RACER READY?
Whether it’s competing or just skiing like you do, here’s some help to get you down fast—and safely.
AUCLAIR RACE FUSION
To protect hands from gate bashing, Auclair harnessed the morphing armour of D3O. Most of the time the polymer built into the back of the glove is soft and flexible, but an impact excites the molecules, stiffening up the padding and dispersing the force. It means these premium leather and waterproof gloves are more comfortable all the time and offer more protection when it’s needed. $225
GIRO SIGNES SPHERICAL
Named after the fastest corner in Formula
One car racing, the Signes is Giro’s newest race helmet. It looks fast with go-faster stripes. And the impact cushioning protection is improved with padding that absorbs and redirects all kinds of knocks. It comes in a wide range of colours and sizes. $290
VÖLKL RACETIGER GS MASTER
This is about as close to a World Cup race ski as any of us would want to get. It’s the first time the iconic German brand has used a full ash core in a ski, other than on the skis it sends to the pros. It also has Völkl’s Tailored Carbon Tip, a precise way of weaving carbon fibres into the ski to give it more torsional rigidity. With all that power Völkl ditched the UVO chip, a vibration dampening system. Expect this to ski like a tiger. With a skilled tamer on the whip, it’ll go fast. $1,400
OAKLEY ARC5 PRO
For the brand’s firstever race-specific helmet, Oakley tapped super-G world champ Aleksander
Kilde. It’s made to meet all protection needs and to stay out of the way in an aggressive tuck. $675
COMFORT & JOY
Too stiff, too snug and too cold. If that sums up your ski boot experience, K2 has the antidote. With a 103mm-wide last, moderate flex and optional heat, its new BFC family is all about comfort. Borrowing from its backcountry boots, K2 gave it a walk mode and grippy sole. K2 claims it goes on hands-free, too. Fully heat-mouldable throughout the range, it’s available in women’s and men’s in flexes from 75 to 120. From $300; k2snow.com
THE GOLD STANDARD
Just in time for the Olympics, Columbia is upgrading its reflective lining from silver to gold. For years the company has used silver dots on the inside of jackets and pants to add warmth without much weight or bulk. Omni-Heat Thermal Reflective, the metallic lining that bounces heat back to the body, acts like a space blanket. The gold dots of its new Omni-Heat Infinity lining do the same, but increase radiant body-heat reflection by 40 per cent over the Thermal, says Columbia. In other words, it’s a lot warmer. Find the new lining in the Aerial Ascender Interchange Jacket, a two-piece Infinity-lined puffy and a waterproof ski shell. For real golden bling on the après-ski dance floor, wear the puffy inside out.
$370; columbiasportswear.ca
DRESS TO IMPRESS
Hiding under these stylish exteriors is technology to keep you comfortable.
Kari Traa Silja Long Sleeve and Pant: Heritage ski patterns in a modern aesthetic is how we’d describe the print on this cozy duo of top and bottom, both made of soft merino wool. $140; karitraa.com
Helly Hansen Lifaloft Air Insulated Flannel Shirt Jacket: Adding warmth to the classic organic cotton flannel is a new, lighter version of Helly’s breathable synthetic insulation. $220; hellyhansen.com
Descente Swiss Insulated Jacket: The sharp lines and bold colours draw the eye away from the long list of technical attributes, including a minimally patterned design that reduces seams and increases freedom of movement. $1,250; descente.com
Smartwool Skication Print OTC: The vibrant colours and Lawren Harris-esque landscapes on these merino wool socks is our favourite of Smartwool’s many print options. $33; smartwool.com
JUNIOR GEAR
More and more brands are wooing their customers right out of preschool with gear that mirrors their parents’ in look and construction, but tweaked to be kid (and mum and dad) friendly.
