sia snow show daily 2016 day 1

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE 2016 SIA SNOW SHOW PUBLISHED BY ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016

Backcountry BonanzaBrands up their game with gear for the more than 2 million going off-piste. (p. 44)

Denver Dining GuideWhere to eat in the Mile High City. Plus, get the scoop on where to find the best late-night grub. (p. 54)

Tech + SnowLatest high-tech gear is designed to keep users connected & safe. (p. 12)

QUESTION OF THE DAY“We’re from Jackson Hole, so when we come to the big city, we go wild.”

—Jane Smith, AION (p. 67)

INDUSTRY GATHERS IN DENVER FOR THE EVENT OF THE YEAR

Get Social Stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter during the Snow Show, Industry + Intelligence and On-Snow Demo: #SIA16, #SIAintel

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2 SNOW SHOW DAILY 2016 | DAY 1 SIAsnowshow.com

AFTER MORE THAN 40 YEARS WITH SIA, THIS WILL BE MY LAST SNOW Show as president. My first Show was as a shop rat for the Ski Barn in Massachusetts. The Show was close by in New York City that year, so another mechanic and I stayed at the YMCA for $2.50 a night. That was the Show that made me want to work in this industry. I was in awe of the aisles of new gear and the athletes that graced the trade show stalls. My first Snow Show working for SIA was in the late 70s. It was also my most memorable, speaking before President Gerald Ford.

Since then, a lot has changed, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the shared passion this industry has for snow sports. People are the foundation of SIA, and it’s been a true honor – not to mention a lot of fun – dedicating the last 40-plus years of my life to this organization. On the last day of this year’s Show, I will be handing the reins to my successor, Nick Sargent. I know he will help push forward the evolution of SIA along with the industry.

Reflecting back on my time as president of SIA, a few initiatives stick out. Getting snow-boarding involved was incredibly important for this industry. I’ve loved the time I’ve spent talking with reps and retailers; it’s one of my favorite parts of this job. And our investment in

research has made market intelligence one of the strongest elements of SIA.Of course, I can only list a fraction of the valuable programs and initiatives SIA has pushed

forward over the years. SIA’s strength is that it has been able to evolve to the current pace and demands of the industry, and lead when it needs to. Competitors are working together for the good and development of the industry, setting aside their own individual needs – which is incredible.

I can honestly say this has been the best industry to work for, and that’s in large part thanks to you.

I’ll see you on the mountain!Respectfully,

David IngemieSIA President

Welcome to the 2016 Snow Show

Bienvenue au Snow Show 2016! APRÈS 39 ANS À SIA, JE VIVRAI CETTE ANNÉE MON DERNIER Snow Show en tant que président. À mon premier salon, j’étais mécanicien pour le magasin Ski Barn, au Massachusetts. Cette année-là, le salon se tenait près de la ville de New York, et un autre mécanicien et moi étions restés au YMCA pour 2,50 $ la nuit. Ce salon-là a eu un tel effet sur moi que j’ai eu envie de travailler dans cette industrie. J’étais au septième ciel devant les allées rem-plies de nouvel équipement et les athlètes qui nous honoraient de leur présence aux kiosques. Mon premier Snow Show en tant qu’employé de SIA, vers la fin des années 70, a été le plus mémorable parce que j’ai eu l’occasion de prendre la parole en présence du président Gerald Ford.

Depuis, les temps ont changé, mais la passion commune de l’industrie pour les sports de neige, elle, est immuable. Les gens constituent le fondement même de SIA, et ce fut un grand honneur pour moi – et un réel plaisir – de dévouer 39 années de ma vie à cette organisation. Cette année, à la dernière journée du salon, je confierai les rênes à mon successeur, Nick Sargent, qui, je sais, aidera à faire progresser SIA et l’industrie.

Lorsque je pense à mes années à la présidence de SIA, quelques initiatives se démarquent. Arrimer le secteur de la planche à neige a été extrêmement important pour l’industrie. J’ai aussi adoré les moments passés à parler avec les représentants et les détaillants : c’était l’un des aspects qui me plaisaient le plus de ce travail. Les informations commerciales issues de notre investissement en recherche s’avèrent l’un des éléments les plus forts de SIA.

Évidemment, je ne peux qu’énumérer quelques initiatives et programmes importants que SIA a mis en place au cours des années. La force de SIA repose sur sa capacité à s’adapter au rythme et aux demandes actuels de l’industrie et à diriger lorsque nécessaire. La concurrence collabore pour le bien et le développement de l’industrie, mettant de côté ses propres besoins, ce qui est incroyable.

Je peux dire en toute honnêteté que cette industrie est la meilleure où tra-vailler, et ce, grâce à vous.

Au plaisir de vous voir sur les pistes!Salutations distinguées,

David Ingemie

Willkommen zur Snow Show 2016!NACH 39 JAHREN MIT SIA WIRD DIES MEINE LETZTE SNOW SHOW als Präsident sein. Meine erste Show erlebte ich als Shop Rat für die Ski Barn in Massachusetts. Die Show fand im selben Jahr praktisch gleich um die Ecke statt, in New York City, sodass ich zusammen mit einem anderen Mechaniker für 2,50 US-Dollar die Nacht im YMCA übernachtete. Diese Show hatte mich dazu gebracht, unbedingt in dieser Branche arbeiten zu wollen. Ich war begeistert von den Gängen voller neuer Ausrüstung und der Sportler, die die Messestände zu besonderen Anziehungspunkten machten. Meine erste Tätigkeit auf einer Snow Show für SIA hatte ich in den späten 70ern. Dies war gleichzeitig mein unver-gesslichstes Erlebnis, denn ich sprach damals vor Präsident Gerald Ford.

Seitdem hat sich viel verändert, aber unverändert geblieben ist die gemein-same Leidenschaft dieser Branche für den Wintersport. Menschen bilden das Fundament von SIA, und mit Leib und Seele 39 Jahre meines Lebens bei dieser Organisation dabei zu sein, war mir eine große Ehre – abgesehen davon, dass es mir auch Freude bereitet hat. Am letzten Tag der diesjährigen Show werden ich das Zepter an meinen Nachfolger, Nick Sargent, übergeben. Ich bin davon überzeugt, dass er SIA und die gesamten Branche voranbringen wird.

Wenn ich an meine Zeit als Präsident von SIA zurückdenke, waren einige Initiativen für mich von besonderer Bedeutung. Die Teilnahme von Snow-boarding war für diese Branche von unglaublich großer Bedeutung. Ich habe es genossen, mich mit Vertretern und Händlern zu unterhalten; dies war ein Teil meines Jobs, den ich besonders mochte. Und unsere Investition in die Forschung hat dazu geführt, dass die Verarbeitung von Marktdaten zu einem der stärksten Standbeine von SIA geworden ist.

Natürlich kann ich nur einen Bruchteil der wertvollen Programme und Initiativen auflisten, die SIA über die Jahre vorangetrieben hat. SIAs Stärke besteht darin, sich analog zum derzeitigen Tempo und entsprechend den An-forderungen der Branche zu entwickeln und bei Bedarf auch einmal die Füh-rung zu übernehmen. Wettbewerber kooperieren zum Wohle von und für eine Entwicklung innerhalb der Branche, indem Sie dabei ihre eigenen Bedürfnisse hintanstellen – einfach unglaublich.

Ich kann nur konstatieren, dass dies das Beste ist, was der Branche pas-sieren konnte, und dies zum großen Teil dank Ihnen!

Wir sehen uns in den Bergen!Hochachtungsvoll

David Ingemie

欢迎参加2016 滑雪展！在 SIA 任职 39 年之后，今年将是我最后一次以协会主席身份出席滑雪展。我首次参加滑雪展时，是马塞诸塞州一家Ski Barn的技工。因为那一届展会离纽约市很近，我就和另一位技工花了 2.5 美元在基督教青年协会住了一晚。就是因为那届展会，我决定投身于这个行业。当时展会上琳琅满目的新装备以及到场的运动员们带给了我深深的震撼。我在 SIA 任职期间首次出席滑雪展是在70年代后期。那次我在Gerald Ford 主席面前发表的演讲，是我印象最深的一次。

从那以后发生了翻天覆地的变化，但唯一不变的是业内人士对滑雪运动共同的热情。 SIA以人为本，能在此度过我职业生涯的最后 39 年，让我倍感荣幸，也乐在其中！在今年展会的最后一天，我会将接力棒交给我的继任 Nick Sargent。我深信，他将助力SIA 与滑雪行业一同前进。

回顾我在担任 SIA 主席的这段岁月，有几项倡议给我的印象尤为深刻。单板滑雪运动的兴起对这个行业极为重要。我很高兴能与各位销售代表及零售商交谈，这也是我热爱这份工作的一个重要原因。我们在研究方面的投入也让SIA在市场情报上拥有核心竞争力。

SIA 这些年来提出的颇具价值的计划和倡议数不尽数，我只能略举一二。SIA 的强项在于它始终能跟上行业的发展步伐并满足最新需求，并及时引领行业发展潮流。在这个行业内，相互竞争的企业能够抛下一己之私，齐心协力推动行业的良好发展，这是非常了不起的。

我可以很肯定的说，这一直是一个最值得为之奋斗的行业，而这一点很大程度上归功与你们。

各位，让我们山上见！谨上

David Ingemie

| SIA PRESIDENT’SLETTER

WELCOME TOTHE SHOW

ATOMIC CLIFFLINE STORMFOLD JACKET

Contents

ON THE COVER: Photos by Julie Ellison and Alton Richardson

2 From the President 4 Show News Industry + Intellligence highlights. 10 Sourcing SnowSuppliers showcase latest in raw materials, eco-friendly focus. 12 High-Tech AccessoriesThe future meets snow. 20 Market OverviewSIA's research on skier participation and specialty shop rentals. 22 Spotlight on Leaders2016 Women to Watch and Retailers of the Year. 26 Snowboarding NewsThe rise in backcountry riding; Oakley's new helmet line. 30 New ExhibitorsMeet the new faces at the Show. 34 What's HotA rundown of key trends at SIA.

UP FRONT | IN THE ISSUE

PUBLISHER Andy HawkEDITOR Lindsay KonzakART DIRECTOR Jackie McCaffrey BradleyPHOTOGRAPHERS Julie Ellison, Alton RichardsonCONTRIBUTORS Kailee Bradstreet, Eugene Buchanan, Krista Crabtree, Connor W. Davis, Greg Ditrinco, Jordan Gaines, Ben Gavelda, Courtney Holden, Crystal Sagan, Eric Smith, Michael Sudmeier, Morgan Tilton, Bevin Wallace, Dave Zook

ADVERTISING SALES Sharon Burson, Andy Hawk ADVERTISING COORDINATOR/EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Lori OstrowGROUP PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Barb Van SicklePRODUCTION 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 GroupKent Ebersole, Vice President, General Manager Allen Crolius, Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Active Interest Media5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN Efrem Zimbalist IIIPRESIDENT & CEO Andrew W. ClurmanEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CFO Brian J. SellstromEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Patricia B. FoxSVP, DIGITAL & DATA Jonathan DornVICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE Craig RuckerVICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER Joseph CohenVICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH Kristy Kaus

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Top Trends: 38 Alpine Bindings40 Ski Poles42 Gloves44 Backcountry Skis & Boots46 Backpacks48 Women's Ski Boots 49 Travel Bags 50 Snowboard Rentals A progressive approach. 54 Dining GuideFrom breakfast to late-night. 58 Exhibitor Listing 60 Event Schedule64 Show NewsState of the industry, and more. 66 Wish ListProduct pics from the Show floor. 67 Question of the Day 68 Heard in the AislesQuotes from the floor, Twitter, Instagram and more.


AT THE SHOW | SHOW NEWS

WHEN TRAVIS RICE THREW TOGETHER A 20-SECOND TRAILER FROM BRIT-ish Columbia with GoPro’s new Session camera, it garnered a half million views in just nine hours.

“That kind of exposure is huge,” says Bryan Johnston, GoPro’s Vice President of Inter-national Marketing, who hosted Wednesday’s Industry + Intelligence keynote lunch with athlete Chris Davenport about the power of user-generated content. “In the olden days that would’ve taken forever to reach. We’re in the golden age of user-generated content.”

Co-hosting “A Million Warren Millers: How Digital Media is Revolutionizing Winter Sports,” Davenport, one of the most prolific content producers in the industry, says “the content world has been flipped 180 degrees in a very short time, to where everyone can now be their own producer.”

As recently as 2006, he says, he was filming in Alaska with a giant, 8mm counter-weight-ed, neck-tweaking Volex camera strapped to his helmet. Now, with GoPro’s new smaller-than-ever Session camera combined with such innovations as Twitter’s new live-streaming Periscope platform, which he plans to use to broadcast in real-time at the Show, “people are their own ESPN Sports Center.”

With all of today’s content-outlet options, Johnston adds it’s best, for both your business and the sport, to focus on two or three and do them well. When it comes to creating videos, he adds, incorporate different shots and angles, create a storyline before you shoot, and don’t be afraid to experiment. “You don’t know what’s going to get people’s attention,” he says, referring to recent viral GoPro footage of a kitten, found freezing in snow and brought back to life on camera. “If it’s interesting to you, it likely will be to others.”

That said, no matter what platform it ends up on this content can do wonders to help grow the sport. “Today’s social realm is a very competitive landscape,” he says. “It’s a war out there. To promote snow sports we all need to get people to watch it. Otherwise, they’ll watch something else.”

To fuel the stoke of snow sports, he advises everyone in the industry — retailer, man-

ufacturer, athlete, rep and more — to become digitally active and not shy away from let-ting the world in on our snow sports secret. “No matter where you share it, every single one of us should take 15 seconds to tell and show people how much fun this sport of ours is,” he says.

Following a hands-to-the-ceiling Q&A session, he then gave away a GoPro 4 to a lucky winner, who by now has likely already posted a clip of the keynote.

—Eugene Buchanan

Content is King

SIA Research Identifies Market TrendsSIA RESEARCH DIRECTOR KELLY DAVIS PRESENTED TRENDS IN HARD-goods and softgoods Wednesday during Industry + Intelligence. For the latest on trends in skiing, snowboarding and Nordic markets, the Snow Show Daily outlines data and analysis from SIA in each issue. For Day 1, learn about growth in alpine skiing participa-tion and the role of rentals in specialty shop success on page 20. PH

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Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the U.S. EPA, Mile High Ballroom, 7:30 a.m.In partnership with Protect Our Winters (POW), special guest Gina McCarthy will start the Show with a keynote on climate change, a critical topic for the industry.

The Future of Backcountry Research & Technology, Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657), 2-3 p.m.A discussion on better decision-making through gains in research, tech and education.

OIWC Happy Hour, Women's Lounge (Booth 548), 4:30-6 p.m.The Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition ends Day 1 right. Stop by for beer or wine, and get a 50% discount off Giro helmets and goggles to benefit the organization.

End-of-Day Happy Hours, Show FloorCheck out page 60 for a guide to booth happy hours, from cupcakes (Krimson Klover) to those benefiting non-profits (High Fives Foundation/Phunkshun) and many more!

House of Vans: 2Chainz, Fucked Up & The Blackouts, 9 p.m., Ogden TheaterHouse of Vans presents an epic night of hip-hop and hardcore at this free show, which will also feature photography and art by Lucas Beautfort and Aaron Blatt.

FRIDAY: Protect Our Winters Breakfast, Mile High Ballroom, 7:30 a.m.Diarmuid O'Connell, vice president of Tesla Motors, will speak on The Future of Energy & Transportation and the need to transition to 100% clean, renewable energy.

The DatebookTODAY’S NOT-TO-MISS EVENTS

CHRIS DAVENPORT JOINS GOPRO VP TO TOUT DIGITAL REVOLUTION IN INDUSTRY + INTELLIGENCE KEYNOTE

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AT THE SHOW | IMAGES

▲ STOP BY THE COLLECTIVES MEETING SPOTS ON THE SHOW FLOOR THIS WEEK TO RECHARGE. ▲ GRANT BURROW OF HELLY HANSEN SHOWS HIS TRUE COLORS: GO BRONCOS!

▲ THE LIGHTING NEEDS TO BE JUST SO AT THE SNOW SHOW.▲ MIKEY FRANCO OF FRANCO SNOWSHAPES TAKES CARE AS HE SETS UP HIS SPACE IN CRAFT @ SIA. THE AREA ON THE SHOW FLOOR (BOOTH 4469) IS DEDICATED TO INDEPENDENT SKI AND SNOWBOARD BRANDS THAT HAVE A HANDCRAFTED TOUCH.

▲ ALISON VANKEMPEN OF KRIMSON KLOVER IS READY TO ROLL.

▲ SEEING GREEN AT THE ELECTRIC GOGGLE BOOTH.

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Polartec® Alpha® solves the drawbacks of traditional insulations on multiple fronts. The invention of Polartec® synthetic fleece made possible what is now the most prominent form of temperature regulation: layering. This mixing-and-matching of fabrics as conditions change is still the best way to balance comfort. But this is not always an option. Soldiers in combat can’t pause to add, shed or adjust layers during a firefight. A more versatile, stand-alone fabric was needed. A faster drying fabric that regulates both warmth and moisture vapor in real time.

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Sourcing Snow: Tomorrow's TechnologyMATERIAL INNOVATIONS ON DISPLAY AT THIS YEAR'S SOURCING SNOW – held all four days on the main floor of Snow Show – are further proof the industry is hear-ing consumers' demands for warmer, drier, lighter and more breathable apparel.

Exhibitors from near and far are on hand this week to discuss raw material and supply chain issues, as well as showcase the latest technologies that will help snow sports enthu-siasts brave the coldest temperatures, fiercest winds and gnarliest whiteouts.

Building on the success of 3M Thinsulate Feath-erless Insulation that mimics the performance of 600-fill down, featured in the Rossignol Emerald WD Jacket, among others, 3M Apparel and Tex-tiles unveils a synthetic insulation that performs like 700-fill down. "This year we're stepping it up a notch," says Erik Iverson, marketing supervisor for 3M Apparel and Textiles. "We're going up in performance and warmth."

3M has prototype samples at Sourcing Snow, and Iverson is eager to show brand-specifiers the prod-uct's benefits, including the ability to maintain loft and warmth when wet. "Loft is key, because when you keep that loft it allows for warmth capability," Iverson says.

Concept III Textiles International is focusing on wool blends for both active and lifestyle clothing, according to Chris Parkes, partner and director of

sales. "Wool is not going away, and it's being incorporated in so many different ways," he says. "Our nylon-wool blend offers the performance of nylon with much more durability."

SympaTex is showcasing its Moisture-Tech for apparel, according to the company's business development manager, Heather Santos, who is seeing a number of material trends emerge for 2016-17, including more waterproof laminates with stretch fabric.

Paltex has a collection of high-performance fabrics on display, including a synthetic insulation called PAL-Padding, which integrates the company's PAL-TECH with other materials and is "designed to keep the body warm with breathability and an active chan-nel that offers support through core stability," says the company's Fino Wu.

And Global Merino is "pushing the envelope on weight," says President Josè Fernandez.

"We're doing some true featherweight base layer fabrics. On the other end of the spectrum, we have some heavy thermal fabrics that would be used for extreme cold."

While these innovations will benefit any-one who needs different features for variable weather conditions, often on the same day, re-tailers must know how to best promote these breakthroughs. Santos' advice: "Educate your sales team, who can, in turn, educate your customer about the latest material innovation and why it’s a must-have item. In-store ani-mations on iPads are a great way to educate the customer."

—Eric Smith

SUPPLIERS SHOWCASE LATEST MATERIAL ADVANCEMENTS ON SHOW FLOOR

Eco-Friendly FocusAs climate change intensifies and custom-ers demand more eco-friendly outdoor ap-parel and gear, the industry is responding with greener processes and products, some of which are on display this week in Sourcing Snow, all four days on the Snow Show floor.

3M Apparel and Textiles is debuting an improved Scotchgard Protector and a 700-fill down equivalent Thinsulate Featherless Insula-tion, both of which are bluesign-certified.

The bluesign certification promotes sustain-

able textile production by eliminating "harmful substances right from the beginning of the manufacturing process and sets and controls standards for an environmentally friendly and safe production," according to the bluesign website. "This not only ensures that the final textile product meets very stringent consumer safety requirements worldwide but also pro-vides confidence to the consumer to acquire a sustainable product."

