SIA Snow Show 2017 Day 2

SIA

SNOW SHOW DAILY

DAY 2

PUBLISHED BY ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA JANUARY 27, 2017

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE 2017 SIA SNOW SHOW

connecting with customers

Follow

forging closer ties with the user in an online age 670 posts

300k followers

2,345 following

(p. 20)

Elevated Kickoff

Antarctic explorer Grant Korgan opens the show on a high note. (p. 3)

Brand Update

News from K2 on its potential sale and Rossignol and Fischer on their new collab. (p. 6)

Future of Snow

Climate change and what it means for the snow sports industry. (p. 14)

All Grown Up Youth gear and apparel get a more sophisticated touch for 2017-18. (p. 32-36)

Cheers!

Use our guide to find a cold brew afterhours. (p. 41)

THE BEST GETS BETTER From the guides of La Grave to the podium of the Freeride World Tour, the iconic 7 SERIES has redefined freeride with an award-winning fusion of ultra-lightweight innovation and uncompromising performance. And now, after endless accolades, and the addition of our highdefinition Carbon Alloy Matrix, freeride will evolve yet again.

Completely redesigned from tip-to-tail, the 100%, all-new 7 SERIES ushers in another era of Rossignol technical innovation: Air Tip 2.0. A new, reinforced 3D structure and fully-integrated Air Tip construction that’s lighter, stronger, and designed to push the boundaries of freeride even further.

IN THE ISSUE | UP FRONT

CONTENTS

MADE IN NORWAY SINCE 1879

3 SHOW NEWS

30 NEW EXHIBITORS

8 PHOTOS

38 ALPINE RENTAL

Grant Korgan; Doc DesRoches award; going for a record; a wall of splitboards.

Snaps from the aisles.

14 THE FUTURE OF SNOW

We'll still have plenty of long, hard winters, just not the way they used to be.

20 CLOSE TIES

How specialty shops and brands are keeping customer connections at retail alive.

28 MARKET TRENDS

Alpine equipment sales grow; the AT market remains a bright spot.

Top Trends 32 Youth Ski Gear 34 Youth Snowboard Gear 36 Junior Apparel 40 Accessories

A look at some of the fresh faces gracing the Show floor this year.

Companies focus on step-up models to turn newcomers into lifelong skiers.

41 APRÈS: BEER

When the Show closes, grab a cold one in one of the top beer cities in the country.

42 EXHIBITOR LIST 44 WISH LIST

Our picks for gear and accessories.

46 SHOW NEWS

Greening of snow sports; Dean Cummings on backcountry safety; K2 Apparel launch; and athlete-powered marketing.

50 EVENT CALENDAR 52 QUESTION OF THE DAY

COVER: Courtesy of Buckeye Sports, Milosport, Ski Pro Ride Shop, Panda Sport

SNOW SHOW DAILY PUBLISHER Andy Hawk EDITOR Lindsay Konzak ART DIRECTORS Jackie McCaffrey Bradley, Eleanor Williamson PHOTOGRAPHERS Bailey LaRue, Madison Rahhal CONTRIBUTORS Eugene Buchanan, Krista Crabtree, M.T. Elliott, Ben Gavelda, Courtney Holden, Brigid Mander, Elizabeth Miller, Peter Oliver, Helen Olsson, Eric Smith, Michael Sudmeier, Morgan Tilton, Bevin Wallace, Dave Zook ADVERTISING SALES Sharon Burson, Andy Hawk ADVERTISING COORDINATOR/EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Lori Ostrow GROUP PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Barb Van Sickle PRODUCTION Caitlin O’Connor PREPRESS TECHNICIAN Idania Mentana Read the digital version of the Snow Show Daily at snewsnet.com or snowsports.org.

SNOW SHOW DAILY IS PART OF ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA’S OUTDOOR GROUP Allen Crolius, Vice President of Sales and Marketing ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301 EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN Efrem Zimbalist III PRESIDENT & CEO Andrew W. Clurman SVP, TREASURER, AND CFO Michael Henry EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Patricia B. Fox SVP, DIGITAL & DATA Jonathan Dorn VICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER Joseph Cohen VICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH Kristy Kaus

BOOTH #829

Copyright 2017 by Snow Show Daily

SHOW NEWS | AT THE SHOW

THE POWER OF POSITIVITY Grant Korgan opens the Show. By Helen Olsson

THE DATE BOOK

Headlined by adventurer, nanoscientist and professional ath-

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

lete Grant Korgan, yesterday’s Opening Morning Breakfast was a rousing call to optimism in the snow sports industry. The presentation, “Turning Attitude into Action – Possibility through Positivity,” included several inspirational videos of Korgan’s life, tragedy and recovery.

The presentation kicked off with a video address from Squaw CEO Andy Wirth, who was unable to attend in person due to the death of a Squaw ski patroller on Tuesday.

In 2010, Korgan sustained a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down in a snowmobile accident sustained while filming 25 miles deep in the backcountry. While in recovery, he told the audience, he sat watching a helicopter bringing accident victims to the hospital. He vowed then to not only walk again but to heli-ski. “Simply put, I told myself, I’ll do whatever it takes,” said Korgan, who walked to the stage with the help of two canes.

He challenged the room to see the good in life and choose to focus on the positive. “Never waste a single moment thinking hope is lost. We are not defined by what happens in our life; we’re defined by how we deal with it. Choose positivity.”

Indeed, Hiball energy drinks invited Korgan to Baldface Lodge to heli-ski in British Columbia. A video showed Korgan arcing turns in a sit-ski and getting “in the barrel” faceshots. “I cried at the bottom,” Korgan said. “That’s the power of being in snow.”

Several months after the accident, Roy Tuscany came to visit Korgan and asked if he could sit in Korgan’s wheelchair. “Because you’re not going to need it,” said Tuscany, who is the founder of High Fives Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping action sports athletes who suffer life-altering injuries with both inspira-

Today's Not-to-Miss Events Protect Our Winters Breakfast & Bloodies: Dr. Naomi Oreskes, 7:30-9 a.m., Mile High Ballroom

▲ THE HIGH FIVES FOUNDATION PRESENTED ADVENTURER GRANT KORGAN, WHO GAVE AN UPLIFTING PRESENTATION TO OPEN DAY 1 OF THE SHOW.

tion and financial support. Tuscany founded High Fives in 2009 after he broke his own back at Mammoth. “I went 130 feet on a 100-foot jump,” he said. High Fives has helped 146 athletes in 27 states, including providing grants to Korgan. “Even though I had the best (health) insurance, High Fives was there as a safety net,” Korgan said.

Korgan, who now regularly surfs, kayaks and skis, raised $25,000 for High Fives, bringing things full circle. To raise money, he crossed Lake Tahoe in a one-man outrigger canoe in a record 14 hours and 15 minutes.

Korgan also talked yesterday about a 2012 guided trip to the South Pole. In the sub-zero temps, Korgan’s skis wouldn’t slide. “It was like Velcro on Styrofoam,” he said. But persevere he did. “I was yelling affirmations through my frozen beard: ‘I am strong; I am healed; I am unbreakable.’” Korgan closed his speech by having the SIA audience shout out in unison: “I am unbreakable!”

▲ SIA AND USSA PRESENTED THE DOC DESROCHES AWARD TO STOCKLI. PICTURED: MIKE JAQUET, CMO, USSA; GEORGE COUPERTHWAIT OF STOCKLI; FLORIAN SZWEBEL OF THE U.S. SKI TEAM; TIGER SHAW, CEO, USSA; AND SIA'S NICK SARGENT.

Amazon Selling, Chip Neff, Neff Headwear, 10-11 a.m., I+I Live, Booth #677 Serving Newbies in the Rental Department, 1-2 p.m., Booth #4307 Free Custom bigtruck Hats, 3-5 p.m., Giro, Booth #3354 Obermeyer 70th Anniversary Celebration with SIA, 5 p.m., The Bridge View all events on page 50.

▲ THE DOC DESROCHES AWARD IS PRESENTED ANNUALLY BY SIA AND USSA TO RECOGNIZE A NATIONAL TEAM SUPPLIER FOR INNOVATION IN MARKETING THE TEAM.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 2 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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AT THE SHOW | SHOW NEWS

TRAILHEAD FIX Carabiner Coffee's mission is to bring caffeine to the backcountry. By Bevin Wallace About two and a half years ago, Erik Gordon bought a ’71 VW bay-window bus and started traveling around to trailhead parking areas making coffee for climbers. “You can sell coffee anywhere; everybody loves it,” Gordon said from Booth #2517 in Trail Gate on Thursday. “Plus I love talking to people.”

Once he ran out of coffee, Gordon would join his fellow climbers on the trails and the rocks. That traveling barista in a microbus became Carabiner Coffee, and now Gordon and his crew are taking their brew to backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Since Gordon spends most of the winter in Salt Lake City, you will most likely find a Carabiner Coffee van parked at Utah trailheads such as Grizzly Gulch near Alta and White Pine near Sandy. But you can always check the company website’s van-finder feature to get your fix.

“We got our start in the climbing community, but we’ve been waiting to get into the snow sports industry,” Gordon says. “Backcountry skiing is exploding right now, and I’m a big splitboarder. When SIA contacted us, we were psyched.” The company has a strong partnership with Goal Zero, whose booth is right next door in the Trail Gate section of the Show.

“Its mission is aligned with ours, and we’re using our booth partly to promote renewables,” Gordon said.

As for the coffee, Carabiner keeps it simple. “We always have dark, medium and light, and just drip coffee — no cream,” Gordon said. (The lack of cream is not because hardcore backcountry dudes don’t need it, or even because of veganism; rather it’s easier from a health code perspective.) In addition to its “fleet” of three vintage Volkswagens, Carabiner Coffee sells its Boulder-roasted beans — which are ethically sourced from Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Sumatra — T-shirts and handmade ceramic mugs at carabinercoffee.com.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS?

Guinness bid highlights importance of ski/snowboard lessons. By Eric Smith Mary Jo Tarallo, executive director of the Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month and Bring a Friend initiatives, helped spearhead an

attempt by resorts across the U.S. and Canada on Jan. 6 to set a Guinness World Record for the largest (ski and snowboard) lesson. The attempt attracted a record number of “qualifying participants” — almost 1,000 skiers and more than 500 snowboarders — taking a ski or snowboard lesson. But while the numbers are enough to set a new mark, Tarallo said, Guinness has strict verification standards.

The idea of attempting this world record came from Hugh Reynolds of SNOW Operating, who is sending materials to Guinness this week. “We may have the numbers, but the final determination rests with Guinness,” Reynolds said. Organizers expect to find out if they broke the record in the next couple of months.

Snow Show Daily sat down with Tarallo to discuss the world’s largest lesson attempt and the event’s importance for growing skiing and snowboarding as it raises awareness of professional lessons.

How many times have you guys attempted to break the record? How close have you gotten?

This was the second time. We actually had the numbers last year but not the documentation to prove it.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

You added Canada this year; was that critical for increasing the numbers?

It was not critical to get our numbers up. The key is submitting the required documentation.

We estimate our overall numbers are about the same as last year on average — about 6,000. A much smaller percentage qualifies.

What’s it like working with Guinness on getting a record verified?

Unless you are willing to pay a fee ($9,000) you have to communicate with Guinness via their website. So it is tricky.

How does this event raise awareness of the importance of professional lessons?

We get an amazing amount of media coverage for the events all over the country. Most of the publicity is generated by our partners, so this is a collaborative effort. The resorts are the ones that stage this event, and it’s a great way to get the public’s attention. It’s a good hook.

Read more about the industry's efforts to grow participation in the Day 3 Snow Show Daily.

BAILEY LARUE

Why attempt this record?

The world’s largest lesson is positioned as the unofficial kickoff for Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month. It attracts a lot of attention to our website even before January begins. The Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month site is the only industry site totally dedicated to beginners. The dropout rate (for skiers and snowboarders) is very high — 85 percent — compared to the number of people who take a lesson and stick with it.

SHOW NEWS | AT THE SHOW

Family Day.

SPLIT DISPLAY

Spark R&D brings brands together. By Morgan Tilton Everyone at the Show is excited to create. At the end of the day, what consumers

BAILEY LARUE

like, they’ll buy. Regardless, “I don’t sense a lot of competition in the building,” said Spark R&D Owner and Chief Designer Will Ritter. “This is one of the few chances a year when we can all hang out as peers.”

Ritter wanted to tap into that rare opportunity to combine forces: At the end of last year’s Snow Show, he realized there was a ton of artistic real estate at the Spark booth.

Previously, brand banners hung across the walls — but it was redundant. In a come-one, come-all approach, Ritter invited splitboard manufacturers to loan two models for a wall display, a collective collaboration that celebrates the niche as a whole.

“We knew it would be a pain in the ass to gather all of the boards on time, so we started emailing brands four months ago,” Ritter said. About a dozen boards were mailed straight to the office. From Never Summer to Weston, Chimera and countless other brands, close to 40 boards now hang in representation of about 20 companies.

Bindings are tactfully paired with a few of the boards on display, which demonstrates a complementary aesthetic product display that a retailer could use in its own shop.

The project is also an appreciative gesture to brands that use Spark’s bindings for their ski-resort demos or sell them in their store. The end result hasn’t been without big attention: “It’s been so great to see all of the boards in one place — for the first and only time — and to see people’s eyes tractor beam across the wall,” Ritter said. Don’t miss the debut splitboard spotlight at Booth #2475.

80 Years Of Gloves For Every Day. Hestra has been making gloves since 1936 in Hestra, Sweden. Now, in our 4th generation as a family owned company we still focus on using the same high standards of quality leather and craftsmanship that Great-Grand Father Martin Magnusson insisted on from day one.

Photo: Kent Malm

Booth #1824

hestragloves.com

AT THE SHOW | PHOTOS

SHOW SNAPS Photos from the aisles of the 2017 Snow Show

▲ SMILES FROM DPS SKIS' MACKENZIE JONES AND MATT STUMPHF

▲ AARON LEBOWITZ, ELLIE TURNER AND ALEXANDER LEFTERI LIVIN' THE LIFE IN THE SOULMOTION SNOWSURF BUS.

▲ CHRIS ANTHONY WITH TOM FRICKE OF KYSL RADIO.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

▲ CAMILLA, 2, ENJOYS THE SMALL BUSINESS SEMINAR.

▲ TESSA CAUDLE OF SPORT OBERMEYER SETS THE STAGE.

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

▲ CUTE AND COZY.

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

▲ NO ICING AT THE SOS OUTREACH CHARITY HOCKEY GAME.

▲ THE FOLKS AT TORCH FRICTION GEAR WANT TO WARM YOU UP.

▲ SHAPING SNOWBOARDS AT STONEY SURFERS.

▲ AND WE'RE OFF: THE SHOW FLOOR WAS BUSY ON THE FIRST DAY OUT.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 2 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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AT THE SHOW | PHOTOS

▲ FAMILY TIES: GEORGE DENISE, GEORGE DENISE JR., DARIEL DENISE & KATHY DENISE AT RENTAL WORLD/BACKSHOP BREAKFAST.

