Consumption of outdoor clothing and footwear grew by an estimated 3.6 percent in Italy last year, according to NPD, driven in particular by higher sales of hiking, trekking and mountaineering boots. While men bought more shoes, women above the age of 14 bought 10 percent more outdoor apparel than in 2008. Most of the outdoor clothing purchased by them is for leisurewear, but this category recorded a sales increase of only 2 percent, which was not bad considering the economic crisis. Windbrakers, which represent 18 percent of the Italian outdoor clothing market, performed well.
