SIA: New Gear for 2011
The annual Snowsports Industries America trade show, a gathering of the ski and snowboard industries’ athletes, retailers, media, and manufacturers, is taking place right now in Denver, Colorado. We've been walking the floors to check out all the best gear for winter 2010-11, including a jacket with doughnut graphics and ski socks covered with eggs and bacon.
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Austrian ski manufacturer Kastle hasn’t had a rockered ski in their lineup—until next. For next fall, the Hugo Harrson Pro Model ski, the MX 128, will have a fat 128-millimeter waist, traditional camber underfoot, and an early rise tip. “We’ve been extensively testing the early rise,” says Kastle’s Sigi Rumpfhuber.
Check out the new gear we saw at the Outdoor Retailer show.
Read our previews of next year’s fat skis.
A new trend these days is for the boutique ski manufacturers to make an apparel line. Moment Skis, out of Reno, Nevada, debuted their line at the show. This is the Elko Jacket, which will retail for $250.
If you love bacon and eggs (and who doesn’t?) you will love Scott’s Wakey Wakey ski socks.
Homer Simponson would love this dougnut-covered Orage jacket.
For $250, you can block all sound from everywhere and have killer surround sound in your head.
Yet another boutique ski maker, Salt Lake City’s Surface Skis, making ski apparel. The brand is called Causwell and this is a Carhartt-inspired base layer.
When Marker introduced the Duke, they revolutionized the alpine touring market. We think they’ll do it again with this lightweight, 10-DIN AT binding, which is lighter, stiffer and less expensive than comparable models. And it sits lower on the ski for better energy transfer and performance. [$475; markerusa.com]
Salt Lake City-based Surface Skis has designed a new topsheet for fall 2010 that will be sold direct to ski patrollers and backcountry safety personal. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the several Utah avalanche organizations. [www.surfaceskis.com]
Utah-based big-mountain skier Hannah Whitney models the new Helly Hansen base layers.
Winner of the South American Freeskiing Championships, Jacqui Edgerly models a new hoody for her new sponsor, The North Face.
Another hardgoods manufacturer who’s now marketing their outerwear—Volkl’s Annapurna jacket is in their big-mountain line and has a buddha graphic to match several of the company’s skis. Price is approximately $300.
This women’s outfit from ski manufacturer Kastle (shown off by Kastle-sponsored athlete Karine Falk Pedersen) is made partly from bamboo and the jacket and pants click together to create somethign close to a one-piece for deep powder days.
The coolest thing about Spyder’s new Enforcer Jacket? It has a zippered pocket that locks. Not sure where you’d put the key to that lock besides another jacket pocket, but in case you want to keep your credit card safe while your jacket is in the coat check, now you can do that. Price: $329.
Vermont-based Drop has been making rider-driven gloves and goggles for the snowboard market since 1998. This year they’ve signed on freeskier Banks Gilberti to their team and are starting to dabble in the ski market. Their gear is very well thought out with a fun and creative, yet functional style. Pictured above from left to right are the Vertex GTX, Zenith GTX, and Simon glove lines. [Dropmfg.com]
Liberty’s new ultra-fat bamboo-cored powder ski has full tip and tail rocker and a center with camber and sidecut. Its dimensions are 170-141-156 with a turn radius of 26 meters. [Libertyskis.com]
These gloves appeal to the lumberjack in all of us. They’ve got a wool/polyester blend shell with Gore-Tex, Bamboo, and X-Loft insulation. They have a fully adjustable wrist strap and a full leather palm. [kombisports.com]
These super-functional insulated gloves from Mountain Hardwear feature OutDry Waterproof Technology that is bonded to a leather body that will seal out the elements for pros and everyday skiers alike. [Mountainhardwear.com; $170]
Icelantic skis are consistently putting out the most beautiful skis on the market. The latest crop of Icelantic skis does not disappoint. [Icelanticboards.com]
These stylie fully-insulated leather mitts from Scott have a soft knit wrist and adjustable wrist straps. “These are my go-to gloves for everyday on the mountain these days,” says Scott’s Gabe Glosbland. [Scottusa.com]
These bad boys are built for the highest level of power and shock absorption. It’s got a super stiff #10 tongue and an Active boot board to soak up shock. The graphics reek of Seth. [Fulltiltboots.com; $649]
