Every year we see the emergence of new trends in the ski and travel industries, from technological advances such as reverse camber, or “rocker” skis to changes in the way resorts go about attracting new customers. This year presents a particularly interesting set of challenges headlined by the need to attract winter travelers in a still tough economic climate, along with a growing urgency to make the resort business more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Here are some of our top trends to watch for in 2010…
Helmets Become A Requirement On The Slopes
It happened to bicycles, and now it’s just a matter of time until resorts begin to require protective headgear for all skiers and snowboarders on the mountain. Granted, we all technically “ski at our own risk” every time we decide to don a lift ticket or season pass so it’s not a liability concern. But with resorts becoming more and more socially conscious it seems obvious that we’ll start to cruise by slope-side signs that read “Wear Your Helmet. It’s The Law.” Maybe now’s a good time to start training for the mountain police.
Quick side note...for those of you who like to rattle off excuses that helmets are uncomfortable or not warm enough, and I know you people very well, Salomon has just unleashed a new series of helmets that include an adjustable liner that can be pumped with air, just like your old Nike's, to your head's satisfaction. Look for the Ranger Custom Air or the Icon Custom Air here: Salomon's Custom Air Helmets @ REI
Wind Is The Energy Of Choice
Don’t be surprised if your favorite resort starts to look like the Dutch landscape. As resorts have begun to kick off carbon-offset or clean energy initiatives with the government’s support, wind is quickly becoming the energy source of choice. Resorts such as Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts and Bolton Valley in Vermont have already installed wind turbines to generate their own power, but it’s beginning to catch on at some of the major resorts out west. Kirkwood in California plans to install 20 wind turbines, which would generate more than 20 percent of its commercial and residential demand. And Aspen Skiing Company, which last year already installed solar panels on private land in Carbondale, CO, is exploring the potential for wind energy in their own backyard. It remains to be seen which resorts can get these projects off the ground this year (the amount of red tape to get projects approved on public land has been cumbersome) but the organically-grown ball is rolling in the right direction.
80’s Ski Fashion Returns (Sans Nevica)
Anyone who skied back in the 80’s feels the same warm and fuzzy feeling when they think of the Nevica one-piece they (or a family member) wore proudly once upon a time. It may have been cherry red with shimmering hints of silver and purple, as it was in my family, or maybe it was the bright yellow jacket with arbitrarily-placed polygons of hot pink and lime green. Well, believe it or not, the style has come back. Thanks in large part to a youth movement influenced by a resurgence in retro punk and hip-hop, you can once again purchase the loudest jacket on the planet so the rest of your family can spot you on the summit from the base lodge. As it turns out, these are also great for beginners to wear so they don’t get hit by oncoming traffic. This season’s big colors? Anything bright.
Kids Prefer Skiing Over Snowboarding
There was a moment a few years ago when skiers seemed destined to go the way of the Dodo. Snowboarding was cooler, easier to learn, more fun, and the gear was a hell of a lot more comfortable. Skiing was for old folks. That all changed not too long ago when skiers invaded parks everywhere and showed the world that facing downhill might not be a bad thing. The result...skiers can ride rails and hit the halfpipe without feeling like an unwelcome guest and the ski industry is cranking out park-ready twin-tips with reckless abandon. The dividing line between the two sports has been all but wiped out. It’s cool to ski again.
Everything You Need At The Click Of A Button (On Your Phone)
With millions of smartphone users already struggling to remember how they ever lived without one, the race to create useful apps and mobile software to aid the travel industry is on. And since the majority of people willing and able to take expensive ski trips are usually the same folks whose lives revolve around these little electronic bundles of joy, there’s no time like the present. You can already plan itineraries, track flights, receive travel alerts and use your phone as a boarding pass, but as the technology becomes more available, expect to see more ski-focused retailers and service providers making themselves available in just one push of a button, or press of a screen, or whatever it is.
The Monoski Makes Its Return
Following in the wake of garage rock and Volkswagen Beetles, the monoski is teetering on the precipice of making a comeback. Every year, beginning in 1998, a group of monoskiers gather to celebrate the sport and relish in all the fun that the ski industry has at their expense. This year is no different. And the event isn’t happening in some far off resort that nobody’s ever heard of…it takes place during the last week of February right in Aspen, CO. But outside interest in monoskiing has been building for several years. In 2005, Skiing Magazine published a piece on the sport and then in 2006 Warren Miller’s “Off The Grid” showcased freeskier Jamie Pierre riding one. We think it’s about time the monoski hit the tipping point.
