SIA Snow Show 2017 Day 3

SIA

DAY 3

SNOW SHOW DAILY

PUBLISHED BY ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA JANUARY 28, 2017

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE 2017 SIA SNOW SHOW

BEYOND THE CORE

TO GROW THE SPORT, STAKEHOLDERS AGREE: WE MUST APPEAL TO A MORE DIVERSE PARTICIPANT BASE. (P. 10)

SNOW SPORTS PARTICIPANTS Participation increased from 20M to 23M individual participants across all snow sports last season.

12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 2015 | 2016 2014 | 2015 2013 | 2014 2012 | 2013 2011 | 2012 2010 | 2011

Climate Talk

Dr. Naomi Oreskes cuts through the noise with a no-holds-barred presentation at POW’s annual breakfast. (p. 3)

9,267

9,378 9,004 8,243 10,201 11,504

4,635 4,465 4,061 4,516 3,641 3,647

Happy 70th

Founder Klaus Obermeyer looks back at 70 years of gear and product innovation, and time on the slopes. (p. 6)

4,640 4,146 4,291 3,923 4,318 4,530

7,602 7,676 7,399 7,351 7,579 8,196

Gateway Fun

No lift ticket needed: Why it’s important to think beyond skis and snowboards to lure new winter sports enthusiasts. (p. 8)

3,533 3,885 3,603 4,029 4,111 3,823

23M 20M

Get On-Snow

2015 2016 2014 2015

Slay your time at the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest and Nordic Demo with this guide to everything Copper. (Insert)

TECHNOLOGIES

SOLUTIONS ANY NEED any reason.

POLARTEC.COM

©2017, Polartec, LLC. Polarte

c ® , Polarte c ® Alpha ® , Polarte c ® Neoshel l® , Polarte c ® Delta™ and Polarte c ® Wind Pr o® FR are registered trademarks of Polartec, LLC 2017

ALPHA ® NEOSHELL®

WIND PRO® FR

DELTA™

IN THE ISSUE | UP FRONT

CONTENTS 3 SHOW NEWS

Protect Our Winters annual breakfast; doing good while doing business.

4 PHOTOS

Snaps from the aisles and happy hours.

6 OBERMEYER'S 70TH An interview with Klaus.

8 NO LIFT TICKET NEEDED

The importance of luring new winter sports enthusiasts with "gateway" fun.

10 THE CHANGING FACE OF SNOW SPORTS Stakeholders look beyond the core to reverse the participation plateau.

Top Trends 22 Midlayers 23 High-End Apparel 24 Socks 25 Baselayers 26 High-Tech Accessories INSERT ON-SNOW DEMO GUIDE Make the most of the Demo.

28 EXHIBITOR LIST 31 WISH LIST

Our picks for gear and accessories.

16 FASHION TRENDS

32 SHOW NEWS

18 PEAK PARTNERS

34 EVENT CALENDAR

Consumers want timeless design that will take them from season to season.

Q&As with Camber Outdoors supporters, committed to equality in the boardroom.

Talking to Elan's Jeff Mechura; Cummings on backcountry safety; behind the design.

35 SHOW NEWS

Ligety's 10 years with Shred and Slytech.

20 MARKET TRENDS

Snow in the West boosted snowboard sales in the 2015-2016 season.

ON THE COVER: Courtesy of SIA

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 Copyright 2017 by Snow Show Daily

SHOW NEWS | AT THE SHOW

THE BUSINESS OF DOING GOOD

Companies can create a competitive advantage by giving back. By Eric Smith

CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT TO DO NEXT

BAILEY LARUE

Dr. Naomi Oreskes encourages industry to keep fighting. By Morgan Tilton “She’s 5 foot, 3 inches tall with a combative, warrior mentality,” Aspen Skiing Company vice president of sustainability and Protect Our Winters board chairman Auden Schendler said when he introduced Dr. Naomi Oreskes at Friday’s Burritos and Bloodies Breakfast.

Keynote speaker and POW board member Oreskes is also a history of science professor at Harvard University.

And Schendler wasn’t exaggerating. Oreskes has thrown a relentless spear into the contentious battle over climate change for more than a decade.

In 2004, she picked apart the existing research to confirm whether effective papers that discounted climate change actually existed. They didn’t — which sparked angry emails in response and even death threats. Her research — presented in her best-selling book and feature film, "Merchants of Doubt" — uncovered a strategy of disinformation engaged by the fossil-fuel industry to confuse the public about the science behind climate change. (The tobacco industry used the same tactics of doubt when it covered up the health effects of cigarettes.)

Now what? The linchpin of progressive change is policies related to renewable energies and getting those efforts deployed on a large scale. To drive home the point, Oreskes pulled up graphics of the U.S. from 1984 to 2015. The regions with the most solar PVs installed weren’t based on variables like sunlight exposure or a community’s social makeup. Instead, installations were highest where policies were in place.

Here’s the good news: Renewable energy technology exists and is affordable. The cost of solar has dropped

dramatically — from $77 per watt in 1977 to $0.36 per watt in 2014 — and solar is the cheapest new energy in 60 countries. In 2015, renewables (led by wind and solar) represented more than half the new power capacity around the world, reaching a record 153 gigawatts (GW), 15 percent more than the previous year, according to the International Energy Agency.

“As climate activists, we haven’t been clear about what we’re in favor of, what can and is being done, but we need to pick up the pace,” said Oreskes, emphasizing that litigation about the science of climate change shouldn’t be the focus of the conversation.

President Trump aside, take one look at the past 40 years of U.S. Congress voting trends — made visible by the Environmental Voting Score released by the League of Conservation Voters — and it’s clear that since 1990, Republicans in Congress have turned starkly away from supporting the environment.

Activists and snow sports industry players, here's what you can do: Set up a five-minute meeting with your local state representatives to share your stance on climate change policies. Present them the research on the number of outdoor industry jobs vs. oil and gas industry jobs in your state.

Be patient when you find yourself in divided chairlift conversations. Change doesn’t happen overnight — but we can’t do nothing. “Everyone needs to speak up,” Schendler said. “We need to get those positive messages out.” We need to collectively fight a meaningful battle that’s bigger than our day-to-day tasks.

In addition to showcasing colorful booths and eyepopping products, companies across the Snow Show floor are displaying a passion for corporate social responsibility (CSR).

This is an ideal industry for exhibiting a CSR philosophy, according to Lora Ledermann, who spoke Friday during the Industry + Intelligence session, “The Business of Being Good.” “The snow and outdoor audiences are cause-driven enthusiasts attracted to authentic brands that align with their values,” she said.

Ledermann, who works for the Denver-based PR and branding firm Scream Agency, said many snow and outdoor sports companies are giving a portion of their proceeds to charities or donating volunteer hours to nonprofits.

Others are insisting on eco-friendly manufacturing or supply chain processes. And some are partnering with athlete-

ambassadors to raise awareness of a cause or donating products to introduce snow sports to those without exposure to them.

Those that give back – either through financial, in-kind or volunteer efforts – can create a competitive advantage.

Ledermann highlighted a number of other reasons why companies should give back.

• It's the right thing to do.

• Employees, customers, partners and followers are looking for it.

• It attracts new talent, investors and customers.

• It humanizes your brand and generates goodwil.

• It shows leaderships • It brings departments and people together.

• It is shareable and contagious.

“Once a consumer starts to understand the things you are doing in this space, they, in turn, will be more loyal to your brand,” she said.

THE DATE BOOK Today's Not-to-Miss Events

"It's All About You: How Personalization of Experience Has Become a Key Differentiator in Snow Sports," I+I Live, Booth #677, 12-1 p.m.

Poster Signing with Glen Plake, Leki, Booth #2925, 4-6 p.m.

After-party with Oskar Blues & SKI Magazine: Stoney's Bar & Grill, 5 p.m.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

3

AT THE SHOW | PHOTOS

GETTING DOWN

A little business, a little play: Show-goers fill their days with meetings and their evenings with fun.

▲ SPINNING TUNES AT THE GOPRO HAPPY HOUR.

▲ PACKING IN FOR THE WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE OF VISITORS FROM VIDEOGRASS.

▲ TJ, ASHLEY AND DAUGHTER CHARLIE LANNING HANG WITH MATT O'DAY, ALL OF SPYDER, AT THE SIA HAPPY HOUR THURSDAY NIGHT.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

▲ IT'S A TOSS-UP: RILEY AND BROCK HORTON PLAY AT THE SIA HAPPY HOUR, WHICH WAS SPONSORED BY SPYDER AND USSA.

▲ ARTURO SERRANO AND ROBERT BOWERS BROUGHT THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION TO THURSDAY'S SIA HAPPY HOUR.

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

▲ FILLING UP AT THE VISITORS MOVIE PREMIERE.

▲ CHENEY CALDWELL OF PATAGONIA HELPED FIX WORN WEAR AT ITS HAPPY HOUR.

▲ JUSTIN AND KYAN PAIK CHILL THURSDAY AFTER THE SHOW.

▲ RHONDA SWENSON & BETH COCHRAN WITH MAN'S BEST FRIEND.

▲ BALANCING ACT: ELAI DANKNER TRIES OUT THE ONEWHEEL.

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

▲ WAYNE GREVEY, FOUNDER OF NORTHWEST FREERIDE PROGRAMS, TAKES A STAB AT SKIING WITH ADVENTURE SNOW SPORTS'S KENT BRY.

▲ WORK OF ART: JAMES JOHNSON AT THE N-GRAINED BOOTH.

▲ LEND ME YOUR EARS AND I'LL SING YOU A SONG, AND I'LL TRY NOT TO SING OUT OF KEY ... JAM SESSION WITH H20 GUIDES.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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AT THE SHOW | SHOW NEWS

A LOOK BACK

Sitting down with one of the industry’s most iconic figures. By MT Elliott Obermeyer is celebrating its 70th anniversary so Snow Show Daily checked in with 97-year-

old Founder Klaus Obermeyer (right) for perspective on his long run in the industry — and in life.

What trend would you like to bring back from the past?

I think I would bring back the climbing of the mountain, instead of the lift, and that is now happening. Now the whole world is a ski area. You don’t need to be where there is a lift. With the new wider, shorter skis it makes it easy to ski any chunk, any snow, any drift, anything. Where it snows, there’s skiing.

