Overall sales for the entire winter sports market (including specialty and chain stores), decreased slightly by 1.65 percent in dollars to $652.0 million compared to $663.0 million in 2002 for the pre-holiday period (August through November) according to the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) Retail Audit. Unit sales were ahead 0.38 percent.

Sales at chain stores were down just slightly at 1.6 percent compared to the same period in 2002. In dollars, that translates to $130.0 million in sales compared to $132.1 million last season. The unit sales tracked 3.6 percent. Sales for just the month of November in chain stores were up 4.7 percent in dollars to $70.3 million
compared to $67.1 in 2002. “Winter sports equipment and accessory sales
came back strong in the month of November for chain stores as consumers bought
new products prior to the holidays,” said Julie Lynch, Director of Market
Research for SIA, the not-for-profit industry trade group that represents manufacturers
and distributors of snow sports products. The SIA Retail Audit tracks
and reports sales in all snow sports product categories. This is the second
report of six that looks at sales through March 31, 2004, the end of the winter
season.

All equipment (alpine, snowboard, Nordic and telemark) for chain stores was
up 1.7 percent to $42.3 million from $41.6 million in 2002. In addition, units
gained 5.4 percent. Alpine equipment (including skis, boots, bindings, poles
and systems) was up 5.2 percent to $20.4 million as compared to $19.3 million
last year. Units gained 14.5 percent. Snowboard equipment (including boards,
boots and bindings) was down 3.6 percent to $20.2 million. Sales for snowboard
equipment in 2002 tracked at $21.0 million. Nordic equipment (including skis,
boots, bindings and poles), a bright spot, was up 28.8 percent to $1.3 million.
Telemark equipment (including skis, boots and bindings), a new category in the
Retail Audit, tracked at $411,977 (up 73.3 percent in dollars).

Apparel was down 7.2 percent to $50.1 million as compared to $54.0 million
last season while accessories increased 2.9 percent to $37.6 million as compared
to 2002, which was $36.6 million.

Ski System Trend Hits Chains
Alpine ski sales (including ski binding systems) increased 9.0 percent in dollars
to $9.6 million while units gained 23.9 percent. Increases were due to the sale
of ski binding systems (up 101.5 percent to $2.9 million). Lower prices helped
propel system sales; average retail plunged from $478 last season to the current
average retail price of $390.

The action was in junior skis (up 22.9 percent to $601,455), fat skis (up 73.2
percent to $332,813) and twin tips (up 27.6 percent to $326,266). Carve (down
27.6 percent to $382,865) and skiboards (down 57.8 percent to $103,111) both
tracked behind. In addition, the largest unit sales category, midfat skis, were
down 12.0 percent to $3.6 million Carry -over ski units jumped 29.7 percent
but dollars fell 12 percent as retailers cleared out excess inventory. Women's
specific skis saw an increase of 16 percent in unit sales over last season.

Alpine boots also experienced gains, increasing 7.0 percent to $7.3 million.
High performance boots are hot this year, increasing 46.1 percent to $2.1 million.
Both sport (up 2.0 percent to $2.2 million) and soft (up 40.0 percent to $470,982)
made substantial gains. Sales of both junior (down 3.7 percent $421,166) and
recreation boots (down 19.4 percent $1.1 million) declined.

Stand alone alpine binding sales declined just slightly, 0.7 percent to $2.6
million. Adding back in unit sales to ski binding systems, sales were up 16.7
percent. The DIN 8-11, 57 percent of all freestanding units sold, was down 4.4
percent to $1.4 million while DIN 12-14 made gains of 11.4 percent in dollars
to $651,884. Junior bindings were up 6.7 percent to $301,735. According to Scott
Jaeger of Leisure Trends Group, “Parents bought almost a complete package
of alpine equipment for their children. Unit sales for skis, boots and bindings
were almost equal.” Lastly, plunging carry-over sales dragged down the
entire alpine pole category (down 21.4 percent in dollars to $910,227). However,
adult poles increased 32.7 percent to $749,088.

