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Official Publication of the 2013 SIA Snow show
Protect Our
Published by Active Interest Media
saturday, february 2, 2013
Pro snow sliders inspire
the next generation to
consider climate change
Playground
Divide &
Conquer
Splitboard sales
surge as product
availability and
buzz expand
(p. 22)
core appeal
Small ski brands
rely on alternative
materials and a
grassroots approach
to build buzz (p. 4)
Wonder
Women
Two industry
leaders discuss
their rise to the
top (p. 25)
Heard in
the Aisles
> “I still have the
pink double boots
from Scarpa that I
used on Everest in
1994.” (p. 44)
—Sen. Mark Udall
(D, CO)
SIA Snow Show App
Also available on the
iTunes App Store or at
www.SIAshowapp.com
Contents
6
party pics
Scenes from last night's top events and yesterday's show-floor highlights.
14
Pow to the Rescue
Today's top story features Jeremy Jones on Protect Our Winters, his climate cause.
22
transformers on the snow
Splitboards evolve in materials and profiles to meet rising rider demand.
25
leaders of the pack
Meet the winners of the Outdoor Industry Women's Coalition's annual ski awards.
26
Ski saviors
A tribute to the history of the National Ski Patrol on its 75th anniversary.
30
rental at retail
Six must-have items to stock, from a twin-tip snowboard to helmet storage.
36
star power
We sent our photographers out to find sponsored athletes. Didn't take long.
PLUS
2 News / 8 Snowboards / 21 Gear Trends
34 Booth Index / 35 Product Picks / 44 Gossip
DIGITAL VERSION: snewsnet.com or snowsports.org
Cover photo by Ben Fullerton. Protect Our Winters athletes, clockwise from left: POW
board member Chris Davenport, John Jackson, POW founder Jeremy Jones, DCP, Gabi Viteri,
Chanelle Sladics, and Marie-France Roy.
Publisher Andy Hawk
managing editor Cindy Hirschfeld
Art Director Jacqueline McCaffrey
Photographers Andrew Bydlon, Ben Fullerton, Bligh Gillies,
Alton Richardson, Crystal Sagan
Contributors Jill Adler, Eugene Buchanan, Ali Carr Troxell, Krista Crabtree,
Kelli Lynn Hargrove, Courtney Holden, Brian Litz, Jamie Magyar, Helen Olsson,
Doug Schnitzspahn, Mike Sudmeier
Advertising Sales Sharon Burson, Andy Hawk
Group Production Director Barb Van Sickle
Production Manager Hillary Kerrick
Snow Show Preview is part of Active Interest Media’s Outdoor Group
Jonathan Dorn, SVP of Content and Product Development
Matthew Bates, Creative Director, Outdoor Group
Active Interest Media
2520 55th St, Suite 210, Boulder, CO 80301; 303.625.1600
Infographic
Chairman & CeO Efrem Zimbalist III
Group Publisher & COO Andrew W. Clurman
Senior Vice President & CFO Brian J. Sellstrom
Senior Vice President, Operations Patricia B. Fox
Copyright 2013 by Snow Show Daily
SNOW SHOW Daily | Day 3
SIAsnowshow.com
1
At the show Top NEws
The Datebook
Today’s not-to-miss events (see p. 42 for a complete event schedule)
Seminar: “There’s a Free Marketing Tool With 67% Converted Sales—And It’s Green!”
Room 301, 9-10AM. SIA’s Snow Sports Recycling Program provides a unique opportunity
to do good while increasing business. Find out how.
Discussion: “Wanted: Your Input on Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month and Bring a
Friend,” Room 102, 12-1PM. These grassroots initiatives developed new business for skiing
and snowboarding companies and organizations. Help answer the question, where do we
go from here? With LSSM’s Mary Jo Tarallo and Ski Utah’s Raelene Davis.
Skills Development: “Steep Life Protocols,” Booth #4571 (Backcountry Experience),
12-1PM. Get the classroom edition of Dean Cummings’ award-winning Be Snow Smart
avalanche-education program. Even those who’ve earned avalanche certification say these
practical tips help them improve their decision-making and terrain management in the
backcountry.
Award Ceremony, RECLAIM Project Winner, CSCUSA Central Lounge & Food Court,
5-6PM. Give a hand—and a toast—to all of the designers and their amazing creations.
Beetle Mania
Udall honored at Snow Show with handmade
ski of sustainably sourced wood
One of the Snow Show’s newest exhibitors, Meier Skis, hosted a high-profile
visitor Friday morning when Senator Mark Udall (D, CO) came by to receive his very
own ski, handcrafted out of 100-percent beetle-kill wood. The ski was part of an award
presented by SIA, the National Ski Areas Association, and nonprofit coalition Choose
Outdoors in recognition of Udall’s leadership in promoting sustainable year-round recreation and the growth of skiing in general.
Recently, Udall helped get the federal Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement
Act of 2011 passed. The act allows year-round recreation at ski areas on U.S. Forest Service
lands, with the aim of providing local economies with more consistent revenue while maintaining environmental sensitivity. “The act provides more flexibility for the ski industry to
provide offseason activities, particularly in the summer,” said Udall. “We worked really hard
over the last couple of years to get it through Congress. This ski is a symbol of that,” he said,
holding aloft the gorgeous board from Meier.
Matt Cudmore, who founded the Glenwood Springs, Colo.-based Meier Skis in 2009,
said he was surprised and honored to be asked to create a ski for Udall. Not to mention the
good press for the first-time SIA exhibitor. “We’re looking for any and all media attention,
and this is a great way to get it,” he said.
In accepting the ski, Udall also noted the timeliness of its beetle-kill wood content. “We
all are worried about our forests,” he said. “Increasingly, there are ways to take the biomass
that’s in those beetle-kill trees and turn it into something that’s a worthwhile product and
maybe even make a profit on it. There’s nothing wrong with that.” While acknowledging
that skis are one of the more fun uses for beetle kill, Udall also mentioned other potential
applications, such as for generating electricity or liquid fuels.
The only problem? Udall got just one ski, with a plaque mounted on it. “I want the other
one,” he said. Perhaps Senate ethics regulations forbade him from accepting a full pair.
—Cindy Hirschfeld
2
SNOW SHOW Daily | Day 3 SIAsnowshow.com
Turn Browsers into Buyers
by Creating Dialogue
Today’s consumers are changing faster, says Creative Business Consulting
Group’s Lynn Switanowski-Barrett, and retailers need to turn them into store advocates
who add value to their retail brands. Her “What Does It Take to Make Them Buy” seminar on Friday aimed to help retailers understand today’s consumer landscape, including
who’s walking through their doors and what’s motivating them to buy.
“Consumers want to be served. They want a tailored buying experience,” she says. “And
if they had a good experience, you need to get them to talk about your businesses.”
With access to information 24 hours a day, today’s consumers look at eight different
sources before purchasing and are influenced by family and friends more than retailers and
manufacturers. Social media has become retailers’ new entry to potential customers, and for
18- to 34-year-olds the primary driver of purchase decisions is user-generated content, with
50 percent of consumers now finding a store’s Facebook page more helpful than the website.
This means retailers need to foster that dialogue and speak to consumers in their own
language. “Consumers want to follow a brand on their terms, not yours,” she says.
—Eugene Buchanan
SNOW Heads Back to the Mountains
under New Ownership
Barbara Sanders, founder and publisher of SNOW Magazine, is acquiring all of
the title’s assets from the Bonnier Corporation and moving the publication back to
Aspen, Colo.
Sanders will publish two magazines per winter with targeted distribution and expanded
digital distribution via key partnerships with resorts, travel companies, hotels, and tour operators around the world. SNOW’s digital content also will be expanded to include video
content, event coverage, and more fashion editorial. And the brand will continue to host
fashion-driven events in resorts and cities.
Photo by Bligh gillies
Sen. Mark Udall
walked the floor
after breakfast with
industry execs.
Motion
fit
Our approach to pattern
engineering and tailoring
to provide an articulated fit
while enabling unrestricted
freedom of movement.
CoPYRiGHt© SALoMon SAS. ALL RiGHtS RESERVED.
PHotoGRAPHER: SEMAPHoRE.
The Good Kind
of Snow Job
Sharing the passion of a career
you actually like
Alex Paul of Rocky
Mountain Underground
Boards of a Different Feather
Small ski makers get creative to stand out
Want to start your own ski brand? Find a way to differentiate yourself. Connect to the lifestyle. And don’t be
daunted by the lean winters and market saturation. Small, independent ski brands can be quite successful.
Case in point: DPS. “We’re a big store, but still specialty, and it’s important that we can offer ‘skiers’ skis’—for people who
know what they want beyond walking in for a basic alpine set-up package,” says Mike Donohue, co-owner of the Outdoor
Gear Exchange in Burlington, Vermont. The shop started carrying DPS skis this season and has already had to reorder.
DPS credits that sort of buzz to its dedication to a new type of product born from a skier’s need. The Salt Lake City-based
brand, which uses carbon fiber in its boards, was founded by Patagonia ambassador Stephan Drake, who simply wanted
a ski that matched his big-mountain lifestyle. DPS just opened its own factory in Utah, where it has developed its longanticipated Spoon, a radically shaped powder ski perfected in the Wasatch mountains.
Denver-based Rocky Mountain Underground differentiates its skis by using more wood than fiberglass or metal and by
building strong edges and bases. But the brand has also made a commitment to local communities and artists, designing a
ski, for example, in honor of former Arapahoe Basin director of snow safety Leif Borgeson, who recently died of a heart attack. The ski features graphics of the resort’s famed East Wall and sales raise money for his kid’s college fund. Another, with
graphics designed by Vail high school students, raised $40,000 for a fund in honor of 13-year-old Taft Conlin, who died in
an inbounds slide.
“We have only made it this far because we listen to the people who support us,” says Mike Rosenberg, Rocky Mountain
Underground’s operations manager.
Faction, based in Verbier, Switzerland, seemed doomed when, by an unlucky twist of fate, Gene Simmons found his unlicensed likeness on a pair of the brand’s skis at the Snow Show five years ago in Vegas. It all worked out, and the company
has grown thanks to its commitment to balsa wood and flex fibers in its skis, which attracted the positive attention of pro
legend Candide Thovex. “We are product-driven, and that’s why we have awesome athletes come to us, not the other way
around,” says co-founder Alex Hoye.
That’s just the advice that Liberty ski president and CEO Dan Chalfant gives to aspiring brands: “Prioritize product,
instead of focusing too much on athletes. And you really need to differentiate yourself.” Liberty started 10 years ago with
bamboo skis and has since seen mainstream brands begin to follow suit with the light, strong wood. Says Chalfant, “Our goal
is simple—make your experience on snow better.”
—Doug Schnitzspahn
4
Ex-pro snowboarder
Steve Fisher knows fun
Photos by andrew bydlon (2); bligh gillies
Erme Catino
of DPS
Most show attendees realize how good we have it,
getting to do what we love. But not everyone realizes career
paths also can be fun.
That’s where The Business of Fun comes in. Its mission:
to educate, inspire, and provide tools for people to chase
their passion to a rewarding career and happy life instead of
just chasing a paycheck.
Alternately known as Keeping Kids out of Cubicles,
the five-year-old program, founded by Ian Fohrman, is
holding interview sessions and panel discussions—and
even conducting interviews with Show attendees that
are being filmed as short vignettes (peek in the Airstream
outside the front lobby). All are designed to tell stories of
people who have built happy, successful lives and to help
others learn from their experiences. Everything gathered at
the show will live on through The Business of Fun’s social
media channels and website.
One of the panelists at the Show is two-time X Games
snowboard halfpipe gold medalist Steve Fisher. “The organization’s mission to keep work fun is something everyone should live by,” says Fisher, who recently joined the
business development arm of Denver creative firm Amélie
Company, which is helping with the campaign. “It’s a great
message to teach kids who might not otherwise realize that
you can combine your career with your passion.”
Group discussions will take place today in the lobby from
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and again from 1 to 2 p.m.
—Eugene Buchanan
At the show images
Amateur hour: Avran LeFeber and James
Haunt spar at 686’s Lights Out charity match.
▲ Uplifting: Becky Brown gets a boost
from Ian Armstrong at the Arc’teryx booth.
▼ 30 years young: Eminence Ensemble plays Bula’s anniversary.
6
▼ Get waxed: (L to R) Big Hit’s Lindsay Kalaway, Brittany Gonzales,
and Kim Cacey join Casey Garrity for a “Shot Ski” at the Spyder party.
Photos by Ben fullerton, alton richardson, crystal sagan
▲ Saving lives: Liberty shows its support for
the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
▼ Shop talk: Snowboard Sports’ David
Emmerton (L) with Gus Cormack of Prior Skis
▲ Mahalo, brah! John Shipman (L) and
Burt Mitchell at NSP’s ribbon-cutting ceremony
▼ Chilling out: Cranberry and vodka cocktails pour from The
North Face’s innovative ice-sculpture beverage dispenser.
▲ Top banana: XC racer Sylvan Ellefson,
from the U.S. Ski Team and Ski Club Vail,
pays a visit to the GoPro booth.
Splitboard speed:
K2’s Doug Sanders
squares off against
Spark R&D’s Will
Ritter at the Backcountry Experience
booth. Contestants
raced from tour
mode to shred and
back to tour.
▼ Good night: Spyder’s shindig, as seen from the Hyatt’s fourth floor
SIAsnowshow.com SNOW SHOW Daily | Day 3
7
powered by
Bro’d to SIA
Venture co-founder Lisa Branner
holds the Powder Pig, the latest
design coming from the brand’s
Shape Shack division.
Shaping Up
While surfers have long treated board shaping as an essential and sacred craft, snowboarders have been slow to
adopt such a perspective. Nonetheless, sophisticated shapes are increasingly common in the shred industry.
“The interest in creative board shapes has always been there—it’s a grassroots undercurrent that has been present all
along,” explains Venture Cofounder Klem Branner. Yet recent evolutions in board design have thrust shaping into the
limelight. “The world of rocker, camber, and hybrids has opened the door for designers and engineers to be more creative
and push the boundaries of what a snowboard looks and is shaped like,” notes Capita U.S. Marketing and Product Development Manager Sean Tedore.
Discerning riders are also helping drive this innovation. “As riders become more sophisticated in their taste of terrain
and conditions, so will their appetite for having the right tools in their toolbox,” offers Chris Cunningham, Burton’s senior
business unit director of boards and bindings. Creating these tools requires carefully considering a range of variables. “Each
and every part of a board’s design—from sidecut to camber line to flex to shape—is [essential] to make the best riding board
available for its intended customer,” explains Tedore.
To help bring new designs to life, brands are tapping riders and developing ongoing collaborations. Venture recently
launched its Shape Shack, a division of the company that works with guest shapers like Johan Olofsson to develop new
designs. According to Branner, the Shape Shack reflects a logical evolution for the company. “We have been building boards
from scratch since day one, so we have always had the ability to create whatever we wanted,” he notes. “What’s different
now is how we are inviting other perspectives from passionate riders into the mix.”
Burton continues to expand the role Craig’s—its Burlington-based prototyping facility—plays in dreaming up new
designs. “We can experiment with anything so the speed of innovation is fast and intense,” explains Cunningham.
