To an extent I think it's more or less a niche hobby. Sure, there's always a market for outdoor enthusiasts, but I'd bet many are still faithful to brick and mortar type brands and likely that may have carried on into this age of online shopping. Sadly a lot of these folks will never see the light, so to speak and break away from Petzl and mainstream brands like that.
Also, many kids in this day and age simply are spending less time outside and are more mesmerized by Internet, Xbox, tablets etc. It's unfortunate but there's quite a lot of "tech distractions" and simple outdoor activities are becoming less common.
Now, this is purely my opinion but people now seem a lot more nosy and paranoid now. Years ago, someone walking down the street with a flashlight would be seen as just taking a leisurely stroll. But now, many would assume it's someone up to no good and the police should be called. We live in a different time now, for sure.