Gearzilla » Snow Sports Gear

EZ Fit Snow Insoles

nborchelt — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:00:58 +0000

ezfitinsoles.com
Nothing ruins an epic day on the mountain faster than aching feet after the first few runs. The solution—buying a new pair of ski or snowboard boots—certainly tantalizes. But the problem could very well be your footbed—the removable foot-shaped pad (insole) that sits directly under your foot in the boot. That’s where EZ-Fit comes in. Application is a breeze: free the old factory insoles from inside your boots, use them as a pattern to trim the Snow insoles with a sharp pair of scissors, then drop ‘em in. They start to mold to the contours of your feet the moment you put on the boots.You’ll quickly notice better stability, less foot fatigue and improved control on edging and power transfer. The cushioning and comfort provided also helps you avoid pain in the foot, knee, hip, and lower back, breathing new life into your ski and snowboard boots—and hopefully to your next outing to the slopes.

Bergans of Norway Storebjorn Salopette Ski Bibs

nborchelt — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:01:22 +0000

www.bergans.no
Bibs may seem like the kind of ski product reserved for kids, but I love them—they give you really bomb-proof coverage against the snow, especially in the deep stuff, when snow can wiggle its way under your jacket hem. And these bibs from Bergans of Norway pull out all the stops. They incorporate full water-resistant zippers down the legs, easily adjustable suspenders, and removable gators, and two mesh pockets up front. The three-layer water- and windproof membrane kept me safe from the elements, but they had enough stretch to make ‘em comfortable and mobile, especially on long skins into the backcountry (or while pulling tricky moves while mountaineering). The zipper fly also makes attending the calls of nature much easier than I remembered when I was a kid—which is wonderful! A Recco avalanche rescue reflector has been integrated into the pants, offering some comfort when heading into the backcountry, but I’m not a big fan of the mesh thigh pockets. No matter what you have in them, they feel over-stuffed.
-Chris Boyle

Obermeyer Ketchikan Cocona Jacket

nborchelt — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:00:02 +0000

www.obermeyer.com
Most of us outdoor types spend ski season in our backpacking/climbing shells, putting serious wear and tear on gear that’s better reserved for uses that require light weight and compactness. And if you’re a full-bore lift skier who’s not that interested in backcountry, you’re better served by this durable, fully featured, ski-specific shell.

The level of detailing in this unapologetically lift-oriented shell would make Batman’s tailor jealous. There’s an elastic powder cuff that snaps back out of the way when not needed. Knit sleeve wristlets are augmented by Velcro cuffs. Urethane water-resistant, mesh-backed zip vents run down the chest. A luxuriously high fleece-lined collar combines with a removable helmet-compatible hood. There’s an internal chest pocket with a conveniently angled microfiber iPhone/sunglass sleeve, and the urethane zip outer Napoleon pocket even features an integrated, removeable, elastic-leashed microfiber goggle polishing cloth. Recco avalanche system reflectors are embedded in the lining. Of course. Duh. It’s more like a wearable ski valet than a shell jacket.

The Ketchikan uses Cocona in the waterproof-breathable shell and brushed lining. This coconut husk-derived fabric provided excellent breathability and good sweat dispersal on warm, sunny days, and stayed dry during humid, single-digit storms. The free-hanging liner added serious insulation value, and the outer shell was so tough we could blast through dense fir and scratchy spruce groves without worrying about shredding the duds. The Ketchikan still looks new after weeks of beater skiing.

Our only caveat? At 38.7 ounces in a men’s large, it’s too bulky and heavy for backcountry uses. But if lifts, cats, and helos are your game, this is one tough, comfy, stylish ski suit for the harshest conditions and high-mileage uses. It’ll probably outlive you.
-Steve Howe

Columbia Announces the Ski Bum Scholarship Program

nborchelt — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:00:35 +0000

Getting ski bums to do anything other than ski can be challenging. But Columbia Sportswear has stumbled upon a genius solution: offer the single-minded slacker the ability to ski or ride for three full months on someone else’s dime. The winner of the Ski Bum Scholarship Program gets roundtrip airfare to Colorado, a plush condo for 90 days in Dillon, a season pass to eight resorts (Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper, Steamboat, Winter Park, and Arapahoe Basin), a four-wheel-drive rental to access the resorts, and a “generous” daily food stipend. Just upload a video to YouTube proving you’re worthy. Ten finalists will be selected (each winning a $200 gift card), and one finalist will become the envy of the rest of the known ski and riding population. If you win that coveted honor, all you have to do is provide two updates a week via tweet, FB, or Instagram (or, as we call it, brag a lot) and try to not let your good fortune fool you into thinking that this will happen every ski season.

Tahoe Super Ski Pass

nborchelt — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 08:00:06 +0000

www.squaw.com/season-pass
Two Mountains, one pass, at a price that is a bargain at either one. I have had a Squaw Valley USA season pass since the ski season of 1982-83. To me, lift access at Squaw Valley is a necessity akin to oxygen, water, or shelter. Suddenly this year, my pass works at a whole other ski resort, the adjacent Alpine Meadows. Alpine Meadows has open boundaries where I can find fresh pow days after a storm, and my choices for groomers and tree skiing just tripled. Squaw’s KT22 will always be my favorite lift with it’s brisk, six-minute-and-42-second ride to 1,700 vertical feet of incredibly playful terrain, but the merger of Alpine and Squaw created a 6,000+ acre playground, making Tahoe Super Pass pass holders very hard pressed to not find what they are looking for.

