Coleman Creates Online Tool for Outdoor Travel and Activity Planning

July 2003 -- Comprehensive outdoor travel and activity planning is just a mouse click away with the debut of the Coleman Outernet site at www.coleman.com/outernet.

A one-stop source of searchable information on more than 16,000 public and private campground locations throughout the United States, the Coleman Outernet is the most comprehensive Web site of its kind. It is geared toward helping people plan all types of outdoor trips and activities, whether they're close-to-home getaways or cross-country adventures. For added convenience, many of the site locations on the Coleman Outernet can be reserved online. Through its interactive content, the Outernet also serves to connect people who enjoy the outdoors with others who have similar interests.

Offering this new outdoor travel-planning tool is the Coleman Company - the same company that has provided generations of Americans with outdoor recreation products. Tapping into the growing popularity of the Internet for travel planning, Coleman hopes to encourage Americans to "Get Out There" more often and rediscover the beauty of their own national landscape, as well as to strengthen relationships with family and friends.

Coleman Outernet Includes Thousands of Campground Listings
Of the thousands of camping locations available on the Coleman Outernet, almost 4,400 are at national forests; 1,000 at state parks; 10,000 at private RV parks; 400 at national parks, and 350 at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes. The national forest information is exclusive to Coleman. Campground site listings include rates, descriptions, special features, available activities, special events and wildlife guides. Also available on the Coleman Outernet are maps and directions, as well as suggestions for great scenic drives in every region of the country.

The campground database continues to grow, thanks to the valuable input of field experts. The Outernet boasts a growing network of more than 500 field experts - the recreation land managers, campground hosts, concessionaires, tourism professionals and small-town authorities who live and breathe these sites every day - who contribute accurate local information and updates to the database.

Additionally, the "Great Outdoor Experiences" section of the Outernet allows visitors to search for guides, outfitters, RV rental companies, fly-fishing guides and other outdoor recreation experience providers. Commercial recreation service providers are able to input and manage their own information as well as post a link to their external Web sites.

Advanced Technology Simplifies Travel Planning
Coleman Outernet uses advanced Internet technology to help people do something refreshingly simple - reconnect with family and friends at great outdoor sites.

Using the site's "Find Places" function, interesting places can be found by entering a keyword location and requesting a search within a specified radius. Advanced searches enable people to find locations that most appeal to them, based on various options such as the type of camping they want to do or activities - such as fishing, swimming or hiking - that they enjoy.

The Outernet's geographically coded data allows visitors to search within a specified radius of their desired location. All locations are plotted by latitude and longitude - not by state, region or managing agency - which eliminates any geographic or bureaucratic barriers to finding a site. For example, in a search for campsites within 50 miles of Estes Park, Co., the Outernet would find sites in Wyoming and Colorado, and would include public as well as private campgrounds. Outernet visitors can do one quick search for all of the prospective sites that would meet their needs, rather than doing multiple searches on multiple Web sites.

Log On for Reservations, Inspiration and More
Coleman Outernet visitors have the option of reserving many of the campsites through Coleman's partnership with the ReserveAmerica organization, the reservation agent that represents the national forest campgrounds, state park campgrounds and more. Thousands of tent and RV campsites can be reserved, as can cabins and fire lookouts.

The Outernet's "Inspire Me" option will suggest a few select campgrounds within a specified state. These recommended sites are usually out-of-the-way locations that haven't received much media attention and are yet to be discovered by the masses.

The mapping service - a key Outernet benefit on tap for spring 2003 - will enable travelers to chart their locations, plan their route and scout points of interests along the way.

Registration Is Simple, Fast and Free
Anyone visiting the Coleman Outernet can search for locations and find basic location information, but to access the site's full content, visitors will need to register - a simple, fast and free process.

Once they've registered, visitors will be able to create their own travel profile and maintain a list of locations and commercial experience providers that can be used as a reference for trip planning. Members will also be able to collaborate and share information with friends and family members while planning a trip.

At their individual "Trailhead" on the Outernet, registered members will find suggestions for nearby getaway locations that correspond with the interests they indicated when registering.