▲ MIKE KELLY FROM OUTDOOR RESEARCH MAKES HIMSELF AT HOME IN OR'S TINY HOUSE IN TRAIL GATE.

▲ THE PEOPLE AT TURTLE FUR KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

▲ THE POWER OF TRACTION AT THE DUE NORTH BOOTH.

▲ GIRO SEWED UP CUSTOM BIGTRUCK HATS AT THEIR BOOTH.

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

▲ K2 PRESENTED ITS LONG-STANDING RETAILER SKI CELLAR WITH A 70TH ANNIVERSARY GIFT: CUSTOM SKIS AND A BIRTHDAY CAKE. HERE, DOMINIC MCKENNA PRESENTS THE SURPRISE.

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AT THE SHOW | SHOW NEWS

What’s on the horizon for the iconic snow sports brand. By Lindsay Konzak In late 2016, K2 Sports’s parent company Newell announced it would be selling the brand in 2017. But K2’s leaders

told Snow Show Daily it’s business as usual at the iconic brand. We spoke with Alex Draper, vice president of global marketing for K2, about the potential sale; what the brand is showing off at this year’s Snow Show; and how it involves all of its stakeholders — athletes, the K2 Alliance, retailers and customers — in product development.

Is there anything new to announce regarding the potential sale of K2 Sports?

Everything is going according to plan so no new news at this point.

What message do you want to send to your retail partners regarding the potential sale of the business?

It is great to see that our retail partners understand the benefits that new ownership will bring to K2. From all of us at K2, thank you for the overwhelming support.

At this stage, what are the chances any of the brands under K2 would be shuttered? What can you tell Snow Show attendees to ease or address any concerns they might have?

This outcome is extremely unlikely.

Newell has hired world-renowned experts to complete this transaction including the accounting firm of Ernst & Young, the investment banking firm of Goldman Sachs and the law firm of Jones Day. It is our firm belief that a transaction will be completed successfully and our portfolio of brands will have the opportunity to flourish with new owners in the not-too-distant future. During this transition, K2 Sports continues with investments in staff, services, facilities and product development in an effort to return to the leadership it enjoyed for so many years around the world.

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What are you most excited to show off in terms of product innovation at this year’s Snow Show?

Our new Konic series skis have been engineered to bring a new level of control, power and precision to groomed-run skiing while maintaining the intuitive feel that K2 is known for.

We are also making comprehensive use of Thermic heaters in our ski-boot line to bring comfort plus the performance benefits of keeping your feet warm.

What’s on the horizon?

We are focused on innovation in all aspects of our business. Our product team has several exciting new innovations that we will be launching over the next few years. Equally exciting are the innovations we are working on to better serve our retailers and consumers.

You’ve put a lot of focus on women’s gear. Why is this market so important and where are you putting your energy in terms of gear catering to this demographic?

K2 has been a pioneer in advancing women’s skiing product and communication. The K2 Alliance was formed in the early 2000s to create a global network of women to drive and inspire every aspect of our women’s collection. It remains the focal point of our efforts to this day. Keeping women excited about winter sports is critical to keeping families on the mountains, which is what we need to maintain our culture over the long run.

SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

When building a team of athletes to represent K2, what are you looking for? Do you have any announcements about changes to the team for the next year?

We look for athletes who share our viewpoint of skiing and snowboarding and who create ways to get people stoked about getting out on the mountain.

Sean Pettit is a great example. On top of being an incredible skier, he is always looking to create something we haven’t seen before. We were excited to add Joss Christensen recently and are looking forward to his run at another Olympic gold. We feel the team is really strong right now and are always looking to add new talented, creative athletes to make it even stronger.

You continue to add models to your Factory Team collection — why do you view this freer approach to product development as important to your overall line?

Our athletes, Alliance, retailers and customers are all important to shaping the future of our product. With the Factory Team collection, we lean heavily on the input of our athletes who are creating new visions of what skiing can be and what product they need to achieve it. The new Catamaran ski, driven by Sean Pettit and Pep Fujas, uses a new asymmetrical design with a longer inside edge for stability and float and a shorter outside edge for great maneuverability.

THE NEWS

Marker, Dalbello and Völkl Announce Branding as MDV Sports Marker, Dalbello and Völkl are rolling out a new, shared identity: MDV Sports. The alliance reflects the companies’ increasingly tight cooperation in the areas of R&D, production, sales and marketing.

“Each of our three brands has its own history and identity. That will remain unchanged,” said Jonathan Wiant, global president for the Marker Dalbello Völkl brands.

“What unites them is a shared spirit — the never-ending drive for innovative solutions that deliver better on-snow experience.”

Jean Vuarnet, 83, Dies Jean Vuarnet, the French ski champion and founder of Vuarnet sunglasses, passed away on Jan. 2, 2017, at the age of 83. Vuarnet was the 1960 Winter Olympics downhill gold medalist and was a seven-time French champion. In 1959 a French optician offered Vuarnet a pair of sunglasses with a mineral glass lens, which the skier wore in the 1960 Olympics. After this victory, the two men created the Vuarnet brand of eyewear.

PSIA-AASI Partners with VW The Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors announced that Volkswagen is the new PSIA-AASI Official Supplier in the automobile category. PSIA-AASI members can get special pricing, and VW will provide a new customwrapped Golf Alltrack to each of the group's nine divisions.

MADISON RAHHAL

THE FUTURE OF K2

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FEATURE | THE FUTURE OF WINTER SERIES

IN THE 2015-16 SEASON, MAD RIVER GLEN IN FAYSTON, VT., WAS OPEN JUST 33 OF THE EXPECTED 110 DAYS.

THE FUTURE OF SNOW

Four years of snow dances paid off last year when storms returned in force to West Coast states after a long, dry stretch. The effect was profound: Retailers saw doubling business in some departments, the National Ski Areas Association reported 55 percent more lift tickets sold, the economy rebounded from $99 million in lost revenue at ski resorts and 1,204 lost jobs.

We’re all too familiar that with no snow, there are no skiers and when they go, so do jobs, sales and other drivers of the economic engines mountain towns depend upon.

“Snow is currency,” as a 2012 report from Protect Our Winters and the Natural Resources Defense Council says.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

That report, “Climate Impacts on the Winter Tourism Economy in the United States,” then lays out panic-inducing predictions of shorter seasons, decreased snowpack, warming days and even more rapidly warming nights, all of which eat into the $62 billion snow sports industry, and

dishearten and discourage the estimated 24 million winter sports enthusiasts.

“If Mother Nature is not participating, it’s hard for us to participate,” says Ted Moorhead, operations and marketing manager for Powder House in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. That healthy dose of snow last year continues to boost business and sales of higher-end products.

“The optimism and happiness about last year is definitely rolling into this year,” he says. “It’s a ski town again.”

Moorhead’s eyes are still on the future, offering seasonal rentals at affordable rates—anything to make it easier to

JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

We’ll still have plenty of long, hard winters, just not the way they used to be. By Elizabeth Miller

FEATURE | THE FUTURE OF WINTER SERIES

TAKING ACTION

“Everybody can say, ‘Winters look different,’” says Lindsay Bourgoine, manager for advocacy and campaigns at Protect Our Winters, who points to one of POW’s 24-year-old Riders Alliance members who says that just in her lifetime, she’s noticed a difference.

“We really strongly support individual change in behavior,” she says. “But we feel like that’s not enough. We wish it were, but we’re in a world where the impacts of climate change are so great that we really need to tack action on AT THE PROTECT OUR WINTERS RIDERS ALLIANCE ATHLETE SUMMIT, POW'S TEAM MET TO DISCUSS AND LEARN ABOUT THE LATEST CLIMATE SCIENCE AND POLICY PRIORITIES.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

policy, too, and our goal is to try to figure out, how do we make that taking action on climate change cool and palatable for the outdoor industry and for the ski industry?”

The National Ski Areas Association crafted a climate policy in 2002 that calls for reducing emissions from ski areas, educating guests about climate change through efforts like the “Keep Winter Cool” campaign, and advocating for government policy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

“The short-term trend appears to be that weather is influencing the industry more than ever,” says Michael Berry, president of National Ski Areas Association. “But we’ve

a good year, for example. The Northeast sold 13.3 million lift tickets for the 2014-15 season, and then in 2015-16, just 9.3 million.

Berry takes the optimistic spin—“When it snows, they come back”—for the most part.

“Yes, the weather is different today than it was 20 years ago,” he says. “Our ability to deal with it is better than it was 20 years ago, so we can continue to adapt to the extent that we have the technology to do so. It’s tough to anticipate how one might react to the absolute worst-case scenario. That’s the great question mark out there.”

In a world where the impacts of climate change are so great ... how do we make taking action on climate change cool and palatable for the outdoor industry and for the ski industry? also developed some pretty definitive hedges against it in terms of extensive snowmaking operations — version 4.0 snowmaking that allows for very quick turnaround. We used to need days, now we need hours to recover.”

WEATHERING THE STORM

Dips in the millions in lift-ticket sales line up with dry seasons, per the NSAA: California, Nevada and Arizona saw 4.8 million visits in a low snow year, and 7.4 million in

But not every resort wants to, or can, shell out to augment what nature gives, which can come at a price of $500,000 a year and double the energy demands.

Two mottos surround Vermont’s Mad River Glen: “Ski it if you can,” and “from the heavens, not the hoses.” The only cooperatively-owned ski area in the U.S. boasts a grand total of three snowmaking guns.

“We’re an oddity,” says Eric Friedman, marketing director for Mad River Glen. Their approach has benefits—as a ski area, not a ski resort, it’s less a tourist destination and more a community living room. Which was good, because last year, when the main mountain was open just 33 days of the 105 to 110 typically budgeted, locals came up just to patronize the restaurant.

“Our customers were trying to drink and eat their way into helping us out,” Friedman says.

Despite that, pre-season sales this year were down only 10 percent, and the forecast more hopeful.

“Everyone always talks about climate change, and that’s clearly happening, and we can see that in our skier visits—we’re trending down in terms of snow coverage and temperatures,” Friedman says. “We’re seeing it, and anyone who says that they’re not is full of shit, so it’s obviously an area of concern for us, but that being said, there’s been a lot of ups and downs over the years.”

For the first years Mad River Glen was open, it didn’t snow at all, and last year, rough as it was, wasn’t even the worst. In 1980-81, the hill was open just 28 days.

“So it happens,” he says.

Their goal is to maintain what makes their area different: that pristine, vaguely rustic feel that seems to appeal and has succeeded in making an average of 1 in 4 skiers on their slopes on any given day enjoy their first turns at Mad River.

“The key thing for us is to make sure that we retain that sense of place,” Friedman says, “And that we don’t get desperate and try to be everything to everybody.”

Fond memories of spending Thanksgiving skiing powder days at Aspen still linger, but this year saw November ski trips canceled and chairs not yet rolling at the resort.

MING POON

cultivate the next generation. “It’s easy to see it growing,” he says, “as long as we get good snow.”

Therein lies the crux.

Snowfall is already decreasing at lower elevations, and in the U.S., the average temperature from December to February has increased 2.2° F since 1970. The worst-case scenario, according to the POW and NRDC study, calls for skiing regions in the lower 48 losing as much as 70 or 75 percent of their days with snow cover. Their research suggests that by the end of this century, only four major resorts in the Northeast might expect to still be profitable, and icons Park City, Utah, and Aspen, Colo., could see such limited snowpack that it puts an end to skiing as we know it.

Low snow years have already had a big impact, leading to $1 billion in lost revenue at ski resorts and at least 13,000 fewer jobs from 1999 to 2010, according to the study. Bad snow took a harder hit on the ski industry than the recession.

WARM AND DRY TO THE LAST CHAIR.

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FEATURE | THE FUTURE OF WINTER SERIES

LIKE MANY RESORTS THIS YEAR, ASPEN DIDN'T OPEN UNTIL AFTER THANKSGIVING DUE TO UNSEASONABLY WARM TEMPERATURES.

commodate its own kind of climate migrants—like Texans overheating in their home state and spending more time in Aspen—and a generation of visitors looking for $30 campsites, not $300 hotel rooms. They’re not just ski towns anymore.

“I see a future where they transition to be more yearround outdoor recreation communities where skiing is definitely a part of the portfolio and a reason why a lot of people live there and love it there, but we just see a more year-round outdoor recreation community,” Madson says.

Ski resorts have similarly amplified their summer business, and that approach, as well as an increasingly vertically integrated model—under one roof, guests access not just lift tickets but foodservice, ski lessons, lodging and gear for sale—have kept their top-line revenue up, says Berry, with NSAA.

THE BIG PICTURE

PRO SKIER CAROLINE GLEICH JOINED PROTECT OUR WINTERS ON ONE OF ITS VISITS TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

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Recent global commitments to reducing carbon emissions and standards in the U.S. for decreasing emissions from vehicles and coal-fired power plants stand to help, but many of those gains could be undone with a stroke of the pen from the Trump administration.

“To us, it’s very concerning that we elected a climatedenier,” Bourgoine says. “So we’re concerned about what federal policy is going to look like—how do we not move backwards?”

The fight isn’t over, though. Protect Our Winters is ramping up this year with objectives to make progress rolling out a carbon tax, increase solar energy and imple-

We're concerned about what federal policy is going to look like — how do we not move backwards? ment transportation solutions. Given the political climate, their campaigns may take aim at state policy, hoping the president maintains his position on leaving many such decisions to states.

For some, this year’s enthusiasm is tempered by the recent tumult.

“I think the drought years have made us more cautious, more thoughtful about what we can buy, what’s going to hold value next year,” says Eric Kipp, a 50-year skier and senior bootfitter at California Ski Company, Berkeley, Calif.

Boot-fitting business remained fairly stable despite the drop in snow, but when snow returned in the 2015-16 season, rentals spiked nearly 90 percent. Their small shop doesn’t have the option to add a summer-gear lineup— and knows what they do well, which is skiing—so they look instead to the backcountry to stretch their season.

“That’s the most growth potential we’re seeing right now for ourselves,” Kipp says, looking to the Pacific Coast’s volcanoes and even southern hemisphere snowpack.

There will, after all, always be snow somewhere. The question is just how and when and where to chase it.

FROM TOP: JEREMY SWANSON; COURTESY OF PROTECT OUR WINTERS

The small Colorado ski town now counts 23 more frostfree days than it did in 1980, according to Ashley Perl with the City of Aspen Canary Initiative, and that affects more than the skiing. Shorter winters and faster, earlier snowmelt puts the town, which is entirely dependent on runoff for their drinking water, at risk of taps running dry at some point in the not-so-distant future.

“If there’s no skiing in Aspen, we have much larger issues. It’s actually also the end of water in Aspen,” Perl says.

Through a partnership that captures waste methane from a coal mine and using that to generate their power, Aspen Skiing Company now counts themselves as carbon-neutral, and the town has pressured their municipal power supplier to ramp up the purchase of renewable energy sources and in 2015, hit the point that their power company now has enough on the grid for Aspen to count itself as 100 percent renewably powered.