Through Craig’s, Burton will be debuting a range of new shapes developed by team riders like Terje, Kimmy Fasani, and
John Jackson.
For next year, Salomon is debuting its Dirksen Collection, a portfolio of discipline-driven decks created in collaboration
with Josh Dirksen. “There is always a way to customize a specific board to a specific type of terrain or riding style,” explains
Dirksen. “The collection of boards that we designed with Salomon represents this concept.”
Whether pressing rails or floating pow, these new decks are sure to make riders smile. And although their shapes will
dominate stories on the sales floor, the stories they create on the snow will be even better. After all, Dirksen notes, “The best
snowboards make the best days even better.”
—Michael Sudmeier
8
SNOW SHOW Daily | Day3 SIAsnowshow.com
For those who ply their trade in the shred industry,
attending SIA is invaluable. Whether scoping out new
products, connecting with colleagues, or assessing the current landscape of the industry, attendees face no shortage
of stimuli. This is especially true for Josh Johnson, who
is attending the show after winning a free trip through
Bro’d to SIA, a contest sponsored by Transworld Business
and SIA.
The contest aims to expose future leaders of the industry to SIA and aid them in furthering their careers. Johnson has worked at The Youth Shelter Supply in Waite
Park, Minnesota for three years. “I do everything from
selling products on the sales floor to board maintenance
and repair to designing ads to cleaning the porcelain,” he
explains.
The Youth Shelter Supply Co-owner Mike Thienes
notes, “Josh is a great kid to work with! He rips on a
snowboard and knows the products in the store.”
Thienes explains that Josh also assists him with graphic
design and web projects. When not shredding or holding
things down at the shop, Johnson spends his time painting, drawing, and designing graphics.
At SIA, Johnson has kept busy previewing next year’s
collections, noting trends in graphics, and hitting up film
premieres. He explains that attending SIA “is a good way
to get myself out there and be more than a shop kid—
I’m getting my feet in the door.” This moves him one
step closer to attaining his dream of working as a designer. “My goal in the snow industry is to one day be
working for a snowboard company designing graphics,”
he explains. “It’s a pretty big goal, but I’m going to do
everything I possibly can to make it happen.” So far, it
seems like Johnson is off to an excellent start.
—M.S.
After winning a free trip to SIA, Josh
Johnson is one step closer to snagging a
job as a designer in the industry.
powered by
Four on the Floor
What new product or brand are you most excited about?
“Capita—I think they’ve set
themselves up as a top brand.”
—Justin Weigel,
Nichol’s Snowboards,
Dearborn, Michigan
“The Anon M2 is f#*@ing dope.
It’s fully frameless and the magnets are [refined] and totally
worked out.”
—Hans Ziegler, Buyer, Sun Logic,
Breckenridge, Colorado
Making a Good
First Impression
Rental gear isn’t always glamorous. At
SIA, no one enlists bikini-clad models or pro
riders to promote the latest beginner boards.
Nonetheless, rental products are starting to
turn heads. Increasingly, the industry is viewing rental equipment and proper instruction
as essential in combating snowboarding’s decreasing rates of participation.
Yesterday’s panel on snowboard rental
Yesterday, a panel met to discuss new develequipment emphasized that shops are at
opments
in rental equipment and the role shops
the front lines in sharing the stoke.
and instructors can play in getting new riders
hooked on shredding. Transworld Business Editor-in-Chief Mike Lewis hosted the seminar, titled “You’ll Always Remember Your First Time—But Was It Any Good?” The panel
included Burton Vice President of Global Resorts Jeff Boliba, AASI Team Member Scott
Anfangi, and Sam Wagner, an assistant buyer at Tahoe Dave’s and Dave’s Snowboards.
“The right gear, the right coach, and the right environment—if you have all those
things, it’s going to work,” offered Boliba. New product developments have aided shops
and instructors in introducing new riders to the sport. Board advancements like flat
cambers, concave bases, and beveled edges are accelerating the learning curve. Anfangi
explained that this new technology “Is not going to absolve you from catching your
edges, but it gives you a greater margin of error.” Bindings that offer tool-free adjustability can also aid shops and instructors in better meeting the needs of new riders.
The panel emphasized that rental shops determine a rider’s first impression of snowboarding. To capitalize on this opportunity, shops stand to benefit from resources like
the AASI, Burton’s Learn to Ride program, and Ski Area Management’s Rental Buyer’s
Guide. In addition to these resources, increased collaboration between manufacturers,
brands, and instructors stands to boost retention. After all, notes Wagner, “We want to
make sure that people are on the right stuff and that they keep coming back.”
—M.S.
10
“I like Holden—just the style
and the price points. Now they
have a really good price point,
and their style is always clean.”
—Nick James, Owner, Divide Board
Shop, Winter Park, Colorado
“I’m excited about the Bench
outerwear—it’s something
different that not everyone in
town has.”
—Dave Krease, Director of Retail,
Wasted Sun, Boulder, Colorado
Pushing It Real Good
Last night, hundreds of riders descended on the Burton booth to meet hip-hop
royalty. Pepa, from the pioneering hip-hop trio, Salt-n-Pepa debuted a collaboration between
Burton and Lifebeat while speaking about the importance of preventing HIV and AIDS.
“For over twenty years, Lifebeat has been mobilizing the music industry to help raise
awareness and resources around HIV and AIDS,” explains Burton Vice President of
Marketing Anne-Marie Dacyshyn. Almost since Lifebeat’s inception, Salt-n-Pepa has
served as ambassadors for the organization. According to Pepa, the group became involved with Lifebeat early in its career and “the relationship just grew from there. We
loved what they had done and what they were doing.”
As part of its partnership with Lifebeat, Burton’s 2014 Women’s Lipstick Restricted will pay
homage to Salt-n-Pepa. The series of four boards feature topsheets that rock an iconic photo
from the eighties of Salt-n-Pepa. The bases showcase lyrics from the group like “Ah Push It!”
and “Real Good!” Pepa notes that she feels honored to work with Burton and Lifebeat in continuing to raise awareness and promote the prevention of HIV and AIDS. She explains, “To
come together for this great, amazing cause to Hip-hop icon Pepa, from Salt-n-Pepa, poses
with fans after unveiling a new partnership
raise awareness, I’m just happy about it.”
Burton’s partnership with Lifebeat comes between Burton and Lifebeat.
at an especially important time, as HIV and
AIDS are on the rise among at-risk youth between the ages of 14 and 24. Lifebeat reached
out to Burton as a means to further awareness and reach a new demographic. Lifebeat
Outreach Programs Manager Sharlene Shortt
explains that Burton offers “a creative way
of reaching youth in a whole new language.”
This language transcends products, as Burton
and Lifebeat are partnering on a range of promotions, events, and campaigns in line with
the organization’s mission.
—M.S.
The Revolutionary APEX HD+
with WIFI and Rotating Camera Lens
Watch your videos wirelessly while sitting
on the Lift or see a Live View on your phone
as your friend goes oﬀ a jump.
This 12.0MP Camera Goggle transmits and
records what you see on the slopes hands free.
Record HD 1080P Video at 30fps or High Action
HD 720P Video at 60 fps. The 135 degree wide
angle camera lens captures everything you see
without the extreme distortion of a super wide
lens. The memory and battery compartments
are located along the side straps to disperse
the weight of the goggle away from the face.
This feature makes the goggle feel lightweight
like a regular snow goggle and allows for
exceptional peripheral vision.
iOS & Android
Fits a wide variety
of helmets and face sizes.
Rotating HD Lens
Watch the action live
through a smart phone
and record it to a micro
SDHC card for playback later.
• Interchangeable Rechargeable
Battery last approximately 2.5+ hours.
• Rotating lens pivots upwards by 30 degrees
to capture the best angle for your stance.
• Includes 8GB Micro SDHC card class 10
• Camera lens is recessed to protect
from scratching or breaking.
• HDMI Port for Full HD
Streaming capabilities
• Includes an amber and an ionized lens.
• LED light inside the goggle
indicates mode to user.
• Glove friendly buttons keep your hands warm.
• 4 Modes – 1080P, 720P, Photo,
Continuous Photo
• Holds up to a 32 GB Micro SDHC Card
to record hours of memories.
• Wind Guard Microphone for
High Quality Audio
®
• 100% UV Protected Iridium lenses.
• Includes 2 strap choices, to customize your look.
• Water Resistant down to 3ft
• WiFi works with iOS and Android
Smartphones through free Apps
Replaceable Face Foam
Multiple Patents pending.
www.LiquidimageCo.com
Rider: Mark Sollors
Photo: Blotto
3M and Thinsulate are trademarks of 3M
+
Burton outerwear powered by 3M™ Thinsulate™ Insulation
offers the ultimate in efficient and effective warmth.
BOOTH #1965
A call to action
Winter on the Wane?
Through Protect Our Winters and other programs, athletes step up to save the snow
Be prepared for the principal to call you down from your booth for an all-school
assembly during this year’s SIA Show. Protect Our Winters (POW), a snow sports
industry nonprofit dedicated to mobilizing the winter sports community in the fight
against climate change, will showcase its “Hot Planet, Cool Athletes” presentation.
While show attendees are encouraged to attend, it’s not solely an exhibition. POW
plans to bus in middle and high school students from Denver Public Schools for the
event, which will be held in the Mile High Ballroom at the Colorado Convention
Center today at 9 a.m.
14
Since its inception two years ago, the multimedia assembly has reached 15,000 students
at 36 schools, inspiring the next generation of climate leaders. Featured are athletes from
POW’s Riders Alliance, a stable of more than a dozen professional skiers and riders like
Gretchen Bleiler, Chris Davenport, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Nick Visconti, Kit DesLauriers, and pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, who spearheaded the organization in 2007.
“Hands down, the most uplifting part of what we do is going to the schools and talking to kids,” says Jones. “We come away motivated and energized, feeling that there’s
hope we can change as a society.”
PHOTOS COURTESY PROTECT OUR WINTERS
FEature
POW lends credibility to the Hot Planet assemblies by partnering with the Alliance
for Climate Education, as well as The North Face and CLIF Bar.
Jones was inspired to do something about global warming after seeing firsthand the
effect of climate change in his travels around the globe. “I’ve spent my life in the mountains, and I’ve started seeing changes already,” he says. “In Chamonix, there’s a popular
glacier run. To see how much that glacier had receded in just ten years, it blew me away.
That got the ball rolling.”
Big-mountain skier Chris Davenport, a POW board member and also a spokesperson for
the Aspen Skiing Company’s environmental Save Snow campaign, was similarly inspired.
“Right in my backyard there’s a Colorado 14er called Snowmass Mountain, named for a
massive ‘permanent’ snowfield. In the ’90s, you could go up all summer long. It no longer
exists in summer,” says Davenport. “It strikes a chord with me personally.” He also points
out that the impact on the industry is real and happening now. This fall, Aspen Highlands
ski area delayed its opening because of scant snowfall (the situation has now improved).
Each year, POW makes a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., bringing the organization’s message to senators and members of Congress. Last year, Jones made the trip with
Davenport, POW executive director Chris Steinkamp, X Games gold medalist Gretchen Bleiler, and the Aspen Skiing Company’s VP of sustainability, Auden Schendler.
“Athletes have such an opportunity to give climate change a much bigger voice,” says
Steinkamp. “If we can leverage the pro athlete voice to mobilize the community and
Washington, that’s going to be a big thing for us.”
“We need to come together and protect
our playground.”
—Jeremy Jones
“I want to use my clout or influence as an athlete to continue to push our industry and
the country, and even the world in the right direction,” says Davenport. In conversations
with policymakers, the POW crew points to the impacts of climate change on the ski industry: that spring arrives in Lake Tahoe two weeks earlier than it did in 1961 (according
to NASA), for example. Or that in the Northeast, by 2039, the average ski season will be
less than 100 days and the probability of being open for Christmas will decline below 75
percent (Journal of Geophysical Research, 2008, E.A. Burakowski, et al.).
But what the group really hopes will impress the politicians is a study called Climate
Impacts on the Winter Tourism Economy in the United States, released in December
2012. Protect Our Winters and the Natural Resources Defense Council commissioned scientists at the University of New Hampshire to study the loss of revenue and
jobs from the snow sports industry resulting from global warming.
According to the study, more than 23 million people participated in winter sporting
activities in 2009-10, adding an estimated $12.2 billion to the economy. The industry
supports 211,900 jobs for a total of $7 billion in salaries. “For those whose livelihood
depends upon a predictable winter season, such unpredictability and lack of snow can
translate into a precipitous fall in revenue, an early economic indicator of what climate
POW founder and pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, far left, spreads the word.
Paying It Forward
SIA’s Snow Sports Recycling program
broadens its reach
In an effort to address all those discarded Olin
Mark IV’s and twin tips with shredded sidewalls,
SIA is ramping up its Snow Sports Recycling
Program, which was first launched as a pilot in 2009. The intention is
to divert old ski gear from landfills by enlisting consumers and outdoor
retailers to collect equipment for recycling.
Nationwide, 68 storefronts are participating, and SIA hopes to increase
that number to 150 in the next year. Since inception, the program has collected 350 tons of skis, snowboards, ski boots, snowboard boots, poles,
and helmets.
The program is gaining momentum in the Rocky Mountain region, with
most participating shops located in Colorado and inroads being made in
Reno and Salt Lake City.
“We’re trying to find advocates in the smaller markets to organize onetime events,” says program director Greg Schneider. “The rollout is going
to be organic.” The next phase is to bring the program farther west, and
openings are slated in Boise, Reno, Albuquerque, and Phoenix.
“There’s little resistance on the consumer level,” says Schneider. The
program has a 90-percent success rate on the opt-in $1 donation collected at retail.
Once collected and sorted by consolidators like the Salvation Army, old
gear is trucked to a recycling plant in Colorado, where it’s reduced and
repurposed for use in construction, landscaping, and furniture making.
For more information and updates, go to www.snowsrp.org.
change looks like,” say study authors.
The study analyzed how historical changes in weather affected tourism. The data
show the industry is estimated to have lost $1.07 billion in aggregated revenue between
low and high snow fall years in the decade between 1999 and 2010. The result: a loss of
between 13,000 and 27,000 jobs, a 6 to 13 percent employment change.
“When the conversation is about jobs and economic impact, the message doesn’t fall
on deaf ears,” says Davenport, “especially for states that have ski and snowboarding as
part of their tourism industry.”
Protect Our Winters also rallies athletes to write op-eds, sign petitions, hold rallies,
and take the POW Seven online pledge, which advocates involvement, education, and
action. “For skiers and snowboarders, there’s really no one speaking our language,” says
Jones. “We need to come together and protect our playground.”
Companies that have gotten on board with POW include The North Face, Vans,
Teton Gravity Research, Patagonia, CLIF Bar, Aspen Skiing Company, and Mountain
Equipment Co-Op, O’Neill, Volcom, The Quiksilver Foundation, and Absinthe Films.
Jones reports the organization is currently working with 1 percent of the snow sports
industry. “If we had more like 5 percent of the companies working with us, imagine what
we could get done,” he says. Aside from financial support, other companies are finding
creative ways to support the environmental group. For example, Getoutt.com, which
created the Howler App to aid in the recovery of stolen gear, donates $1 for each $3
app sold. Spy is partnering with POW on an ecofriendly uncoated and partially recycled
goggle; a portion of each sale will go to the nonprofit.
