Ride Berzerker Snowboard

ridesnowboards.com
Freeride, freestyle, all-mountain, split board, alpine—just learning the lingo of the different snowboard types can be as confusing as trigonometry. And that’s the beauty of the Ride Berzerker: it’s really the only board you need. Think of those great days that brings everyone and their uncle to the mountain. One minute you’re shredding pow, the next run there’s no fresh turns left, just the ice underneath. The Berzerker, brainchild of pro big-mountain shredder Jake Blauvelt, is designed for precisely that transition. It floats on powder (and crud, powder’s inevitable cousin), but still holds a respectable edge on the hard pack. Our humble tester won’t pretend to measure up to Jake’s ability, but the Berzerker helps to make the performance abyss less noticeable. The board’s rockered nose keeps board and rider above the powder and provides plenty of pop in the terrain park. The level micro-camber zone adds stability on fast terrain, great for landing those big drops. The best feature is the Slimewall that reduces vibration, adding stability at speed and chatter in hard pack conditions that are the inevitable reality of any dedicated rider.

$490

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Pearl Izumi Infinity LD Running Short

www.pearlizumi.com
If you’re putting some serious miles on your feet, it’s important to gird your loins with the proper running attire. Pearl iZumi’s Infinity LD Short is one of the few that supports and hides your goodies, but are so comfortable that you could forget you’re wearing anything at all . The Infinity LD’s are comprised of Pearl Izumi’s Minerale polyester interior liner and a silky, lightweight polyester exterior that moves freely and holds chafing at bay. The liner provides snug support, while the exterior sports a seven-inch inseam to keep your white man-thighs out of sight. The shorts dried quickly and stayed soft and comfortable during multi-day stage runs, and the Minerale material did a solid job of keeping odor at bay (particularly after occasional post-run dips in the nearest river). Elastic side panels provided some much needed flexibility while high-stepping on mountainous terrain, and the elastic waist band ratcheted down the fit without acting as a tourniquet. Two zippered rear pockets can hold energy gel, a few keys and some cash, while hook-and-loop hip pockets are secure enough to keep your empty Gu wrappers from littering the trail.
-Billy Brown

$50

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Chrome Marysia Jacket

www.chromebagsstore.com
In our gear-ified world full of hidden pockets, headphones built into collars, and coolers integrated into backpacks, it’s nice to have something that doesn’t take an owner’s manual to operate. That’s exactly what Chrome has created with their lightweight woman’s Marysia jacket. It’s water repellent and wind resistant, and it does both of those tasks admirably well. And…that’s about it…which is precisely the beauty of the jacket. The all-black 100 percent Polyester plain-weave fabric is Teflon-treated to ensure you arrive at your destination dry and warm. Two hand pockets have snap closures for easy, on-the-fly access, and the deep pocket at the center of the back is big enough to fit a cell phone, a set of keys, or a wallet (larger items are naturally relegated to your pack). A drawstring at the hem proffers a tighter fit in more severe weather, the high collar can snap up against the elements, and longer sleeves and torso round out the cycle-friendly elements. Built especially for women, the cut is as flattering as the jacket’s subdued overall aesthetic. The red burst of the Chrome logo stitched outside the left pocket announces that you’re in on the secret.

$80

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Princeton Tec Bot Headlamp

princetontec.com, 2.25 ounces
Sending my two kiddie campers out into the dark with their very own headlamps was a big moment, albeit one tinged with a degree of sadness. Gone were the days of haggling over my pair grownup headlamps, which never quite fit properly and were always too clunky for little heads, but also the sense that I was responsible for doing everything around camp—including getting them to the washhouse when nature called. The Princeton Tec Bot Headlamp buys as well as bestows outdoor independence in a package that’s versatile, durable, and fun. They come in bright, vivid colors, and the head strap is both comfortable and designed for younger noggins, with a light unit that’s easy for small hands to operate and manipulate. Two AAA batteries power three LED beam settings (high, low, and strobe), topping out at 15 lumens—which is more than enough light to assure no imaginary hobgoblins or ogres pay your campground an unwanted visit.
-Alistair Wearmouth

$16

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Helly Hansen Legend Pant

hellyhansen.com
The perennial problem with ski pants is that warmth has always equaled bulk. That’s no longer the case with Helly Hansen’s new Legend pants. Rather than making you resemble a skiing snowman, the Legend’s sleek, uncluttered design is flattering, not fatter-ing. These classic waterproof/breathable togs are your best friend for tree skiing, ripping through deep powder, or hucking air in the terrain park. Despite their low-profile, sleek appearance, the construction is akin to a Sherman tank. They also look quite svelte while you’re warming the barstool with the après ski crowd in the lodge. The articulated knees provide unfettered range of motion and two discrete zippers on the inner thighs allow for generous, easy-access venting. Our testers raved about the warmth-without-weight provided by the PrimaLoft WarmCore insulation. The pants thwarted single digit temperatures and blowing winds like a champ during last year’s El Nino—and the two-layer construction kept our derriere dry when we opted to ride the quad rather than the gondola.

$175

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