Small towns—the ski towns fed by and supporting these ski areas—rarely get to exert that kind of leverage, so Diana Madson founded The Mountain PACT as a way to combine forces to lobby for governmental policies to protect these communities from the potential changes it poses.

“Our communities and the millions of people who visit our communities each year are reliant on the environment we've had for a very long time,” Madson says. “We need to invest in resilience and ensure that local governments and the people that live there aren't having to shoulder the entire burden of climate impacts.”

While residents and local leaders campaign for policies to protect these communities and the outdoor lifestyles they support and economic engines those drive, these towns are diversifying, and in some places, summer has quietly emerged as peak visitor season. That mandates changes in infrastructure as the town stretches to ac-

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WOMEN TUNE THEIR GEAR AT A SHEJUMPS WINE AND WAX NIGHT.

CLOSE TIES

The popularity of mannequin challenges stole the spotlight late last year—who knows what will be trending in 2017? From Amazon to Instagram, that’s just scratching the surface when looking at the ubiquitous influence that the web has on our daily lives.

The retailer's ever-changing toolbelt for the digital evolution — online and mobile shopping, social media and multichannel tools, to name a few — is challenging the role of brick-and-mortar in the snow sports landscape.

According to the 2016 UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study, 4 in 10 purchases made by U.S. shoppers were completed online—and the shopper didn’t set foot in a store, meaning all of their research was done online, as well.

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But a close look at SIA data — produced by The NPD Group, Sport and Leisure Trends Division— shows there is data to back the belief that snow sports retail is holding its own — despite concern-based outlooks.

The amount of dollars collected in snow sports specialty stores in the 2015-16 season was more than $2.5 billion, compared with $1.1 billion in sales of snow sports gear, apparel, accessories, rentals and services in chain stores

and $1 billion online. That represents a total of $4.7 billion in sales in 2015-16, a 16% increase since the 2012-13 season.

By channel, chain-store sales grew by 13% in the same period, and online sales were up by 16%. Sales at specialty shops increased by 17.4%, the greatest of the three since the 2012-13 season despite a slight drop in sales from 2014-15 to 2015-16.

Specialty shops are well-positioned to face the challenges in the market head-on. To do that, those on the front lines are keeping one thing in the lead: the customer.

Retailers, along with the brands they represent, know

COURTESY OF SHEJUMPS

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they can connect with the end-user better than any other channel. Ultimately, they are using all of the tools at their disposal, online and off, to do more than just exchange product for dollars.

BACK TO BASICS

The bottom line: Survival and success at any specialty ski shop, even in the digital age, depends on customer service.

“The bottom line, survival and success at any specialty ski shop — even in the time of digital age and e-commerce — depends on customer service,” says Robert Ottofaro, owner of Panda Sport in Brooklyn, N.Y. That said, you can’t ignore the web: “It’s important to have a digital showroom or e-commerce, because everyone is so prone to tablets or phones — but everything goes full circle. I have Millennials come in and say, ‘I want to talk to somebody.’ Going back to the grassroots of customer service in snow sports is key,” says Ottofaro, who, in this vein, is on the floor every day.

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FROM LEFT: FIRST-PLACE WINNER JESSI SAUER WON THIS YEAR'S ANNUAL SKATE DECK ART CONTEST AT MILOSPORT; WESTON SNOWBOARDS CLOSED ITS SHOP TO GO ON THE ROAD IN A TINY HOUSE AND PARTNER WITH RETAILERS TO MEET CUSTOMERS WHERE THEY RIDE.

CUSTOM EXPERIENCE

Craft packages and programs to deepen connections.

Jessica Kaplan (left) spoke about cultural and style trends during Industry + Intelligence on Wednesday.

We asked her how retailers, brands and reps can adapt to changing customer expectations: Pay attention to the growing need of specialized requests and services. Concierge services in this market are growing left and right. The old paradigm structure of someone coming into a store or going online for a jacket or snowboard or skis and then they walk away are gone. You have to follow up with this customer. You have to offer something more in addition to just the product.

If you're a brand you have to offer something more, too, such as programs and trips. There's been a couple of rental services that have been popping up over the past couple of years like Black Tie Skis, which is a great ski rental delivery, and Get Outfitted, where you can rent ski clothing delivered to your door. If you're in this industry you have to do more. You can't just do the basic selling product. You have to offer something more to get the consumers' attention because they're demanding it.

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF MILOSPORT; WESTON SNOWBOARDS

In the case of snow sports retailers, old habits may be the foundation of perseverance. In a pool of 20 U.S. specialty retailers analyzed for this article, 14 were founded before the 1990s. Meaning, 70 percent of those doors have been open for more than 15 years.

When asked how they stay connected with customers in the virtual era, each shop owner or manager pointed back to the basics: customer service. They say point-andclick shopping simply can’t replace the in-shop calculation of narrowing down the best-fitting snowboard or ski boots or getting fresh bindings mounted.

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To wit, across all industries, 42 percent of all purchases were made in a store last year, according to the UPS study — regardless of whether the customers did their research online, by foot, or a blend of the two. On average, Millennials bought 54 percent of their purchases online.

Milosport Store Manager Jeffrey Richards — based in Salt Lake City, Utah — echoed the importance of face-toface interaction, which the store has been prioritizing this year. The outcome has been positive: “We get nonstop personal reviews; people even write letters to the store owners. We put an emphasis on educating our employees on customer service, and that’s pretty much the only thing you can do to fight anyone that is online or bigger — you can’t go online to try on boots,” Richards says.

True, and perhaps that factor plays into eMarketer’s estimate that while Internet retail sales across industries are expected to grow from a little under $2 trillion worldwide in 2016 to $4.1 trillion by 2020, they will still only account for 14.6 percent of all retail purchases.

WOMEN GET PUMPED FOR THE SEASON AT A SHEJUMPS WINE AND WAX NIGHT AT ARC'TERYX IN DENVER, COLO.

Some retailers are marrying their old-school roots with conventional digital tools to stay relevant.

OFF-SEASON OUTREACH

Because snow sports aren't your customers' only jam Craig Randall, integrated services director for Verde Brand Communications, shares how retailers can stay connected with customers year-round:

Find Intersection Create an "If You Love This, You'll Like That" demo campaign, which takes your customer's passion (such as skiing, running, cycling and hiking) and then finds its off-season complement. For instance, Nordic skiers use many of the same muscle groups and brands for skiing as they do for running. Invite your customers over in the off-season for a group trail run.

This provides an opportunity to keep your store top-of-mind and customers (as well as the store) may even consider expansion into other off-season markets. You'll most likely already have relationships with vendors and reps if the off-season sport shares, for example, the same apparel providers.

Podcast Play In Boulder, Colo., a lot of local shops are run by successful or noteworthy people from their respective sport. Brandon Dwight, founder of Boulder Cycle Sport, has raced professionally and internationally. Gary Neptune, founder of Neptune Mountaineering, has a spectacular alpine resume. These shop owners or staff influencers could leverage their experience, leadership, credibility and wealth of knowledge with a shop podcast. This would create another channel for the customer to discover a retailer and stay connected through storytelling and entertainment — no matter the time of the year it plays.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

KUU SPORT PRESIDENT AND EXPERT SKI/SNOWBOARD TECHNICIAN RON KUUS PARTNERS WITH RETAILERS FOR DEMOS.

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF SHEJUMPS; KUU SPORT

FEATURE | CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS

COME VISIT US AT

BOOTH 1524

FEATURE | CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS

5 WAYS TO INVITE THE SNOW COMMUNITY INTO YOUR SHOP

Your peers offer up ideas to engage with customers beyond the transaction

2. Drive a cause.

SheJumps, a nonprofit with a mission to increase the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities, partners with retailers to host Wine and Wax events each season. For instance, Rocky Mountain Underground — based in Breckenridge, Colo.

— has a three-night series (January, February, March) with hands-on tuning and female speakers. Offering retail space for a solid cause is a great way to strengthen the community while also introducing new people to your shop.

3. Offer hands-on lessons and demos.

Canada based KUUS Inc., supplier of ski and snowboard waxes and tuning accessories, has a team of reps that run dozens of nationwide product demos in retail stores

INSTAGRAM AND RAIL JAMS

Some retailers are marrying their old-school roots with conventional digital tools to stay relevant and tie themselves more tightly to their customers, including using ecommerce and social media accounts. All but one of the 20 retailers we looked at had an Instagram handle.

Milosport, for one, does a killer job utilizing social media platforms — see: 17,500 followers on Instagram — which has helped them to establish a voice in the snowboard community.

They accomplished the robust following by entrusting the entire team of shop employees — including a handful of pro athletes — to post consistently and daily, Richards says.

Buckeye Sports Center in Ohio hired a part-time marketing expert to keep the shop’s social media afloat, says Bob Armington, product manager at the shop. They have not invested in e-commerce.

However, they’ve never sidelined the face-to-face events, which “target participants that they know are going to be active — women, ski patrollers, instructors — no matter what the weather is,” Armington says, citing a couple of examples: the shop’s eight-year-old ladies’ educational night and a women's on-snow lesson later in the season.

Ski Pro in Arizona hosts an annual rail jam in their parking lot: They tow in 60 tons of snow, scaffolding for a drop-in ramp, and arrange features including rails, down boxes, stairs and kickers.

The competition includes a grand-prize check, plus raffles and giveaways for spectators. It’s a rad occasion and draws a ton of people.

But ongoing retail success still seems to come down to customer service, according to Randy Hensley, store manager: “The No. 1 piece is customer service — making sure everyone is happy after they make a purchase.”

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

each season. “Our category can be a little scary — people sometimes worry that they will do more harm than good to their gear by tuning themselves. It’s good to show them that it’s easy and fun,” says President Ron Kuus.

4. Host athletes.

Invite local athletes and coaches to give a presentation on their accomplishments — and consider other sports. For instance, Wyoming’s Skinny Skis hosted professional ultrarunner Meredith Edwards to share her experience racing the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc.

5. Teach backcountry safety.

The growth of backcountry skiing and snowboarding means avalanche awareness and backcountry safety education should be top of mind. Skinny Skis sets an example with one of the largest annual avalanche awareness nights in the country.

Over the past decade, close to 600 locals have gathered each December to learn from expert panelists about everything from the season’s forecast to early-season snowpack. To host one in your shop, team up with the local weather and avalanche center, search and rescue, and AIARE course experts for a unified message. Plan the date for early season, ideally December.

SKINNY SKIS, JACKSON, WYO., HOLDS ONE OF THE LARGEST AVALANCHE AWARENESS NIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY, WITH MORE THAN 600 LOCALS ATTENDING EACH YEAR.

COURTESY OF SKINNY SKIS

1. Feed the stoke.

Partnering up with a national film tour is an excellent way to cross-promote. The film reaches audiences through local, grassroots marketing, with the retailer serving as the conduit for tickets. On the flip side, foot traffic is driven into shops during one of the busiest times of the year. Retailers can host pre-parties in the shop before the film showings or raffle tickets at events — like tickets for the newest Warren Miller Entertainment film at the Ski Pro Rail Jam in Arizona.

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TOP TRENDS | MARKET TRENDS

HEADING UP

Alpine equipment sales grow in 2015-16 season; AT market continues to be bright spot. By Lindsay Konzak Sales of alpine ski equipment in dollars were up 4% in 2015-16 from the 2014-15 season, and unit sales were up 9%, according to SIA's 2016 Snow Sports Intelligence Report. Boot and binding sales drove that increase, with alpine boots sales in dollars up 7.5% and bindings sales in dollars up 3.5%. Unit sales growth of boots and bindings, however, was tempered somewhat by lower prices.

Thanks to a rebound in snowfall in the West, ski equipment sales were up in that region. But they fell in the Northeast, Midwest and South due to a milder winter.

The number of downhill skiers during the 2015-16 season didn’t change much from the previous year, staying steady at about 11.6 million, down less than 1%. The sport saw declining participation in the 18-to-25 and 45-to-54 age categories.

The number of core skiers – those who ski more than nine times a season – was down 8%. That said, core skiers represent just 5% of all skiers, a trend that extends to other

Get your copy of SIA’s Snow Sports Intelligence Report at snowsports.org/research.

snow sports. “Eighty percent of our participants are casual,” says Kelly Davis, SIA director of research.

About 9.3 million identified as alpine skiers last season, and 4.4 million as freeskiers, frequenting terrain parks, and natural and manmade terrain features. About 2.3 million participate in both.

Backcountry skiing continues to be a growth market, with 2.2 million skiers heading into resort backcountry last season, and 899,282 into non-resort backcountry, according to the SIA/Physical Activity Council 2016 Participation Study. AT ski sales in dollars were up about 6% to $1.8 million last season; AT bindings sales were up about 10% to $17.5 million; and AT boot sales were down about 2.5% last season to $7.8 million. Adjustable pole sales jumped to $3.2 million from $2.6 million.

IN ALPINE 4% INCREASE* EQUIPMENT SALES IN ALPINE 0% INCREASE SKIS SALES INCREASE IN ALPINE 7.5% BOOTS SALES IN ALPINE 3.5% INCREASE BINDINGS SALES

5%

DECREASE IN AVERAGE PRICES

* All percentages represent dollar change

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The Business of Snow

TOP TRENDS | NEW EXHIBITORS

NEW TO YOU

New exhibitors include makers of high-tech comms and cozy clothes. By Brigid Mander ELEVETY

Off-Grid Communication During a kite-surfing trip Bart Lipski took with his friend Sebastian Koper, Lipski’s line broke in the water. With no way to communicate, he spent the better part of the day stranded, waiting for some help. It was far from a complete disaster, but it certainly wasn’t fun, and so he and Koper began to search for a device that would allow them to communicate in similar, off-grid situations. They found nothing. So they decided to develop their own solution.

“We’re scratching our own itch, but we figured if we needed better ways to communicate off the grid, then other people did, too,” Lipski says. So they developed two new devices for wearable, waterproof, off-grid communication. They tested them themselves, as well as worked with athletes and professional action-sports stars, collaborating with companies like Red Bull that have a need for better communication with their athletes.

Now, after three years of research and testing, their new company, Toronto-based Elevety, is ready to hit the market with two devices: one for consumers, and one for the professional market that will eventually make its way to consumer retail.

The Domio is a transferable device that sits on the user’s helmet, and can be paired with a smartphone. According to Lipski, the device uses micro-vibration technology to turn the helmet into a 360-degree surround-sound system. That said, only the user can hear the music being played or the other end of a phone call.

Elevety’s other product is the Hearshot, a hands-free device used to communicate with other Hearshots. They are always on, but use a digital algorithm to detect only voices for transmission, so background noise doesn’t get picked up.