Europeans had wider heels because they walked more, and Americans drove more.

So the heels in America were narrower by at least one size. We made a special last; the company Winkler made that last for me, so a medium size would have a narrow heel, and the narrow size would have an extra-narrow heel.

And it worked like a charm; we sold a lot of boots.

When did you see the most innovation?

The late 50s and early 60s. I’m an aeronautical engineer so I was able to teach the factories what I wanted them to make for me. The aluminum enabled dual-taper poles, which made them lighter and stronger. It was just a great opportunity to make better stuff.

For instance, ski boots: we made the first double, but we made it with an American last. The interesting thing was that almost all ski boots came from Europe in ‘47-’49. The

How are things on the slopes these days?

Up in Aspen we’re having a powder day every day because it snows every night.

It’s fabulous. Snow in the ski industry makes us look intelligent.

What is your favorite Obermeyer piece this year?

There are so many pieces that there isn’t a favorite, but the parkas, for instance, are lighter, waterproof with a new DWR system that is healthier than the old one and more

breathable. And they have stretch where you need it so you can lift your arms without the whole parka coming up.

Where do you see the industry headed?

Oh, the innovation continues.

I always say you have never made, you are always making it, in life and in business.

There is always the opportunity to get better. You end up where you aim to and we’re aiming to getting better every year.

Any advice to new brands?

I think that the philosophy that should govern them would be to create win-win situations — good for them and good for the customer — and let that be the aim. It’s a mindset.

I think there’s a metaphor there of getting up the mountain that way, aiming for the top but looking just ahead of you step by step.

Good idea … until you climb the wrong mountain.

OBERMEYER'S HISTORY OF INNOVATION: HIGHLIGHTS 1958 – Quilted parkas (using fabric shavings off the floor of a Munich textile factory)

1963 – First ski fashion advertisement (in SKI magazine)

1975 – Use of waterproof/breathable fabrics

1993 – Double seat and knees in pants

2017 – Introduced HydroGuard DWR

MARKETING TO MOMS

Pitch mom bloggers and rethink your marketing imagery. By Helen Olsson Nicole Feliciano, CEO of Momtrends Media, addressed Show-goers Friday in the Industry + Intelligence Live booth, delivering a flurry of tips and strategies about market-

ing to moms — the ones booking family vacations 70% of the time. Social media influencers, namely bloggers, are an untapped resource, she said. She suggested resorts, retailers and manufacturers develop relationships with key bloggers in their markets. “Nobody is pitching them. They want to get invited,” Feliciano said. “Give them saving codes to tweet,” she suggested. Offer products or lift tickets as giveaways. Develop hashtags, she urged, posting them on bathroom mirrors and apparel hangtags and tracking them with sites like keyhole.co. “Hashtags are free,” she said.

The imagery used in ski-industry marketing doesn’t resonate with moms, she said. In a survey of 500 ski moms on barriers to entry, 24% pointed to risk of injury. “Seeing a picture of a dude skiing big powder does not make me want to get in my car and drive five hours with my kids,” she said. Feliciano urged the industry to show imagery of families and moms with kids, smiling and happy. And to include families of color. Feliciano talked about erasing points of friction in the snow sports experience — cost, childcare, transportation, the cold. She praised Keystone for its little red wagons, which help get kids and gear from lot to lesson without meltdowns. She pointed out how many social media feeds feature those little red wagons.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

BAILEY LARUE; COURTESY OF OBERMEYER

1947 – Dual-construction ski boot (soft and warm inner, rigid and strong outer)

Marmsater

THE

MOUNTAIN TOP VERTICAL SERIES

FEATURE | THE FUTURE OF WINTER SERIES

SHOWSHOEING HAS A LOW LEARNING CURVE AND IS LOW-COST RELATIVE TO OTHER SNOW SPORTS.

NO LIFT TICKET NEEDED The moment Kelly Davis fell in love with winter and snow sports she pinpoints to the day her older siblings hauled her to the top of a sledding hill, stuck her on a saucer and kicked her toward the trees.

“I was psyched—that was awesome,” says Davis, now director of research for SIA. “That was the first time I ever felt that feeling that I’ve been chasing for the past 49 years—it’s awesome, and if we can’t sell that, then I don’t know what we’re doing.”

She sees sledding as a “gateway drug,” an entry point underexploited by an industry that, while holding steady in terms of visitors to the slopes, is actually watching the

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

number of per-capita skiers and snowboarders decline.

SIA’s Downhill Consumer Intelligence Report, a 40year retrospective of the industry, can be read two ways, Davis says: “You can see it as incredibly stable or incredibly static.”

In 1974, ski resorts saw about 12.2 million downhill skiers and 53 million skier visits. Forty years later, those numbers haven’t moved: 12.6 million skiers and snow-

boarders, and 53 million skier visits.

“Every year it stays unbelievably flat,” she says. “Whatever new program has come along has maybe worked to stabilize the industry, but nothing has ever moved the needle. …. We’ve got to have some original thought about where we’re going to find them, or else we’re going to remain at 12.5 million.”

After all, if you look at participation as a percentage of population, the trend is downward.

That makes it time to mix it up a little, she contends, breaking from the model of luring people to resorts for three lessons and hoping that gets them hooked. The

COURTESY OF REDFEATHER SNOWSHOES

The importance of luring new winter sports enthusiasts with ‘gateway’ fun. By Elizabeth Miller

FROM LEFT: COURTESY OF CROSS COUNTRY SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION; SPORTSSTUFF

number of people who recreate outdoors during the winter is estimated at 100 million, and they’re interested in everything from snowshoeing to cross country skiing to winter hiking, running, sledding, even pre-planned snowball fights. They may not show up at the ski resorts, but they purchase much of the same gear.

Just getting people to have fun outdoors and get over that common objection about being cold could get them started exploring outdoor winter sports in a way that, eventually, blossoms into showing up on the ski hill.

“If I were a retailer, I’d find a sledding hill and every time it snowed make sure I was all over it on social media,” Davis says. “How much would it cost on wholesale to get a bunch of saucers, and how much would it cost to have someone out there demoing or teaching kids how to snowboard at the sledding hill? It really wouldn’t be that tough to do.”

These options can open doors to underrepresented demographics, like the 18- to 24-year-olds who seem to be dropping out of participating in all kinds of activities for reasons that remain unclear. But women also participate at higher rates in alternative recreation choices in the winter, comprising nearly half of snowshoers and cross country skiers compared with just 25 percent of core skiers and 15 percent of core snowboarders.

Those demographics show up in the many snowshoe demos Randall Christenson runs around the upper Midwest for Redfeather Snowshoes.

Redfeather pioneered showshoes built for running and racing—eyes are on the 2017 World Snowshoe Championships, which will be hosted in the U.S. for the first time Feb. 23-26—and that’s still a core of their sales, particularly for schools and cross country teams looking to train in winter. But so are their female-specific models, and he sees them go out not a couple at a time, but en masse.

“It becomes a get-together—‘Let’s all hang out,’” he says.

“It’s like a modern-day book party.”

Part of what brings them out is an accessible price point—“They’re looking for a sport they can do in the middle of winter that doesn’t cost them $5,000.”—as well as general accessibility.

“If you can walk, you can snowshoe,” he says.

Buy it, and few fees follow—access is generally pretty open. That’s nice, says Michael Messler, with snowshoe and Nordic ski-maker Erik Sports, but so is just the open.

“You get a chance to get away from the crowds. It’s the polar opposite of the alpine group,” he says. Rather than lines at the lifts, the restaurants and the bathrooms, he says, “You’re just out there. You’re making your own pace.

You go your own direction, and you find a little peace and

quiet. At the same time, hidden in there is a nice health benefit that you’re actually getting a little exercise.”

Their value-priced models have sold well since the recent recession, he says, and they’ve added short plastic skis for kids as young as 2-years-old.

“There isn’t a sport out there that doesn’t worry about the future,” he says. “One main focus we have is trying to make sure the kids can get out there with their parents.”

After all, Davis isn’t the only one whose early outings fed a lifelong love. Messler’s father started Erik Sports and he says he was “just short of being born with long underwear and skis on your feet.” He still remembers those early cross-country tours, gliding along behind his father’s skis in a sled.

A

Just getting people to have fun outdoors and get over that common objection about being cold could get them started exploring outdoor winter sports in a way that blossoms into showing up on the ski hill.

A

T h i A f U g t i K

D

D w A i m A

FROM LEFT: CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AT DEVIL'S THUMB RANCH, TABERNASH, COLO.; ABOUT 8 MILLION PEOPLE HOPPED ON A SLED LAST WINTER. EXHIBITOR SPORTSSTUFF OFFERS A LINE OF SLEDS AND INFLATABLE TUBES, INCLUDING THE CANDY CRUISE (ABOVE).

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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FEATURE | THE FUTURE OF WINTER SERIES

THE SKI UTAH PASSPORT PROGRAM OFFERS DISCOUNTED LIFT TICKETS AND GEAR TO FOURTH-, FIFTH- AND SIXTH-GRADERS.

THE CHANGING FACE OF SNOW SPORTS As SIA Research Director Kelly Davis sifted through last winter's data for the 2016 Snow Sports Intelligence Report, she uncovered at least one promising stat buried underneath mounting evidence of plateauing participation.

"There are more girls under 17 snowboarding than ever before," Davis says.

While the number of downhill ski participants (alpine and freestyle) declined 1 percent to 11.6 million and the number of snowboard participants declined 1 percent to 7.6 million in 2015-16, more young girls boarding signified an underly-

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

ing positive trend for an industry that has seen participation across most disciplines stagnate in the past decade.

"Super-core snowboarders back in the late '90s are parents now, and they want to snowboard again," she says.

"Their jobs aren't eating their lives, their young kids aren't eating their lives, and they're saying, 'I'm going to intro-

duce my kids to snowboarding.' They're sharing their passion with their kids."

More people sharing the passion of snow sports – whether it's alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing – is critical as industry stakeholders look to grow their audience and overcome the same two hurdles that have hindered participation since 1970 – expense and proximity to a resort. The other obstacle, of course, is poor weather, which doesn't affect the number of participants but does alter the frequency of par-

COURTESY OF SKI UTAH

Stakeholders look beyond the core to reverse the participation plateau. By Eric Smith

ticipation for existing skiers and snowboarders.