Paltex is another supplier promoting sus-

tainability. The Taiwanese company brought a host of fabrics to the Show that meet bluesign and OEKO-TEX standards, according to Fino Wu. "Paltex plays a role in making our environ-ment safer by strictly supervising the manu-facturing process of manmade fabrics to avoid hazardous chemicals, such as the derivatives from C8 and PFCs," Wu says. "We are seeking the balance between sustainable products, eco-friendly production processes and environ-mental initiatives." — E.S.

GLOBAL MERINO LIGHT MESH BASE LAYER MATERIAL

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The Future is Here

FEATURE | TECHNOLOGY

RECCO AVALANCHE RESCUE TECHNOLOGY TAKES TO THE AIR WITH ITS LATEST HIGH-

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No longer do we risk dropping our phone in the snow to answer a call or switch playlists. Heck, with new commu-nication software, we don’t even need to use our phones at all. And it’s no longer sufficient to have the ability to take professional-quality video on the slopes or listen to music wirelessly through our helmets. Now we want to instantly share those videos with our social media followers and use that helmet-audio setup to talk to people all over the mountain and beyond.

In the very recent past, techy gadgets were often more annoying than useful on the slopes (smart phones and ski gloves that don’t play well together, and we’ve all had to listen that guy screaming, “Get me a meeting!” into his Bluetooth earpiece while in the lift line.). However, many of today’s gadgets aim to enhance the mountain experi-ence rather than be a hindrance.

Retailers appreciate these advances, too. “Kids are talk-ing about this stuff, so people come in looking for cam-

eras for their kids. And helmet audio kits have been very popular,” says Michael Stachan, hardgoods buyer for Cole Sports in Park City, Utah. “The new technology is easier to control and has come a long way. Whether it’s an add-on with a helmet sale or a separate purchase, it’s up to our salespeople to be knowledgeable and upsell this stuff.”

The newest crop of tech gadgets offers seamless connec-tivity, hands-free functionality and greatly improved audio capability—all allowing skiers and riders to keep in touch, enjoy their tunes, and capture and share their experiences without missing a turn. Here’s a sampling of some of the nifty things you’ll find on the Snow Show floor this week.

REAL-TIME MOVIE SHARING"Imagine being able to share your extreme-sports adven-tures in real time, without the hassles of downloading, ed-iting and uploading your videos," says David Abramows-ki, general manager of Sioeye, Inc., whose Sioeye Iris4G, the first unlocked 4G LTE action camera, enables you to do just that.

The Iris4G integrates a high-performance smart cap-ture device with live-streaming cloud services and in-teractive mobile apps. Snow riders can broadcast their powder shots in real time via the camera’s “Livecapture” button or through a mobile app. Friends and family can

MANY OF TODAY'S GADGETS AIM TO ENHANCE THE MOUN-TAIN EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN BE A HINDRANCE.

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LEFT, SNOWBOARDER TEMPLE CUMMINS MODELS ABOM'S FOG-FIGHTING GOGGLE, WHICH USES PATENTED TECH THAT PLACES AN INVISIBLE HEAT-CONDUCTIVE FILM BETWEEN A TWO-PART LENS; BELOW, BACK-COUNTRY ACCESS'S TRACKER3 IS THE THINNEST MULTI-ANTENNA AVALANCHE BEACON ON THE MARKET AT 0.9 INCHES.

As in all other aspects of life—and whether we like it or not—high-tech gadgets are here to stay in snow sports. And the way skiers and riders are using technology on the snow is chang-ing as fast as the tech itself. What seemed like science fiction just a couple seasons ago is now not only reality, but reasonably affordable and accessible to the average participant.


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1) SEIRUS SOLARSPHERE GLOVES 5) ZEAL HD2 CAMERA GOGGLE 2) KEL52 POWR 6) ABOM GOGGLE 3) SIOEYE IRIS4G LTE ACTION CAMERA 7) RECCO AVALANCHE-RESCUE DRONE4) BCA TRACKER3 AVALANCHE BEACON


Technology continues to vastly improve how skiers and riders keep themselves warm and safe. Seirus’s new SolarSphere gloves use new solar-absorbing insulation to harness sunlight, convert it to heat and transfer it to skiers’ hands. According to the company, the new product amplifies heat within the glove by 10 degrees.

If you can’t see you can’t ski—at least not safely. To that end, Abom uses patented technology in its snow goggle that places an invisible heat-conductive film between a two-part lens; a battery sends a current through

the film to heat the lens and eliminate fog. For rapidly changing weather conditions, the Uvex Snowstrike Variotronic goggle features an internal light sensor and liquid crystal lens film that instantly reacts to variances in light and activates the appropriate lens technol-ogy in one-tenth of a second.

Backcountry Access’s new Tracker3 is the thinnest multi-antenna avalanche beacon on the market (0.9 inches). The new transceiver features the same ease-of-use, high perfor-mance and reliability as the Tracker2, but weighs 7.6 ounces, 20 percent less than its

predecessor. Finally, Recco Avalanche Rescue Tech-

nology introduces the SAR1 detector this week, a helicopter-enabled search device that works in the backcountry. The company is also testing an avalanche-rescue drone equipped with a RECCO detector. “The drone with a RECCO detector is set up and airborne within three minutes,” says Pascal Duvillier, the French mountain rescue professional who developed the system. “Searching three victims in a 2,500-square-meter area takes only about four minutes.” – B.W.

Beyond Fun and Fame: Using Tech for Safety and Comfort in the Mountains

Not only is tech affecting the ex-perience after the sale, it’s changing the way brands, retailers and reps do business. At-tend one of many tech-inspired seminars this week, includ-ing “Learning the New Digital Playbook” at 2:30 today in I+I Live.

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watch instantly, and videos are also saved in the cloud and available for instant replay, eliminating the need to offload and upload videos from the camera for sharing.

LIMITLESS WALKIE-TALKIESOutdoor Tech, maker of the popular CHIPS Blue-tooth wireless helmet audio drop-ins, is demoing its new “mountain-optimized” app for Android and iOS at the Show. The app allows for unlimited walkie-talkie range with no extra hard-ware (sorry, walkie-talkie manufacturers). Users can use the CHIPS’s glove-friendly controls to communicate with multiple groups (i.e. family in one group, friends in another) whether they are at another part of the mountain, in a condo at the base, or at home across the country (assuming all parties have cell phone service).

HANDS-FREE IMAGES, NO WIRESWhen Zeal Optics introduced its HD Camera Goggle a couple of years ago, it rightfully stole the show. It shoots HD-quality video and 12-megapixel HD photos with a wide-angle lens, instant light-level adjustment and in-goggle view-finder—all built into photochromatic, polarized, anti-fog and scratch-resistant

snow sports goggles. Now the updated HD2 is here, with a smaller and lighter frame and longer bat-tery life. It also features WiFi connectiv-ity via Zeal’s HD2 app, so users can easily share photos and videos.

BACKCOUNTRY-WORTHY AUDIO UPGRADEA new take on wireless helmet-audio kits for snow sports is KEL52’s new POWR, which installs in any helmet and allows for one-button smart phone control. For commu-nication where there is no cell service, the POWR fully integrates with walkie-talkies, allowing users to keep their devices in their pack or pocket and talk via the POWR head-set. The POWR also features a built-in exter-nal microphone interface for GoPro, so rid-ers can record their voices or music directly into the camera instead of adding voiceovers and music after the fact.

WHETHER IT'S AN ADD-ON WITH A HELMET SALE OR A SEPARATE PURCHASE, IT'S UP TO OUR SALESPEOPLE TO BE KNOWLEDGE-ABLE AND UPSELL.

ZEAL OPTICS'S HD2 CAMERA GOGGLE IS ONE OF A GROWING NUM-BER OF OPTIONS TO CAPTURE EXPERIENCES ON THE SLOPES.

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SPOTLIGHT | MARKETOVERVIEW

Rentals Bolster Specialty ShopsAT EQUIPMENT SALES ALSO STRONG IN STORES

SPECIALTY SHOPS CONTINUE TO BRING IN MORE THAN HALF THE SALES in the industry, accounting for 52% of the total. But sales fell 4% in 2014-15 season in specialty shops to $2.4 billion. That compares with chain-store sales that were up 13% to $1.2 billion and online sales, down 4%, according to data from The NPD Group for SIA.

At specialty shops, consumers bought more outerwear in 2014-15 – about 5% more, to $720 million. Apparel accessories were close to flat, down just 1%.

Rental equipment was a bright spot for specialty shops in 2014-15, up 14% to $219 million. According to SIA, specialty retailers rented 5.3 million units of equipment in 2014-15. Rental equipment sales vary by region; nearly 90% of all rental units and 70% of rental dollars are sold in the West, where rentals were down 5% in dollars in 2014-15.

Specialty retailers’ service revenue was down 5%. And sales of alpine equipment (down 10%), snowboard equipment (7%) and cross country equipment (12%) declined. Accessories, including helmets, goggles, pads and others, dropped 7%.

That said, the shops’ customers bought more alpine touring equipment in 2014-15 than they did the year before, reflecting continued growth in the backcountry market and perhaps the desire by consumers to buy more technical equipment locally. Sales were up 18% at specialty retail for AT equipment.

While the online channel is growing, it matched specialty shops’ drop in 2014-15 in overall sales. The strongest category sold online was in outerwear, up 11% to $487 million, which was about half of all snow sports Internet dollar sales. Select apparel accessories also grew; handwear sales were up 17%, and headwear was up 10%. Helmet sales also enjoyed growth online, the only distribution channel to see an increase in helmet sales in the 2014-15 season.

In comparison, outerwear ($506 million) and apparel accessories ($202 million) were both up in double digits in chain stores. Most of the $1.2 billion in sales at chain stores in 2014-15 were in apparel. Also up: alpine equipment (5%), cross country equipment (27%) and winter footwear (8%). Chain stores are a primary channel for action camera sales, which grew by 35% last season.

—L.K.

SIA has several seminars for specialty shops all week. Friday check out “Best Practices in Retail Training for Maximum Sales” at 10:30 a.m. in Room 207.

TOTAL SALES IN 2014-15 SEASON

More Skiers on the SlopesAN INCREASING NUMBER IDENTIFY AS BOTH ALPINE AND FREESKIERS

THE NUMBER OF DOWNHILL SKIERS REMAINED stable and even grew in 2014-15, by about 500,000. About 11.7 million skiers hit the slopes last season; 9.4 million identified as primarily alpine skiers.

And a growing number, 4.5 million, identified as freeskiers (there is some crossover with the alpine set), who ski all-mountain terrain and park features, accord-ing to SIA Research. About 68% of those who identify as freeskiers are younger than 35-years-old, and most (59%)

are male. Nearly half of freeskiers live in house-holds with incomes greater than $100,000 a year, and about a quarter live in the middle Atlantic states.

Some other interesting facts uncovered in SIA Re-search for 2014-15: About a quarter of alpine skiers are 17 or younger; 37% are 35- to 54-years-old. About 2.2 million alpine skiers participated nine or more times in 2014-15, making

them “core” skiers. Nearly half of all core alpine skiers are 35-years-old or older.

In the 2014-15 season, sales of alpine equipment were $525 million, down in single digits from the 2013-14 sea-son, according to data from The NPD Group for SIA. Ski sales fell 5% in dollars sold; boot sales fell 15%; and bind-ings sales were down 1%. Pole sales dropped by 5%.

Ski sales peaked in December last year, and sales of flat skis increased from December through March. Sales of men’s skis and women’s skis were both down roughly the same amount. According to SIA, about 58% of alpine skiers were male, and 42% female last season.

A bright spot in sales was alpine touring equipment, with sales up 18% in dollars in the 2014-15 season. Women’s alpine touring boot sales were up 34%, and AT skis sales more than tripled to the fairer sex.

About 14% of alpine equipment was sold online, and

the remaining sold in chain stores. Online, sales of alpine equipment were down 7%, and in chain stores sales were up 5%.

By channel, alpine equipment is still sold primarily in specialty shops. About $423 million was sold in specialty shops last year, or more than 80% of all alpine equipment in dollars sold. That’s due to in-store expertise on boot-fitting and binding mounting.

“The complete lack of expertise and personal service online, and the limited expertise available in most chain stores, makes specialty a more attractive sales channel for most snow sports consumers,” according to the SIA Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report.

Midwestern specialty shops saw the strongest sales in the 2014-15 season, with dollar sales for alpine ski equip-ment up 5% to $90 million.

—Lindsay Konzak

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SPOTLIGHT |

Women to WatchWith the Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC), SIA is proud to recognize the 2016 Women to Watch, outstanding leaders working for brands, reps, retailers, resorts and non-profits.

Kirsten LynchExecutive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Vail Resorts

Years with current job: 4.5Number of years in snow sports industry: 4.5Average days on-snow: 25

Favorite place to ski, and why? I ski at all of our resorts, but my current favorite is Beaver Creek. I love the aspen trees, the intimacy of the resort, the variety of terrain, the village and the service we provide our guests, including the warm chocolate chip cookies served at the end of each ski day. It’s an incredible experience.

How did you get your start in this industry?I grew up in downtown Chicago and started my passion for skiing at age 6. … Five years ago, I was CMO for a division of PepsiCo in Chicago when my husband and I decided to quit our jobs and move to Colorado with our 1-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. So I landed in Colorado based on my passion and then was fortunate a few months later to join Vail Resorts. It still feels like a dream come true.

What are 3 things people don’t know about you? 1. I learned to ski when I was 6-years-old at a small ski area in Wisconsin wearing blue jeans and pink powder cuffs.2. When I turned 16-years-old and got my very first car, my car license plates were per-sonalized with “SNO SKI 1.”3. I started my marketing career with Ford Motor Company in Detroit and had the amazing experience of learning to take apart a car engine and put it back together again!

What is the industry’s most pressing challenge, in your opinion, and why?The industry needs to find ways to make skiing and riding accessible to more people, in particular women and families. We have created new programs to help with this. In Colorado and Utah we launched Epic SchoolKids program that gives free skiing/riding, free lesson and free rental to all kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. Our intention is to build the next generation of skiers and riders by making it affordable and accessible.

We have also created programs for women because we know that the majority of people on the mountain on any given day are men. After talking with women guests extensively we have created a program to try to help address their challenges with getting back on the mountain: time, skill and camaraderie. Specifically, our Women’s Ultimate 4 program, offered through our Ski & Snowboard Schools, is designed for women with a maximum of four women per group and led by a woman coach; participants have access to state-of-the-art women’s-specific equipment; and the program is offered at a time of day that’s most convenient for our women guests.

INDUSTRY LEADERS

Congratulations to the 2016 OIWC-SIA Women to Watch: Stephanie Bennett, K2 Sports; Julia Blumenfeld, Head/Tyrolia; Wendy Carey, Seirus Innovation; Donna Carpenter, Burton; Katie Hawkins, Marmot; An-nelise Loevlie, Icelantic Skis; Kirsten Lynch, Vail Resorts; Kathy McGuire, K2 Sports; Amy Ohran, Boreal Ridge Corp.; Linda Rodney, Giro; Claire Smallwood, SheJumps; Kim Walker, Outdoor Divas

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SPOTLIGHT |

Retailer of the YearEach year, SIA honors outstanding retailers in the snow sports indus-try. These are the industry proponents who rise above and beyond to build relationships, engage customers and support brands, all the while promoting passion and growth in snow sports. Snow Show Daily spoke with some of the winners.

Pacific Retailer of the Year

evoBryce Phillips, Owner and CEO

Years in business: 14Locations: Seattle, Wash., and Portland, Ore.Favorite thing about the snow sports industry: Working with people that share our passions.

Why you like going to the Show: SIA for evo is all about relationships. It’s a time to come together, talk business and build bridges with people throughout the industry. We see a ton of value in that and, of course, enjoy the social aspect of getting together with people that we enjoy working with.

What’s it like balancing evo’s physical stores and the online store?We love the combination that it delivers by far the best customer experience. The way in which the web and stores correspond is really amazing to see firsthand and while many asked why we continued to operate a store while the web was growing as quickly as it has, we always maintained that stores would always be a critical piece of the puzzle.

How does evo go about picking its products in an increasingly gear-heavy world?It’s always a mix of analytics and artistry. There are the intangibles that great merchants have to see having an impact in the market, often products that customers do not yet know that they want and of course the data that we look at when analyzing how our cus-tomers respond to products that we have purchased.

evo does a lot of charity work. How has this helped the company?It’s central to who we are. Being able to leverage our business to give back is arguably one of the most extraordinary opportunities at evo. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact that we can have, but we are very excited about how we can work to make the evo brand synonymous with our cause of working with underprivi-leged children in the years to come.

What’s different about evo this year compared with one year ago?We continue to improve in the way that we run the business on so many fronts. We also have an entirely redesigned site and new store in Portland among a long list of other im-provements that we’ve made from a customer-facing perspective. That said, staying true to the root of our name “evolucíon,” you will see continual improvements and a lot of new initiatives in the years to come.

—Connor W. Davis

AWARD WINNERS

This year’s Retailers of the Year: Alpine Ski Shop, Sterling, Va.; Aspen Ski & Board Co., Lewis Center, Ohio; Buchika’s Ski & Board, Salem, N.H.; Cole Sport, Park City, Utah; Colorado Ski Shop, Springfield, Mass.; evo, Seattle, Wash.; Freestyle, Charlottesville, Va.; Neptune Diving & Ski, Nashville, Tenn.

Celebrate the Retailer of the Year Awards on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Snow Show entrance by the bridge.

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Eye of the Buyer

Which specific backcountry products or brands are getting a lot of attention?KN: Spark R&D bindings due to continued upgrades and solid price points. G3 skins. MTN Approach kits for total convenience, speed and pricing relative to full splitboard kits. The new ThirtyTwo Jones snowboard touring boot.

JH: Jones continues to get a lot of attention on his split-boards and packs. Spark R&D also crushes it for us in the splitboard binding market.

JM: Spark continues to rock. Of course, since it’s local, and we are dealer number one, we have the line top to bottom. People are willing to upgrade to the Tesla system in the new models, the Arc and Surge. We sell the Arc and Surge equally well.

BS: In our market, backcountry snowboarding carries a different vibe from traditional ‘outdoor.’ These are snow-boarders, plain and simple. Brands that resonate at a

specialty level, either through distribution or intelligent segmentation, tend to see the most attention. The folks buying this stuff are either already educated or eager to become educated on both how and what to ride when they venture out. Backcountry products have seen a sharp rise, and it’s important to separate the ones who are true to the category as opposed to those who have taken a ‘me too’ type approach. The authentic brands connect with their customers and in turn see the most attention.

Which stock pieces do well in this category for you?KN: The obvious crossover and more dynamic products like stiffer snowboard boots, K2 Thraxis and Salomon Malamute. There’s more acceptance of higher-end lami-nated outerwear systems and layering. Dakine Heli-Pro packs, Jones splitboards, Spark R&D bindings, MTN Ap-proach kits, BCA Tracker 2 beacons and BCA airbags. How do you think snowboard shops can com-pete with traditional ski and outdoor retailers

in backcountry gear?KN: Carrying the brands and products that are tested, used and supported by actual snowboarders is a good start. The specific considerations that come with snow-boarding can be quite different than those of other back-country alpine activities. Having a staff of hyper-knowl-edgeable salespeople who actually utilize the product and really know the regions in which they’ll be used is also super important. My shop even goes as far as offering free classes to educate the public about avalanche safety, res-cue techniques, snowpack and backcountry product use.

JH: I think for core shops like us who have employees that go out into the backcountry and use these products, it gives us a huge advantage because we know what riders are look-ing for and how to properly set up your rig. Setting up sp-litboards, splitboard bindings and skins takes some knowl-edge to make sure everything is working properly. Having it set perfectly to begin with is important to maximize one’s experience in the backcountry. We also really try to help the customer learn about what they are buying so they have the knowledge to pass on and understand what they are dealing with in case they have situations in the backcountry.

JM: If snowboard shops haven’t had BC gear then I guess they would have a hard time selling it. It is pretty late to enter the game in backcountry gear if you ask me. We have had it covered since the beginning, so 22 years into it we have all the parts and brands you need or want, with the service to back it up.

BS: It boils down to having the right product assortment and an educated, passionate staff. If you walk into a retail store and talk to a salesperson who can offer you the right product, is excited to be there and can either offer guid-ance or act as a fellow snowboarder to talk to about your purchase, then it’s hard to see a reason why go somewhere that cannot offer that kind of experience.