Booth #1171

KINROSS CASHMERE Cozy and Luxurious

Kinross Cashmere began in a corner of the world where residents truly understand how wonderfully cozy and luxurious thoughtfully made wool and cashmere garments can be: Kinross, Scotland. Under the umbrella of Dawson International, a Scottish cashmere company, Kinross launched 20 years ago, and now boasts a global presence, as well as a standalone North American branch with offices in New York and Boston. Kinross sources its cashmere from goats raised in Inner Mongolia, after which it begins a long process of washing and dying to turn it into fine fibers for their luxury clothing and outerwear lines. The company offers collections for both men and women.

Kinross designs classic and elegant looks so the pieces can be worn for many years.

Simple designs have the added bonus of being able to transition from big-city streets to a mountain town. The ponchos, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves and next-to-skin layers feature more muted, earthy tones, adding to the timelessness of the designs.

Booth #1029

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

REDOX CLOTHING Tough Layers

Based in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Redox Clothing offers a line of high-performance, military-grade baselayers. Redox is meant to handle far above the usual baselayer workload – and to do it with 100-percent natural fibers. Skier and Founder Joel Becker saw a need for more durable merino wool baselayers, but he thought there must be better way that did not rely on plastic fibers blended with wool, a common industry practice.

Over three years of research, he developed a natural material blend that offers, according to Becker, high-performance breathability, insulation and wicking properties, all with more durability than your average baselayers. Redox blends New Zealand merino wool with a cellulose fiber made from beechwood, sourced from Austria. Finding an alternative to common plastic fibers like polyester or nylon was important to Becker. The final product is meant for athletes: flame-resistant, durable, and, last but not least, cut and designed with a freeskier in mind.

Becker said the versatility and the long life of the pieces mitigate the higher cost of the natural fibers and high-performance weave.

Becker plans to focus on boutiques and target a market of outdoor professionals who put their gear through the ringer.

Booth #420

MORE NEWBIES A selection of new exhibitors at this year's Snow Show. By Lindsay Konzak 1. ALLETT

Allett offers ultra-slim durable handcrafted wallets for the adventurer on the slopes, including money-holders lined with military-grade material to block identity/data theft. The wallets are made in San Diego and boast rubberized credit-card pockets for a sure grip on valuables while shredding powder. Booth #2620

chafing, scrapes and more, Green Goo by Sierra Sage replaces 20 first aid products. At the beginning, Green Goo’s founders mixed it up for friends, family and the local farmers market. But even as it has grown, the brand has stayed true to its roots. Their goal: to make organic more available and affordable, while educating the world on sustainable business and healthcare practices. Booth #1138

2. B FRESH GEAR

4. FREAKER USA

B Fresh Gear is a nostalgic accessories brand out of Denver specializing in fanny packs, backpacks, sunglasses, hats and merino-wool beanies. The brand draws inspiration from thrift shops, Wes Anderson and, for all you Gen Xers out there, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Booth #766

3. GREEN GOO BY SIERRA SAGE

There to soothe dry cracked hands and feet, insect bites,

Overflowing with personality, both Freakers and Freaker Feet are made in a mom-and-pop hosiery mill in North Carolina. Freakers insulate, stop bottle sweat and prevent moist handshakes. As if that weren’t enough, they fit any size bottle and come with matching socks. Booth #947

5. HANDSHAKE

Handshake is a B-to-B commerce platform that makes it

easy for customers to order both in-person and online. The Handshake Rep mobile app takes things one step further, supercharging customer appointments with order-writing and instant order submission to the back office. With the app, sales reps have product, customer and inventory information at their fingertips. Handshake Direct, an e-commerce suite, gives buyers 24x7 ordering through a custom portal and mobile commerce app. Booth #2160

6. TORCH COAT HEATER

The crowd-funded Torch Coat Heater is a battery-operated heater designed to fit seamlessly inside your coat. The product’s claim to fame, however, is that it fits no matter the style and can be transferred from coat to coat, making it an ideal heating option no matter the sport. Torch is rechargeable, has four heat settings and can last up to five hours on a single charge. Cozy! Booth #1038

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TOP TRENDS | YOUTH SKI GEAR

LET THE KIDS SKI Advanced tech, fun graphics aim to keep kids skiing longer. By Samantha Berman

AT THE SHOW

1.

Blizzard

The Cochise Team Ski features the brand’s Flip Core technique, where the ski is made upside down to create a natural rocker in the tip and tail. Also new, the brand’s Cochise IQ Jr., Rustler IQ Jr. and Sheeva IQ Jr. skis all feature the IQ system, a lengthened sweet spot to allow easier flex, ideal for young skiers. Booth #3507

DESIGNS FOR TWEENS AND TEENS

Manufacturers are paying attention to a new demographic within the junior gear category: teens and tweens, and their unique wants and needs when it comes to their skis. Faction Skis is leading the charge with a new ski geared toward the rapidly progressing teen skier. “Superb for the developing freeskier, the CT 2.0 is the first of its kind,” says Faction’s Harriet Coton.

Dynastar

▲ TECNICA MACH 1 R90

The new Legend Pro follows in the tracks of the adult Legend models, tweaked at various lengths to incorporate the right flex, sidecut and camber, allowing junior skiers to gain confidence, progress and have fun. Booth #3513

▲ ROXA YETI 3

2.

MIRRORING ADULT TECHNOLOGY

Faction

Two new junior skis join the Candide Thovex Signature line: the CT 1.0 JR, an all-mountain freestyle ski, and the CT 2.0 YTH, the teen-specific ski. Booth #4150 ▲ ROSSIGNOL ALLTRACK 70

The days of producing kids gear that is “good enough” is long gone. Even down to skis for the littlest schussers, manufacturers such as Rossignol, Dynastar and Blizzard have introduced skis that incorporate advanced technology from the adult lines into the junior skis, even keeping the same name for added value and consistency.

3.

LIGHTWEIGHT GEAR TO ENHANCE LEARNING AND ENJOYMENT

The Italian boot brand offers its Yeti lineup of kids boots, designed to be lightweight and easy for little skiers to get on and off. Available in one-, two- and three-buckle versions, the Yetis feature a three-piece design and a super-cushy liner that will keep kids comfortable—and on the slopes longer. Booth #3907

▲ HEAD SUPERSHAPE

Tecnica ▲ FACTION CT 2.0 YTH

▲ DYNASTAR LEGEND PRO

▲ BLIZZARD COCHISE TEAM JR.

FAMILIAR CHARACTERS

SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

Rossignol

Roxa

4.

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Keep an eye out for the Supershape SLR ski, built with a synthetic core to keep it lightweight, but with full sidewalls for integrity and better edge grip. It’s paired with the light SLR 7.5 binding. Booth #2829 Rossi welcomes the boy’s Experience Pro and the girl’s Temptation Pro to the junior line, both of which share the same name as the adult skis.

Offered for toddlers to teens, these skis boast near-identical construction to their grown-up counterparts. Rossi also adds a girl’s Alltrack 70 boot, a legit freeride boot complete with a walk/hike mode. Booth #3418

Kids weigh less than adults. So shouldn’t their gear? Brands are rolling out their lightest skis, boots and bindings ever.

“Just like the adult products, weight is a concern and is where we are investing,” says Head’s Alpine Product Manager Andrew Couperthwait. “Lighter equipment means longer days on the slopes and more enjoyment.”

If a Frozen toothbrush gets your daughter to brush her teeth and Star Wars bedding lures your little guy to slumber, perhaps similarly branded skis might have the same effect. That’s what Rossignol is hoping with its Disney collaboration skis, bringing Elsa, Ana, BB8 and friends to the slopes next season. But they’re not without the appropriate technology, says Rossignol’s Nick Castagnoli, employing tip and tail rocker “that’s proven to make learning to ski a more intuitive, fun process for the smallest skiers on the hill.”

Head

Young racers will appreciate the technology behind the Mach1 R90, a 98mm-lasted boot made with thinner shell walls for easier flex in frigid temps. The liner is the new Jr. Race NFS, designed with an anatomical shape for a more precise fit, and featuring eyelets for laces, which serve up a more customized fit. Booth #3507

THE APEX OF TECHNICITY, FIT, AND DESIGN

Photos : Sindy THOMAS

Developed in collaboration with our racing test team, Rossignol Apparel has designed ATELIER COURSE, a new, technical and ultra-modern ski kit, combining four unique innovations to deliver a new level of performance outerwear. With over 150 days on snow a year, our field experts are attuned to a skiers’ needs and the testing process, laboring over the details to deliver a collection that reflects the brand’s core values of passion, competition, and innovation.

A unique, new advancement in ski apparel, Atelier Course guarantees a premium ergonomic fit, rich exclusive fabrics, enhanced thermal management, and our patented Sensor Support technology for optimized performance and muscle recovery validated by our team of testers. A pure reflection of the competitive spirit anchored in Rossignol’s DNA.

TOP TRENDS | YOUTH SNOWBOARD GEAR

PINT-SIZED TECH Goodbye ‘toyish’ product, hello performance, for even the smallest riders. By Michael Sudmeier

1.

AN EMPHASIS ON EVOLUTION

Once an afterthought, youth snowboard gear is benefiting from both evolving products and philosophies. “The days of ‘toyish’ products are gone, as both parents and kids are looking for gear that can withstand more demanding riding," says DC Director of Snowboarding Hardgoods Dave Appel. Manufacturers are infusing their youth gear with the same sophisticated tech as their adult offerings.

“They want to ride the same product as the riders they see in videos, Instagram posts and magazines,” says Baptiste Chaussignand, Salomon product line manager for boards and bindings.

BUYER TIP

▲ CAPITA CHILDREN OF THE GNAR

Kate Kerns, buyer and manager, Mountain Wave, Breckenridge, Colo.

Parents tend to want to get products for kids that provide them with room to grow, but there is a fine line you can cross where the equipment becomes too big and kids won’t actually enjoy snowboarding.

▲ DC SNOWBOARDING MINI PLY YOUTH

2.

PROMOTING PROGRESSION

Brands are easing the learning curve through fresh designs and proven approaches. “As designers, snowboarders and parents of young riders, we focus on creating products that make snowboarding safer and easier while also supporting the development of strong riding fundamentals,” says Rome Director of Sales Dan Sullivan. This focus is especially evident in next year’s decks. Although a few manufacturers are offering boards with traditional or zero camber, hybrid rocker profiles reign supreme. These profiles can “accelerate the learning curve and offer dominant performance,” says Never Summer Marketing Director Chris Harris. They do this, in part, by delivering a catch-free ride that also provides strong edge control to help kids properly initiate turns.

▲ MARHAR SNOWDAY

▲ ROME GANG PLANK MINI

▲ SALOMON JR LAUNCH BOOT

AT THE SHOW

3.

Capita (Board)

A FOCUS ON FIT

To accommodate growing feet, a number of boots feature removable footbed shims. Yet brands are quick to emphasize that a proper fit is more important than a product’s ability to adapt to a child’s growth, causing some to exclusively offer true-to-size boots. “It’s important that we offer products that actually fit and create good times and memories for little rippers,” says Nitro's Knut Eliassen. As a result, youth boots showcase “out-of-the-box function and reliable comfort,” says Vans's Matt Patti. To help kids put on and adjust boots, closure systems feature Boa or hook-andloop straps. Similarly, many bindings pair a single ankle strap with an oversized ratchet and easy-entry ladders.

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▲ FLOW MICRON SNOWDAY

SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

Inspired by Capita’s Defenders of Awesome series, the Children of the Gnar deck is built for tweenage rippers. The latest edition features updated tip and tail shapes, as well as new resin and fiberglass layups for increased strength and durability. Booth #3162

Never Summer (Board)

Armed with Never Summer’s Rocker Camber profile, the Shredder aims to offer an easy-to-ride design without compromising performance. And with sizes as small as 80 cm, it’s built for especially young riders. Booth #3765

Nitro (Binding)

Thanks to its single ankle strap and oversized ratchet,

the Charger Micro binding makes it especially easy for groms to strap in by themselves. Booth #3179

Rome (Board)

Sporting the same geometry and camber profile as Rome’s Gang Plank, the Gang Plank Mini is built for progressive riders—who happen to be kids. Aside from the small size, it’s the same deck backed by many of Rome’s riders. Booth #3177

Vans (Boot)

With a soft flex, reverse waffle outsole, and hookand-loop straps, the Mantra Youth boot from Vans now comes in sizes 1, 2 and 3. And the boot's removable footbed shims can accommodate growing feet. Booth #2770

FEEL THE WARMTH OF THE SUN™

Solar Absorbing Insulation Increases Your Warmth SEE US AT BOOTH #2534 Featured Product: SolarSphere™ Brink © 2016-17 SEIRUS INNOVATION

TOP TRENDS | JUNIOR APPAREL

LITTLE ADULTS ▲ DALE OF NORWAY OLYMPIC PASSION SWEATER

Junior snow apparel is aimed at kids and parents alike. By M.T. Elliott

1.

PINT-SIZED PREMIUM

Kids may not last as long on the slopes as their parents, but it won't be because their gear quit on them. Brands have taken shrink rays to some of their more technical apparel to outfit the future generation of snow enthusiasts. The same bells and whistles of stretchy breathable shell fabrics are all present in junior apparel, as brands know parents want the best for children. Even luxe fabrics, like brushed merino, are given the same care as in adult sweaters and baselayers. Perhaps the only difference is in the amount of pockets, a solid effort to prevent the young ones from losing their gloves or passes.

2.

KIDS GET A SAY, TOO

3.

VALUE(S)

With performance and visual appeal squared away, brands compete via value and values.

Patagonia includes a grow-fit feature to unlock an extra two inches of length in its pants.

The brand also stays true to its eco ethos, adding more recycled content to its face fabric and insulation, a value that can be passed on to the next generation.

AT THE SHOW Airblaster

The Youth Ninja Suit from Airblaster is a four-way stretch polyester hooded one-piece with a two-way front-chest zip and a 350-degree waist zip for when nature calls. Booth #2578

▲ SEIRUS GLISTEN MITT

Dale of Norway

36

Dale of Norway includes juniors in its new line of knit sweaters, including the Olympic Passion Sweater, a smaller version of what the Norwegian team will wear in 2018. The two-ply skinsoft merino wool can play outdoors and in, and is machine-washable. Booth #829

Dare2b

The Girls Entrust Jacket is a zebra-striped piece with waterproof/ breathable four-way stretch fabric, high-loft poly insulation and several pockets. The faux-fur hood is fun, yet detachable. Booth #735

SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

Patagonia

The Boy’s Snowshot Pants fight to stick around for more than one season with a "grow-fit" feature that lengthens pant legs by two inches. The seam-sealed pants use H2NO fabric for a 20k waterproof rating. Booth #1862

Smartwool

Smartwool includes the comfort of its flatlock seams and merinocovered elastic waistband in its Kids' Merino 250 Zip T. These baselayers fit "snug" to trap heat without feeling prohibitive.

