But unlike last September's subdued event -- hampered by buyers scaling back orders amid a deepening recession -- many companies were more upbeat as they displayed the latest surf-and-skate styles for next spring and summer. 'This year, it's a hundred times better,' said Christel Hathaway, North America sales manager for swimwear company Banana Moon, which by Friday afternoon had already signed about 40 orders -- more than three times its total from last year's show. 'A lot more traffic, and people aren't just looking; they're actually buying.' Held at the San Diego Convention Center, the three-day event has drawn 18,000 attendees and more than 500 brands, including major players Quiksilver, Billabong and Vans. Like nearly all retail sectors, the surf-and-skate industry has been hammered by the economic downturn, which has caused consumers to keep their wallets shut and hunt for discounts. And with much of the action-sports market dominated by big-ticket items such as surfboards, wetsuits and skateboards, many brands have been disproportionately hurt as even core customers have cut back. 'I'd never seen anything like it -- it just hit,' said Casey Fleming, director of sales and marketing at surf company Rusty. 'We came to a standstill at the end of last year.' But Fleming said the Irvine, Calif., company has reduced its expenses and improved its margins during the recession and was pleased by its sales volume at this year's trade show. 'Everything's leveling off,' he said. 'You can feel everyone just taking a deep breath and pulling it back up again.' (Optional add end) Although primarily an opportunity for buyers to scope out the latest trends and place orders, the trade show -- one of the biggest in the action-sports industry -- has traditionally also served as a massive party for surf-and-skate aficionados. That was still true this year. Women modeled skimpy bikinis on makeshift runways, attendees drank beer and margaritas, and DJs blasted rap and rock songs. On one end of the exhibit hall, skateboarders showed off their moves in a full-scale skate park. But not everyone has caught the wave of optimism. Sitting at his vacant booth on Friday, Ronnie Nathan, a sales rep for the Cover Me and Quintsoul beachwear brands, lamented that he hadn't received any walk-up business during the event and pointed to his half-empty appointments schedule. 