ORTOVOX Snow Safety 2024/25 Preview
Retail Buyers Guide: Snow Safety FW24/25 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: ORTOVOX
Interviewee: marketing Ortovox
What are the key trends in the snow safety market?
Products need to be easy to use
- Users want to focus on the sport, not the products
- Products that are easy to use will be used more frequently
- Products that are easy to use will help in extreme situations
- Training with safety products will increase when they are easy to use
- Ease of use increases safety!
Products need to be lightweight
- Lighter will almost always be an advantage in mountain sports
- An airbag pack that is light will be used more frequently > increases safety
What were your biggest sellers in 2022/23 and why?
ORTOVOX’ heritage is Snow Safety. The standard products are beacon, shovel and probe and this is where we are very strong. We have also seen a great success with AVABAG and will finally be looking at the first global sales season for the new AVABAG LiTRIC – the electronic airbag system. This product offers certified safety with benchmark technology solutions. LiTRIC is super easy to use with its new leg-loop design, the rotating handle, the secured airbag pouch, an airbag that can be stuffed in instead of having to fold it and lots more of helpful specifications. Most important… LiTRIC provides multiple inflations in the field and is amongst the lightest airbag systems on the market.
How are you segmenting your snow safety products? In which segment do you expect your biggest growth?
In some product groups it makes sense to differentiate between freeride or touring style users. Even though these styles are merging, there are users that prefer more comfort, while others focus on light weight. Touring skiers do for example also have other needs for functional features… even if it is only in details. In other product groups we also specifically provide solutions for professional users like rescue teams or guides. The biggest potential is still in touring.
What are the technical highlights of your 2024/25 avalanche backpacks?
LiTRIC is our first electronic airbag system – developed in a cooperation with ARC´TERYX. This product is ground-breaking for us. It eliminates the disadvantage of electronic airbag systems of being heavier than the lightweight cartridge systems. With only ~1.1KGs, the system ranks on number 3 out of 12 systems available and is only 100g above the lightest cartridge system. In addition to this great product weight, LiTRIC offers multiple inflations and so many unique usability features. Besides the system, our proven backpack designs are now featuring a ZIP technology. Users can easily exchange the ZIP-packs and fit their product to touring, multi-day touring, freeriding inbounds, etc with comparably little money…
SHOVEL_PRO_LIGHT-B-01
What are the technical highlights of your other avalanche equipment (shovel, probe, transceiver) for 2023/24?
ORTOVOX Safety products are all developed with one philosophy: Safety and reliability are mandatory basic targets. Besides this, products need to be light and easy to use. The DIRACT VOICE beacon is the most supporting and easy to understand beacon on the market. We have invested a lot in developing the best user interface design with precise information on the screen, reliable signals and the support of voice navigation for some specific situations. This really makes a difference since an avalanche beacon needs to work in exceptional circumstances.
Do you offer any other snow safety products besides the traditional avalanche ones?
Besides the mentioned standard and recommended equipment, backcountry skiers and snowboarders should carry a basic first aid kit. Our solutions are super light, starting at 150g, and are specifically designed and equipped for backcountry use. Also a Bivi bag should be standard. If you have to spend the night in the mountains due to an accident this can be crucial.
Brand Previews
