Salmon Arm residents wanting to try out cross-country skiing this winter may be renting gear if they don91裸聊视频檛 already own it.

Boots, poles, skis, etc. are all in short supply among retailers this year, and not just in the Shuswap.

John Thielman of John91裸聊视频檚 Ski Shack, located en route to the Larch Hills cross-country ski area, joked his business will soon be just an athletic clothing store given how quickly gear has been selling.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e always busy but this time of year, but this year seems exceptionally so,91裸聊视频� said Thielman. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 starting to run out of certain sizes of skis and boots but it91裸聊视频檚 starting to be pinchy 91裸聊视频� tough to find the stuff.91裸聊视频�

It91裸聊视频檚 the same at Skookum Cycle & Ski in Salmon Arm.

91裸聊视频淲e have some stuff left still91裸聊视频� we can still do packages and stuff like that, but it91裸聊视频檚 not like it was back in October when one could just walk in91裸聊视频� and we91裸聊视频檇 have your boot size and everything,91裸聊视频� said Skookum owner Tom Peasgood.

91裸聊视频淚 know Vernon sold out, Kelowna sold out, we91裸聊视频檙e basically sold out, Kamloops is basically sold out91裸聊视频� There91裸聊视频檚 nothing anywhere.91裸聊视频�

There are a number of factors at play behind the shortages, most related to COVID-19, and cross-country skiing being an outdoors sport people can safely enjoy without having to come into contact with others.

Larch Hills Nordic Society president Suzy Beckner said memberships this year have exceeded past numbers. And Thielman is seeing plenty of people who are new to the area and wanting to try out the sport.

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91裸聊视频淎t least once or twice a day I91裸聊视频檓 hearing that from people; 91裸聊视频榃e just moved up from the Sunshine Coast,91裸聊视频� or they moved here from Victoria or Alberta,91裸聊视频� said Thielman, adding some of those people were influenced by the 91裸聊视频淏est place to live in B.C.91裸聊视频� nod from Maclean91裸聊视频檚 magazine Salmon Arm received in 2019.

91裸聊视频淭his year I even ordered more (gear) and last year was slow and I had old stock which is all gone now,91裸聊视频� said Thielman. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 pretty handy to have a sports store this year.91裸聊视频�

Another challenge is that suppliers are out of inventory 91裸聊视频� Peasgood said they91裸聊视频檝e been sold out since September. He explained how, according to his suppliers, stores back east ordered extra gear in August and absorbed additional inventory coming into Canada.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e one of only a few B.C. shops that actually got out ahead of it and placed a secondary order back in September91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� said Peasgood, explaining it was the same situation with bikes, including fat bikes 91裸聊视频� a popular winter ride, which are also currently unavailable.

This systemic shortage of inventory, Peasgood explained, traces back to a lack of parts being made during the pandemic.

91裸聊视频淩ight now there91裸聊视频檚 thousands of bike frames waiting for bike parts and Shimano and SRAM are so far behind, there91裸聊视频檚 going to be a two-to-three-month gap where there won91裸聊视频檛 be many bikes to purchase91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� said Peasgood.

Regarding Nordic skiing, Skookum and John91裸聊视频檚 still offer rentals, with both locations having sanitization methods in place to keep staff and the public safe. Both locations also provide servicing for ski equipment.

Looking ahead to summer 2021, Peasgood said bike parts are already coming in and he expects bikes will be back in and ready to roll come February or March.

91裸聊视频淲e have all our orders in and they were all in on time so it91裸聊视频檚 going to happen,91裸聊视频� said Peasgood. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e just like every other bike shop in Canada, we91裸聊视频檙e just in the queue and we just have to wait until they get here.91裸聊视频�

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