BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	6 Months Ended
BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	Mar. 27, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are unaudited. In the opinion of management, these statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring items) necessary to present fairly the financial position of Johnson Outdoors Inc. and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) as of March 27, 2020 and March 29, 2019, and their results of operations for the three and six month periods then ended and cash flows for the six month periods then ended. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2019 which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 6, 2019. Due to seasonal variations and other factors, some of which are described herein, including related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and resulting pandemic, the results of operations for the three and six months ended March 27, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the Company’s full 2020 fiscal year. See “Seasonality” in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included elsewhere herein for additional information. The Company considers all short-term investments in interest-bearing accounts and all securities and other instruments with an original maturity of three months or less, to be equivalent to cash. Cash equivalents are stated at cost which approximates market value. Short-term investments consist of certificates of deposit with original maturities greater than three months but less than one year. All monetary amounts, other than share and per share amounts, are stated in thousands.
Recently adapted and issued accounting pronouncements	Recently adopted accounting pronouncements In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). In July 2018, the FASB also issued ASU 2018-10 Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases and ASU 2018-11 Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements. In February 2019, the FASB also issued ASU 2019-01 Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. This ASU and the updates to this ASU require organizations to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to disclose key information about leasing arrangements. This guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020, and may be applied through a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements with certain practical expedients available. The Company adopted the provisions of these ASU's using the modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2020, coinciding with the standard's effective date. The additional disclosures required by the ASU and its updates are included in Note 18 "Leases" of these Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), which allows for a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. ASU No. 2018-02 was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The ASU allowed for early adoption in any interim period after issuance of the update. The Company early adopted the ASU in the second quarter of fiscal 2019, and elected not to make this optional reclassification. Recently issued accounting pronouncements In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326)” and also issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance under ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04 and ASU 2019-05 (collectively Topic 326). Topic 326 requires the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost. This replaces the existing incurred loss model with an expected loss model and requires the use of forward-looking information to calculate credit loss estimates. The amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for certain amendments. Topic 326 must be adopted by applying a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. The Company does not expect adoption of the new guidance to have a significant impact on its financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans (Topic 715), which modifies the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined pension or postretirement plans. The amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance on its disclosures. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740)—Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. ASU 2019-12 is intended to simplify accounting for income taxes. It removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect adoption of the new guidance to have a significant impact on its financial statements.
Revenues	REVENUES Adoption of Topic 606 In the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and all subsequent ASUs that modified accounting standards Topic 606 using the modified retrospective adoption method. Upon adoption, the Company recorded a right to returns asset of $763 and a corresponding increase in the accrued return liability, resulting in an accrued returns liability of $2,725. The adoption of this new revenue standard did not otherwise have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements, and the timing and amount of its revenue recognition remained substantially unchanged under this new guidance. Revenue recognition Revenue is recognized when obligations under the terms of a contract with our customer are satisfied; generally this occurs with the transfer of control of our goods at a point in time based on shipping terms and transfer of title. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring goods. The amount of consideration received can vary, primarily because of customer incentive or rebate arrangements. The Company estimates variable consideration based on the expected value of total consideration to which customers are likely to be entitled based on historical experience and projected market expectations. Included in the estimate is an assessment as to whether any variable consideration is constrained. Revenue estimates are adjusted at the earlier of a change in the expected value of consideration or when the consideration becomes fixed. For all contracts with customers, the Company has not adjusted the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component as the period between the transfer of the promised goods and the customer's payment is expected to be one year or less. Sales are made on normal and customary short-term credit terms, generally ranging from 30 to 90 days, or upon delivery of point of sale transactions. Sales, value add, and other taxes we collect concurrent with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue. The Company enters into contractual arrangements with customers in the form of individual customer orders which specify the goods, quantity, pricing, and associated order terms. The Company does not have contracts which are satisfied over time. Due to the nature of these contracts, no significant judgment exists in relation to the identification of the customer contract, satisfaction of the performance obligation, or transaction price. The Company expenses incremental costs of obtaining a contract due to the short-term nature of the contracts. Estimated costs of returns, allowances and discounts, based on historic experience, are accrued as a reduction to sales when revenue is recognized. The Company provides customers the right to return eligible products under certain circumstances. At March 27, 2020, the right to returns asset was $1,349 and the accrued returns liability was $4,273. At March 29, 2019, the right to returns asset was $1,391 and the accrued returns liability was $4,506. The Company also offers assurance-type warranties relating to its products sold to end customers that continue to be accounted for under ASC 460 Guarantees. The Company generally accounts for shipping and handling activities as a fulfillment activity, consistent with the timing of revenue recognition; that is, when a customer takes control of the transferred goods. In the event that a customer were to take control of a product upon or after shipment, the Company has made an accounting policy election to treat such shipping and handling activities as a fulfillment cost. Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are included in "Net Sales," and shipping and handling costs are recognized within "Marketing and selling expenses" in the same period the related revenue is recognized. The Company has a wide variety of seasonal, outdoor recreation products used primarily for fishing from a boat, diving, paddling, hiking and camping, that are sold to a variety of customers in multiple end markets. Nonetheless, the revenue recognition policies are similar among all the various products sold by the Company. See Note 16 for required disclosures of disaggregated revenue.