Expanding the Effort
Beyond Protect Our Winters, the climate change movement is spreading throughout
the snow sports industry as companies and organizations create programs that raise
15
FEature
A call to action
awareness, educate, inspire, and offer solutions for affecting global warming. It has become clear to many that these efforts are critical to the health of our winter sports
industry, not to mention the health of the planet.
This season, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) is expanding its Climate
Challenge Program, a voluntary initiative created for ski resorts to inventory, target, and
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. During the inaugural year, the eight founding
resorts inventoried 67,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Through reduction projects like
lighting and snowmaking efficiencies, and the utilization of waste vegetable oil, participating ski areas are expected to show a 17 percent reduction of GHGs by 2020. Each year,
those resorts should also save roughly $600,000 in utility and fuel costs.
“The Challenge helps participating ski areas make tangible progress each year to
fight climate change,” says NSAA communications manager Troy Hawks. “It’s a cohesive strategy to quantify impacts, set goals for reduction, and monitor progress.”
Participating resorts have access to custom reduction-planning software, guidebooks,
and an environmental engineering consultant. Ten additional ski areas have signed on
for 2012-13, including Colorado’s Copper Mountain and Killington in Vermont.
In September, Warren Miller Entertainment announced it would partner with The
Climate Reality Project, founded and chaired by former Vice President Al Gore. The
result of the collaboration is the “I Am Pro Snow” campaign, which highlights the
impact of climate change on winter sports.
At each stop on the national film tour of Flow State, Warren Miller’s latest installment, the company set up booths in theater lobbies to reach out to moviegoers. In the
film, crews documented the lack of sea ice in Svalbard, Norway.
“Anyone who spends time on a ski slope or in the backcountry can see how this crisis is
changing weather patterns and ecology, with major impacts on the outdoor activities we
enjoy,” said Al Gore when he spoke at the Denver screening of Flow State last November.
The Save Our Snow foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2006 by big-mountain skier
Alison Gannett, lobbies in Washington and provides education, training, and workshops to
help organizations jumpstart cost-effective and meaningful efforts to impact climate change.
Gannett gives some 200 presentations a year, from inspiring and entertaining multimedia
programs like her “Global Cooling Ski Adventure Show” to more business-oriented seminars called “Be Green, Save Green.” She draws on dramatic imagery of glacial recession
and big peaks to inspire audiences to make positive choices for climate change. In an effort
to reduce her personal carbon footprint, Gannett conducts many of her seminars online.
Gannett is quick to point out that preserving snowpack transcends leisure activity.
“While we love winter sports, it is important to remember that almost 50 percent of our
world’s drinking water comes from snow and ice,” she says. “It’s an irreplaceable resource.”
—Helen Olsson
POW Riders Alliance
member and pro skier Sage
Cattabriga-Alosa during
“Hot Planet, Cool Athletes” presentations in San
Francisco, left, and, below,
at South Burlington High
School in Vermont.
Soldiers of Climate
Change: 411
NSAA Climate Challenge
nsaa.org/environment/climate-change/
Protect Our Winters
protectourwinters.org
Save Our Snow Foundation
alisongannett.com
Pro skier and POW ambassador Nick Martini, left, with a student at Nashua North High School in New Hampshire.
16
Warren Miller Entertainment/
The Climate Reality Project
climaterealityproject.org/
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Spotlight Award Winners
SIA Retailers and Reps of the Year
The competition is stiff, but every year SIA honors outstanding reps and retailers from across the U.S. and Canada. These are the tireless folks
who have excelled in fostering relationships, moving product, and distinguishing their brand while promoting the passion and growth of snow sports.
Reps are nominated and chosen by leading snow sports retailers throughout North America, and retailers by suppliers and reps. Join us in getting to
know more about several of this year’s winners during each day of the Snow Show. Interviews by Courtney Holden.
Northeast Rep of the Year
South Central Retailer of the Year
Brands: Tecnica/Blizzard, Anomaly Action Sports, Highland Trading
Company/Sportube, Powderhorn
Wes Goyer, Owner
Ivar Dahl
St. Bernard Sports, Dallas, Texas
Favorite thing about the snow sports
industry: That it’s about fun.
Best thing about the SIA Snow Show:
It just feels like home, like the old living
room.
Years repping: 18
Lives in: Plymouth, N.H.
Favorite thing about the snow sports industry: Skiing!
Best thing about the SIA Snow Show: It’s the only place that I get to go where you see
the whole industry at once.
What’s the story behind the “St.
Bernard” in your store’s name?
What launched your ski industry career?
Well, when we started the business, we were
afraid to put “ski” in the name, because I
guess we weren’t that confident that people
in Dallas would be attracted to a ski store.
We had a St. Bernard dog, and we looked
at him and said, “The St. Bernard might
have enough of a winter connotation that
it would be a good name.” My son wants to
change it; he thinks the “sports” part is too
limited. Really, it is kind of a misnomer. We
get lots of calls for boxing equipment.
I got started in the ski industry back when I was racing, and I just developed some relationships with my area reps. I skied in college, racing for the University of New Hampshire.
Then my wife got a job in Utah coaching, so I worked at Park City for two years. It was
there that the rep who used to sponsor me when I was 13 tapped me on the shoulder at a
race. Three months later, I was working for Tecnica.
Doing something glamorous?
I was the guy driving the van. I would assist the sales guys with their work. It’s actually a
great position because you get to learn everything from the ground up.
After working for Tecnica for eight years, what made you decide to
become an independent rep?
Most importantly, it was the fact that you were independent, on your own. You could
work from your computer at home in your pajamas! Plus, you’ve got a lot of time on your
hands in the summer, so it’s like summer vacation. My wife is a schoolteacher, so the summertime is when the family—my kids are 11 and nine—gets to hang out. Last summer we
went to Spain for two weeks. My wife and I went to France the year before, biking. That
time, we left the kids with their grandparents.
But, of course, you take your
kids to ski. What was it like
teaching them?
It was painful! You have to bend over. Your
back hurts from holding them. It’s really
cool watching your kids ski, but my wife
and I found that the ski school was a lot
better to teach them. But now I’m a ski
coach. I’ve coached my own kids the past
two years.
Do you still race as well?
I occasionally race, but it hurts too much!
Up in New Hampshire, we have a “Spaghetti Circuit” that includes the Jay Peak
Downhill and the Red Parka Pub Challenge
Cup. I’ve won both of them four times.
20
Even though you don’t have “ski” in your name, it sounds like St. Bernard is one of the primary ski stores in your area.
Yeah. Back in 1978 my wife, Anne, had a job in a ski shop in Dallas. At the time, there
were only 23 places to buy skis in Dallas. So she and I started the store together in 1978,
and we’ve run it since then. Now we have the store in Austin, an outlet store, and the
main store in Dallas. We have a total of about 45,000 square feet.
Where do your customers ski?
Most of them travel by plane to Colorado. I think the closest ski area is a nine-hour drive.
If my wife were on this phone call, she’d say we tried to create a store that’s as good as the
ski stores in the mountains, and I think we’ve done that.
What’s your secret?
It’s the good people that we’ve had working for us. And where we might differ from
other people is in about 1998 we had an epiphany where we figured out that we had
to have buyers, but half the year they were unproductive. So we started with flip-flops
as the only non-ski item. We’ve expanded now with shoes and sportswear to the point
where our summer business is about equal to our winter business. That enables us to
keep the good team of buyers going. It was difficult for them to have a rhythm when
they were just buying skis.
What’s kept you in the business for so long?
People who come in and shop with us for ski stuff—they’re looking forward to having fun.
It’s just a happier circumstance than it is at the farming store.
Ski & Snowboard Packs Top Trends
Light and Tight to Carry the Essentials
Refined pack designs make toting gear a cinch for powder seekers
▲ Rossignol Lap Pack
▲ Black Diamond Anthem
▲ Mountain Hardwear Snowtastic
a zip-out mesh flap for toting a helmet during an ascent.
For the ultimate in low-profile carry systems, Dakine
introduces the nylon and mesh BC Vest. Weighing in at
just under two pounds, the vest features a way to carry a
snowboard vertically or skis diagonally via a retractable
cable, as well as pockets to hold a shovel, radio, climbing
skins, and hydration system. “We’ve been kicking around
the idea for years and now think the market is ready,”
says Serene Pelletier, Dakine’s marketing manager.
“Since a lot of resorts require you to carry safety equipment through gate-accessed terrain, we think this will be
a winner with powder poachers, patrollers, and guides. It’s
kind of between a jacket and a pack, and once you have
it on, you barely notice it’s there. The vest’s profile is slim
enough to easily wear on the chairlift, and all the pockets zip to fully enclose your shovel and everything else to
keep your gear secure in a nice tight package.”
For a full day of skiing serious out-of-bounds terrain as
well as for shorter backcountry tours, Black Diamond’s
28-liter Anthem Avalung and Dean Cummings/H2O’s
24-liter Meteorite both fit safety equipment, food, and skins.
—Brian Litz
▲ High Sierra Seeker
▲ H2OGear Meteorite
easily accessed resort backcountry shots. Rossignol’s Lap
Pack and Dakine’s 11-liter Ally Pack, both new, exemplify this style; the latter even comes packaged with a
shovel and probe, both made by Voile.
Mountain Hardwear’s line of snow sports packs, including the 18-liter Snowtastic, results from a fusion
between function and style, says the company’s product
merchandising director, Robert Fry: “We’ve been working for years with some of the world’s top alpinists to refine what a great mountain pack is. And, recently, we’ve
figured out how to make hyper-technically dialed snow
sports apparel, utilizing forward-looking fabric technologies and polishing the line with a fresh and progressive
look. For Fall ’13, we’ve created a line of sidecountry
snow sports packs that complement the new apparel’s
sleek, lightweight appeal while benefitting from the technical know-how and attention to detail that we’ve cultivated through our work with alpinists.”
At a great price point, High Sierra’s Seeker pack, the
company’s most technical pack to date, has tuck-away
straps—including ones for carrying skis—that won’t
catch on lifts, ample room for all snow safety gear, and
▲ Dakine BC Vest
Backpacks for today’s skiers and riders are a far cry
from what they were even 10 years ago. Gone are the
gaping, top-loading fabric sacks with overly soft shoulder
straps and wobbly, A-frame ski-carrying side straps. Now,
with packs seemingly de rigueur on the slopes—both in
and out of bounds—much attention has been paid to this
most utilitarian piece of kit. The result? A slew of sleek,
stable, compartmentalized packs well suited to help keep
those chasing powder organized, comfortable, and safe.
“Packs are now really worthy of the name hard good,”
comments Bruce Edgerly, VP of marketing and sales for
Backcountry Access (which recently became part of the
K2 family). “They’re not only an essential storage device,
they’re also a platform for technology.” Backcountry Access’ new BC Link-enabled Stash packs include a channel in the right shoulder strap and an insulated interior
pocket to accommodate the company’s new winter-optimized two-way radios.
Of course, packs are not just for backcountry devotees,
as a great number of frontside riders are outfitting themselves with slender, lift-friendly models. With room for a
shovel and probe, these packs are also suitable for short,
21
Top Trends Splitboards
In Pursuit of Powder
Splitboards evolve to match the interest of backcountry riders
“Sales of splitboards doubled last season, and there
is every indication that splitboard sales will double
again this season.”
—Kelly Davis, SIA
hardware for a local rider. The lack of performance of a board cut in half pushed Prior
to look at ways of manufacturing a splitboard that had better performance, and by 1999,
Prior released their first high-performance splitboard.”
Since its leap into the splitboard realm, Prior has created eight different models available in both fiberglass and carbon constructions and in a range of sizes, which Cormack
says reflects the growth in consumer demand: “The sport has seen a rapid growth, which
has translated into greater demand for splitboards along with greater demands for a variety of splitboard shapes: Women’s specific, twin tip, and super directional powder shapes
have all seen increased demand in recent times.”
That increased demand has been so significant that SIA has begun measuring split-
▲ K2 Kwicker BC Binding
As the hunger for fresh tracks and finding that perfect line increases, backcountry
riding has become less of an avenue only pursued by an adventurous few to an experience sought out by the everyday rider. Paralleling the technological evolution
of avalanche safety equipment—beacons, probes, airbag packs—that provides riders
with the necessary equipment to stay as safe as possible while exploring off-piste terrain, the evolution of the splitboard is drawing more and more riders out of bounds
and into the backcountry.
From its beginnings in the early 1990s, the splitboard has evolved from a series of
rough, experimental prototypes to a bona-fide technological art, making backcountry riding easier and more accessible to riders of a variety of skill levels. Accordingly, the number
of brands both specializing in and offering splitboards has increased to not only meet consumer demand, but to offer more options for riders in pursuit of off-piste powder.
One such brand making its Snow Show debut this year, Whistler-based Prior, got its
start in north Vancouver, manufacturing alpine race and freeride boards before getting
into the splitboard game in 1997. Prior’s sales and marketing manager, Gus Cormack,
explains how a crude splitboard prototype evolved into a product that the brand now
specializes in: “In 1997, Prior cut a freeride board in half and attached Voile’s splitboard
Splitboard Unit Sales Trends
3,500
3,000
22
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
▲ Venture Zelix Splitboard
units sold
▲ Gnu Women’s B-Pro Splits
2,500
Top Trends Splitboards
“Reducing splitboard weight has been on the Jones
radar since we launched our original boards four
years ago.”
—Chad Perrin, Jones Snowboards
board sales for its annual market intelligence reports. According to Kelly Davis, SIA’s
director of research, the growth has been, simply put, too large to ignore: “We are seeing
incredible growth in the backcountry category, and splitboards are a part of it. Although
the total number of splitboards sold at retail is small compared to all snowboard sales,
sales of splitboards doubled last season, and there is every indication that splitboard
sales will double again this season.”
K2 Snowboarding is positioning its new Kwicker Splitboard System as a game
changer. With a board based on partner Voile’s puck and plate system, a binding that’s
a new iteration of K2’s Clicker, and a boot that incorporates K2’s Endo Construction
and Boa lacing, the integrated system is designed to be lighter to carry and quicker to
transition between skinning and shredding modes.
The combo of advanced technology and user friendliness is aimed at getting more
consumers on splitboards, says Hunter Waldron, K2 Snowboarding global marketing
manager. “The Kwicker System is going to be marketed to any and all splitboarders. In
the beginning, we set out to advance the speed and weight for the high-end backcountry
rider. But, in the process, we developed what we see as the most simple and easy-to-use
system out there. We really feel this will get new users turned on to splitboarding. The
learning curve is easier to overcome, and there are less parts and steps to the process.”
In addition to the advancements in splitboard technology that are helping drive
the trend, Waldron believes that something else is at the heart of splitboarding’s rapid
growth. “Snowboarding is maturing to a point where riders are looking for new places
to go and ways to expand their riding beyond the resort,” he says. “There is a back-tobasics appeal to the backcountry. Maybe it’s a reaction to technology and our plugged-in
lives, but people are more and more seeking the barebones experience of the outdoors.
