2022 Great American Outdoor Show Round-Up

by
posted on February 10, 2022
2022gaos_sign-1.jpg

The 2022 Great American Outdoor Show is underway right now, with Sunday, February 13 being the final day. Here is an inside look at the show, which is open to the public and located at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

GAOS 2022
Celebrating outdoor traditions treasured by millions of Americans, NRA’s Great American Outdoor Show is one-of-a-kind.


This year’s show boasts more than 1,000 exhibitors demonstrating products and technologies that drive the way we work and play outdoors, along with hunting and fishing outfitters, both domestic and international.​

Upon arrival, I noticed that parking is extremely well organized for a show of this size, with a large main lot and nearby overflow area. While no official attendance numbers for 2022 are available yet, for reference around 179,000 people visited GAOS in 2020.

GAOS entrance
The atmosphere is jovial as a large crowd enters the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex on Tuesday, February 8, for the NRA Great American Outdoor Show.


The Great American Outdoor Show kicks off each morning with the national anthem. On weekdays this occurs at 10:00 a.m. sharp. Attending the show on Tuesday, in the morning after the anthem concluded and the gates opened, I observed long, but fast-moving and orderly lines with crowds that were eager to enter.

One thing is for sure—the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex is a massive venue and you should be prepared to walk for hours at GAOS. This year, the show occupied 650,000 square feet of the cavernous complex. Each hall—shooting sports, archery, outdoor lifestyle and products, hunting outfitters, fishing and boats—is packed to the brim with exhibitors.

Great American Outdoor Show 2022
With 650,000 square feet of exhibit space, the complex was packed with exhibitors, including many of your favorite brands.


Starting with the the shooting sports hall, many popular brands are at GAOS this year, including Smith & Wesson, Savage Arms, Mossberg, SIG Sauer, Taurus, CVA Muzzleloaders, Silencer Central, Magpul and many more.

VP9SK pistol
H&K’s optics-ready VP9SK 9 mm pistol (MSRP: $999), here equipped with a Holosun reflex sight.


Heckler & Koch USA also attended with a large booth in the shooting sports hall. While snapping photos of the new optics-ready VP9SK 9 mm pistol, I spoke with H&K Marketing Specialist Tommy Brooker, who says that GAOS is his favorite show of the year. “It might just be my personal preference, but at a consumer show like GAOS, you can interact with your end users and receive feedback, both positive and negative,” he explains. “At GAOS, it seems like you get a deeper connection with your true advocates and fans of your products. That doesn’t usually happen at dealer shows.”

At the Scholastic Action Shooting Program booth, I caught up with Tokyo 2021 Men’s Air Pistol Olympian, James Hall, who is now working as the group’s director of development for international disciplines. He is impressed by the scope of GAOS, along with the friendly faces. “Personally, this is one of the largest shows that I’ve ever experienced,” says Hall. “The people here are very welcoming. Our team is thoroughly enjoying ourselves at GAOS.”

Yamaha Outdoor
Yamaha Outdoor’s Wolverine RMAX2 1000 Sport (MSRP: $22,599) has a sport-tuned suspension and 14-inch beadlock wheels.


One area I didn’t want to miss was Yamaha Outdoor and the many vehicles on display. My favorite—the 2022 Wolverine RMAX2 1000 Sport. This beauty, with its 999 cc, liquid-cooled four-stroke engine, has a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. Plus, it looks great in Team Yamaha blue with the matching wheels.

Mag Storage Solutions
Mag Storage Solutions had this innovative AR-15 magazine dispenser on display.


While meandering my way to the shooting sports hall exit and the rest of the show, I stopped by the Mag Storage Solutions booth, where an innovative AR-15 magazine holder and dispenser caught my eye.  A clever idea, the dispenser has a large opening at the bottom to make it easy to grab a mag with gloved hands. The normal price for the AR-15 mag dispenser is $195, but the show special price is $160.

GAOS Hunter Outfitter Hall
Heading into the hunter outfitter hall, which may be even more massive than the shooting sports hall.


Moving on to the hunting and fishing halls—there are plenty of outfitters at GAOS to book hunting and fishing trips. It’s only a matter of locating one that’s suitable to your needs. While there are many options available for big-game hunts and fishing charters in Alaska, Africa and other more exotic locations, I also noticed a sizable contingent of East Coast vendors at the show, especially fishing charters from the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva area. (It’s not too far from Harrisburg where the Susquehanna River empties into the northern reaches of the Chesapeake Bay.)

Hawg fish tank at GAOS
Fishing demonstrations are held daily at the Hawg Tank in the fishing hall.


Also located in the fishing hall is the “Hawg Tank,” a massive fish tank trailer with fishing demonstrations held throughout the day. And for the reasonable rate of $5, the trout pond in the fishing hall is a fun way for kids to catch a fish and take a breather from the show.

The Hawg Tank is a GAOS fan-favorite.


One thing everyone will enjoy at this year’s show is the food. Whether it’s the veritable smorgasbord available from food exhibitors in every hall, to the plentiful on-site food vendors located throughout the complex (there’s even a Mexican place sort of hidden near the boat hall), a wide variety of food is available for visitors to sample.

Dock Dogs
Located in the large arena, the Dock Dogs Big Air Dog Jumping events are a sight to behold.


If you’ve ever watched Dock Dogs canine aquatic competition on TV, seeing it in person only enhances the experience. What’s truly remarkable is the connection between dog and trainer—years of hard work are on display during each big air jump. Make time while at GAOS to visit the Dock Dogs arena.

As for the seminar docket, available courses range from trophy elk hunting tips to cooking and dressing wild game and fish. The schedule also includes concealed carry classes conducted by NRA Competitive Shooting Division Director Cole McCulloch, who is instructing for the eighth consecutive year at GAOS. He is an enthusiastic supporter of the show. “The NRA Great American Outdoor Show is fantastic,” says McCulloch. “If you’ve never been to see this, be sure to put it on your calendar!”

GAOS archery hall
While I didn’t spend much time there, the archery hall is packed with exhibitors and next door is the 3D Bowhunter Challenge.


This round-up is just a small sample of everything there is to see and do at the Great American Outdoor Show. If you can’t make it to this year’s show, keep it in mind for February 2023.

The 2022 Great American Outdoor Show will run through Sunday, February 13. Learn more at greatamericanoutdoorshow.org.


Read more: 2022 NRA Annual Meeting In Houston

Latest

2024 USPSA Multigunnationals 1
2024 USPSA Multigunnationals 1

USPSA Multigun Nationals: A New Lease On Life For Hit Factor

The single biggest change to the 2024 USPSA Multigun Nationals from last year was to score the match Hit Factor.

The U.S. National Rifle Team’s Voyage To The West Indies Fullbore Championships

U.S. shooters dominated in the individual shooting divisions at the 2024 West Indies Fullbore Championships, held Oct. 28 to Nov. 2 in Guyana.

Nighthawk Custom: A Legacy Of Craftsmanship And Excellence

Nighthawk Custom offers solid products, with a history of innovation for its customer-focused designs, including the BDS9 handgun.

Collegiate Rifle: Western Trip Yields Big Results For Akron

The first of two rifle matches last weekend resulted in Akron upsetting Air Force.

Review: Vortex Venom 1-6X 24 mm Optic And Pro Extended Cantilever Mount

Vortex’s Venom 1-6X 24 mm riflescope with the Pro Extended Cantilever Mount is a winning combination for competitive carbine shooters.

Competitors’ Corner: December 2024

Highlights from the December 2024 issue of Shooting Sports USA, the NRA’s competitive shooting journal.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.