Booth #851

Seirus

The Glisten Mitt is an insulated mitt with a waterproof/breathable quilted polyester shell. The palm uses a non-slip, abrasion-resistant palm of ToughTek. Booth #2534

▲ DARE2B ENTRUST JACKET

▲ AIRBLASTER NINJA SUIT MOOSE

After establishing trust in performance, brands call out to the kids with louder colors and bolder patterns. “Warm kids equal happy kids," says Laura Soard, Smartwool's communications manager. "And when it comes to colors, kids' outerwear is a great way for kids to express their fun personalities, so we design our color palettes to work with a wide range of outerwear colors.” Look for collections with contrasting colors, and patterns that range from traditional mountain to urban camo. If dressing for the snow isn't part of the fun, then why bother?

2 016–2 017

G O L D

P A S S

THE COLORADO SKI COUNTRY USA® GOLD PASS is the state’s most exclusive season pass. This coveted pass provides unlimited access to 21 Colorado Ski Country USA resorts all season long with absolutely no blackout dates. The Gold Pass is fully transferable so purchasers can share their pass with colleagues, clients, friends, family and more. The Gold Pass is the perfect season pass for ski and snowboard industry professionals.

ONLY 100 Colorado Ski Country Gold Passes are sold each year.

Passes are extremely limited and can be purchased for $3,300.

FOR MORE INFORMATION please contact Katherine Rainbolt: Katherine@ColoradoSki.com, 303.866.9728.

Participating Resorts include: Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Cooper, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Eldora, Hesperus, Howelsen, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Purgatory, Ski Granby Ranch, Snowmass, Steamboat, Sunlight, Telluride, Winter Park, Wolf Creek

TOP TRENDS | ALPINE RENTAL

STEP IT UP

▼ SALOMON XDR

Rental equipment manufacturers say that better rental gear, even for entry-level skiers, improves the learning experience and increases the chances of converting newcomers into frequent skiers—and gear buyers. That’s why several of the major rental-gear companies are putting a lot of energy and emphasis on step-up or upgraded models this year.

▼ HEAD INSTINCT 78

Companies focus on step-up models to turn newcomers into lifelong skiers. By Peter Oliver

In part, the focus on step-up gear stems from the increase in quality and performance of fleet systems. For high-volume rental operations, the major ski/boot/binding systems—Head’s BYS, Dalbello’s 4Factor, and Rossignol Experience programs—help speed renters through the process, of course, but the gear itself also performs. That has raised the bar for all rental gear.

This focus also recognizes that increasingly, intermediate and advanced skiers are becoming rental-shop customers, especially at fly-in destinations. But companies insist that much of the upgraded gear is suitable for entry-level skiers, as well as more skilled skiers.

WHAT’S NEW

38

SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

▲ K2 PINNACLE

Companies insist that much of the upgraded gear is suitable for entry-level skiers, as well as more skilled skiers.

▲ ELAN RIPSTICK

Nordica has introduced a new line of Navigator (for men) and Astral (for women) skis and Sportmachine boots in a new Premier rental segment, a step up from its fleet-rental products. The skis and boots are inspired by popular in-line models. Similarly, Salomon is offering a revamped fleet-plus family of XDR skis and Quest Access boots.

K2 is introducing an in-line-inspired 85mm Pinnacle rental ski, another price tier above its Konic (for men) and Luv (for women), which were already steps up from the fleet-level Strike. Head’s Instinct 78 and Instinct 83 models are aimed at “accounts that want an upgrade in look and geometry,” says Head Rental Manager Mike Poole. Rossignol is upgrading its popular Experience rental skis with its new Carbon Alloy Matrix technology. And Elan is adding the Explore 82 Ripstick, fashioned after the in-line Ripstick, as an upgrade in its rental fleet for 2017-18.

Head is in the testing phase for a line of skis it’s currently calling Headway, as the company works closely with PSIA on a rekindled graduated-length method of learning. That starts with a super-short (90cm) Balance ski, working up to a longer Glide ski, and finishing with a 150cm Steer ski. Head plans a limited distribution next year.

In bindings, Marker, with its FDT TP10 model, and Salomon, with its Mercury model, continue to emphasize ease of use as they tweak their offerings.

Step-up products have long been the rental bread and butter for Dalbello-Marker-Völkl and Tecnica, and these brands come to the 2017-18 rental market more or less unchanged— they were already well invested in the trend.

As DMV’s Geoff Curtis says: “Having no new story to tell is almost a good thing. We listened to the market, and got it right.” With long-time rental leader Dalbello now partnered with Marker and Völkl, the company is in a better position, says Curtis, “to integrate marketing and packaging” of a complete rental combination of skis, boots and bindings.

What’s the price increase for the upgrade in gear? In Nordica’s case, its Premier line represents an increase of about 20 percent over the company’s fleet-rental Cruise boots and GT skis, says Scott Russo, vice president of Nordica USA. The increased shelf life of the upgraded products alone might justify that surcharge. As Elan National Sales Manager Bill Irwin notes: “An extra $20 (per pair of skis) buys so much more quality.”

The investment, however, is not just about increasing rental-shop revenue. “Part of your ROI is that you are creating a committed skier,” Russo argues.

AFFORDABLE OPTIONS

▲ DALBELLO PANTERRA

The investment is not just about rental-shop revenue.

Part of your ROI is creating a committed skier.

▲ MARKER FDT TP10

▲ ALPINA XRT

For all that, manufacturers are certainly not turning their backs on price-sensitive rental buyers. Head continues to offer the Link and woodcore Link Pro skis. Elan has been testing a new Discovery system boot, aimed at taking on the Head, Rossignol and Dalbello system products, while offering skis at price points below its most popular Explore 76 model. Salomon weighs in with its XDR Focus ski, X Access boot, and Lithium 10 binding for its main fleet rental package. Nordica continues its GT skis and Cruise boots.

These options are largely aimed at smaller Eastern and Midwestern areas, while Western destination resorts are more likely to commit to upgraded gear. But the options also reflect preferences in waist widths—narrower (80mm and less) in the East and Midwest; wider (80mm and up) in the West.

No major changes are in store for kids’ rentals, although Marker has “cleaned up and eased up the adjustment” on its kids bindings, says Curtis, and K2 is introducing a series of Explorer kids boots.

Elan’s U-Flex ski remains noteworthy. Its flex is tuned to produce a soft, kid-friendly ski while still maintaining durability. “We can’t bypass the importance of converting junior skiers,” says Irwin.

Ah, conversion. It’s the focus of much of this year’s rental gear, and a key to the future of skiing.

TOP TRENDS | OTHER GEAR & ACCESSORIES

GRAB BAG

A random selection of gear and accessories designed to make the snow-lover's life better. By Lindsay Konzak This industry is filled with brands that don’t fit neatly into your traditional hardgoods or softgoods bucket. That doesn’t make their offerings any less important. Their goal is the same as any other: to make the consumer’s experience better. So get off the beaten path on the Show floor and check out this gear from brands new and old – some practical, like sunscreen and wax, and some designed for 100% pure fun.

1. HOVLAND SNOWSKATES

Hovland Snowskates is back again at this year’s Show with its unique bi-deck snowskates, a binding-free hybrid of a snowboard and a skateboard made for riding the whole mountain. The ride allows for more skate-style tricks on the snow. The brand boasts a gentle learning curve. Check out the Buckshot, Five-Oh and the Ram at the Show and the On-Snow Demo. Booth #3581

2. KUU SPORT

What’s your vise? This week, KUU Sport is showing off its KUU Vise President, a lightweight, ski/snowboard combo vise, securing skis and snowboards of all widths and lengths sideways for sharpening, or base-up for waxing, scraping and brushing. The KUU Sidekick PRO vise offers those working

only on skis more options, and fits both alpine and Nordic skis. Adjustable height and pivot settings allow for a more ergonomic position while edge-sharpening. The center piece opens to 110mm to accommodate powder skis and binding mounting. The more compact Sidekick GO is designed for those tuning on the road. Booth #3912

3. ONEWHEEL

Calling it the “best off-season ride in the game,” Kickstarterbacked OneWheel is a motorized ride with, you guessed it, one central wheel. Jump on, lean forward to go and back to slow down – on or off the road. The ride is powered by rechargeable lithium batteries and has a six- to seven-mile range (and recharges in just 20 minutes). See it in action in videos at onewheel.com. Booth #1977

3

4. SUN BUM

Your customers shouldn’t ride without skin protection.

Sun Bum Signature’s premium clear zinc-based formula is fragrance-free so it won’t sting eyes and is tough enough to stay on during the most rigorous conditions on and off the hill. Even better, it’s small enough to keep and leave in a jacket pocket, and it can be opened without removing gloves. Booth #2269

5. VUARNET

French sunglass brand Vuarnet introduces the limitededition Glacier 1957 to celebrate the brand’s 60th Anniversary in 2017. The Glacier, which was first released in 1974 for mountaineering, was adopted by leading alpinists including Jean Afanassieff, the first French climber to conquer Mt. Everest. The Glacier 1957 features Vuarnet mineral glass lenses and, in a nod to the brand’s French roots, it’s available in blue, white and red mirror lenses.

The hooked arms are inspired by the original Glacier design and are coated to compliment the color of the lenses. Finally, the legendary perforated leather, detachable side shields offer the perfect combination of style and function. Booth #3155

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

BEER | AT THE SHOW

CHEERS!

When the floor closes, grab a cold one in one of the top beer destinations in the country. By Lindsay Konzak ALE HOUSE AT AMATO’S

2501 16th St.; 303-433-9734; alehousedenver.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.6

Owned by Colorado craft beer mainstays Breckenridge Brewery and Wynkoop Brewing Company, the Ale House at Amato’s also features beers from other Colorado breweries, as well as a menu of traditional pub fare.

EPIC BREWING COMPANY

Brewery, Prospectors and BrewDog. The owner came from Elk Mountain Brewing and Coors.

MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.8

RATIO BEERWORKS

3001 Walnut St. 720-539-7410; epicbrewing.com Founded in Utah as the state’s first brewery since prohibition to brew exclusively high-alcohol-content beer, Epic shares the beer love in a taproom in downtown Denver.

BRECKENRIDGE COLORADO CRAFT

GREAT DIVIDE BREWING CO.

MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.4

MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.1

2220 Blake St. 303-297-3644; breckbrewcocraft.com Breckenridge Brewery is a gathering place for lovers of good beer and good food in the Ballpark Neighborhood near Coors Field.

DENVER BEER CO.

1695 Platte St.; 303-433-2739; denverbeerco.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.5

Denver Beer Company’s no-frills warehouse-style headquarters and attitude makes it one of the city’s best breweries. And with selections like the Graham Cracker Porter, the Incredible Pedal IPA and the Summit Sunrise Red Rye IPA, how can you not stop by for a drink?

BREWERY TOURS Get on board the beer train

Denver Brews Cruise

303-993-7308; brewscruise.com One of the oldest tours in the city, the Denver Brews Cruise offers weekday and Saturday evening tours.

2201 Arapahoe St. 303-296-9460; greatdivide.com Great Divide hopped onto the craft beer scene before there was much of a scene at all. Great Divide offers a handcrafted selection of 16 taps of seasonal and year-round beers.

JAGGED MOUNTAIN CRAFT BREWERY 1139 20th St.; 720-689-2337; jaggedmountainbrewery.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1

Walking distance from the Convention Center, this one is founded on the love of the outdoors. The founders were once mountaineering partners in South America.

MOCKERY BREWING

3501 Delgany St. 303-953-2058; mockerybrewing.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 2.4

With a focus on bold but balanced flavors, Mockery Brewing is a new brewery in town with some decidedly experienced brewers. The head brewer crafted beer at Stone

2920 Larimer St. 303-997-8288; ratiobeerworks.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.7

Ratio Beerworks's founders started out touring in the punk scene. They've since channeled that energy into beer and this microbrewery, studying their passion in Germany and applying those lessons at Colorado breweries until opening their own, which brings in their love of art and music.

RENEGADE BREWING CO.

925 W. 9th Ave. 720-401-4089; renegadebrewing.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1

Renegade claims to have “offensively delicious” beer, originally crafted in 2011 and now a fixture in the Denver beer scene. You can’t go wrong with a Depravity Imperial Peanut Butter Cup Milk Stout, a Hiatus Cold Coffee-Infused Oatmeal Ale or a Contrarian Imperial Pilsner.

SPANGALANG BREWERY

2736 Welton St. 303-297-1276; spangalangbrewery.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.3

This brewery was founded by former Great Divide craft brewers. What's Spangalang mean? It's a jazz cymbal rhythm, an homage to the neighborhood you'll find their beers in, which was once a great jazz center.

Denver Microbrew Tour

303-578-9548; denvermicrobrewtour.com If the weather is right, join the Denver Microbrew Tour for a walk to the microbreweries in Colorado's historic LODO and Ballpark Neighborhood Districts. Down your share of samples as part of your $35 ticket price.

COURTESY OF VISIT DENVER

Mile High Tap Tours

720-318-8727; milehightaptours.com Three breweries, four hours, and no driving. Sounds like fun. This tour features Breckenridge Brewery, The Brew on Broadway, St. Patrick's Brewing Co., Dead Hippie Brewing and Locavore Beer Works.

Wynkoop Brewing Company

303-297-2700; wynkoop.com Take a whirl around Denver's first brewpub in this free tour in the J.S. Brown Mercantile building. Tours available Tuesday-Saturday at 3 and 4 p.m. Don't have time for a tour? Walk over for a drink afterhours.

Get more beer recommendations at visitdenver.org/SIA.