-JT Holmes

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Smith Optics Maze Helmet

nborchelt — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00:55 +0000

www.smithoptics.com, 11.5 ounces
Smith’s Maze is the world’s lightest certified snow helmet. I prefer it to any helmet I have ever used because it looks cool, keeps my ears and head warm, and it can be stripped down for warmer missions or for wearing a beanie or balaclava underneath. It has less venting and airflow features than other helmets, but that adds to its clean look and warmth in storm days. Often, airflow features open and get crammed with snow and ice in the event of blowing snow or high-speed tomahawks in powder. The straps are adjustable and allow me to cinch the forehead down for high-speed use like wing suit flying and ski racing, or to simply be sure to eliminate dorky looking “goggle gap.” We used these helmets during the filming of Transformers 3 while flying wing suits in downtown Chicago and we looked and felt pretty bad-ass when doing so.
-JT Holmes

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K2 Sidestash Skis

nborchelt — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:14 +0000

www.k2skis.com, four pounds, nine ounces
This is a one-ski quiver that will never let you down. Its 108mm waist is coupled with a traditional tail, giving it reliability on firm snow and on the steeps as well as a predictable landing platform, while the all-terrain rocker in the tip gives you enough floatation to hang with any crew on even the deepest powder days. I traveled with the Sidestash as my only ski while competing on the entire Freeride World Tour in 2010, and it got me through steep, boney French competition venues, heavy pow days in Russia, and icy groomers in Switzerland. At home in Squaw Valley, where I have an arsenal of skis to choose from, go still with the Sidestash 95 percent of the time because I know I can charge those first few untracked runs and not have to switch up to a skinnier, less-rockered ski for the afternoon crud.

-JT Holmes

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Garmont Masterlite Thermo Ski Boot

nborchelt — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:00:55 +0000

Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a running series where we ask professional athletes to highlight a few of their all-time favorite pieces of outdoor and travel gear. First up? JT Holmes–skier, BASE jumper, wing suit flier, outdoor pioneer, and all-around great guy.

www.garmont.com, two pounds, 11 ounces
At 1,150 grams Garmont’s Masterlite is one of the lightest ski boots in existence, and it skis above its weight class. It has a patented Pebax Webframe shell that is thin yet strong, rigid, and ultra-light. It comes stock with a liner that you custom mold easily in your own oven to provide a fit that is comfortable and surprisingly warm for the liner’s thinness. The diagonal placement of the lower buckle eliminates the need for a third buckle and adds to the boots ease of use and simplicity. Since I often tour with the extra weight of airborne toys, it is essential that the rest of my set up be as light as possible, but I can’t sacrifice the reliability on high-speed landings and steep skiing. The Masterlite is the first boot that I have owned that totally kicks ass going uphill, but does not give me “gear fear” for the descent. I credit the shim in the back that gives me just enough support in the back seat as well as the power strap, which they kept fairly normal, so I can crank it down just before I drop to achieve the support I need. The Masterlite won my heart when it provided critical landing support on fast and firm speed riding landings off the North Face of Aguille Du Midi and then allowed me to walk comfortably for a few hours while descending a dry forest and hoofing it back to town to eat and après.

-JT Holmes

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Crescent Moon Gold 13 Trail Woman’s Snowshoe

nprichard — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 08:00:22 +0000

www.crescentmoonsnowshoes.com
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep.” The poems of Robert Frost evoke snow-blanked meadows and intriguing thickets—but sometimes it’s difficult to figure out how to access them. If your promises include getting out and exercising more frequently, then snowshoes might be the answer. While skiing and snowboarding can be gear-intensive, expensive, and intimidating, snowshoeing is the opposite. The sport is inexpensive (once you buy the shoes, you are good for years of fun), with a very brief learning curve. We love the Crescent Moon Gold 13 snowshoes for many reasons (let us count the ways….). The tapered teardrop shape accommodates most women’s stride, with none of the pesky rubbing or catching that often accompanies bigger, more unwieldy models. The binding system is easy to figure out (it took one directions-challenged tester 1.5 minutes) and fits shoes from about size 5 to 11. We tried them with running shoes (on a warm spring day with packed show) and big, insulated winter boots—both fit securely with minimal adjustment fuss. The lightweight frame (made from 6063 aircraft-grade aluminum) and PVC-free polyurethane decking make for a highly maneuverable package. Add the trio of crampons (teeth that provide traction on slick surfaces) underneath, and the Gold 13’s are ideal for a quick fitness hike, a long slog into a back-country yurt, or tromping across a local park with your dog. The shoes are designed for women up to 165 pounds (and are great for kids from about 65 pounds up), and with their no-nonsense, non-girly red hue, there’s really no reason that men in that weight range couldn’t use them as well. Try these snowshoes—we guarantee that you’ll be poetry in motion.
New colors include Teton Teal and Surreptitious Sapphire.

Salomon BBR 8.9 Ski

nborchelt — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:00:30 +0000

salomon.com
If your old skis are considered “furniture grade” it’s time to get in on the fun with a game-changing upgrade. Testers termed the BBR “playful,” zippy,” and “fun.” The Salomon BBR 8.9 (aka The Bieb) is the brand’s latest innovation from A-list ski designer,Bertrand Krafft (father of the X Scream Series and Pocket Rocket). The ski has a patented V-shape with and over-sized tip, narrow waist, and “pin” tail. The turning radius is short (12.5 for the 176 cm version), so the ski is nimble on the groomers and holds carved turns well. Built-in rocker and the pontoon-shaped tip provide great float in powder and pop in the terrain park. Our testers loved the smooth ride and quick adaptation to terrain and snow conditions, from all-mountain steeps to the terrain park.
Comes in 166, 176, and 186 lengths. Sidecut is 147/88/110 for the 176 cm length.