34th Annual SHOT Show

[Grant Lamontagne]

Official Press Release:

34th SHOT Show® Brings Out Best in
Shooting, Hunting and Law Enforcement Products

LAS VEGAS -- Nearly 60,000 firearms industry professionals will make their way here to the annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade ShowSM (SHOT Show®) Jan. 17-20 to get a first look at the new products and services they hope will excite customers in 2012.
The $4.1 billion industry continues to be a bright spot in the anemic U.S. economy, as sales in 2011 topped the previous year's. Through December, adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check statistics, an indicator of industry sales, showed 19 straight monthly increases over the same period of the previous year, and background checks for Black Friday, Nov. 25, set a new one-day high.
"We are grateful and proud that our industry has helped maintain jobs from the manufacturer through retail levels during these difficult economic times," said President and CEO Steve Sanetti of NSSF. "Industry is delivering products that people desire for sporting purposes and personal and home defense. We see no reason why this won't continue during 2012. Buying activity at the SHOT Show will give us a first look at the industry's prospects for the year ahead."
The 34th annual SHOT Show will take place for the third straight year at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. The largest trade show of its kind in the world, the SHOT Show attracts buyers from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Manufacturers and distributors display a broad range of products, including firearms, ammunition, optics, reloading, locks and cases, shooting range equipment, targets, training and safety equipment, hunting accessories, law enforcement and tactical equipment, hearing and eye protection, tree stands, scents and lures, cutlery, GPS systems, holsters, apparel, leather goods, game calls and decoys.
Given the size of the SHOT Show at more than 600,000 net square feet, the Sands is stretched to capacity. Improvements made to the venue prior to the 2011 show to improve crowd flow, seating and signage were given an enthusiastic thumbs-up by attendees in the post-show survey. Enhancements to the 2012 show include making room in the sold-out exhibition halls by having larger exhibitors voluntarily reduce their booth space so that smaller companies could move off the show's waiting list and onto the show floor. "We received outstanding cooperation from our longtime, voting member exhibitors who sacrificed some of their booth space for the good of the show," said Chris Dolnack, NSSF's senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "Our exhibitors instinctively understand that what's good for the SHOT Show is good for the marketplace. As a result, we anticipate a vibrant, successful show."
NSSF will present its State of the Industry Dinner on the first evening, with Outdoor Channel serving as the title sponsor of the event. The Foundation will show its State of the Industry video and present an achievement award to a most-deserving recipient. NSSF also will assist in the kickoff of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Act, through which the industry has contributed nearly $7 billion to wildlife conservation since 1937. A crowd of more than 2,000 will be entertained by comedian Larry the Cable Guy.
The 2012 show, whose theme is "One Industry -- One Voice," will bring together manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, publishers and wildlife conservation groups to conduct business, exchange ideas, renew contacts and reaffirm the unity that has been the hallmark of the shooting sports industry in these challenging times.
For retailers, the SHOT Show provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain a hands-on education about the products they'll be discussing with their sportsmen customers. New products seen at the SHOT Show will arrive throughout the year at retail stores.
The largest number of outdoor media in the world turns out at the SHOT Show to cover the introduction of products and to report on the firearms and outdoor industry. NSSF credentialed more than 2,000 media members for the 2011 show. At SHOT Show Media Day at the Range, scheduled for Monday, Jan. 16, the day before the show, members of the press can handle, test and learn about the new products that will be on display over the next four days.
With all segments of industry in attendance, the SHOT Show provides a perfect setting for organizational and educational meetings. On the day before the show opens, retailers take advantage of SHOT Show University to learn from experts about new marketing strategies, store financials and compliance with federal regulations. Additional seminars for retailers are scheduled during the show covering topics such as knowing your competition, exporting firearms, hiring smart and the benefits of utilizing GunBroker.com, along with presentations from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Law enforcement professionals will have a series of seminars to choose from as well.
The SHOT Show is a "must-see" event for industry professionals, who can register to attend the show at www.shotshow.org. The website is also the place to find out all that's happening at SHOT during and after the show.
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About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 7,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

It's coming, and now that you know what it is (in case you missed the last four years worth of coverage here!), I want to know from all of you what you want to see, hear and learn about.  I can't guarantee we'll see everyone or manage to ask every question, but this is your opportunity to let me know what specifically you may want us to check out.