Earning your turns is a pure way to snowboard, and we all seem to enjoy that type of
purity these days.”
▲ Never Summer Prospector
▲ Prior BC Splitboard
24
Jones Snowboards refers to its new superlight Ultracraft as a board that will move
the sport forward. “Reducing splitboard weight has been on the Jones radar since we
launched our original boards four years ago,” says Chad Perrin, the company’s global
brand director. “The Ultracraft is designed with a new, top-secret ultra-lightweight core
technology. Jones is the only company with access to this core tech. It’s a game changer
in the category for sure.”
With women in the mix seeking backcountry lines, too, companies are smartly rising to the demand. Gnu is still riding high on last year’s successful introduction of the
Women’s B-Pro Splits, Barrett Christy’s pow board of choice. Over at Never Summer,
“we’re very excited about the Women’s Raven Split in a 151,” says snow sales manager
Mike Gagliardi. “It has a ladies’-specific flex pattern and a narrower width, and it features all the Carbonium technology we put into the new women’s Raven—dampening
systems, dual carbon X’s underfoot, elastomeric stabilizers.”
Never Summer also debuts the Prospector, with new Extended Tour Rocker and
Camber. The board, which Gagliardi calls a “tapered powder crusher” comes in regular
width and wide models, and adds an extended flat zone in the middle of the rocker for
superior grip in tour mode. “The result is better climbing and traversing while maintaining the effectiveness of our rocker/camber scheme in ride mode,” he adds.
Venture Snowboards’ new split, the Zelix, is a directional twin with 20 mm of stance
offset to give riders both awesome float and effortless switch. The company calls it a “go
anywhere, ride anything quiver of one.”
At the Snow Show, splitboard and powder-specific boards, boots, and bindings are
also being showcased at the Backcountry Experience booth (#4571) for powder lovers
of all denominations to scope out.
—Jamie Lynn Magyar
“The sport has seen a rapid growth, which has
translated into greater demand for … a variety of
splitboard shapes.”
—Gus Cormack, Prior
Award Winners Spotlight
Women in Charge
Every year, the Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition presents two leadership awards at SIA. The Pioneering Woman Award recognizes a
“maven of mentoring,” and the First Ascent Award acknowledges an industry newcomer who demonstrates strong leadership potential. We got the
inside scoop from this year’s winners on what’s unique about working as a woman in the snow sports industry, how they overcome challenges, and why
they love their jobs. Interviews by Courtney Holden.
Pioneering Woman Award Winner
Sandy La Rowe, VP apparel, global PDC
projects and base layer, Amersports
Years in business: 20+
Lives in: Portland, Ore.
Favorite thing about the snow sports industry:
The innovation in where products just keep taking us.
Best thing about the SIA Snow Show: It’s a really
young, very enthusiastic industry to be in. It’s just
contagious. It’s one of those things where you look
forward to the next trade show.
What led you to hold international positions with both
adidas and Nike?
My mom is actually German, so my first language is German, and I spent every summer
in Germany until I was 13. That background, and I’m also very passionate about apparel,
led me to continue down that path toward international business. I received my MBA in
International Business from Thunderbird University in 1992. During my studies I did an
exchange program at EBS (European Business School) and an internship at New Balance
outside of Munich. I also worked with adidas from 1993 to 1996, and then Nike from
1996 to 2007.
And now you’re in Portland?
Most recently, I’ve been in charge of setting up the Center of Excellence for Amersports
in Portland. I’m head of the apparel group, and I work with Nikita, some products for
Salomon and Atomic, and all the products for Wilson apparel. A year ago we were 12
people, and now we’re about 32 people. We’re growing really fast.
Has finding your way been difficult?
I wasn’t raised to think “this is going to be harder for you because you’re a woman.” I
was raised in an environment where you put your best foot forward. There’s probably
challenges in every industry, and it’s possible the stats don’t always favor women in
the industry, but you have to put your head down and work hard and walk into the
environment with the attitude, how you can add something? Regardless of what your
gender is.
First Ascent Award Winner
Annelise Loevlie, COO, Icelantic;
president, Icelantic Europe
Years in business: 7
Lives in: Denver
Favorite thing about the snow sports industry: The passion
Best thing about the SIA Snow Show: Seeing friends that I only see once a year.
How did you first get involved with Icelantic?
The idea guy was Ben [Anderson, founder/CEO], and he and I have been really close
friends since we were 11. We grew up skiing at Loveland. He just had the idea to make
skis and fill a gap that he had identified. When it got really serious, and he finally decided
to do it, he called up [Travis] Parr and asked him to help design the graphics and make a
logo, and he called me up to see if I would help him start the business.
What’s it like working with some of your best friends?
We’re all super, super-close friends, and we all are super-strong personalities. I tend to be
sensitive and emotional (also self-aware, sometimes to a fault), a strange complement to
a group of alpha males, but I think that fact—and that Ben and Parr are two of my best
friends—has led me to the position that I’m in today. I probably would have run away a
long time ago if it wasn’t for our friendship.
And your role at Icelantic?
The voice of reason! It sounds funny, but we—Ben and I—are awesome business partners
because we have the checks and balance. Where he totally excels is where I lack, and
vice versa. I would say that I’m really good at taking a lot of really creative energy, maybe
sometimes scattered creative energy, and helping it come to fruition. I organize the pieces
and make it happen. And I’m the critical questioner. A lot of the boys here are just really
creative, high-energy, alpha chargers. Where I come in a lot of times is the one keeping
things grounded.
What have you found to be the most challenging part of your job?
Supporting this creative flow while maintaining parameters and standards that will hold
strong as a foundation for growing the business. We are family here, too, so sometimes it
can be awkward to flip the switch from sensitive crier to the one telling someone to get
their shit together and perform.
How have you used your success to help others make it in the
outdoor sports industry?
How could having more women in
the snow sports industry change it?
I always try to make time for folks. It’s the whole “paying it forward” idea: Taking 15
minutes to give somebody one nugget that helps them steer their career in a different
direction or try something new. My biggest takeaway is maybe not helping a younger
generation of women. It’s just the younger generation.
More women in the industry can have such
a huge, positive impact on how business can
be done in a less competitive and more collaborative way. The feedback that I’ve gotten from being who I am is really positive.
And I am so passionate about encouraging
other women to get involved in business and
follow their dreams.
And going back to your past, what’s it like skiing in the Alps?
It’s not just skiing in the Alps, it’s the Alps! The German or Austrian Alps are where I
come alive.
25
Spotlight National Ski Patrol
From Tin Roofing to Modern Sleds
We all know that when we see the red jacket with a white cross on the slopes, it
represents a helping hand. Former National Ski Patrol historian Gretchen Besser coined
the term “Samaritans of the Slopes” to describe patrollers, many of whom are volunteers.
And as the National Ski Patrol commemorates 75 years of helping skiers and riders in
need, let’s take a look back at how this valued organization came into being.
The National Ski Patrol was founded in 1938 by Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole at the
behest of his friend Roger Langley, chairman of the National Ski Association. Dole had
organized a “super patrol” for the National Downhill race at Stowe that year, drawing on
volunteers from a few existing informal patrols, including one at Mount Mansfield and
one in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Langley and Dole were standing at Shambles Corner on
the Nosedive trail, watching the race, and Langley was so impressed by the patrol that he
suggested Minnie create something similar on a national basis. Over a nip of whiskey, the
two shook hands on the proposal, and Dole set about organizing the NSP, which in its
nascent conception was a part of the National Ski Association.
To understand NSP’s founding, you also have to understand Dole, who had become a
great proponent of skiing safety after two events in 1936. In the first one, he fell and broke
his ankle on Stowe’s Toll Road in January. While his friend Frank Edson stayed with him,
Dole’s wife, Jane, and Edson’s wife sought help. They eventually found two men, Bob
Cheesewright and Howard Black, who took a piece of tin roofing up the mountain and
dragged Dole down in a long, painful evacuation. While Dole was recovering from the
accident, Edson crashed into a tree while competing in a race at Pittsfield. Though he was
evacuated, Edson eventually succumbed to his injuries and died, which shook Dole to his
core. As a result, Dole chaired a committee that looked at safety in skiing, including the
causes of accidents. When he organized the NSP two years later, he adopted the motto
“service and safety” for the fledgling organization.
When Dole stepped down from the NSP in 1950, he had successfully built it into a
4,000-member organization composed of 300 patrols. During his tenure, Dole also played
a key role in convincing the U.S. Army of the importance of mountain troops during
World War II, helping to create the 10th Mountain Division. The NSP even screened applicants for the 10th, becoming the only civilian organization authorized to recruit troops
for the military. Many early members of the 10th were NSP patrollers, and 10th veterans
subsequently helped establish many ski areas in the U.S., including Aspen, Vail, Whiteface, and Crystal Mountain.
In the 1960s, together with the National Ski Areas Association, the NSP developed
the now-ubiquitous Your Responsibility Code to promote a national standard of ski safety.
In 1979, the NSP received the National Safety Council’s Distinguished Service to Safety
Award, and in 1980, it was granted a federal charter by Congress, signed by President
Jimmy Carter.
The NSP continued its devotion to safety and first aid by developing its own in-house
medical training program, initially dubbed Winter Emergency Care and later changed to
Outdoor Emergency Care, a standard of training that has been embraced not only by patrollers, but also by many mountain guides and those involved with search and rescue. As
the NSP celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2013, the organization now counts more than
28,000 patrollers, representing 650 patrols, across the United States.
—Candace Horgan
Tonight, Saturday, February 2, the National Ski Patrol holds
its 75th Anniversary Gala Dinner, with special guest speaker
astronaut James Reilly, at the Grand Hyatt Ballroom, just three
blocks from the Colorado Convention Center. The festivities
will include a silent auction, cocktail hour, and awards ceremony. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at
the door. For more information, please go to www.nsp.org.
National Ski Patrol founder Minnie Dole and Roger Langley,
chairman of the National Ski Association, in 1942.
With more than 28,000 patroller members, today’s NSP
continues to fulfill Dole’s motto of “service and safety.”
26
photos courtesy National Ski Patrol
The National Ski Patrol celebrates 75 years as “Samaritans of the Slopes”
The Crossover Craze
Styles for teens and tweens blur the lines between ski and snowboard
Skiing became the number-one snow sport among six to 17 year olds in 20112012. That might affect how apparel manufacturers view the tween-teen market, but
experts suggest not. “The Millennial [generation] kids aren’t tribal or authority busting.
They want to do everything—ski and ride,” says Kelly Davis, SIA’s director of research.
In fact, according to SIA’s 2012 Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report, 41 percent of snowboarders also identify themselves as alpine skiers. “So much crossover will
change the look [of youth apparel]. You won’t be able to tell the difference between
alpine and snowboard,” Davis says.
As the tween-teen category evolves, apparel makers are adapting with sophisticated
designs, clever features, and progressive silhouettes. “Kids these days have a big influence
on how their parents spend money,” says Greg Dacyshyn, chief creative officer at Burton
Snowboards. “They are not just tomorrow’s consumers, they are also a population with
the power to spend right now.” Burton’s youth line is fully loaded with attributes like media pockets, headphone cable ports, and jacket-to-pant integration systems.
The look at Obermeyer has evolved to a fresh, new design space that doesn’t pigeonhole the wearer as alpine. “We’ve found younger kids are finding their style much sooner
than kids in the past,” says Robert Yturri, Obermeyer’s senior vice president of product and
“We’ve found younger kids are finding their style
much sooner than kids in the past.”
Photo: Riley Snyder
—Robert Yturri, Obermeyer
AS H L E Y B ATTE R SBY
WHY ARE YOU BOOKING 80% OF YOUR INVENTORY 8 MONTHS IN ADVANCE?
B O OT H # 2 3 3 3
P O L A R M AX .CO M
▲ Burton Girls Venture
Top Trends Junior Apparel
brand management. Street style also moves into
the category with puffies like Obermeyer’s Super
Fly Jacket for girls, which features a synthetic, sustainable replacement for down called EcoDown.
Outdoor Gear, Inc., segments its kids’ product into two brands: Snow Dragons for the two to seven set and Boulder Gear for eight
to 13 year olds. “Tweeners want to wear what icons in the sport are wearing, not what
their little brothers and sisters are wearing, yet they need their own sizing,” says Outdoor
Gear president Adam Garry. In a market dominated by insulated jackets, Boulder Gear
introduces a three-layer waterproof Youth Softshell Jacket.
Grow-to-fit technology, once reserved for toddler pants, now appears in pants for
tweens and teens who are sprouting like weeds. To avoid the high-water look, Boulder
Gear, Marker, Bonfire, Marmot, and Obermeyer utilize grow cuffs, and the latter four
companies also add adjustable waistbands to the mix.
Across the board, silhouettes are more streamlined and less baggy. Bonfire, Obermeyer, and Boulder Gear offer girl jackets with a more tapered fit. Those companies, along
with Marker, Bonfire, and Patagonia offer slimmer-fitting pants for teens and tweens.
“A major trend in junior apparel for the upcoming seasons is garment length, especially for girls,” says Ben Painchaud of Liquid Boardwear. Evoking city style, jackets
(like Liquid’s Tiffany) fit well below the waistline. Look for these profiles from Boulder
Gear, Burton, Obermeyer, Orage, and Sunice.
—Helen Olsson
Ski Poles Top Trends
Stick It with Style
Ski poles move beyond basic with custom features and vibrant visuals
for durability, giving customers a great reason to finally
ditch the rental units and make their very own on-hill
fashion statement.
—Jill Adler
▲ Sick Stickz Totem
QuickPoles
Revolution
▲ The Royal Shaft
poles with camera mounts and optional tools like bottle
openers. QuickPoles offers an even deeper “connection”—
the poles literally connect to the rest of your gear for carrying ease. “Ski poles have lacked major innovation in form
and function since 1958, when Ed Scott introduced the
lightweight and stiffer aluminum poles,” says Quickpoles
Stuart Starry. “Imagine a set of green, camouflage-pattern
skis, with matching camouflage bindings and poles, all
snapped together as a single, easy-to-carry unit.”
In working on the visuals, companies have taken a
variety of tactics. Soul Poles commissioned artist R. Nelson Parrish to create limited-edition designs that won’t
wear off the poles; buyers can also pick the color and size
of baskets and grips. Line’s Whip Pole displays psychedelic head-turning graphics from tip to grip, inspired by
World War II Navy ships.
Royal Shaft can upload personal designs—even family photos—and embed them on the pole. “You can
download a template or work with our designers,” says
Dreyer. “Or you can choose from an existing design but
pick your own color.” The graphics are transferred into
the poles’ fibers via pressure and heat, then clear coated
▲ Kerma Telescopic Jr.
Jackets, helmets, and even gloves usually get less
mileage before they’re replaced than most skiers’ trusty
sticks. After all, unless they’re swiped or crushed, why replace ski poles? Sure, upper-end manufacturers like Leki
induce skiers to buy $200 poles made of fancy, torture-resistant materials, but then those same customers may promptly
paint them black or swaddle them in Duct Tape to avoid
having them stolen. And they keep them for decades.
