SPORTS 
Boulder County Ski & Snowboard Guides
Get ready. La Niña is returning with a vengeance, and forecasters predict another epic powder season. That means what you’re sliding on and what you’re wearing on the mountain may be more important than ever.
The SnowSports Industries of America (SIA) reports that heavy snow and colder-than-average temperatures in the western region last year drove consumers to buy more: Sales were up 21 percent in equipment dollars sold, 14 percent in apparel and 20 percent in accessories. This year, equipment trends will follow last year’s sales in reverse- and mixed-camber ski and snowboards, while head-to-toe accessories continue to push the boundaries—both style and technical—to meet the challenges of big snow days. According to Kelly Davis, director of research for SIA, skis with fatter waists (between 80 and 110 millimeters) continue to lead the alpine-ski trend. “They have become the norm, and not just in powder conditions,” she says.
Sales of fat, specialized reverse-/mixed-camber (rocker) skis, which simply make it easier to ski any condition, doubled last season and will continue to gain traction this year. Skiing Magazine editor SamBass and his team say that after a decade of development, the best rocker designs are really shaking out this season. Test out early-rise and camber skis, as well as full-length rocker (at least zero camber with tip and tail rise) versions.
This engineering evolution extends to snowboards, too. More than half of the boards sold last year were reverse-camber, or rocker, boards. In addition to working well in all snow conditions and a variety of terrain, rocker boards make that painful experience of catching a front edge a distant memory. “It’s like riding down the hill on a spoon,” teases Davis.
Alpine touring (AT)/Randonnée skiing also is gaining popularity, Davis says. “Alpine skiers with AT bindings can try out this style of skiing at their favorite lift-served area before they trek into the backcountry with their beacons, probes, shovels and skins.” Boots will be huge this season, according to Bass. Alpine/AT hybrid boots are appeasing skiers with an occasional hankering for the backcountry, while custom-shell technologies—plastic molded to the foot, or screws for custom adjustments—give downhillers a way to dial in boot fit like never before.
In the Nordic skiing world, the NNN (new Nordic norm)-type binding is gaining momentum. “That means fatter waists in cross-country skiing, as the gray area between XC and AT/Randonnée becomes more populated with participants who must choose between various equipment options,” Davis says.
Shoppers care about supporting local brands. Craig Peterson, ski buyer for Christy Sports in Lakewood, says two Colorado brands are hot: Icelantic skis, made in Denver, especially the Nomad and
Keeper models; and Never Summer snowboard decks—the store’s top-selling snowboard brand—particularly the Heritage and Heritage X. The Rossignol S7 for men is also flying out the door, he adds, even more than it did last year. It’s a wide, all-mountain ski with a rocker at both tip and tail.
As for accessories to support your snowsports passions, this season is all about warmth in heavy snowfall. Base layers are reverting to wool, albeit a refined version. Natural fibers that keep you warm and dry will be key, says Davis. Deborah Williams, senior editor for SKI and Skiing magazines, also says new trends in waterproof/breathable fabrics are competing seriously with the Gore-Tex standard this season, while mountain fashion continues to mimic street clothes while maintaining winter-weather functionality.
Other necessities—gloves, goggles and helmets—continue to get more effective at deflecting snow and water from places they shouldn’t be. And technical specs on accessories are off the charts. The latest goggles, for example, use rare minerals in lenses to reduce glare and provide accurate vision in changing mountain conditions, and most helmets are now geeked out with iPod pockets and even mini cameras to record all your tricks.
So whether you’re in the market for a big equipment purchase or anupgrade to ancient accessories, it’s a good time to buy. With big powder predictions, you’re likely to get plenty of use out of your snowsports purchases this La Niña season.
Photo by Scott Marketwitz
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