Category Archives: Opinion/Debate

As part of attending SIA I of course now get emails from them about various aspects of the industry. Recently I was sent a mail that had all sorts of sales numbers and stats for the season. The economic aspect of the industry usually isnt my thing but theres a few things I thought were worth noting and sharing with you (please remember these numbers are snow industry wide from tele-skis to snowboards unless other wise noted)

To start… this year was a record year with 3.3 billion in sales eclipsing the previous record of 3 billion in 2007/2008. This isnt too surprising as the  economy as a whole starts to regain momentum its expected that people will again spend money on luxury items, and lets be honest  snow sports are luxury items.

The bigger deal comes with the following information…  Inventories were 19% leaner than end of season last year and end of season prices were 10% higher  than last year.  It looks like industry wide both in production AND retail people are finally getting the hint. Curtail manufacturing and inventories so retailers are better able to keep prices up. This may sound like a so so thing  as a consumer but this is healthy for the industry as a whole. Going a bit deeper into these numbers we find that sales were up early but actually declined in the first part of 2011 vs. the same  period in 2010 and inventory shortage was cited as the reason so it looks like there could be a tad more tweaking to get the balance exactly right.

One last notable stat was that Alternate Camber Boards made up 42% of retail units sales and 46% of retail dollars earned. Some folks have kind of made a big deal with this information but to me its not that surprising, especially when you consider the wide array different cambers 42% sounds reasonable.

Anyway point is its good to see the industry healthy and growing. Its good to see that people are learning that pumping out as many boards as possible is not healthy for overall retail sales.  Remember to support your local shops to help keep snowboarding healthy!

Heres the full mail with more stats including breakdowns into outer wear, accessories, and regional statistics.

MCLEAN, Va. (May 2, 2011) - The snow sports market brought in a record $3.3 billion over the full 2010/11 season (previous highest sales record was $3 billion, set in 2007/08). Overall, snow sports sales were up 8% in units sold, and 12% in dollars sold. Leaner inventories kept prices strong throughout the season, equipment inventories finished the season 19% leaner and equipment prices were 10% higher than they were at the close of last season. In fact, retail margins finished the season up 10% for equipment, up 10% for accessories, and up 4% for apparel goods sold.

Source: SIA RetailTRAK™ BY Leisure Trends Group. Topline data includes carryover sales.

2010/2011 Season Trends

• Alpine skis (flat skis sold without bindings) in the 80mm-110mm waist width category were up 74% in dollars sold on more than 74,000 units compared to 47,000 units sold last season.
• Women’s ski sales increased 20% in units sold and 26% in dollars sold this season. 149,000 out of a total of 419,000 alpine skis sold were women’s models this season.
• AT/Randonee equipment sales finished the season up 90% overall in dollars sold, and up 87% in units sold. Most notably, AT/Randonee boots sales finished up 126% in units and up 124% in dollars sold. 
• Reverse/Mixed camber ski sales finished the season up 134% in units sold and 129% in dollars sold. Approximately 54,000 pairs of reverse camber/mixed camber skis were sold this season.
• Reverse camber snowboard sales were up 42% in units sold and 46% in dollars sold. In fact, 45% of all current season model boards sold this season have reverse camber. 
• Americans fought the cold with insulated parkas this season and sales reflected cold and snowy La Niña conditions. Insulated parka sales finished the season up 24% in units sold and up 24% in dollars sold to $394 million in total sales.
• Helmet sales were very strong this season with 1.2 million sold, up 3% in units sold and up 12% in dollars sold.
• Snowshoe sales are up 21% in units and up 20% in dollars sold through February this season.

This season, American consumers spent $902 million on snow sports equipment. Sales peaked in December and January but fell off the pace in February and March due to scarcity. Prices remained strong through the end of the season, particularly for equipment, demonstrating the market power of leaner inventories. In the past, retailers incentivized buyers with slashed prices for equipment, often selling current season equipment as carryover (sold at or below average retail cost). This season, sales of carryover equipment units were down 37% in February and down 27% in March 2011.

Apparel sales set a new record this season with $1.2 billion sold. The weather helped push apparel sales throughout the season as La Niña dumped snow across the Northern half of the U.S. through April. Overall, apparel sales were up 7% in units sold and up 11% in dollars sold. Keep in mind that snow sports apparel is purchased by many who will never ride a ski lift but want to be warm, dry and fashionable in the worst winter weather.

Snow sports accessories like helmets, gloves, ski racks, and snowshoes enjoyed excellent sales this season, accessories sales finished the season up 9% in units sold and up 14% in dollars sold bringing in $1.2 billion total. Helmets accounted for 10% of all accessories sales this season as the trend to protect against head injuries in skiing and other sports where collisions are likely continued to gain strength on new medical discoveries. In fact, more than 1.2 million snow sports specific helmets were sold this season.

