One might wonder just how popular the Winter Olympics in 2022 would be. A Xinhua news report that highlighted an official survey result from China’s National Bureau of Statistics helps to shed some light on this. According to the survey, around 346 million people in China have engaged in winter sports activities ever since Beijing became the host city for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
In fact, the Asia Pacific region only accounted for a fraction of the entire global winter sports equipment market. Based on the report from PR News Wire, North America held the largest market share in 2020. The same winter sports equipment market research also shows that from 2021 to 2025, 45% of the worldwide market share growth is expected from this region.
The inventions of various innovative winter sports equipment tapping on the leading-edge technology and internet network development, including the extensive 5G network, are among the main reasons behind such exponential growth that is worth commercial exploration.
Table of Contents
Why winter sports equipment?
How to select the most innovative winter sports equipment and accessories
Key takeaways
Why winter sports equipment?
Now more than ever is a great time to ride on the wave of the Winter Olympics fever for winter sports equipment offers. Nonetheless, there’s more to it than meets the eye as the winter sports equipment manufacturers continuously strive to capitalize on the technology in their productions. These innovations not only make ways for an easier and cozier winter sports experience but also spice up the interest.
The participation research conducted by the Snowsports Industries America (SIA) during 2019 for the 2019-20 winter season shows that over 25.1 million Americans aged 6 and above engaged in winter sports. On a worldwide front, the revenue is forecasted to be 13.743 billion, and the expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is at 4.41% between 2022 to 2026.
From a wholesaler perspective, if one is looking for a more centralized market focus among the assorted winter sports equipment, skiing-related equipment and accessories are the key products to look at. Skiing is the most popular winter sport and achieved the highest revenue at more than $1 billion market value in 2018.
How to select the most innovative winter sports equipment and accessories
Skiing is the most sought-after choice for most enthusiasts with winter sports passions, so let’s focus on some of the latest innovative ski equipment here.
Ski pole
A few significant ski pole manufacturers are constantly renovating ski pole strap systems to help prevent accidents by allowing the faster and effortless release of the ski pole straps in precarious situations. Meanwhile, according to a news report dated back in late 2020, that was the year of the birth of the world’s first heated ski pole, which is due to be released commercially anytime soon.
Ski goggle
Another essential winter sports gear that is ever-improving is the ski goggle, with its latest innovative elements placing the limelight on lens quality, anti-fog performance as well as ventilation. From magnetic systems to proprietary unique dual sliding rail systems, switching lenses while skiing has never been simpler with these latest inventions that empower easier lens changing. Lens quality advancement is also embodied in its multicolor options, made available via photochromatic lenses, thereby allowing auto color-switching according to different lighting and weather conditions.
Meanwhile, anti-fog goggles also evolve from an anti-fog inner lens to a battery-operated heatable lens that prevents it from fogging up. Innovative improvements on the goggle’s lens switching mode and its frame designs help to further ensure that both upper and lower ventilation are well taken care of.
In any case, when it comes to wholesale offers, stock selections for highly personal sports gear such as a ski goggle may not only depend on these advanced features but also on the sizes. For example, if one is targeting a niche market such as the Asian community, a goggle that comes with an Asian fit feature may be a preferred option instead (as shown in the picture below). In the same vein, wholesalers may also explore more personalized winter sports equipment for more business opportunities in addition to the innovative, convenient advancements attached.
Helmet
Next, let’s look at a few much-needed winter sports outfits which are essential across the board here. For example, a winter sports helmet is indispensable be it for skiing or ice skating. The cutting-edge technology and internet network have innovatively turned the used-to-be straightforward ski or skating helmets into some useful and entertaining gadgets. For instance, a ski helmet with a Bluetooth speaker and an intercom function, as shown in the picture below.
In essence, it is a smart helmet with one-touch Bluetooth connectivity to answer phone calls, listen to music as well as for volume control. And evidently, the convenient communication and audio functions presented by smart helmets such as this one are very well-received among the consumers, with overall smart helmet revenue expected to increase from $401.4 million in 2019 to $1,134.9 million by 2027, at an annual growth rate of 13.8%.
And of course, if one is looking for other standard protective helmets with visors and the possibilities for customization, a no MOQ customizable standard helmet may be worth pursuing.
Gloves
Similarly, technology has helped to produce “smart gloves” with battery-powered heat controls that allow wearers to easily choose the desired temperature among three options via a single button, such as the one shown in the following picture.
Snowshoes
Snowshoes are just as important when it comes to protective winter sports outfits, and the inflatable snowshoe stands out. This updated innovative snowshoe design is ultra-lightweight, easy to carry while well-serving its safeguarding protection purposes primarily through its heel lift and downhill heel mechanism. The lifted heel prevents the heel from sinking and keeps the shoe upright to the slope, whereas the downhill heel design helps to grind firmly into the soil for further safety on the downhill trek. The entire snow sport experience is elevated as its floatation-enabled inflatable and ergonomic design makes sliding easier and requires less effort overall. The following picture depicts the compactness and inflatability of the inflatable snowshoe:
Other types of equipment
The high-tech winter snow equipment described above may be more suitable for sophisticated users only. For those who would like to look at the beginners market and the related great value for money equipment, a beginner ski pole set for the kids and some other accessories may be considered as better alternatives. The kids market is certainly worth exploring since the SIA report mentioned earlier shows that nowadays minors as young as 6 years old are already involved in winter sports.
Such a family-oriented trend also means that an economically versatile multipurpose skiing equipment travel bag with wheels for easier portability can be another great business opportunity to look at. This is especially so if one is targeting the mass market that is looking for cost-effective solutions with customizable logos, packaging, and graphic designs.
Key takeaways
In summary, we discussed a few innovative winter sports equipment, including the ski pole strap systems, heated ski poles, and higher-performance ski goggles. Several winter sports outfits were explored as well, including winter sports helmets with built-in communication and entertainment, heated ski gloves, and inflatable snowshoes.
Basically, these are some vital winter sports equipment with the great business potential for every winter sports fan, whether they are enjoying the sport leisurely or inspired to participate in it as a type of Winter Olympics sport. For more trendy info and tips on ecommerce business in 2022, check out this online business marketing trend article.