What many stakeholders agree on: To get off the participation plateau, the industry must think beyond its core and attract a more diverse audience – age, gender, race, socioeconomic – to build the next generation of snow sports enthusiasts.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

The industry's challenges remain the same: Entice casual skiers and snowboarders of all backgrounds to participate more often and also bring newcomers to the sport. The solution is also the same: Find new ways to ignite or reignite a passion for snow sports among those who have never tried one or who have drifted away.

Myriad programs across the U.S. are pursuing this mission. Learn to Ski and Snowboard, a coalition of industry stakeholders from retailers to resorts, ski manufacturers to ski associations, again hosted Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month in January. The program encourages newcomers to take a lesson from a professional instructor at a resort instead of learning from a sibling, friend or spouse.

"The dropout rate (for those who don't learn from a professional) is very high, 85 percent, compared to the number of people who take a lesson and stick with it," says Mary Jo Tarallo, executive director for the Learn to Ski and Snowboard/Bring a Friend initiative. "The idea is to guide that beginner along the right path."

Plenty of other programs have similar ideals. The Bring a Friend program incentivizes skiers and snowboarders to introduce someone else to the sports. Clubs like the National Brotherhood of Skiers work to attract people of color to skiing and snowboarding. Nonprofits like SOS Outreach (see sidebar) introduce snowboarding to un-

WHITETAIL SKI RESORT IN PENNSYLVANIA PARTICIPATES IN LEARN TO SKI AND SNOWBOARD MONTH.

derserved youth who wouldn't otherwise be exposed to it. Resorts in places like Southern California are posting signs in Spanish to draw more Hispanic skiers and riders.

And numerous ski associations are promoting programs to drive traffic to their resorts. Ski Utah, for example, has a three-pronged approach to its passport program. Instead of limiting it to one grade, something other associations do, Utah includes fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders. Each year is designed to further stoke a love of skiing and snowboard-

ing among students while weaning them off the discounted passes by the time they're in junior high.

"We've seen kids go from never really thinking about skiing and snowboarding because of their socioeconomic position to participating in the program and falling so much in love with it that when they get to seventh grade they do newspaper routes or whatever they can to make money to ski," says Raelene Davis, vice president and director of marketing, Ski Utah.

BACK TO BASICS FROM TOP: COURTESY OF WHITETAIL SKI RESORT; JEREMY JONES

Snowboarding icon Jeremy Jones stays true to roots. By Eric Smith

Long before Jeremy Jones (right) was shredding the world's gnarliest descents on his namesake snowboard, he was just another kid sliding down the mellow hills of a Cape Cod golf course on an old Burton Backhill.

Growing up in Massachusetts in the early 1980s, Jones and his brothers Steve and Todd – the founders of Teton Gravity Research – made their first turns on that golf course, an experience that sparked in each of them a lifelong passion for snowboarding.

"It's where a lot of people learned to slide down snow," Jones says.

Now the star of numerous action sports films, creator of a successful snowboard line and founder of the nonprofit organization Protect Our Winters, Jones has ascended to snowboarding icon. Yet he remains true to his roots when it comes to his role as an ambassador for the sport.

Jones taught his kids to ride on a small hill at his North Lake Tahoe house by putting them on a binding-less board and letting them glide down – "stand-up sledding," as he calls it. Without the need for expensive equipment or lift tickets, the hill proved the ideal training ground for his kids and their friends, much like Jones's own origins.

"In a lot of ways, that is where it should all start," he says. "Less is more, especially with kids."

Jones didn't take his children to a lift-operated ski area until they were a few years older because he believes the purest experience of skiing and snowboarding doesn't require a destination trip to a megaresort, which can be expensive and intimidating for many families.

He instead preaches the simple pleasures of snow sports – the giddy joy of sliding down a slope on an inner tube or a sled or a binding-less board with friends and family, followed by a roaring bonfire and a cup of hot chocolate.

This is the secret to growing snow sports participation, he says – more people learning how to ski and snowboard on backyard hills or golf courses before they graduate to their local ski area. And once they do, simplifying the "house-to-chairlift" process will bring even more people to the sport and foster lifelong engagement. This grassroots approach might even create the next Jeremy Jones.

"All the pieces are there," Jones says. The question now is, "How do we connect the dots?"

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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FEATURE | THE FUTURE OF WINTER SERIES

CASE STUDY: REMOVING BARRIERS

SOS Outreach targets at-risk & underserved kids with snow fun. By Eric Smith

Vincent Lefteroff (left) grew up in South Lake Tahoe, where he was surrounded by nine ski resorts and a hardcore winter sports culture, but he likely wouldn't have discovered snowboarding without the help of SOS Outreach.

Founded in 1993, the Eagle, Colo.-based nonprofit connects at-risk and underserved youth with the outdoors – snow sports in the winter and hiking, camping and backpacking in the summer. It operates at 31 resorts and has raised millions of dollars in cash and in-kind donations to help kids like Lefteroff find success both on and off the slopes.

Lefteroff learned to snowboard a few years ago and says he was "hooked" on the sport soon after his SOS mentor Matt helped him lace up his boots and strap into his board. "We snowboarded all day," says Lefteroff, now 19. "It was amazing. To me, it just clicked."

SOS reaches more than 5,000 at-risk children each year through its extensive programs in Colorado and California, and it has served 4,000 youths through winter programs alone during the current program year, says Executive Director Seth Ehrlich.

The organization partners with a variety of sponsors that donate everything from gear to discounted lift tickets to volunteer work. With their help, SOS increases exposure to snowboarding while reducing the expense – often the biggest roadblock for many children it targets – and also introduces youth to careers in the snow sports industry.

"SOS's success is creating a community around a sport so that these kids who have never been in it and never had parents who participated in it now have support systems to continue in the activity and continue in their own personal success," Ehrlich says.

SOS measures success differently for each individual, Ehrlich says, whether that’s "graduating high school, going to college, going into the military or going into a career and being able to support themselves."

Success is easy to measure for Lefteroff. He has developed such a passion for snowboarding that he now works as a lift operator at South Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Mountain Resort, where he makes turns on his breaks and revels in being part of a community that once seemed so far away despite being in his backyard. He is even working to become an SOS mentor to teach other kids how to ride and find their own success.

"Snowboarding is definitely part of my life," he says.

"These programs give kids the chance to get outside of their normal lives, put them into something new and spread the love of snowboarding."

Meetings should always be on a gondola, right?

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

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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Another association, Ski Vermont, addressed last year's decline in visitation by asking customers what they want and then crafting products to meet those demands, says Communications Manager Chloe Elliott. For example, its Take 3 program gives visitors three lessons for $129, which is both inexpensive and encourages return trips to the mountain.

"What they're telling us they need is a more affordable way to get out into the mountains," Elliott says. "They need more incentives. They need family options. So, we've really tailored all of our programs and packages to those needs."

GENERATION GAP

One group whose needs aren't being met is Millennials, according to numerous industry insiders. The under-35 population is skiing and snowboarding half the number of days of the preceding generation, says Nate Fristoe, director of operations, RRC Associates. This lower level of participation from the younger audience has stakeholders scrambling.

"Right now, our product offerings aren't necessarily in

You have to have a holistic effort that pushes things forward. We have to share best practices.

alignment with what they're telling us they want," Fristoe says. One example: potential season-pass buyers can't be bothered to figure out the different types of products available and their varying purchasing deadlines. If someone finally decides in December that they want a season pass, it's often too late, Fristoe says. And when they see how much a lift ticket costs at the window, they're likely to bail.

Because Millennials want to participate in a different way, the industry needs to adjust and pivot to meet their needs, and that message finally appears to be getting through. "People are sobering up to it," Fristoe says. "A lot of folks are waking up to this reality."

While some resorts offer ski passes geared toward Millennials, reaching them extends beyond products that might save them a few bucks. It's about conveying, through the right channel, why they should invest their disposable income in snow sports. "Our message has to be spot-on and the offers have to be good enough to convince them to spend their money on skiing," says Ski Utah's Davis. "When Millennials like something, they'll become a disciple of it, but there are so many choices for them now."

Growing participation among Millennials requires a new way of thinking because many of them are moving away from rural areas and mountain towns to urban centers, says National Ski Areas Association President Michael Berry. Messaging targeted at Millennials must be pitchperfect, and any experience or product designed to meet their needs must be revisited often to ensure it's still viable.

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FEATURE | THE FUTURE OF WINTER SERIES

'THOUSAND PATHS TO THE TOP'

Gateway sports are another way to drive participation, according to SIA, which found that 8 million people in the U.S. went sledding last winter (though it's not technically listed as a snow sport). This presents an opportunity to bring more people to skiing and snowboarding, according to SIA Board Chair Bob Gundram. (See sidebar.)

"The traditional programs that provide discounts and incentives to get people – especially kids – skiing keep the participant base nice and stable, but the research suggested that we have to look at the issue with fresh eyes if we want to grow the market," says Gundram, CEO of C3. One solution, he says: "Consider sledding events in population centers to promote skiing and snowboarding and recruit new participants."

Big-mountain snowboarder Jeremy Jones preaches "stand-up sledding" – basically snowboarding without

bindings – on small hills and even golf courses as a way to teach kids how to slide down snow, lowering the barrier to entry by cutting down the cost and expanding the places where people can participate (see sidebar).

But as the industry continues exploring new ways to attract and retain participants, and also to encourage them to introduce snow sports to their friends and family members, the fragmentation of manufacturing brands, retailers, resorts, associations and ski clubs remains a roadblock that must be razed. "You have to have some kind of holistic effort that pushes things forward," Fristoe says. "There's a brutal economic reality underlying what a lot of the hardgoods and softgoods companies are experiencing. But at the end of the day, we have to cooperate on these things and share best practices."

These best practices are a "thousand paths to the top of the mountain," says SIA's Davis, who understands that a collective and collaborative journey of all snow sports stakeholders will make the summit more attainable.

"We need to build these thousand paths to stoke that passion that we all feel for snow sports," she says. "It's a unique thing, and most of the people in the community want to share it. And it's not just about making money. We love the drug. We love it and we want other people to have that experience."