All Nordic equipment categories saw increases in sales; skis (up 22.6 percent
to $486,608), boots (up 45.8 percent to $515,624), bindings (up 10.5 percent
to $148,875) and poles (up 18.7 percent to $128,708).

Snowboard Sales Increase During the Pre-holiday Period
The pre-holiday period was good for snowboard sales in chain stores. Boards
increased 5.3 percent in dollars to $9.3 million, while units increased 17.8
percent. The increase in sales was due mainly to carry-over boards which gained
46.8 percent to $2.3 million. Carry-over boards account for 39 percent of all
boards sold so far this season. Freeride and freestyle boards gained 8.7 percent
($3.3 million) and 46.7 percent ($1.8 million), respectively.

Both snowboard boots and bindings declined. Boots decreased 7.9 percent in dollars
to $6.3 million while bindings tracked behind 12.9 percent in dollars to $4.6
million. Non step-in boots and bindings both declined in dollars, 3.0 percent
($5.1 million) and 11.3 percent ($3.8 million), respectively.

Women and Junior Snowboard Apparel is Hot in Chains
Alpine apparel got off to a slow start in chain stores. Alpine tops declined
7.3 percent in dollars to $33.4 million. The only categories to see any type
of increase were softshell parkas (up 160.8 percent to $671,425), fleece (includes
vests) (up 11.7 percent to $7.6 million) and sweaters (up 6.8 percent to $1.8
million). Insulated parkas and shell parkas both saw declines, 8.7 percent ($10.2
million) and 10.9 percent ($10.0 million), respectively. However, women's apparel
helped both categories. Women's insulated parkas increased 12.9 percent to $3.1
million and women's shell parkas edged up 17.8 percent to $3.5 million. In addition,
vests (no fleece) plunged 15.4 percent to $368,067 which could be due to the
increase in average retail price from $39 last season to $74 this year. Chains
store retailers have very little carry-over apparel to sell. This category declined
37.5 percent from last season. Carry-over accounted for 8 percent of all alpine
top dollars sold, down from 12 percent last year.

Alpine bottoms struggled even more, declining 18.5 percent in dollars to $7.2
million. The only bottom categories to see any up tick were bibs (up 164.0 percent
to $719,811), insulated waist pants (up 4.4 percent to $761,595) and softshell
waist pants (up 126.9 percent to $73,265). All other alpine bottoms saw declines;
shell waist pants (down 14.1 percent to $2.6 million), stretch waist pants (down
12.6 percent to $259,742), fleece waist pants (down 44.4 percent to $477,117)
and juniors (down 24.8 percent to $962,807).

Snowboard apparel fared slightly better (up 2.5 percent in dollars to $8.8
million). Snowboard tops were up (14.8 percent in dollars to $5.2 million) while
snowboard bottoms were down (1.1 percent in dollars to $3.0 million). Women
and junior snowboard apparel helped the category as a whole. Women (up 35.0
percent to $1.9 million) and junior (up 50.7 percent to $854,412) snowboard
tops gained significantly. Also, women (up 0.6 percent to $1.1 million) and
junior (up 10.8 percent to $426,637) snowboard bottoms saw an up tick.

The Snowdecks/Skates Trend is Over
Equipment accessories were up 4.7 percent to $16.9 million. The big sellers
during the August through November time period were goggles (up 12.4 percent
to $1.5 million) and sunglasses (up 26.1 percent to $6.1 million). All other
categories, including snowdecks/skates (down 39.8 percent to $126,284), auto
racks (down 20.5 percent to $2.0 million), snowshoes (down 3.1 percent to $525,587)
and helmets (down 22.5 percent to $1.8 million) saw declines.

Apparel accessories came back to life in the month of November as consumers
prepared for the cold weather. This category was up slightly 1.4 percent to
$20.8 million. Almost all the categories saw increases: winter boots (up 65.2
percent to $1.6 million), gloves (up 0.8 percent to $3.5 million), base layer
(up 2.8 percent to $5.8 million), turtlenecks (up 22.0 percent to $480,702)
and headwear (up 5.9 percent to $3.1 million). Two categories saw declines,
mitts (down 6.9 percent to $758,729) and socks (down 36.7 percent to $1.3 million).