competes with other manufacturers for the functions I'm looking for. (I typically try to choose clothing based on the function I want, not on brand.) ::If Macpac were to offer more formal or urban clothing for example a shirt, or a skirt, do you think this is something that would interest you? If I want some kind of shirt and Macpac made one that matched my requirements, then yes. ::What other brands do you purchase? For tramping? Columbia. Earth Sea Sky. Mountain Designs. Outdoor Research. Huntech. Cactus Climbing. MSR. etc. The list goes on. ::What activities do you partake in? Mostly tramping, solo daywalks, occasional alpine (though not technical climbing). ::What kind of travel do you do? (eg- backpacking, tramping, holidays etc) Tramping, some travel. ::How often do you travel? Maybe once a year. ::Where do you travel to/where have you travelled to? Around NZ. Overseas (most recently USA [only cities], but also South America, possibly to somewhere in Africa soon.) ::How do you tend to pack when you travel? Generally as light as I can get away with. I like travel clothes. ::Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed a product that was not available to you... please describe this situation... Similar to what pckme described, there's a shortage of packs and boots designed for certain parts of the NZ market. Today we only seem to be getting the collateral effect of what sells well overseas, including products from Macpac. Tramping outlets stock boots with Gore-Tex lining which is of more use overseas than in NZ (esp since Gore-Tex lined boots take a week to dry out), and it's difficult to find a selection of packs these days that aren't covered in zippers and compartments that add unnecessary weight and complexity if you already know you want to cram everything into a single pack liner anyway and want less things to get caught on whatever you're walking through. New Zealand has rivers, and it's common to walk in rivers with boots and packs. ::Is there a product you feel Macpac does not currently offer that you would like to see them offer? See above. I was disappointed that the earlier line of packs was discontinued. I know a couple of people who went out and bought 5 Macpac Ravine packs (all they could get their hands on) to last them through the next 20+ years as soon as they discovered the line was being cancelled. In their view, its simplicity makes it such a perfect pack for the kind of tramping they want to do in NZ. ::How do you feel Macpac stands against competition such as Kathmandu, icebreaker etcetera? It has a good reputation based on its history, but I'm familiar with many people who are reserving judgement of the new structure for manufacturing and distribution. I personally dislike the consolidation of Macpac products into Macpac stores, which I feel reduces the independent advice that I'll get when speaking to a sales assistant. I've also found that since the sales assistants I've come to trust over several years can no longer sell Macpac products, it's becoming less likely that I'll buy them because they simply aren't allowed to stock them alongside alternatives any more. I tend to favour manufacturers who make their products in New Zealand. This isn't specifically a loyalty thing, but because I've found that companies that manufacture in New Zealand in general tend to have staff more directly familiar with their products, are quick to repair (rather than replace which always feels wasteful), and are more open to customisation requests. When Earth Sea Sky had its recent clearence outlet in Wellington and its staff actually travelled to Wellington to run the thing, it was great to actually be able to chat to one of the people directly involved in its operations and talk to them about their gear. ::Are there any other improvements you feel could be made to the products provided by macpac? If there's any possible way to do so, let independent retailers stock Macpac products again. ::If you saw a radical change in the Macpac products, for example very different colours/styles etcetera, how do you think you would respond? Hopefully I'd treat it on its merits. Colours don't bother me (especially when tramping) since if it works then I tend to go for practicality. There's also hardly a shortage of people wearing radical colours in the tramping world, anyway.

Age 13 Sex m Hometown wanganui How did you hear about Macpac? everyone knows abou it What was your first Macpac purchase and what was the reason behind this purchase? pack old one gone How often would you make a purchase at Macpac? 1-5 times a year yep 5-10 times a year 10-20 times a year 20+ times a year What is the main reason you go to the Macpac store? - There is something I want/need – I am just going there to get that - To Brows eyep - To Check the prices against other stores How often do you wear Macpac clothing? sometimes Do the Macpac products you have purchased perform as well as you expected? no Would you wear Macpac clothing in a situation other than trekking, travelling etc. For example; out to a casual dinner? In town on farm If Macpac were to offer more formal or urban clothing for example a shirt, or a skirt, do you think this is something that would interest you? nah What other brands do you purchase? ridgeline hunting n fishing What activities do you partake in? hunting tramping farming What kind of travel do you do? (eg- backpacking, tramping, holidays etc) tramping How often do you travel? 1-3 time month Where do you travel to/where have you travelled to? around nz How do you tend to pack when you travel? lightly !!!! Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed a product that was not available to you... please describe this situation...nah Is there a product you feel Macpac does not currently offer that you would like to see them offer?nah How do you feel Macpac stands against competition such as Kathmandu, icebreaker etcetera?good Are there any other improvements you feel could be made to the products provided by macpac?maybe lighter if possible If you saw a radical change in the Macpac products, for example very different colours/styles etcetera, how do you think you would respond? Maybe buy more

Age 37 Sex M Hometown Wellington How did you hear about Macpac? Parents had Macpac packs in the early 80's What was your first Macpac purchase and what was the reason behind this purchase? Macpac Kestral day pack for college How often would you make a purchase at Macpac? 0-2 times a year What is the main reason you go to the Macpac store? - There is something I want/need – I am just going there to get that - To Browse - To Check the prices against other stores How often do you wear Macpac clothing? Thermal layers/fleece/raincoat quite often lately Do the Macpac products you have purchased perform as well as you expected? Generally yes Would you wear Macpac clothing in a situation other than trekking, travelling etc. For example; out to a casual dinner? Yep If Macpac were to offer more formal or urban clothing for example a shirt, or a skirt, do you think this is something that would interest you? Yep, although my knees don't look too flash in a skirt! Please don't ask how this is known!!! What other brands do you purchase? From whatever brands have been/are available in the NZ outdoors shops in the past twenty years. Starting to make my own gear as well when commercial options aren't quite what I'm looking for. What activities do you partake in? Tramping mainly, some hunting/fishing, mountain biking/cycling, sea kayaking. What kind of travel do you do? (eg- backpacking, tramping, holidays etc) Tramping mainly, have done the backpacking OE, family camping holidays How often do you travel? 1-2x pa Where do you travel to/where have you travelled to? around the world primarily to outdoor locations How do you tend to pack when you travel? carefully and light Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed a product that was not available to you... please describe this situation... Quilt and fly: I made them Is there a product you feel Macpac does not currently offer that you would like to see them offer? A lightweight basic pack similar to the Ravine but weighing about 1kg How do you feel Macpac stands against competition such as Kathmandu, icebreaker etcetera? WRT the competition in NZ, Icebreaker doesn't have much product overlap, Kathmandu appear at the lower end of the market(Briscoes of the outoor market) Macpac appears higher performance. WRT other international brands - similar Are there any other improvements you feel could be made to the products provided by macpac? Offer a simple lightweight range of pack, tent/fly, and sleeping bag/quilt If you saw a radical change in the Macpac products, for example very different colours/styles etcetera, how do you think you would respond? Look at the merits compared with the old models.