Infomercials hot at Super Show; consumer interest helps pump up exercise category - exercise equipment, Super Show sporting goods trade show, Atlanta, Georgia - includes related article on women's activewear

Discount Store News, March 1, 1993 by Richard Halverson, Jill Lettich

Consumer Interest Helps Pump Up Exercise Category

ATLANTA - At the |93 Super Show, infomercials for "as seen on TV" exercise gear were "the talk of the industry," said Dennis Henning, a buyer for Clover.

"Aerobic, as seen on TV, equipment is hot," seconded another chain buyer who asked to remain nameless.

From the shape of things at the sporting goods industry's largest show, the exercise category will be borne along this year on a flood of "as seen on TV" exercise gear, even from traditional vendors such as Diversified Products (DP).

Other trends that emerged: * Development of cross training gear, such as the Step Tech Total Body Conditioner, about $139 from Formula Ventures, a Wilson licensee, that combines bungee cords for body workout with a step bench, and the Stair Climber Plus from SLM, about $119, that combines bungee cords with a stair climber; * Emphasis on youth related products spawned by the second baby boom, such as the junior size basketball stanchions and backboards from Huffy Sports and the soft punching bag and gloves set from Franklin Sporting Goods; * Moves to bring high tech products down to mass market price points, such as Weider's X-1 stacked weight home gym at $199.

And the National Hockey League stars coloring book from Horus North Amenea, the NHL and NFL licensed desk calendars from John F. Turner & Co., and the TD's chocolate covered peanuts from Brachs that come in NFL team colors, indicate there's no end in sight for licensed products.

One of the hottest items at the show was the FirmFlex, a TV exercise set that DP is marketing, said Tim Bellows, senior buyer for Rose's. Bellows also called the Stair Climber Plus from SLM a "great item that's hot as fire."

The FirmFlex, a Body by Jake item at about $149, illustrates the crush of new TV products. DP also is marketing the Cross Stepper by Body Shaping at about $99, a TV stepper that combines cross country skier arms with stair climbers.

DP hopes to let the air out of its air resistance line of exercise equipment by shifting to electromagnetic resistance bikes. The will retail for about $540, compared to about $179 for its air resistance bikes. However, consumers found them noisy.

Roadmaster also responded to noise concerns by enclosing the air wheel of its bike, making its new Whisper bike virtually noiseless at about $199.

Body Solutions, which introduced the BodySlide lateral motion trainer (which calls for movement akin to ice skating) last year, brought out two more higher priced models. The high end now is the XP model that extends to 8 feet wide and comes with a video priced at about $69.95.

The Step Company introduced its side-to-side trainer, the Slide Trainer, which also extends to 8 feet and comes with a video. Fitness Quest introduced its version, the SlimSlide, at $59.95.

With its new Inside Stuff basketball gear, Huffy Sports is playing to the second baby boom. The Inside Stuff basket adjusts down as low as 4 feet, so kids can get started earlier with a junior-size ball, and it can also be used outdoors.

"I've seen a lot of thing focused on youth, such as Huffy's, bikes and clothing," said a chain buyer who asked to remain nameless.

In bikes, Motiv introduced for kids its new MR line of bikes based on the monorail design that is the rage in Europe. Retails for the 24-inch unisex line range from $99 to $189.

Franklin is helping to keep the inline skates boom rolling by licensing its name to Brookfield for a new skate line starting at $79. Again aiming for the youth market, Franklin introduced an NFL licensed flag football kit.

Ultra-Wheels announced a price breakthrough on three models of inline skates, including Thunderbolt Junior, down to about $49 from $69. It also debuted a line of ice skates endorsed by former East German Olympic star Katarina Witt priced-at $29, $39 and $59.

As for styling, many inline skate models feature side air venting to make them coller.

In tennis rackets for juniors, Wilson introduced two new tennis rackets that bring Hammer-like technology to the mass market. The Hammer Jr. Oversize, featuring a dual-taper beam, will retail for about $89, while the Pro Staff Jr. 100, will retail for $49.

Penn introduced its new tennis balls endorsed by Jimmy Connors, with a $2.29% retail.

For the mass golf market, Wilson brought out three new double-milled putters to retail for $29.95, and two oversized drivers, graphite shaft at $59.95 and steel at $29.95.

Northernwestern Golf disclosed it has developed a new golf starter set for Kmart that will sell for $99. A new Kmart all-graphite shaft set will retail for $229.

Super Show

Focuses on

Active Women

ATLANTA - A new crop of women's active sportswear lines dominated the stage at the Super Show, the sporting goods and apparel trade show held here last month.

Though sports licensed products continued to do brisk business with the entire floor of the new Georgia Dome devoted to that category, few new block-buster trends were in evidence. However, a number of companies made 1993 the year of the woman and coincidentally the year of the discounter with a range of women's apparel and footwear aimed at the mass market.