But now, after decades as the bridesmaid, ski poles
have finally become the bride for 2013-14. Manufacturers are redefining the ski pole as a personal accessory to be
coordinated with gear as well as a skier’s style. The “look”
may be as important as composition, and customization is
now an integral element. “We’re trying to get people to
think of the pole as something more,” says new exhibitor
Royal Shaft’s Geoff Dreyer.
Goode, Leki, K2, and Swix all present new poles with
adjustable lengths and interchangeable screw-on/off baskets, while Kerma, Rossignol, and new exhibitor Sick
Stickz feature eye-catching graphics next season that can
match skis, clothing, and personality. New exhibitor Char
Poles presents its line of customizable, interchangeable
powered by
Top Trends Rental Gear
Six Must-Haves for Your Fleet
User-friendly, better-performing products will help bring renters back for more
Ease of use, for both the renter and the shop, has long been the goal for rental
products. And that has led to some key innovations and refinements over the years.
The reasons for the evolution in rental gear are clear enough: better-performing gear
and faster service increase the chances of return visits. And that’s good for both rental and
retail sales, as well as for growth in skier/rider visits at resorts across the continent. This
may be one of the most important investments shops can make to increase conversion
numbers.
The following products, most of them new to the market, exemplify the evolution of
rental gear.
Elan RS Rocker Rental Snowboard
Elan returns to the rental market after a several-year hiatus with a true twin-tip rental
board that ticks all the right boxes. As an OEM manufacturer for other brands, the
Elan factory has learned a thing or two about rental boards (think Samsung, and
Apple’s iPhone and iPad). Elan’s Early Rise press rental boards have a slight rise in the
first six to nine inches of the tip and tail, along with a parabolic sidecut, a combination that allows for quicker turn entry and a rounder arc. Plus, it’s durable, with square
sidewalls, a full-length wood core, and the same topsheet Elan developed for its rental
ski line. Boards are color coded by size for easy identification (along with boots and
bindings). Sizes: 147 to 162 cm; smaller sizes have a slightly different construction
intended for beginners.
and one-piece tongue (no attachment over
the toes). That’s a lot of features for a rental
boot, but it’s in tune with the trend for better fit and performance, and ease of use.
Head SD+D helmet/rack system
Head’s SD+D helmet/rack system addresses
several issues in one neat package. It’s compact, and thus uses minimal space. It not
only stores, but also provides the option of
drying and sanitizing at the same time. And
it’s easy to use: Helmets attach via magnets.
The hardshell helmets themselves have all
the usual rental features and come in both
basic and ventilated models. The system is
available in a variety of sizes, with capacities ranging from 60 to 325 helmets. Plus,
it’s modular, so shops can start with a simple
racking system and add sanitizing and drying
capabilities, or eventually increase racking
capacity. The sanitizing agent, Airbon, is the
same used on airline pillows and is a natural,
non-chemical solution.
Burton Riglet Reel
The National Ski Areas Association has
identified a strong need to boost snowboarding participation. One key step: getting kids
on board at a young age—between three and
six, say. Burton developed the Riglet Reel for
that purpose. The Reel’s retractable cord can
be attached to some Burton boards so instructors (or parents) can tow children around on
snow, to help give them the feel of sliding and
to develop their balance.
Fischer Sportster Alpine Ski
This new model updates Fischer’s rental line, adding a thoroughly up-to-date fleet rental
ski that reflects just how far the rental product market has evolved from the days of basic,
bombproof planks. The Sportster has Fischer’s On-Piste Rocker, for easier turn initiation,
and a relatively narrow 72-mm waist with 14-m radius. Plus, it has all the usual rugged
rental features—durable top sheet, thicker base and edges, and sidewall/wood-core construction. The new rental binding mounting track is upgraded, too. Based on the Powerrail and Racetrack System, it’s lighter, with a lower stand height, and easy mounting.
Available lengths: 130 to 175 cm.
Lange SX RTL Alpine Boot
The rental version of Lange’s new SX retail line
adds another easy-entry step-up model to the brand’s
rental offerings. The SX RTL has a relatively wide
102-mm last, between the 100-mm last of the step-up
RX RTL models and the 103-mm last of the fleet-oriented Concept/Venus. It also has a mono-injection
shell with an overlay at the instep and incorporates
Lange’s Control Fit Technology—anatomical padding in the ankle, a shell-lasted liner, instep pocket,
30
K2 Rental Snowboard Boot
If rental is key to the future growth of snowboarding, then first-rate gear matters. To that end, K2
has stepped up its rental boot program, beefing up
its boot with a full rubber toecap, rubber outsole,
and new tread pattern. For guest comfort, it uses
the Intuition liner. For shop convenience, it has
added a size marker to the sole. The boot already
used durable materials for the upper and color
coordinated with binding and board sizes. What
more could you want?
—Rick Kahl
“Better-performing gear and faster service increase
the chances of return visits. And that’s good for both
rental and retail sales.”
Special Advertising section
New Product Marketplace
Highlighting new and noteworthy products at the SIA Snow Show.
Aratik Board Sports Trainer
Use your real snowboard to learn, practice
and improve handrail and funbox skills.
Muscle memory, conditioning and flat out
fun to jib on when your can’t get to the hill.
Brain top used to increase difficulty and
learn to spin better. True Handrail Simulation, Durable Weatherproof Materials, all
skill levels.
“We’re very impressed with the product. It’s
stable, doesn’t kill snowboards, and allows
you to progress through tricks of increasing
level of difficulty without the consequences
of metal and snow. There is a huge value in
the product.”
—Hanna Haidar - AASI Certified
Snowboard Instructor
SIA Booth 267
[email protected]
www.AratikUSA.com
+1-949-412-5111
Douchebags is a global company that provides the modern explorer with the lightest
and smartest travel gear. Developed as a
collaboration between skiers, snowboarders, surfers, engineers and airport baggage
handlers; all of our products are the fusion
of passion and needs. At shy of 8 lbs, these
bags are a modular system with the ability
to adjust, compress and piggyback with one
another. The Douchebag sold out in Europe
upon introduction and the Hugger sold out
worldwide upon introduction. Don’t you
think it’s time to meet a whole new type of
Douchebag?
SIA booth #561
www.mydouchebag.com
katharine@ mydouchebag.com
bandit Hideout Ltd.
“Robbing the Wretched Cold…”
bandit is Liz & Nick Yuki, a duo who met on a mountain in California. With a combined experience of over 35 seasons in the snow industry working as ticket sellers,
liftys, instructors, ski school supervisors, & trainers these two have perfected THE
products for you & your family’s winter experience.
Our company is manufactured, tested and worn in New Zealand and the USA.
We pride ourselves on making thoughtful bandanas of the highest quality with a
cool look and a vast selection of choices.
Come check out our Hideout at: Booth 1800
Liz & Nick Yuki
Bosses
(619) 549-4369
[email protected]
www.bandithideout.com
The tiny piece of equipment
that makes a big difference.
Whoosh! That’s the sound
of Goggle Grip taking off
as the hottest new accessory on the slopes today.
Just mount them on helmet
sides and goggles stay
firmly in place. Skiiers and
snowboarders are demanding them. Place your retail
order today. Goggle Grip. So
your goggles won’t slip.
Visit us at Booth #3643 for
a free sample.
Brad Maloney
#734-904-8014
[email protected]
www.gogglegrip.com
31
PROGRAMS, EVENTS AND INITIATIVES TO GET
MORE PEOPLE ON THE SNOW MORE OFTEN.
One of SIA’s core missions is to promote awareness and participation in snow
sports. To this point, SIA has a number of initiatives specifically directed toward
consumers. SIA membership dues directly support these consumer initiatives.
Snowlink is an informationrich consumer website for
consumers getting started
in snow sports or looking
to improve their skill. It
includes the latest styles
and trends, as well as basic
“how-to” information to
help make their trip to the
mountain a success.
Visit the Site:
Snowlink.com
An online consumer
research panel devoted
to understanding the
consumer of winter sports
products. Participants have
the opportunity to complete
surveys throughout the year.
The responses go directly to
snow sports manufacturers
to help influence future
product lines.
Winter Trails Day offers
children and adults new to
snow sports the chance to
try snowshoeing and cross
country skiing for free, and
to discover the great fitness
and social benefits with
these easy-to-learn winter
sports.
Visit the Site:
WinterTrails.org
Visit the Site:
SnowSportsInsiders.com
SHINDIG
ON-SNOW DEMO PARTY
The Bring a Friend Challenge
is open to ANYONE who is
in a position to introduce
newcomers to skiing and
snowboarding. In fact,
participation NOW includes
current skiers or snowboarders
AND newcomers who want to
“bring a friend”.
LEARN TO SKI & SNOWBOARD MONTH
WINTER TRAILS DAY
WORLD SNOWBOARD DAY
Learn To Ski and
Snowboard Month
Winter Trails Day
World Snowboard
Day
January is Learn to Ski
and Snowboard Month.
Ski areas and resorts
in 34 states celebrate
with special offers to get
children and adults on
snow & take lessons from
a professional instructor.
An annual day for children
and adults new to snow
sports to try snowshoeing
and cross country skiing
for free, and to discover
the great fitness and social
benefits with these easyto-learn winter sports.
Date: December 30, 2012
SkiandSnowbardMonth.com
WinterTrails.org
OTHER RESOURCES
RESORT+
RETAIL
FINDER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Lodge at Sunspot - WINTER PARK
There’s no better way to Après than with a FREE party.
•
FREE Beer/Wine & Eats
•
FREE Live Music by the
•
SNOW SPORTS EVENTS
Date: January 2013
Sponsored by
featuring Billy Treacy,
SIA Board Member & Director of Sales for NA Easton Bell Sports SRD
(Giro Sport Design)
Details are available at:
BringAFriend.org.
Date: January 12, 2013
SUMMIT
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 5:30P TIL...
SNOW SPORTS MARKET INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Annually, SIA publishes five Snow Sports Market
Intelligence reports that provide valuable insight into
retail sales and participation trends, demographics for the
snow sports market, weather and more. They are perfect
for anyone needing an unbiased, comprehensive review of
the snow sports industry. Learn more at snowsports.org/
researchR.
AT THE
The opportunity to
discover, for free,
snowboarding as a sport
and culture across the
world’s summits.
FREE gondola at the Zephyr Express gets you there
ON - S NO W DE MO / S K I- R IDE F E S T
F E BR U AR Y 4 - 5 , 2013
W INT E R PA R K R E SORT, COLORA DO
TH I S I S
C OL ORADO
SNOW SHOW OF F ER
ExplorE thE bEst of Colorado with
Colorado ski Country usa’s snow show offEr.
RETAILERS/BUYERS:
GET THREE FREE LIFT TICKETS!
SUPPLIERS/ATTENDEES:
GET THREE 2-FOR-1 LIFT TICKETS!
World-Snowbard-Day.com
Photo Credit: Winter Park Resort
Connecting consumers
with Snow Sports Retails
and to their local resorts,
Snowlink.com features
this easy to use tool.
Ship Your Gear™offers
an affordable alternative
to airline baggage fees.
SIA negotiated consumer
discount with FedEx.
Visit Snowlink.com
Visit Snowlink.com
PAR T I CI PAT I NG R ES O R TS
Arapahoe Basin • Aspen Mountain • Aspen Highlands • Buttermilk • Copper Mountain • Crested Butte
• Eldora Mountain Resort • Howelsen Hill • Loveland • Monarch • Powderhorn • Purgatory
• Ski Cooper • Snowmass • Ski Granby Ranch • Steamboat • Sunlight • Telluride • Winter Park • Wolf Creek
All offers valid from February 4 through February 8, 2013
To redeem offer: present voucher, show badge and photo ID at ticket office.
*Restrictions apply.
SnowSports Industries America, part of the snow sports industry since 1954. W: Snowsports.org, SIAsnowshow.com, Snowlink.om
Untitled-1 32
1/24/13 5:10 PM
At the show Who & Where
For up-to-date booth information
and listings go to SIAsnowshow.
com/showapp, SIAsnowshow.com/
floorplan, or scan the QR code.
Exhibitors
More than 900 brands on display at the Show (as of 1.21.13; subject to change).