SHARING THE STOKE

What does the future of snow sports participation look like? Bob Gundram, chair of SIA's Board of Directors and CEO of C3, spoke with Snow Show Daily about the challenges facing the industry as it works to grow participation for a healthier future. By Eric Smith

What is keeping people from trying snow sports for the first time, and how is the industry is addressing this?

Time and money – or really, lack of time and money – and not knowing how to get started are the most common reasons people give for never trying snow sports. SIA recently undertook a huge research project (Downhill Consumer Intelligence Project) to find out how our participant base has changed and what we can do to expand it.

Here are some of the major recommendations: Continue traditional programs that clearly work Create content that describes how to get involved with snow sports and post it where potential consumers are likely to visit Consider sledding events in population centers to promote skiing and snowboarding and recruit new participants Use social trends like the sharing economy, constant connection and festivals to promote snow sports Sell equipment to participants who are not considered "core" Use regular and consistent consumer intelligence research Is the industry doing enough to keep up with the changing needs of a diverse pool of participants?

Probably not, but we are working to discover how we can better address those needs. We all know that the demographics in the U.S. have changed significantly over the past 20 years and are going to change even faster over the next 20. Changes including more ethnic diversity, erosion of the middle class and the growing buying power of women haven’t escaped our attention, and we are keeping a close eye on how those changes may impact the snow sports market in the future.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: THERE ARE MORE GIRLS UNDER 17 SNOWBOARDING THAN EVER BEFORE. HERE, THEY TAKE A BREAK FROM SHREDDING AT WELCH VILLAGE IN MINNESOTA; GETTING KIDS STARTED EARLY AT SEVEN SPRINGS MOUNTAIN RESORT IN PENNSYLVANIA; EMBRACING THE FUN OF SNOW AT LIBERTY MOUNTAIN RESORT IN PENNSYLVANIA; SNOW IS IN THE AIR IN BELLEAYRE, NEW YORK.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

How important is collaboration in the industry?

Collaboration is critical to the health of the industry.

The SIA Snow Show is one place where all of those groups come together and events like SIA’s Industry + Intelligence are designed to spur discussion around topics like how to grow the market. We all want the same things and we can get there faster if we work together. SIA President Nick Sargent has done an outstanding job of listening and engaging all of the groups in snow sports. Working together and listening to each other should help us maximize our impact on the snow sports market.

COURTESY OF LIBERTY MOUNTAIN RESORT; WELCH VILLAGE; SEVEN SPRINGS; BELLEAYRE

"This is not a problem that you can think that you've solved," Berry says.

"If you reinvented your ski school five years ago, it's probably time for another redo right now. It's the issue of never ignoring the reality of your future – and entry (into snow sports) is the reality of our future."

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AT THE SHOW | FASHION TRENDS

TIMELESS

Consumers want design that will take them from season to season. By Lindsay Konzak Jessica Kaplan presented the latest in fashion and cultural trends during Wednesday’s Industry + Intelligence. Snow Show Daily caught up with Kaplan to talk more about these trends and why they should matter to retailers, reps and brands.

WHAT ARE THE TRENDING COLORS IN 2017-18 LINES?

It's two different worlds. The first is a mixture of bright primaries – your Crayola crayons case of reds and yellows and blues, which is really cool and fun. Then on the opposite side I'm not going to be surprised if we're going to also see a mixture of softer, mountain-like and natural hues in icy blues, grays, smoke, icy whites and aquamarine that invoke the world of snow.

LAST YEAR WE SAW ‘70S-INSPIRED DESIGN. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THIS YEAR?

I wouldn't say there's a clear decade from the past that trends are looking to, but more so certain aspects of the past. If I could say one overarching trend that is moving to the forefront it would be minimalism. Less is more, and how do you see that? You see that in tonal combination. You see it with minimal prints and elegant silhouettes. Words that define minimalism are "clean" and "simple." This minimalist trend will definitely be important for the next few seasons. I think the trendsetters that I see right now are definitely leaning toward that look and feel. The ‘70s trend was more like a blip. I think this minimalism trend might have legs to it and take us for a couple seasons. I don't think it'll go away.

IN THAT VEIN, WILL WE SEE A LOT OF PRINTS THIS YEAR?

I don't think we're going to see in the ski and snow world tons of print for 2017-18, but more so pieces that can go to from season to season. I think this is also reflective of what's happening in the world of consumerism. People want products that aren’t too trendy and that can last year after year.

On the opposite end of the spectrum I still think it's hugely important for brands to do a minimal run of key standout design pieces that strike a chord with trendsetters and allow the brand to get media and editorial coverage from these key and unique pieces. You need a conversation piece.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN ACCESSORIES?

Accessories are getting more technical. If I could say one thing: If you're an accessories brand you have to be exceedingly technical and forward-thinking to stay relevant.

Whereas with fashion and clothes and apparel, you'll see something fresh every year, with hardgoods you won't see it every year. You'll see something pop off the radar maybe once every two or three seasons. If I could give you one thing that I'm seeing it’s the surfboard-inspired shapes of snowboards. What that board shape represents is a way of life in snowboarding. It's this way of life where you're reconnecting back to the world, this organic world of why we come to the mountains to begin with. That means that you're caring about where your products are coming from. Are they sustainable? Are you connecting with humans on a level that is face-to-face versus over email or text or over the phone?

If you want to go even deeper it's also reflective of what I was saying about the big overarching trend of minimalism.

It all connects.

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You're always going to have a consumer who wants a product that can translate from the mountains to the city streets.

Then you're always going to have that consumer that really is in the world of the mountains. However, if I could encapsulate a couple of movements that I'm seeing that are, would I call them sub-movements? The first is what we just talked about: this more organic lifestyle and the socially conscious snowboarder and skier. It is a big movement that's happening. You're getting together in more traditional ways. How do you do that? You're going on a hut trip where you're going to hike with friends for three days versus maybe just going to a resort for a day or two.

Another really big movement that I'm seeing is that I think skiers and snowboarders don't want to be pigeonholed into anything. I think they want to have an open canvas and not be defined by, "I'm a freeskier," or, "I'm an alpine skier," or, " I only do the backcountry." We're starting to really see this openness. They're getting more adventurous, and they want to try everything out.

If you're just someone that skis or snowboards a couple times a season you want something that's more universal.

I believe that's reflective of this minimalist trend, as well.

WHAT ABOUT THE LUXURY MARKET?

The luxury market is growing rapidly. They want something different. They want an opportunity, an experience, a piece of clothing that is exceptionally unique and is super highend. From the resort standpoint people want to go to places they've never been before. They're looking for specialized groups, unique experiences and concierge services.

HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE FOR RETAIL?

I would tell retailers to invest in a handful of key design pieces like a special collaboration or a huge piece that draws attention to their brick-and-mortar store and displays or online. However when it comes down to sales I do believe that the buyers will be more conservative with their decisions. The conversation piece gets you into the store.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

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The Business of Snow

AT THE SHOW | Q&A

PEAK PARTNERS

Camber Outdoors supporters talk commitment to equality from the backcountry to the boardroom. By Helen Olsson Snow Show Daily sat down with REI and Arc’teryx, top supporters in Camber Outdoors's (formerly the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition) mission to achieve equality for women in the outdoors. Learn more at camberoutdoors.org.

SUSAN VISCON

Senior Vice President of Merchandising, REI President, Camber Outdoors Board of Directors WHAT YEAR DID REI'S CEO FIRST SIGN THE CAMBER OUTDOORS CEO PLEDGE?

Our current CEO, Jerry Stritzke, was joined by 13 industry CEOs as part of the inaugural pledge in 2015. We were really lucky to have Sally Jewell’s leadership as our CEO for many years. It’s a rare honor to have been led by a female CEO, and you really can see firsthand how that inspires and mobilizes talent. When that baton was passed to Stritzke, we were thrilled that women’s leadership development was an important commitment for him. His first-ever speech to the outdoor industry was at Outdoor Retailer in 2015 where he spoke passionately about women’s leadership and urged the industry to catch up.

REI IS A PEAK PARTNER WITH CAMBER OUTDOORS. DESCRIBE YOUR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO CAMBER.

In 2015, the co-op awarded Camber Outdoors the Mary Anderson Legacy Grant, which totaled $1.5 million over five years. Our commitment to Camber precedes this

grant, and we anticipate it will live beyond the end of the grant. We recognized the opportunity to help Camber take an exponential leap and knew there were substantial resources required. We view this as an important investment in our industry because we know we cannot be as strong without the full force of the available talent pool.

CAMBER IS ALL ABOUT ATTRACTING, RETAINING AND ADVANCING WOMEN IN THEIR WORKPLACES. HOW DOES THIS ALIGN WITH THE PHILOSOPHY AT REI?

I feel really lucky to work alongside some of the best, most talented women in the industry—our CIO, CFO, vice president of private brands, GMMs—these are roles that are often held by men. I think our commitment to women’s advancement is part of our DNA. REI was founded by a wife-husband team, Mary and Lloyd Anderson. When they brought their friends together to invest in gear, about half were women. From the start, we were building with women at the core.

The co-op’s history of providing top women’s-specific gear gives our product teams the sense of responsibility to continue to empower women to engage in the outdoors.

We remain focused on curating gear made specifically for women of all ages, races, body types and levels of expe-

rience, and we use our position in the industry to keep pushing forward and filling the gaps.

When we’re hiring, we always seek diversity in the talent pool. For any senior position, gender diversity is a requirement. The data show that the more senior the position, the more likely that position will be held by a man.

So this is a very intentional way to surface talented woman candidates that we know are out there. We do this with our board of directors, as well.

DOES REI PARTICIPATE IN CAMBER'S CROSS-COMPANY MENTORING PROGRAM?

We’ve had 21 women complete the program, with five women participating each of the last two years. They’ve been matched with mentors from K2 Sports, Columbia, MiiR and more. We also currently have two mentors at REI (participating in the program).

TELL US ABOUT THE REI MARY ANDERSON LEGACY GRANT.

The Mary Anderson Legacy Grant is multifaceted. Some of the funds have been used to match other companies’ support. We recognized that there’s a huge incentive for companies—especially those considering whether they will join (Camber)—if you know your support will be matched. The funds have also been used to establish (Camber’s) Pitchfest, where women-led small businesses showcase their work and growth plans to some of the outdoor industry’s most influential CEOs, entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders.

