It’s not winter in the west. At least it doesn’t feel like it. People in Utah are biking to work and rock climbing outdoors. Then you look at the east and they’re rejoicing in western-like snow conditions (at least in the mountains). The world weather is doing flipflops and snowsports consumers don’t know what to predict for the future.

Regardless, more than 18,000 snow industry professionals will converge on Denver to hype the enthusiasm for winter sports and forecast trends for 2016. Thousands of next season’s products will be on display at the annual Snowsports Industry of America Show this weekend at the Colorado Convention Center.

The massive event is the place for alpine and snowboard buyers, reps and media to get a sneak peak at hardgoods, apparel, and accessories, and to learn about the latest trends in the industry through panel discussions, seminars and face time with those in the know. “All of us at Smith (Optics) look forward to SIA every year,” Cassie Abel told the SIA news team. “It’s a chance for us to reconnect with old friends and partners, see the progression of the snowsports industry, and get plenty of work done.” Josh Roberts, president of Milosport said, “SIA is important to maintain relationships, see complete line offerings from our brands and catch up with old friends.”

The mantra at these events always seems to be about “growing the sport” and this year is no different. The focus for SIA is about engaging backyard (and backcountry) participants- kids that are building jumps in their driveway, sledding in the woods and riding rails in their schoolyard- and selling them goods they can use anywhere.

Considering all the sketchiness attached to playing outside the boundaries it makes sense that we’ll see a lot of innovation and new technology in the accessories and helmet departments while boards and skis themselves will remain relatively the same. One thing we know from last year’s show is that we have pretty much kissed the super fatties goodbye. The popular waist-widths for next season will be between 98-110mm. The demand for alpine touring boots and bindings will continue to climb as both become higher performing without the additional weight.

As for ski design, we last season the way we’ve bid adieu to those epic powder days of the 2010 when we actually needed them. On the snowboarding side, boota and board designs stay simple with relatively little change.

No word yet on colors and styles for 2016 but the fabric technology takes advantage of the backcountry trend by making clothes that can easily morph from in to out of bounds. Helly Hansen has a new FLOW membrane to wick moisture from the skin, Patagonia’s making softshell/hardshell hybrid pants and jackets, and other companies are using four-way stretch in their outerwear for more fluid movement.

We may be hypothesizing but the big question at this year’s Show is going to have to be, “Who’s buying?” Retailers are still trying to sell through product from 2013, and airline baggage fees and $900 pricetags are encouraging those who might have purchased in the past to rent and demo instead. There are even companies like Get Outfitted that will rent you entire head-to-toe outfits for your trip.

The SIA show is a preview of what’s to come as well as an indicator of where we’re going. But no matter what the clime it will continue to spread optimism for the future of the ski industry which, out here in the west, we desperately need.

Follow #SIA15 and @pcskigal on Twitter for next season’s sneakpeak if you can’t make it to the show.

Sage was an 0R baby. Born August 2006; smack in the middle of the summer Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, Utah. I attended the outdoor demo day in 100-degree heat, hiking trails for the Magellan scavenger hunt, the next day I went inside to the Salt Palace Convention halls for meetings with the various manufacturers of outdoors equipment and by dusk the contractions hit. My first thought was- hope I wouldn’t have to cancel the rest of my meetings. At 7 a.m. I’m in the recovery room making phonecalls to let everyone know I had my baby and I wouldn’t be able to make my appointment.

All of this was magical and said to me Sage was meant to be part of my life and part of the outdoor world. I wheeled her stroller around more than 1000 exhibitors at the 2007 Winter Show, breastfeeding in the bathroom and hunting for outdoor baby stuff to review. The Show is held twice a year and brings in an estimated $495 million to the Utah community- one largely comprised of kids and dogs. Sage has joined me at every OR since then helping me find the gear kids love, talking to companies for her own reports and getting to know the world she’ll grow up in.

Imagine my surprise when I was stopped at checkin and politely told that working media could no longer bring kids to the show- “didn’t I get the memo?” My jaw dropped.

The Outdoor Retailer show is not just about buyers and sellers of backpack and jackets. It’s everything related to the outdoors- a description that grows and morphs by the minute. It’s biking, hiking, snowshoeing, paddleboarding, kitesurfing, Nordic and backcountry skiing, yoga, even ‘festival going’. These are things we participate in as families and yet I was told networking media shouldn’t have kids with them because they’re supposed to be working. My kid is my work!! Perhaps this bearer of bad news has never been a working mother but Sage is a part of my team (and so’s my dog for that matter) and when my team is on the hunt for the best gear for the family it’s all eyes on deck.

Takoda testing the TUGG-a plastic ball that can be filled with water to create up to 20 pounds of wobbly resistance

They let me bring Sage in because I presented proof of her junior reporting skills but I really hope that this policy in general doesn’t stick. Kids (and pets) are an important part of the outdoors and it’s the media (attending the OR show) that can share and inspire that passion that perpetuates future explorers.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dbHnkBy46E&w=560&h=315]