Company
Booth #
686.....................................................3365
10th Mountain Division
Foundation, Inc”..........................LL2
2XU USA..........................................846
32 North Stabilicers.................. 4371
3point5.com....................................2552
4FRNT Skis, LLC............................4447
540 Snowboards............................. 878
AAS - Anomaly Action
. Sports Inc....................................3945
ABS Avalanche
. Rescue Devices...................... 4471
ACADEMY
. Snowboard Co...........................3971
adidas Outdoor.............................1116
adidas Snowboarding............... 2174
Advanced Racking
. Systems........................................3637
AFRC-Outdoor Gear, Inc...........2724
Airblaster.........................................3768
Airhole Facemasks.......................972
Aline Systems.............................. 3800
Alpaca Imports........................... 1430
Alpina Sports Corp.......................2703
Alpine Skate................................ 3644
Alp-n-Rock, LLC.......................... 1320
American Bio-Vision
. (ABV)......................................... 2533
American Paper and
. Plastic Co...................................... 509
Anakie Outerwear......................... 565
Analog Clothing............................2967
Anarchy Eyewear.........................1370
Anon Optics....................................1861
Apex Sports Group LLC..............4319
APO - White Doctor................. 4161
Apogee Sports LLC.................... 3961
Aratik................................................267
Arbor.................................................1661
Arcade Belts .............................. 2974
Arc’teryx Equipment Inc............1339
Arctix.................................................2414
Armada.............................................4349
Arnette.............................................2178
ARVA.................................................3412
Ashbury Eyewear........................... 462
Astis Mittens..................................2516
Athalon Sportgear, Inc................4115
Atlas Snow-Shoe Co....................3748
Atomic USA, Inc............................3923
Atomic USA, Inc............................4123
Auclair Sports, Inc........................1323
Backcountry Access, Inc............3942
Backcountry Experience...........4569
Backcountry Experience...........4571
Bakoda................................................ 570
Bandit Hideout........................... 1800
Bataleon...........................................2274
Beard Head, Inc............................... 461
BEARTek Gloves......................... 2531
Bench................................................548
Bergans of Norway........................ 722
Bern Unlimited Inc.......................2161
Betty Rides......................................2360
BHD Information Systems.........1522
Billabong USA................................3661
Black Diamond
. Equipment Ltd...........................3350
Blackstrap.................................... 1060
Blizzard.............................................3701
Blue Infusion
. Technologies........................... 2531
BlueBird Social Zone..................... 278
Board Retailers Association....... 361
Bogner of America.......................4241
Bolle’.................................................... 552
Bonfire..............................................2977
Booster Strap.................................3411
Boulder Gear..................................2724
Bounceboard, LLC.......................... 168
Bravo Sports...................................315
Bridgedale Socks............................ 757
Briko..................................................3521
Britten Banners Inc................... 4374
Buff Inc............................................... 371
BULA.................................................1051
Burnstreet......................................... 567
Burton Snowboards....................1965
Burton Snowboards....................2565
Buzrun Snowboards...................... 878
C3........................................................3357
C4 Belts LLC ............................... 4376
Caldera International............... 1314
CAM Commerce Solutions......... 945
Camtrol.............................................1222
CandyGrind ...................................1173
CAPiTA Snowboarding...............3357
Capix..................................................3579
Causwell...........................................3939
Cebe’.................................................... 552
Celerant Technology
. Corporation.................................. 945
CelsiusSnow USA, Inc.................1766
Celtek............................................ 3169
CenterStone
. Technologies, Inc......................1917
Chaos.................................................2423
Char Poles.................................... 4242
Cheetah Factory
. Racing (CFR)..............................1765
Chill......................................................... 25
Chugach Flyer
. Snowboards............................. 1867
COAL Headwear...........................3357
34
Company
Booth #
ColdDist LLC..................................2362
COLDPRUF Base Layer............... 736
Coldsmoke................................... 1511
Colorado Ski Country USA.........1734
Colorado Ski Country USA
. Central Lounge &
. Food Court..................................2237
Contour.............................................. 578
Core Concepts...............................936
Cozy Layers Inc........................... 1706
CP Sports North America........ 3645
Crash Pads.......................................2124
Crescent Moon
. Snowshoes..................................3647
CSA - Leggett & Platt..................3937
CTR (Chaos Thermal
. Regulation).................................2423
Cushe Footwear............................1336
Dagmar Branding........................... 900
DAKINE............................................2557
Dalbello Sports LLC.....................4101
Dale of Norway, Inc........................ 709
Dana Stein Everyday Furs..........618
Dare 2b.............................................713
Darn Tough Vermont..................2200
DC Shoes, Inc.................................1778
Deeluxe............................................1060
DEFCON GLOVES.........................265
Del Rey International............... 2538
Demon Snow..................................2271
Dermatone......................................3102
Descente North
. America, Inc.................................. 330
Deuter USA.....................................3115
Deviation...................................... 3511
Devils Thumb Ranch
. Resort and Spa............................ 313
Dinosaurs Will
. Die Snowboards.......................1868
Discrete Headwear......................1060
DNA..................................................... 330
Dot Dash..........................................1172
Double Diamond
. Sportswear................................... 739
Douchebags....................................561
DPS SKIS..........................................3509
Dragon Alliance.............................1365
Drop MFG.......................................2947
DRYGUY LLC.................................2529
DTS Inc.............................................270
Dye Precision.................................3972
Dynafit and Salewa......................3116
Dynastar Skis.................................3709
EC3D Sports..................................... 735
Echelon Snowboards...................3673
Eco Vessel..................................... 3604
Eggbar Vise, LLC...........................3630
Eider...................................................1041
EIRA...................................................4656
Eisbar USA.......................................1708
Elan Blanc........................................1929
Elan Skis...........................................2703
Electric Visual.................................. 660
ELM CO............................................1670
EMSCO Group...............................2133
Endeavor Snowboards................973
EPIC Cameras, LLC.................... 2421
Epic Pass...........................................1148
Epic Planks................................... 4243
Erik Sports-WhiteWoods..........3504
Erin Snow.........................................1417
Eurosocks International............1048
EXP.....................................................3579
Fac................................................... 1623
Faction Skis.....................................4145
Falke USA........................................511
Fast Strap.........................................3319
Fat-ypus Skis..................................3419
FedEx/FedEx Office.....................4505
Fera International Corp.............1109
Firefly................................................3579
Fischer Alpine Apparel................. 715
Fischer Skis US..............................4411
Fits Sock Co....................................2416
Flair Hair....................................... 1600
Flow Snowboarding.....................2957
Flow Sports.....................................2957
Flux Binding Systems..................3765
FlyLow Gear...................................3111
Footbalance System Inc.............2841
Ford Experience
. Tour ...................................352 & 3730
Ford Experience Tour.................... 352
Fox River Mills, Inc.......................2517
Freebord MFG...............................969
FTWO Snowboards....................... 878
Full Tilt Boots.................................3723
Function...........................................3414
G3 Genuine Guide
. Gear Inc........................................3516
Gabel Sports Group
. (North America) Inc................3521
Garmont NA, Inc...........................2938
GHEEK..............................................3642
Giro Sport Design.........................3650
Gnarly Clothes...............................362
GNU...................................................1372
Goggle Grip.................................. 3643
Goldwin............................................1748
GOODE Ski Technologies.........3323
GoPro................................................2571
Gordini USA, Inc............................2645
Gorski Group..................................1218
Grabber Inc.....................................4121
Company
Booth #
Grandoe...........................................2641
Granger’s.........................................3514
Grenade Inc....................................3471
Griffin Technology..................... 1045
Guru Distribution.........................610
H2O Outdoor Gear.....................3417
Halti..................................................... 715
Harricana Par Mariouche..........3719
Head Wintersports......................2924
Heat Factory USA, Inc................2701
Hell is for Heroes..........................1514
Helly Hansen (US) Inc.................1721
HESTRA GLOVES, LLC...............2120
High Altitude
. Concepts LLC.......................... 2916
High Sierra Sport Co...................3633
High Society Freeride
. Company LLC............................1060
Highgear...........................................3514
Highland Trading
. Company/Sportube.................2800
Holden..............................................3165
Holmenkol.US................................4401
Homeschool
. Snowboarding...........................3371
Honey Stinger............................. 4147
HoodieBuddie................................559
Horizon Agency
. Inc-Outdoor Sports Ins..........2700
Hot Chillys.......................................3330
Hotfingers Gloves........................1803
Hotronic USA, Inc.........................3326
House of Marley............................. 367
HOWL............................................ 1866
i.N.i. Cooperative............................ 774
Icebreaker USA............................... 539
Icelandic Design.............................. 521
Icelantic Skis...................................3309
Impact Canopies USA.................3747
Implus Corporation.....................3514
INA International, Ltd.................3579
Indigo Ski USA Inc...................... 4241
International Skiing History
. Association (ISHA)........................ 22
Ion Camera......................................2957
IS Eyewear.......................................369
Itasca Footwear by
. C.O. Lynch Enterprises............. 745
Jacob Ash/Schuessler.................1525
JammyPack Inc........................... 4378
Jones Snowboards.......................2971
Joshua Tree Skin Care................1801
Joystick.............................................3939
JULBO Inc..................................... 2917
JVC Americas Corp................... 4306
K2 Skis..............................................3949
K2 Snowboarding.........................3957
Kamik div of Genfoot
. America.......................................... 513
Karbon................................................ 202
Karhu N. America, LLC............. 1523
Kastle GmbH..................................3704
Khombu............................................1309
Killtec NA Inc.................................2111
Killy....................................................1039
Kiss My Face LLC..........................1400
KJUS USA.......................................... 603
KneeBinding, Inc...........................3512
Kombi Ltd., Inc...............................2930
Komperdell.....................................3708
Krimson Klover.............................1331
Krochet Kids Intl........................ 3167
Kuhl Clothing.................................2116
KULKEA...........................................2921
KUUsport Mfg. Ltd......................4019
Kwik Tek, Inc...................................3830
L&C GLOBAL
. CORPORATION......................... 165
La Sportiva N.A. Inc......................4437
LandYachtz........................................ 962
Lange Ski Boots.............................3709
Launch Pad......................................2717
Launch Snowboards....................4179
Laundromat....................................1122
Lazer Sport......................................3135
L-Bow Mittens...............................1627
LD Action Sports........................ 2915
Learn to Ski and
. Snowboard Month........................ 24
Leisure Trends Group.................1732
LEKI USA, Inc.................................3020
Level Gloves....................................1060
Lib Tech.............................................1572
Liberty Mountain..........................2912
Liberty Skis......................................3725
Life-Link...........................................2938
Light Bohrd.....................................365
LightSpeed Retail....................... 1707
Line Skis............................................3523
Liquid Boardwear.........................4171
Liquid Image Co, LLC...................2442
Llama Lo........................................ 1700
Lobster Snowboards...................2274
LODGESOXX_.................................. 609
Loki.....................................................1316
Long Advance
. International Co, Ltd..............1311
Lorpen North America Inc........1717
Love Hope Strength
. Foundation................................... 261
Lucky Bums Inc..............................2710
M. Miller............................................. 818
Madshus...........................................3648
Malibu Cowboy LLC.................. 1415
Company
Booth #
Mammut Sports
. Group USA..................................3518
Manzella Products.......................3147
Mariner Business Solutions........ 718
Marker Ltd........................................ 223
Marker USA....................................4417
Marker USA....................................4420
Marmot Mountain, LLC..............1434
MasterFit Enterprises................3639
MeCo Designs.................................. 600
Meier Skis..................................... 3317
Mental...............................................1908
Mervin Manufacturing...............1572
MFD...................................................4237
Millennium Three (M3)..............3579
Mitchie’s Matchings...................... 308
Model Ski Lifts, LLC................... 2537
Modern Movement......................358
Moment Skis...................................4443
Montana Sport
. North America Inc...................3742
Moon Shadow................................2423
Mophie.............................................155
Mount Tec Gloves.........................2218
Mountain Goat Ski Tote........... 3413
Mountain Hardwear, Inc............1033
Mountain Shades..........................3347
Mountain Uniforms....................... 746
Mountain View CafÇ..................... BL1
MTN Approach..............................2359
Mystery Ranch..............................4478
National Ski & Snowboard
Retailers
. Association (NSSRA)..............4206
National Ski Areas
. Association (NSAA)...................... 23
National Ski Patrol (NSP).............. L2
Nation’s Best Sports (NBS)............220
NEFF..................................................3372
Neve Designs.................................1736
Never Summer Industries.........1565
Niche Snowboards.......................1674
Nidecker USA, Inc........................2971
Nikita Clothing USA....................2877
NILS....................................................1740
NILS....................................................1744
Nitro Snowboards.......................... 975
Nobis.................................................2771
NOMIS..............................................3475
Nordica USA...................................4109
NOW Snowboarding...................2971
Nui Organics................................ 1705
NXTZ.................................................2957
Oakley Inc........................................1345
ON3P Skis.......................................4442
Oneballjay.......................................1570
O’Neill...............................................1557
OnTheSnow.com..........................4406
Optic Nerve....................................3347
Optimal Furs, Inc...........................623
Optrix LLC.................................... 1046
ORAGE.............................................1750
Orion Packs.................................. 4476
Ortovox USA Inc...........................3115
OSBE USA Inc................................3306
Outdoor Research.......................... 741
Outdoor Tech................................... 657
Outlast Technologies LLC........ 1626
OZ Snowboards............................1776
Pajar...................................................1411
Pakems.............................................935
Parajumpers...................................1514
Patagonia Inc..................................1857
Pepper’s Performance
. Eyeware, Inc...............................2444
Phunkshun Wear, LLC.................678
Picture Organic Clothing........ 1060
Pinnacle Designs...........................2514
PISTIL................................................2229
Planet Earth Clothing.................3962
POC USA LLC.................................1357
point6 LLC.......................................1530
Poivre Blanc....................................2939
POLARMAX....................................2333
Pop Headwear...............................170
POW Gloves...................................1975
Powderhorn....................................1730
Pret Inc.......................................... 3406
Prior Snow.................................... 4474
Promotive.com..............................2552
ProRider...........................................1769
Pro-Tec..............................................3974
Protect Our Winters
. (POW)...........................................2532
PSIA-AASI........................................3908
Pulse.................................................... 957
Quickpoles, LLC............................3139
Quiksilver Inc.................................1178
Radical! Gloves..............................357
Rawik.................................................2724
RC Products...................................... 570
Recco Systems Ltd....................... UL1
Reclaim Project.............................3465
Redfeather Snowshoes..............3501
Regina Imports LLC.....................1509
Reliable of Milwaukee................1900
Rental World - Backshop...........4501
Retailer Work Area......................4236
reusch SnowSports......................2236
Rhythm.............................................262
Ride Snowboards..........................3965
Ride Snowboards..........................4365
Ripzone / Powder Room............4366
Roces USA, Inc...............................4106
Note: New Exhibitors
Company
Booth #
Rocky Mountain
. Sunscreen...................................2554
Rocky Mountain
. Underground.............................4321
Rome Snowboard
. Design Syndicate........................ 965
Rossignol..........................................3614
Rossignol..........................................3714
Rossignol Apparel........................3719
ROXA North America.................4246
Roxy...................................................1178
Ruffolo Enterprises, Inc.............2553
Sabine Sommeregger.................... 615
SABRE...............................................2371
Saga Outerwear............................667
Salomon Snowboards.................2577
Salomon USA..................................3930
Salomon USA..................................4130
Sandbox Helmets..........................2274
Santana Canada............................1309
Sauce Headwear........................ 1622
SCARPA North
. America, Inc................................3109
Schure Sports U.S.A., Inc.............. 202
Scott Sports....................................2942
Scott Sports....................................3342
Screamer............................................ 725
Sector 9............................................3174
Seirus Innovation..........................2630
Serengeti Eyewear......................... 552
Sharkies...........................................700
Shred Optics...................................3945
ShredSkins LLC..............................960
Sick Stickz..................................... 2920
Sidas...................................................4408
SKEA, LTD........................................2411
Ski Carry....................................... 3611
Ski Kare, Inc....................................3502
Ski Patrick LLC............................ 1224
Ski Retriever...................................3617
Ski Sundries and Supplies...........4404
Ski Tops/Chaos/
. Moon Shadow/CTR.................2423
SkiA Designs................................ 4119
SKICALS...........................................800
SKILOGIK........................................3602
SkiMetrix, Ltd.................................3411
SkiSkootys.......................................3300
Skullcandy, Inc................................. 375
SkyTech Sport, Inc........................2216
Slash by Gigi....................................2971
Slide On............................................3411
Slytech Protection.......................3945
SmartWool Corporation............2714
Smith Optics...................................2548
Smith Optics...................................2650
Smith Optics...................................2950
Smokin’ Snowboards...................2975
Snapdry............................................3326
SNO................................................ 1334
Sno Skins Inc..................................... 915
Snow Angel....................................... 839
Snow Dragons................................2724
Snow Fashion and
. Trends Center............................. 443
Snow Show Daily............................ 216
Snow Sports
. Recycling Program....................... L1
Snow Sugar.................................. 1118
Snowjam LLC.................................... 878
Sony Electronics Inc.....................459
SOS Outreach . Active Youth Alliance.................. 20
SOS Sportswear............................913
Spacecraft Collective..................2775
Spark R&D.......................................1874
Sport Obermeyer Ltd..................2103
Sportcaster Company, Inc........... 957
Sporthill, Inc................................ 1330
Sports Accessories
. America Inc.................................2720
Sportube..........................................2800
Spy Optic, Inc.................................2378
Spyder Active Sports Inc...........1103
Spyderco..........................................4021
STANCE............................................3671
Stepchild Snowboards................3676
Stockli Outdoor Sports..............3320
Strafe Outerwear....................... 2914
Summit Media Labs.....................1222
Sun Bum, LLC............................... 2372
Sun Haven.......................................... 165
Sun Valley Ski Tools Inc..............3737
Suncloud Polarized Optics........... 2548
Sunice................................................1711
Superfeet Worldwide Inc..........2520
Sure Foot.........................................517
Surface Skis.....................................3939
Swany................................................1903
Switchback Bindings...................2274
Swix Sport USA, Inc.....................3102
T.D. Fischer Group........................524
Technine...........................................3378
Tecnica USA....................................3701
Teko USA.........................................617
Terramar Sports Inc....................... 757
The North Face..............................4357
The Royal Shaft LLC.................. 3015
The Soze Group.............................4408
Therm-IC..........................................4408
Thirty-Two Boots..........................1971
Thorlo Inc.........................................1520
Thule Inc...........................................3302
TOKO................................................3100
Company
Booth #
Tomahawk International............. 457
Transpack.........................................2935
TransWorld Media......................... 279
Trespass USA.................................... 730
TREW................................................1672
Tubbs Snowshoes.........................3947
Turbine Boardwear........................ 473
Turtle Fur Group...........................1125
Ugg Australia..................................1030
Under Armour - MTN................... 749
Uniform Gallery.............................. 100
Union Binding................................3357
Unity Snowboard
. Manufacturing LLC.................2965
USRA - Rep Associations................ 19
Uvex...................................................3102
Vail Resorts Inc..............................1148
Vans....................................................3771
Venture Snowboards..................1771
VestPac............................................... 272
Vew-Do Balance Boards.............. 374
Vintage Winter..............................2400
VIRUS Action Sport
. Performance................................ 370
Vision Sport Distribution...........310
Voile Skis..........................................3211
Voile Splitboards...........................1773
Volcom................................................ 765
Volkl...................................................4323
Volkl Performance Wear...........4323
VonZipper........................................1069
VR2 Distribution Inc...................1748
Watson’s Bodywear.................. 1145
Wend Performance......................366
Weston Snowboards...................360
White Sierra..................................... 525
Wigwam Mills, Inc........................1703
Wind X-treme America, LLC.......... 274
Winter Park Resort /
. Ruby Hill......................................2910
Winter Trails........................................ 21
Wintersteiger Inc.........................3335
Wooly Bully Wear........................518
Wrong Gear Inc.............................3674
XBoards, Inc................................. 1873
Yaktrax..............................................3514
Yeah For It Distribution.............2274
YES Now Board.............................2971
Zanheadgear &
. Bobster Eyewear........................ 970
ZDAR Boot USA.............................. 515
Zeal Optics......................................3657
Zeon Corporation.........................1469
Zero Rh+..........................................310
Ziener................................................1708
On-Snow Demo List
Winter Park
22 Designs
Thirty-Two Boots & Outerwear
ABS Avalanche Rescue Devices
Adidas Snowboarding
Anon.
