Ski and Snowboard Gear Sales Surge

McLean, VA – The snow sports equipment and apparel retail market reached $1 billion in sales August through November, 14% above last season according to data released this week by the trade group SnowSports Industries America (SIA), setting a new benchmark for early season sales.nEquipment sales are leading the charge with a 22% increase in dollars sold overall and 13% more units sold. Alpine equipment sales are up 23% season to date, and snowboard equipment sales are enjoying an excellent recovery with 20% more dollars sold through November compared to last season’s disappointing numbers. Apparel sales are strong in the early season increasing 9% in dollars sold despite a warmer than average October.

La Niña conditions really took hold in November, bringing in more seasonal snow sports weather and sales. Accessories sales increased more than 16% led by very strong surges in goggles, wax, snowboard accessories and backcountry accessories. Overall, the market is on track to set new benchmarks in dollars sold due to snowy weather brought by La Niña, increased consumer confidence in the snow sports demographic, and snow sports enthusiasts who are ready for new equipment and excellent snow conditions.

“We have increased sales across the board, but one trend is women are back in the market place. They are buying hard goods with a noticeable increase,” said Bill Langlands, owner of Darkside Snowboards in Killington, Vt.

Trends recorded in the early season through November include 56,345 Alpine ski systems with waists 70-79mm sold, a 43% increase. AT/Randonée equipment sales are up more than 70% overall through November, led by boot sales that increased 122% to $3.4 million in sales.

Reverse camber snowboard sales are also hot thus far this season, up 60% in units and reverse camber ski sales are up 130% to more than 18,600 units sold season to date. Snowboard sales overall are up 13% in units and 19% in dollars sold, a solid turnaround from last season’s relatively dismal sales.

Telemark equipment was the only equipment category in the red through November, losing 12% in dollars and 18% in units sold.

On the apparel side, snowboard apparel tops up 19% in dollars sold and glove sales increased 26% in dollars and 24% in units sold. Amongst accessories, goggles sales surged up 46% in units sold to 360,000 pairs. Carryover sales are down 14% overall in specialty ski and snowboard retail shops.

Regionally, heavy early snow, or perhaps, the promise of snow brought consumers out to buy in the Western region where sales were up 30% in dollars sold. The Northeast enjoyed increases of 5% in units sold and 10% in dollars sold after two seasons of decline. Unexpectedly, the South also enjoyed sales increases after last year’s stellar sales. Growth in the Midwest region was steady with a 6% increase in units sold and 9% growth in dollars sold on very strong equipment sales. In fact, equipment sales in the Midwest were up 23% in dollars sold.

Data cited in this story comes from the SIA RetailTRAK conducted by the Leisure Trends Group. The RetailTRAK data is gathered directly from the Point of Sale systems of about one third of the snow sports retailers in the U.S. market. Each season, Leisure Trends gathers snow sports sales data from a representative panel of more than 1,200 snow sports retailers who provide sales data directly from their point of sale systems. The panel and the method for extrapolating the results out to the entire industry is based on a triennial census of snow sports retailers designed to accurately define the size and structure of the snow sports retail marketplace.

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