Local Gear Experts Share Their Favorite Picks
By Melissa Hilton
With dozens of ski and snowboard shops in Park City, you’re sure to find exactly the right equipment, clothing and accessories to make your time in the crisp mountain air perfectly perfect. Local gear experts from some of our favorite shops share what’s hot this winter.
Local ski and snowboard manufacturer RAMP SPORTS has put a new twist on one of their most popular, versatile big-mountain skis, the Peacepipe 2015 ($749). This multi- award winning, high-speed, all-mountain ski is perfectly balanced for carving, powder skiing, threading trees, making quick turns and slaying big lines. The innovative redesign offers a more playful tail and shorter turning radius of 17M to make turns easier, more precise and fun. It has 42cm of early rise in the tip and 21 cm in the tail so it’s loose and has a bombproof edge grip. The Peacepipe is a must have for riders who crave off piste skiing.
Goggles protect your eyes from the sun’s glare, wind and snow. Now, with Smith I/O Recon Goggles, available at SILVER STAR SKI & SPORT, they can also show you your altitude, speed, vertical change, temperature, run count, and even help you track down your buddies. Forget about carrying a damp, hard-to-fold trail map. The I/O Recon Goggles have on-board navigation that can lead you to specific runs. Everything is displayed inside at the periphery, so you can check your stats without stopping. You can even link up your smartphone so calls and texts will be displayed, or your music player so you can control your tunes.
The last thing you want to deal with on the slopes is crunched, aching, sore feet. The all-new Mach1 Series of ski boots, available at the beautifully remodeled PARK CITY SKI BOOT features the most anatomically shaped liner and shell to ensure pure fit, performance and comfort for a wide range of skiers who seek a high performance, four-buckle, traditional overlap alpine boot. The Mach-1 series features the new C.A.S. (custom adaptive shape) liner with moldable, heatable, stretchable material that offers a precise fit right out of the box with the added ability to customize as needed.
At JANS, style and warmth go hand in hand. With feminine motorcycle jacket styling and warm, down insulation, The Kyla Women’s Down Jacket by Bogner ($1,200) is the perfect blend of fashion and function. The goose down insulation keeps you toasty, and the satiny, waterproof exterior keeps you dry and looking fine. Cigarette- quilted side inserts create a tailored silhouette. A stand-up collar and knitted wrist gaiters add extra coziness during chilly winter days and the rounded hem and adjustable belt ensure the most flattering fit.
Blizzard Spur, the athlete-inspired, limited-edition powder ski turns the mountain into a wide-open canvas with no limitations. The futuristic materials and construction combine to form a ski that revolutionizes what is possible in powder snow. The light swing weight and tapered extremities make for an incredibly easy and forgiving ride in soft snow, yet the Flipcore combined with the carbon tips and tails actually add stability while lightening up the swing weight. The end stability in tracked out snow defies logic, yet the ease in which you can smear, surf or carve your turns in powder will blow your mind. The only drawback of the Spur is its availability. Limited production means it’s only available at select retailers. Luckily, you can get yours at COLE SPORT.
The Cortina is a boot that’s stylish enough for the runway yet durable and rugged enough for the Italian mountains of the same name. These cozy winter boots have it all. They’re water-resistant, insulated, ultra-lightweight, comfortable and faux fur lining provides an extra layer of warmth and comfort. If that’s not enough, there’s a zipper pocket on the side, perfectly sized for an ID, credit card, or car key.
It’s never been easier to teach little ones how to ski. With Launch Pad’s sophisticated, award winning ski training gear for children, your kids will be confidently cruising the slopes in no time. The Hookease system slips right over your beginner’s skis, adjusts according to the width and then securely clamps on the back of the skis, allowing you to control speed and teach the right way to glide, wedge and turn.
Wedgease is a revolutionary tip connector designed to fit skis of all shapes and sizes that clamps on to your child’s skis and actually
stays there, making learning to turn easier and more fun. When you’ve got the basics covered, move on to Launch Pad’s Ski Harness. Included with the harness are leashes, designed to let your beginner test their limits. Attached with a bungee rope to absorb the tension, it makes riding down the mountainside a lot smoother for both parent and child and reduces the possibility of your little one getting pulled to the ground. Find the Cortina winter boot and Launch Pad’s ski training gear at CHRISTY SPORTS.
RAMP Sports:
888-406-0567 | rampsports.com
Park City Ski Boot:
435-776-7883 | parkcityskiboot.com
Cole Sport:
435-649-4806 | colesport.com
Silver Star Ski & Sport:
435-645-7827 | silverstarskiandsport.net
Christy Sports:
888-413-6966 | christysports.com
Jans:
435-649-4949 | jans.com