JON HOERAUF

President and CEO, Arc’teryx

to internally create a culture where women have the opportunity to grow and learn from shared experience, mentorship and advice.

DESCRIBE THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ARC’TERYX AND CAMBER OUTDOORS.

HOW MIGHT ADVANCING THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE AFFECT YOUR BOTTOM LINE?

We’ve been associated with Camber Outdoors for a number of years. When I became president last March, I signed the CEO pledge (signed by previous Arc’teryx CEOs). Eighteen months ago, we started a women’s initiative internally. We started to look at best practices and associations. That’s why we looked closer at the Camber partnership. Maybe we would take further part in the mentoring programs and their events—and also look at where we add value. We’re in Canada, where Camber doesn’t really have presence.

And we have global reach. We can help them scale up the messaging.

I firmly believe that for us to grow and improve our women’s business, we have to start inward-facing. We have to develop top female talent, continue to hire women, make sure there’s an internal culture that’s balanced. The outward business results will come as a result.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU SEE IN THE WOMEN’S MARKET?

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO TAP INTO THE WOMEN’S MARKET?

On the business side, we make around 50-50 men’s to women’s products, but 65 percent of what we sell is men’s. We needed a business plan to supercharge our women’s program.

We put together a crossfunctional team of women. Before, we’d sit in a room with a bunch of men and try to answer women’s initiative questions. Our go-forward strategy is

We’ve talked with Camber about how we communicate to female consumers about the importance of investing in quality durable timeless products. It’s a strong sustainability message. There’s no reason female consumers can’t be part of that journey. But we have to get that message across the retail filter.

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

TELL US ABOUT PLANS TO BECOME A CAMBER PEAK PARTNER.

We’ve earmarked the funds for next year, and we’re working beyond sponsorship money.

We want to set targets to track against—internal measuring sticks. For one, we want to ensure a more balanced applicant pool for key positions at Arc’teryx. We want to make sure that we provide opportunities for women in leadership position as well as create a path forward so employees can hone their skills across functions throughout the organization.

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TOP TRENDS | MARKET TRENDS

WEST LIFTS SALES

The return of snow to the Pacific Coast boosted snowboard equipment sales in 2015-16. By Lindsay Konzak Snowboarding participation was flat in the 2015-16 season, with the overall number of participants –7.6 million – down 1%. Just as with core skiers, the number of core snowboarders (riding the slopes more than nine times a year) also fell. But the news isn't all bad.

The number of females aged 17 and under snowboarding grew to 792,000 for the season, a demographic that has been increasing in participation since the 2012-2013 season.

And snowboarding equipment sales overall were up, with sales in dollars up 6% and unit sales up 2%, according to the 2016 Snow Sports Intelligence Report. By region, sales in the West rose – not surprising given the return of snow in the 2015-16 season, ending five years of snow drought with average snow that "felt like a deluge" compared with the previous four seasons, according to the SIA report. On the other hand, sales in the Northeast, Midwest

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

and South were down, consistent with the ski market and the weather in those regions.

Snow sports specialty shops still carry most of the market (61% of sales). Specialty shops recorded a sales increase of 6% in dollars of snowboarding equipment; online sales in dollars were up 8%; and chain-store sales in dollars were flat, with unit sales in chains down 11%.

Going out-of-bounds is big and getting bigger in the snowboarding market, with splitboard sales growing rapidly to the tune of $2.7 million in the 2015-16 season.

That’s a lofty 42% jump from the prior season.

Nearly 1.7 million snowboarders ventured into resort backcountry last season, and 963,000 said they rode nonresort backcountry, according to the SIA/Physical Activity Council 2016 Participation Study. * All percentages represent dollar change

6%

INCREASE* IN SNOWBOARDING SALES IN SPECIALTY

8% IN SNOWBOARD 1% DECREASE PARTICIPANTS INCREASE IN ONLINE SNOWBOARDING SALES

42%

INCREASE IN SPLITBOARD SALES

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JANUARY 30-31, 2017 On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest & Nordic Demo Copper Mountain Resort, CO

It’s time. Grab your gear and let’s head for the snow. The On-Snow Demo kicks off tomorrow at Copper Mountain Resort. Get on the gear that you just checked out. Hang with industry friends at events scheduled throughout the industry’s only global 2-day On-Snow Demo and Ski-Ride Fest.

GETTING THERE AND BACK

Colorado Mountain Express is offering a custom shuttle service from downtown Denver to Copper Mountain and back. Daily departures and complimentary Wi-Fi available on all CME vehicles.

SPECIAL RATE FOR SIA ATTENDEES

$35 one-way per person to Copper Mountain from downtown Denver and $55 one-way per person from Copper Mountain to the Denver International Airport. Scheduled rides are 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday; and 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Monday.

CONTACT

To take advantage of these discounted rates, you must call CME at 970-754-7433 (SKI-RIDE) and use the promo code SIASNOW17. Rides must be booked 12 hours in advance, so if you haven’t done it already, do it now.

R E M I N D E R T H AT R E G I S T R AT I O N A N D B A D G E P I C K - U P C L O S E AT 1 0 A M T O D AY !

Get all the Demo info - brands, events and more at SIAsnowshow.com/onsnow

SIAsnowshow.com/social

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#SIA17

TOP TRENDS | MIDLAYERS

VERSATILITY REIGNS Midlayers blur category lines, boast multifunctionality. By M.T. Elliott

1.

AT THE SHOW

2.

THE DO-EVERYTHING LAYER

Midlayers blur category lines with panels or full outers of breathable shell fabrics. Five years ago these may have passed for softshells, but they are positioned as insulators. "We struggle talking about ‘intended use’ with these products because they are so versatile," says Alex Lauver, product manager for outerwear at Outdoor Research. The brand's new eight-piece collection pairs a stretch-woven Pertex Microlight shell outer with Polartec Alpha Direct, which uses a knit construction to nullify the need for an interior liner. "That, in turn, improves breathability, wicking, dry times, compressibility and reduces weight," Lauver says. PrimaLoft President Mike Joyce echoes the versatility of active insulation, pointing out that the broader thermal range of insulation pieces have all but nullified the concept of a fall jacket. Joyce adds that this is now an expectation among Millennials who want mountain and citywear to work across seasons. PrimaLoft's insulation is also getting greener. After a year of exclusivity with Patagonia, the stretchy and more sustainable Gold Insulation Eco is open to all brands and will replace its standard Gold version.

686

POWDER SKIRTS

We're not talking about removable ski-jacket skirts; we mean the insulated seat warmer that allows for mobility underneath, comes off and on easily, and is easily stashed. These aren't new on the slopes, but they are getting a boost from premium insulations and flashy new fabrics. Skhoop added Primaloft Eco into its long vest, which tapers into a skirt. "The original idea for our long vests was to have a warm one-piece to throw over your tights and top after running, hiking, skiing or doing yoga and still look great," says Osa Tham, who oversees Skhoop's North American subsidiary. "We use it for everything from keeping our bums warm over our jammies in the morning to using it under our down hoody when biking home in the cold Alaska weather after work." We're waiting on a men's kilt version.

The Eve PrimaLoft Insulator is a new women's GLCR insulator jacket. It uses 100g of PrimaLoft Eco Polyfill, stretch-fleece side panels and has a DWR coating. The cut is a holdover from a past collaboration with Specialized. Booth #2965

Big Agnes

The Men’s Porcupine Hooded Pullover features PrimaLoft Gold Active insulation for lightweight warmth. It also has a light, ripstop nylon shell to fend off wind and water. Booth #2421

Obermeyer

Get fashionable versatility in the Soleil Reversible Down Insulator, which pairs two tones or solid/ print options when reversed. Either way, there's a DWR outer with 800-fill power goose down inside. Booth #1608

Ortovox

The ski tour Piz Roseg Jacket zones the brand's Swisswool in the core for wicking and warmth and Merino Fleece Light for lightweight comfort.

The breathable micro ripstop front is weatherresistant, and the cuffs and waist use elastic for a snug fit. Booth #2919

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

▲ OUTDOOR RESEARCH ASCENDANT

▲ ORTOVOX PIZ ROSEG

▲ BIG AGNES PORCUPINE

Outdoor Research

The Ascendant Jacket puts Polartec Alpha Direct insulation next-to-skin without the barrier of a liner and adds an air-permeable Pertex Microlight shell, which provides light weatherproofing. Booth

#2816

Patagonia

The Hyperpuff Hoody is built for on-mountain movement and warmth. The insulation piece puts 100g of stretchy HyperDAS insulation behind a lightweight two-way stretch Pertex Quantum shell fabric, which is weatherproofed. Note the articulated quilting pattern around the elbow.

Booth #1862

Skhoop

The Hanna Vest is more like a vest-skirt, extending insulation below the waist. With PrimaLoft Eco for warmth, the weatherproofed midlayer can work under pullover pants, or provide protection from the cold when worn over tights. A two-way zipper customizes fit. Booth #2319

WINTER LUXE | TOP TRENDS

FUNCTIONAL LUXURY

Consumers demand both luxury touches and highly technical features. By Bevin Wallace

1.

LUXURY THAT WORKS

It’s no longer enough for a jacket just to be beautiful. According to Eric Tung at Fera: “Luxury snow-sports apparel can’t be too precious, ostentatious or delicate; it has to work on the mountain. Today’s customer is active, and she demands function, as well as eye-catching style.” To this end, many luxury brands combine opulent fabrics such as fur and cashmere with technical features such as waterproof-breathable coatings and softshell fabrics. Wolfie Furs combines water-repellent softshell fabrics with handcut furs. Goldbergh uses technical Schoeller WB400 fabric throughout its line of eclectic, stylish skiwear.

2.

3.

GONE GLAM

Look for crazy prints, bright pops of color, embroidery, sparkle, fringe and fur — in some cases, all in one garment. For example, Skea’s new Flurry collection features jacquard fabrics that sparkle with snow crystals, pearls and iridescence. Other garments sport leather fringe and sequin trims. Linda Richards uses trims for its silk/nylon parka with silver fox and also offers real fur pom-poms as accessories for ski and snowboard boots. Fera’s new collection blends sport-inspired graphics with on-point trends like color blocking, metallics and colored fur.

