By: Best Practices by Lou Dzierzak, Lkdcom@visi.com
April 23, 2012

According to Avalanche.org, avalanches have claimed the lives of 30 people in the United States through March 30, 2012. Headlines announcing tragic losses of backcountry skiers seem to come far too regularly.

Despite tenuous snow conditions across the mountain west and almost daily warnings about dangerous avalanche conditions, the appeal of untracked powder continues to attract skiers to the backcountry. “The lure of the powder is all consuming,” says Marcus Petersen CEO of Ortovox USA, The panache of the sport is definitely in side country powder skiing.”

Dave Wray, western sales and marketing manager, SIA, notes, “Once you’ve had a taste of the backcountry, you are hooked. There is some boundary pushing and pushing the envelope. People want to go further, higher and deeper. The core audience is growing every year.”

Jeff Blakely, general manager, Brooks-Range notes, “There are more and more people heading into the backcountry. New equipment and easier access is creating more demand.”

As more skiers are venturing into sidecountry and backcountry areas to pursue powder, carrying the proper safety equipment is becoming even more important. “Shovels and poles are in the skier’s pack all the time. Now you are adding beacons and air bags,” says Blakely of Brooks-Range.

Nathan Kuder, softgoods category director at Black Diamond Equipment notes,” The understanding that there is a need for something additional to the previous standard of beacon, shovel and probe is absolutely changing. Backcountry and sidecountry travelers are increasingly convinced of the advantages of AvaLungs and airbags and are planning accordingly.”

Snow safety experts like Dean Cummings, founder and owner of H20 Guides, member of National Ski Patrol Snow Safety Team and author of “Be Snow Smart” education program, caution that while safety-oriented equipment is very important, education about snow conditions should be the primary focus of backcountry enthusiasts. At the 2012 SIA Snow Show, Cummings presented Be Snow Smart in the exclusive exhibit  Backcountry Experience that educated buyers and attendees on practical tips for avalanche safety. “All the tools are great for when an avalanches strike but there’s no better tool than the one that sits on top your head. Avalanches happen. Snow science just isn’t precise enough to offer any guarantees. The best avalanche science and forecasting can’t help people who make bad decisions, don’t follow good backcountry protocols, and are simply at the wrong place on the mountain at the wrong time.”

Read entire article here. 

This year in alpine skis, the fatter the better. Flat skis with waist widths 95mm-110mm are up 60% in units sold to more than 20,000 units in the first months of 2011/12. Here are some more trends to watch this season…

Trends to watch in 2011/2012

• Reverse and mixed camber ski sales doubled compared to pre-season sales a year ago to 32,000 pairs.
• The fatter, the better – flat skis with waist widths 95mm-110mm are up 60% in units sold to more than 20,000 units in the first months of 2011/2012.
• Rocker/Reverse camber snowboard sales continue to rise; now 70% of all boards sold are rocker.
• Bargain hunters will notice that snowboard apparel average prices are down 4% from August – October 2010.
• Helmets sales continue to grow, unit sales are up 12.5% so far this season.
• Sales of beacons, probes and shovels, necessities for the backcountry experience, are up 19% in units sold.

Reverse cambered snowboards are continuing to grow in popularity, and are up 34%.

Flat skis are up 38%.

Alpine apparel is up 12%.

Overall snow sports equipment, up 14%.

Juniors snowboard apparel is up 38%, despite the overall category only being up 4%.

From the SIA Snow Show floor in Denver, to the Nordic Demo taking place at Devil’s Thumb Ranch on Jan. 30-31 as part of the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest, there’s plenty to be excited about this year, particularly in terms of growth across several key cross-country ski categories. According to SIA, 739,000 kids participated in cross-country skiing last year, establishing a baseline for future growth, and manufacturers report strong demand in everything from top-end race gear to touring equipment for the general consumer.

Get a quick preview of some of the hottest gear that will be at the Show, and which retailers and media can also test at the Nordic Demo. More in-depth information will be available in the Snow Show Dailies on the Show floor. Read here.

SIA Nordic Demo from SnowSports Industries America on Vimeo.

Catch a glimpse of the Nordic Demo at Devil’s Thumb Ranch. We hope to see you there!

See you in Denver!

WANT TO SEE ALL AVALANCHE BEACONS, BACKPACK AIRBAGS, SKINS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN ALL IN ONE PLACE?

Step into SIA’s Backcountry Experience at the 2012 Snow Show. The BC Experience focuses on what it takes to outfit your customers with the best in backcountry hardgoods and accessories while delivering a “Must Knows” of safety information.

Today’s backcountry comes in many different shapes and sizes with everything from lift-accessed Sidecountry to multi-day ski mountaineering expeditions. When outfitting your customers with the right gear knowledge and advice is key to becoming the Expert in your local scene.

Whether Splitboarding, Alpine Touring, Telemark Skiing or hiking a boot pack; once you step beyond the boundaries, you are on your own. Knowledge and equipment go hand in hand here.

Each afternoon backcountry experts are on-hand to share their insight on topics such as: Proper Route Finding, Gear Selection, Beacon Basics, and Avalanche Warning Signs.

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