In early July, I went to Northern Europe (Norway and Sweden) to shoot photos for next year's catalog.

Use your free time to check out local outdoor stores.

This is the pro shop "SPORTSNETT.NO" in Oslo, the capital of Norway.

The store is made up of three floors, with the first floor selling apparel,

B1F: Shoes and skis

2nd floor with Zack

Headlamps and gear lined up.

Some of the latest models of Black Diamond are in stock,

As for PETZL, there were surprisingly many older models lined up.

Norrona, based in Scandinavia

It has a stylish and clean feel. The history of NORRONA is displayed at the entrance.

There is an elevator inside the store

When I went to the local store, I noticed that they displayed items by color, which is not common in Japan. In Japan, it is common to display items in different colors or sizes of the same shape. That's what I found interesting.

And this is the sports store "G-SPORT"

FJALL RAVEN is another brand that has its roots in Scandinavia. It seems that all the locals love FJALL RAVEN.

This store had LED LENSER in BLACK DIAMOND and SILVA, but PETZL was nowhere to be seen.

And then there's the mass retailer "XXL."

The first floor is for all sports, and the second floor is for hunting, fishing, and outdoor activities.

LUPINE, a German manufacturer of "WE ARE THE LIGHT," is not often seen in Japan. I first learned about it about two years ago, and since then, it has been gaining momentum. It's very expensive, but I get the impression that they make really good products.

To be continued.