A

SLOPE-TO-STREET

On the other end of the spectrum are garments with simple, luxurious appeal that balance function with understated style. This trend continues across many snowsports apparel segments, but with the investment clothing in this category, it is especially relevant. Many brands are emphasizing the “winter luxe” lifestyle, which of course includes skiing and riding, but also includes afternoons and evenings around town. For examples, Kjus packages its technical innovations in disguise with luxury Loro Piana storm-system fabrics and elegant trims so the garment doesn’t come off looking too technical.

WOLFIE CAVALINO

Alp-N-Rock

Kjus

Kjus introduces a new innovation called Freelite, the world’s first fully knitted ultra stretch ski jacket, available for men and women. All of the layers—shell fabric, insulation and lining—consist of knitted material. It feels like wearing a sweater, but it is a weatherproof jacket. Booth #602

Krimson Klover

Ski, ride or lounge in Krimson Klover’s matching baselayer set featuring a modern twist on folkloric Scandinavian designs. The quarter-zip Mikaela top and Viktoria bottom are made from soft 100% Merino wool. Booth #1026

Wolfie Furs

Responding to demand for nontraditional and more affordably priced fur outerwear, Wolfie Furs introduces the Cavalino collection of leather jackets with fur trims and integrated water-repellent softshells that can be worn on the slopes over an insulated ski jacket or for après ski. Booth #1821

▲ KRIMSON KLOVER MIKAELA SWEATER

#829

▲ KJUS MEN'S FREELITE JACKET

The water- and wind-resistant Megeve Moto Jacket features retro moto styling with synthetic shearling and vegan leather trim, 650-fill down insulation and Italian stretch panels for a custom fit. Booth #1327 Dale introduces the Hovden sweater, an updated version of the classic Vail World Championship sweater. Part of Dale of Norway's Heritage Retro Collection, the lighter-weight Hovden is made from one-ply “skin soft” merino wool and is available in both the quarter- and full-zip styles for men and women. Booth

T h i A f U g t i K

D

AT THE SHOW

Dale of Norway

A

Stop by LUXE on the Snow Show floor to view all 2017-18 luxury styles in one spot.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

23

D w A i m A

TOP TRENDS | SOCKS

GOODBYE BULK

Socks go thin, head high-tech with temperature regulation & compression features. By Bevin Wallace

1.

2.

COMPRESSION

Runners and triathletes have long known the benefits of compression, which include stimulated blood flow, more energy and better stamina. Skiers and riders also appreciate the calf-muscle support and the fact that increased circulation can keep feet warmer and reduce fatigue—keeping you on the slopes longer. Several sock companies are building compression into their knits.

Check out the 2017-18 offerings from Eurosock and Ice Outdoor Sports’s new ICE TEK socks.

AT THE SHOW

3.

STAYING WARM

Socks are now seen as crucial equipment for snow sports, and as such they are expected to perform on the hill. Companies such as Darn Tough Vermont and Farm to Feet are adding strategically (and gender-specifically) placed mesh inserts to facilitate airflow, keeping feet drier and thus warmer longer. Others, including Point6, are using new quick-dry technologies to keep feet at a more constant temperature throughout the day.

Eurosock

THE THINNING

With more skiers and riders wearing closer-fitting high-performance and custom boots, many sock manufacturers are creating thinner socks with strategically placed cushioning and advanced stretch.

Additionally, newer boots feature more efficient insulation, making heavy socks unnecessary for warmth on the hill.

Companies such as Smartwool and FITS are addressing the need for thinner snowsports socks, and Terramar continues to sell its ever-popular ThermaSilk Liners, which also work as thin, temperatureregulating standalone socks.

The new Ski Compression Plus features a patented gradual compression knit that stimulates blood flow, delivering more oxygen to the muscles, which keeps feet warmer while reducing fatigue.

Booth #1332

Farm to Feet

Designed for backcountry skiing, the Big Cottonwood features reinforced ankles for extra support when walking or pivoting. The sock’s grid knit provides comfort and moisture management without adding bulk. Booth #4139

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

▲ POINT6 3424 LIGHT OVER THE CALF

▲ LORPEN ALPINE

The Definitive Fit System has been re-engineered to maximize the fit of its Definitive Range socks.

Made from a blend of merino and rayon from bamboo, these performance socks use specially designed elastics for durability and a better fit. Booth #1036

Lorpen

Lorpen’s Alpine Ski Collection is redesigned for 2017-18. It features Advanced T3 Technology— integrated support, sport-specific cushioning, ankle-bone protection and improved articulation—with a dynamic Lycra layer for a more precise fit. Booth #1345

Point6

A new line of winter socks, including the 3424 Light Over the Calf, features 37.5 moisture- and temperature-regulating tech. The addition of 37.5 supercharges the abilities of merino wool. Booth

#1630 ▲ TERRAMAR THERMASILK LINER

▲ SMARTWOOL PHD SKI LIGHT ELITE PATTERN

▲ FARM TO FEET BIG COTTONWOOD

▲ LE BENT DEFINITIVE RANGE

Le Bent

Smartwool

The PhD Ski Light Elite Pattern, designed to be worn with highperformance boots, features patent-pending “indestructawool” for durability while retaining the thermo-regulating and moisturemanaging benefits of merino wool. Booth #851

BASELAYERS | TOP TRENDS

BASES COVERED Layers accommodate the needs, and eyes, of different users. By M.T. Elliott

1.

AT THE SHOW Helly Hansen

Helly Hansen's regular-fit Lifa Merino 1/2 Zip puts a layer of its Lifa tech inside to wick sweat into the outer wool layer. The separate layers mean even itch-prone skiers can wear wool.

Booth #1514

2.

Kari Traa

SKIN GAME

Next-to-skin layers are intended for use as outerwear during high-output activities. This branch of baselayers can include features like DWR treatments, extra paneling to block winds and reflectivity. Long-established as a baselayer brand with looks, Smartwool continues to add patterns and brighter color in its line, and pushes into sports performance with a hoody with shell panels. The demand for running bottoms seems to know no bounds, even for ski brands. Amy Callihan from Snow Angel (now under Hot Chillys) says some running retailers requested reflective leggings or tops. The brand responded with its Sleek & Sassy pieces, which includes side stripes of silk-screened reflectivity.

3.

STILL, BUT OUTSIDE

For more stationary activities in cold conditions, warmth is emphasized more than breathability. Campers and ice fishers can find refuge inside heavier layers. Terramar upped the ante in polyester baselayers with its lined polyester Beast models.

"The Sherpa lining traps lots of air while still breathing and moving moisture," says Tom Mendl, Terramar Sports's vice president of marketing. "The smooth face allows for easily adding more layers."

▲ TERRAMAR BEAST PANT

▲ SAXX THERMOFLYTE TIGHT

Don't look for too many new technical innovation stories in baselayers. Brands are playing with what they have, and dialing in hybrid construction and zoning to emphasize wicking or ventilation for different models. For example, Helly Hansen renamed and reorganized its entire baselayer selection to target five different users, each with different intensity levels or articulation needs. The downhill set should look for zoned tights that fight off wind from the front, while venting through tight-fit zones behind the knee or inside elbow. It's also an opportunity for retailers to step in with advice on which baselayer works best for the user and why. As far as looks, tweaks to fits and fresh colorways move baselayers beyond the usual black tights (which are still readily available). Women's bases get a bit more attention with patterns and a mix of colors to display indoors.

▲ KRIMSON KLOVER MARTINA

FINE-TUNING

Kari Traa is on trend with its jacquard knit merino Akle LS (longsleeve) top. The stretchy zones help on the slopes, but the colors and fashionable front snaps should get some exposure, too.

Long cuffs are another nice touch. Booth #522

Krimson Klover

▲ SMARTWOOL MERINO 250 SPORT ▼ KARI TRAA AKLE LS

A viscose and Lycra mix, Martina from Krimson Klover is a supple performance piece that represents the brand's original designs and bright colors. Also new: the Mikaela top, which pairs with the new Viktoria legging, both of which feature a fun Scandinavian custom folklore design. Booth #1026

Saxx

Saxx brings its new men's ThermoFlyte Tights, a midweight thermal for warmth in all weather conditions. ThermoFlyte is antimicrobial, and the brand's tech includes non-chafing seams, nine-panel construction and the reduced-friction BallPark Pouch.

Booth #2570

Smartwool

The Men’s Merino 250 Sport Pattern Hoody is a next-to-skin outer layer with front panels of poly to block wind and weather.

The 250g-weight merino-poly blend in the body includes securezip hand pockets. Booth #851

Terramar

The Beast Pants are a heavyweight polyester baselayer with a fleece lining. The Sherpa lining traps air while retaining breathability and moving moisture. These are likely too warm for the lodge. Booth #2651

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

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TOP TRENDS | HIGH-TECH ACCESSORIES

NO-LIMITS TECH New innovations let you stay connected in and out of bounds. By Lindsay Konzak

Technology on the mountain has become ubiquitous – there’s no longer a solid line between a screen and the slopes. But rather than get in the way of becoming one with nature, new tech aims to improve the experience, making it easier to stay connected and safe no matter where you ride. Some, like GogglePal, integrate not only safety features like a GPS, but a fun factor, as well, allowing you to compete with friends with an on-mountain “treasure hunt.”

Here’s a peek at some of the innovations now on the Show floor.

