Vail Weekly Gear Geek Out Article

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10.29.15
“Leave that no-account Oogie-Boogie out of this!” - Jack Skellington.
vaildailyweekly.com
Colorado ski
and snowboard
manufacturers trot
out new and novelty
gear for 2015-16
12
UNDERGROUND SOUND
WAY TO MAKE A LIVIN’
CALL OF THE WILD
HEART-POUNDING DRUM
PERFORMANCE FROM JAPAN’S NAGATA
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“9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL” 16
LIVE WOLVES ARE HIGHLIGHT OF
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MUSEUM | 18
GEEK OUT
GEAR
ON
I
By Kim Fuller
Special to the Weekly
t’s time to get your wax on and maybe to update
your quiver. Check out some of the newest and
most exciting additions to the local ski and snowboard equipment scene.
MEIER SKIS
Meier Skis
Quickdraw
($695).
Glenwood Springs resident Matt Cudmore started
Meier Skis
Meier Skis in 2009 out of his one-car garage. The
Madam
skis are made from Colorado aspen trees and pine
($750).
beetle-kill wood.
“For a boutique brand, I think people will be surprised to learn that we now have 12 models to choose
from, so we really cover the gamut,” said Ted Eynon,
co-owner of Meier Skis. “We have designed skis for
jibbers, front-side carvers, all mountain, side and back
country, touring, tele and, of course, big pow days.”
Meier’s most popular ski is the Quickdraw ($695),
which at 88 millimeters underfoot is “lightning quick
edge-to-edge, yet has a big shovel for some nice float on
the pow days,” Eynon said.
Their new women’s ski, the Madam ($750), is ultra-light, wide and rockered — designed to float on big
powder and slide through soft snow.
Buy it: Ski Haus (254 Bridge St., Vail Village, 970476-3332), Base Mountain Sports (616 W. Lionshead
Circle, Lionshead Village, 970-476-7476) or online at
www.meierskis.com.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME
LOCAL SKI AND SNOWBOARD
COMPANIES OUTFIT YOUR
SHRED SESSIONS
Liberty
Skis Origin
($699).
LIBERTY SKIS
Liberty Skis co-owners Dan Chalfant and Jim Satloff won
the money for their first production run at the craps tables in
Las Vegas during a big ski show, and the Vail-based company
has been rolling ever since.
“Liberty builds our own skis in our own factory, unlike
many small ski companies, which affords us the freedom to
use the best materials and production methods, regardless of
the cost or difficulty,” Chalfant said.
Liberty is the only ski company to use bamboo, a very light
and strong material, in all of its skis.
“The Origin ($699) features a hard-carving midsection
with a rockered tip and tail,” Chalfant said. “Quick and easy
turning from the rocker and carefully matched multi-radius
sidecut, the Origin is light and easy to pivot but retains stability and edge grip.”
The Envy ($599) is a women’s ski and comes back this year
even lighter with a new core. With its stiff style and cambered
mid-section, it’s made to carve and float through any snow
conditions.
Buy it: American Ski Exchange (225 Wall St., Vail Village,
970-476-1477), Buzz’s Boards (302 Gore Creek Drive, Vail
Village, 970-476-3320), Charter Sports (multiple locations,
970-479-6971) or online at www.libertyskis.com.
GEAR, 13
Liberty Skis Envy ($599).
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GEAR
From page 12
Hart Skis Boss ($699).
HART SKIS
Now based out of Vail, Hart Skis has
mogul, all-mountain, park and pipe
and big-mountain styles. Local Olympian Heidi Kloser recently signed on with
Hart, displaying how the historic brand
is planting some modern roots.
The Attack ($749) is a versatile
choice for groomers and hard pack,
as well as heavy stuff and heavenly
powder. Freestyle skiers will like the
Hart Fusion ($805), which is slightly narrower at the tip and tail to give
response in the bumps and lightness in
the air.
For mogul lovers, the Boss mogul skis
($699) are light and narrow for maneuvering. And kids can get in on the
bump fun, too, with the junior Javelin
Rocket WC ($599).
“They have kids’ mogul skis, which is
something that we did not have when I
was growing up,” said Kloser in a recent
interview with the Vail Daily. “It’s really
cool to see a company that’s putting an
effort into bringing mogul skis to kids
and also having really good equipment
for my age and wanting to promote the
sport.”
Buy it: Vail Ski Base (610 W. Lionshead
Circle, Lionshead Village, 970-476-5799)
or online at www.hartskis.com.
Hart Skis Fusion ($805).
BISHOP BINDINGS
Hart Skis
Attack
($749).
Fin Doyle, founder of Bomber Industries,
designed the original telemark ski binding in
the early 2000s. In 2014, Dave Bombard took
on sole ownership of the company and moved
it to Edwards, updating the binding design and
launching the Bishop 2.0 in 2014.
“The Bishop 2.0 Telemark Binding ($495)
is engineered using bomber stainless steel and
aluminum for greater control and reliability
when charging hard downhill,” Bombard said.
“Whether beginner or expert, the adjustable
thru axle and switch-plate technology transitions easily from neutral to an active position
with one simple adjustment. You can adapt
to snow conditions or your own freeheel style.”
Bishop Bindings have a patented
sliding plate that transfers energy to
skis for stability and lateral control.
You can also swap the 2.0s among
other skis with the switch plate.
Buy it: Alpine Quest Sports
(34510 U.S. Highway 6,
Edwards, 970-9263867) or online at www.
bishopbind
ings.com.