—Ben Gavelda

SPOTLIGHT | POWERED BYSNOWBOARD NEWS

#Trending: Backcountry Gear

Backcountry riding has an allure that continues to attract participants and drive product inno-vation. Ski and outdoor shops have traditionally laid claim to this offering at the retail level, but splitboard and snowboard-based brands and retailers have been taking a bite in recent years. According to specialty retailers, this is what’s driving it.

The Buyers

Kevin NimickSnowboard Supervisor, evo, Portland, Ore.

Joel HandschinOwner, Jackson Treehouse, Jackson, Wyo.

Jay Moore Owner, World Boards, Bozeman, Mont.

Brett Sanford Wizard, The Source, Calgary, Alberta

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SPOTLIGHT | POWERED BYSNOWBOARD NEWS

THE DECISION TO EXPAND ITS OFFERING STEMMED FROM INDICATORS THAT THE (SAFETY TECH) MARKET IS ON THE RISE.

OAKLEY HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED WITHIN THE action and adventure sports industry for many break-throughs throughout the years—innovation within the goggle market being a prominent one.

Today, the company is officially unveiling the next level of that technology within a new frontier that has, until now, been untouched by the Oakley logo: helmets.

“We see this as an opportunity with enormous poten-tial,” says Hans Arnesen, Oakley category manager (left).

The decision to expand its offering stemmed from in-dicators that the market is on the rise, with the adoption rate for wearing safety tech intensifying every year. That,

coupled with requests from its retail base, led Oakley to put serious thought into the research and development involved in entering a new category.

Over the past three years, the company has been conducting extensive fit trial and field test studies, analyzing leading competitor helmet models paired with Oakley goggles, ac-cording to Arnesen. “This research helped us identify the key problem statements that we then set out to solve,” he says. As most dedicated riders recognize, helmet/goggle compat-ibility is key to comfort, performance and safety on the hill, and Oakley set out to create technology that addressed those needs.

The result is Oakley’s patented Modular Brim System (MBS), a helmet/goggle integra-tion that offers small- and large-brim options, and is meant to provide the right fit with any goggle, regardless of size.

The Mod3 also features a no-pressure ear cup, lightweight in-mold shell, and an inte-grated anti-fog system that channels hot air from the goggle through the brim and vents in the helmet. The Mod5 has been designed with a dual construction shell that boasts durability coupled with a lightweight feel.

Oakley’s MBS will be rolled out in the Mod 3 ($140) and Mod5 ($200) helmets, set to hit retail Sep-tember 2016.

In addition, Oakley is also introducing its Prizm Inferno heated lens technology for 2016, which will be compatible with its new Line Miner goggle, a cy-lindrical shape designed for the ultimate peripheral view. The technology was developed to combat goggle fogging, enhancing vision, and providing a new level of performance and safety.

With many of its key retail partners excited for the brand to move in this new direction, Oakley hopes to draw on its well-established base of loyal goggle and eyewear customers, aiming to deliver the same innova-

tive qualities in its new line of helmets, says Arnesen—a goal that he feels confident about. “The Oakley 2016-17 snow collection includes the most innovative products in Oak-

ley’s snow history to date,” he says. “We have a range of new tech and products that we want to share with the world, and it’s pushed us to be that much more strategic and cre-ative with each story.”

—Kailee Bradstreet

ICONIC BRAND EXTENDS INNOVATION TO NEW CATEGORY

Oakley Unveils New Helmet Line

OAKLEY IS ALSO INTRODUCING ITS PRIZM INFERNO HEATED LENS TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT FOGGING, COMPATIBLE WITH ITS LINE MINER GOGGLE (BELOW).

▲ OAKLEY’S HELMETS ARE DESIGNED WITH GOGGLE FIT IN MIND.

THE NEW MOD3 (LEFT) AND MOD5 (ABOVE) HELMETS INCLUDE OAKLEY’S MODULAR BRIM SYSTEM, WHICH PROVIDES THE RIGHT FIT WITH ANY GOGGLE. THE MOD5 HAS A DUAL CONSTRUCTION SHELL FOR DU-RABILITY AND LIGHTNESS. THE MOD3 FEATURES A NO-PRES-SURE EAR CUP AND INTEGRATED ANTI-FOG SYSTEM.

Get your exclusive SIA Epic Pass at booth #458 for over 60% off the standard price of an Epic Pass! Plus, $10 of your purchase goes to the

SnowSports Future Fund – providing outreach tools that introduce youth to snowsports.

* SIA Epic Pass only available to show attendees, exhibitors and buyers with valid show credentials. Must be present to purchase. Adult passes only. SIA Epic Pass valid for the remainder of the 2015/16 ski season, starting February 1, 2016. Does not include summer 2016 or international partner resort access.

© 2016 Vail Resorts Management Company. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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NEW EXHIBITORS INCLUDE APPAREL-MAKERS AND GEAR INNOVATORS BY ERIC SMITH

Show NewcomersTOP TRENDS | NEW

EXHIBITORS

BLANC NOIR ADVENTURE BEGINS WITH STYLEHigh-end women's apparel designer Blanc Noir understands that many people visiting a ski resort will spend only a few hours on the slopes, so the company makes and sells prod-ucts that provide a stylish answer to the question: "What will I wear the rest of the day?"

"When you're not on the slope, you still need that functional fashion," says Burt Dam-sky, the company's brand vice president. "You still want to look like you belong, you still want to have the comfort, range of motion and adaptability – and also bring a fashion component. We know that ski fashion and resort fashion is a big part of the lifestyle in that community."

New York-based Blanc Noir brings a "signature city style" to contemporary women's styling and fuses it with performance features, fabrics and attributes, says Damsky, as op-posed to starting with a ski aesthetic and then bringing a city or urban look to it.

The company is showcasing four products at the Snow Show, including the Mesh Puffer Inset Vest, new for 2016-17. Composed of cylinder down and pieced together with power mesh insets to allow ventilation and breathability, the vest is DWR-coated, comes with its own stuff sack and features rubberized hardware to avoid hard edges.

Blanc Noir will also display its 3-in-1 Packable Moto, as well as an après ski jacket and pant, all designed to outfit a "community that demands authenticity and individuality while ushering in a new modern era of functional fashion."

"We are embracing a major shift in the industry," Damsky says. "The consumers we cater to are trailblazers. They work, they ski, and they take care of themselves and families."

PICK OF THE DAY: Visit booth #1311 to see the perfect blend of form and function in Blanc Noir's Mesh Puffer Inset Vest.

AGENT OUTERWEARSPREADING WARMTH

The "one-for-one" business model made famous by shoe company TOMS has inspired a Detroit, Mich.-based ski apparel company to launch a similar chari-table campaign.

New exhibitor Agent Outerwear's "Get Warm. Give Warm." program do-nates a winter coat to a child

in need for every qualified purchase. Company Founder Lindsay Pavlich, who also works as ski patroller, began the initiative to blend her love of skiing and snowboard-ing, her need to stay warm during harsh Michigan win-ters and her desire to give back. "The idea is to create a sustainable solution for an ongoing problem," she says. "It's not just donations or hand-me-downs, which are limited. We can give for every purchase made."

The company partners with One Warm Coat, a non-profit organization that determines areas in need. Agent Outerwear then hosts a giving event at a community center or school to distribute the coats while Pavlich and volunteers entertain children with games and activities.

Agent Outerwear's Liberator 3-in-1 jacket (pictured) combines an outer shell with a light down liner, and the pieces can be worn separately, offering versatility in plac-es where skiing is only a part of the winter scene.

PICK OF THE DAY: Learn more about Agent Outer-wear's mission by visiting booth #435.

TK CAPTION

ENVY SNOW SPORTSSOLID FOOTINGAnyone who has peeled off a pair of ill-fitting ski boots after a long day on the slopes will understand the complaints that Chris Schroeder's mother and sister routinely lodged during family ski trips. Cold, cramped and painful feet prevented them from skiing as long as Schroeder and his father snowboarded.

So Schroeder and his father invented a binding that would allow skiers to wear snowboard boots. Their creation, the Envy Ski Frame, looks like a snowboard binding and is designed to fit a snowboard boot, but its base is built like that of a ski boot and clicks into alpine ski bindings.

The Schroeders, whose company is called Envy Snow Sports, developed a prototype of the ski frame two years ago and later 3D-printed an updated version of it. After another redesign, they tested the product last Thanksgiving in

Summit County, Colo., where Schroeder said the binding performed well, maintaining stability all over the mountain and, most importantly, keeping his feet pain-free.

The Envy Ski Frame is not in production yet – the company will see what kind of interest it gar-ners before moving forward – but positive recep-tion at the Snow Show would prompt Envy Snow Sports to start selling the frame for the 2016-17 ski season.

Schroeder fully expects skepticism at the Snow Show, but he also believes "this will perform just as well as an entry-level ski boot."

PICK OF THE DAY: Visit booth #4448 to see a prototype of the Envy Ski Frame.

Look for this icon in our reviews!

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TOP TRENDS | NEW EXHIBITORS

on any snow adventure. The brand is showcasing its diverse offerings today, including its 1.5L Vapur (bigger is better); the DrinkLink Hydration Tube (converts into a hydration bladder with the change of a cap); and the Break-Up Infinity Bottle (weighs just a few ounces).

4. DMOS DMOS has spent the last year re-designing a shovel for ski-

ers and snowboarders: The Kicker Tool. It is built with air-craft-quality aluminum alloy and features a shovel head that moves, packs and rakes large amounts of snow to build and sculpt the perfect jump. The packable unit fits into any back-country pack and at 3.3 pounds, doesn't weigh much more than a full water bottle.

5. RUROC UK-based RUROC sells full-face protection against back-

country rocks, terrain-park rails and sub-zero wind chill with its integrated ski and snowboard helmets, which combine the functionality of a mask, goggle and helmet. Stop by the RU-ROC booth to lay your eyes on the RG1-X Helmet System, designed by boarders and freestyle skiers and featuring in-tegrated goggles with RUROC’s Aeroflow Anti-Fog System.

The helmet can be worn in full-face cover mode or as an open-face helmet.

6. NORTHERN LITES SNOWSHOES Wisconsin-based Northern Lites believes that snowshoes

should not weigh you down. Made in the USA since 1992, the brand’s snowshoes use advanced aerospace materials, providing the same durability and strength of aluminum-frame snowshoes, while weighing in up to 75% lighter. Stop by the Northern Lites booth to see its recreational, racing, youth and extreme models.

7. EMU AUSTRALIA EMU Australia, a premium footwear brand designed in

Australia, is showing off its fall-winter 2016 collection at the Show today, including its largest waterproof collection to date. Independent SATRA accreditation places the wa-terproof range up to 150,000 flexes with a thermal rating of -22F. The brand combines that innovation with home-grown craftsmanship; it is influenced by nature, featuring earth-inspired palettes and natural materials including authentic sheepskin products.

—Lindsay Konzak

For a complete listing of new exhibitors, see page 58. Watch for additional coverage of new exhibitors in tomorrow’s Snow Show Daily.

More Newcomers1. LACROIX SKIS

High-end luxury gear- and apparel-maker Lacroix Skis is highlighting a special “capsule” collection at this year’s Show. The MACH by Lacroix collection is rooted in the brand’s history; Lèo Lacroix founded the brand in 1967 after competing in the ’64 Olympic Games and ’66 World Championships. Lacroix’s first MACH racing skis were re-leased in the early 70s.

2. ELM COMPANY Elm Company is a lifestyle-inspired outdoor headwear

and accessories business that embraces the philosophy “Rooted in Life.” On the Show floor, check out Elm Com-pany’s fresh approach to headwear, the Lewis Claw Hood, a pullover hood with a 20,000mm waterproof/breathable nylon outershell, and a 310g microfleece inner lining and forehead upper shield. The lower facemask is made of a windproof and water-resistant 100% polyester woven soft-shell bonded to a polyester microfleece inner.

3. VAPUR Vapur’s Anti-Bottles stand when full and can be rolled,

folded or flattened when empty, making them easy to tote

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TOP TRENDS | WHAT'S HOT

LOOK FOR THESE KEY TRENDS AS YOU PERUSE THE SNOW SHOW AISLES THIS WEEK

The Rundown

ALPINESKIS ARE ON A DIET FOR 2016-17, AS THE ARDOR for powder boards seems to have cooled, if temporarily. While some brands are introducing new fat skis, expect to see narrower waists on the Show floor, including a slew of new mid-fats in freeride collections. Also expect a fresh embrace of the high-performance carving ski, with sev-eral brands introducing new narrow-waisted offerings. The goal: to meet the needs of most skiers – no matter the skill level – who spend most of their time on groomed snow.

On the boot front, consumers continue to spend more in part thanks to the desire for a more customized fit. And brands are responding with their own approaches to the task, from easy-to-soften plastics to heat-moldable shells. Easy-walking rockered soles are making inroads, and man-ufacturers continue to prioritize lightness and comfort.

SNOWBOARDHYDRODYNAMIC SHAPING, RETRO INFLUENCES AND CREATIVE RIDING STYLES ARE INSPIRING THE 2016-17 lineups from board-makers. On the Show floor today, expect a selection of powder boards from brands like Capita and Dinosaurs Will Die, unique shapes from Never Summer and Salomon, and the use of advanced materials in new boards from Ride, Jones and Niche.

For boots, consumers are looking for perfect fit right out of the box. And both boots and bindings are benefiting from a renewed focus on flex beyond just stiff or soft. Manufacturers are making adjustments to flex while improving the fit and durability of their boots, leveraging heat-moldable liners, improved foams, ergonomic footbeds and soles from third par-ties like Vibram and Michelin.

Brands are focused on response and customization with the newest lineup of bindings, resulting in streamlined base-plates and smaller mountain discs, as well as systems that enable riders to precisely adjust the placement of their straps.

ABOVE, ICELANTIC SKIS' NEW SABRE ALL-MOUNTAIN COLLECTION RAILS ON GROOM-ERS AND BLASTS THROUGH CRUD. THE NEW DYNASTAR SPEED ZONE ON-TRAIL COLLEC-TION PROVIDES POWER ACROSS CHANGING TERRAIN AND SNOW. LEFT, THE APEX XP SERIES IS LIGHTER AND MORE COMPACT FOR 2016-17; THE DESIGN INCLUDES A REMOV-ABLE INNER BOOT AND OPEN CHASSIS DESIGN. DALBELLO IS OFFERING SWAPPABLE SOLES THAT WILL WORK WITH MARKER'S NEW GRIP WALK BINDINGS. SHOWN, THE DALBELLO LUPO CARBON TI.

Here’s what you can expect to see on the Snow Show floor. Get more in-depth coverage in each of these categories in the Snow Show Daily this week or check out the Snow Show Preview online at SIAsnowshow.com/showdaily.

— Lindsay Konzak

Read about backcountry ski and boot trends (p. 44), as well as poles (p. 40), in this issue of the Snow Show Daily.

ThrowbackNick Wittman, salesman, Aspect Boards and Brews, Bend, Ore.

Q: How would you describe the current state of the snowboard in-dustry?NW: The sport is maturing, looking back to the roots for the answers that were there all along. Brands are tightening up their offerings. We're seeing classic designs, patterns and colors, and camber resur-facing as a staple shape, as well as other shapes finding their place and best uses.

JONES PRODIGY IS THE BRAND'S NEW YOUTH BOARD. BRANDS ARE AMPING UP THEIR LINES FOR YOUTH AND WOMEN IN 2016-17. LEFT, THE DC SCENDENT BOOT.

S T A B L E & A G I L EThe lightweight agility and engaging performance of CFX Superfiber brings Carbon construction to the next level. Now you can have it all.

S O F T & H A R D S N O W P E R F O R M A N C EWith the superior stability of Spaceframe Woodcore construction, charging in every condition has never been more fun.

Q U I C K & P O W E R F U LShow the mountain who’s in charge with full sandwich, ABS sidewall construction and TI Power Plate allowing you to perform from the first run to the last.

TOP TRENDS | WHAT'S HOT

ACCESSORIESCONSUMERS WANT LESS HASSLE, BUT MORE TECH IN THEIR gear for 2016-17, and that extends to accessories. On the Show floor to-day, look for goggle features combatting low visibility and fog – in other words, quickly adapting to changing conditions with little to no work required on behalf of the wearer. And many of the features that just a few seasons ago were new and pricy are starting to become standard, even dipping down into lower price points to make them accessible to a larger customer base.

Helmets are also integrating more technology, as consumers become more aware of the dangers of head injury. In response to this demand, brands are touting their individual safety features like never before for 2016-17. In addition to MIPS and other proprietary protection systems, brands are incorporating newer safety features into their brain buckets. This includes a tracking light system to make the user more visible in low light (Slokker) and a Safety QR code for EMTs (Bollè). Also expect to see a more aggressive freeride look reflected in helmet colors and designs.

NORDICHEAD TO THE NORDIC CENTER TODAY TO GET a glimpse of key trends in the cross country market, including lighter boots thanks to more carbon, a focus on weight savings overall, new binding interfaces and more. The goal: making the sport easier and more ef-ficient for everyone. Brands are also delivering gear for 2016-17 that bridges the gap between light backcoun-try and alpine touring.

For skate skis, the emphasis is on weight, glide and stability. Expect that and a focus on grip and price point in classic models. Manufacturers are us-ing more traditional ski tech in their grip areas. And in response to growing demand from the fairer sex, some brands are releasing women’s-specific models.

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STRAFE OUTERWEAR'S MINIMALIST CHAM2 SKI AND SNOWBOARD JACKET AND PANT (LEFT) AND SALOMON'S QST CHARGE GTX 3L JACKET AND PANT (RIGHT) WERE DESIGNED FOR MAXIMUM MOVE-MENT AND COMFORT IN THE ROUGHEST OF CONDITIONS.

APPARELTHANKS TO LOW TEMPS THROUGHOUT THE country last season, apparel sales saw some of the strongest gains of any snow sports category.

Ski and snowboard apparel continues to follow the way of the backcountry, with new features that provide both comfort, warmth and agility no matter where you ski or ride. As you explore the aisles today, look for freeride designs with packable and lighter materials (without sacrificing durability). Other fea-tures that are backcountry-friendly: high-visibility details, pockets that account for a backpack’s waist strap, seam-free shoulders, super-durable fabric to resist tree snags and easy-access pockets, and spots for everything, including a radio antenna. Other trends to watch for include ongoing inspiration from streetwear designs (especially in snowboard apparel), growing transparency from brands on where they source their raw materials, and more options de-signed especially for women and youth.

Stay tuned for the Day 3 issue of the Snow Show Daily, where we'll dive deeper into fashion trends.

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height, is compatible with all WTR, AT and Alpine soles, thanks to a fully adjustable AFD. “It’s all about enabling more versatility and compatibility between boots and bindings,” says alpine product manager Andrew Couper-thwait.

Marker brings all bootmakers into the fold with its new Grip Walk bindings. To date, says brand manager Geoff Curtis, walkable soles have been restricted to touring boots. Not anymore. “It’s a chicken and egg thing,” Curtis says. “You can’t talk about bindings without talking about boots. Most things happening in boots are impacting bindings, and vice versa.”

Grip Walk, he says, is an integrated system—essentially a binding built to accept a particular, easy-walking boot sole.

“It’s available to any boot partner wanting to take ad-vantage of easier walkability, in a binding that only needs release and forward pressure adjustment,” he says. Grip Walk’s walkability comes from a slip-resistant, co-polymer

sole with an ergonomic rocker profile. This year, sister brand Dalbello will have Grip Walk in 90 percent of its line.

“We’re open to working with any boot partners who want to participate,” Curtis says.

Marker has also beefed-up its Tour F10 touring binding while decreasing its carbon for a lower price point, and debuts its new Sole ID system in its high-end bindings, whose new AFD lets users ski the bindings in either alpine or AT boots.

On the safety front, KneeBinding continues to bank on its PureLateral heel release technology. It debuts its HardCore with a higher DIN range of 5-14. With higher retention and forward pressure settings, it allows everyone from freestylers to racers to enjoy the binding’s benefits of reducing knee injuries. It comes with 3-mm ramp delta for more a balanced stance and cantilevered brakes for ag-gressive carving.

