Canadian Tire executives were happy campers Thursday after reporting a strong third quarter on the back of strong sales in outdoor adventure goods, from tents and coolers to sleeping bags and portable stoves.

Despite the gloomy tone of late in the retail industry, the Toronto-based retailer was buoyant about the performance of most of its divisions from sports gear to financial services over the summer months. The company reported a 20.5 per cent increase in profit compared to the same period last year.

HOLY CRAP, a 20% increase in profits