Apex Ski Boots
APO
Arbor Collective
. (snowboards/skateboards)
Armada
Arnette
Atomic USA Alpine
Bern Unlimited
Black Diamond Equipment LTD
Blizzard
Bolle’ / Serengeti Eyewear
Bon Hiver
Burton Snowboards
CAPiTA snowboards
CelsiusSnow USA
Contour
CP Ski North America
Craft
Dahlgren Alpaca Socks
Dalbello Sports AT
Dalbello Sports Ski Boots
DC Snowboards & Boots
Deeluxe Snowboard boots
Dinosaurs Will Die Snowboards
DPS Skis
Dragon Alliance
Drake
Drift Innovations:
. POV Action Cameras
DYE Precision
Dynafit
Dynastar Skis
Echelon Snowboards
Elan Skis
Electric Visual
Epic Planks
Faction Skis
First Degree Boots
Fischer Skis US (skis/boots)
Flow Snowboarding
Flux Binding Systems
Full Tilt Boots
G3 Genuine Guide Gear
Garmont NA
GeigerRig Hydration Systems
Giro Sport Design (goggles)
Giro Sport Design (helmets)
Company
Booth #
GNU
GoPro
GOODE Ski Technologies
H2O Outdoor Gear
Head Wintersports
. (alpine skis/ski boots/bindings)
High Society Freeride Company
Holmenkol.US
Icelantic Skis
ION Cameras
Jones Snowboards
K2 Boots
K2 Goggles
K2 Helmets
K2 Poles
K2 Skis
K2 Snowboarding
Kaenon
Kastle Skis
Kerma Ski Poles
La Sportiva
Lange Ski Boots
Lazer Helmets
Leki Poles
Lib Tech
Liberty Skis
Light Bohrd
Line Skis
Liquid Image
Look Bindings
Madshus
Marker USA (AT)
Meier Skis
MFD
Moment Skis
Morrow Snowboards
Mostic Inc
Native Eyewear
Never Summer Inudstries
Niche Snowboards
Nikita Snowboards
Nitro Snowboards
Nordica (skis/boots)
Northern Lights Snowshoes
Northwave
NOW Snowboarding
Ortovox USA
OSBE
OZ Snowboards
POC (helmets/goggles)
Point6
Pret Inc
PRO-TEC
RED
Ride Snowboards
Rocky Mountain Underground
Rome Snowboard
. Design Syndicate
Rossignol Alpine
Rossignol Snowboard
Rottefella NNN Bindings
. (Nordic/backcountry/track)
Roxy
Salomon USA (alpine)
Salomon USA (goggles)
Salomon USA (helmets)
Salomon USA (snowboards)
SCARPA North America, Inc
Scott Sports (hardgoods)
Shred Optics (helmets/goggles)
SIGNAL SNOWBOARDS
SKILOGIK
SkiA Designs
Skullcandy
Slytech Protective Gear
Smith
Smokin’ Snowboards
Spy Optic
Superfeet Worldwide
Swix Sport (alpine/ski tuning
. equipment/poles)
Technine
Tecnica
TOKO
Tyrolia (alpine/AT/bindings)
Union Bindings
Vans
Venture Snowboards
Voile
Volkl (AT/tele)
Volkl
Von Zipper (sunglasses/goggles)
Weston Snowboards
APO - White Doctor
Yeah for it Distributions!
. (Bataleon, Lobster, Switchback)
YES Snowboards
Zeal Optics
Nordic Demo/
Devil’s Thumb Ranch
Alpina
Atlas Snow-Shoe Co
Atomic USA Nordic
Fischer Skis US (Nordic)
Madshus
Northern Lights Snowshoes
Rossignol Nordic
Rottefella NNN Bindings
Salomon USA (Nordic)
Smith
Swix Sport
product picks Top Trends
Wish List
Atomic Race Skate Boot
Booth #3923; MSRP $329; atomic.com
We’ve become familiar with the simple-to-use, reel-based Boa Closure System in snowboard and ski boots, and helmets. Now Atomic has chosen to include the system in this
boot, the first Nordic model to use Boa. The adjustable, stainless-steel lace cable snugs
the inner boot around your foot for precision fit. The outer boot includes a carbonreinforced SNS Pilot Racing sole for stiffness and efficient power transfer.
Jones Ultracraft Split 156
Photos by (clockwise from tOp left) bligh gillies (2); jackie Mccaffrey; andrew bydlon (2)
Booth #2971; MSRP $1,200; jonessnowboards.com
It seems anathema for a snowboard brand, but the splitboard Ultracraft was designed
for use as individual skis. And, indeed, this superlight (5.5 pounds) work of art will flex
and climb like skis on the up. But once those climbing skis click back into place, the
board—made from a jigsaw composite of carbon, fiberglass, and wood—will give in all
the right places for the ride down. A limited release will be available through Jones
EPICenter retailers for fall 2013.
Polarmax Micro H1 Crew
Booth # 2333; MSRP $30;
polarmax.com
Natural fibers are all the rage in
base layers. But not everyone can
wear wool. Now Polarmax has a
base layer for men and women that
sports the heathered feel of wool—
but without the wool. This quickdrying, long-sleeve, synthetic crew
has four-way stretch and antimicrobial and wicking properties.
Made from 94 percent polyester
and 6 percent Lycra, it comes in
a half-dozen colors and works as a
warming layer or fashion piece.
POC Fornix Backcountry MIPS Helmet
Booth #1357; MSRP $200; pocsports.com
Helmets in the backcountry make so much sense.
Most impressive in this backcountry-oriented lid:
the incorporation of MIPS technology (found in
the interior lining), which offers increased multidirectional protection in a collision. Goggle vents
move air away from the face and prevent fogging
up, even on the uphill. And since it seemingly
weighs about as much as a CLIF bar, there’s no excuse to leave it in the car.
Aratik Board Sports Trainer
Booth #267; MSRP $75; aratikusa.com
The brainchild of pro snowboarder Matt Piercey,
this new balance-training device is designed to
be used in the privacy of your own home—family
room, bedroom, or backyard. Fashioned from durable, partially recycled plastic soft enough to not
damage your board’s edges, the device looks like the
low concrete bumpers in a parking lot. The bottom is grippy for stability on shag carpet or snow.
Strap into your own boots and board, then hop up
on the flat top to work on balance and tricks that
will translate to the rails in the park. It’s like having
your own mini funbox.
SIAsnowshow.com
35
At the show images
At
ey h
Th
’re
l
j e
us te
tl s
ike :
us
!
▲ They sign their names on stuff: Dew
Tour champ and pro freeskier Tom Wallisch
takes a breather between autographs.
▲ They listen to NPR: Eero Ettala (in green) and the ring girls at 686’s Charity Boxing Match
are cheered by Carl Kasell’s rich baritone. Danny Kass (L) stands by for a NewsHour update.
▼ They spend liberally on
hair products: Glen Plake
dishes tips for styling with
bleach and super-hold gels.
▲ They don’t tuck in their shirts: Dean
Cummings rocks a buff-casual look while
delivering his Steep Life Protocols seminar.
36
▲ They mug for the camera: Today’s cover models ham it up
during the photo shoot in the Snow Show Daily office. Is that a
little jug of moonshine, Chanelle?
P: Mike Crane
Action Sports
Brandon Bunnewith (R) basks in
his glory with Skiing Business
editor Ryan Dionne and
SIA’s M.C. Neville.
Hero for a Day
“Bro’d to SIA” contest winner dishes on his trip of a lifetime
Brandon Bunnewith, 21, an employee at Competitive Edge Ski and Bike in Holyoke, Mass., is stoked to be at the
SIA Show. Winner of the SIA and Skiing Business contest Bro’d to SIA, which gives one shop employee the chance to go
behind the scenes of the snow sports industry at the Show, Bunnewith was ready to ogle the goods, schmooze with the pros,
and maybe check out a party or two (but don’t tell his mom) when we caught up with him Friday.
What do you do at the shop?
Registers, sales, boot fitting, tuning, and tech work.
Any good stories from the sales floor?
The people in our area come up with crazy questions. They’ll say, “I’m looking for 220 straight skis. Do you guys have any?”
Or it will be February, and they’ll be asking to rent skis for the season.
Sounds like you do a bit of everything there while fielding absurd requests. What have you been
up to so far at SIA?
I’ve just been walking around and taking it in. I’ve talked to reps for a few new companies that I’d like to try to get into our
shop. I’ve spent most of my time looking at the niche companies rather than the big guys, because it’s nice to see something
new. And if a product is not in any other shops close to us, hopefully people will travel to our store. But I’m also excited to
go around and see new products, especially from Nordica, Atomic, Völkl, and K2.
What are you most looking forward to, other than who can throw the best party?
My mom is going to read this, so I’ll say looking for a full-time job for when I graduate in May. I want to see who I can meet,
and I’ll try to get my foot in the door. I’m very, very grateful to SIA. I wasn’t going to be coming here if it wasn’t for them,
and I hope this will lead me into the industry.
What’s the end goal, professionally speaking?
Ultimately, I want to work for myself—it seems like working for yourself is the thing to do—but that’s probably some years
out. Marketing and sales is what I’ll likely start out in. It will give me the most ability to learn and get an idea about what’s
going on on the manufacturing side. And then I’ll branch out.
—Courtney Holden
38
“Winter sports are whiter than the Tea Party,” says
SOS Outreach executive director Arn Menconi. His
group is hosting its fourth annual Youth Summit today
at 8:30 a.m. in the lobby. The summit is a call to action.
“The percent of minorities in winter sports is not even
close to being reflective of the nation’s demographics,”
Menconi adds. “SOS’s conversion rate of turning firsttimers into longtime skiers and snowboarders is 24 percent, compared with the ski industry’s 16 percent,” he
says. “You don’t have to have a disposable income over
$125,000 to convert minorities into the sport.”
Founded in 1993, SOS Outreach is a youth development nonprofit that uses adventure sports and mentoring
to engage at-risk kids ages eight to 18. It has its roots in
snowboarding; the name originally stood for Snowboard
Outreach Society. The program strives to promote responsibility, self-confidence, and leadership skills by instilling values like discipline, courage, and integrity.
The event will feature remarks by SIA president David Ingemie, Mary Jo Tarallo of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, and SOS youth participants. Snowboarding icon Tom Sims will be remembered with a Lifetime
Achievement Award for the Tom Sims Legacy Fund,
which helps disadvantaged kids get out on snowboards.
SOS will also present its Corporate Social Responsibility Award to VF Corporation’s Outdoor Action Sports
Coalition for its financial support in getting kids outside
through donations from its brands, from SmartWool and
The North Face to Vans and Reef.
Last year, SOS served 5,000 youth over 20,530 days,
the lion’s share in winter. A highlight was sending 18
kids to the 2012 London Olympics. “We don’t believe in
one-and-done,” says Menconi. “You have to have a longterm relationship.” SOS participants start with adventure
sports, but then go on to service projects that teach environmental stewardship. The next phase is a mentoring
program. Kids often stay with SOS for four or five years.
Ultimately, 78 percent of participants go on to attend
college. “We use sports as the carrot to develop leaders,”
says Menconi.
SOS kids put themselves out
there.
Photos by (from left) bligh gillies; courtesy; bligh gillies (3)
SOS Youth Summit returns
The North Face Freethinker Pant
Alp-n-Rock, LLC,
Oakley’s Avenue Classic Beanie,
Midweight Fleece Neckie, and
Elevate Goggle
Patagonia ‘s Untracked Anorak
and Untracked Pant
They Call It Mellow Yellow
Winter 2013’s top hue is muted and earthy
Mustard, mellow yellow, or egg yolk—whatever you want to call it, the color also
known as ochre is trending big in next season’s snow sports apparel. Manufacturers are pairing it with everything from dark teal to brown, or using it all on its own as a statement piece.
No matter what its iteration, one thing’s for sure: Ochre is quite a departure from last season’s
spray of fluorescents and vivid color blocking.
Extracted from clay, ochre is one of humankind’s longest-used natural pigments. According to style blog ReDoItDesign.com, Fall 2013’s resurgence of warm earth tones comes from
an “economically driven nostalgia for simpler eras.” These color trends are rooted in the
1940s and ’50’s, but with a modern twist that includes nods to “environmental conservancy, vintage craftsmanship, and a bohemian practicality.”
After the 2012 SIA Snow Show, I wrote a wrap-up based upon the trends that stood
out to me. At that time, it was all about the colors purple and orange and about urban
lumberjacks. The lumberjacks have survived another season in hipsterdom, only now they
will be sporting more muted, earthy tones—ones more suited for an outdoorsman, anyway.
Here’s to having egg on your face. Or on your jacket, pants, hats, or gloves.
—Ali Levy
(Visual merchandising consultant Ali Levy works regularly with SIA)
39
At the show top news
Risky Business
With the backcountry market currently the golden child of the snow sports
industry and with participation exploding, safety might be more important than sales.
