Moosejaw Launches ‘Virtual Reality’ Outdoors App

Moosejaw, a top online retailer, is betting on virtual reality to distinguish itself and captivate its customers with a suite of interactive content and associated ‘games’ in which you can win gear.

The Moosejaw Virtual Reality App offers a unique experience, delivering breathtaking interactive landscapes filmed with 360-degree cameras in Moab, Utah. In a bold move, Moosejaw has put substantial development behind the project and is hoping to see 100,000 downloads to engage outdoor consumers in a whole new way.

Get the free app for your for iPhone now (Android version still in the works).

The VR ‘Experience’

Four virtual “experiences” are available through the app: rock climbing, trail running, backcountry hiking, and hangin’ by a river. (Spoiler alert: this one turns into a wacky dance party, in true Moosejaw fashion.)

Once you’re in the app, click on the experience that speaks to you and transport yourself into the wild. The video fills up your screen and you simply move your phone to catch the action all around. I was sitting when I first jumped into the ‘Bridging Moab’ rock climbing experience, but quickly found myself standing so I could turn all around and see the entire panoramic view up at the top.

These experiences are legit. World famous climbers helped with the rock climb shoot, the trail running video follows a rad trail in southern Utah, and the hiking one sets up camp on an awesome red rock ledge. Each is three to four minutes long and can be enjoyed, according to Moosejaw, “while still in your underwear.”

The video is clear, the gear is high-end, and it truly makes you want to book a flight to Utah. For an even more immersive experience, grab a Moosejaw Google Cardboard (free at Moosejaw.com with any purchase), slide your phone in the back, and look through the lens at a three-dimensional southern Utah.

Gamification

Moosejaw gamified the experience by offering five questions on each video. Once you sign in, you’re able to enter the contest to earn badges and compete against others to win a $500 Moosejaw Gift Card and gear.

The idea is to answer all five questions as fast as you can with as little incorrect answers as possible. Answers to the questions are gathered subtly from the experience, forming a fun and addicting hunt for clues.

A leaderboard ranks users by number of points gathered (from correctly answered questions) and by fastest times.

2016 Summer Catalog

The Virtual Reality App was launched as a fun engagement, but also as a unique vehicle to show the company’s 2016 Summer Catalog, which reflects its bigger investment in the gear category and the launch of the Moosejaw clothing line.

Items like Merrell All Out Crush shoes, Suunto Ambit3 Sport HR Watch, Arc’teryx Psiphon FL Hoody, Osprey Xenith 88 Pack, MSR Guardian Purifier Pump, Patagonia Baggies Shorts, and Petzl Sitta Harness are in the catalog and videos (and are available at Moosejaw.com).

More To Come

Over the next few months, Moosejaw plans to unveil all kinds of other experiences, from yoga to skiing, ice climbing, mountaineering, kayaking, and more. These additional experiences equal more chances to win gear and more hours spent spinning around with your phone.

Bigfoot, a pirate, a gorilla, and other characters make random appearances, just to spice things up. Because, as Moosejaw’s CEO Eoin Comerford put it, “Actual reality is overrated.”

–This post was sponsored by Moosejaw.com. Check out its Virtual Reality App in the Apple App Store today and view its online catalog here.