—Eugene Buchanan

2016-17 BINDINGS ARE VERSATILE AND COMPATIBLE WITH MORE SOLES

Well-Rounded Performance

TOP TRENDS | BINDINGS

IN TODAY’S SKI BINDING WORLD, IF IT’S NOT about touring functionality, it’s about compatibility with all the different, more “walkable” soles now on the mar-ket. “The increased availability of new boot sole norms has created the need for bindings that accommodate multiple soles at all price points and performance levels,” says Look brand manager Nick Castagnoli. (Rossignol-brand bind-ings will no longer be available; instead Look will be rep-resenting bindings for the brand going forward.)

Look embraces the compatibility trend with its new Pivot 12 Dual WTR (Walk to Ride), featuring a new Full Action toe piece and Dual Standard Concept, enabling skiers to use both Alpine (ISO 5355) and WTR rocker soles without compromising performance. The Pivot 12 Dual WTR will be available throughout 90 percent of its line in 2016-17, integrated into the Pivot, SPX and select NX bindings, as well as Look’s new Konect integrated binding system, the first integrated binding system to fea-ture the technology.

Tyrolia also invests in the trend, rolling out its new Attack 14AT to meet today’s multi-sole configurations. While not a touring binding, the fixed-heel Alpine bind-ing, which maintains a lightweight chassis and low stand

YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT BINDINGS WITHOUT TALKING BOOTS.

Making the Right ChoiceTom Willard, store manager, Geiger’s Ski and Sport Haus, Ohio

Q: How important are bindings at retail?TW: They’re incredibly under-rated. They’re the most important piece of the puzzle there is safety-wise, so consumers want to make a good choice.

Q: Is the category getting overly complicat-ed with different boot soles, touring func-tions and the like?

TW: I don’t think it’s complicating things for the consumer. People who come into the store have a pretty good idea of what’s going on in the industry and what they want. They know so much more than they used to. The biggest dilemma is one of expectation; people come in hoping to hook up with a certain binding, only to find they don’t weigh enough so they can’t use it. Manufacturers might want to make a lesser-ten-sion spring setting binding to open up the market more.

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and wrist injuries. The Power 9 Carbon also features a new carbon web exterior, creating the lightest, most durable and stiffest pole in its line.

Line involved athletes in the development of its new Tom Wallischtick pole, a light-weight, durable aluminum offering with a Philips-head screwdriver tip for gear adjust-ments; and its new adjustable Pollard Carbon, built with design input from Eric Pollard featuring a carbon upper, aluminum lower and Pollard graphics. Rossignol ups its pole presence with its new Touring Pro Foldable Pole, its most specific backcountry offering to date. “Today you’re seeing more specialized constructions and features for the backcoun-try/touring market than ever before, including longer touring grips, telescopic designs and collapsible shafts,” says brand manager Nick Castagnoli.

Banking on bamboo, which it maintains has twice the strength of aluminum, Soul Poles, whose poles are handmade in Park City, Utah, debuts a Soul Lite design inspired by the Japanese Wabi-sabi concept (beauty in imperfection). Available in six colors, its grips, tips and baskets have an asymmetrical plant-based design to look like a bamboo plant and leaf, with interchangeable baskets to complete the package.

Backcountry Access continues to tout its carbon-aluminum Scepter line of backcoun-try poles for 2016-17, the lightest yet in its line. Of particular note is its Scraper Grip, letting climbers easily scrape snow off their topsheets and employ a new utility hook for on-the-fly binding, heel riser or boot buckle adjustments; and a textured upper for added grip when choking up.

—Eugene Buchanan

BRANDS FOCUS ON WEIGHT REDUCTION, BACKCOUNTRY FEATURES IN 2016-17 POLE LINES

Lighten UpWHILE SKI POLES MIGHT NOT GET THE PRESS THEIR CLOSER-TO-SNOW GEAR cousins get, that doesn’t mean they are void of innovation. Adjustability, swing weight, durability and more continue to improve this unsung hero of snow sports.

K2 has redesigned its Lockjaw poles with a new, non-slip adjustment mechanism: The T6 6000 series’ aluminum lever and body are now linked together with Teflon bushings to optimize clamp force. The weight has been reduced by 25 percent. K2 also adds its new, ergo-designed Ripcord Grip Strap system to its Men’s Airfoil Carbon and Power 9 Carbon poles, and Women’s Style 9. With a push-button, hinging grip top, the strap separates from the pole when a strong upward force is applied, lessening shoulder, arm

MORE SPECIALIZED CONSTRUCTIONS FOR BACKCOUNTRY/TOURING THAN EVER BEFORE.

TOP TRENDS | SKI POLES

Nordic Poles“Nordic poles are often that last buying decision, but they’re the only Nordic hardgood product that you have to carry the entire way,” says Andrew Gerlach, president of Start. “Swing weight is key. Skiing the Birkie and lifting an extra 3 ounces per stroke equates to lifting an additional 6,500 pounds.”

Start’s World Cup Race addresses this with more carbon at a lower price point. Rossignol also employs carbon in its new Carbon 50, an ultra-lightweight, 50-percent air-carbon racing pole with ergonomic cork handle, adjustable ergonomic race strap and large racing basket.

Swix Pole debuts its new carbon Swix Triac 2.5, the brand's highest-end offering with third-generation triangular shaft technol-ogy resulting in a 3 percent weight reduction and increase in overall stiffness, and 5 percent decrease in overall swing weight thanks to a Carbon Leaf basket. Swix’s Triac Basket System offers three different basket options plus roller ski ferrule as a supplement.

Leki improves its Nordic Race series poles with the Fin Vario, an integrated, quick-change, tip/basket system. It works via a connector permanently attached to the pole’s tip, allowing multiple sizes of per-formance baskets and roller tips to twist on and off. The baskets are held in place through a new exoskeleton design that clicks into place. The company is also banking on its biathlon wares for the masses.

“We're seeing more athletes switch over to our Trigger Shark Grip system, which was historically used for biathlon but is now infiltrat-ing other disciplines because of its flexible power transmission and longer poling phase,” says Leki Vice President Greg Wozer.

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sleek Park Glove and Park Mitten. Designed for easy grabs and riding with poles, both feature a mix of goat skin and soft flexible fabric. A short cuff, detachable wrist leash and thumb goggle-wipe round out performance elements de-signed for the athletic rider.

The workwear style continues to be popular, according to Dakine spokesperson Kate Gaeir. Dakine’s new Maver-ick under-cuff glove is all about durability and comfort. The low silhouette is easy on and off. The supple DWR water-repellent drum-dyed leather boosts longevity. High-loft insulation and a 200g fleece lining add to the warmth fac-tor. The pre-curve construction reduces bulk and improves

dexterity. The new Highlander, the warmest glove on the women’s side, features 170g PrimaLoft insulation and wool lining, which stays warm when wet. The leather palm and shell are constructed for durability and dexterity.

After expanding its glove line last season, FlyLow Gear is focused on refreshing its classic styles, including its Tough Guy and John Henry gloves, according to Founder Dan Abrams. The revamping starts with a new more du-rable canvas back, but retains the color and styling from the original Tough Guy glove that launched nearly a de-cade ago. The reimagined gloves now include articulated thumbs, and an improved baking process in Flylow’s Den-ver facility. Abrams strives to keep FlyLow’s glove lines at the intersection of value prices, high-quality construction and cool styling.

Building on its legacy of all-leather construction, Hes-tra launches the Omni Glove and Mitt for winter 2016-17. Combining a retro vibe with a modern design, the all-leather mitt and glove features a knit cuff, a lively palette of colors and a classic elegant profile. The new waterproof All Mountain CZone Series, which comes in a mitt, glove and three-finger format, adds to Hestra’s popular Alpine Collection. The durable goat-skin outer, with a wrist cinch and keeper leash, is designed for all levels of skiers and riders.

—Greg Ditrinco

IN GLOVES, CONSUMERS CRAVE VERSATILITY, DOING MORE WITH LESS

Simple FormulaTOP TRENDS | GLOVES

FROM FEWER APPS ON THEIR PHONES TO GOG-gle lenses that change with the lighting conditions, less looks to be more in today’s marketplace. This trend doesn’t end at the end of your arms. Handwear manufacturers say consumers are attracted to products they can use across a variety of applications and activities in today’s grab-and-go culture.

“The evolution of handwear is in its versatility,” says Sean Roberts, Gordini’s vice president of sales. “To stay relevant in the competitive landscape, product develop-ment needs to answer a variety of needs.” Roberts sees Gordini’s 2016-2017 lines offering multiple uses, includ-

ing, of course, on the hill. To that end, Gordini is adding to its luxury Empyrean Collection and launching a new Active Outdoor Collection next season. With 800-fill DownTek and rugged sheepskin construction, the DT Glove and Mitt, also available in a gauntlet profile, is at the top of the Empyrean line. The men’s Rebel and wom-en’s Siren highlight the new Active Outdoor Collection. The touchscreen-ready Rebel features a sleek profile and silicon grip. The Siren adds style with faux-fur lining and goat-skin outer.

Also delivering on the versatility trend, Seirus takes to market its new four-in-one HeatTouch Torche Component Mitt, which combines active and passive heating technolo-gies. “Battery-heated gear is nearing mainstream accep-tance, as versatile options are helping increase its popularity,” says Danica Carey, Seirus Innovation marketing manager. “Push-button warmth is attractive to skiers and snowboard-ers who want to stay out on the slopes longer and in harsher

conditions.” Seirus looks to continue its leadership in heat-retention technology with its new SolarSphere mitts and gloves. Touted as solar-heated insulation, the SolarSphere material—comprised of compressible hollow filament balls—ab-sorbs infrared heat from sunlight and transfers that warmth to inside the glove or mitt, amplifying temper-atures up to 10 degrees.

POC emphasizes flex-ibility and fit with its new

PUSH-BUTTON WARMTH IS ATTRACTIVE TO SKIERS & SNOW-BOARDERS WHO WANT TO STAY ON THE SLOPES LONGER.

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Leslie Baker Brown, marketing manager at Tecnica, says the goal of super-lightweight boots is to fit and ski like traditional ski boots. This idea is driving the production of Tec-nica’s Zero G collection. The four-buckle, overlap boots are designed to be performance touring boots and ring in nearly 400 grams lighter than its next closest competitor (in the pro model), according to Brown.

Entry-level consumers may not be ready for the high price tag that can accompany super high-performing touring boots, and Atomic addresses that with the latest addition to the Backland family of boots, the Backland NC. With a more approachable price point, polyurethane cuff and shell, 30-mm booster strap and skywalk rubber sole, it caters to newer uphill skiers.

Not to be overlooked, expect to see more women’s-specific backcountry gear hitting the market this season. Salomon expands its MTN Explore boot line with a women’s model, and DPS introduces the Tour 1 line.

—Crystal Sagan

BACKCOUNTRY SKIS, BOOTS SHED WEIGHT BUT MAINTAIN PERFORMANCE IN 2016-17 LINES

No CompromiseTOP TRENDS |

THE AT MARKET CONTINUES TO GROW (5% LAST SEASON ACROSS SNOW sports and outdoor channels) as more consumers claim first tracks before the first-chair crowd gets a crack at them. More resorts are allowing uphill travel and even setting up designated courses to mitigate risks involved with uphill skiers and grooming equipment, encouraging skiers to head uphill.

With growth in the category and nearly 2 million skiers and boarders heading into non-lift-served backcountry this year, according to SIA research, more brands than ever are keen to get their piece of the pie.

SKIS: LIGHTER, MORE FUN, MORE VERSATILEManufacturers big and small continue to find innovative ways to shed weight and beef up performance at the same time. Nick Castagnoli, brand and communications man-ager at Rossignol, sums it up: “Backcountry skiers don’t want to compromise. The trend is to deliver an ultra-lightweight product while keeping the skis stable, powerful and with a strong, dependable edge grip. They want a tool that will propel them out into the backcountry with as little effort and fatigue as possible – but they also want to be able to depend on it to support them on the gnarliest of descents when conditions might not be ideal.”

Carbon is still king when it comes to making these lightweight, high-performance skis. Rossignol’s Sky 7 HD, G3’s FINDr 94 and Dynastar’s Mythic 87 all include carbon technologies that let them take advantage of the weight savings and stiffness of carbon while innovations like G3’s dampening polyurethane sidewalls ensure areas like damp-ness, strength and stability aren’t compromised.

As brands geek-out on making uber-light skis, they’re still looking ahead to the next trend. G3 Product Line Manager Sigi Rumpfhuber sees “the weight game approaching the physical limits of modern ski construction.” “We will see the start of a new era with focus on smarter and more educated implementation of lightweight technology into ski design,” Rumpfhuber says.

Meanwhile, manufacturers are also focused on versatility. DPS’s Erme Catino notes a trend of more skiers leaning toward the “magic mid-100 width ski.” The do-it-all, one-ski quiver that crosses the resort/backcountry boundary is the goal of skis like the DPS Wailer 106 and even slightly wider RMU North Shore 2.0. Both are designed with versa-

tility as their backbone, and employ key technologies like RMU’s five-point shape for a dynamic turning radius.

BOOTS: LOW WEIGHT, MORE POWERAT boots continue to pull inspiration from the rando rac-ing world, cutting more weight and implementing tech-nology to aid downhill performance and establish solid power transfer. More boots have even wider ranges of mo-tion that won’t inhibit uphill movement and more carbon components that make them strong and light. “Skiers are looking for products that pair very ski touring-focused features, like lightweight and great cuff range, with true power,” says SCARPA North America CEO Kim Miller.

With that focus in mind, SCARPA and Dalbello intro-duce carbon-constructed tour-focused boots with power-driven designs, the F1 and Lupo Carbon T.I., respectively. SCARPA’s Boa closure and Dalbello’s Cabrio three-piece design all help to ensure overall weight is low while pro-viding a platform for serious power.

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PICK OF THE DAYTecnica’s Zero G collection includes super-lightweight boots that fit and ski like tra-ditional boots. The company says the pro model rings in nearly 400 grams lighter than the next competitor. See it in booth #3601.

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THE NUMBER OF LIFT-ACCESSED BACKCOUNTRY-GOERS IS RISING. And can you blame them? “More people want to ride powder, and powder is harder and harder to find,” says Nathan Kuder, senior product line manager with Dakine. “They’ve realized that a couple of really good runs are better than doing laps all day in the bumps.”

In turn, brands are offering smaller, more streamlined avalanche airbag packs that manage to be comfortable on the chairlift ride up, even with their life-saving technology in tow. Take Mammut’s Airbag System 3.0, which offers 30 percent weight and volume savings compared with the brand’s current 2.0 system. Models run as light as 4 pounds, 2 ounces for the complete 20-liter pack, airbag and cartridge setup. Dakine’s new Poacher series is compatible with Mammut’s Airbag System 3.0. The lift-accessed backcountry crowd will dig the nimble 26-liter model, while ladies will appreciate the women’s-specif-ic version, complete with shorter torso, wider hips and S-curved straps.

Smaller, lighter packs are also a staple of the ski-mo athlete intent on hitting that ridge-line in record time. Deuter’s new Freerider Lite is a stripped-down version of last season’s Freerider series. Devoid of daisy chains and hypalon strapping, the pack is ideal for racers or anyone else logging serious vertical.

On the other end of the spectrum, Backcountry Access introduces the newest mem-ber of its best-selling Float line, the Float 42. Offering 42 liters of space yet tipping the scales at just 7.7 pounds (including airbag and cylinder), the pack is geared for guides, ski patrollers and recreationalists embarking on overnights or long trips that cross through avalanche terrain. Those looking for volume without the airbag can turn to the Helium

Pro packs from Bergans of Norway. Both the 40- and 55-liter options feature Bergans’ QuickAdjust Pro carrying system, a 3D-molded hip-belt, sled attachment loops and a front zipper pocket for skins, crampons and other vital equipment. Look for it in both men’s and women’s versions.

Pack manufacturers looking to outfit the ski mountaineering crowd draw inspiration from the climbing world, as seen in the addition of pockets big enough to tote crampons, tool holsters that can accommodate more aggressive axe angles and ski-carry systems that also make room to haul a rope. Ortovox introduces the Haute Route 32 and 32 S (a women’s-specific model), which feature crampon and rope-fastening capabilities, as well as a redesigned O-Flex frame built with a slender look that still evenly distributes weight between the hips and shoulders.

Style too plays a role in this season’s packs. Find bold color options in BCA’s rede-signed Stash line, while Dakine adds lifestyle elements like a welded lash-tab, leather patches, extra top stitching and original artwork to the Poacher 36 RAS Chris Benchet-ler team model. High Sierra’s Avondale also brings a touch of city chic. This stylishly sleek number is equally at home at the office or on the trail.

—Courtney Holden

EXPECT SMALLER, LIGHTER PACKS ON THE SHOW FLOOR THIS WEEK

Packs Slim Down for Lift Rides Up

PACK MANUFACTURERS DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE CLIMBING WORLD.

Staying SafeNate Kuder, Senior Product Line Manager, Dakine

Q: Does the lift-accessed backcountry trend create any challenges for the industry?NK: The biggest challenge is informing all riders (one plank or two) that just because it’s more accessible, it’s not more safe. Every-body still needs to be properly educated and equipped.

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selves from online stores and skiers search for the ‘perfect-fitting ski boot.’”

FIT BITFischer’s director of mar-keting and product, Matt Berkowitz, says the trend is to make “comfortable boots that still have power,” and the new RC Pro 110 W has a lever that helps with entry and exit, along with Active Fit Zone technology and Grip Soles. Rossign-ol’s Sensor Grid—found in several women’s models—

makes a gridded pattern in the shell that provides wrap-ping of the foot and ankle. Salomon continues its evolu-tion of customization with the QST Pro 90 W, which uses the same technology from the unisex MTN boots such as Sensifit shell construction and Motion Flex with Surelock mechanism. Tecnica’s new women’s Cochise Freeride boots include the 105W, 95W and 85W and focus on a more ana-

THREE TRENDS STEAL THE SIA FLOOR THIS YEAR — customization and the adaptability of shells and liners, walk-hike mechanisms and weight-saving designs. Many of these women's ski boot trends were introduced last sea-son, but the challenging weather can be blamed for slug-gish sales. In fact, sales of women’s and girl’s alpine boots were down 4 percent in dollars sold in the 2014-15 season. But early season research for 2015-16 shows improve-ment. “Sales of girls' and women’s alpine boots were up 38 percent in dollars sold to $7.5 million,” says Kelly Davis, director of research for SIA. Furthermore, the AT hybrid category—known as alpine touring and loosely defined as boots with a swappable DIN and Vibram soles—has shown tremendous growth. Women’s AT boot sales in-creased 34 percent in the 2014-15 season to reach $1.3M.

Whatever the weather this season, new women’s boot models offer an attractive incentive to buy. Along with more options to customize the fit, comes an overall move-ment to save weight. “Just as we have seen with skis and bindings, boots have started to trim down and become lighter while maintaining their high-performance stat-ure,” says Ethan Korpi, boot product manager for Nordi-ca. “Customization remains a hot topic in ski boots as the traditional specialty retailer seeks to differentiate them-

tomical shape, better fit and more custom-fitting options. Tecnica’s C.A.S. (Custom Adaptive Shape) includes a pre-shaped liner of hard-to-fit areas. The Cochise models and the new Zero G Guide W Freeride both have Power Light Design, which makes the boots 20 to 30 percent lighter than other alpine models.

TRAVEL-FRIENDLYWalk-hike mechanisms help consumers walk in the lodge or along ridge tops by two modes: One that increases mo-bility and the other that provides a “locked down” feel-ing for alpine turns. Freeride boot models with these fea-tures continue to make up a large segment of the market. “Consumers now see the benefit and increased skiability of this technology,” according to Thor Verdonk, director of product development for the Rossignol Group. Dal-bello, who has partnered with Marker/Völkl, features a new freeride-inspired 98-mm lasted boot called the DMS 100 W. It has a foot-wrapping overlap design, and the new all-mountain Avanti model has a wool lining and Thinsu-late insulation. K2’s wide-lasted BFC (Built For Comfort) includes two new models (90 and 80 flex), which house convenience features such as grippy replaceable outsoles that work in concert with Marker’s new GripWalk bind-ing system. (The challenge with rockered soles is that the binding toe height needs to be adjusted to accommodate the rocker and new bindings now raise the AFD device.)

