Johnson Outdoors owns a collection of century-old names and sensor-rich new gear. Its advantage is clearest on the water, where motors, sonar, maps and kayaks are becoming one connected system.
L.L.Bean is a family-owned outdoor apparel, footwear and gear retailer founded in Freeport, Maine in 1912. Built on the Maine Hunting Shoe (the Bean Boot) and a mail-order catalog, it has grown into an omnichannel brand selling clothing, footwear, camping and fishing equipment, and home goods across retail stores, catalogs, telephone and online channels, with roughly $1.7-1.8 billion in annual revenue. The company pairs product sales with its Outdoor Discovery Programs, which teach skills like kayaking, fly casting and archery, and a mission of getting people outside.