BCA – Backcountry Access Snow Safety 2024/25 Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Snow Safety FW24/25 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Backcountry Access
Interviewee: Simon Allwein, Sales & Marketing Coordinator Europe
What are the key trends in the snow safety market?
We’re seeing an ongoing push in electronic airbags, new avalanche transceivers and radios for group communication.
What were your biggest sellers in 2022/23 and why?
Our newly introduced FLOAT E2 electrical avalanche airbags have been a hit last season and we’re seeing signs that this trend will be ongoing into the new sell-in period. We’ve added a smaller torso size option for people up to 170cm, and the response has been great. Also our BC Link radios become more and more popular in Europe. They’re just a great way for group communication in the backcountry, hence a real safety benefit.
How are you segmenting your snow safety products? In which segment do you expect your biggest growth?
Our segments are Airbags & Backpacks, Rescue Tools (probes, shovels etc.) and Electronics (Tracker avalanche transceivers and BC Link radios).
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What are the technical highlights of your 2024/25 avalanche backpacks?
The highlight of our 24/25 airbag collection is the FLOAT E2 Airbag with 45l volume, our largest electrical airbag to date. We’re using super robust dyneema material and added a handy roll-top. This airbag is for mountain professionals like ski patrollers or rescuers, as well as for anyone going in the backcountry for longer than one day.
What are the technical highlights of your other avalanche equipment (shovel, probe, transceiver) for 2023/24?
I like to claim that BCA makes the best shovels, hands down. They are low profile, super robust with stompable blades and come with all kinds of different handles and extra features like the glorious hoe-mode. Through our connection to the snowmobile scene we also offer special shovels with saws and oversized shovel blades – these are by the way the best backcountry booter builders out there (model: DOZER 3D). All our shovels are UIAA standard. On the transceiver side we have a really cool upgrade to our existing Tracker S – it comes in a smaller pocket size with improved battery life and great ergnomical design. This is our preferred avalanche transceiver for backcountry novices and intermediates as it is purely simple to operate.
Do you offer any other snow safety products besides the traditional avalanche ones?
We see radios as a great safety tool in the backcountry. Often times you don’t have cell service and a group can be apart further and then it’s amazing to have this easy and quick way of communicating. Also in case of an avalanche this can greatly improve your communication options on site. Now we have the new BC Link Mini which is a one-piece radio which you can clip to the chest/shoulder strap of your backpack. We also offer a full range of snow study tools for analyzing snowpacks, digging pits and doing extended column tests. You can buy a whole “Snow Study Kit” or just single parts of it.
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What are your marketing stories for 2023/24?
Group Communication in the backcountry with BC Link radios. Usability of our stash backpacks and BC Link radios for summer activities like mountain biking or hiking. Float E2 alectrical airbags – “a new way to stay afloat”
How are you helping retailers to sell this category?
Electrical airbags: We offer in-store clinics for retail staff with our BCA mountain guides where we educate about the product as well as snow safety in general. Our retailers also have the opportunity to try the airbags where they will be used – in the backcountry. This way they get really familiar with the product and know what they are talking about.
What’s your situation regarding stock and deliveries?
Our stock and delivery situation has improved from a challenging last season and we are very happy to see that supply chain issues seem to be a thing from the past.
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Key products
We are adding 3 completely new designed freeride and touring backpacks: Stash 12, Stash 20-S slimmed down freeride and touring packs, and what I am really excited about, the Stash Pro 40l ultra light.
BC Link Mini radio
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