Lange looks to find balance between uphill mobility and downhill performance with the XT 110 LV Freetour W. This follows in the footsteps of the original XT, but with low-tech soles and Dynafit inserts. The acronym WTR—new to some consumers—means “walk-to-ride,” and es-sentially includes a relatively soft alpine sole with rocker at the toe piece. Nordica combines Gripwalk/WTR soles, walk/ski systems and thermal liner insulations with the new N-Move W boots. Its Speedmachine W boots have customization technologies and lightweight materials.

WEIGHT UPNew plastics, liner materials and the evolution of the placement of power transmission to the lower shell helps manufacturers make lighter boot models. Apex launches a new series called XP, with a shorter sole length, 10 per-cent lighter chassis and a new three-buckle system with a Serpentine lacing pattern. Head’s new AdvantEdge line of boots is the next generation of AdaptEdge. Using a “Hi Top” shell design, Head reduces the upper cuff and adds 5 degrees of ramp angle and 14 degrees of forward lean, which puts skiers in a more upright position and is de-signed for “better skiing with less effort."

—Krista Crabtree

LIGHT ON WEIGHT, HEAVY ON FIT, WOMEN’S SKI BOOTS SHED POUNDS, ADD BOOT-FITTER FRIENDLY CUSTOMIZATION FEATURES

Custom RulesTOP TRENDS | WOMEN'S

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Comfort and power? Check out Fischer’s new RC Pro 110W women’s boot, which aims to pro-vide both in the brand’s booth #4411.

PICK OF THE DAY

AT BOOT

49SIAsnowshow.com DAY 1 | SNOW SHOW DAILY 2016

compartment and outside stash pockets. Travelers will appreciate the Bucket Boot Bag from High Sierra, which meets airline

carry-on requirements while offering enough space for hats, gloves, tools and goggles, as well as its namesake ski or snowboard boots. Likewise Line’s Ski Roller Bag features a rig-id, honeycomb-reinforced tip and tail to protect planks from the wear and tear of travel. Globetrotters with a lot on their packing lists will appreciate the Split Roller series from Dakine, available in 60-liter and 100-liter versions. Multiple compartments separate ap-parel from gear and clean items from dirty ones. The Aviator 40-liter from Douchebags is a unicast ABS shell carry-on roller.

This season Athalon brings the heat with its “Amped” Boot Bag, which features a wraparound warming unit to keep boots toasty before users hit the hill. Meanwhile Transpack partners up with Glen Plake to give a special edition line of backpacks a hint of the world-renowned freeskier’s signature style.

—Courtney Holden

TRAVEL BAG MANUFACTURERS OFFER UP AN INCREASED FOCUS ON COMPARTMENTALIZATION

A Perfect FitEVERYTHING HAS A PLACE AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE: THAT COULD well be the motto for travel bag manufacturers given the focus on compartmentalization for 2016-17. And it makes sense, said David Abramowitz, founder/CEO of Kulkea. “It’s solving a real pain point. A lot of people hit a certain age and drop off from skiing because it’s too hard. And the hard part isn’t the skiing aspect; it’s keeping yourself organized.”

Compartment systems also keep wet and dry gear separate and prevent more delicate ne-cessities from getting marred — no more scratched goggle lenses or cosmetic nicks on the helmet exterior. “Beyond a timesaver when searching for particular things, it also helps your stuff dry quicker and keeps dirty boots, or other items, from spreading the mess,” said Josh Malczyk, global brand director for Line and Full Tilt.

Consider the Slope Pack from Full Tilt with its puzzle-fit compartment to keep ski boots snug and secure. Also find goggle- and helmet-specific pockets and an integrated changing mat on the back panel. K2’s 55-liter Mountain Duffle is divided into a top sec-tion for extra layers and ventilated bottom pocket to store boots. Deployable straps allow users to carry the duffle as either a backpack or messenger bag. Meanwhile Kulkea’s Tan-dem cuts down on unnecessary luggage by offering separate compartments for the boots, helmet, apparel and gear of two young children — all in one pack.

Sportube features the Freerider and Freeloader Padded Boot & Gear bags, with pad-ded boot compartments and an extra-large central compartment to handle clothing, gloves, helmets and more. Sportube also adds the Overnighter Duffle, an airline-com-pliant bag with a three-way carrying system, with two openings for entry to the main

TRAVEL BAGS | TOP TRENDS

A LOT OF PEOPLE DROP OFF FROM SKIING BE-CAUSE IT'S TOO HARD. THE HARD PART ISN'T SKIING. IT'S KEEPING YOURSELF ORGANIZED.

PICK OF THE DAYThe K2 Mountain Duffle offers a ven-tilated bottom pocket to store your boots, stink-free, and a top section for extra layers. Carry it as a backpack or a messenger bag. Try it out in K2's booth today, #3949.

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Cosmetics matter, too. A board that screams “renter” can annoy or make some folks feel less comfortable, and does little to instill confidence in the novice, let alone a more advanced rider.

Arbor Snowboards, a brand recognized for its artistry, is extending that to the rental line. “The System Rental (snowboard) is characterized by a clean, black look that will prolong the value of your fleet without sacrificing that classic Arbor styling,” says Matt Patti, Arbor Snowboards brand manager.

EASE OF USEAnd how does it all perform? Camber profiles and shapes for beginner and younger riders have an impact on fun. Flow calls its board technology True-Twin EZ-Rocker. Elan employs its Reverse Press Early Rise technology in beginner rental products along with a parabolic sidecut. Elan rental specialist Bill Irwin says the early-rise rocker makes for a shorter effective edge length, which enables beginners to make turns more easily and progress more quickly.

Never Summer also believes a combination of cambers is the best strategy. “Hybrid profiles like ours not only make it easier to learn how to snowboard, but they also make it easier to ride,” says product developer Vince Sanders. “The rocker between the feet is a pivot point to allow a board to easily go edge to edge, and the extended transition areas at the ends keep a young rider from catching an edge.”

SNOWBOARD RENTALS BALANCE CUSTOMERS’ DIVERSE NEEDS AND SHOP EFFICIENCY

A Progressive ApproachTOP TRENDS |

SNOWBOARD RENTAL LINEUPS ARE OFFERING increasingly diverse and progressive products. Suppli-ers and resorts recognize the importance of the beginner rental market, but more and more experienced riders are renting, as well.

In this market, many suppliers aim to provide products to match specific needs, but also offer a good option for everyone.

“As rental and demo continue to take on more impor-tance in the marketplace, we recognize the demand for and need to move to newer technology and higher per-forming products,” says Nick Castagnoli, brand and com-munications manager for Rossignol.

Durability remains key. Head Snowboards incorporate the brand’s newest sidewall technology, Liquid Framewall. “This uses a PU (polyurethane) that is actually poured into the recessed space of the wood core to protect the sidewall of the snowboard from impact,” says Mike Poole, national rental sales and category manager for Head. Flow’s Rhythm line uses urethane-infused topsheets for durability.

SNOWBOARDRENTAL

PICK OF THE DAYBrands are growing their women’s-specific rental lines in response to rising demand. Head introduces the Libra to its rental offering for 2016-17, with flex and torsional characteristics designed for the ladies. Stop by the Head booth (#2924) to see this and the brand’s new women’s rental boot.

A BOARD THAT SCREAMS 'RENTER' CAN MAKE FOLKS FEEL LESS COMFORTABLE & DOES LITTLE TO INSTILL CONFIDENCE.

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Brands are also aiming for ease of use with bindings. Elan is launching a new rear-entry binding, called Fastec. Irwin says it will be easier to use, perform well, and reduce wear and tear on boots.

Flow’s Evolve rental bindings come in one-piece Pow-erStrap and two-strap versions, and are symmetrical, making it easy to store, set up and switch between goofy/regular. “With our Evolve Fusion and Evolve two-strap bindings, we cater to both the end user who prefers speed-entry and comfort, and the more traditional two-strap end-user,” says product manager Lucien Vink.

NICHE MARKETSIn women’s-specific rental product, Head will present a new boot for 2016 with a double BOA closure system, with independent closures above and below the ankle. “We will also launch a ladies-specific snowboard, Li-bra. Libra snowboards have specific flex and torsional characteristics designed for ladies and employ the Head Liquid Framewall technology,” Poole says. “We feel that ladies-specific products are the most important trend in rental products.”

Suppliers continue to bolster youth products. The kids market has been a particular focus for Burton. For 2016-17 the company debuts the Handle Bar, which mounts

onto Burton Kids’ boards. Kids can hold on to the bar for balance, but step off if need be.

Never Summer will offer its youth boards, the Yutes, down to 80 cm. Head Snowboards will offer a full kids snowboard package that includes boards sized from 70 to 110 cm, an XXS snowboard binding and a new junior snowboard boot, the 400 BOA/lace. This will be sized from 18.5 to 25.5 and reinforced in both the toe and heel.

With beginner programs increasingly focused on ter-rain-based teaching parks, Elan focuses on designs for kids and adults that are more flexible at slow speeds.

Rossignol, which has partnered with Snow Operating LLC and its Terrain Based Learning program, offers the only rental line with Magne-Traction technology. “Begin-ners will definitely find more stability and edge grip than

with a traditional edge,” says Castagnoli, of the EXP Mag board, Rossi’s more progressive rental option.

PRICE BATTLES AND RENTAL CHALLENGESMany suppliers continue to offer a low-price point fleet board, but some argue that a more expensive board can be a better value. “The best constructions and newer tech-nology will cost slightly more, but the snowboard will last longer and ride better,” Irwin says.

Burton's Shaun Cattanach echoes that. “Find a partner who is committed to helping you make the experience the best it can be for your guests, not just someone looking to make a quick sale,” he says. “Cheap prices don’t always mean the guest experience will be good.”

—Dave Zook

WE RECOGNIZE DEMAND FOR HIGHER TECHNOLOGY.

▼ BURTON PROCESS EXPERIENCE▲ FLOW RHYTHM

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For an overview of the rental market, stop by Rental World/Backshop in booth #4501. On Saturday, sit in on the seminar "Practical Magic: The 5-Minute Rental Fit (Ski and Snowboard)" from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

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54

Satisfy Your HungerFrom a casual quick meal to a sit-down feast, Denver offers creative twists on traditional fare for every taste. Here’s your guide to food in downtown Denver no matter your mood, orga-nized from breakfast to late-night. — Lindsay Konzak and Jordan Gaines

BREAKFAST 1. Sam’s No. 3 1500 Curtis St.; 303-534-1927; samsno3.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.3Sam’s No. 3 is open all day. But you’ll want to stop by for its filling breakfast menu, including its expansive skillet selec-tions. Try the Wild Bill Skillet, complete with ground buf-falo, fresh jalapeño, jack cheese and green chili.

2. Lucile’s Creole Cafe275 S. Logan St.; 303-282-6258; luciles.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 2.6Jump in an Uber and make your way to Lucile’s for a plate-ful of beignets and a taste of the Cajun country. A favor-ite: The Eggs Sardou with creamed spinach, Gulf shrimp, poached eggs and hollandaise.

3. Snooze1701 Wynkoop St. (Union Station)303-825-3526; snoozeeatery.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 1You’ll find a line at Snooze, so arrive early. But it’s worth the wait. This staple recently arrived in Denver’s new Union Station, featuring twists on standard breakfast fare, including the Breakfast Pot Pie and Snooze Spuds Deluxe.

QUICK BITES 4. Smash Burger1201 16th St.; 720-292-5121MILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.5For a quick but tasty bite, walk on down to Smash Burger. The burger joint features smashed Angus beef with its spe-cial Smash Sauce. Add a little kick with a Spicy Jalapeño Baja burger. Oh, and did we mention they have beer?

5. Snarf’s 891 14th St. Suite 160303-573-3939; eatsnarfs.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.2 MILESThis popular Colorado chain offers more than just a sand-wich. Get your standards, or try one of Snarf ’s specialty sandwiches, including its New York Steak and Provolone.

6. Native Foods Café500 16th St. Mall 303-534-5366; nativefoods.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.3 MILESEverything’s vegan at the Native Foods Café, but you’d

never know it by the looks of the menu (or the taste!): Try the Avocado Kale Cheese Dip or some Native Chicken Wings to start, and move on to a Portobello & Sausage Burger or a tasty bowl like the Thai Meatball.

7. Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs 2148 Larimer St. 720-746-9355; bikerjimsdogs.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.3The story goes that the Colorado sausage czar Jim Pit-tenger, aka Biker Jim, ditched the life of a repo man to sling gourmet sausages – including wild boar, reindeer and even a vegan dog – from a cart on Denver’s 16th Street Mall. He now has two restaurants.

CASUAL FARE 8. Euclid Hall1317 14th St.; 303-595-4255; euclidhall.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.6There’s no shortage of American-style pubs in Denver, but Euclid Hall has managed to become one of the city’s very best thanks to its diverse menu. Find top-notch schnitzel, brats, poutine and house-made sausage.

9. Pizza Republica890 14th St.303-623-2811; pizzarepublica.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.1Just a short jaunt from the Show, Italian staple Pizza Re-publica serves up everything from salad and sandwiches to pasta and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza.

10. Forest Room 52532 15th St.; 303-433-7001; forestroom5.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.5Take a seat on a stump, grab yourself a drink and indulge in the greatness that is Forest Room 5. This rustic restau-rant specializes in comfort food in a cozy environment, making it a perfect place to relax after a day at the Show.

11. Linger2030 W. 30th Ave.303-993-3120; lingerdenver.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.9In a building that once served as a mortuary, Linger offers global street food in a fun and quirky atmosphere. Don’t let its history deter you though: The restaurant has stunning city views from its location in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood.

12. The Greedy Hamster 323 14th St.303-623-2818; thegreedyhamster.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.3 MILESThis bistro pub neighborhood joint features cocktails and small plates that showcase a contemporary and inventive approach to food. Try the Black & Bleu Figs or the Pepper Bon Bons. They have more filling food, as well, including the Green Chile Bacon Cheeseburger and The Greedy Brat.

13. Freshcraft1530 Blake, Suite A 303-758-9608; freshcraft.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.6Freshcraft serves “upscale comfort food in a casual atmo-sphere.” On the diverse menu you will find the Deviled Pork Belly Wrap and the Seared Swordfish and Duck Ra-men sitting side-by-side. Bonus: Freshcraft has one of the most extensive beer lists in town.

14. The Kitchen Next Door1701 Wynkoop Street (Union Station) Suite 100720-460-3730thekitchen.com/next-door-union-stationMILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.1Looking for a burger or a sandwich? Next Door has some delicious options such as a Kobsterstein Ranch Dry Aged Cheese Burger and the Next Door Beet Burger.

15. Hapa Sushi1514 Blake St.720-354-5058; hapasushi.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.1In the mood for sushi? This is the spot. Hapa offers an afford-

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able selection in a modern and cozy environment, perfect for a group. Don’t worry: They’ve got plenty of sake, too.

16. Highland Tap & Burger2219 W. 32nd Ave.720-287-4493; highlandtapdenver.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 2This hangout serves gourmet burgers and elevated pub food, such as duck fat fries, along with more than 20 local craft beers on tap. Try the sliders at happy hour, mixing and matching root beer pulled pork, beef and pulled chicken.

17. Lola1575 Boulder St.720-570-8686; loladenver.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 1.6This Mexican fish house crafts delectable coastal cuisine, including duck sope, mariscos and its famous prepared-at-your-table guacamole. Lola also offers more than 200 different tequilas and a selection of local craft beers.

18. Stout Street Social1400 Stout St.720-214-9100; stoutstsocial.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.5A top spot for casual seafood, Stout Street Social is a quick

walk from the Convention Center. Try its daily fresh oys-ters or its Ahi Tuna Tower, featuring sushi-grade tuna, spicy crab, sushi rice, avocado, cucumber and citrus. The menu goes beyond seafood, with a selection of burgers, ribs and pasta sure to satisfy any appetite.

SIT-DOWN 19. Ocean Prime1465 Larimer St. (Larimer Square)303-825-3663; ocean-prime.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.5Situated in the beautiful Larimer Square, Ocean Prime is a modern American restaurant and lounge that was chosen as editor’s pick for Best Seafood from 5280 Magazine. The spot also offers USDA Prime-cut steaks.

20. Elway’s Downtown1881 Curtis St. (Ritz-Carlton)303-312-3107; elways.comMILES FROM THE SHOW: 0.6Former Broncos Quarterback John Elway ruled the city of Denver on the field back in the day, and he still rules today through his multiple business ventures, including his restaurants. If you want a steak, this is the place to be, but you can also partake in seafood, raw bar selections, lunch and breakfast.

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ILLEGAL PETE’S

Late-Night DiningWhether it is farm-to-table fresh, or home-made comfort food, Denver knows that a good meal is important at any time, even late at night.

Jerusalem Restaurant1890 E. Evans Ave.OPEN UNTIL: SUNDAY-THURSDAY – 4 A.M.; FRIDAY-SATURDAY – 5 A.M. When you think of late-night food, authentic Mediterranean cuisine may not be the first that comes to mind, but Jerusalem Restaurant has been serving Denver late into the night for more than three decades. All items are made in-house with local ingredients, offering a fresh alternative well into the next day.

Illegal Pete’s1530 16th St #101OPEN UNTIL: SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY – 12 A.M.; THURSDAY-SATURDAY – 2:30 A.M.If you are looking for a burrito, Illegal Pete’s serves some local favorites in a colorful environment. Doubling as a bar and music venue, Illegal Pete’s is also a great place to hang-out. Not only does it serve food made from responsibly sourced ingredients, Illegal Pete’s runs its own record label to help artists in the community. It also has a Starving Artist Program that gives a free meal to bands from out of town.

City O’ City206 E. 13th Ave.OPEN UNTIL: 2 A.M.Voted Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Denver, City O’ City has an all-vegetarian menu that won’t leave anyone out in the wee hours of the morning. The restaurant continues on the local-ingredients theme by growing most of its own produce in the summer months. Try the seitan wings or quinoa pinto bean burger. City O’ City will satisfy even the most diehard of carnivores. — J.G.

SNOW SHOW DAILY 2016 | DAY 1 SIAsnowshow.com

SNOW SPORTS RETAILERS:

Meet the NSSRA Board of Directors and hear how your Association is supporting specialty snow sports retailers. Network with fellow retailers afterwards.

Also, stop by the NSSRA booth, #4308, and learn about NSSRA’s member services and programs, including the new POS Data Program.

WHEN: TONIGHT! 5:30 p.m. Thursday, January 28, 2016

WHERE: Room 505, SIA Snow Show

P: (847) 391-9825 E: [email protected] W: nssra.com

JOIN US AT THE NSSRA ANNUAL MEETING

Photo: Tripp Fay/Copper Mountain

STAY CONNECTED

Snowsports.org/social

SIAsnowsports.com/social

REMEMBER TO STOP BY REGISTRATION AND PICK UP YOUR ON-SNOW DEMO/SKI-RIDE FEST BADGES STARTING AT 2P TODAY!

Don’t miss it as the Snow Show heads to Copper Mountain Resort for the industry’s

only global on-snow demo. Go ahead mix business and pleasure as you try all the gear

that just previewed and have some fun as the industry shows off at the Ski-Ride Fest.

Book your transportation to and from Copper Mountain now with CME

ColoradoMountainExpress.com/SIA 970-SKI-RIDE (754-7433) Code: SIASNOW

Get all the Demo info - Brands, Events and More.

Onsite registration for the On-Snow and Nordic Demo opens Monday, February 1st at 8A at Copper Mtn Resort.

*Must be purchased prior to 10A on Sunday, January 31st.

