Outdoor sports catch the "affluenza" bug — gear upgrades are a money magnet

Outdoor sports have become a top stress-relief choice for many white-collar workers in recent years. Cycling, hiking, camping, fishing… all are great ways to stay fit. But how much does it cost?

“There aren’t many people in Taishan who do outdoor activities,” referring here to professional outdoor sports like cycling and hiking, as well as leisure activities such as camping and fishing. The gear for these pursuits is highly specialized. “Unlike when we were kids, when hiking just meant using our legs. Now it’s more about challenging yourself. Take hiking, for example — hiking shoes, backpacks, and trekking poles are all essential.” Xiao Yun, a female who hasn’t been into outdoor sports for long, said her entry-level gear set her back around 3,000 yuan.

Cycling isn’t cheap either. Zhong, an avid cyclist who also runs a bike accessories shop, explained that entry-level bikes typically range between 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. In recent years, the prices of these outdoor items haven’t risen much. “You could even say they haven’t gone up at all. But gear gets updated quickly, and once you get into it, you’ll want to upgrade — that’s where most of the spending goes.” According to Zhong, many cyclists in Taishan now have gear worth over ten thousand yuan.

In interviews, most hiking and fishing enthusiasts said that while gear prices haven’t changed much, functional upgrades have made today’s equipment increasingly expensive. Outdoor enthusiast Wowo noted that prices for major brands remain relatively stable, but second- and third-tier brands have seen price hikes. “Over the past two or three years, the increase has been around 10%.”

There are very few specialty outdoor gear stores in Taishan. Most enthusiasts buy their equipment online. “Items like hiking shoes, trekking poles, windbreakers, and backpacks are often cheaper online than in physical stores, so most people prefer to shop online,” said Xiao Yun, who purchased all her gear online under the guidance of friends.

“Why do you need to buy a specialized backpack? I had that question at first too.” Xiao Yun’s friend, a seasoned outdoor enthusiast, pointed out that professional backpacks help distribute weight more evenly across your body, making them easier to carry and allowing you to walk farther. “I think the most important thing is safety.” Since most participants in outdoor activities are white-collar workers with busy, high-pressure jobs, Xiao Yun believes good gear helps them complete tasks more easily and enjoy the experience more fully.

In interviews, some outdoor enthusiasts mentioned that regular outdoor activities can actually reduce spending. “Each outing usually costs around 200 yuan, whereas going out for a meal or shopping with friends on the weekend might cost even more.” Mr. Chen, who dislikes staying at home, opts to go out every weekend. By participating in outdoor activities, he avoids drinking and playing mahjong, which saves him quite a bit of money.

At 39, Wowo is a veteran of the Taishan Outdoor Forum. When he returned to Taishan from Shenzhen three years ago, there were very few outdoor activities in the area, and he had only two or three companions. Now, the number of regular participants has grown to 20–30. “That’s for hiking and camping. If you’re talking about cycling, there are even more people in Taishan.”

Most of Wowo’s gear was purchased online. “Big brands are all available online, and the prices are generally cheaper than in physical stores.” Overall, Wowo said, outdoor gear prices have risen over the past two or three years, with increases of over 10%. “The big brands haven’t gone up much, but the second- and third-tier brands have.” For example, a decent backpack used to be available for around 100 yuan, but those are no longer available. Entry-level backpacks now mostly start at 200 yuan or more.

For hiking, the biggest expense is car rental, averaging about 150–200 yuan per trip. When he participated in outdoor activities in Shenzhen, car rentals were about 100 yuan per trip. But within Taishan, the costs are lower. If traveling within the province, each trip costs around 300–400 yuan. “There’s not much else to spend money on in the mountains, so expenses aren’t high.” As long as time permits, Wowo said he’ll keep heading outdoors.

One of his most memorable experiences was getting lost in the mountains at night. “There were cliffs on three sides, with only one path leading down.” Wowo said he managed to get out thanks to team spirit and past experience. “If you’re a beginner, that kind of situation can be frightening, but if you have experience, you usually don’t need to worry.” He laughed. He has a goal to climb the highest mountain in every prefecture-level city in Guangdong Province, and has nearly achieved that. He also dreams of climbing the highest mountain in every province. “I hope to make that happen eventually.”

Fang graduated from university in 2008 and returned to Taishan for work. Through his job, he got into cycling and now participates in activities almost every month. “When I first started, I used to practice on the road every day. Now I don’t, but I’m on the road every weekend as long as I’m not working.”

He truly began participating in outdoor cycling in 2009 when he bought his first professional bike. He remembers purchasing it for 3,498 yuan as a reward for his first year of work. “Other gear like knee pads, wrist guards, cycling clothes, and a helmet added up to about 1,000 yuan.” Over the past three years, he’s spent nearly 7,000 yuan on cycling gear.

“Nowadays, a lot of my friends have bikes that cost over ten thousand yuan.” Fang said that since most participants in Taishan’s cycling community are white-collar workers, including many civil servants around 30 years old with decent incomes, they tend to value enjoying life more. “Cycling is environmentally friendly, healthy, and a great way to relieve stress.” Sometimes, when Fang hits a work bottleneck or feels especially stressed, cycling helps him unwind.

Their routes are mostly around the area, such as from Taishan to Enping or Kaiping. “When you’re on a bus or in a car, you don’t really have time to appreciate the scenery along the way. Cycling takes more energy, but makes you treasure the views around you more.”

Mr. Li goes fishing every week, and it has become an indispensable part of his life. “Fishing is a mentally engaging activity, and being able to cook the fish you catch is really satisfying.” Sometimes, after finishing a day’s work, he drives alone to a river to fish, and other times, he spends his weekends fishing.

“At first, I thought it was fun, so I came along with a friend, and then I ended up falling in love with it.” His first set of fishing gear was purchased at a store for about four to five hundred yuan. “The equipment back then wasn’t very good—total beginner level.” According to him, entry-level gear nowadays costs over 1,000 yuan. “I used to dig for earthworms myself, but now I buy bait.” With the upgrade in equipment, Mr. Li has spent more than 2,000 yuan on fishing gear.

According to him, the prices of fishing gear haven’t changed much, it’s mainly a functional “price increase.” “If you want to buy better quality gear with better functionality, then of course it costs more. In the countryside, you can fish with just a single rod.” Mr. Li said with a smile that the average spending is actually quite low, and if the time spent fishing were instead used for socializing, it would cost even more. “Having a meal with friends can easily cost two to three hundred yuan, and if you add mahjong and drinking, fishing is still the more economical choice. Plus, when you’re fishing, it’s very quiet—you feel completely at peace mentally and physically.”