FACTION PRODIGY JR
The freeride-focused Swiss brand has tweaked many of its skis into a junior model, and it has done the same with its Prodigy pole. Made of the same aluminum as its adult poles, the junior has a narrower grip and is adjustable in length from 80 to 105 cm. $429
SMITH GLIDE JR
With a huge range of sizes, a mix of colours to suit most kids’ favs and plenty of comfort to draw down the whining, the Glide is a parent’s best friend. It’s also lightweight, warm and well-vented to prevent foggy goggles. $120
FULL TILT GROWTH SPURT
The kid boot dilemma: buy the right size boot and know that Junior will grow out of it in a year, or buy it too large knowing she’ll swim in it for a while. The Growth Spurt eliminates the tradeoffs. This isn’t the first ski boot that grows as feet get longer, but it’s the only one that looks like one we’d use. Available in two sizes, small and large, and a quick adjustment extends that to three. The rest of the boot looks like an adult boot, with the trademark, smooth-flexing FT bellowed tongue— this one opens 90 degrees for an easy on. $250
SAFER GEAR
We’re not the fun police or Astar, the Play Safe robot, but we also know injuries suck. The right gear can keep you skiing, instead of sidelined.
SWEET PROTECTION GRIMNER 2VI MIPS
Lots of helmets claim to prevent brain injuries better than others, but Sweet Protection is one of the few companies that can put scientific data and rigorous testing behind its assertions. It’s too complicated to explain it all here, but SP has attempted to address impacts from just about every direction and type of fall with the construction of the Grimner, its top-of-the-line all-mountain lid, and from the internal documents we’ve seen it sounds like a legitimate claim. $400
KNEEBINDING
Whether you’re a beginner or World Cup downhiller, when it comes to ACL injuries the worst way to fall is to get in the backseat and spin out. This uniqute direction of force simply doesn’t release most bindings properly. The KneeBinding is the only one with two release mechanisms on the heelpiece—a third DIN setting—to release the binding before a potential ACL rupture happens. And in the meantime, if your thighs are telling you that your weight is too far back, think of your knees and get centred! From $399
LEKI SPITFIRE 3D
The same technology that makes the Spitfire 3D so convenient, helps prevent shoulder injuries, says Leki. Pole plant above a tree or into a pocket of soft snow, and your pole can hang up while the rest of your body keeps going.
With a pole strap on, that can easily result in a dislocated shoulder—unless the strap automatically releases like this one. The Trigger 3D system separates pole and strap with a push on the top of the grip or with pull force within a 220-degree radius. $150
POC DIMENSIONS VPD BACKPACK
This slick little backpack has a 22-litre capacity with room for avalanche gear, water, food and extra layers. And the streamlined design rides nicely on ski lifts. But what really qualifies it for safety is the built-in body armour in the back padding. According to POC, it helps cushion and protect the back in different kinds of crashes. $240
THE ONE-PIECE ONE PIECE
Brands typically puzzle outerwear together from several different types of fabric. For instance, heavier materials on higher-wearing shoulders and lighter fabrics under the arms for breathability. It’s great for usability, but presents a headache at end of life if someone has to pick apart the apparel to try to recycle it. With circularity in mind, Helly Hansen created the Mono Material Powder Suit. It’s assembled from one type of Helly Tech waterproof breathable fabric and insulated from one weight of PrimaLoft synthetic fill. Then it’s loaded with all the bells and whistles for a smooth day at the resort: pass pocket, goggle wipe, boot and wrist gaiters, cargo pockets, and thigh and pit ventilation. Helly Hansen makes it good for now—and good for later. $650; hellyhansen.com
TRANCE-INDUCING STICKS
In some eastern religions, studying the complex geometric shapes of a mandala will put the viewer into a trance. We’re not sure if the Stöckli Nela’s graphics have that power, but the way the skis perform might. The new family of three womenspecific all-mountain skis shares Stöckli’s perfected construction of wood, metal and fibreglass. For the Nela, the Swiss brand thinned the wood core to cut weight. The build ranges from a mostly on-piste Nela 80 to the offpiste loving Nela 96, with the Nela 88 in between. Flat or with bindings, it promises a meditative experience all over the mountain. From $1,099; stoeckli.ch
BETTER SIGHT, COOL DESIGN, GOOD CAUSE
The human eye isn’t round and neither is the curve of the Xspex Chaos goggle. Instead the horizontal radius is tighter than the vertical to more closely mimic our eye shape and reduce distortion. The result is a noticeable clearer view. They come with a second lens, a rigid case and a range of band designs, including the Nomad, shown here. Fort Hope, Ontario, Ojibway artist Rod Ostamus painted the polar bears. Proceeds from the limitededition goggles go to kidney and cancer research. $250; xspex.ca