SnowSports Industries America (SIA) swallowed me down on Thursday and spit me out on Sunday with a bag of free stuff and a mind full of memories. I was fortunate enough to spend the weekend at Denver’s Convention Center for the event’s 50th anniversary, and what a weekend it was.
For those who don’t know, SIA showcases the world’s greatest snow sports products for various global buying groups like ski shops and websites to decide what’s worth selling next season. It is safe to say that nearly every piece of snow gear you own was carefully chosen here first. This is snow sport’s biggest trade show and certainly a bucket list experience for winter enthusiasts like myself. Little did I know I’d be attending so early in my unprompted life, but I’m glad I did.
Presentation was clearly a top priority for these brands, leading to an array of creative booths lining the floor. There were wood booths, metal booths, tent booths, glass booths, trailer booths and even a van booth. Line Skis brought in their rickety “Traveling Circus” van, a well-known mobile home for their sponsored athletes, and a big attraction at SIA. While all these booths were quite different from each other, they all shared one overarching quality. Everyone was handing out free stuff all day, every day. This was just one of many pleasant surprises over the weekend.
The range of brands was vast. Plenty of the big names made it like Salomon, Burton, Rossignol, DC, Patagonia and Nike, all featuring big product lines that were unsurprisingly remarkable. However, the show also allowed some great up-and-coming brands to make their debut, which was really nice to see. I actually felt like one of these startups myself, wandering around with a deer-in-the- headlights look for three days, taking pictures on my iPhone and scribbling notes with my first media pass dangling around my neck. Fortunately in this laid-back business, being new only improved the experience and every second was treasured from my own debut.
The people-watching at SIA is supreme, with some people making million-dollar deals in suits, while others scrounged around in costumes for free beer. The show isn’t open to the public and some sort of professional status is required to attend (buyers, sellers, press, athletes), but a lot of attendees’ intentions seemed to be party-oriented. This became especially clear upon finding the private speakeasy behind one of the booths, which shall remain unnamed due to the course of events I saw take place.
Products are the focus of SIA and they were all outstanding, as expected. Electric Visuals was one of the booths that fell into this category. This sunglass and goggle company has significantly expanded their product line and now offers hundreds of colors and styles to fit any preference. Electric also released a huge line of backpacks, clothing and watches that are all very fashionable and could be quite popular for any market.
Ski Logic is another brand that really caught my eye on the SIA floor. Based out of Breckenridge, Colo., they make skis that hold a true combination of style and function. Unlike a lot of companies that make basic graphics, Ski Logic has a big artistic focus, using wood designs to stand out uniquely. The skis have also won multiple honors for their on-snow performance from various magazines such as Skiing, Powder and Freeskier.
Apex ski boots were the most interesting product at SIA, hands down. These are made of fabric, and styled like snowboard boots for ultimate comfort. The booth was jam- packed for all three days, and I look forward to seeing more of Apex in the future as they shift ski gear’s paradigm.
Attending SIA was an experience that will not be forgotten. I couldn’t be happier that the city I live in happens to be the mecca of skiing and snowboarding gear and even more so that I got to dive in for three days. It was one heck of a weekend; I received my first press pass, was swallowed into the show and was spat out smiling with confirmation that snowsports industries are exactly where I belong.