I have meetings arranged with all the top companies we talk about here- SOG, Gerber, Leatherman, CRKT, Victorinox and Wenger and we'll be attending some events such as the Harris Publications Gala (Harris does Tactical Knives, Combat Handguns and several other interesting publications) and Range Day for the Media where we'll get to check out some of the new guns and products as well as sending some lead downrange.

We'll be meeting some celebrities, both industry and regular- Bear Grylls, Les Stroud and Larry The Cable Guy are a few that will be there, and we'll be updating Twitter, Facebook and (hopefully if we can solve a software issue) the forum just as we did last year.

So, in short, are there any companies you would like us to work in if we get the chance?  This is your opportunity to ask us about whatever you'd personally like to see to make this a great event for all of us.

Def

[Dunc]

I really look forward to this and love reading your reports and seeing all the photos . I think you do a pretty damn good job 
  I'm looking forward to seeing whats new from the big four as well as other companies too . I don't know if its just me or not but I havn't heard any rumors about new stuff apart from the Rebar so I hope there is going to be some surprises .

[Grant Lamontagne]

Here are some links that members may find interesting:

2008 SHOT Show- this one is a little more disorganized as I'd only found out I was going to SHOT in mid December and I didn't have a valid passport!  Also, this was the birth of what is now known as the Events Forum, and all of our SHOT coverage was scattered around in there.

2009 SHOT Show

2010 SHOT Show

2011 SHOT Show

The information gets thrown around everywhere, with Gerber news going into the Gerber forum, Leatherman news in the Leatherman forum and so on, so we always have these Index threads each year.  Huge thanks to Whoey and Bob for doing them in the past!

Each night Bob and I go mad comparing notes and photos while trying to recall what we'd seen and heard that day at the show that day as we try to get as much uploaded before we start face typing that we tend to be a bit disorganized in posting, so kudos to the guys that go the extra mile to make these threads for easy reference!

Def

[Nikos]

I'd definitely like to see some info on the multitasker EDC (if any), Chomper, and their Emerson tool.

[Reinier]

I really look forward to this and love reading your reports and seeing all the photos . I think you do a pretty damn good job 

+1!

Personally, as a Victorinox fanboy I'd be very interested in any news from Ibach. Will there be a 2012 Damascus SAK? New implements, new designs, new SAK models, etc.? Will the 74mm line be expanded in any way?

[Threeme2189]

I think you should ask Bear Grylls what he likes best about the multitool Gerber made for him   

And have a nice long (recorded) chat with Les Stroud.

[kmanct3]

Thanks Grant, any info you send us is great... its adirty job but someone has to do it!!!  You can ask Bear what credit card he prefers during filming HAHAHA

[getahl]

Shoot, didn't even think about SHOT. I'll actually be at the Luxor the following weekend for a buddy's 30th birthday.

Always interested to see  more info on the Rebar, what Vic and Wenger have up their sleeves, and Spyderco's offerings.

[MirrorEdge]

Ask the victorinox guys about the 84mm siccors.
And keep us updated

[AimlessWanderer]

To Leatherman:

• The Juice has proved a long standing model and has been incredibly popular, partially due to the outboard tools as well as the size and nonaggressive looks. The main gripe being the ninja assassin drivers they decided to put inboard. Have they any plans to produce more fully/mainly outboard options across their size range, and revamp the Juice line with drivers that require less profanity - a colourful friendly looking urban tool falls down when it turns their users into cursing lunatics who keep bleeding on everything.
• When are we going to see a revamped Sideclip with scissors instead of just being full of driver bits - 2HO and non-locking ensures worldwide appeal!! If they can made it outboard too all the better
• Why have they decided that an awl is such a speSmurfpillsed tool which should be limited to so few tools?
• Have they shot the Bro yet, if not - do they need volunteers?

To Victorinox:

• Have they actually considered producing a pocket sized pliers based tool with non-locking components (ala Juice) utilising existing blade components? If not, why not and if so, why haven't they followed it through? I would suggest revisiting them hourly in different disguises to ask them the same thing over and over but slightly paraphrased
• It would be great if they would do this on an 84mm compatible frame to also prompt a ressurgence in the line ... including scissors, but I'm sure they'd make a pretty fine pliers tool if they used their 74mm line as a basis too

To Wenger:

• Same question - same hourly frequency    They are potentially at an advantage with the design, purely due to their primary line being 85mm.
• Also, will they stop putting locks (or at least have non-locking options come back) on their more heavily tool laden 85mm models. It really buggers things up for some of us, and lets face it - nobody really needs locking blades on a SAK anyway 

To SOG:
Has anyone popped in to the drawing office lately to see if anyone's alive? There doesn't seem to be many multitool developments coming out of there, and some of us are a little concerned about the guys inside. 