1. ELEVETY

Stop by the Elevety booth to get your eyes on prototypes of its new Hearshot device, slated to launch in 2018. The device facilitates off-grid communication in the backcountry and like Elevety’s other product at the Show – the Domio – uses Vibro-Audio micro-vibration bone-conduction technology to transmit sound straight to the inner ear. Booth #1171

2. GOGGLEPAL

With a universally mountable Head-Up Display (HUD) – it will work on any goggles – the GogglePal tracks the user’s stats and lets them connect with friends on the mountain in real time. GogglePal’s augmented reality tech tracks data like speed, vertical, calories burned, acceleration, time and direction in the corner of the user’s vision. GogglePal calls it an altimeter, GPS, trail map and more, all in one device. Even better, it’s designed to work as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit, and the batteries will last up to eight hours. Booth #765

3. GOPRO

GoPro hails its HERO5 Black as the most powerful and easy-to-use GoPro ever, thanks to its 4K video, voice control, one-button simplicity, touch display and waterproof design. The new GoPro features smooth stabilized video, crystal-clear audio and pro-quality photo capture – on top of GPS. And when it’s time to edit and share, HERO5 Black automatically uploads footage to your GoPro Plus cloud account to provide easy access on your phone, which can then be edited with the GoPro editing app, Quik. Booth #860

4. JLAB AUDIO

The new Crasher XL Bluetooth speaker packs a powerful audio punch in a sturdy package. The largest member of the Crasher Series has an IPX6 splash-proof rating and will run for 13 hours. Also check out JLAB’s Epic2, Bluetooth earbuds that are now more waterproof and skip-proof, with up to 12 hours of playtime. Booth #1066

5. OUTDOOR TECH

Outdoor Tech’s upgraded universal wireless snow helmet audio kit – Chips 2.0 – adds a walkie-talkie feature. Who doesn’t like that? And the brand’s Turtle Shell 3.0 speaker is now fully waterproof. Sync up to two of the speakers wirelessly. Outdoor Tech is also showcasing its Platypus car charger; after recharging your battery on the way up the mountain, remove and take the Platypus with you.

It has a built-in power bank for on-the-go energy needs.

Booth #962

6. THERMA-PHONE

Smartphones and other critical devices only benefit the intrepid explorer if they work. Therma-Phone’s Mobile Phone Survival Kits aim to keep phones and other critical electronics working under extreme temps. The phone protector is an engineered heat-reflective, insulated soft case for a phone, GoPro camera, diabetes kit or other small electronic device. When a phone is tucked inside the case, it retains and reflects heat back to the phone to keep it warm, extending battery life up to 5 to 10 times, even at sub-zero temperatures. “Whether they need their phone to capture a special moment on the mountain or as a vital lifeline out in the deep backcountry, the Therma-Phone Mobile Phone Survival Kit is designed to withstand the cold,” says Sherri Hermanowski, co-inventor and founder.

Booth #1071

4

1

6

3 5

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

COLORADO-MADE | AT THE SHOW

MILE-HIGH DRINKING

MADE IN NORWAY SINCE 1879

Where to snag a locally crafted sip. By Lindsay Konzak INFINITE MONKEY THEOREM

INFINITE MONKEY THEOREM URBAN WINERY

3200 Larimer St.; 303-736-8376; theinfinitemonkeytheorem.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 2.1

Ever see cans of wine at the liquor store donning this winery's name? Well, it's made in Colorado. This urban winery and taproom prides itself on its "back-alley" winemaking in the RiNo Art District of Denver. They source their grapes primarily from Colorado's Western Slope.

It's probably one of the cooler wineries you'll ever go to. Oh, and it is delicious.

MILE HIGH SPIRITS

2201 Lawrence St.; 303-296-2226; drinkmilehighspirits.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.2

Mile High Spirits in downtown Denver is a full-service distillery and tasting room producing whiskey, tequila, gin, vodka and rum. Sip it straight up or try one of Mile High’s specialty cocktails, such as the Denver Gold Rush (whiskey, honey syrup, lemon juice) or the Colorado Sunset (tequila, OJ, bing cherry juice). The spot also serves up six different Moscow Mules.

STRANAHAN’S

200 S. Kalamath St.; 303-296-7440; stranahans.com MILES FROM THE SHOW: 2.5

COURTESY OF VISIT DENVER

This Colorado whiskey mainstay features an on-site Whiskey Lounge so you can get a taste of Stranahan’s in one of its signature cocktails. Stop by until 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and Sunday through 5 p.m. If you’re lucky, you may be able to snag a coveted last-minute spot on a tour; check the website for availability.

ON-SNOW DEMO

BRECKENRIDGE DISTILLERY

1925 Airport Road, Breckenridge; 303-296-7440; breckenridgedistillery.com MILES FROM THE ON-SNOW DEMO: 16

And here’s one for visiting after the On-Snow Demo at Copper Mountain. Just down the road in Breckenridge, stop by this top distillery of bourbon, vodka, rum and seriously good housemade bitters. Enjoy free tastings and a laid-back tour.

BOOTH #829

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 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

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PARTIALS PREPRINT_SSD_2017.indd 28

*New exhibitors are bolded

1/18/17 4:18 PM

Company

Company

Company

Company

Company

Company

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

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

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 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 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

On-Snow Demo* Adidas Snowboarding Aloha Products Alpina Arbor Snowboards Arc'teryx

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)

FEET COMPLETE

Insole Solutions for Snowsports Booth #3349

Masterfitinc.com (914) 944-9038

Product Zone REDEFINE WTF WASH THE FOAM

WITH THE 1 ST EVER REMOVEABLE WASHABLE + REPLACEABLE SKI GOGGLE FOAM www.dcurve.com

Special Advertising Section

COME CHECK IT OUT AT BOOTH # 2265 FOR A CHANCE TO WIN

Traveler boot bag

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

PRODUCT PICKS | AT THE SHOW

WISH LIST TOUGH STUFF

Tobe Outerwear Novus Mono Suit When Tomas Bentsson first took his son snowmobiling, he realized he was dry after hours in the backcountry and his son came home soaked through. The experience inspired him to add a pint-sized mono suit to his Sweden-based Tobe Outerwear line. “We didn’t take any shortcuts on the kids line,” said Bentsson, Tobe’s CEO and designer. The Novus Mono Suit for kids has a 45K waterproofbreathable Sympatex membrane and fully sealed seams. Cordura nylon adds for ruggedness, and the knees and cuffs are reinforced with Kevlar. “They’re crazy-durable,” Bentsson said. All of Tobe apparel goes through three hours of testing in a monsoon rain chamber, where water shoots at the fabric at high velocity. Be sure to check out the rain chamber on display at Tobe’s booth.

The Novus is lightly insulated and has two front zips to accommodate neck gaiter and allow for venting.

WALLET-FRIENDLY LID Bern Heist

Bern introduces the Heist, a brimmed helmet so packed with features that scoring the helmet for its $140 MSRP is not unlike stealing, the company says. (Heist, get it?) Bern is dedicated to delivering the same level of premium tech found in POC and Smith helmets, but at half the price. The Heist features a hybrid construction with an inmolded PVC lower and an upper of a durable plastic. Throughout, Bern employs a Zip Mold+ liquid foam that’s lighter and thinner (and more friendly to the environment) than Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). Aluminum plates at the side and back add robustness and built-in energy-absorbing ribs act as crumple zones in key areas. “Helmets are a disposable product,” said Logan Vonbokel, Bern’s PR manager. “If someone crashes, we want them to feel good about replacing it.” And that’s easier to do at the Heist’s price point. Booths #3674 and 3677

Booth #1340

ANSWERING THE CALL Jones Lone Wolf

MADISON RAHHAL AND BAILEY LARUE

When magically fantastical, dreamy waves of powder hit, the Lone Wolf answers the call of winter surf.

Designed with surfboard shaper Chris Christenson — who has shaped more than 19,000 boards over the past 22 years — and Jeremy Jones, the creation is as steerable on cloud-like fluff as it is carving fast, big turns in expansive terrain and variable snow conditions. The swallowtail features a directional rocker profile with a narrow waist width, long sidecut and camber underfoot to make it sturdier on hard pack. The nose and tail reflect a spoon bevel — a 3D-base contour — that starts at the rocker point, and the core features Jones’s new triple-density Bamboo Surf wood core, which has bamboo stringer positioned in the pocket of the sidecut for improved edge response and turn power. Hold tight: The Lone Wolf may be the fastest powder run you’ve ever ripped. Booth #2979

FOUR-BEAST BOOT

Emu Australia Shoreline Native Boot The Shoreline Native boot from Emu Australia is exotic footwear with an eco twist. “All of our boots are byproducts of the Australian meat industry,” said Tara Sabourin, Emu’s sales manager for North America. “And it’s all free-range and grass-fed.” With all that livestock rolling happily in soft grass, the pelts are blemish-free, making for high-quality leathers. The suede outer on the limited edition Shoreline is waterproof, and its seams are all taped and sealed. Inside is a cozy merino sheepskin lining that’s Woolmark-certified, and the boot’s collar is trimmed in kangaroo fur. The crowning embellishment: a strip of emu skin at the side. Booth #1342

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

31

AT THE SHOW | SHOW NEWS

NEW DIRECTION FOR ELAN Now privately owned, the Slovenian ski-maker sees opportunity in reaching real skiing families. By Helen Olsson

For more than 70 years, Elan has been handcrafting skis at its factory, nestled at the foot of Slovenia’s Julian Alps.

Last year, an American venture capitalist purchased a 5% stake in Elan, which had been state-owned, while Wiltan Enterprises, owned by venture capital fund VR Capital, acquired the remaining 95%. Now under private ownership, Elan has brought in longtime ski industry vet Jeff Mechura as director of brand development and managing director of the North American market. Yesterday the Snow Show Daily sat down with Mechura to find out what’s new with Elan.

What changes can we expect to see with the Elan brand under private ownership?

A lot has changed. It’s an exciting time for the brand. Elan is vertically integrated: We own the factory; we control our destiny. Elan has always been a brand that makes good product, delivers on time and has great margins for dealers. The thing it lacked was brand character, personality and customer focus. So we’ve really focused our efforts on talking to a specific customer: the modern family. We’re talking about the people actually walking into shops and buying ski gear. It’s the guy who grew up skiing, married a skier and

they’re living the skiing lifestyle.

There really isn’t anything cooler than the ski family, but nobody is talking to them. We’re going to celebrate them. It’s a great opportunity.

Describe the new messaging strategy and how it differs from traditional hardgoods marketing.

We’ve always had technical messages. Now we’re trying to make it more of an emotional connection.

It’s a real story. The message we’re putting out there is inspirational, not aspirational. Heli-skiing and athlete-focused marketing is aspirational. (With Elan’s new marketing campaign), you can actually see

yourself doing this. Consumer-facing images this fall will be realistic and approachable, featuring groups of friends and family. Normal people.

It’ll be lifestyle photography. It’s all about selling the experience. It’s all encompassed in a new tagline that will resonate with everybody: Always Good Times. It has an emotional element, not just focused on tech.

