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Whistles, Bells, And Other Snowboard Outerwear
Trends "A few years ago I couldn't have sold a jacket with a powder skirt if my life depended on it," says Gunnar Olson, Owner of Ned Limbo snowboard outerwear. "This year it's almost a standard." It was less than five years ago that baggy gangsta-style pants for 90 dollars were the hottest selling item in snowboard outerwear. These days consumers are growing up and demanding garments that will hold up longer than a season, as well as keep them dry and warm. This year at the show technical "backcountry" gear is the most noticeable trend in outerwear. Powder skirts, half and full pant zips, and pit and chest ventilation are just a few of the "bells and whistles" being pushed on buyers. Add all of the "new" fabrics claiming waterproof ratings better than Gore-Tex, single handed draw cords, articulated hoods, inner mesh, and you've got a lot of are buying into the hype, which in some cases may not meet up to their expectations. Not that there's a need to be negative on the current trend of bringing the backcountry to the mainstream consumer, but more is not always better. One would think that everything added to a piece has the potential of taking away in another area, especially if keeping the price low is an issue. Are companies compensating for adding the bells and whistle? It has been noted that the snowboard consumer is still not willing to pay the true price for a jacket that has all of the extras and the high quality fabrics. But change is slow as we all know, and bringing technical into snowboarding outerwear will be an ongoing process. Other trends seen this year are unusual designs like side-zip jackets with no seams in the front of the jacket and a zipper under the arm to keep warmth in. A lot of curved striping on pants and jackets reminiscent of past years Soopkich'n line and even further back 70's ski wear. Down and heavily lined down-like jackets are also a popular item (Can you say North Face rip-off?), as most companies seem to be offering at least one piece like this. Tuesday night Snowboaridng Online attended a fashion show called the Snowboard Gallery put on by the SIA. A sampling of a number of lines from the show were displayed for the media and buyers to get a closer look at various pieces without having to go to the booth. This was a great way to get an overall feel for the trends. Read on and check out the pictures we took of the pieces shown.
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