To Gerber:
Feedback. The prevailance of combo edged blades can be quite offputting to many folk - pack it in! There's still a stigma of low QC attatched to the brand, even with more recent releases (Flik springs to mind). Are they actively pursuing this or is it actually a commercial decision that cheap and cheerful is the way to go, and the lottery is part of the fun. Keep up the innovations though guys

To Bear Grylls:
Was he actually aware that it was the Suspension that Gerber were planning to slap his monika on, and how did he feel after he discovered the Suspension is one of the worst things they've ever waved under our noses. Side issue, if there's any snacks laying around near him, might be worth avoiding them - especially the ones that are trying to get away.

To Bear & Sons:
GREAT tools ... but what happened, where's the new stuff
Non-locking options appreciated 

To Def & Co:
Good luck, have fun, and thanks for being our eyes and ears 

[Sazabi]

To SOG/Tool Logic:  What happened to the Micro Tool Clip?  I've not seen new ones since the initial batch, which included the MT.O version.

To Grant, et al.:  Have fun, you lucky, lucky people.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I can address at least some of these issues, although there may be more up to date information in a week or so.

With regards to harassing Victorinox at the show about making new models- few if any of the reps there are from Ibach and the US office doesn't have much to do with new product development.  I can pretty well guarantee that's a dead fish, although there is a guy from Ibach that I do see and talk to most years.  If he's there I will talk to him.

With regards to SOG, there were plans to scrap the Mini ToolClip since before it's release, and the change to a Tool Logic branded tool may have only been a temporary stay of execution.I will find out it's current status, but I wouldn't hold my breath about it's continued survivability. 

And, when it comes to new tools, SOG has been promising me for many years that they are working on a new tool.  I am not at liberty to discuss something I may or may not have been shown on the hush hush last year, but if indeed there was something that I had seen but am not allowed to talk about, rest assured it would be one of the first things I ask about this year.   

Gerber has for the most part ceased development of what they called "bikini tools" which includes the Suspension and it's clones.  Apparently Bear himself requested the Suspension, although I can't speculate on his reasoning.  If I see him I will be certain to ask, but the story from Gerber last year was that he had selected it, not just Gerber ading his name willy nilly to things.

Bear makes more money off knives and so doesn't bother much with multitools.  They likely would have killed the line off long ago had they not had a lucrative corporate rebranding business going with them, which is why you see a lot more Hard Hat, Crescent and Craftsman Bears than Bear Bears.  They would consider making new versions, but in their mind there's no interest in them.  Since there's no interest in them, they won't go to any effort.  Since they haven't gone to any effort, we have no interest since there's nothing new.  Since there's no interest there's no reason to make new designs.  See the pattern?

That's pretty much all I can put myself on the hook for saying.  Rest assured that all of the above manufacturers are well aware of us, and I'll pretty well guarantee they have been taking our opinions into consideration when making new product decisions, if for no other reason than because they know I will be grilling them about it. 

Def

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks for the insights  Only other thing I can think of right now will already be on your list anyway ... the Gerber Balance 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I was looking more for any other booths or products I should look for.

Def

[dks]

Ganzo?   
Sanrenmu?   

Buck, Rough Rider, GEC, Cold Steel may have some interesting news...

[Grant Lamontagne]

Cold Steel doesn't go to SHOT anymore following a disagreement with event coordinators about booth size.

Def

[dks]

Since most people around here have an interest in knives too, if you can see what new is coming from knife makers it will be nice.

Also any new flashlights will be interesting, if the manufacturers go to SHOT.

  Mainly, have a good time. I am sure it is the kind of event in which you loose track of time.
 

[Grant Lamontagne]

It is indeed.  We also usually harass as many knife and light makers as we can.  In fact, we often get distracted going from one booth to the next and often end up late for meetings or missing them entirely because we find other cool stuff on the way!