BEER? DENVER HAS IT.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 2 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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AT THE SHOW | WHO'S COMING

EXHIBITORS

More than 900 brands on display at the Snow Show (as of Jan. 13, 2017; subject to change) Company

Company

Company

Company

Company

Company

2XU.. .................................. 1235 4F.... ................................... 1510 686..................................... 2965 Abom Inc. ....................... 1865A ACADEMY Snowboard Co. ............ 2975 Adaptive Spirit ...................... 19 adidas Snowboarding .....3062 Advanced Racking Systems ........................ 3247 Airblaster ........................... 2578 Airhole Facemasks ............ 2463 Aksels ................................ 2648 All Resort Furnishings........ 2406 Allett...............................2620 Aloha Products LLC ........... 3570 Alpaca Imports .................. 2546 Alpina Sports Corp. ........... 2512 Alpine Radius Control Technologies ..............3908 Alp-n-Rock LLC.................. 1327 Alps & Meters...................620 American Express OPEN ... 2906 Apex Sports Group LLC .... 4018 Arbor ................................. 3670 Arcade Belt Co. ................. 2566 Arctix ................................. 2430 Armada .............................. 4155 Arpin .................................216 Artesania Inc. ..................... 1633 ARVA ................................. 3219 Astis ................................... 2220 Athalon Sportgear Inc. ...... 4121 Athletic Event Supply .....3324 Atomic USA Inc ................. 3835 Auclair Sports Inc .............. 1330 AWSM Brand ..................... 2281 B Fresh Gear .....................766 Backcountry Access Inc. .... 3658 Ballistic Boardwear/ ShredSaver ................2480 BEARPAW .......................1143 BEMER ............................4107 Bern Unlimited Inc ..... 3674, 3677 Besso Imports .................... 1508 Big Agnes Inc .................... 2421 Bishop Binding Co ..........2317 Bjorn Daehlie North America ...........4109 Black Crows Skis ..............1865B Blackstrap .......................... 3156 Blizzard .................... 3407, 3507 BNY GLV .........................1450 Bollè .................................. 1162 Booster Strap .................... 3423 Boot Doc ........................... 3140 Boulder Gear ..................... 2629 Braven ................................. 362 Brekka.............................3430 Briko USA .......................... 3918 Buff Inc. ............................. 2645 BULA ................................. 1256 Burton

Snowboards..Mtg Room 204 C3.... .................................. 3162 C4 Belts ............................. 2283 Capita Snowboards ........... 3162 Capranea Sports AG .......1513 Captuer Headwear ............ 2473 Carabiner Coffee ............... 2517 Carver Skateboards ........... 1579 Celtek ................................ 3679 CenterStone Technologies Inc. .......... 1835 CEP Compression Sportswear ................... 4031 CG Habitats ....................... 2177 Chaos ................................ 1529 Cheveux Corp. ................1453 Cirque Mountain Apparel ......................... 1543 Coal Headwear .................. 3162 Coalition Snow .................. 2614 COLDPRUF Base Layer..................1317 Colmar ..................... 1018, 1321 Colorado Mountain Club ...............16 Colorado Ski Country USA................. 1848 Corbeaux ........................... 1149 CP Sports North America LLC ................. 3638 Craghoppers ............... 735, 836 Crescent Moon Snowshoes.................... 4012 Crux Expedition Trailers .......................2822 D·CURVE ........................... 2265 Dakine ......................2563/2510 Dalbello Sports LLC........... 4025 Dale of Norway Inc .............. 829 Dang Shades ...................2964 Dare2b......................... 735, 836 Darn Tough Vermont ......... 2101 DC Shoes Inc ..................... 2682 Deeluxe ........................ 1865DL Demon United ................... 2571 Descente North America, Inc.................. 1008 Deuter ............................... 2919 Deviation Ski & Snowboard Works ........ 3325 Dinosaurs Will Die Snowboards.................. 2976 DMOS............................. 1865D DonJoy Performance ......3535 Double Diamond Sportswear ................... 1832 DPS SKIS............................ 3314 Dragon Alliance ................. 3170 Dynastar Skis ..................... 3513 Economic Development Corporation of Utah ..1825 EGG ................................3942 Eider .................................... 824

Eisbär Sportmodeu Gmbh ........................... 2825 EK Ekcessories Inc ..........3331 Elan Blanc .......................... 1830 Elan Skis ............................ 2512 Elevety Inc. .....................1171 EMU Australia.................... 1342 Endurance Enterprises Inc .............. 1801 Envy Snow Sports .............. 3837 Erik Sports-Whitewoods.... 3307 Eurosock International....... 1332 Everest Designs ................. 1045 E-Z UP International Inc.........4339 Faber & Company Inc. .............4211 Faction Skis ....................... 4150 Farm to Feet ...................... 4139 Fast Strap .......................... 3328 Fera International Corp. ...... 811 Fischer Skis US .................. 4218 FITS ................................... 1540 Fix Binding Co ................... 2580 Flow Sports Inc. ................. 2970 FlyLow Gear ...................... 2922 Fox River Mills Inc. ............ 2419 Freaker USA .....................947 Full Tilt Boots .................... 3847 G3 Genuine Guide Gear Inc ........................ 2911 Giro Sport Design ............. 3354 Gnarly .............................2966 Goal Zero .......................... 2416 GogglePal .........................765 Goldbergh ........................... 324 Goldwin America Inc ........... 613 Good Livin ......................... 3680 GOODE Ski Technologies.....................3226 GoPro .................................. 860 Gordini USA Inc ................. 2650 Grabber Inc. ...................... 3323 Grand Sierra Accessories ..................... 940 Grassroots California ......... 3680 H & H Sports Protection ....................945 H2O Guides Inc...............2514 HALTI OY ........................1044 Hammitt ............................230 Hand Out Gloves............... 2272 Handshake ......................2160 HangEmRight..................3538 HEAD/Tyrolia Wintersports ................. 2829 Heat Factory USA Inc ........ 1606 Helly Hansen ..................... 1514 Hestra Gloves LLC ............. 1824 Hi-Dow International ......4340 High Fives Non-Profit Foundation ................... 1052 Holden ............................... 3470 Holmenkol.US.................... 4207 Homeschool Outerwear .... 2479 Honey Stinger ................... 2426 Horizon Agency Inc ........... 2506 Hot Chillys ......................... 3135 Hotdish Snowskates .......... 3581 Hotfingers Gloves.............. 1507 Hotronic............................. 2939 Hovland Snowskates ......... 3581 HOWL ................................ 2672 ICE Outdoor Sports ........3940

Icelandic Design ................ 1316 Icelantic Skis ...................... 3218 Icepeak ................................ 202 Incredibles ......................2513 Indigo Ski USA LLC ........... 3221 InkMonstr .......................... 3330 International Skiing History Association (ISHA) ............ 21 Intrawest ........................1154 Itasca Footwear by C.O. Lynch Enterprises ......... 1245 J. Lindeberg......................611 Jack Wolfskin ....................526 Jail Jam .............................318 JLab Audio......................1066 Joshua Tree Skin Care ....... 1607 JOTT .................................318 Jupa Sports ....................... 1511 K2 Apparel .....................3953 K2 Skis ............................... 3753 K2 Snowboarding .............. 3758 Kamik ................................. 1435 Karakoram ......................... 3077 Karbon ............................... 1011 Kari Traa............................... 522 KASK Spa .......................... 3147 Kästle USA ......................... 3530 KGB SPORT ....................... 3605 Khombu ............................. 1343 Kicking Horse Coffee......2512 Killtec NA Inc. .................... 1829 Kinross Cashmere ...........1029 Kiss My Face LLC............... 1401 KJUS North America Inc...... 602 KneeBinding Inc. ............... 3316 Kombi Ltd. Inc. .................. 2835 Komperdell ........................ 3922 Krimson Klover .................. 1026 Kuhl Clothing..................... 1817 KULKEA ............................. 2433 KUUsport Mfg. Ltd. ........... 3912 Kwik Tek Inc. ...................... 3318 L2R Snowboards .............3572 LandYachtz ........................ 1577 Lange Ski Boots ................. 3513 Lasting Sport ..................2842 Laundromat ......................... 536 L-Bow Mittens ................... 2545 Le Bent .............................. 1036 Leki USA Inc ...................... 2925 Level USA .......................... 2364 Liberty Mountain ............... 3428 Liberty Skis ........................ 3830 Linda Richards Inc.............. 1318 Line Skis ............................. 3850 Liquid / Tension of Sweden ........................839 Lone Mountain Printing Inc ................1054 Look Bindings .................... 3513 Lorpen North America Inc......................1345 Lucky Bums Inc .................. 2621 Luhta USA Ltd ..................... 202 M. Miller ............................ 1021 Mad Jack Snowsports ....... 3539 Maison Montval ................... 318 Mammut Sports Group NA ..................... 2915 Marhar Snowboards .......... 3473 Marker USA ....................... 4225 Marmot Mountain LLC ...... 2316 MasterFit Enterprises ........ 3349

MDXONE .......................... 2267 Medical Data Carrier ......3249 Meier Skis .......................... 2914 Mervin Manufacturing ....... 2778 Message Factory Inc. .......... 821 Mitchie’s Matchings............. 331 Molliolli .............................326 Mons Royale USA .............. 3747 Montana Sport / North America Inc ........ 3344 MOTOTV Networks .......... 3334 Mountain Collective ............ 665 Mountain Uniforms............ 1320 Native Eyewear ................. 3335 NEFF.................................. 4165 Never Summer Industries ...................... 3765 Newland ............................ 1030 N-grained Inc. .................2413 Niche Snowboards ............ 3075 Nidecker North America .... 2979, 3076 NILS ................................... 1847 Nitro Snowboards ............. 3179 Nobile Skis & Snowboards ...............3352 Nordic Center.................... 4116 Nordica USA ............ 3408, 3509 NoSo Patches .................1546 NPD Sports and Leisure Trends .............. 3425 Oakley Inc.......................... 1457 Odd Molly.........................213 Omid Sports Inc ................872 One Way Sport USA .......... 4112 OneBall .............................. 2680 O’Neill ............................... 1556 Onewheel .......................... 1977 OOKPIK world ..................518 Optic Nerve ....................... 3152 Orage ................................ 1850 Origin Distribution..........1380 Original Ski Balm/ Adventure Balm .........3338 Ortovox USA Inc ............... 2919 Oskar Blues.....................2511 Outdoor Gear Inc. ............. 2629 Outdoor Research ..........2816 Outdoor Tech ...................... 962 OwnerIQ ...........................843 Pajar Canada ..................... 1635 Parajumpers ............ 1018, 1321 Patagonia Inc ..................... 1862 Pepper’s Polarized Eyewear ........................ 2952 Phunkshun Wear LLC......... 1547 Picture Organic Clothing.... 1865P Pinnacle Designs ............... 2427 PISTIL ................................. 2233 POC ................................... 3157 Point6 LLC ......................... 1630 Polar Bear Snow Sports LLC .................3910 Polarmax............................ 2438 Polartec LLC ...................... 2559 Popticals ............................ 1271 POW Gloves ...................... 3475 PowderJet Snowboards ....2415 Pret Inc .............................. 3742 Pretty Great LLC ................ 3478 Prior Snowboards & Skis...............................2275 PSIA-AASI .............................. 20

Purnell ............................... 1542 Quiksilver Inc ..................... 2382 Rain Retail.......................... 1035 Randall Innovations ........3911 Rawik ................................. 2629 Redfeather Snowshoes...... 3410 Redox Clothing .................420 Regina Imports LLC ........... 1319 Reima Oy ........................1308 Remind Insoles .................. 2671 Rental World - Backshop ... 4307 Retail Control Systems ......................1252 reusch SnowSports ............ 3635 Revolver Gear .................2277 Rezo Systems .................3746 Ride Snowboards .............. 4162 Ripclear.............................. 3252 Rocky Mountain Sunscreen ..................... 2460 Rocky Mountain Underground ................ 3232 Rodin Ltd ........................... 2615 Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate.......... 3177 Rossignol USA Inc. .. 3418, 3518, 3523, 3524 ROXA Sports ..................... 3907 Royal Racks .....................3580 Ruffolo Enterprises Inc ...... 2653 Rukka ................................... 202 Ruroc Ltd ........................... 3340 Salomon Snowboards........ 3565 Salomon USA .................... 4135 Sandbox ............................ 2576 Sauce Headwear .............1352 Save the Duck ...................418 Saxx Underwear Co........... 2570 Scarpa North America Inc................... 3113 Schure Sports U.S.A. Inc ......1011 Scott Sports ....................... 2845 Screamer Inc. ..................... 1037 Sector 9 ............................. 1877 Sego Skis ........................... 4342 Seirus Innovation ............... 2534 Sh*t That I Knit ...............1545 Sherpani International Inc............ 1434 Shred Optics...................... 1167 Sierra Sage Herbs ...........1138 Skea Ltd............................. 1814 Skhoop .............................. 2319 Ski and Snowboard Mechanics Workshops ....4106 Ski Kare Inc ........................ 3310 SkiA Designs...................... 4210 Skida .................................. 2001 Skiezy Inc ........................4010 SkiMetrix Ltd ..................... 3423 Slide-On ............................ 3423 Slippery Racer Sleds .......3528 Slytech Protection ............. 1167 Smartwool Corporation....... 851 Smith ............. 2852, 2853, 2859 Smokin’ Snowboards ......... 2573 Sno Skins Inc........................ 823 Sno-go ............................4108 Snowboarders and Skiers for Christ ............ 2182 Snowjam Canada Inc ......... 4068 SOLE.................................. 4337 SOS Outreach ....................... 22

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

*New exhibitors are bolded

Company

Company

Company

Soul Poles........................... 3909 Soulmotion Snowboards.....2814 SP United USA Inc................ 662 Spacecraft.......................... 2575 Spark R&D.......................... 2475 SplitFit Boots LLC............3424 Sport Obermeyer Ltd......... 1608 Sportcaster Company Inc................... 657 Sports Accessories America Inc.................... 2625 Sportube............................ 2700 Spyder Active Sports Inc.......... Mtg Room 401 Spyderco............................ 3250 Stance................................. 2465 Stingray Eyewear..............941 Stockli Outdoor Sports...... 3230 Stoney Surfers.................2414 Storm Creek Apparel.......2428 Strafe Outerwear................ 2820 Sun Bum LLC...................... 2269 Sun Valley Ski Tools Inc....... 3549 Sunice................................. 1524 Sure Foot Corporation......943 Swany................................. 1507 Sweet Protection................ 3750 Swix Sport USA, Inc............ 3107 Tecnica USA.............. 3407, 3507 Terramar Sports Inc............ 2651 The Soze Group (TSG)........ 4213 Therma-Phone.................1071 ThirtyTwo............................ 3562 Till I Die............................1351 TOBE Outerwear................ 1340 Toko.................................... 3107 Tomahawk International.....2521 Torch Coat Heater...........1048 Transpack............................ 2839 Trespass USA........................ 529 Turbine............................... 3683 Turtle Fur............................ 1430 Uniform Gallery.................. 4205 Union Bindings................... 3162 US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame...................... 17 UVEX Sports Inc................. 2908 Vagabonds LLC..................318 Vail Resorts Inc. / Epic Pass.....558 Vans.................................... 2770 Vapur.................................. 2313 Vauhti Wax Technologies......3828 Ventamatic Ltd................3537 Venture Snowboards.......2478 Vigor Eyewear.................3536 VillageHouse...................... 1233 Volcom................................ 2983 Volkl.................................... 4225 VonZipper........................... 3762 Vuarnet............................... 3155 Weston Snowboards........2717 Westword........................3336 Wintersteiger Inc...... 2939, 3140 Wolfgang Man & Beast.....2619 Wolfie Furs Canada............ 1821 WSI Sports.......................... 1353 YRC Freight.......................... 850 Zamst...............................3923 Zanheadgear...................... 2077 Zanier Sports Inc..............1865Z ZDAR Boot USA................. 1231 Zeal Optics......................... 2161

Celerant Technology Corporation..................... 847 DexShell Inc.....................1038 DTS Inc................................. 542 Erictex Fashion Co Ltd......... 650 Ex Fty................................644 GoggleOutlet....................450 Guangzhou Yijia Optical Technique Co Ltd............ 447 Jiangsu Rixi Zipper Co Ltd...............647 Jining Glove and Sewing Product Col Ltd............... 539 Jining Jian hua Zhongxing Ski Products Co. Ltd........ 639 Jining Tian Jiu Industry & Trade Co. Ltd................642 K & K Clothing Accessories Co................ 641 Nantong Rainbow Fashion Co. Ltd.............844 NET Sportswear Ltd..........849 Pixlee.................................651 Roaly Merchandises Inc........ 741 Shanghai Qixia Sunshine I/E Co. Ltd....................446 Shenzhen Pengyifa Industrial Co. Ltd............. 645 Shenzhen Reanson Products Co., LTD........... 848 Shifan Racewear Inc............. 648 Texland & Nexko Co. Ltd............................. 551 Topper Crown International Inc..........1050 Toray International America Inc...................... 745 YKK (USA) Inc....................... 750

