rescue goggles helmets

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winter accessories
» Zeal SPP Detonator
GOGGLES
» BARE
essentials
» Black Diamond
Alias Avalung
BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN
» Spyder Racer
IT
GLOVES
was a tough snow year for most of
North America in 2006/07—in Europe
even catastrophic—but the snowsports
industry managed to remain stable at retail.
Dealers reported that lifestyle apparel and coldweather necessities, such as hats and gloves, kept
things humming during low precipitation and warm
months. On the sales floor, accessories are a retailer’s
RES
CUE
bread and butter. Even when consumers don’t buy bigticket items during peak season, goggles and gloves always
need replacing. Likewise, safety equipment like helmets and
transceivers should be updated often to be effective in the field.
In
hard times,
goggles, gloves,
helmets and
rescue gear remain
a retailer’s bread
and butter.
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»OUTDOOR »WINTER 2008
The numbers don’t lie. According to SnowSports Industries America,
the percent of change in accessory sales didn’t shift much from the previous
season, but units still moved. Retailers reported selling 1.6 million gloves,
1.3 million goggles and more than 600,000 helmets. The lesson is: Know
your accessories. These are the items that bring customers into the shop
even when snow is skimpy.
GOGGLES: TRICKS OF THE LIGHT
TS
HELME
Innovations in goggles lately revolve around
technology and style. On the technology
end, manufacturers continue to try to
develop an effective adaptable lens, but no
system as of yet adapts quickly enough to
changing light conditions to be effective.
The standard solution has been to put a
photochromatic lens in a goggle—a lens that
lightens and darkens according to UV radiation
or temperature. It’s a good solution with one drawback: Photochromatic lenses just haven’t been quick
to adjust to light changes. So they’ll still be dark when
a skier hops into an area with shade or trees, and the lenses
» Giro Omen
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winter accessories
» Black Diamond Mad Max
take a while to darken again once the skier
hops back onto a sunny section.
Zeal Optics, based in Moab, Utah, has
been one of the most successful brands
when it comes to photochromatic technology. In fact, its PPX lens is both
photochromatic and polarized. Zeal’s new
SPP Detonator Spherical (MSRP $200)
» Uvex f1 Magic incorporates all
that technology
into a spherical
carbon frame,
and will get its
fair share of
oohs and aahs
behind the glass
at retail, even if
it doesn’t move
as well as $50
goggles.
The other
solution to the
changing light
conundrum is
to create lens
systems that are
easy to swap out.
Interchangeable
sunglass lenses have been big
sellers for some time, with Smith’s
Slider series and the new Interlock leading
the charge. But, interchangeable goggles
have always been frowned upon a bit,
simply because it is difficult to change
lenses while wearing bulky gloves, and the
whole process requires stopping and
fiddling with your gear, sometimes repeatedly if you’re going to keep up with
changing light.
But that hasn’t stopped Smith and longtime helmet manufacturer and goggle
newcomer Giro from developing newer,
easier-to-operate systems. Smith’s I/O (MSRP
$160) tackles the quick-change problem with
a rimless goggle, which has lenses that are
actually easy to swap out (and the product
looks sleek and sexy). Giro’s Manifest (MSRP
$190), designed to work with Giro’s helmets,
relies on a tab at the top of the lens that you
simply pull to remove the lens.
One of the best solutions around
appears to be Uvex’s Magic series of
goggles (MSRP $210 to $230). The goggles
incorporate an LCD technology that
changes the tint of the goggles from light
to dark and back simply by pushing a
button on the goggle strap.
Goggles aren’t just about technology,
though. Manufacturers are putting more
energy into limited-edition eyewear so
customers can stand out in the crowd. For
retailers, this is a good thing since many
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»OUTDOOR »WINTER 2008
younger skiers and riders see the
need for several pairs of goggles.
The drive to buy isn’t guided
by differing light conditions but actually a
desire to accessorize—
to look a bit different dayto-day on the hill.
At one extreme, Smith has
partnered with urban artist Stefan
Hofmann and his Spacecraft collective for
its Exclusivo series, a collection of limitededition boutique models. On a more accessible level, Scott has introduced its Alibi
line of limited editions with retro attitude,
though it could be hard to beat the Pabstbranded goggle Scott released a few years
ago for hipster cool. Scott’s Partridge
goggle conjures up memories of “The
Partridge Family” magic bus and should
move well among consumers who may
not have been raised in the ’70s but at least
watched “That 70s Show.”
GLOVES: WELCOME
TO THUNDERDOME
Core backcountry brand Black Diamond
Equipment best summed up the biggest
trend in gloves this season when it named
its new youth-forward glove the Mad Max.
More and more ski and snowboard gloves
look suited for wheeled combat, or at least
a motorized spin at the X Games, with
heavy padding on the knuckles. Although
the gloves will certainly protect users’
digits during a full-on hardpack yard sale
or even when they get friendly with a
ponderosa pine, this is truly more style
than substance.
The marketing influence of X Games’
culture on young skiers and snowboarders
has traditional outdoor manufacturers,
like Black Diamond Equipment and
Manzella, crafting gloves that can compete
against youth-savvy freestyle brands, like
Level and Dakine. Even more motoinspired, the young brands have also
embraced thin, sexy leather performance
gloves like Hestra’s Seth Morrison Pro
Glove, which was designed with direct
input from the freeskiing icon.
With roots in racing, Spyder has actually upped the wipeout performance of its
gloves beyond extreme padding and
cowhide. The brand’s leather Racer Glove
incorporates d3o Intelligent Molecule technology, which Spyder has been using as a
protective innovation in its race suits. The
technology’s noticeable and seemingly effective: Put impact pressure on the material,
like when you slam down your hand on an
icy slope or gate, and the glove stiffens up
momentarily,
and then releases
and becomes pliable
again. The Racer is
also tricked out with
Gore-Tex and PrimaLoft, which may justify
the $150 price tag.