Def

[Mercury]

I can see the point the Bear makes about thinking no one is interested in them, because from what I have seen of the general tool using public, they are right.  I know WE all like their tools(I am still drooling over the mini bear jaws and I WILL end up with one) but I have never met anyone outside of MTO that has even heard of them.  When I tell them about Bear they maintain that I shouldn't waste my money and should just buy a Leatherman.  Who knew the public would fall for brand association?   

As for Vic, I love their stuff, I can't really think of too many improvements that would shove their tools past the level of awesomeness they have achieved other than maybe a less polished version of everything for grip.  Darn spirits are slippery!

I want to see SOG come out with some better implements for their tools, not really any new actual tools.  The lineup of swap-able components is small and some of them need updating.  This seems to me to be a much more cost effective way for SOG to update their line without breaking the bank.  I would definitely like to see more blade options and a new scissor for the powerlock.  Maybe a Leatherman style bit driver or something as well.  And a Blade exchanger!

I'd like to see a new gerber that fits traditional lines like their MP series, no more of this odd shaped odd-ness that is supposed to make MT's more mainstream.  I'm not really a fan of the crucial/octane shape.  They seem to weigh a bit too much for what you get too. 

[Accujohn]

Keep your eyes open for the Gerber Balance. Maybe you could take the opportunity while you have them cornered to ask them why the delay... Or when it will be out?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I will certainly be grilling Gerber about the Balance and documenting anything new they may have.

Def

[turnsouth]

Make sue you grab lots of stickers and the promotional items from every table for MT.O giveaways

[turnsouth]

Something else, I'm thinking they should have the new Charges and Waves with the replaceable cutters there. Can you get some pictures of them next to the old style for comparison? Thanks

[Grant Lamontagne]

We will certainly have pictures of whatever they have!

Def

[Bruce909]

Maybe you could ask around about a Multitool with diagonal wire cutter heads. 

A lot of times I don't need pliers and when I do the pliers are not the best tool for the job.  If a tool had a decent set of FORGED and heat treated anvil type cutters it would never wear out from my usage.  The problem that causes the damaged cutters on all the "standard" wire cutters is the cast (soft) plier head.  If someone made a set of diagonal cutters instead of pliers we would have a great tool.

I keep hoping to find a good set of diagonal wire cutters cheap at a swap meet or yard sale that would serve as the basis for the new tool...but making your own is not all that easy even if you had an entire machine shop available...just ask Bob.  Maybe this would be a possible tool for Paladin?  Paladin in partnership with SOG makes some great datacom tools....a PT-510 sized with compound leverage diagonal wire cutters instead of pliers would be great.  And I'm sure they would sell a lot of the plier heads that we could put on our PPP's and then maybe SOG would sell some PPP's.

Bruce

 

[Grant Lamontagne]

We've been down that road before and it usually doesn't go anywhere.

The folks at MTO are working on a way to solve that issue, so if SOG won't then maybe we'll have something to offer you soon.   

Def

[Mercury]

Maybe you could ask around about a Multitool with diagonal wire cutter heads. 

A lot of times I don't need pliers and when I do the pliers are not the best tool for the job.  If a tool had a decent set of FORGED and heat treated anvil type cutters it would never wear out from my usage.  The problem that causes the damaged cutters on all the "standard" wire cutters is the cast (soft) plier head.  If someone made a set of diagonal cutters instead of pliers we would have a great tool.

I keep hoping to find a good set of diagonal wire cutters cheap at a swap meet or yard sale that would serve as the basis for the new tool...but making your own is not all that easy even if you had an entire machine shop available...just ask Bob.  Maybe this would be a possible tool for Paladin?  Paladin in partnership with SOG makes some great datacom tools....a PT-510 sized with compound leverage diagonal wire cutters instead of pliers would be great.  And I'm sure they would sell a lot of the plier heads that we could put on our PPP's and then maybe SOG would sell some PPP's.

Bruce

Fantastic idea.  I think SOG really underestimated the interchangeable factor when the limited their selection to what it is.  They need to develop more components for us to buy, and your wirecutter head idea is a great way to start.  I can think of plenty of guys who would kill for a wirecutter multitool.  They'd even carry it with their EDC multi at work. 

[maximus0723]

Ask leatherman folks if they are coming up with new Vise Grip models ala Crunch.
Or even wrench based tool. That would be nice.

[Tsquare]

Diagonal cutter head tool

[Tsquare]

And did I mention a diagonal cutter tool would be a great idea