Outdoor Insight

But the shops planning on attending the January event say they are going in order to capture industry insight and a breadth of perspectives on the market that aren't available anywhere else. "I'm looking forward to seeing the new show and I hope it continues to be a valid gathering of innovative new products and older [players], too," Melissa McNell, buyer for Burlington, VT-based Gear Exchange, says. "It's mainly a marketing show from out standpoint and that's super important right now — it's really important to continue to develop relationships with our main brands and ask them, 'What can you do to help us sell?' That's the most valuable aspect for us." Dale Sexton, owner of Timber Trails in Livingston, MT, agrees. "I'm [excited about] spending some time and seeing how the whole OR-SIA melding goes," he says. "Personally, I think it's a good idea and since most of my buying will already be done, I'm going to be catching up on stuff and just getting a general vibe." Store owners and buyers surveyed by Outdoor Insight say a strong winter of sales driven by the prolonged cold snap that kicked off the year across the Northeast and Midwest has left them bullish. But retailers agree that despite robust boot sales, their future orders will focus on versatile, outdoor-inspired styles that work in all fall weather conditions. "In late December, [sales were] really explosive — winter insulated footwear from Sorel, The North Face, Bogs, anything in that category has been doing exceptionally well these past three weeks," says Mimi Nuelle, VP of merchandise for Park City, UT-based etailer Backcountry.com. But as well as winter product has been doing, Nuelle says, 38 • Outdoor Insight • February 2018 outdoorinsightmag.com FOOTWEAR Scarpa Mescalito Mid GTX Bogs Vista Low Bogs St. John's Slip On Cougar Dani Forsake Range High Lowa Locarno ICE GTX Mid Cougar Catania Firefly Timberland Chocorua Trail 2 Merrell Chameleon 7 Storm Hiker

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