by Dave MacLeay
This is the first in a series of live reports we'll be filing from the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. Outdoor Retailer is a twice-a-year gathering of the outdoor industry, where manufacturers debut their latest gear, and retailers stock their stores for next season. The show starts tomorrow with over a thousand companies showing off their products, and we're here to get the scoop on the new gear that you'll be seeing on retailers' shelves for spring and summer 2007.
While the show doesn’t start until tomorrow, downtown Salt Lake is crawling with show attendees -- exhibitors, retailers, press, etc. -- and the Salt Palace convention center is abuzz with exhibitors setting up their booths. We had to dodge forklifts, dollies, and all manner of frenzied construction activity on our way to pick up our admission/identification badges.
This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Outdoor Retailer, and this is the biggest show yet. We'll be walking the floor and meeting with manufacturers and retailers to bring you info on the latest and greatest tents, backpacks, sleep systems, and more.
Stay tuned for highlights from the show over the next four days, as well as more detailed write-ups of significant trends and gear in the coming weeks and months.