Two key words for us are “experience” and “inspiration.” You experience not just sport but the lifestyle of skiing. We want to be more inclusive. We believe anybody can be a skier, whether you live in mountains or in a city. With this approach, we’ll have a broader audience reach.

AVALANCHE SAFETY 101

Chances are high that by now you’ve noticed the helicopter sitting inside the Snow Show’s east entrance on the edge of Trail Gate. The chopper is that of Dean Cummings (left), owner of H20 Guides heli-skiing company, both here for four days. The other 361 days a year, the bird flies around 4,000 square miles of the backcountry holy grail: the steep spines, ramps, couloirs, bowls and powder fields of Alaska’s Chugach Mountains.

Since H20 took flight in 1995, the company has set the bar for protocols of big-mountain guiding in Alaska. Before founding the company and pursuing his guiding career, Cummings cut his teeth as a World Extreme Skiing Champion and ski-film star, and it’s likely he’s dropped into more first descents than any other skier, ever. To boost backcountry education, Cummings created the award-winning Steep Life Protocols outdoor education program. He also has partnered with AIM Adventure U for a backcountry protocols course. “When skiers and riders transition from resort

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

terrain to backcountry, there should also be an entire shift in thought process,” said H20 guide Eric Petlock.

In a resort, if someone gets hurt, the ski patrol can be on site within minutes. But in the backcountry, you are often alone and hours from help, Petlock said: “If you go hucking yourself off of cliffs in the backcountry with the same mindset that you have in the resort, it’s a recipe for disaster.”

Cummings broke down the protocols Friday. In the backcountry, you should know how to identify the four types of terrain that produce damaging avalanches: concave, convex, unsupported slopes and terrain traps.

Be aware of the day’s conditions and note the following: new snow, which adds weight; wind, which moves and loads snow, and causes tension in snow layers; and an increase in temperatures or rain, which each turn consolidated snow into unconsolidated snow.

Don’t underestimate the importance of teamwork.

“Our remote aircraft operations are all based on team actions,” Cummings said.

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

Heli-ski pioneer Dean Cummings on staying safe in the backcountry. By Morgan Tilton

SHOW NEWS | AT THE SHOW

WHEN GEAR IS ART Form is just as important as function for these brands. By Eric Smith and Bevin Wallace 1. BERN + DAVID SHEETS

Bern has worked with Denver-based artist David Sheets for years, and this year the company and Sheets decided to add a human element to their collaboration.

“We’re all looking to find ourselves when we're out in the wilderness,” Sheets said.

“Why not wear a piece of hand-drawn art on your helmet?” Sheets is in the Bern booth at the Show creating one-of-a-kind designs that symbolize Bern’s “Stay Out There” theme. If you buy a helmet, you’ll sit down with Sheets and chat for a bit, and then you can watch him draw and paint a unique illustration just for you.

Booth #3674

2. VOLCOM + VANESSA STARK

The Act insulated jacket from Volcom comes in four colors, but only one has the mystical design of British Columbiabased artist Vanessa Stark, who the company commissioned for a second consecutive season. This year her piece, which also adorns the company’s TTT sock, is a fox painted in blues, purples, reds and greens, with a Pacific Northwest forest below. “We always get something beautiful and natural from her,” said Arriana Padron, Volcom’s global merchandising director for snow. “Her art is surreal.”

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the Act jacket and TTT sock goes to Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC), a nonprofit that provides breast cancer education, prevention and support programs for young people and the action sports community at large. Booth #2983

1

2

3. GNU + SARAH KING

The top sheets on Gnu’s new Jamie Anderson pro model snowboards, the Free Spirit and the Ladies Choice, are adorned with original artwork by British Columbia– based artist Sarah King. Her intricate design symbolizes travel and exploration and the importance of living in the moment.

The company uses a large-format camera to recreate the artwork on the board. “Artbased snowboards are a huge part of our business,” said Ryan Davis, a Mervin rep and artist himself. (Mervin is the parent of Gnu.) “We let our riders seek out artists who inspire them, and every piece Sarah has given us has been so amazing.” All Gnu boards are made in America, and original artwork is returned to the artist. “We like to have a good relationship with our artists,” Davis says. Booth #2778

4. DAKINE + DENTON WATTS

Oregon is a long way from Texas, both geographically and culturally, but when Hood River, Ore.-based Dakine commissioned Austin-born illustrator and designer Denton Watts for artwork to adorn the company’s products, the result was a striking match. Watts combined his instantly recognizable linocuts with the Pacific Northwest-inspired images, including an elk, a buzzard and a wolf eating a rabbit. “He’s a skate guy with a signature style,” said Robert Morano, Dakine’s senior designer for men’s products. Watts's handcut prints are used in a variety of products in men’s apparel, packs, gear bags and outerwear that will be on shelves for the 201718 season. Booth #2563/2510

3

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

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SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | 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.

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.

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

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

▲ WONDER WHO VÖLKL'S MIKE NOONAN IS CHEERING FOR?

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SNOW SHOW DAILY | DAY 3 | SIAsnowshow.com

▲ POWDER JET SNOWBOARDS ON THE JOB IN TRAIL GATE.

▲ JAMIE LYNN, "AMBASSADOR OF STOKE" AND 20-YEAR TEAM RIDER, PAINTS OUTSIDE THE VOLCOM BOOTH.

SHOW NEWS | AT THE SHOW

A DECADE OF NEON

Shred, Slytech celebrate 10 years standing out in the goggle and protective-gear business. By Eric Smith Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety doesn’t have a hard time getting noticed now, but when he and Carlo Salmini were preparing to launch a line of goggles in 2006, the duo needed a signature look for the company to catch the market’s eye.

The answer was loud and clear. But especially loud. They created their brand around a “healthy dose of neon.”

“We wanted a way to stand out, to pop,” said Ligety, the company’s chairman, from the brands’ booth on Friday. “The idea was to have goggles that you could see across the valley. We wanted to differentiate from the get-go, and neon was a way to do that.”

The company, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, as well as a recent relocation to Park City, Utah, from New Hampshire, uses bright colors straight out of the 1980s to call attention to itself and achieve crossover appeal to both skiers and snowboarders.

Ligety and Salmini saw neon as attractive to all disciplines, another way to differentiate in a competitive segment of the industry.

“It sounds normal now, but back in 2006, having this vision was 10 years ahead of time,” said Salmini, CEO. For Ligety, who grew up a ski racer and found that most athletes stayed in their own lanes, uniting snowboarders, freeskiers and ski racers with a singular style of goggle was integral to Shred’s mission.

“I wanted to create something that would unify all those,” he said. “Someone who was a snowboarder would feel cool in it; someone who was a ski racer would feel cool in it. That was the impetus behind Shred.”

Shred and Slytech, the protective gear side of the business, have grown beyond just being known for its flashy neon. Ligety’s stature as one of the world’s top skiers doesn’t hurt, either. Though he is recovering from back surgery, he hopes to be skiing by April and then training for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea.

But when he’s done skiing professionally, he said he will continue to play a key role in Shred’s and Slytech’s success.

“I always wanted something that was more than just a ski-racing career,” he said. “I wanted to work in the industry, and having a successful business in the industry was

▲ CARLO SALMINI AND TED LIGETY

always a goal of mine. I still plan on racing for a few more years, but it will be nice to have this and be even more embedded in the intricate details of the day-to-day operations.”

The company is now focused on the next 10 years, says Salmini, who sees the company continuing to grow its colorful line of goggles, helmets and other protective gear for all riders.

“We want to become big. It’s time for us to become big,” he said. “We think we are relevant because we are driven by passion and love for the sport.”

FIRST ENCOUNTERS ON SNOW

BAILEY LARUE AND MADISON RAHHAL

Ensuring new customers have fun is job one. By M.T. Elliott Making new customers reach for their wallet several times from check-in to rental to their first lesson puts more emphasis on expense than fun. It’s an outdated system that’s does nothing to retain newbies, half of whom never ski again.

The panel of rental and ski service professionals who spoke at Friday’s Rental World-Backshop seminar “Serving Newbies in the Rental Department" emphasized the importance of a quick, thorough and personable experience for beginners.

Drop all the core-skier powder talk; the rental and fitting process is the newbie’s first impression of skiing. It should be a pleasant one, but also a prompt one. One

of the win-win tips mentioned during the panel was using one shop employee to take guests from check-in to instruction. It’s a smoother process for the guests and the employee only has to make introductions once. Yeah, it’s the little things. What some would consider a luxury service of rental delivery may become an expectation among a younger generation increasingly accustomed to on-demand everything.

Equipment is critical to conversion. Shorter skis are customary, giving the newbie ease of movement. But beyond that, the panel emphasized, it needs to perform, and premium is the way to go.

If you’re fighting budget constraints, steal from front of house

or food or anywhere. The return on investment isn’t in rental fees; it’s in a future customer.

When the newbie gets moving, the fun should start. That doesn’t mean they’re carving; it means more they’re learning … and maybe not falling. Great learning terrain can make day one more of an athletic experience, and take away some of the stigma of splashing around in the kiddie pool.

Rental buyers: The future of the industry is in your hands. No pressure.

The panel was presented by Joe Hession of SNOW Operating; Ian Prichard, Black Tie Ski Rentals; Bill Irwin, Alpina/Elan Sports; Mike Poole, Head Wintersports; and Scott Russo of Nordica USA.

SIAsnowshow.com | DAY 3 | SNOW SHOW DAILY

35

AT THE SHOW | QUESTION OF THE DAY

WHAT’S THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU’VE SEEN AT THE SHOW? “Probably that little ski bike thing — the Sno-Go.”

—Nick Bjork, Solstice Sports, Longmont, Colo.

“It feels small. However, everybody is working, and the mood seems positive and energized.”

—Theresa Shepherd, Shepherd & Schaller Sporting Goods, Wasau, Wis.

—Bill Nelson, Envy Snow Sports, Golden, Colo.

“I just can’t get over the products and all the colors; I didn’t know how much was out there in this industry.”

—Erin Swiatek, Ortovox USA Inc.

MADISON RAHHAL

“There’s a bunch: the number of ski manufacturers; there are more than I thought. I never knew there were so many small ski-makers. I’m also impressed with the diversity of products.”

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