Icelantic Skis Indigo Ski Equipment Jones Snowboards K2 Skis & Snowboards Kästle Skis Kerma Ski Poles La Sportiva Lange Ski Boots Leki Poles Liberty Skis Lib Tech Snowboards Line Skis Look Bindings Madshus Marhar Snowboard Marker Ski Bindings, Helmets & Goggles Meier Skis Native Eyewear Never Summer Snowboards Nitro snowboards Nordica Boots & Skis Now Bindings Oakley POC Ride Snowboards Rocky Mountain Underground Rome Snowboards Rossignol Alpine, Nordic, Snowboard & LOOK Bindings Scarpa Salomon Alpine, Snowboards, Goggles, Helmets & Nordic Sandbox Helmets Scott Sports Sego Skis Shred Helmets & Goggles Sims Snowboards Skia Spy Start Wax & Poles Stockli Superfeet Swix Alpine Ski Tuning Equipment & Ski Poles Tecnica Tyrolia Alpine and Alpine Touring Ski Bindings Union Bindings Uvex Vans Venture Snowboards Volkl USA Von Zipper Sunglasses & Goggles Wintersteiger Yeah For It (Bataleon, Lobster, Switchback) Yes Snowboards Zeal Optics

Sourcing Snow 3M Thinsulate Insulation............... 553, 3330 Amaterrace Inc..................... 742 Aparso (Fujian) Sportswear Co Ltd.......... 747 CBF Labels Inc...................... 744

On-Snow Demo* Adidas Snowboarding Aloha Products Alpina Arbor Snowboards Arc'teryx Apex Ski Boots Armada Atomic Nordic & Alpine Bent Metal Bindings Bern Black Crows Black Diamond Equipment Bollè Blizzard Capita Snowboards Coalition Snow Dalbello Ski Boots DC Deviation Skis & Snowboards Dynafit DPS Skis Dragon Dynastar Skis Envy Snow Sports Elan Electric Fisher Alpine Flow Snowboarding Flux Bindings Full Tilt G3 Giro Goggles & Snow Helmets Gnu Snowboards Good Carbon Ski Products Grass Sticks HEAD Wintersports Alpine Skis, Ski Boots & . Bindings HillRyder

For the most up-to-date exhibitor listing, go to SIAsnowshow.com *In conjunction with the Western Winter Sports Representatives Association (WWSRA) Rocky Mountain Demo, and in partnership with Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA)

AT THE SHOW | PRODUCT PICKS

WISH LIST ROTATIONAL IMPACT REDUCTION POC SPIN Helmet Technology

POC’s newest technology, SPIN (Shearing Pad Inside), which will be included in five of its helmets next season, features gel pads sewn into the liner that reduce the amount of force transmitted to a user’s head and brain in the event of an “oblique impact.” In other words, when a skier or snowboarder has an angled, or oblique, impact with the ground or an object, the helmet and head rotate. “Concussions happen when the brain hits the inside of the skull,” said POC Spokesman Patrick King. “The shearing effect of the gel pads dissipates rotational force.” And because the gel pads are built into the liner, they don’t affect helmet fit. Booth #3157

ALL FUN

Nikita Mondrana One-Piece

LUKE, I AM YOUR FATHER

Rossignol Star Wars Junior Skis “Kids are gonna love ’em,” said Rossignol brand and communications manager Nick Castagnoli. Well, duh. Sporting Darth Vader’s mug (there’s a BB-8 version, too) and featuring an integrated kid-specific auto-turn rocker profile — what’s not to love?

The Disney-licensed skis are available in lengths from 70–140 cm. The skis are developed especially for juniors and their construction makes them very easy to stand on and engage the turn, yet allows for growth and improvement. At this time Castagnoli said Rossignol has no plans to put Darth Vader on adult skis. Booth #3418

Sexy, functional, fun: this women’s bodysuit is tight without being fluffy or form-fitting. Nikita hearkened back and resurfaced their historic production of the ladies’ one-piece, which one could say they’ve honed over the years. (In passing, we even overheard women stopping to gawk at the “cutest onesie ever.”) Made of waxed blue canvas, the design is accented with panels of seasonal print — a colorful, eclectic geometric pattern — beneath the arms, capped across the knees, behind the shins and atop the pockets. Complemented with leg and arm vents, the fabric is lightly insulated (but not overly so) with 20K waterproofness, 10K breathability. Bonus: Between the chest, back and cargo pockets, she can tote all the snacks. Booth #3478

SHINE ON

Why settle for reflective “hits” when you can wear a hat seen from all sides? With customer encouragement, Turtle Fur went beyond its hi-vis striped models and added a new beanie sporting a flower pattern of reflective yarns. In daylight, the flowers sparkle. At night, they glow when hit with light. The irregular shapes also stand out more, adding a level of safety to your head-warmer while out on snow or taking the dog for a walk. Booth #1430

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

MADISON RAHHAL

Turtle Fur Reflective Beanie

Product Zone

Featuring the freshest gear on the market today. Here is a sneak peek at what’s new and what’s coming from leading industry companies

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WITH THE 1 ST EVER REMOVEABLE WASHABLE + REPLACEABLE SKI GOGGLE FOAM COME CHECK IT OUT AT BOOTH # 2265 FOR A CHANCE TO WIN

www.dcurve.com

Special Advertising Section

Traveler boot bag

AT THE SHOW | SHOW NEWS

ECO-FRIENDLY FOCUS Brands look to go green without sacrificing performance. By Eric Smith When they launched Niche Snowboards in 2009

in Salt Lake City, co-founders Ana Van Pelt, Todd Robertson and Kirsten Kolter had a clear vision for the company: make a high-performance board without harming the environment.

“At the time, no one was really focusing on the fact that snowboarding manufacturing is quite toxic,” Van Pelt said. “We wanted to be the first and only company that was entirely focused on making sustainable and environmentally friendly snowboards.”

The company has more than lived up to its lofty mission, using bio resins instead of traditional resins, avoiding lacquer on top sheets and sourcing 98 percent of materials locally around its factory in Austria.

Niche’s Theme is a zero-waste production snowboard whose leftover materials are upcycled into products such as goggle frames and surfboard fins. But Van Pelt is quick to note that just because a product is green, it doesn’t have to sacrifice performance or durability.

“All that stuff is good for the environment, but it also makes the boards lighter and more durable,” she said.

“They’re super snappy and responsive and have a distinctly supple feeling underfoot.”

Plenty of snow sports manufacturers are developing and marketing environmentally friendly products, many of which are on display at the Show. Bern Unlimited Inc. partnered with PLUSfoam to make a goggle that not only uses recycled material but is itself recyclable. However, Bern also is aware of the need to develop products that do more than simply reduce waste.

“The benefit to the customer is it’s half the weight of a

TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) frame, which is what all the other goggles are made of,” said Bern Founder and CEO Dennis Leedom.

Scarpa North America’s T2 Eco and T1 telemark boots are among the few the company manufactures with Pebax Rnew, a plastic substitute made from castor oil instead of petroleum. “We are making ski boots out of plants,” says CEO Kim Miller. “I can’t understand why we’re not all using Pebax Rnew. Of course, part of the reason is it’s more expensive, and a lot of what we deal with are environmental decisions vs. economic decisions. It’s a really unfortunate kind of juxtaposition.”

But as more customers — and more retailers, Miller emphasized — demand eco-friendly, the economic balance will shift and more brands can make them.

Nadene Wisely, head of product/snow softgoods for Quiksilver and Roxy, has seen demand for green products rise on the softgoods side. Both brands use Repreve fabric yarns in about a third of their products for shell fabrics, recycled fabric linings and trims, and they also use more water-based inks. The company estimates these efforts equaled 11 million recycled plastic bottles during the last season. “It’s something we hope to improve on each year,” Wisely said.

Raw material suppliers also are becoming more conscious of green demands. K&K Clothing Accessories Co., which has a booth in the Sourcing Snow area of the Show, is in the process of attaining bluesign certification, which promotes sustainable textile production. “If you don’t have bluesign, you can’t work with the big brands,” said sales rep Judy Loh.

▲ NICHE SNOWBOARDS THEME

▲ SCARPA T1 TELEMARK BOOT

K2 APPAREL LAUNCHES Debuting for 2017 under a licensing agreement with Vertical Brands, the new K2 Apparel line is a concise, well-thought-out collection that reflects the brand’s heritage while incorporating modern design, technical features, and performance fabrics and insulation.

“This was an exciting opportunity because K2 is seen by many people as the all-American brand — from its irreverence in the ’70s and ’80s to what it represents today,” said Bill Post, the veteran snow sports clothing exec who is directing the new venture. “It’s a strong brand, which presents an opportunity for retailers, too.”

The line is broken into two broad categories, All Mountain and Freeride, each with a variety of shells, insulated jackets, pants and midlayers for men and women. The All Mountain collection reflects K2’s alpine legacy with athletic, streamlined fits and vivid colors; while the Freeride collection is more laidback in earth tones with longer, looser fits. All insulated pieces feature Primaloft Black Eco fill, and several shell pieces in the Freeride collection use eVent 3-layer waterproof-breathable fabric.

The uniquely styled midlayer pieces — featuring sweater-knits, bonded fleece and waterproofbreathable membranes — can be worn as standalone jackets.

See K2 Apparel in Booth #3953.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON KAHHAL

Line reflects K2's heritage. By Bevin Wallace

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

PHOTOS | AT THE SHOW

▲ SECTOR 9 SKATEBOARDS'S TOM QUINTANA AND LOUIS POLLONI: "WE MAY BE TUCKED IN THE CORNER BUT THERE'S BEER. CHEERS!"

▲ NEW EXHIBITOR TOMAHAWK'S JIMBO MORGAN.

THE SUNRISE RED MIRROR LENS TEMPLE CUMMINS, MT. BAKER LEGEND

ABOM.COM

AT THE SHOW | SHOW NEWS

TURNING POINT

STREAMLINING NORDIC

A four-year partnership between Fischer and Rossignol

By M.T. Elliott

has culminated in Turnamic, a Nordic binding system the companies co-designed and co-produced to offer ease of use for crosscountry skiers no matter their age or skill level.

Making its debut at Snow Show, the Turnamic binding system is the result of an alliance that began in 2010 when Fischer started developing the concept. A few years later the companies joined forces to unite their R&D, testing and marketing efforts.

“We doubled the brain power,” said Ryan Green, Nordic division manager for Rossignol. “We have been able to work together and challenge different things.”

One of the challenges the companies worked to overcome was bringing to market a binding that could serve both elite racers and recreational skiers, while also welcoming new Nordic converts, with features such as hassle-free entry and exit.

The Turnamic binding releases with a simple turn that can be initiated by a pole tip or gloved hand, is compatible with the NNN (New Nordic Norm) profile and has a small connection point to the ski for better flex.

It is easy to mount and also customizable. By adjusting the binding, racers can alter the camber and tip pressure to accommodate variable conditions, and touring skiers can move the binding back or forward based on slope degree. Rental shops can effortlessly configure the binding setup for a wide range of skiers.

“Easy, tunable and dynamic,” said Steve Reeder, national sales manager for Fischer Skis US, pointing to the company’s marketing materials in the Snow Show booth. “Those are the three pillars on this.”

When released next season, the Turnamic binding will be available from both brands – the only difference being that one is Rossignol red and one is Fischer yellow.

Each brand will offer a collection of compatible Turnamic bindings, boots and skis.

The companies not only collaborated on the technology but also the name, which Green said was coined to reach a global audience and also to include the word “turn,” a nod to the binding’s turning release lever.

ATHLETIC MARKETING Breathe deep and let your branded partnerships blossom. By M.T. Elliott The good news is that influencer strategies work when done right, and

that’s the ever-evolving catch.

As social marketing matured, so did consumers. The modern audience recognizes sponsored posts and accepts them as part of the social landscape. Consider that followers of an athlete on social media are 164% more likely to purchase an item that athlete calls out, according to Navigate Research.

Thursday’s Industry + Intelligence seminar “5 Transformative Athlete-Powered Marketing Ideas for Your Brand,” presented by Lindsay Nelson of IMRE marketing, had one big takeaway: Make partnerships a win-winwin for the brand, the athlete and the audi-

48

ence through mutual trust and involvement.

Brands should let athletes tell their stories.

The lawyers will wince at that idea, but they should understand it is best to have someone else testify on your behalf. And any athlete with an eye on their future understands they are their own brand.

Today’s savvy consumers don’t expect athletes to be put on a pedestal. Burton, for instance, provides a space for its athletes to talk about the brand or other unrelated interests. In fact, the more human side of a brand athlete is an opportunity to organically reach a new community. Nelson cited the recent Bose commercial with NFL lineman and MIT grad John Cameron Urschel, who

SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 2 | SIAsnowshow.com

explains how the brand’s latest headphones work.

Perhaps the bigger leap of faith is the notion of using an athlete to bring a sport to a community. Bringing lumberjacks into downtown Chicago gets media attention, plenty of brand exposure and gives the competitors a new and unique venue to show off their skills. Snow sports have held contests in cities before, but it’s an idea worth expanding.

The future is headed toward the experiential.

Brands are already taking audiences into the middle of a rugby pitch or basketball court via virtual reality and 360-degree photos.

For more on the five big ideas: http://sia. imre.works

Capturing the mobile consumer will require change.

SIA panel loves to assess and address some of the snow sports industry’s hurdles to growth, but sometimes an unanswered question is meant to raise eyebrows. Why are digital interactions with alpine centers more streamlined than at many Nordic centers?

That loving kick in the pants was the intent of the seminar, “Your Next Customer – Who Are They?” by David Lively of The Lively Merchant, an organizational and marketing consultant for family businesses.

His presentation in the Nordic Center echoed some of SIA’s statistics on the consumer demographic and then delved into the typical Nordic consumer.

They are likely under 40, own a mobile device, and, after checking out a retailer’s online presence, primed to take action within 24 hours.

That can mean customers call for more information, to make a reservation or look up directions to visit a store in person.

It also means they look into your company at all hours of the day, and if they land on a stale, out-of-season website, they bail.

For now, a more streamlined process means hitting a Nordic center site for onestop shopping: access pass; rental gear and maybe some extras. And that is where Lively sees the big divide.

That shopping experience exists in the alpine sector, but rarely in Nordic. One solution, Lively suggests, is a web and sales strategy that will at least point consumers in the right direction for all their needs.

