The Snow Sports Industry Gathers in Denver; Our Correspondent Picks His Favorite Gear
Manufacturers in the world of snow aren't going to stop innovating anytime soon.
The 15/16 Spark R&D Surge’s “OneWire” riser system built into the baseplate makes for easy transitions to low (12o) and high (18o) climbing positions while splitboarding. Spark’s Tesla system does away with pins and cables, relying on the same simple mechanism to lock the binding into place during both climb and ride modes.
After building a monumental big mountain snowboarding career with no boot sponsors, Jeremy Jones was finally approached by ThirtyTwo. The result: ThirtyTwo’s MTB Jeremy Jones boots are designed by and for Jones’ winter mountaineering and riding expeditions.
What has proven to be an instant classic, the Topo Designs Klettersack catches eyes. I actually have one of these - the Cordura is unbelievably durable and the bag serves at altitude and downtown alike.
Patagonia’s new Stretch Nano Storm Jacket uses the same insulation technology as the Nano Air (FullRange), which I use - phenomenally warm and breathable, but the Air doesn’t cut the wind well. The Storm solves that problem by incorporating Patagonia’s H2No shell fabric to block wind and precipitation while still allowing the fabric to breathe.
Grassroots Powdersurfing founder Jeremy Jensen has driven the progression of bindingless mountain riding to new levels. Hopefully we can get our hands on one of these for testing this season.
Fresh new designs from Zeal Optics out of Boulder, CO.
Built on environmentally conscious supply lines and with French flair, the Picture Organic Clothing Eno jacket combines a breathable, waterproof recycled polyester fabric with cutting-edge tapeless seam construction.
Every winter, the skiing and snowboarding industry gathers in Denver for SIA, an industry show presented by Snow Sports Industries America that allows manufacturers to display their newest wares to shop owners around the continent who in turn, bring the goods to you. Our man in the field, John Robison, toured the show and picked just a few of his favorites from SIA 2016 last weekend.