The Outdoor Summer Market Retailer Tradeshow is in full swing this week in Salt Lake City, Utah. PL is on the scene, and yesterday witnessed the open-air demo from Jordanelle Sate Park. Stand-up paddleboards were all the rage at the on-water demo, with appearances by gurus Laird Hamilton, Chuck Patterson and Slater Trout among others.
With more than 90 exhibiting manufacturers, attendees got a sneak peak at the latest paddle-sports, endurance sports, GPS devices, and other outdoor equipment and accessory products. Participating manufacturers and retailers, alike, supported the event’s new date, location, and strong industry and product showings.
Innovation is key for paddle-sports companies. While creating lighter and more durable versions of their products is common, sometimes even the guys here at PL are surprised at new gadgets and gear. That goes for Chally Sims of Pack Rat Outdoor Center, also. “We saw wind sails for a kayak that deploy pretty easily and fold away if the wind gets to be too much or if you simply don’t want to use the sails anymore,” said Chally. “Kind of a small item but a good accessory for us. We sell a ton of kayaks because a lot of people, where we live anyway, kayak the river. In the summertime when the rivers get kind of dry and the water is slow, you could go to the lake; and even if it gets windy, you could still have a good time on the kayak
Following the Open Air Demo, attendees take to the Salt Palace Convention Center where they will spend the remainder of the week (August 3-6) viewing full product lines, scoping out the latest trends, attending educational seminars, finalizing buying decisions, networking and celebrating the outdoor recreation industry. A full schedule of events can be found here
Summer Outdoor Retailer Trade-show Schedule
