U.S. Snowboarding Hits 10.6 Million Riders as Killington Fires Up Snowmaking: The October Sourcing Window for Ski Straps and Winter Gear

Snowboarding just posted its biggest participation gain in years, Killington has already fired up its snow guns, and a new ski pole is forcing the industry to rethink the smallest component on the mountain: the strap. For brands and retail buyers planning Q4, the accessory layer — straps, carriers, bags and protectors — is moving first.

Snowboarding Is Now the Growth Engine of U.S. Winter Sports

Snowsports Industries America (SIA) released its 2025-26 Participation Study this month: almost 32 million Americans took part in snowsports last winter, about three percent more than the previous season and the highest total in six seasons. Participation reached 10.3 percent of Americans aged six and older, up from 10.0 percent.

• Snowboarding grew about nine percent to 10.6 million participants, up from 9.7 million and nearly 30 percent higher than in 2021-22.
• Alpine skiing held flat at about 13.2 million participants, still below its 2018-19 peak of 14.9 million. New and returning skiers (6.0 million) exactly matched the number who lapsed.
• Snowboarding skews younger and more diverse: 5.3 million riders are under 25, close to the 5.5 million skiers in that age band, and Hispanic participation rose for a third straight season to 2.2 million from 1.8 million in 2023-24.

Weather shaped how often people rode more than whether they rode. Self-reported skiing days fell nearly six percent and snowboarding days about three percent, with the sharpest drops in the Mountain region, while outings rose for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, alpine touring and snowboard touring.

“Americans kept coming back to winter this season, even when the snow didn’t cooperate,” said Nick Sargent, president and CEO of SIA. “Snowboarding’s growth, especially among younger and more diverse participants, shows where the next generation of snowsports is coming from.”

Killington Starts Making Snow — the Retail Clock Is Ticking

Killington Resort ran its first major snowmaking test of the 2026/27 season on 6 October, operating six fan guns across three locations during a near-freezing window: four at the bottom of Superstar plus two newly installed SMI Super Puma guns on Mouse Trap and Lower Skyeburst, mounted on automated hydraulic swing arms more than 15 feet long for better throw and coverage in wind-exposed trail convergence zones. The resort, which markets more than 200 trails and 92 miles of terrain across six peaks plus Pico Mountain, says it will make snow as soon as temperatures become optimal; no opening date has been set.

Europe is already moving. Levi and Ruka in Finland opened on 2 October after large-scale snow farming, and the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup returns to the Rettenbach glacier in Sölden on 24-25 October for the 2026/27 season opener.

Why Strap Hardware Is Back in the Design Conversation

The week’s most interesting product story is also the smallest. ONE WAY’s new FR 18 FREE pole, priced at 89 USD, targets freeride and all-mountain skiers with a retractable “Stealth Strap”: pull it from the top cap to engage it for climbing or lift lines, then release it and it disappears into the grip. The pole runs an aluminium 7075 shaft in an 18-9 mm taper, weighs 280 g per pole (255 g at 125 cm) and ships with swappable backcountry and summer baskets.

Behind the design is a genuine safety debate. The Utah Avalanche Center warns that a pole attached to a skier during a slide can act “almost like a boat anchor,” and safety guidance from Sierra-at-Tahoe, Ski Utah, the American Alpine Institute and Deep Snow Safety converges on the same advice: remove pole straps in deep snow or tree-well terrain. The sourcing lesson is that straps are now engineered, safety-relevant components rather than commodity trim.

What It Means for Q4 Sourcing Decisions

• Accessories move first. When participation rises and resorts start making snow early, re-orders land first on low-tooling items — adjustable ski straps and hook-and-loop fasteners, ski carrier straps, snowboard straps and neoprene protectors — because they can be restocked without long mould lead times.
• The customer base is younger and more diverse. Snowboarding’s growth came from under-25 riders and first-time participants, which supports graphics-led and colour-led programmes over conservative one-colour assortments.
• Specify the hardware, not just the price. After the pole-strap debate, buyers who can document strap strength, release behaviour and material compliance hold the stronger hand with retail partners.

Vertasport supplies that hardware layer factory-direct: hook-and-loop ski and snowboard straps, ski carrier and equipment straps, ski bags and neoprene protectors, alongside running, trail running, hiking, cycling and pickleball accessories. Focus categories include elite snowsports, equipment straps, trail running, high hiking, elite biking and pickleball — all with low MOQs, OEM/ODM customisation, REACH and RoHS compliant materials and quote replies within 24 hours. Where certification documentation is needed, we can arrange a BSCI audit or ISO 9001 recertification on request.

Talk to the Factory Before the Season Peaks

Strap, bag and protector programmes are typically specified eight to twelve weeks before the retail floor set, and pre-season orders are being placed now. Send your drawings, dimensions or a sample, and we will come back with tooling-free options, material recommendations and a factory-direct quotation within one working day.

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