Ski Press World Inc. - Index

Ski Press World Inc. - SIA Day 2 - 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.
“Go ahead and hit it…the landing’s fi ne.”
Such spotting for your ski buddy just got easier thanks to
Voz Sports and its new Multy LYNK helmet, the world’s fi rst
multiple sports helmet with integrated waterproof wireless
two-way communications.
“We launched in the watersports arena at last year’s Surf
Expo,” said Voz marketing director Mike Wilson, “and now
we have a new multi-sport, multi-season line that’s perfect
for winter sports.”
Founded in 2006 by helmet developer Wayne Patterson,
who has designed lids for everyone from Bell to Nike,
the helmets include a multiple-impact, low-density EPP
washable liner; lightweight high-impact ABS shell; Skull
Clamp dial-adjusted fi t system; and rear fi n kit. But it’s their
electronic attributes that are really making waves. Hightech
features include voice-activated, wireless two-way
radio communication via 14 FRS channels with 38 privacy
codes; integrated Bluetooth(r) Wireless Technology with
profi les for stereo music;
a mobile phone headset;
NOAA weather receiver;
voice-prompted menu
for user configurable
settings; directional
microphone with
noise cancellation; and
waterproof, protective
high-fi delity stereo ear
Wayne Patterson
speakers.
The product is so dialed that it was even profi led in the
November 2007 issue of Popular Science.
“With its on-hill and telephone communication capabilities,
it’s perfect for snowsports,” said Wilson, citing strong
pre-season orders. “REI and other key retailers picked us up
for watersports, and hopefully snowsport dealers will feel
the same way.” — EUGENE BUCHANAN
Applying tattoos to t-shirts might seem an odd pursuit, but it’s hardly a painful process for
Peter Mui, whose New York-based Yellow Man offers high-performance shirts featuring
artwork inked by the world’s greatest tattoo masters.
This wearable art owes itself to Mui’s decade-long quest of collecting the world’s
fi nest tattoo styles, from Japanese Irezumi and Maori Tribal to American Traditional,
and even samples from a Buddhist monk. He translates these to wearable garments
using digital technology and MadKool, a customized fabric that receives the artwork
with digital clarity. The result: vivid art that falls on the body where
the artist intended, on a garment with the wicking benefi ts
of athletic-wear.
“We make performance clothing for the alternative
athlete,” said Mui, who feels his business model for
snowsports is skin tight. “We make clothes that are
provocative, intelligent and powerful, like the people
who wear them, and those are the type of people
who attend SIA.” — EB
Tony Paukku Buddha (top)
Val White Dragon (bottom)
20 SNOWPRESS DAY 2 skipressworld.com/snowpress
Look Spry with
Norwegian Spirit
Snowboarders can have their knit hats. Norwegian
Spirit has you covered in the Real McCoy, launching
its down-to-earth knitwear collection at SIA for the
fi rst time in North American.
“Our customers expect us to be here,” said owner
Sturle Pedersen. “We’re bringing all of our designers
here to meet them.”
As part of its rollout, the company is introducing
three new knitwear programs: Fashion, Sport retro
and Classic. The Fashion is made from alpaca and
wool yarns, with exclusive designs by Scandinavia’s
Tine Solheim.
Designed by 15-year Dale of Norway chief designer Randi
Sunde, the Sport retro and Classic programs use Schoeller
wool, with the Classic program inspired by Nordic and
Norwegian elements. All are made by 500 hand knitters
with more than 12,000 years of experience.
“Our sweaters are light and functional and perfect
for snowsports,” said Pedersen, who warehouses his
wares in Pewaukee, Wisc.
Hail to Dale Boot
Dale Boot has been around ever since Mel Dalebout
founded the custom ski boot line in Salt Lake City
in 1969. But it’s suffered ups and downs rivaling
the Wasatch’s topography, most notably when it
disappeared from the retail scene while making
snowboard boot liners for Burton in the early ‘90s.
Now, with Dalebout selling to long-time European
distributor Rob Graham, Dale Boot is hitting SIA
with renewed focus for the first time in 10 years.
“With changes to the market and our product,
wwe’r
we’re rededicating ourselves to growing our retail
netw network,” , said general manager Adam Olson. “We’re
focusing foc on high-end hi
retailers and boot fi tters.”
The Th four-model r-model boot b line still employs Dale Boot’s
telltale te le three thre buckles, ckle a three-piece shell with
overlapping apping liner, and removable rem
and cantable soles.
Its s Variable Va
Forward orward Flex (VFF) line incorporates
two independent ndent d fl ex patterns, rns, with wit a spring and
tensioning tens
system allowing owing the boot to fl ex for-
ward independent in
nt of o its ts lateral stiffness.
stiffn ss
“We’re excited exc d to be back,” b ” said Olson. Ols “We’ve
“We WWe
got ggot
a great gre product od t tthat’
that’s super easy to
customize,
stt
mize,
so it should shou
be received well.” w
VOLVO — OFFICIAL CAR OF