3D Printing Goes Outdoors During The Pandemic

Charles R. Goulding, Preeti Sulibhavi, and 3D printing take to the great outdoors.

Since the inception of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the summer’s warmer weather, we have emphasized the 3D printed outdoor products relevant for today’s times. Here are some of our recent publications illustrating this.

3D Printing For The Great Outdoors

Outdoor Topic	Article Title
Backyard Barbeques	Summer is Here and So Are Backyard BBQs Thanks to 3D Printing
Beach	3D Printing Heads to the Beach
Bicycles	The Great American Bicycle Drought
Boating	3D Printing: Helping Boats Take Flight Marina Consolidations, Boat Rentals and 3D Printing: Smooth Sailing Boatyard 3D Printing
Camping	$9.5 Billion for National Parks & 3D Printing for Camping & Hiking
Fishing	Sport Fishing: Reeling in 3D Printing Practices
Gardening	Growing a 3D Printed Garden Planting Seeds in 3D Printed Planters Help Us Sprout Into Action
Golf	Fore! 3D Printing in Golf
Hiking	3D Printing Hiking Equipment
Pools	Posh Pool Houses and 3D Printing
Recreation Vehicles (RVs)	RVs Take to the Road – And Take to 3D Printing
Scooters	The Iconic Vespa Meets 3D Printing
She-Sheds	3D Printing Makes “She Shed” Dreams Come True
Skiing	3D Printing Hits the Slopes

During the pandemic many people have moved from urban centers to suburbs, which puts them in or near many outdoor recreational areas. People who make capital investments such as boats and RVs are committing to increased outdoor activities for a sustained period as well.

Travel In 2020

AirbnB quickly realized that many of their users wanted to rent vacation homes within a 300-mile driving distance to avoid airplane flights during the pandemic. AirbnB quickly adjusted and pivoted to a new business model. AirbnB also shifted their rentals from short-term stays to longer-term style accommodations (akin to a real estate agency). Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said, “As of January 2020, travel as we used to know it is over – and it’s not coming back.” Airbnb recognizes that they have to pivot to a new strategy that accommodates “travel redistribution” where people are willing to “…get in a car and drive 200 miles,” as opposed to airplane travel. People are not visiting tourist attractions; instead, they are touring National Parks and regional attractions. Those sites often don’t have large hotel chains close by. This is where Chesky is hoping to gain traction with homeowners.

Another growing sector is unique homes. According to Chesky, “Treehouses, Airstreams — anything that’s special, unique, or one-of-a-kind. People want something more private, intimate, smaller.”

In addition to these business model paradigm shifts, Airbnb has also offered assistance to hosts who were impacted by COVID-19 cancellations (i.e., hosts still received 25% of their cancellation fees). In fact, Airbnb worked with members of Congress to get Airbnb hosts written into the CARES Act for potential loans and unemployment relief.

During 2020 with travel-constrained restaurants closed and spectators unable to attend sporting events, many people were able to enjoy a wider range of outdoor activities. Commuters also found themselves with newfound free time to try some new pursuits.

The Great Outdoors

It is hard to get enough of the great outdoors. The compilation of articles above describes 3D printing’s contribution to products that enhance the outdoor experience.