Ski Press World Inc. - Index

Ski Press World Inc. - SIA Day 4 - Index

SNOWPRESS PRESENTS THE ANNUAL INNOVATION AWARDS
HONORING THE BEST INNOVATIONS IN THE SNOWSPORTS INDUSTRY FOR THE 2008/2009 SEASON.
SIA is a show of discovery. The innovation and inspiration unveiled here each year often becomes news for the entire active world. The way Gore-Tex changed the very
language of apparel, the way shaped skis opened Alaska, and the way snowboarding has become the action-sports equivalent of rock-and-roll — the products on display at
Mandalay Bay represent a unique coalescence of science, sport and culture.
Too often these boots and bindings, skis and snowboards, goggles and glasses, parkas and pants are seen merely as merchandise, SKUs or gear, rather than as the works of
imagination and perspiration — of art — they really are.
At the SnowPress Show Daily, we decided to change that. Culling from our countless hours of trend-spotting, hot-product reporting, retail researching and pre-show interviewing,
our editors hit the show in search of the most innovative products of the year. In the categories of Culture, Sexy, Skill and Smart, we present our choices for the SnowPress
Innovation Awards of the SIA.08 show.
SNOWPRESS INNOVATION AWARDS: SMART
Warm, stylish jackets that can be worn on the ski hill and to school; kids’ ski boots that grow from one shoe size to the next and can be worn for years; snowboards versatile
enough for park and powder; skis with on-the-fl y adjustments for a myriad of conditions; bindings that quickly convert from the inbounds to the backcountry; goggles that
perform in sun and shade; helmets that easily accept all forms of technology — all of these are products that appeal to the more cerebral aspect of snowsports consumers.
These are smart buys because they do more than just what they’re supposed to do. Here are the SnowPress Editors’ top picks for the smart buys of 2007/08.
Smartwool
PhD
Taking care of your poor
feet is about the smartest
thing you can do for
your body. Smartwool
came up with the most
innovative sock on the
show floor — the new
ski and snowboard PhD.
Its 4Degree Fit System
fits a foot like a glove.
Better still, thanks to its
innovative construction,
the sock actually rejuvenates
tired feet. And
say goodbye to artificial
nylon — the WOW
(wool-on-wool) actually
gets softer and stronger
over time.
— DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN
42 SNOWPRESS DAY 4 skipressworld.com/snowpress
Click In the Cans
and Crank It
VonZipper’s patent-pending design
slickly integrates SkullCandy’s Skull-
Crusher headphones into three
goggle models — the Feenom, Dojo
and Chakra. Each goggle comes with
a basic strap, set of headphones and
a strap with leather inserts so you can
pop the cans out of the headphones
and snug them up next to your ears.
Preferred retailers get a Legit Kit with
each pair. In neon color schemes like
Double Daffy Pink, they include a
fanny pack, sunglass strap, beanie
and bandana. — SUSAN SCHNIER
Scott/W.L. Gore LTD
Scoot came up with the most innovative — and fashion-forward — use of Gore’s LTD technology for its latest
line of stylish freestyle apparel. The idea of putting the Gore-Tex material in the liner wasn’t necessarily new,
but Scott sewed insulation directly to that waterproof/breathable liner. The result is a warm jacket that can
be made with fun, funky materials on the outside while still providing technical performance. — DS
Flow Gives Rental Shops
a Tasty Piece of �
Beginners have enough problems during their fi rst
days on the hill; Flow’s new � rental binding gives
them a break. The � is for rookies who are
still experimenting with stance. Named
after the formula that defi nes the ratio
of a circle’s circumference to diameter,
the � adjusts 360 degrees without
removing it from the board. The
straps moves intuitively — just fl ip open
buckle, adjust length and close buckle to lock it in
place. With this speedy “set it and forget it” entry system,
riders can adjust the straps to their boot once and slide in
and out with a fl ip of the back piece all day. — SS
Knee Binding
Studies show that there are more than
70,000 skiing-related ACL injuries worldwide
every year. If Vermont inventor Rich
Howell is right, you can bid hasta la vista to
ACL mishaps with his new Knee Binding.
Howell, a former racer who spent eight
years with Geze and later developed one
of bicycling’s fi rst clipless pedals, bases his
knee-saving system on a heelpiece with a
lateral release feature that he maintains
won’t prerelease. It aims to accomplish
this through three separate heel springs;
a wide, off-center pivot point; a unique
Vector Decoupler, and an asymmetrical
design that releases inward instead of out.
— EUGENE BUCHANAN
VOLVO — OFFICIAL CAR OF