From slopes to Salt Palace, Utah hosts outdoor retailers

It may not be open to everyone, but in some way, at some time, in some place, it may benefit everyone.

Opening today in the Salt Palace, the Outdoor Retailers show - featuring most of the manufacturers of non-consumptive, human-powered recreational equipment - is expected to attract more than 13,000 retailers from around the world.Before the show opens, attendees were hosted for two days at Solitude for on-hill ski/snowboard-/snow-shoe Demo Days. Like the show, it was open only to retailers, their staff and members of the media.

The opportunity to go on-hill and test ski equipment was one reason the show was moved to Salt Lake City. Rather that simply look, feel and bend new skis and snowboards, attendees are able to test-run the new equipment on snow.

As one Salt Lake retailer, John Bartlett of Canyon Sports, said: "It makes sense that before you buy something and tell the customer just how good it is you test it. That way you speak from experience. It also allows you to test and buy new equipment you may not otherwise buy because you're unfamiliar with it."

The show runs through Tuesday.

Jeff Blumenfeld, with the Miller Freeman Sports Group, said approximately 750 manufacturers will occupy 2,000 booths and 240,000 square feet of space.

According to Blumenfeld, some of the questions retailers are expected to answer include: Is there some new technology that will attract millions more to snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, climbing, hiking and other forms of human-power recreation? How will new products - or improved features on exiting gear - provide safe, comfortable and convenient enjoyment for the outdoors? And what's the next hot trend?

Among the new items on the market:

- Duofold will re-introduce Vent-A-Layer apparel for high-intensity sports. The ventilating panels regulate body temperature at the chest, underarms, neck and inner thighs.

- Mountainsmith will introduce a backpack with side slots to accommodate such things as skis, snowboards, snowshoes and shove. And Shoreline promises a pack with 75 percent more space.

- Faber & Company will have a snowshoe for under $100 that is extremely lightweight. Crescent Moon will introduce a snowshoe just for women.

- Kaufman Footwear promises a boot with the minus-10 degree warmth of a big boot, but with the look of a hiking boot. Salomon will show a lightweight shoe with athletic performance for winter running and high-exertion snowshoeing.