Bishop
Bindings
2.0 Telemark
Binding ($495).
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
UNDERGROUND
Rocky Mountain Underground,
aka RMU, skis from Breckenridge
have a “backed for life” warranty.
They’re built tough and made for
the backcountry.
“We have followed what started
as a hobby into working for our
dream jobs and, in the process, have tried shaping our
company and our products
into something different that
we believe in and can be truly
proud of,” said Mike Waesche,
founder of Rocky Mountain
Underground.
The Apostle ski
Rocky Mountain
($799) has won more
Underground
than 15 awards and is
Apostle ($799).
RMU’s best-seller.
“With multiple radius
and multiple dimensions, this
product acts just like a Leatherman — one ski to do it all,”
Waesche said.
Buy it: Base Mountain Sports
(616 W. Lionshead Circle,
Lionshead Village, 970-476-7476)
and Gorsuch (263 Gore Creek
Drive, Vail Village, 970-4762294) or online at www.rocky
mountainunderground.com.
GEAR, 14
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13
Weston
Snowboards
10th Mountain
Division ($899).
GEAR
From page 13
WESTON SNOWBOARDS
The Weston Snowboards Minturn location gives the company plenty of acres for
shred-inspired research.
“We chose Minturn because we like
to be connected to the community in
a meaningful way,” said Barry Clark,
founder of Weston Snowboards. “It’s
great to be in an area where there is
easy access to world-class backcountry
terrain, which is important because we
can get that immediate feedback from
riders.”
Clark said the Big Chief Split ($899) is
the board Weston is really excited about
this season. It can hold a big rider, but
it’s also light and responsive, with the
benefit of backcountry access.
“Our team riders are out there often
with that board and are loving it,” he said,
“so that’s really what we love is that the
locals are on it and loving it.”
Weston also has a special edition 10th
Mountain Division model out ($899),
which is a Colorado-made collaboration with Venture Snowboards out of
Silverton.
Buy it: Weston Snowboards (106 Main
St., Minturn, 970-827-4060) or online at
www.westonsnowboards.com.
GEAR, 15
Weston Snowboards
Big Chief Split
($899).
Unity Snowboards
Whale ($599).
Early Bird Special!
Enjoy 25% off your
check when you arrive
for dinner between
5&6pm
The Best Views in the Valley !
Happy Hour Daily 4-6pm
Drinks for $4-$6
Food specials starting at $9
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30% Off Bottles
From the Entire List
Football Specials Sunday & Monday
$12 Burger and Beer
or Wings and Beer
Fall Special
2 courses from the entire menu $32
(Dine-in only. Offer valid until October 24.)
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5:30-8pm
Open to the Public
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Opens at 6PM
14
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100 E. Meadow Drive - Vail (970) 476-8994 tel
STOP WASTING
ENERGY
Bomber Alpine
Snowboard Outfitters
TD3 SideWinder ($499).
SPECIAL TO THE WEEKLY
21%
5%
THROUGH
BASEMENT
THROUGH
CEILINGS
38%
THROUGH CRACKS
IN WINDOWS,
WALLS & DOORS
17%
GEAR
BOMBER ALPINE
SNOWBOARD
OUTFITTERS
From page 14
UNITY SNOWBOARDS
This winter marks the 20th year
of business for Unity Snowboards,
and they are still riding strong out of
Silverthorne. Unity uses a custom,
highly toughened epoxy system, as well
as a special combination of maple and
aspen wood cores.
This season, check out the Whale
boards ($599), completely redesigned
for 2016.
“The sidecut has been lengthened to
give more effective edge in front of the
front foot,” said Pete Wurster, owner of
Unity Snowboards. “This gives the new
Whales more edge control.”
The new rocker design on the board
gives it full camber set back toward the
tail. Unity has also added a float zone
before the nose rocker starts, giving riders more precision with every carve.
Buy it: Pioneer Sports (842 N. Summit Blvd., Frisco, 970-688-7105) or
online at www.unitysnowboards.com.
Formally known as Bomber Industries,
this company out of Basalt is all about
hard boots and plate bindings.
“About 95 percent of what Bomber does
is online, currently,” said Jim Callen. “But
we purchased the business back in May
with the goal of bringing alpine snowboarding to the masses.”
The TD3 SideWinder ($499) is the
most recent binding. It’s a hard-boot
snowboard plate binding manufactured
by Bomber for use with hard boots such
as the Deelux Track 700 ($599) — a boot
line from Austria that Bomber carries —
for use on alpine snowboards.
Alpine snowboards are narrower and
stiffer, which can help with hard carving
and more control on bluebird cruiser
days.
“It makes riding groomers fun again,”
Callen said. “’Cause often an issue softboot riding on groomers has is that they
don’t have that response and that support
that hard boots do.”
Bomber’s showroom in Basalt is open
by appointment only, and representatives
can meet prospective clients anywhere if
they are interested in buying or trying the
gear. Visit www.bomberonline.com/
demo-days to learn more.
Buy it: Radio Boardshop (400 E. Hopkins Ave., Aspen, 970-925-9373) and
Gene Taylor Sports (Building 54, Snowmass Village, 970-923-4336) or online at
www.bomberonline.com.
533%,-!$.%33)3"!#+
-533%,3
%6%2945%3$!9.)'(4
2 Courses
-AIN3TREET
for $31
ON SELECTED MENU ITEMS
4HE2IVERWALK%DWARDS
THROUGH FRAME
& WALLS
16%
3%
THROUGH WINDOWS
THROUGH
DOORS
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