GOLD PACKAGE INCLUDES:2 Single Day Lift Tickets/Trail PassesHappy Hour on MondayDaily Breakfast (Mon, Tues)Daily Lunch (Mon, Tues)

PRICING:Pre-registration*: $35Onsite: N/A

PRICING:Pre-registration*: $15Onsite: $50

SILVER PACKAGE INCLUDES:2 Single Day Lift Tickets / Trail PassesHappy Hour on MondayPACKAGE

PACKAGE

mailto:[email protected]


ExhibitorsAT THE SHOW | WHO &

WHERE

MORE THAN 900 BRANDS ON DISPLAY AT THE SHOW (AS OF 1.14.16; SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Company Company Company Company Company Company

New exhibitors are bolded

686 ..............................................336510th Mountain Division Foundation, Inc ............................162XU.... ............................................11484F....... ..........................................530540 Snowboards .........................3378Abom, Inc. ..................................1965AACADEMY Snowboard Co. ........2070Adaptive Spirit ..................................19Advanced Racking Systems .......3442Adventure SnowSports ............562Agent Outerwear ......................435AION ..............................................3075Airblaster ......................................2670Airhole Facemasks ......................2071Aksels ............................................2551All Resort Furnishings ................2400Aloha Products LLC .................1270Alpaca Imports ............................1330Alpina Sports Corp. .....................2703Alp-n-Rock LLC .............................1321Amerex Group ............................... 609American Express OPEN ........3100American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) ...................3657anon. .............................................1561Apex Sports Group LLC ..............4311Arbor .............................................1365Arcade Belt Co. ............................2371Arctix .............................................2717Armada .........................................4350Artesania, Inc. ..............................2138ARVA ..............................................3412AscentCRM ...................................3305Ascente Ski Company .............4345Ashbury Eyewear ........................3176Astis 2516Athalon Sportgear, Inc. ..............4114Atomic USA, Inc ................ 3923, 4123Auclair Sports, Inc .......................1324AWSM LLC ...................................973Backcountry Access, Inc. ............3942Backcountry Experience ............3657BbTALKIN..................................4663Bearpaw Apparel ......................840Becker Glove International LLC ....................1273Belong Designs ............................1170Bench ............................................1042Bent Metal Binding Works.........2871Bergans of Norway ....................... 721Bern Unlimited, Inc .....................3480Besso Imports ..........................1507Big Agnes, Inc ...............................1671Billabong USA ..........................2361Black Crows Skis .....................1965BCBlackstrap ...................................1965BBlanc Noir .................................1311Blizzard .........................................3701Blossom Skis ................................4345Blue Acorn ....................................1076Board Retailers Association ........ 669Bollé ................................................ 552Bomber Alpine Snowboard Outfitters .............................2115BONFIRE .......................................2671Booster Strap ...............................3411Boot Doc .......................................3335Boulder Gear ...............................2724Braven .......................................4561Brekka ...........................................1051Bridgedale North America ....................2448Briko USA ......................................4111Bronto Software, Inc...................1075Buff, Inc. ........................................3148BULA ..............................................1051Burton Snowboards ...................1665C3...... .............................................3357

C4 Belts .........................................1370CAM Commerce Solutions .......... 434CandyGrind ..................................1569CAPiTA Snowboarding ...............3357Captuer Headwear .....................3674Caravan Skis ............................4445Carver Skateboards ................1974Celerant Technology Corporation ............................... 434Celtek ............................................3370CenterStone Technologies, Inc. ...................1736CEP Compression Sportswear ..4310Cerevo, Inc ................................3973Chaos ............................................2423Chapplicator LLC .....................2937Choucas Hats .............................703Cirque Mountain Apparel ..........2540COAL Headwear ..........................3357Coalition Snow .........................4469Colmar ..........................................1317Colorado Original Outdoor Products ..................................2817Colorado Ski Country USA .........1739Colour Wear .................................2071Copper Mountain Resort ...........2215Corbeaux ..................................4307CP Sports North America ..........3444CRAFT @ SIA .................................4469Craghoppers ................................1124crazeeHeads, inc. ........................1123Crescent Moon Snowshoes ......3117CTR (Chaos Thermal Regulation) ..............................2423Dainese USA Inc ..........................2117DAKINE ..........................................2557Dalbello Sports LLC ....................4118Dale of Norway, Inc ...................... 711Dare2b ............................... 1117, 1124Darn Tough Vermont .................2200Db Equipment ..........................2780DC Shoes, Inc ...............................1673DCURVE .....................................1571Deeluxe ...................................... 1965DDemon United .............................1667Descente North America, Inc ....1711Deuter USA ..................................2814Deviation Ski & Snowboard Works .......................................3621Dinosaurs Will Die Snowboards ............................1970DIOMI .............................................. 601DMOS ........................................3075Donek Snowboards.................2115Double Diamond Sportswear ...2134DOWP a snowboard group .......4469DPS SKIS .......................................3509Dragon Alliance ...........................2565Drop MFG .....................................2645DryGuy ..........................................3138Dynastar Skis ...............................3708Eider ..............................................1039Eisbär Sportmodeu Gmbh ......................................718Elan Blanc .....................................1930Elan Skis ........................................2703Electric ...........................................2957Elm Company ...........................3971EMU Australia ............................741Endurance Enterprises, Inc .......1800Envy Snow Sports ....................4448Erik Sports-WhiteWoods ............3501Erin Snow .....................................1527Eurosock International...............1145Everest Designs .......................2140Exel Sports....................................2916E-Z UP International, Inc. ...........4443Faction Skis ..................................4145Fairweather Ski Works ...........4469Falke USA ......................................3138

Farm to Feet .................................4039Fast Strap......................................3417Fat-ypus Skis ................................4245Fera International Corp. ............1111Fischer Skis US .............................4411FITS ..............................................2416Fix Binding Co ..........................2476Flow Sports, Inc. ..........................2961Flux Binding Systems .................1475FlyLow Gear .................................3112Fox River Mills, Inc. ......................2517Franco SnowShapes ...................4469Freezy Freakies ........................2274Freyja.Ca ......................................... 733Friends of Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) ...........................3657Full Tilt Boots ...............................3723G3 Genuine Guide Gear, Inc .....3306Garmin USA .................................4362Geographical Norway ............1748Gilson Boards ..............................1369Giro Sport Design........................3649GloveTacts ................................2533GNU ..............................................2871GO PUCK ......................................4563Goal Zero ......................................3521Goggle Grip ..................................2935GoGlove ....................................3975Goldbergh ....................................1415Goldwin America, Inc ................... 535GOODE Ski Technologies ..........3320GoPro ............................................4357Gordini USA, Inc ..........................2645GoScope .......................................4361Grabber, Inc. ................................3405Gramicci....................................1769Grassroots California .................1073Grenade, Inc.................................1473Hand Out Gloves .........................1173Hatley USA...................................... 833HEAD Wintersports.....................2924Heat Factory USA, Inc .................1700Helly Hansen ................................1720HESTRA GLOVES LLC ..................2120Hey Sport ......................................4345High Fives Non-Profit Foundation ................................ 872High Sierra....................................3633Hippie Board ............................1169Holden ..........................................3478Holmenkol.US ..............................4401Homeschool Outerwear ............3374Honey Stinger ..............................1670Horizon Agency, Inc ....................2700Hot Chillys ....................................3330Hotfingers Gloves .......................1703Hotronic ........................................3335Hovland Snowskates ..............3675HOWL ............................................2375Humanity Snow ...........................3472i.N.i. Cooperative ........................... 765Icelandic Design ..........................2242Icelantic Skis .................................3309Icepeak ..........................................1034IFA Prowear .................................... 615ImedgeBoards LLC ..................4243Impact Canopies USA .................4314Implus LLC ....................................3138Incase ........................................4661Indigo Ski USA LLC ..................3414Industry + Intelligence Live .......... 679International Avalanche Nest-Egg Fund (IAN) ...............2475 International Skiing History Association (ISHA) .......................21Itasca Footwear by C.O. Lynch Enterprises .................... 737JAIL JAM .........................................1315JASEBOARDS USA, Inc .............2276Jonathan Paul Eyewear ................ 451Joshua Tree Skin Care ................1701Jupa Sports ...............................1505K2 Skis ...........................................3949K2 Snowboarding .......................3957Kamik ........................................1048Kapan Kent Co, Inc ....................600Karakoram ...................................3068Karbon ..........................................1730Kari Traa .......................................2238KASK America, Inc .......................3342Kastle USA ....................................4101

KEL52 .........................................4657KGB SPORT...................................3800Khombu .......................................... 715Killtec NA Inc. ...............................2111Kiss My Face LLC .........................1400Kitten Factory LLC .......................4237KJUS North America, Inc .............. 403KneeBinding, Inc. ........................3511Kombi Ltd., Inc. ............................2930Komperdell ..................................2920Krimson Klover ............................1536Kuhl Clothing ...............................2413KULKEA .........................................2529KUUsport Mfg. Ltd. .....................4109Kwik Tek, Inc. ...............................3514La Sportiva N.A., Inc. ...................3630LACROIX SKIS .........................1965LLandYachtz ...................................1669Lange Ski Boots ...........................3708Laundromat ................................... 524L-Bow Mittens ................................ 727Le Bent ........................................457Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month............................................24LEKI USA, Inc ................................3120Level USA ......................................2360Lib Tech .........................................2871Liberty Mountain ........................2421Liberty Skis ...................................3725Linda Richards, Inc..................1122Line Skis ........................................3523Little Blue House by Hatley ......... 833Loki LLC .....................................1278Look Bindings ..............................3708Lorpen North America, Inc ........1334Lost Horizons Imports ................. 725Lucky Bums, Inc...........................2710LUHTA USA Ltd ............................1034M. Miller .......................................... 818Mad Bomber Company .............1332Mammut Sports Group NA .......3517Manzella Products ......................3447Marhar Snowboards ..................2373Marker USA ....................... 4417, 4420Marmot Mountain LLC ...............1339MasterFit Enterprises .................3644MDXONE .......................................2275Meier Skis .....................................3317Mervin Manufacturing ...........2871Message Factory, Inc. .................4301Mitchie’s Matchings ...................... 513Mons Royale USA ........................3945Montana Sport North America, Inc.............................3639Moon Boot ...................................3601Mortali, Inc. ................................974MOTOTV Networks .................2143Mountain Collective ...................... 565Mountain Uniforms ....................1534MTN Approach ............................2359MyPakage .....................................3375National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA) ....................................4308National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) ......................23Native Eyewear .......................2542NEFF ..............................................3661Neve Designs ...............................3718Never Summer Industries .........1359NeverWet ...................................641Newland ...................................1909Niche Snowboards .....................1977Nidecker North America ......................... 3070, 3167Nightmare ...................................... 971Nike Vision....................................2565NIKITA ...........................................2671NILS ..............................................1742Nitro Snowboards.......................1978Nordbron ....................................701Nordic Center ..............................3115Nordica USA ...................... 3603, 3704Northern Lites Snowshoes ....3622NPD - Sports and Leisure Trends ........................................ 437NuDown, Inc. ...............................2133Oakley, Inc ....................................1345One Way Sport USA ....................3118OneBall .........................................2876O’Neill ............................................1557Onewheel ...................................665

Optic Nerve ..................................3347ORAGE...........................................1750Ortovox USA Inc ..........................2814OSBE Helmets .............................4315Outdoor Designs .........................2421Outdoor Gear, Inc. ......................2724Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition (OIWC) ....................... 548Outdoor Survival Canada ..........2716Outdoor Tech ..............................4161Ovan ..........................................2362Owner Operator ........................... 869Pajar Canada................................1523Parajumpers ................................1515Patagonia, Inc ..............................1857Pepper’s Polarized Eyewear ......2445Phunkshun Wear LLC ................... 762Picture Organic Clothing ..........1965PPinnacle Designs .........................2714PISTIL .............................................2229Pit Viper .......................................... 448Planks Clothing America, Inc.............................4037POC ..............................................3350point6 LLC ....................................1530Point-of-Rental Software ...........4404POLARMAX ...................................2334PolarPro ........................................4559Polartec LLC .............................1257Popticals ...................................1375POW Gloves .................................3477Powder Point Sports .................... 740Pret Inc ..........................................3937Pretty Great LLC .............. 2578, 2671Protect Our Winters (POW) .......2324PSIA-AASI ........................................ 153Public Snowboards .....................1478Pulse ................................................ 757Purnell.........................................540Quiksilver, Inc ..............................1678Radical! Gloves ............................1271Rain Retail ....................................... 430Rawik .............................................2724Recco Systems Ltd ........................UL1Red Bull Racing Eyewear........1269Redfeather Snowshoes ..............3605Regina Imports LLC ....................1511Remind Insoles ............................2272Rental World - Backshop ...........4501reusch SnowSports.....................2136Revision Skis ............................4469Revo Sunglasses ..........................2146Ride Snowboards ............. 3965, 4171Riot Skis ....................................4446Ripclear .........................................2650Roces USA, Inc..........................4305Rocky Mountain Sunscreen ......2554Rocky Mountain Underground ... 3326Rodin Ltd ......................................4469Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate ................................... 965Rossignol ........................... 3614, 3714Rossignol Apparel .......................3818ROXA Sports .................................4107Roxy ..............................................1678Ruffolo Enterprises, Inc ..............2553Rukka ............................................1034Ruroc Ltd ....................................431Saga Outerwear ............................ 962Saint Bernard’s ..........................769Salomon Snowboards ................2178Salomon USA .................... 3830, 4130Sandbox ........................................2270SAXX Underwear Co ...................3377SCARPA North America, Inc. .....3109Schure Sports U.S.A., Inc ............1730Scott Sports ....................... 2940, 3147Screamer, Inc. ................................ 730SeatRack ...................................4437Sector 9 .........................................1062Sego Skis .......................................4449Seirus Innovation ........................2630SESSIONS ......................................2578SH+.. .............................................453SheJumps ....................................... 450Sherpani .....................................539Shred Optics ................................3961SIA Sourcing Seminar Area .......S423SIMS Apparel ............................1769Sioeye Inc..................................4462SKEA, LTD .....................................2411Skhoop ..........................................1430

Ski and Snowboard Mechanics Workshops ..............................4210Ski Kare, Inc ..................................3505Ski Sundries and Supplies .........2124SkiA Designs .................................4405Skida ..............................................2000SkiMetrix, Ltd ...............................3411Slant Skis ..................................4244Slide On ........................................3411SLOKKER SPORTS NORTH AMERICA ................4339Slope Ropes ..............................2142Slytech Protection .......................3961SmartWool Corporation .............. 957SMITH ...................... 2850, 2950, 3048Smokin’ Snowboards..................1175Sno Skins, Inc ................................. 915Snoogee Boards .........................970SnoPlanks .....................................2374Snow Angel ..................................1939Snow Dragons .............................2724Snow Gliders LLC .....................4469Snow Show Daily ........................... 441Snowboarders and Skiers for Christ .................................... 772Snowjam Canada, Inc .................3378SnowStoppers .............................2938SOLE...........................................3939SOS Outreach ...................................22Soul Poles .....................................3418SP United USA, Inc ......................4557Spacecraft.....................................2269Spark R&D ....................................2470SplitPea Sound .........................4659Sport Design Sweden ................622Sport Obermeyer Ltd. ................1803Sportcaster Company, Inc ........... 757Sportlast USA ...........................1331Sports Accessories America, Inc.............................2720Sportswear of Sweden (SOS) ..1508Sportube .......................................2701Spy.... .............................................2651Spyder Active Sports, Inc. ............ 903Spyderco .......................................4147STANCE ......................................3475Stepchild Snowboards ...............1478Stockli Outdoor Sports ...............3323Strafe Outerwear ........................3215SubQ Designs ...........................4239Sun Bum LLC ...............................2477Sun Valley Ski Tools, Inc .............3944Suncountry Sales and Distributing LLC ....................543Sunice .............................................. 744Sunrise ........................................616Superdry .....................................569Superfeet Worldwide, Inc ..........2520Swany ............................................1703Sweet Protection .........................3946Sweet Turns .................................2534Swix Sport USA, Inc .....................3102SYNC ..............................................2948Tecnica USA ...................... 3601, 3701Ternua ...........................................1334Terramar Sports, Inc...................2644The Chill Foundation .......................25The Interior Plain Project ......3972The Sessions @ SIA .....................4565The Soze Group (TSG) ................4407ThermaCELL Heated Products ...............................3135ThirtyTwo......................................2265Thorlo, Inc.....................................1520Thule, Inc ......................................3302Tiki Toss ........................................2447TOBE Outerwear .......................545TOKO .............................................3102Transpack .....................................2935Trespass USA ...............................1030Turbine .........................................4365Turtle Fur ......................................1125Under Armour ............................... 749Uniform Gallery ...........................4400Union Binding Company ...........3357United States of America Snowboard & Freeski Assoc (USASA) ..............................20US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame .................................17USRA - Rep Associations .................18UVEX Sports, Inc. .........................2910

Find booth numbers and Show layout at SIAsnowshow.com/floorplan.Download the SIA Snow Show App at SIAsnowshow.com/showapp.

Be our Sales RepresentativeGrab the opportunity now

California, Nevada TexasMichigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky & IllinoisColorado

Meet us at booth # 1505 • Toll Free 1-800-363-1898 • www.jupa.ca

http://www.jupa.ca

Exhibitors

*In conjunction with the Western Winter Sports Representatives Association (WWSRA) Rocky Mountain Demo, and in partnership

with Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA)

Company Company Company

Vail Resorts Inc / Epic Pass .......... 458Vans. ..............................................2865Vapur ...........................................662Vauhti Wax Technologies ......4343VEMO Sports LLC ........................4301Vigo Imports...............................621VillageHouse .................................. 639Volcom ..........................................3665Volkl ..............................................4323VonZipper .....................................3165Voormi ..........................................4369Vuarnet .......................................1965VWatson’s Bodywear ...................... 837WAXD Laces .................................1174Whitedot Skis US .....................4440WI-ME SNOWBOARDS ...............2478Wintersteiger, Inc. .......................3335Wolfie Furs Canada ...................... 825Woolpower ...............................2156WSI Sports ....................................1313X22 Snowboarding ..................1374XS Helmets ...................................3647XSories ..........................................4655Yaktrax ..........................................3138YodelTECH ................................4658 YRC Freight ..................................... 619Yukon Charlies.............................3514Zanheadgear ...............................1069ZANIER Sports Inc .....................1965ZZarges Inc .....................................3136ZDAR Boot USA ...........................1503Zeal Optics....................................2161Zensah ........................................643Zion Snowboards ....................3574

3M Thinsulate Insulation ................................. S126AMATERRACE, Inc ....................... S315Aparso (Fujian) Sportswear Co Ltd ....................................... S117

Beijing Huafu Manufacturing Ltd. ............S324CBF Labels Inc .............................. S522CHANGZHOU GAODA SPORTINGS CO., LTD...........S321Concept III Textiles International ........................... S418drirelease .................................S318DTS, Inc ......................................... S320DURAFLEX .................................... S415Erictex Fashion Co Ltd ................ S114Global Merino .............................. S414Guangzhou Hangbao Group Co Ltd .......................... S124Guangzhou Yijia Optical Technique Co Ltd ................S223Hebei Joyful I&E Trade Co., Ltd. .................................S221Jiangyin Diamond Tools Co Ltd ..........................S123Jining Glove and Sewing Product Col Ltd ....................... S120Jining Jianhua Zhongxing Ski Products Co. Ltd. ..........S121Maxland Sportswear Industrial Co Ltd ..................... S520Paltex Company Ltd ...............S519Roaly Merchandises Inc ............. S313Shenzhen Pengyifa Industrial Co Ltd ..................... S421Shenzhen Reanson Products Co. LTD .................... S220Shifan Racewear, Inc .................. S118Solis Fabric Technology Co Ltd ....................................... S115Suzhou Zhongbo Textile Garment Co. Ltd .................S218Sympatex Technologies, Inc...... S420TEXLAND & NEXKO CO. LTD ..................................S620Toray International America, Inc............................. S417Union Line Textile Co Ltd .......................... S515Vertical Source, Inc. .................... S422Welltern Enterprise Co. Ltd. ..................................... S517Xiamen Evergreen Industrial Corp ....................S323

YKK (USA), Inc ............................... S521Zhaoqing Bohan Sports Co., LTD ....................... S224

CRAFT

All CRAFT exhibitors can be found at booth #4469

Coalition SnowDOWP a snowboard groupFairweather Ski WorksFranco SnowShapesRevision SkisRodin LtdSnow Gliders LLC

ON-SNOW DEMO* 32 ThirtyTwo Snowboard Boots & Outerwear4FRNT SkisAdidas SnowboardingAlpinaAnonApex Ski BootsArbor Collective (Snowboards and Skateboards)Armada SkisAtomicAtomic NordicAtomic USA Alpine

