ASR Show Burns Out Quietly
September 8, 1996

"This is really just a bro-down show," says Ride Sales Rep Kaipo Guerrero who was showing the Cappel line all weekend. "If this was up to me I would just have someone standing in an empty white booth waving at people. Not much gets done here these days."

Mirroring Guerrero's sentiment, Mervin Manufacturing's factory manager Chris Crittendon says that they haven't shown at ASR for years because they recognized the high bro factor with low returns a long time ago, but they still like to send a few people to ASR anyway. "It doesn't make sense for us to be at this show because we are done with our sales season after Vegas. We have no more product to sell at this point in the year."

Skateboards were not allowed in the ASR Show so skaters were forced to pay a dollar and check their boards. Many were not happy about it.

Henry Hester of Rusty Snowboards says that the only reason why they have chosen to try and push snowboard products at this show is because their presence is already being felt with their surf line. "We just sort of snuck the snowboard stuff in with the surf and skate because we are new to the winter market. It's important right now because we're trying to break in a little before Vegas. That early thousand helps, but we're not counting on it."

Silence Snowboards definitely won the prize for having the most noticeable all-snowboard booth at the show. They proudly slapped up their stylish two story trade show dwelling for all to see, but the traffic seemed light compared to the crowd they drew at last year's SIA show.

Probably one of the only snowboard related companies that saw action were the boot marketers. Airwalk's Canadian rep John Rainnie said that California reps like Steve Cathey were slammed all weekend with non-stop traffic for both skate shoes and snowboard boots, but board sales were invisible. "I think people are starting to feel winter getting close so they're panicking and buying more boots before the snow hits," he says.

Overall, the small number of pro snowboarders who showed up at the movie premieres on Friday and Saturday night was a good indication of the incredible disappearing snowboard presence. Spotted over the course of the weekend were: Tina Basich, Russell Winfield, Neal Drake, Noah Brandon, Todd Richards, Elliot Olson, Tim Manning, Brian Savard, Chris Engelsman, Mike Estes, Athena, Wendy Wyvil, Blair Rusin, Shane Charlebois, BJ Leines, Billy Anderson, Jeff Anderson, Dave Dowd, Lori Gibbs, Blaise Rosenthal, Hillary Maybery, and a few others passing through.

The highlight of the show was the ASR Vert Ramp. Evol owner and pro skater Tony Magnussen charged hard. Tony Hawk made a short and sweet guest appearance Sunday afternoon skating as strong as ever in spite of two sprained ankles (all the ankles he has, actually), and Jen O'Brian managed to drop in and pull some nice moves on the overcrowded ramp.

Regardless of the minimal snowboard turnout the show held one advantage for those companies that did exhibit winter stuff--it helped them remind retailers that winter is right around the corner and they better be ready because this season is going to go off.