Hasta La Ideas

Three thrill-supplying destinations and the sporting gear to go with them

Even as our hemisphere finally begins to thaw, we at Cool Hunting think that everyone who’s suffered countless blizzards, waist-high slush and bone-chilling cold deserves a break. For sun-worshippers, powder junkies or anyone in between, we put together our latest favorite getaways and the accoutrements—classic products with exceptional design—that complement the locales we’ve found and make these destinations truly next-level.

Surf Costa Rica’s secret break with handmade wooden boards

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica: Salsa Brava Break

Puerto Viejo, a village on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast (about three hours from the country’s capital, San Jose), attracts diehard surfers who are looking for a more relaxed vibe than that of the often-crowded spots on the Pacific. Salsa Brava, a break that has been called Costa Rica’s heaviest and best, provides the main draw to the area while still remaining relatively untouched. Surfers can expect swells that are head-high to triple overhead (swell is biggest from December through March) at Salsa Brava, a name that loosely translates to “fierce sauce.”

42 Surfboards

If you’re going to surf an epic break, then it’s essential to have a board worthy of such a storied wave. Hand-shaped in Oregon, the products crafted by 42 Surfboards more than stand up to the challenge. Shaper Lars Bergström, a fifth-generation wood-worker who has been making surfboards since he was in high school, leads the team, producing classic American surfboards that not only ride waves but ride the test of time, lasting buyers a lifetime. Setting the brand apart is both their use of sustainable wood in making the board, as well as their attention to detail and pride in their bespoke creations that combine traditional wood-working technique with CAD technology. Whenever possible, the board will be hand delivered to its buyer—so be sure to order well before planning a trip to Salsa Brava.

Find your “true stoke” at Jackson Hole’s first eco-tel

Jackson, WY: Terra Hotel

Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole provides shelter for skiers who’ve traveled to Wyoming to shred some of the country’s best and most challenging terrain, as well as for the many visitors who come to take in the spectacular Teton Mountain Range and nearby national park. The lodgings combine all the luxury and amenities of a boutique hotel with a LEED-certified building and sustainable operating practices (including providing guests with reusable aluminum water bottles and access to alternative and energy efficient transportation). Working with the credo that an eco-hotel is healthier for both its guest and the land it inhabits, Terra demonstrates that luxury and eco-friendliness can go hand-in-hand.

ScottyBob Skis

Though some visitors to the Hotel Terra will hole up in the resort’s Chill Spa, most will hit the slopes, where the go-to gear for navigating Jackson’s trademark waist-deep powder is a pair of ScottyBob’s handmade skis. When Scotty Bob Carlson was working as a telemark instructor, he noticed that the symmetrical design of skis was inherently flawed. Building on this discovery, he put together a set of asymmetrical skis, a means of construction that ensures the highest level of precision, responsiveness, and ease and fluidity of turns, which will no doubt help you achieve the Telemarker’s coveted sublime moment or “true stoke.” Each and every pair that Scotty Bob produces is handmade in Colorado, ensuring that all the equipment that he manufactures is built with love and attention to quality and detail.

Image via The American Craftsman Project

Hike Twin Farms’ expansive acres in custom boots

Barnard, VT: Twin Farms

Ten miles north of Woodstock, VT lies Barnard, home to Twin Farms, a country estate-turned-resort and spa. Guests stay in a variety of accommodations scattered about the property, from rooms in a 1795-era farmhouse to freestanding cottages, and eat locally-sourced meals custom prepared by the in-house culinary team. In addition to tennis, swimming and croquet, Twin Farms’ property includes over five miles of hiking trails on their 300 acres of property; ranging from beginner to intermediate, these hikes lead guests through wildflower meadows, a hardwood forest, and a smattering of ponds. Those who wish to traverse a little more serious terrain can easily access nearby Mount Ascutney, Camel’s Hump, and the Appalachian Trail.