BENT METALBlack CrowsBlack Diamond EquipmentBlizzard SkisBolle Sunglasses & GogglesBoot DocBurton SnowboardsCapita snowboardsCaravan SkisDalbello Ski BootsDC Snowboards/Boots/ OuterwearDeviation Skis & SnowboardsDinosaurs Will DieDPS SkisDragonDynafitDynastar SkisElanElectricFaction SkisFirst DegreeFischer Skis XCFisher SkiFitovers EyewearFix bindingsFlow SnowboardingFlux Snowboard BindingsFull Tilt BootsG3Gilson Boards LLCGiro GogglesGiro Snow HelmetsGNUGO PUCKGoode Carbon Ski ProductsGoPro CamerasHead Winter Sports: Alpine Skis, Ski Boots, BindingsHotronicHovland SnowskatesIcelantic SkisJonathan Paul EyewearJones SnowboardsJulbo OpticsK2 Skis, Boots, Helmets, Goggles, Poles and AccessoriesK2 Snowboarding

Kastle SkisLa SportivaLandyachtz SnowboardsLange Ski BootsLIB TECHLiberty SkisLINE SkisLook BindingsMarhar SnowboardsMarker Ski Bindings, Helmets & GogglesMeier SkisMOMENT SKIMorrow SnowboardsNative EyewearNever Summer SnowboardsNiche SnowboardsNike GogglesNitro SnowboardsNordica accessoriesNordica BootsNordica SkisNorthern Lites SnowshoesNow BindingsOakleyON3P SkisOutdoor TechnologyPOC Helmets, Goggles & ArmorPret HelmetsRide SnowboardsRocky Mountain UndergroundRome SnowboardsRossignol Alpine, Nordic, SnowboardROXY SNOWBOARDSSalewa FootwearSalomon AlpineSalomon GogglesSalomon HelmetsSalomon NordicSandbox HelmetsScarpaScott Boots

Scott Sports-Hardgoods/ SoftgoodsSego SkisSignal SnowboardsSIMS SnowboardsSkiaSlant SkisSlash SnowboardsSmithSmokin SnowboardsSpy OpticStart Wax and PolesStepchild SnowboardsSTOCKLI OUTDOOR SPORTSSuperfeet WorldwideSwix Alpine: Ski Tuning Equipment, Ski PolesSwix Sport USASWIX Wax, Tuning and Poles, UT/WYTechnineTecnica Ski BootsToko Wax, Tuning and Ski Care ProductsTriple 8Tyrolia: Alpine and Alpine Touring Ski BindingsUnion bindingsUVEXUVEX Winter/Bike Helmets, Goggles and SunglassesVansVoile ManufacturingVolkl USAVon Zipper Sunglasses and GogglesWhitedot SkisWintersteigerYeah for it Distributions! (Bataleon, Lobster, Switchback)Yes SnowboardsYukon Charlie's Zeal Optics

Company Company Company

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MULTIPLE STYLES FOR M’S & W’SVisit our booth to see entire selection of

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M’s Synderville

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Events WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE 2016 SIA SNOW SHOW

the second party you ask? It’s kind of like college; the first party is fun, but the second party is way better. Your digital advertising and marketing initiatives need access to transparent data to outperform your competition. This session explores two ways to access new data sources and expand your reach to get your message in front of the right consumers and drive them in-store.Presented by Jay Habegger, ownerIQ

4-5 PM | Room 207 The Power of Purpose - Aligning Passion and People for Profits and Impact: Our industry (and our world) is suffering from real growth/maturity pains. Joe Dunnigan’s belief is that this is due, at least in part, to a lack of, or loss of, a clear sense of purpose. Too of-ten we are going through the motions though failing to consider the WHY behind the myriad of WHATs that consume so many of our waking hours. He’s been able to successfully help businesses move forward, overcome, understand and advance with greater ease and enjoyment than ever before. Presented by Joe Dunnigan, +swappow

5-6 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Happy Hour: Featuring the cast and crew of Know Before You Go. 5-6 PM | Booth 1536 | Krimson Klover A Sweet Start to SIA: Start your Show right! Day 1 apres hosted by the Krimson Klover ladies. Wine + cupcakes. $20 scarfs and $10 merino socks to benefit OIWC.

5-6 PM | Booth 2651 | SPYHappy Hour: Join SPY for a happy beverage in its booth.

5-6 PM | Booth 450 Girafficorn Happy Hour: Located near the OIWC in the Women’s Lounge, catch up and have a beer with professional female athletes and the women at SheJumps, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing participation of women and girls in outdoor activities.

5-6:30 PM | Booth 2935 | Transpack Glen Plake Transpack Beer Party: Join Glen and Kimberly Plake and the Transpack Team to celebrate the launch of the Glen Plake collection. View the introductory line of Glen Plake Series ski bags and boot backpacks for adults and kids. Beer will be provided.

5-7 PM | Booth 2542 | Native Eyewear Native Eyewear Happy Hour: A hands-on experience with its new collections to kick off the show, Native Eyewear will be hosting a happy hour. Native-branded hats will be available, as well as a Show special on sunglass purchases, while supplies last.

5-7 PM | Booth 530 | 4FMeet 4F: You’re warmly invited to meet 4F. We would like to intro-duce our brand, products, sales staff and CEO. We look forward to meeting you!

5:30-7:30 PM | Booth 762 | PhunkshunPhunkshun Wear 5-Year Anniversary & High Fives Foundation Happy Hour!: Come celebrate Phunkshun’s fifth anniversary while supporting the High Fives Foundation. Buy a limited-edition High Fives Foundation Metal Pint Cup and drink off the keg for free. The foundation supports mountain action sport athletes by raising in-jury prevention awareness and providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries.

6-8 PM | Booth 2161 | Zeal Optics ZEAL Optics Happy Hour: Experience winter through our lenses and explore what is to come with the ZEAL team and Ambassadors.

Friday, January 29, 2016 7:30-9 AM | Mile High Ballroom 1 Protect Our Winters Breakfast: Burritos & Bloodies: POW presents a speaker on the critical topic of climate change and the industry. Doors open at 7:30, and presentation starts at 8. 9-10:30 AM | Rental World/Backshop (Booth 4501) Breakfast & Preview - for Rental/Backshop/Uniform Buyers Only: Eat, Fuel-Up and One-Stop Shop for the Latest Innovations, Tech & Style

9-10 AM | Room 207 How to Reduce Sales Friction Among Millennial Snow Sport Consumers: While Millennials - the largest generation with over 90 million in the U.S. - are typically big fans of snow sports, they are less inclined to purchase snow sport equipment. The sharing economy has led many to borrow or rent items. This session shares best practices to attract more Millennial shoppers. Presented by Chris Faught, Affirm Inc.; Luke Jacobson, Moment Skis

Thursday, January 28, 20167:30 AM | Mile Hall Ballroom | SIASnow Show Opening Presentation: Gina McCarthy, Administra-tor of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will open the 2016 Snow Show. In partnership with Protect Our Winters (POW), McCarthy will present the opening keynote. With more than 30 years working at the local, state and national levels, she is a leading advocate to protect public health and the environment. In her key-note, she’ll speak about climate change, clean power and climate solutions.

8 AM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657)Coffee & Backcountry Experience: A Welcome Party

9 AM -6 PM | Booth 4037 | Planks ClothingMatt Heffernan Tribute T-Shirt Sales: Buy a memorial T-shirt in honor of Matt Heffernan, who passed away this summer. Proceeds go to The High Fives Foundation in Matt’s name. $20, M-XXL + Tall.

9-10 AM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657)Know Before You Go - An Industry ModelPresented by Aaron Carlson

9-10:30 AM | Rental World/Backshop (Booth 4501) Breakfast & Preview - For Rental/Backshop/Uniform Buyers Only: Eat, Fuel-Up and One-Stop Shop for the Latest Innovations, Tech & Style

10-11 AM | I+I Live (Booth 679) How to Create Story-Driven Brand Experiences: Strategic story-telling is changing how outdoor brands approach content market-ing. Leaders understand the value of content that tells compelling and character-focused stories that connect customers to them in ways that build relationships. The result is consumer engagement, customer transition through the sales funnel and brand loyalty.Presented by Danielle Kristmanso and M-J Legault, Origin Design

10-11 AM | Sourcing Snow Brand Protection - U.S. vs. The World: Each country administers their own trademark laws. Come learn how U.S. trademark laws dif-fer from the rest of the world. These differences will shape how you treat your brand, and how you protect your brand internationally

and budget your trademark-related legal expenses.Presented by Philip Matthews and JP Webb

11-12 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Open Q&A with AIARE: Stop into the booth to learn more about the current and future state of avalanche education in the U.S. and how you can get involved. 11-11:30 AM | Booth 3939 | SOLEProtect Our Winters Check Presentation: Join SOLE as we, in collaboration with Chris Davenport, present Protect Our Winters (POW) with a charity donation. Thanks to your continued support, $1 from the sale of each pair of Signature CD Footbeds is donated to Chris’ favorite charity. 11:30 AM-12:30 PM | Room 207 Let Technology Increase Profits: Technology has dramatically reshaped the ski industry resulting in improved cost management, increased efficiencies and superior customer service and communi-cation. This seminar will explore innovative and integrated tools to increase profits that include automation of operational processes, powerful reporting, streamlined customer communication, inven-tory control, hardware integration and seamless financial reporting, all with security at the forefront.Presented by Caleb Yell and Greg Bennet, Point of Rental

11:30 AM-12:30 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Preparing for Your Peak Season: From Pre-Season Engagement to Driving Repeat Sales: It can be a challenge to build the momen-tum and shopper engagement that leads prospects to make their first purchases, and to build customer loyalty so they come back for more. During this session, learn how to build pre-season interest, capture the attention of the shopper when it’s time to buy and plan for the off-season.Presented by Greg Zakowicz, Bronto Software

12-1 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) The Dark Side of BrilliancePresented by Donny Roth 12-1 PM | Sourcing Snow Creating the Next Revolutionary Product: Materials technology advancements and changing athlete needs have placed enor-mous pressure on designers and developers to create the next revolutionary product. This session outlines the basics of product development with practical examples.Presented by Joe Blair, Rogers Corporation

1-2 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Connect to your Customers with the Power of Passion-Driven Branding: A Passion-Driven Branding approach is about infusing authenticity, emotion and the founder’s vision into a brand to con-nect to end-consumers, fans and followers. Presented by Kristin Ogden-Carpenter, Verde Brand Communications

2-3 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Panel - The Future of Backcountry Research & TechnologyHosted by Jordy Hendrix and Jerry Johnson

2:30-3:30 PM | Room 207 Identifying and Engaging Your Brand’s Influencers: Influencers are a subset of your customers that not only advocate your brand, but also inspire action from new customers. In this session, learn not only how to identify and connect with this subset, but how to shape the impact they have on your bottom line. Presented by Andy Wright and Kellye Snodgrass, Addshoppers

2:30-3:30 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Learning the New Digital Playbook: The web, search and social media have accelerated the pace of change for media, agencies and brands. Addressing these changes requires a new approach to creative, content and overall brand stewardship. Most brands understand why they need a digital-first approach. What they are searching for now is a prescription for how to make it happen.Presented by Damian Rintelmann, IMRE

4-5 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) The Avalanche Project: Retail Ambassador Program

4:30-6 PM | Women’s Lounge (Booth 548) OIWC Happy Hour: All SIA attendees are invited to join OIWC for beer and wine to catch up with old friends and meet new colleagues. In addition, a selection of Giro helmets and goggles will be sold for 50% off MSRP to raise funds for OIWC programs supporting workplace diversity and inclusion. 4-5 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679)Brands and Retailers, You’re Invited to the 2nd Party!: What’s

Daily EventsEvery day, all day | Booth 679 | SIAI + I Live: Connect, recharge, socialize and push social media updates live with free wi-fi. Seminars throughout Show.

Every day, all day | Booth 3115 | SIANordic Center: Come preview apparel, equipment, accesso-ries and technologies specific to cross country and snowshoe.

Every day, all day | Sourcing Snow | SIASourcing Snow: More than 50 raw material leaders showcase their services. Join seminars on sourcing, production & design.

Every day, all day | Booth 458 | SIA/Vail ResortsDiscounted Epic Pass Sales: SIA and Vail Resorts are partner-ing to offer attendees an exclusive Epic Pass for $319 per adult. Unlimited/unrestricted skiing benefits start Feb. 1, 2016.

Every day, all day | Booth 548 | OIWCWomen’s Lounge: Check out examples of how to best mer-chandise women’s hardgoods and softgoods for your store. Or stop by just to relax in a comfortable seating area and network away from the bustling floor.

7-9:30 AM | Room 103 Donut Dunking Christian Fellowship: Lively fellowship and discussion in the context of skiing and snowboarding.

9 AM-6 PM | Booth 1148 | 2XU2XU Compression Sock Challenge: Each day, 2XU will be giving away 100 pairs of Elite Alpine X-Lock compression socks ($60 MSRP) free to anyone who does the sock challenge at its booth. While supplies last each day.Note: 9AM-1PM on Sunday

10-11 AM and 3-4 PM | Booth 730 Poster Signing: Glen Plake, U.S. Ski Hall of Fame Inductee will be signing posters in the Screamer booth Thurs., Jan. 28, 10 - 11 am and 3 - 4 pm, and Fri., Jan. 29, 10 - 11 am and 3 - 4 pm.

AT THE SHOW | CALENDAR

#SIA16

For details on topics, presenter information, dates, locations and times, check: , the SIA Snow Show Daily or SIA/Snow Show App.

Download the App at

Basics Choices - FilmPresented by Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation

Best Practices in Retail Training for Maximum SalesPresented by Simon Turner, Myagi Boa® Authorized Retailer Presented by Cole Soli, Boa® Technology Boom, Bust and B2B: Wholesale eCommerce is Booming & Brands Holding Out are Going BustPresented by Heath Wells, NuORDER

Brand Protection - US vs. the WorldPresented by Philip Matthews, JP Webb Branded Content: How to Remain Authentic & Sell-Out at the Same TimePresented by Todd Jones, Teton Gravity Research Brands and Retailers, You’re Invited to the 2nd Party!Presented by Jay Habegger, OwnerIQ

Connect to your Customers with the Power of Passion-Driven BrandingPresented by Kristin Ogden-Carpenter, Verde

Creating the Next Revolutionary ProductPresented by Joe Blair, Rogers Corporation

Essential Questions for Choosing the Right eCommerce Technologies and Service ProvidersPresented by Justin Poole, Blue Acorn

How is the # and . Affecting Our Ski World? Hear Where Technology Meets Marketing. Presented by Dot Ski + Scream Agency How to Attract Millennial Shoppers to Buy Snow Sport EquipmentPresented by Chris Faught, Affirm, Inc. & Luke Jacobson, Moment Skis How to Create Story-Driven Brand ExperiencesPresented by Danielle Kristmanso & M-J Legault, Origin Design Identifying and Engaging Your Brand’s InfluencersPresented by Andy Wright & Kellye Snodgrass, Addshoppers

Identifying and Engaging Your Brand’s InfluencersPresented by Andy Wright & Kellye Snodgrass, Adshoppers Learning the New Digital PlaybookPresented by Damian Rintelmann, IMRE

Let Technology Increase ProfitsPresented by Greg Bennet & Caleb Yell, Point of Rental Practical Magic: The 5-Minute Rental Fit (ski and snowboard)Power Panel Rental Industry Roundtable

Preparing for Your Peak Season: From Pre-Season Engagement to Driving Repeat SalesPresented by John Davidson, Bronto

Pipe Dream to Production: Protect Yourself and Avoid the Slough [Patents]Presented by Merchant & Gould

Pipe Dream to Production: Your Idea is Legit and it Deserves Protection [Trademarks] Presented by Merchant & Gould SEO Best Practices for 2016 - Improve Visibility and Stay Protected from Google PenaltiesPresented by Chris Rodgers, Colorado SEO Pros Skiers or Snowboarders? What Site Search Analytics Reveal About Your CustomersPresented by Andrew Graham, Swiftype United States Marine Corps Ski System Requirement Presented by Capt. Ryan Moore and Don Thorne Working Capital Strategies: Grow on the SnowPresented by Karen Wojtko & Jake Lasko,US Bank; Travis Peacock, LSQ Funding Group

Rental World/Backshop and Uniform GalleryTwo of the Show’s most popular annual exhibits, the Rental World/Backshop and Uniform Gallery (Booth

#4501) are exclusive venues featuring more than 50 companies focus-ing on the best in backshop and rental business pratices. Backshop offers a preview of the latest tools and tuning, and the Rental portion

highlights innovations in equipment. The Uniform Gallery is all about what’s new in uniforms so you can make the best im-pression on your custom-ers. At 9:30 a.m. on Satur-day, be sure to check out the SAM Magazine rental industry power panel, “Practical Magic: The 5-Minute Rental Fit (Ski and Snowboard).”

Special Exhibits Host Panels Rental World/Backshop, Uniform Gallery, Backcountry booths are must-see.

Backcountry ExperienceStop by SIA’s Backcountry Experience (Booth #3657) for a full lineup of happy hours, retail clinics, panel discus-sions and seminars on staying safe in the backcountry. This

year, hear from American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) professionals, athletes and guides, including Chris Davenport, Greg Hill, Jeremy Jones, Brody Levin, Louise Lintilhac and more. Also learn about the basics of the Know Before You Go initiative and The Avalanche Project. Enjoy an Open Q&A with AIARE

multiple times throughout the Show. Backcountry Experi-ence programs are designed to help you position your shop as the go-to spot for backcountry.

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AT THE SHOW | CALENDAR

9-10 AM | I+I Live (Booth 679) How is the # and . Affecting Our Ski World? Hear Where Technology Meets Marketing: This first-of-its-kind session is a live learning session using firstchair.ski to showcase how easy it is to create, manage and promote dedicated customer-generating microsites. Takeaways will include how to stand out on the Internet; how to make the most of your branded microsite; and an ideation session to create unique promotional opportunities for your brand.Presented by Lora Ledermann, Scream Agency; Rob Rozicki, Dot Ski

10-11 AM | Sourcing SnowPipe Dream to Production: Protect Yourself and Avoid the Slough [Patents]: Patents are a reality whether you are develop-ing a backcountry binding in your garage or working on the next breathable waterproof membrane with a six-figure budget. Patents can protect your new product and disrupt best intentions. Spending time early in product development to understand the landscape will help you pick a safe line and keep the stoke alive longer.Presented by Merchant & Gould

10-11 AM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Panel: Media & Retail Role in Changing Backcountry Culture Hosted by Eric Henderson 10:30-11:30 AM | Room 207 Best Practices in Retail Training for Maximum Sales: Knowl-edgeable sales associates are retail’s greatest asset. When properly trained they can enhance the shopping experience and make the difference between a sale and a customer last forever. It’s time to put aside old thinking that training is a cost and focus on the mas-sive ROI associated with a balanced investment. Presented by Simon Turner, Myagi

10:30-11:30 AM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Social, Mobile, & Digital for Independently Owned Companies: The privately owned and operated company is being pulled in two directions - first by the national big-box store, and the pure-play ecommerce giants are also stealing market share. This session will discuss strategies to take back your turf.Presented by David Lively, Grey Suit Retail

11 AM-12 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Open Q&A with AIARE: Stop into the booth to learn more about the current and future state of avalanche education in the U.S. and how you can get involved. 12-1 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Proceed with Caution: Skiing Around the World Presented by Brody Levin

12-1 PM | Room 207 Essential Questions for Choosing the Right eCommerce Tech-nologies and Service Providers: Brands and retailers have an overwhelming number of options when it comes to software and service vendors. Choosing the best vendors for your needs means asking the right questions and making sure your expectations are appropriately set. Learn the questions that other retailers wish they had asked, the questions to ask any ecommerce vendor, and ways to test the tech that you’re considering.Presented by Justin Poole, Blue Acorn

12-1 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Skiers or snowboarders? What Site Search Analytics Reveal About Your Customers: Site search offers a rare window into the minds of snow lovers, and analytics on search behavior can be invaluable for optimizing conversion rates, shaping merchandising strategy, guiding SEO, and more.Presented by Andrew Graham, Swiftype

12-1 PM | Sourcing Snow Pipe Dream to Production: Your Idea is Legit and it Deserves Protection [Trademarks]: Trademarks can last forever, transfer from one product to the next, and help the consumer find you and distinguish your product from those of your competitors. But using a name without proper clearance can result in trademark infringe-ment and unfair competition. Adopting a name that is generic or not protectable can leave you exposed to imitators. Avoid the trade-mark face plant with search and registration strategies.Presented by Merchant & Gould

1:30-2:30 PM | Room 207 United States Marine Corps Ski System Requirement: USMC is required to replace its antiquated ski system with modern commer-cially available ski equipment. The number required can range from 2,648 systems to 8,000 systems, to include an annual sustainment quantity. Based on the Berry Amendment and Buy America Act mandates, the USMC is seeking domestic manufacturing of ski sys-tem components currently only manufactured in foreign countries (item needs based on USMC requirement). Includes: leather ski boot, binding, skis, skins (full and kicker), adjustable ski poles, full-length gaiter, over boot, ski-wax kit and ski-system repair kit.Presented by Capt. Ryan Moore and Don Thorne, USMC

1:30-2:30 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Branded Content: How to Remain Authentic & Sell-Out at the Same Time: Done right, branded content can help companies be-

come authentic storytellers, connect to audiences at scale and build brand loyalty. This panel will dive into how unique partnerships with content producers and media companies can revolutionize brands’ content marketing and distribution strategies.Presented by Todd Jones, Teton Gravity Research

2-3 PM | Sourcing Snow Working Capital Strategies: Grow on the Snow: US Bank and LSQ Funding Group will host an open forum on how to best obtain working capital in a growth environment. Commercial bankers will be on hand to answer all lending and growth strategy questions.Presented by Jake Lasko and Karen Wojko, US Bank; Travis Peacock, LSQ Funding Group

2-3 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Panel - Inside the Female MindPresented by Louise Lintilhac 3-4 PM | Room 207 Basic Choices - Film: A safety awareness education film that highlights the safe decisions every mountain action sport athlete can make to enjoy a lifetime of activities in the mountains and on the snow. This presentation is touring around North America to thousands to promote safety cognizance for our youth.Presented by Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation

3-4 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Increase Sales For Your Business With Google AdWords: In this presentation, learn how to make Google AdWords increase sales cost-effectively. This is a more advanced presentation, so you should have at least some experience with AdWords. Learn how to target your campaigns effectively, refine them so that your spend is most efficient, and measure and analyze so you can improve them.Presented by Jason Ford and Tyler Mandroian, C1 Partners

5-6 PM | Booth 3965 | Ride Snowboards Sketchy Tank Poster Signing: Sketchy Tank will be signing one-off posters of his graphic featured on the RIDE Burnout board.