BAILEY LARUE

Fischer, Rossignol collaborate on Nordic binding Turnamic. By Eric Smith

SHOW NEWS | AT THE SHOW

MINING A MOUNTAIN’S DATA Bay-area tech wizards offer tips for harnessing the power in your customer’s pocket. By Helen Olsson

At noon tomorrow at the Industry + Intelligence Live booth (#677), serial entrepreneurs Sarah Stocker and Mark Danks, the creators of SkiLynx will present a talk on how companies can use technology to create a more personal relationship with customers. Danks and Stocker, who for 20 years developed video games for systems like PlayStation 3, turned their programming chops to the ski world with the SkiLynx app. The consumer iteration allows users to create groups and find exact locations of friends and family on lifts or trails at 40 different mountains. The app has a smart messaging feature to then send quick alerts to the group. SkiLynx is really a social medium to keep people connected on the slopes without trying to dial with mittens on.

There’s also a resort-based version at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, launched last fall, and the technology was recently integrated into Aspen Snowmass’s own app. “The heart of innovation is making things as intuitive for users as you can. It’s about giving people access to something incredibly complicated, in the easiest way possible,” Stoker said. “People have a technology in their pocket that is greater than anything we sent to the moon. We can unleash that power.”

For resorts, there’s also a power in leveraging data collected through technology to connect with customers in a truly individualized way.

▲ SKILYNX SCREENSHOT

WHY CONSUMERS BUY SIA research goes inside consumers’ minds. By Morgan Tilton

▲ FROM TOP: WINTER LUXE IS A NEW AREA OF THE SNOW SHOW FLOOR DESIGNED TO BRING HIGH-END LUXURY BRANDS TOGETHER IN ONE SPOT; ARPIN SHOWS OFF ITS WARES.

Get the latest SIA studies at snowsports.org/research.

MADISON RAHHAL

We’re all in the business of making money. But our industry also cares about introducing new people to the life of play that snow sports brings.

Fortunately, the two missions go hand in hand, and SIA Research Director Kelly Davis is set to uncover today’s current consumer beta that will help retailers target, grow and maintain sales to old and new customers alike.

At Wednesday’s Industry + Intelligence seminar, “The Snow Sports Consumer Journey,” Davis presented data from her most recent research project, “Sports Identity Profiles.”

Published in December, the study surveyed 558 respondents across North America about their alpine ski-boot purchases. The goal? To get inside the consumer mind, understand the hook-line-and-sinker purchase, and know what will bring customers back in the door (or online) for more.

One of the most successful examples of ultimate brand loyalty is Harley Davidson, pointed out Davis. “Brands that know how to talk to their customers in a personalized way create loyalty—then customers get tattoos on their back and yoga balls are sold all day long,” Davis joked.

On a more serious note, several interesting trends surfaced in the consumer study: The majority of folks who purchased boots were around age 30. They were replacing 10-yearold boots they’d pulled out of their parents’ basement. Those 18- to 24-year-olds had stopped skiing as frequently as they grew up, and then got back into the sport with their ragged gear. Now with disposable income and a reinvigorated passion, they were ready to invest in new equipment.

Another noteworthy trend was that women most often underestimated their abilities, while men greatly overestimated their skill level — which seemed to be true when buying.

How can retailers apply this data? Step one — for any retailer, ski resort or service provider — is to create a customer database. A contact list with personalized data (including gender, age, whether they have a family, activity interest, etc.) allows businesses to call or email consumers with follow-up product and service offers, which Backcountry.com does well, Davis said as an example. “When you buy yoga pants, Backcountry.com calls and emails to say, ‘Hey, we have a yoga ball, too!’”

Engage with customers, use their language when selling them products, offer them discounts and freebies—like a boot-bag giveaway in exchange for their email address—and validate their buying decision: “This snowboard will help you ride more advanced terrain, because of the stability in the core,” for example.

Look for Davis’s next set of consumer studies tapping into ski and snowboard hardgoods sales, to be published later this year.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 2 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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AT THE SHOW | EVENT CALENDAR

THE AGENDA Mark your calendars with these can't-miss seminars, keynotes and events.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

All Day | Booth #2460 | Rocky Mountain Sunscreen

Complimentary Skin Cancer Screening: Rocky Mountain Sunscreen will have medical staff and volunteers onhand for complimentary screenings.

7-9:15 AM | Conference Room 103 Donut Dunking Christian Fellowship – Inspirational Conversations 7:30-9 AM | Mile High Ballroom Protect Our Winters Breakfast & Bloodies Annual Keynote Address – Leading on Climate in 2017…and Beyond: Join Protect Our Winters for breakfast burritos and Finlandia Bloody Marys and hear Naomi Oreskes’s amazing perspective on climate change in this post-election world, how a strategy of doubt and confusion has been used to stall climate progress and how we’re all going to lead on climate in 2017 and beyond.

10 AM | Booth #2651 | Terramar Baselayer Giveaway: Terramar Sports is giving away 800 men’s and women’s baselayer tops. Terramar’s midweight products, Thermolator and Cloud Nine will be featured.

10-10:30 AM | I+I Studio (Booth #470) Take the Guesswork Out of Clinic Execution Presented by GoSpotCheck 10:30-11 AM | I+I Studio (Booth #470) Keeping Track of Pros On and Off the Mountain Presented by GoSpotCheck 10-11 AM | I+I Live (Booth #677) Amazon Selling: Hear from Chip Neff on the importance of Amazon, controlling your brand online and driving sales through this channel. Presented by Chip Neff, Neff Headwear 11-11:30 | I+I Studio (Booth #470) Undercutting the Mistakes – How to Avoid Common Missteps with Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) Policies Presented by Procopio 11-12 PM | I+I Live (Booth #677) Approaches to Common IP Issues Faced by Snow Sports Companies: How do we protect our IP in a cost-effective manner?

How much should we care about other companies’ IP? What do we do with the patents and trademarks we have? This will be an informal discussion with questions welcomed on IP management for snow sports companies. Presented by Cathleen Stadecker & Kevin McGrath, Downs Rachlin Martin, PLLC 11-12 PM | Rental World - Backshop (Booth #4307) Your Next Customer: Who Are They? Presented by David Lively, The Lively Merchant 12-1 PM | I+I Live (Booth #677) Tools for Product Managers: This presentation will clarify your understanding of the roles and responsibilities of product managers and the basic tools and resources required to help them perform at a high level. It will also debut survey results comparing what real-life product managers actually do

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 1 | SIAsnowshow.com

in the outdoor industry versus what the books lead us to believe. Presented by Concurrent Product Development 12-12:30 PM | I+I Studio (Booth #470) The Business of Being Good – CSR Branding Best Practices Presented by Scream Agency 1-2 PM | Rental World - Backshop (Booth #4307) Serving Newbies in the Rental Department – A Look into Gear and Service Trends Aimed at Turning Newcomers into Core Participants: This session will provide et actionable tips and advice for all rental shops. Presented by Joe Hession, SNOW Operating; Ian Prichard, Black Tie Ski Rentals; Bill Irwin, Alpina/Elan Sports; and Mike Poole, Head Wintersports 1-2 PM | I+I Live (Booth #677) What You Don’t Know About Marketing to Moms – A Guide to Success in Building New Ski Families: This session will present findings from an annual ski guide survey of 500 ski moms, which can help companies target and market to ski families. Bonus: How to effectively work with mom bloggers to promote the ski industry. Presented by Nicole Feliciano, Momtrends Media 2 PM | Trail Gate Flight Deck | H20 Guides Dean Cummings on Backcountry Terrain Management Protocol: Join renowned big-mountain guide and Alaska heli-skiing pioneer Dean Cummings to learn practical backcountry terrain management protocol to avoid avalanches and take your skiing and riding to the next level.

2-3 PM | Nordic Center PR for the Retailer and Nordic Center Presented by MFA, NYC PR Agency 3 PM | Trail Gate Trail Gate Happy Hour: Come have a cold one, courtesy of SIA and Oskar Blues Brewing.

3-5 PM | Booth #3354 | Giro Free Custom Hats: Stop by for a custom bigtruck hat, sewed in the booth.

4 PM | Trail Gate | Bishop Bindings Unveiling of New Prototype Bindings 4 PM | Booth #1824 | Hestra Happy Hour: Stop by for a drink to wind down from your day at the Show.

4:30-6 PM | Booth #2852 | Smith Optics Happy Hour: Stop by for a drink. Smith will also present a check to the High Fives Foundation from the proceeds of sales from the Smith x High Fives collaboration that debuted in 2016.

4-6 PM | Booth #2621 | Lucky Bums Happy Hour: Help Lucky Bums celebrate another great year with free beer flowing from 4 to 6.

4-6 PM | Booth #2925 | Leki Happy Hour Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Trigger Grip System 4:30-6:30 PM | Booth #1529 | Chaos Chris Anthony Poster Signing and Hat Sales: Chaos Headwear will host a limited-edition poster signing with celebrity athlete Chris Anthony. Chaos will also be selling hats as fundraiser for Camber Outdoors (formerly OIWC).

5 PM | Booth #1862 | Patagonia Music & Mules Happy Hour: Join Patagonia and Protect Our Winters for mules, music and climate action. A $5 MiiR 1% for the Planet pint cup donation is good for beer and Finlandia Moscow Mules. All proceeds benefit Protect Our Winters.

5 PM | The Bridge Obermeyer’s 70th Anniversary Celebration Happy Hour: Join SIA at The Bridge to celebrate Sport Obermeyer’s 70th anniversary with yodeling and refreshments.

5 PM | Booth #2512 | Elan Happy Hour with Glen Plake: Join Elan, Active Interest Media and Oskar Blues Brewing, with an appearance by Glen Plake.

5 PM | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Icelantic Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks: The annual show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre is back, featuring Zedd with Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals and Lil Dicky. More details and tickets at icelanticskis.com.

7 PM | Lost Lake, 3602 Colfax | B Fresh Gear, WIME Snowboards, Kind-Dub After-Party Featuring Ice C.R.E.A.M. and Qbala

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2017

All Day | Booth #2460 | Rocky Mountain Sunscreen

Complimentary Skin Cancer Screening: Rocky Mountain Sunscreen will have medical staff and volunteers onhand for complimentary screenings.

7-9:15 AM | Conference Room 103 Donut Dunking Christian Fellowship – Inspirational Conversations 10-11 PM | Booth #2829 | HEAD Ted Ligety Appearance 11-12 PM | I+I Live (Booth #677) The Future of OnDemand Retail: How mobile commerce, the sharing economy and social capitalism are changing consumer behavior – for good. Presented by Joe Dunnigan, swappow 12-1 PM | I+I Live (Booth #677) It’s All About You – How Personalization of Experience Has Become a Key Differentiator in Snow Sports: In the world of Uber, Amazon, social networking and automatic everything, customers and guests expect their experience with you to be customized and personalized for their needs and desires—even before they understand those needs themselves. The creators of the SkiLynx platform discuss how you can turn your understanding of your customer into a personal relationship with them that keeps them coming back for more. Presented by Sarah W. Stocker & Mark Danks, SkiLynx 2 PM | Trail Gate Flight Deck | H20 Guides Dean Cummings on Backcountry Terrain Management Protocol: Join renowned big-mountain guide and Alaska heli-skiing pioneer Dean Cummings to learn practical backcountry terrain management protocol to avoid avalanches

and take your skiing and riding to the next level.

3 PM | Trail Gate Trail Gate Happy Hour: Come have a cold one, courtesy of SIA and Oskar Blues Brewing.

3-5 PM | Booth #3354 | Giro Free Custom Hats: Stop by for a custom bigtruck hat, sewed in the booth.

4-6 PM | Booth #2925 | Leki Poster Signing with Glen Plake 5 PM | The Bridge SIA Town Hall Meeting: Let your voice be heard. Join SIA and your peers to talk about the future of the Snow Show and the organization.

5 PM | Stoney’s Bar and Grill, 1111 Lincoln St. AfterParty with Oskar Blues and SKI Magazine: Take a Dale’s Pale Ale trolley ride over to this after-party on Saturday night and enjoy an ‘80s band and general revelry on the eve of the final day of the Show.

7 PM | Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St. SIA Center Stage 2017: CAPiTA Presents RED FANG

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017

All Day | Booth #2460 | Rocky Mountain Sunscreen

Complimentary Skin Cancer Screening: Rocky Mountain Sunscreen will have medical staff and volunteers onhand for complimentary screenings.

7-9:15 AM | Conference Room 103 Donut Dunking Christian Fellowship – Inspirational Conversations 2 PM | Trail Gate Flight Deck | H20 Guides Dean Cummings on Backcountry Terrain Management Protocol: Join renowned big-mountain guide and Alaska heli-skiing pioneer Dean Cummings to learn practical backcountry terrain management protocol to avoid avalanches and take your skiing and riding to the next level.

Customize your show: Download the Snow Show app at SIASnowShow.com/showapp.

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

9 AM-3:30 PM | Copper Mountain On-Snow Demo/

Ski-Ride Fest and Nordic Demo

3 PM | Copper Mountain East Village Happy Hour and Roundtable with Kelly Davis, SIA Director of Research

8:30 PM | Copper Mountain Incline Bar & Grill | Elan

Afterhours Party: Let loose at the Demo with ‘80s band the Goonies and MC Glen Plake and Ripstick cocktails.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

9 AM-3:30 PM | Copper Mountain On-Snow Demo/

Ski-Ride Fest and Nordic Demo

8:30-9 AM | Copper Mountain East Village Informal Breakfast Roundtable with Reese Brown, SIA Nordic Director

Today's Not -To-Miss Events

FEET COMPLETE

Insole Solutions for Snowsports Booth #3349

Masterfitinc.com (914) 944-9038

AT THE SHOW | QUESTION OF THE DAY

WHAT SHOULD COMPANIES KEEP IN MIND AS THEY DEVELOP THE NEXT GEN OF PRODUCTS? “Backcountry skiing. That seems to be the growing aspect of the ski industry right now. Tech bindings, crossover equipment, a one-ski quiver – and there is a grassroots feeling here.”

“Versatility. We’re a strange commodity being on an air force base. Our clientele is really different than your average winter sports buyer.

They’re asking, ‘How can I use this in multiple pursuits?’”

“The do-it-yourself skibum vibe. With rising costs in everything related to skiing, a lot of people are trying to minimize costs by living in campers in resort parking lots.”

“Activities beyond just resort skiing. It used to be, ‘I’m a skier,’ and that means you just ski at a resort. Now it looks a lot different. People are expanding to do other things such as cross-country skiing and fat-biking.”

—Kjell Ellefson, partnership marketing specialist, K2 Sports

Meetings should always be on a gondola, right?

World Ski and Snowboard Festival | April 7-16, 2017

—Trevor Bird and Lucia Lopez-Hisijos Hillberg Ski Area, Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

—Jeff Carlson, buyer, Mountain Outfitters, Breckenridge, Colo.

—Annie Fedrigo, marketing manager, Hestra Gloves

WORK CAN BE FUN TOO Ten days of snowsports, arts, music and friends, all happening this spring.

APRIL 7 - 16, 2017

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