Weather plays the most critical role in snow sports sales. Regionally, heavy snow and colder than average temperatures drove consumers to buy in the western region where sales were up 21% in equipment dollars sold, 14% in apparel and 20% in accessories sales. The Northeast also enjoyed sales increasing including 15% more in equipment dollars, 18% more in apparel and 19% in accessories dollars sold during the season. In the South, snow sports participants who were headed for more mountainous terrain continued their equipment buying spree increasing sales up 16%, but warmer weather in the southern U.S. did not drive apparel and accessories sales. Southern apparel sales were relatively flat with a 2% gain in dollars sold and accessories are up just 1% over last season. The Midwestern region’s sales continued to grow this season; up 13% in equipment, 4% in apparel and up 13% in accessories dollars sold.

I think Ive said it before but I was a History Major in school. One “rule” of history is that every revolution has a counter revolution. Its kind of the history version of “every action has an equal and opposite reaction” except theres usually not much equality involved in revolutions. You can see this in our own politics as screwed up as they are at the moment. There was a “revolution” so to speak that swept Obama into office and as a result theres has been a counter revolution as the conservative right mustered its forces to oppose him. Anyway enough of that I dont want to talk politics here what I want to do is show you how its happening in snowboarding as well…

For example for every one of these….

There is one of these….

For every contest that looks like this….

We are starting to see more contests like this….

Im not siding with either and Im hating on no one Im just remarking that how great a time it is in snowboarding where you can do your thing the way you want to do it  and be appreciated  for it.  Super Tech spins or crazy bomb drops, multiple 80 foot kickers or “waves” for slashing however you want to snowboard its out there. Yin and Yang, equal and opposites, revolutions and counter revolutions…..

Well Christmas has come and gone and New Years is a few days away. This week is affectionately known as Gaper Week by most of the locals because its the week when all the kids are out of school and there are tons of tourists at the resorts. Its OK to laugh at the Gapers just dont taunt them or feed them people food. Seriously (not really) though its not that big of deal.. most of the Gapers are just folks who dont get  the pleasure of either living in a snow town or being on the hill for dozens and dozens of days a season like the rest of us. For this reason they dont understand how silly, ridiculous, and/or annoying they can sometimes be so Im here to give them all a few pointers….

First things first … NO FUCKING THEME HATS  no fake  dreadlocks,  jester hats,  fake mohawk beanies, viking horns  none of that .. just stop it stop it now

Dads … Dont be jerks to your 5 years olds.  Avoid any run with names like WidowMaker, Over The Edge,  Niagara Falls, Lemmings Leap, Deaths Door, etc etc … your kid is five cut him some slack and get to the beginner runs

No expert park ever .. not even to look .. just stay out

Blue Jeans and your local college teams Starter Jacket do not make appropriate mountain wear. I understand gear is expensive but buy you some basic gear and it will last you 5 years or longer and you will be much more comfortable.

Moms… especially Southern Moms… theres no need for full make-up, jewelry, and perfume on the mountain .. seriously WTF

If you are in a group of 2 or more do not get into the lift line until your entire group is ready … dont get to the chair then turn around and look for your homies who are a dozen people back

If you are going down a run and theres a group of trees its ok for your group to go on opposite sides of the trees. Believe it or not you will meet up again on the other side. No need to panic, no screaming needed, and no walking back up hill for someone to get on the “right” side of the trees….

Maps are helpful for many non locals.. take the opportunity to look at them on the lift and decide where your group will meet… dont wait until you get off the lift to pile up and try to figure out where you are going

You know that sign that says “do not stop here keep moving” … dont use that for balance as you strap in to your board.. dont stop there .. keep moving

You know that big field of pow that no one has hit on that epic pow day of your trip … well its untracked for a reason .. stay out its either too deep and youll get stuck, full of rocks, or worst case scenario… a lake

Speaking of epic pow days… you should have anticipated them when you went cheap at the car rental place and got the mazda compact instead of the 4×4 … stay out of the canyon with your rear wheel drive death trap

Hey I’m here for your support while you visit my home mountain. If you have any questions or need directions I’m happy to help but my support has its end. The end of my support is when we get off the lift… please stop struggling to stand upright and grabbing at me for support. If you’re just learning maybe the big boy lift wasn’t the best option for you today… look we all fall from time to time even someone like me who’s ridden for over a decade. My point is if you’re going down stop trying to take me with you like a drowning swimmer who kills his would be rescuer … also fyi holding onto the chair isn’t the best option either.

No back country for you … just saying