5-6 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Big Mountains, Big Line, Big Consequence Presented by Chris Davenport 5-6 PM | Booth 4101 | Kästle Happy Hour Keg with Kästle

5-6 PM | Booth 2651 | SPYHappy Hour with Darrell Mathes: Join SPY for a drink celebrating Darrell Mathes as the brand’s new snowboarding team captain.

6 PM | Show Floor Entrance | SIASIA SnowSports Awards: Each year, SIA recognizes specialty retail-ers who have excelled in fostering relationships, moving product and setting their brands apart from the competition, while pushing forward the passion and growth of snow sports. This year we honor eight retailers. Join us for a celebration!

5-7 PM | Booth 1857 | Patagonia Patagonia Happy Hour - Keep Jumbo Wild!: Add your voice to the campaign to protect the Jumbo Valley in British Columbia. Learn more, take action and drink beer! $5 Miir pint cup sales benefit Wildsight. 5-7 PM | Booth 1148 | 2XU Beer and Cheer at 2XU: 2XU would like to invite SIA guests to join them for a cold glass of Boulder Beer Mojo IPA beer.

6-11:30 PM | Red Rocks Amphitheater Icelantic’s Winter on the Rocks: Come celebrate snow sports, music and lifestyle in Colorado at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Come listen to Adventure Club and Big Grams (big boi + phantogram). 6-7 PM | Show Floor Entrance SIA SnowSports Awards: Retailers of the Year: Each year SIA rec-ognizes specialty retailers in the U.S. and Canada who have excelled in fostering relationships, moving product and setting their shops apart from the competition, while pushing forward the passion and growth of snow sports. Come celebrate the winners with us!

6-8 PM | Booth 3335 | Wintersteiger Wintersteiger Austria Bier Party: Join us for our annual party. 7-10 PM | Ogden Theatre TransWorld Snowboarding Riders’ Poll Awards Show: Video of the Year, Men’s and Women’s Rider of the Year, The Legend Award, and the TransWorld Snowboarding Readers Choice Award.

Saturday, January 30, 20167-9 AM | Mile High Ballroom 1 OIWC Keynote & Awards Ceremony: Bacon, Bloody Marys & Inspiration: Join OIWC for bacon and bloody marys, and inspiration at the annual Keynote & Leadership Awards Presentation featuring Mark Satkiewicz, president and GM of SmartWool. Mark will focus on how greater leadership diversity and workplace inclusion played

a role in SmartWool’s growth. Also, OIWC will present Kelly Davis, SIA Research director, with the Pioneering Woman Award, and Kerry O’Flaherty, founder and owner of KerryO Sales, with the First Ascent Award. Open to all attendees.

9-10 AM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Mobile: Should You Really Care?: Too many companies push mo-bile for the wrong reasons and in the wrong ways. The question you need to ask is how will mobile truly help drive your business? This session will explore trends, both inside the industry and out, and will help you identify your true mobile needs, if they even exist.Presented by Jason King, Accella 9:30-10:30 AM | Rental World/Backshop (Booth 4501)Power Panel: Rental Industry Roundtable: Bootfitting experts and rental gurus demonstrate the tools, techniques and talk that ensures renters get the best fit possible.

10-11 AM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Backcountry Magazine - Biff America Book Signing

10 AM | Booth 4123 | AtomicDoc DesRoches Award: SIA and the U.S. Ski Team recognize an SIA member and Team supplier for its promotion of the Team’s brand and athletes. This year’s winner is Atomic. After the presentation, World Cup alpine ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin will sign autographs.

10:30-11:30 AM | I+I Live (Booth 679) SEO Best Practices for 2016 - Improve Visibility and Stay Pro-tected from Google Penalties: The way Google and other search engines evaluate sites and rank them is the result of more than 200 different factors; it is critical that brands and retailers understand how they can position themselves to be the best option.Presented by Chris Rodgers, Colorado SEO Pros

11 AM-12 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Open Q&A with AIARE: Stop into the booth to learn more about the current and future state of avalanche education in the U.S. and how you can get involved.

12-1 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) Reflections on Big Mountain Avalanche Risk and the Benefits of FearPresented by Greg Hill 12-1 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Are Your Customers Listening To You? How to Develop Messag-ing that Engages Your Customers: Walk through how to clarify your target customers, develop an effective buyer persona profile, and create a profile of your business. This session will then use the profiles to build a concise Positioning Statement and a Messaging Platform for your business. Presented by Dan Smink and Ian Lancaster, C1 Partners

1-1:30 PM | Booth 4657 | KEL52 Raffle Event: Enter our drawing for your chance to win a POWR wireless helmet audio kit. There will be 10 lucky winners.

1:30-2:30 PM | I+I Live (Booth 679) Boom, Bust and B2B: Wholesale eCommerce Is Booming & Brands Holding Out Are Going Bust: This presentation will focus on how brands can use online wholesale solutions to increase sales with current customers, as well as effectively acquire new ones.Presented by Heath Wells, NuORDER

2-3 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) How Retail Employees Can Become Your Brand Advocates Presented by Verde PR

5-6 PM | Show Floor Entrance Passing the Torch Industry Celebration: Celebrate a career in snow that has lasted more than 50 years and toast to the future. Join the industry as David Ingemie passes the torch to new SIA President Nick Sargent.

5-6 PM | Backcountry Experience (Booth 3657) A Backcountry Mental Checklist Presented by Jeremy Jones

Monday, February 1, 20169 AM-4 PM | Copper Mountain Resort On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest & Nordic Demo

8 PM | Copper Mountain Resort Incline Bar & GrillElan’s 70th Anniversary Party: 80s band The Goonies, raffle prizes and signature drinks. The brand will release its Ripstick ski. Glen Plake will announce the winner of the prototype tester video con-test. RSVP: email [email protected]. Or stop by at the Demo.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 9 AM-4 PM | Copper Mountain Resort On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest & Nordic Demo

mailto:[email protected]

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

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Come and see our new look and collection from CTR.Leaders in cold weather acccessories and element protection

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HOLD ONTO THOSE ROSSIGNOL BINDINGS ... THEY'RE SOON TO BE A COL-lector's item. This week, the company announced that Look and Rossignol, which used to be two separate binding brands, will now fall under the Look name only.

“It made sense for a while, but as of 2016-17, we’ll no longer be producing bindings under the Rossignol name,” says brand manager Nick Castagnoli. “It will make purchasing decisions easier, eliminate confusion among consumers, and let us combine resources for everything from production and distribution to sales and marketing.”

In the past, he says, the company hasn’t been able to lend a strong voice to either brand, marginalizing each in the process. The move will also allow the company to bring in new dealers as strictly Look dealers. “Look is an a la carte binding brand,” he says. “From a dealer standpoint, it’s not tied to any one brand anymore. Stores will no longer have to be a Rossignol or Dynastar dealer to be able to carry Look.”

Reducing the overall SKU count will also open up more resources for the binding brand, he adds, as well as open the doors for additional athlete sponsorship by eliminating poten-tial ski brand conflicts. “Look is a very storied brand in the ski industry,” says Castagnoli, touting, among other things, the company’s new “locking jaw” coupling system. “This will help us leverage the brand’s strength.” To see for yourself, visit the new Look booth within this year’s Rossignol, Lange and Dynastar campus on the Show floor.

—Eugene Buchanan

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Feeling the HeatWITH CONTINUED ADVANCEMENTS IN HIGH-TECH THERMAL-REGULATING, KINETIC AND REFLEC-tive fabrics, you’d think there may not be a need for heated apparel and accessories in winter sports. However, for some consumers, staying warm is such a priority that nothing short of good old battery-powered heat will cut it. And several exhibitors are responding with streamlined and otherwise improved heated products that offer variable temperature levels, ease of use, long battery life and enhanced comfort without being overly bulky, heavy or intrusive.

ThermaCell ProFlex Heavy Duty Heated Insoles are rechargeable foot warmers that can be trimmed to fit any boots. Now operated by Bluetooth directly from your phone with three heat settings, they keep feet warm but not hot enough to make them sweat. Battery life is up to 6.5 hours with constant use, and the battery can be easily changed without removing the insoles from the boots.

“Heated apparel is not new,” says Patty Tung, director of product development for Fera. “However, what we felt was missing was some-thing versatile and light enough to wear as a layer.”

The company’s new Suki vest offers lightweight core warmth with three heating elements placed in key circulation zones, as well as in the collar. It comes with a standard 7.4v lithium battery, offering three hours of heat on full power, which Tung says is more than most peo-ple will ever need.

Seirus adds a new component mitt, the Heat Touch Torche, to its line of battery-operated handwear. The mitt combines a Hyper-lite Xtreme All-Weather glove liner—which features a thin, flexible battery and three heat settings—as well as a fully waterproof leather outer mitt.

—Bevin Wallace

LOOK GOES A LA CARTE, OPENING THE BRAND UP TO A BROADER MARKET

The ShmoozCROWDS OF JOB SEEKERS AND REPS FROM SNOW sports suppliers, resorts and organizations met yesterday at The Shmooz, SIA’s industry job fair, hosted by Malakye.com during Industry + Intelligence. If you missed it, here’s some incentive to get involved next year: “Companies in lifestyle-driven industries should participate in The Shmooz for the simple fact that you are able to connect with tons of potential employees face to face all in one place,” says Gary Wyman of Icelantic Skis.FERA WOMEN'S SUKI HEAT VEST

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Lasting ImpressionsTIPS TO KEEP YOUR INFLUENCER-MARKETING CAMPAIGN ROLLING ALL YEAR LONG

IT’S EASY TO MARKET THAT SWEET PAIR OF PLANKS OR COZY WOOL base layer when the winter winds are howling and the mountain is getting hammered. But what about when temperatures heat up, melting the powder and pushing on-snow stoke to the backburner? “Our industry faces unique challenges,” says Craig Randall, in-tegrated services director at Verde Brand Communications. “We’re seasonal. Our time to shine and to sell is limited.”

His Industry + Intelligence seminar “What to Do with Your Retail Customers in the Off-Season?” encouraged brands and retailers to keep the momentum they build during the prime selling months rolling through the off-season. Focusing primarily on influenc-er-marketing campaigns, which use social media thought leaders and gear testers with expansive followings to tell the brand story, he offered up some pro tips.

First, continue to connect with your audience during the warmer months. One idea: Have the company founder or the store’s general manager moderate an online conversa-tion (via Google Hangouts, Twitter, etc.) about last season’s highlights or ambitions for next year. Influencers can help promote the event. “It may be the off-season, but it’s still completely relevant if you’re passionate about those sports,” Randall says.

Also use this time of year to get feedback from influencers about the gear. If they’re living up to their end of the bargain, they’ve been testing the product all season. Tap into their knowledge about what works and where there’s room for improvement.

Ideally, influencers have their tentacles in numerous different social media channels. Take the time to gauge their performance in these different outlets and evaluate where efforts should be focused next season. And then, most importantly, continue to sell! “The off-season is a time when you could work directly with the influencers and help them do content or give their followers a special incentive,” Randall says. “It’s about reminding their fans or followers that they’re part of this amazing thing.”

—Courtney Holden

MICHAEL BERRY, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL Ski Areas Association (NSAA), gave an upbeat presenta-tion during Industry + Intelligence yesterday on the cur-rent state of the snow sports industry’s ski areas.

A trade association, the NSAA was born in the mid-90s to provide ski area owners and operators with data and metrics that would help them proactively strategize to grow the industry. Looking to the horizon does not always come easily to resort-keepers that are bombarded with the day-to-day fires of running a business on snow, Berry says.

“I started working at 14-years-old at a ski resort with a pickup and dynamite,” he says, followed by 13 years of work at Vail and Sun Valley resorts before his current po-sition. “As a ski area operator, you tend to be surround-ed by princes—people telling you the news you want to hear—and you live at the end of the road. You can prob-lem solve and manage crises really well. When asked why fewer people came this year versus last year? I couldn’t (have told) you,” he says.

And that’s where the NSAA comes in. The NSAA rep-resents 313 alpine resorts, which represent 90 percent of the business, measured in skier and snowboarder visits.

In addition to sharing up-to-date information on snow sports demographics (diversity is greater than it was 15 years ago), financial performance and operational prac-tices, Berry also talked about NSAA studies of visitation trends to determine how many of those resort visitors rep-resent devoted returnees.

The core group—those that frequent resorts at least five times annually—equals 10 million, about 3 percent of the nation’s population. Another 20 million have lapsed in the sport, most likely due to life-changing events like a new job, relocation or marriage. Typically, kids spark a return, he says.

But the market potential is larger yet. Nearly 57 million Americans are a socio-economic match for the industry, he says, but aren’t a regular participant or haven’t tried the sport—yet. One focus, Berry says, should be to increase the progression from “newbie” to someone who identifies as a snowboarder or skier.

Another challenge is gender inequality within the sport, Berry says, which is more prevalent in snowboard-ing than in skiing. “The number of women snowboarders is de minimis. They don’t participate in early- to mid-teens in the same way that the males do. Then, when kids leave

home to go to college, women tend to drift away from the sport.” That said, the news is not bad. “The reality is, given the right snow and weather conditions, the sport has not lost participants and has not lost rates of participation,” Berry says. “We’ve spent the last 20 years making (the sport) easier and more fun so more people can integrate it into their life. There’s no other sport that can change your life the way that snow sports does.”

—Morgan Tilton


Wish ListPACKIN’ LIGHTArva Reactor, Booth 3412Don’t leave that avy pack at home just to shave a couple pounds. Arva introduces its first avalanche airbag system, the Reactor, which clocks in at an impressive 5.7 pounds for an 18-liter pack fully loaded with a steel canister. The brand also beefed up the handle system with a thick, steel cable and larger handle to make split-second deploy-ment as easy as possible. “We built our deploy han-dles to be easily pulled with all fingers or only one fin-ger in the worst situation,” says Antoine Ferrero, Arva sales and marketing man-ager. The system’s double-chamber airbag increases reliability, while 3D Fit Technology allows the user to adjust pack length, shoulder straps and handle position.

ALPINE A-LINESkhoop Supreme Thermium Short Skirt, Booth 1430

Ladies looking to bring a little femininity into the backcountry will dig the Supreme Thermium Short Skirt from Skhoop. But don’t be mistaken. This little num-ber may be worthy of the runways, but its water-resistant proper-ties, seam-sealed construction and water-repellent outer fabric treatment make it just as fitting for cold, wet alpine conditions. Gore Thermium blocks the wind while still allowing water vapor to escape, providing bonus breath-ability. Meanwhile, an asymmetri-cal design—the skirt measures 17 inches in the front, 19 inches in the back—adds visual appeal and boosts coverage of the backside. Two side zippers allow her to eas-ily slip in and out. PH

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GET — AND RELEASE — A GRIPLEKI Trigger S Vertical Grip, Booth 3120Backcountry skiers can now enjoy LEKI’s quick-release Trigger system on the company’s new line of Vertical model poles and gloves designed for off-piste schussing. The system incorporates new Flexband technology within the glove (or a retro-fittable strap worn over other gloves), with a built-in elastic band that allows variable gripping, including palming the pole top. It releases with a quick push of a button on the pole top or with 8 pounds of pressure in case of a snag or slide.

AT THE SHOW | PRODUCT PICKS

SOUTHWEST INSPIRATION Darn Tough Vermont Women’s Taos Socks, Booth 2200From head to toe, women are tough and beautiful. Why shouldn’t their socks be? With a denim-inspired washed in-digo backdrop, the lightweight Women’s Taos ski sock from Darn Tough Vermont is knit with Merino wool for tem-perature regulation on and off the slopes. Underfoot, the light cushion adds comfort for the heels. The aesthetics are the glory, with a popping geometric pattern that’s inspired by Native American weaves of the Southwest. The design is a fresh interpretation of the wider fashion and cultural trends invoking free spirit with a touch of heritage. No need to hide these après ski.

What are you looking forward to after hours this week?

“We are going to 2 Chainz at the Ogden Theater, which is sponsored by Vans. We’ll be wearing big gold hoops and high-waisted Lycra pants. We’re from Jackson Hole, so when we come to the big city, we go wild.”

—Jane Smith, sales manager, AION, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

“A friend of ours is a part owner of Declaration Brewing Company—and we went to the Nuggets game! Those are our extracurricular activities.”

—BJ Emery, marketing, NEFF, Ventura, Calif.

“We went cat skiing in Monarch with BCA! But I’ve been sick for three weeks, and I’m on antibiotics, so nothing too crazy. Getting together with friends from the industry and going to the On-Snow Demo. If a ticket fell in my pocket for Winter on the Rocks, I’d definitely go.”

—MJ Carroll, product marketing manager, K2 Skis, Seattle, Wash.

“I’m so boring. I have five brands here, so I’m in appointments all day, grabbing a beer, then going to bed. I’m a new dad—I have a 6-month-old at home—so sleep is important.”

—Rush Hawkins, independent sales rep, Nordica USA, Park City, Utah

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CONTACT: SYMPATEX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

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AT THE SHOW | HEARD IN THE AISLES

ODE TO BOWIE“Take your protein pills and put your helmet on. Ground Control to Major Tom.”

—Terramar booth cranking David Bowie’s Space Oddity during setup

HE'S DINO-MITE“Bronto is ready to take on #SIA16. Come see us at Industry and Intelli-gence day. #TravelinBronto

—Bronto Software, @bronto

MYSTERIOUS VOICE"I am not even in the aisles, and I heard mono skis are making a comeback."

—Peter Kray, author, The God of Skiing

PEEK-A-BOO#SIAintel is underway here at #SIA16! Looks like the @CCCbluebear wants in on the educational day, but he may not fit.

—SIA, @siasnowsports

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Hungry? You’re in luck. By popular demand, this year’s SIA Snow Show features elevated food options, some created by award-winning and celebrity chefs specifically for attendees. Here’s a sampling of the new fare: healthy options such as grilled pear salad and hummus & veggies at Wystones (near Booth 2448), Colorado-style specialties such as grass-fed burgers and tacos at Colorado Cantina (near Booth 403 and the Sourcing Show) and made-to-order Asian stir fry with a choice of protein and sauces (near Booth 567).

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sia snow show daily 2016 day 1

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