Ski Press World Inc. - Index

Ski Press World Inc. - SIA Day 3 - Index

who new
From start-ups to storied brands, Who New gives you the lowdown on which
companies are brand new to the SIA fl oor, and which ones are making a welcome
return. Check out the highlight reel right here every day to see what kind of
cool gear might help give your shop an edge next season.
RIDING HIGH
Don’t be swayed by the low-budget look of Endeavor
Snowboards’ booth. The company feels very much at home
in the shipping container provided by SIA.
“It’s for edgier, upcoming brands, and that’s exactly what
we are,” said former pro rider Max Jenke, 28, who founded
Endeavor in Vancouver, BC, in 2002. “It fi ts our personality
perfectly.”
In fi ve short years Endeavor has grown from carrying fi ve
models and 20 boards to today’s seven models spanning
40 boards. In the process, it’s won eight awards from industry
magazines and has developed a cult-like following for its
design and graphics. While each board places a premium
on performance, the company also prides itself on graphics.
Highlights include its environmentally themed Board of
Directors line and its best-selling Line series, which carries
graphics from Berlin artist Marok.
“We’re taking modern art and putting it on the best-riding
snowboards in the world,” said Jenke, who likens his brand
to streetwear companies Supreme and Stussy. “Our boards
are exclusive, but available to people in the know.”
While Endeavor historically only opens one dealer per town,
retailers might well clamber for its business after visiting its
shipping container booth. “We’re anticipating SIA to be our
biggest and more important show ever,” said Jenke, who
is also launching a fashion streetwear collection, Endeavor
Apparel Design. “It’ll give us even more of an identity than
we already have.” — EUGENE BUCHANAN
G3’s beginnings were like many in the snowsports industry.
Founder Oliver Steffen, a former ad executive, went in to
buy an avalanche probe and thought he could do better. So
he tinkered with designs in his North Vancouver backyard,
and in 1995 Genuine Guide Gear was born.
“We wanted gear that guides would use,” said marketing
director Chris Strome. “That’s been our mission from the
beginning.”
The company has taken this to heart, rolling out the fi rst
compression spring telemark binding and skins that stick
in sub-zero temperatures. The company now has 10 ski
lines, including fi ve new skis and fi ve redesigned top sheets,
all employing G3’s trademark liberal artistic expression.
18 SNOWPRESS DAY 3 skipressworld.com/snowpress
Included in this year’s crop is The Saint, a lightweight version
of the popular Reverend (same footprint, but a pound
lighter), as well as the Baron, another fat tourer using G3’s
lightweight Karuba laminate.
At SIA for the first time in eight years, the company is
also showcasing its Women’s Collection, billed as the fi rst
complete backcountry line for women. The line includes
three bindings, three skis, probes, shovels and skins all tied
together with color and design.
As for the company’s presence at SIA, Strome says the time
fi nally feels right. “Backcountry is exploding, the response to
our skis has been incredible and the company’s growing,” said
Strome. “So attending SIA is the next logical step.” — EB
Catch Good Karma
WITH THE LEVITATION PROJECT
It’s no surprise that The Levitation Project’s new line
of synthetic base layers, hats, t-shirts and gloves is
down to earth. What else would you expect from a
company whose logo is Buddha?
Founded by Nico Melendez and partner
Travis Beauchesne in 2005, the company’s current
incarnation as a manufacturer
is a new life from its
past. In September, it premiered
The Fall of ’07, a joint
ski/snowboard fl ick. While
the company is now taking
its two-year-old image to
SIA, it’s trusting its karma
to jump full force into the
world of ski apparel, which
it sources and manu factures
in Melendez’s native Peru.
“The industry has always
been curious about us,” said operations manager
Christian Gennerman. “It’s time for us to enlighten
people as to what we’re all about.”— EB
SnoDaisy Dames
SnoDaisy Snowboards founder Jen Davidson of Park
City, Utah, is used to riding fast. She’s a four-year
member of the US Women’s Bobsled Team and a
two-time silver medalist at the world championships.
Trading her bobsled for a snowboard after the 2002
Olympics, she founded SnoDaisy in 2006, waltzing
into the market with one lone women’s model. She’s
rolling out two more for SIA.
“Our boards are super girly and super glam,” she
said. “When I started snowboarding, nothing suited
my persona lity — I’m pink and
girlie, and everything out
there was dark and manly.”
The result is the Snow
Dazzle, a lightweight board
with a proprietary resin; pink,
bamboo sidewalls; a pink
base with flowers; and pink
metallic-glitter meta
graphics of a
diva. diva Describing her boards
as “chick-tacular,” tacu she’s also
capitalizing cap zing on hher
growing
following fol ing by ooffering
g wo womenonly
clinics nics throughout ughout th the
Wasatch.
“Our boards are re defi definitely ely
catching on,” she said, d, “but but
it’s nice to stay small mall an and
keep p that backyard ckyard UUtah
Utah
feel.” — EB
VOLVO — OFFICIAL CAR OF