Sales of winter sports gear are up this year

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - It’s possible that some people are using their stimulus check to get ready for some winter fun.

”It’s been crazy. I mean fun…very very busy.”

Peter Richmond, General Manager at Ski Rack Sports in Bangor, says they’ve had a good season selling snowshoes, cross country skis and other winter gear.

“November I would say was somewhat level, and then December it just kind of exploded.”

He says downhill ski sales lagged a little bit while people waited to see how ski areas, like Hermon Mountain, would function during the pandemic.

“They’re operating fairly normally from what I understand. I skied at Saddleback last week and it was great, it was amazing. A lot of the guys here go to Sugarloaf and those mountains, Sunday River same.”

Epic Sports in downtown Bangor is also seeing increased sales, their snowshoe rack is almost empty.

Matt Bishop gestured to the nearly empty rack. “While we still do have some they’re not going to last very much longer so if you are looking to pickup a pair this year best to find them and snag them now.”

Richmond attributes the uptick in sales partly to the pandemic.

“People aren’t flying as much, or going on vacation. They’re mountain biking more, they’re fat biking more, they’re downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing.”

“We don’t have to travel too far to use the skies and the snowshoes.” notes Bishop.

Sales of snowmobiles are also taking off as more people look to explore their home state.

“Everybody just wants to make sure they’re able to take advantage of the hopefully beautiful weather we’re going to have this winter.”

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