Limmer Custom Boots

Choosing to venture to these strenuous trails requires a comfortable, supportive hiking boot—that’s where Limmer comes in. Launched in 1925 when the Limmer family emigrated to the U.S. from the Bavarian Alps, the boot company represents a longstanding tradition of handcraftsmanship and the highest in walking shoe quality. Though Limmer’s custom products are built to suit the needs of each individual customer (who often opts to go for a custom model due to a fit challenge or simply looking for the best performing shoe), the boot generally includes a Vibram® sole with a multi-layer system designed to support and stabilize the arch, ankle, toe and heel. It’s worth the cost (around $625) and the wait (usually around six weeks); Limmer’s repair shop often sees boots that are 50 years old (or more) come in to be patched up and sent back to their satisfied owners. Whether you’re summiting the peaks of some of Vermont’s most beautiful mountains in a pair of custom Limmers or just braving unplowed sidewalks, trust us—your feet will thank you.

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Volkswagen

Supreme custom fits for the extreme skier

In a former gas station, now powered entirely by wind and sun, Pete Wagner and his team create custom skis one pair at a time. Located just outside Telluride, CO, Wagner has been quietly carving out a name for themselves among enthusiasts and professionals alike with their Skier DNA application, a survey ensuring a complete custom fit geared for your ski style and body shape.

To guarantee even greater accuracy, Wagner recently recruited the technology experts at Advanced Racing Computers, a Park City, UT-based firm that created the vLink—a performance measurement tool for ski racers. When attached to a pair of Wagner skis, the vLinks serve as tiny computers recording 6,500 frames per second along X, Y and Z axes, analyzing every aspect of a skier’s form. Storing up to 99 runs of in-depth data, that information is then transmitted wirelessly or downloaded later for Wagner to assess. Combined with the Skier DNA survey, this meticulous evaluation allows Wagner to craft an utterly personal pair of skis adjusted down to details like tail shapes and flex pattern.

Backed by a wide selection of colors, veneers, artist-designed top graphics or the ability to design your own, Wagner is both a brand dedicated to customization and also stands on its own as an expert ski-maker. Currently the Wagner skis kitted with vLinks sell from the Surefoot store in Deer Valley, Colorado. Prices vary.

via EXP

Tackle slopes with carbon fiber skis designed for ice and versatility

Ski magazines typically depict stylish athletes gliding effortlessly down tufts of powder, but those who live on the U.S.’ East Coast (dubbed the Ice Coast) know a different reality. Growing up on the slopes of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York, skiers Ben Callaghan and Joel Nashett understand the challenges of conquering less-than-ideal conditions and designed Avant Skis—high-performance skis shaped for what the conditions are, not what we’d like them to be.

“The big trend now is to have super crazy wide skis, which is great when there is waist deep powder, but for the East and even 90% of the conditions out West, they are kind of overkill sometimes,” Callaghan explained in a recent interview. Designed using their own extensive experience skiing, the Hartford, CT-based label have created three variations of their Aviator model.

The Ace is 181 centimeters of carbon composite, making it much lighter and more responsive than fiberglass models, and its striking reflective strips heighten visibility, where the slightly shorter Bomber (165 centimeters) allows for tighter turns and its thick steel edges are perfect for pushing maneuvers to their limit, hitting rails and rocks. For women, the Wasp is the same length as the Bomber, offering the same sturdy construction and steel edges suitable for ice and rocks.

All three models sell online for $800 each, but the innovative duo plan to open a full-service shop with a ski factory and R&D center open for tours in the future. Explains Nashett in an interview with New York ski blog Harvey Road, “I think that if people could come to a ski resort to ski and to watch how skis are made, or even get their hands dirty working on their own boards, it would be a must-do item on a travel itinerary.”

While many try to imitate the exemplary ski style of Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety, his panache off the slopes is also noteworthy and even more easily attainable. Shred Optics—Ligety’s line of sunglasses, goggles and helmets—are engineered for seriously pushing the limits and fashioned to reflect a buoyant sense of humor.

Inspired and designed entirely by athletes, the whole collection is great for hitting the slopes—but when Ligety stopped by Cool Hunting a few months ago we fell for the classic shape of his Akroid frames. The aptly titled series of sunglasses are made with the highest quality Italian plastic and scratch resistant lenses.

Known for shredding in pink goggles, Ligety is as freespirited as he is committed to his sport and his line of optics perfectly illustrates that. The Akroid sunglasses offer 100% UVA/UVB/UVC protection in four spirited colorways. They can be found at stores worldwide for $159.