SHOT Show 2020: New Guns. New Gear. Strained Industry.

Every January tens of thousands of people descend on Las Vegas for the premier firearms, shooting sports, outdoors, hunting and law enforcement gear show on the planet: NSSF Shot Show.

As always, those attending Shot Show are looking for what’s new and innovative in the industry. It’s no secret that the firearms industry as a whole is presently in a bit of a state of flux. With the events currently taking place in Virginia to cries for more gun control in Washington, D.C. there is quite a bit of uncertainty with manufacturers and retailers alike throughout the industry.

Invariably there are always one or two products and/or innovations that steal this show. And if the last few years of Shot Show have been any indication of what this year will bring, it would be a safe bet to say the best new product or innovation at Shot Show 2020 this year will not be an actual firearm. However, we are very excited to see the all new Cross bolt-action rifle from Sig Sauer.

Many companies in the soft goods space have been stepping up their innovation and utility game in recent years. With new fabrics and materials being developed every day, a handful of companies are capitalizing by consistently utilizing these new materials to bring new products to life. That’s why it would come as no surprise if the hottest product at Shot Show 2020 was something you wear opposed to something you shoot.

Keep an eye out for something radical debuting in the law enforcement space. With safety and security concerns growing every day for police officers and first responders around the world, you’ll be sure to see at least one or two cool new innovations in this domain. Last years Bola Wrap was surely a show stopper. Expect to see more from them as well as a few other companies working within the law enforcement space such as 221B Tactical, the leaders in innovation for the law enforcement and tactical gear market over the last few years.

Industry trade shows have surely been struggling over the last few years. With the proliferation of technology and information, many trade shows in 2019 were essentially ghost towns. Sadly, 2019 was the final year for many industry trade shows across the country and around the world. Don’t be surprised to see even more trade shows disappear in 2020.

As companies like Amazon continue dominate the e-commerce world and technology continues to grow at exponential rates, more and more companies will fall by the wayside and victim to the ever-changing world market. One example of the latest victim of this being the global audio leader Bose, who recently announced they will be closing every single one of their US retail locations.

So if you’re attending Shot Show 2020, enjoy the entire experience and take it all in. Although you may see fewer companies than last year, you’ll be sure to see some of the best and newest the industry has to offer.