That’s the message from Thursday’s “The Business of the Backcountry” panel discussion
hosted by Verde PR.
In front of a crowd of nearly 200 at the Backcountry Experience booth, panelists discussed proactive steps the industry can take to address the need for consumer education
and risk awareness. The discussion was particularly timely in the wake of John Branch’s
recent story on last winter’s Tunnel Creek avalanche for the New York Times and Outside
magazine’s coverage of the same tragedy, both of which helped expose the world of backcountry travel to more people than ever.
“It’s the first time industry professionals have gathered to create a blueprint for
addressing this,” says Verde founder and moderator Kristin Carpenter-Ogden. “Endconsumer avalanche awareness is front and center within the snow sports industry
and demands a proactive solution that only dedicated professionals can create.”
Panelists included pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, skier Glen Plake, ESPN.com
freeskiing editor Megan Michelson (at right, with microphone), Backcountry.com’s
Hud Knight (whose company saw a 40-percent increase in ski safety sales over the past
year), Backcountry Access vice president Bruce Edgerly, Colorado Avalanche Information Center director Ethan Greene, and Crested Butte general manager Ethan Mueller.
Fielding questions from both Carpenter-Ogden and the audience that ranged from what
can be done regarding the “human factor” to how media and manufacturers can promote
consumers’ use of qualified guides, all prioritized the need to educate consumers more
consistently with a simplified safety message.
“We need to get the prevention and safety message out there,” says Michelson, the
author of the Outside piece and one of the skiers involved at Tunnel Creek at the time
of the avalanche.
Companies like Backcountry Access are addressing safety with retail education programs and other consumer outreach efforts, and Jones Snowboards helps get the message across with avalanche awareness stickers placed on every snowboard. But all agree
more can be done.
“We hope to inspire people to get out in the backcountry, but with that comes the
responsibility to educate them,” says Jones. Adds Greene: “With most accidents, a very
simple message would have helped people survive.”
In the end, says Mueller, it comes down to the buyer. “The consumer decides where
the market goes,” he says. “Hopefully, [recent incidents] will result in a push for more
awareness and better decision-making.”
—Eugene Buchanan
40
SIAsnowshow.com
“With most accidents, a very simple message would
have helped people survive.”
—Ethan Greene, Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Photos by
crystal sagan
Backcountry panel emphasizes safety over sales
At the show calendar
Events
What’s happening at the 2013 SIA Snow Show
Daily Events
6:55AM-9:15AM | Room 103 |
Donut Dunking Christian Fellowship
Donut Dunking Christian Fellowship Inspirational discussion—join us
for two minutes or two hours. Note: starts at 5:00PM on Thursday.
All Day | L2 | National Ski Patrol
National Ski Patrol’s 75th Anniversary Special Exhibit Celebrate at
this retrospective with photos, vintage equipment, and uniforms.
8:00AM-6:00PM | Booth #3465 | SIA/Malakye.com/686
RECLAIM Project. Stop by to see three hand-picked aspiring outerwear
designers compete to produce an original garment created from
existing “reclaimed” materials and trims. The winner will be announced
Saturday at 5:00PM. Note: Not available on Sunday.
9:00AM-10:00AM | Booth #4147 | Honey Stinger
Stinger Waffle Coffee Hour Free coffee and Stinger Waffles (while
supplies last).
9:00AM- 10:00AM | Booth #4501 |
Rental World/Backshop/SIA
Free Coffee Get your morning pick-me-up.
9:00AM-12:00PM | Booth #2841 | Footbalance
Customize Your Morning Show us your dealer badge, and you’ll receive
a free pair of custom-molded footbeds.
9:00AM-5:00PM | Booth #3930 | Salomon
Salomon Dance, Dance Revolution-ary Gear Move like Jagger in Salomon’s new Quest Motion Fit jacket and test your dance moves. Enter to
win an X-Box and/or a jacket.
9:00AM-5:00PM | Booth #2423 | Chaos Headwear
Chaos Fundraiser for SOS Outreach Buy a hip, cool beanie at a discount;
Chaos will donate the proceeds to Colorado-based SOS Outreach.
9:00AM-5:00PM | Booth #1331 | Krimson Klover
Sweater Giveaway Krimson Klover will be giving away a fun and feminine designer sweater every day of the Show! Drop your business card
in the hat at our booth to enter. All entries must be in by 5 pm each day.
9:00AM-5:00PM | Booth #1415 | Malibu Cowboy
Free Raffle Enter to win one of two pairs of Malibu Cowboy Boots. The
winners will be drawn Sunday, February 3, at 10:30AM.
9:00AM-5:00PM | Booth #4505 | FedEx
FedEx Booth & Ship Center Visit the FedEx booth for your Show shipping needs. The Ship Center is only offered Sunday, Feb. 3 (last day of
the Show), from 9:00AM-7:00PM.
10:00AM-4:00PM | Booth #839 | Snow Angel
A Date with Snow Angel Overscheduled? Set aside time for a speed date
with Snow Angel, a quick and concise 15-minute overview of the 2013
collection. Top of the hour each day: 10:00AM, 2:00PM, and 4:00PM.
11:00AM-6:00PM | Booth #2178 | Arnette
Beats, Brews, and Tattoos 2 Free tattoos from 11:00AM-4:00PM, with
Jason Boatman of Think Tank Tattoo. Music begins at 5:00PM, featuring
DJ Matty Mo. Note: not available on Sunday.
Saturday, February 2
7:00AM-9:00AM | Rooms 401, 402 | OIWC/SIA
OIWC Thought Leaders Presentation and Breakfast Burton Snowboard’s Donna Carpenter shares how she has shaped the industry
through her women’s initiatives, dedication, and passion.
7:30AM-8:30AM | Room 301 | SIA
Grow Sales More Efficiently By Leveraging Real-Time Consumer
Analytics In-Store, Online, and at the Call Center Learn how consumer
insights, segmentation, mapping, and real-time data are reshaping the
manufacturing, retail, and hospitality industries. Anthony Ciani.
7:30AM-8:30AM | Room 302 | SIA
How Manufacturers and Retailers Can Align While Selling Online
Selling direct to consumers does not have to be a battlefield when using
the right e-commerce platform. Mike Bisner.
8:30AM-9:00AM | Booth #20
4th Annual Youth Summit Celebrates the action taken by the outdoor
industry to introduce underserved youth to outdoor sports. This year’s
SOS Outreach Corporate Social Responsibility Award will be presented
to V.F. Corporation.
9:00AM-10:00AM | Booth #278 |
BlueBird Social Zone
Media and E-Commerce Law Identify the key channels for business
owners and marketing managers, as well as the legal requirements that
apply to anyone with a website. Sal Orofino.
12:00PM-1:00PM | Booth #278 |
BlueBird Social Zone,
The Inside Scoop: Working with Bloggers Turner PR moderates this
panel of top snow bloggers who share how best to work with them.
12:00PM-1:00PM | Room 102 | SIA
WANTED: Your Input on Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month and
Bring a Friend These bottom-up, grassroots initiatives have a proven
track record in developing new business. Help us answer the question,
Where do we go from here? Mary Jo Tarallo and Raelene Davis.
12:00PM-1:00PM | Booth #4571 | Backcountry Experience
Steep Life Protocols Join steep-skiing icon Dean Cummings for this
classroom edition of his award-winning Be Snow Smart avalanche
education program.
12:00PM-1:00PM | Room 104 | SSRP
Snow Sports Recycling Program Retailer Luncheon Invitation only;
contact [email protected] for more information.
1:30PM-2:30PM | Room 301 | SIA
Overcoming Seasonality: Leveraging Social Media to Tell a YearRound Brand Story Even if Your Product Doesn’t Learn to leverage
your brand across all four seasons and use social media to build brand
advocates. Turner PR.
Retail Marketing Made Easy: A Complete Season-Long
Marketing Mix at Your Fingertips We’ll walk you through the
components of the Retailer Marketing Guide and how it’s set up for
quick and easy use across a variety of marketing channels.
Mike Duncan and Vicki Vasil.
9:00AM-10:00AM | Room 302 | SIA
1:30PM-2:30PM | Room 302 | SIA
Bamboo and the Board Sports Industry Learn about sustainability and
zero formaldehyde adhesives, as well as bamboo processing, application, and performance characteristics. Dan Smith.
9:00AM-10:00AM | Room 301 | SIA
Tell Your Brand Story While Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Learn
to create segmented sales strategies and build merchandised programs
while maintaining the branding effectiveness of your printed catalogs.
Josh Reddin and Mike Mougin.
There’s a Free Marketing Tool with 67% Converted Sales—And It’s
Green! Your shop can help create green products from discarded
equipment, and earn marketing and PR opportunities, through the
Snow Sports Recycling Program.
3:00PM-4:00PM | Room 301 | SIA
10:00AM-12:00PM | Booth #3501 | Redfeather Snowshoes
5:00PM-6:00PM | CSCUSA Central Lounge |
SIA/Malakye.com/686
Meet Redfeather Snowshoes’ Elite Race Team Member Dr. Lisa
Schrader A Colorado-based educator and triathlete will discuss snowshoe training, running, and racing.
10:30AM-11:30AM | Room 302 | SIA
5 Keys to Online Success for Small Business Explore the two halves
of the digital equation: how to build online traffic and how to convert
traffic into customers. Includes a free e-book. Dan Smink.
10:30AM-11:30AM | Room 301 | SIA
E-Commerce from a Brand Perspective: How Nordica Markets and
Sells Online Without Leaving Their Dealers in the Dust Tyler Kipp and
Ben McKinley.
12:00PM-1:00PM | Room 301 | SIA
Around the Internet in One Hour: All You Need to Know About Social
At Transworld Business’ snowboard
rental seminar (from L): AASI’s
Scott Anfang, Sam Wagner from
Dave’s Snowboard Shop, and
Burton’s Jeff Boliba.
How the Cloud Enables Snow Sports Success Learn how companies
like Hestra, GoPro, and Scarpa manage their business more efficiently
by leveraging the power of the cloud. Ranga Bodla and Dino Dardano.
RECLAIM Project Winner Announced
5:00PM-7:00PM | Booth #3447 | OIWC
Optic Nerve’s Goggles for Gals Purchase a pair goggles for $20 and
enjoy a free beer. Benefits OIWC.
5:00PM-6:00PM | Booth #722 |
Bergans of Norway
Norwegian Happy Hour at Bergans Free beer and Norwegian
munchies at our new two-story booth.
9:00PM-2:00AM | Diamond Cabaret, 1222 Glenarm |
JammyPack
Third Annual Electric Glam Snow Jam Music by Bones (Gotta Dance
Dirty) and Troy Kurtz (from Overthrow).
11:00AM-6:00PM | Room #201 | SIA
Supporting Member Lounge & International Buyers’ Lounge
Note: the lounge closes at noon on Sunday.
Camtrol Give Away! Giving away Camtrol Sniper 1080 and iOn cameras.
Note: not available on Sunday.
3:00PM-4:00PM | Booth #3413 | Mountain Goat Ski Totes
Free Product Drawing Check out this innovative, new lightweight and
compact ski and snowboard carrying system and enter the drawing to
win one of five. Note: not available on Sunday.
5:00PM-6:00PM | CSCUSA Central Lounge |
SIA/CSCUSA
Daily Happy Hour Enjoy a few cold ones with industry friends.
Note: not available on Sunday.
42
Photo by andrew bydlon
3:00PM-4:00PM | Booth #1222
question of the day At the show
The National Ski Patrol is celebrating its 75th anniversary at
the Show. Has the ski patrol ever saved your butt on the hill?
“I’m lucky enough to
say no.”
Photos by ben fullerton
—Meghon Shrewsbury,
buyer, Sugar Bowl Resort,
Norden, Calif.
“I was learning to
snowboard, and I
ended up with my
board twisting all the
way around. After ski
patrol stopped laughing, they took me back
down.”
—Wes Allen, buyer,
Sunlight Sports, Cody, Wyo.
“Almost a year ago
today, I ruptured my
spleen while on the
hill, and I eventually
had to get it removed.
I passed out on the
mountain, and ski patrol saved my butt.”
—Jason Root, exhibitor,
Spark R&D, Bozeman, Mont.
“I had a broken femur,
a spiral fracture. It
made the front page
of the St. Paul Pioneer
Press as the first and
worst break of the
season.”
—Janie Swanson,
exhibitor with Skea Ltd.,
St. Paul, Minn.
“I’m a ski patrol alumni.
Although I haven’t
been saved, I remember my first patient. He
had poked his eye with
a ski pole.”
—Carol Hudson,
executive assistant, National Ski
Patrol, Lakewood, Colo
At the show heard in the aisles
It’s a jungle out there
“Those guys are going after our business so hard we’re
thinking about leasing them our booth.”
—An exhibitor talking about the competition
Patrol sled chasers?
Spotted on I-70 on the way from the mountains to Denver: a billboard asking, “Injured in a ski accident?” with
contact info for a lawyer’s website.
We really mean it
“We’re the only nonprofit that doesn’t use the international distress signal as an acronym. SOS really just
means we need help.”
—SOS Outreach executive director Arn Menconi
Doing the networking thing at Friday
morning’s ShmoozaPalooza
Apparel designer Becky Donaghy
in the heat of competition at the
RECLAIM project
A not so perfect 10
Obama care?
POW’s 10th anniversary booth party was a bit of a bust
in one respect—all of the alcohol was confiscated shortly
after it started because the company hadn’t acquired the
necessary permit. At least they had enough beers left to
raise a real toast for this photo.
“Bernard Pollard keeps saying how someone is going to
die in an NFL game, but no one is talking about how
many critical injuries there are in the X Games. Why
isn’t Obama making a speech about that?”
—Overheard in the coffee line, in reference to
President Obama’s recent comments on football’s
head-injury epidemic.
Early-morning loophole
“Joke is on them—I’m still drunk.”
—Show attendee commenting on the “No alcohol may be
brought into the show” sign at the bottom of the escalators.
Window of opportunity
“Hold on—I’m writing the most important text of the
next 10 seconds.”
—Chris Adams, Marker Völkl USA
We’re all selling something
“It’s not chunky guys, it’s just frozen.”
—Colleen Ryan, working through some dairy issues at the
Kästle booth’s coffee bar
44
New heights in fashion
“I still have the pink double boots from Scarpa that I used
on Everest in 1994.”
—Sen. Mark Udall (D), Colorado, who visited the
Snow Show Friday
Border crossing
“You cross a certain line, and things get louder, and the
clothing gets less.”
—A first-time Show goer commenting on the invisible yet
discernible divide between the ski and
snowboard exhibit areas
Photos by (from top) ben fullerton; andrew bydlon (2)
POW celebrates its 10th anniversary.
THE COMBYN
The flagship of our innovative Soft Shell category, the Combyn delivers an exciting new
helmet option for progressive riders. Inspired by park and pipe riding where repeated
impacts are the inevitable price of progression, we combined a patent-pending, impactabsorbing liner crafted from Vinyl Nitrile foam with a proprietary, flexible outer shell.
The result? An ultra-comfortable, flexible fit, unmatched durability, and both high and
low-energy impact absorption across a wide range of temperatures.
See the Combyn at SIA booth #3650

- Amazon Web Services

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