New Straits Times - Malaysia News Online

New Straits Times - Malaysia News Online

Whether you are into mountain climbing, water sports or headed for the extreme outdoors, you can now get outfitted at a speciality store in Petaling Jaya. SAM CHEONG finds out how it got started.

LEONG Dee Lu is living out her passion for the outdoors by setting up Climbing and Outdoor Recreation Sdn Bhd, a specialty store that sells high-end outdoor equipment.

She made the decision in February to open the store, and has not looked back. Leong, 32, said one of her friend had asked about her long-term plans after leaving the service industry and her immediate response was to "set up shop".

But before she embarked on this, she did extensive research by travelling to the US and Europe where she studied the layout at specialty stores which cater to climbers, hikers and campers.

Her quest for knowledge also took her to Seattle, US, which is known as the "Outdoor Industry Capital" of the world. There, she visited the State’s retail store and eventually landed herself a factory tour of Mountain Safety Research Incorporated (MSR) which is one of the most respected manufacturers of mountaineering and outdoor equipment in the world.

"A friend of mine, who designed tents for the company, had hosted my stay. He even showed me around some cool outlets in Seattle. I found the experience to be an advantage for me to set up a retail outlet here."

What started out as a journey to satisfy her own curiosity finally paid off with the new store which is located at 42, Jalan SS2/24, in Petaling Jaya. Some of her women colleagues joined her to manage the store which opened in June.

"We are still in the midst of stocking up more than 70 brands which are reputable outdoor gear. Among the merchandise that we sell here are water-sports equipment like kayaks, adventure luggage, camping equipment, climbing harnesses and clothing."

The store also imports outdoor clothing for women, under the "Wild Roses" brand from Italy. Leong said the clothes have inner and outer layering for extreme cold temperatures and are priced from RM100-RM3,000.

"I encountered mixed reaction from my customers when they found out about our pricing. What is important here is comfort and protection provided by the clothes in temperate countries.

"If you are heading to a country like Nepal unprepared, with temperatures dipping down to 5°C during nightfall, no one is going to sell you a jacket.

"Well, a lot of Malaysians spend their holidays abroad. But many are still unaware of outdoor apparel made with lightweight space-age materials," said Leong. Most of the products at Climbing and Outdoor Recreation Euipment Sdn Bhd are for adventure travellers who seek the best.

Many of the popular brands are imported into the country directly and through a network of local distributors.

"Customers don’t have to pay for shipping charges as if they ordered them from internet retailers abroad, which would have been more expensive. We aim to cater to as many people as possible. We’ll make it work by listening to them and give them advice for their specific needs."

Leong said she saw the potential of setting up a retail outlet because there is a good demand for high-performance equipment among local consumers.

She also hand-picked her crew who are themselves nature and water-sport guides. Two of the women in her team are respected climbers while the rest of her staff have their own expertise in the field of wilderness first-aid and white-water paddling.

"It is very important for us to product-train our staff so that they can provide the right advice for our customers. Apart from selling the equipment, we also gather feedback from the users and improve our knowledge base.

"Customer feedback is very important to us." She has also roped in some adventure travel operators to help her customers make full use of their gear. "We will also be holding talks and presentations by some of our friends who are experts in the outdoor scene as a service to our clients."

Leong hopes to develop her business with a larger retail space. She said more renowned brands will be added to the store's line-up.

"We are making room for more of the good stuff. One of the brands that we have secured from a local distributor is ‘North Face’ from the US which is highly reputed for their clothing and adventure luggage. And someday I hope to establish our outlet as the equivalent of Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) in the US which is a household name in retailing outdoor goods," she said.

You can call the store at 03-78735560, visit their website at www.mycorezone.com or email info@mycorezone.com.

Kayaks, knapsacks and bomb-proof shoes

WE scoured the aisles of Climbing and Outdoor Recreation Sdn Bhd in Petaling Jaya and found some really cool gear ranging from RM30 travel accessories to RM1,600 hiking boots.
Every item is unique as it is not available anywhere else in the Klang Valley.
On the shelf in the front row we came upon an array of Swiss-made SIG aluminium beverage containers in various colours, shapes and sizes. And for the discerning traveller, there are some really cool gadgets for you to convert your laptop’s powersource plug at any destination in the world.
The store is laid out in such a way that only the basic "goodies" are displayed at the ground-level and these include flashlights, pocket knives, knapsacks, backpacks, water-tight packs, kayaks both rigid and inflatable, cooler boxes and lightweight travel garments.
On the top floor, you’ll find some serious stuff. There’s a special area where climbers can test the strength of their harness and carabiners. A small section here is dedicated to Mountain Safety Research's award-winning multifuel stoves priced from RM500 and above.
You’ll also find water purification tools like the MSR miniworks and the space-age MIOX sterilisation unit which saw plenty of action at tsunami-affected areas in Southeast Asia. A complete range of MSR cooksets is also available here.
One of the main draw here, is the Austrian-manufactured Komperdell walking poles which have been proven an effective tool in preventing knee injuries for hikers. There’s an extensive range of these awesome poles at the store.
If you are looking for a pair of "bomb-proof" shoes, there are the Bestard hiking boots from Spain.
These shoes range from RM590-RM1,600 and one of the models are kevlar-reinforced for wear-resistance. Kevlar is a lightweight synthetic material used in fabricating combat helmets and bullet-proof vests.