Hasta La Ideas

A selection of snowboarding gear that’s old, new and from the future

Whistler Blackcomb, an ideal destination for trying out new snowboarding gear, has 8,000 acres of snow-filled slopes that include six terrain parks and long, gladed runs. Following the first story on my favorite resorts and spas, this review surveys the gear that kept me moving downhill all day. Stay tuned for one more this week on apparel.

Salomon XLT 2012 board

I tested four different 2012 boards this year, but the Salomon XLT ($650)—super light and full of pop, but still solid at high speeds—really rocked my world. It’s a traditional camber board, which I now know is just right for me. I’ve tried rockers and rocker-camber hybrids and I see why people love them, but for all-mountain riding with minimal tomfoolery, I guess I lean toward the older school. The XLT gets its lightness and strength from Salomon’s Ghost Construction which combines honeycomb core components with carbon stringers—new tech for 2012.

Nike Kaiju 2011 boots

Admittedly, I was hesitant to give Nike’s snowboarding boots a try, but there’s something to be said for the fact that they’ve been a footwear innovator for decades. This year’s Zoom Kaiju boots ($350) have an air midsole, internal Flywire ankle harness and simple-but-smart lacing stays to optimize fit. The boots are moderately stiff making them versatile enough to play in the park and race down the steeps. Buyer note: the lining compresses almost a full size so buy them tight and by the fourth ride they’ll be perfect.

DFP Podium Custom Footbeds

As everyone’s foot is different, it’s a bit challenging for a bootmaker to create a footbed that will fully support you. I decided to give Dynamic Foot Positioning‘s custom-molded Podium insoles ($150) a try. The customization process happens in under 20 minutes at select dealers and basically entails heat-molding a blank to your foot. After trimming excess material away, you’re good to go. Walking out of the shop, I immediately felt an increase in comfort and support in my boots that resulted in happier feet on the mountain.

Salomon Cypher 2012 Bindings

The last thing you want to do with a light, fast board like the XLT is weigh it down with heavy bindings. That’s why the carbon-based Cypher ($200) compliments a fast board perfectly because it’s not only lightweight, but also strong.

Oakley A Frame Goggles

My mainstay for years, the Oakley A Frame goggles ($130) are distortion-free, glare cutting and super comfortable. Best of all, they never fog up.

Bern Carbon Baker Helmet

Light, comfortable and lined with EPS hard foam to meet safety certifications, Bern‘s carbon fiber Baker helmet ($230) looks good while protecting and insulating. The snap-out knit liner can be replaced with a lighter headband for summer biking as well.

Seeblade Goggle Wiper

A simple but necessary item for the often wet snow that falls at Whistler, this mini wiper blade ($5) straps on to your thumb for easy goggle squeege-ing. I bought one in one of the shops on the mountain only to discover that Seeblade is a Whistler company—necessity does breed innovation!

Ski Tracks GPS Tracking App

Launch Ski Tracks, hit start and this app will take regular GPS readings, even when running in the background. That data is interpreted on the fly to show you number of runs, number of lifts, total distance, top speed and more. Your day can even be visualized on a map and exported to Google Earth. Impressively, while it runs in the background all day, it doesn’t consume much battery life at all. At only $1 in the iTunes App Store, this one’s a steal.

Line shoes with lambswool to warm feet all winter long

Urban living means you don’t always need all the trappings of a technical boot but if your city-slicker shoes are lacking in warmth, you may want to consider the instant coziness an insole can add. While some of my favorites are a pair hand-felted by a family friend, I was lacking time for a crafternoon so I was happy to find these 100% lambswool versions at NYC’s Cowboy Shoe Repair.

Made from cuddly fleece, the wool layer is bonded to a latex rubber layer so that they stay put inside shoes. I’m not sure why Germans excel at foot care products exactly, but the Polar model is one of several that the German maker Tacco offers on their site. Pick it up directly from Tacco’s site for €3 or from Shoe Hardware for $5.

A buying guide to men’s base layer bottoms

The Union Suit

More traditional types might try The Vermont Country Store’s 100% cotton, red union suit ($35) that might add a little bulk, but looks good layered under a button-down for any mountain man or urbanite. Putting their brand spin on the classic wintertime base layer (or pajamas, for many), Burton calls their Midweight Union Suit a “classic Dutch oven” that will keep you warm on the slopes and off. The Dryride Ultrawick fabric keeps moisture to a minimum while you stay mobile. ($60)

Three-Quarter Long Underwear

A technical layering item, Icebreaker Bodyfit / 260 short leggings are made of natural and sustainable wool for high-level breathability and odor control, demonstrating their record of 196 days of constant wear in extreme conditions holds up. ($75) German label Schiesser offers a multitude of base layer options, but we like their 3/4 Thermo Trousers for their quick-drying, microclimate fabric. Also low on odor, Schiesser pants will keep you warm without making you sweat and are machine washable for constant wear. (€36)

Natural Fiber Long Underwear

Made of moisture-wicking silk fabric, REI‘s classic long underwear bottoms are known for being lightweight and thin yet super warm. Soft to the touch and machine washable, they’re perfect for everyday wear. ($33) Like wearing another layer of fat that you can thankfully take off, SmartWool’s Microweight Long Underwear is next-to-skin comfortable and ultra warm thanks to its fine merino fabric. Chafe-free seams, anti-itch wool and a guarantee they won’t shrink with constant washing are all reasons they top our list this winter. ($65)

Synthetic Long Underwear

An even sportier offering from Nike, their Pro-Core Compression Speed Hyperwarm Tights feature mesh panels through the inner thigh and butt, keeping you warm and dry through carefully-placed ventilation and dri-fit polyester. A perfect fit that minimizes chafing and the dreaded “swamp ass,” these were as great on the soccer field as they were sitting at our desk all day. ($55) The Patagonia Capilene 1 Silkweight Bottoms ($45) are made using recycled bottles. While these are excellent, Patagonia’s lightweight merino bottoms are a more versatile choice and favorite of CH editor Tim Yu, designed for a wide range of activities. ($89) Uniqlo’s Heat-Tech long underwear claims to be a high-tech fabric that actually creates heat. We can’t vouch for that, but the acrylic, polyester, and rayon blend sure does keep you warm. Best part is they’re super thin, so they fit perfectly under your tightest jeans. ($15)

Have a bleak holiday with the dark humor of these photo greetings

An exhausted, pajama-clad shopper sprawled on a snow-covered lake may seem like an exaggeration, but it’s arguably not far off on the lengths many go to during the holiday frenzy that seems to begin a bit earlier each year. This card, along with one boasting a soon-to-be holiday dinner turkey come from cinema-scapist photographer Aaron Hobson, whose dark and complex works have caught our attention before.

This is dark holiday humor at is best, taking on a slightly cynical attitude during an otherwise saccharine time of year. To order, use the online form courtesy of the 7444 Gallery, which has put the whole thing together.

The cards sell for $10 each, but for an additional $5 they’ll include a personalized message with hand calligraphy from graphic artist Gail Brill. They’re taking orders now, but you’ll will have to hurry if you want it to get out in time.

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.”