In addition, members will be able to actively participate in the Outernet community. They can make submissions to the Outernet site, such as rating a location, writing about their travel experiences, sharing their travel photos, and suggesting new locations. Members also will be able to take various challenge tests, such as the "Outdoor Guru" test, that rate their level of knowledge and comfort with the outdoors.

Outernet Origins
The Outernet began as a joint effort between Coleman and Watershed Communications, Inc., a Whitefish, Mont.-based group that develops marketing tools, including Internet applications, for tourism and recreation organizations. In 1999, Coleman and Watershed joined forces to develop the first online database and print directory of national forest campgrounds - including rates, descriptions, seasonality, special features and announcements.

Coleman and Watershed quickly recognized how valuable such up-to-date information from "on-the-ground" experts would be for the traveling public. The online national forests directory eventually evolved to include campground databases, including national parks, Corps of Engineers lakes, state parks and private RV parks. From that growing wealth of information, the Coleman Outernet was born.

"By nature, Americans are explorers, always trying to see what's around the bend, and Coleman is an important part of that American outdoor tradition," said John Frandsen, president of Watershed. "The Coleman Outernet helps connect people to thousands of truly amazing places." With the Outernet, Coleman reaches beyond its core products to become an outdoor industry catalyst. "The consumer trusts the Coleman brand as one of quality and tradition," said Gary Jones, vice president of strategic alliances at Coleman. "Extending that same standard of quality to the Internet by providing our consumers a valuable recreational information service is a natural progression. For camping and tailgating opportunities, horseback riding and rafting, outdoor festivals and concerts, the Coleman Outernet will be the one-stop information source for all outdoor experiences in the United States."

Interestingly, the birth of the Outernet coincides with a trend toward more people going online to do their travel planning, as noted in the 2002 American Express Leisure Travel Index. Preferred vacation-planning methods of those who were surveyed were Internet (35 percent), family and friends (30 percent), travel guides (16 percent), and travel agents (15 percent). Internet planning grew 6 percent in popularity from the previous year's index.

TENT CAMPING CHECKLIST

Checklists are a good habit to get into when you prepare for an outing. Cut this one out, make your own additions, and maybe you can avoid that, "Oh, no, I forgot ..." scenario.

The Essentials

Eating & Food Prep
___ Cook stove and fuel
___ Table
___ Folding chairs
___ Nesting cookware
___ Cooking and eating utensils
___ Plates, cups, bowls
___ Biodegradable dish soap
___ Can opener
___ Cooler
___ Ice or ice substitutes
___ Food
___ Paper towels
___ Trash bags
___ Full beverage jugs
___ 5-gallon water carrier
___ Drinking water

Sleeping and Comfort
___ Camp pad or airbed and pump
___ Sleeping bags

Camping Gear
___ Tent, poles and stakes
___ Lantern, fuel and extra lantern mantles
___ Matches and waterproof match container
___ Compass and maps
___ Flashlights
___ Battery-operated lantern
___ Extra batteries
___ Ground cover or tarp
___ Multipurpose knife or camper's tool
___ Rope, cord or wire

Personal
___ First aid kit
___ Bath towels
___ Biodegradable soap
___ Insect repellent
___ Layered clothing
___ Rain gear
___ Toilet paper and toiletries

You'll be glad you brought ...

Eating & Food Prep
___ Coffee
___ Coffee pot or Camping Coffeemaker
___ Dishpan
___ Plastic zipper bags
___ Pot scrubbers and dishcloths
___ Salt and pepper
___ Plastic wrap
___ Tin foil
___ Small cooler

Sleeping and Comfort
___ Tool kit with tent-peg mallet, tent stake puller and small hand axe
___ Tent repair kit
___ Extra tent stakes
___ Pillows
___ Whisk broom and dust pan
___ Camp cots
___ Portable table and chairs

Camping Gear
___ Fire starter sticks
___ Firewood for campfires
___ Folding saw
___ Fuel funnel (if using a liquid fuel lantern or stove)
___ Lantern carry case
___ Lantern tree hanger
___ Long-nosed butane lighter

Personal
___ Camera and film
___ Clothesline
___ Cards and games
___ Flare, mirror, brass whistle
___ Pad, pencil or pen
___ Radio
___ Sunglasses
___ Sunscreen

For more information visit www.coleman.com/outernet

SOURCE Coleman