The big technological innovation in gloves this season has
been double sided—literally. W.L. Gore’s 2
In 1 platform is the glove version of an
interchangeable goggle lens. It features
two hand compartments in the same glove.
The first is a standard, warm insulated
glove compartment. Pull your hand out
and slip it into the lower compartment for
less insulation but more dexterity. It’s
quite useful, but suffers from the same
shortcomings as interchangeable
goggles—namely, wearers have to make
the effort and take the time to switch,
removing their hand from the glove to
change compartments. Still, it’s a nifty
and seemingly effective glove, and a range
of manufacturers, including standbys like
Kombi, Gordini and Marmot, as well as
new-schoolers like Level, Scott and
Quiksilver, have incorporated the 2 In 1
concept into their latest lines. It’s interesting, but not surprising, to see W.L. Gore
move from fabric into actual design, but
the philosophy is the same. W.L. Gore
creates a technical innovation and its partners can interpret how they use that technology along the lines of each individual
brand’s demographics and image. Expect
more W.L. Gore design-based innovation
like the 2 In 1 in the future.
HELMETS: CHILL OUT
There’s a constant three-pronged advance
taking place in helmets: To create a buzz,
they need to be simultaneously light and
safe, as well as wired for sound (or, more
aptly put, wireless). New offerings have
made advances on all three fronts. Skiing
and snowboarding are athletic activities,
especially in the backcountry. For any
sport, the adage with helmets has always
been that you don’t want to feel the thing,
but it needs to protect the noggin effectively. This means that lighter helmets,
better designed for comfort and crash
protection, continue to lead the pack.
When transitioning from lift to resort
run, temperatures tend to fluctuate dramatically. So the venting that is ubiquitous in
most top-of-the-line helmets has evolved.
Many manufacturers have moved to
venting systems that, when fine-tuned,
allow users to customize the airflow to their
» W W W. G E A R T R E N D S . C O M
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winter accessories
skull. Plus, the rise of helmet use at winter
resorts has also coincided with the rise of
MP3 players of all sorts. A helmet that
accommodates a music player and integrates cell phone use is pretty much mandatory, especially for younger people.
Giro’s new Omen with TuneUps Wireless
(MSRP $369; $200 without TuneUps)
scores big on all three fronts. Its 14 vents
can be easily manipulated. It weighs just
half an ounce, but still offers a protective
ABS shell. Its InForm sizing, which works
like a bike helmet with an adjustable knob
that tightens an inner head cradle, makes
the thing conform to just about any skull
(a plus for safety and comfort). The
optional TuneUps earpieces integrate with
MP3 or Bluetooth systems and have a
control button on the earpiece, which a
person can operate easily, even while
wearing gloves.
Giro’s bike experience has definitely
paid off in understanding how to fit a ski
helmet. On the other end of the spectrum,
Swedish manufacturer POC, with roots
in racing armor, has taken a different
approach. Its Skull Light helmet (MSRP
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»OUTDOOR »WINTER 2008
» R.E.D. Mutiny
$150) fits more like a boot, using a combination of injected ABS and EPS/urethane,
aramid (military-developed synthetic)
mesh and a memory foam liner to achieve
light, snug protection. There’s no MP3
compatibility, but it does have a classy,
although retro military, style to it.
Of course, younger people don’t want to
look like an Italian cyclist or Olympic downhiller on the slopes, so helmets marketed
toward them need to perform equally with
the top helmets but look rebellious. Burton
spin-off R.E.D. has excelled at creating products that are very protective but also pass the
authenticity test with finicky, young
consumers who are very conscious of how
they look and which brands they support.
At first glance, R.E.D.’s latest, the Mutiny
(MSRP $90), looks like the classic, rebellious army-style lid complete with urban
graphics, but it also sports venting that’s
hidden (to lower the dork factor). And the
option of Audex Motorola Bluetooth ear
pad speakers (MSRP $150) will please
young riders who won’t be separated from
their electronics. The ability to transfer the
audio technology to other R.E.D. helmets is
a big plus that can save money for
consumers (read: parents) over the long
term and encourage helmet updates. Plus,
the $90 price tag will make it extremely
competitive on the shelves.
RESCUE GEAR:
FASTER, EASIER, MORE
Since we can’t eliminate the risk of
avalanches in the backcountry, mitigating
the effects is the best option. Avalanche
rescue gear must keep improving, and it is
hard for anyone to argue against the idea
that upgrading your equipment as often as
» W W W. G E A R T R E N D S . C O M
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winter accessories
» Ortovox s1
possible will stack the odds in your favor, and help save your life.
The single best item for surviving an avalanche is an airbag
system built into or attached to a pack. Until the fall of
2007, these could not be sold in the United States without
major hassles. However, the Department of
Transportation recently approved pressurized canisters, so they can be shipped and carried aboard
planes now. Perhaps we will see greater competition
in this safety category.
Although airbag packs have been on the market for a
decade and proven highly effective at saving lives, they have been
rather primitive. The new Snowpulse
» Mammut Pulse Barryvox system is much more sophisticated. The
Life Bag airbag not only provides flotation, but also protects the head and
neck from trauma and creates an air
pocket around the face. With a
suggested retail of around $1,200, we
can only hope that production costs
can be brought down dramatically in
the future.
Black Diamond Equipment’s Avalung
packs are the next best option to airbags.
These are gaining wide acceptance from
backcountry skiers since the cost is reasonable, but climbers shun them because they
perceive little advantage. Its Avalung II
shoulder sling (MSRP $130) allows
180s® redefines comfort and protection so you can get
out and do more. “Weather-permitting” is not in our
vocabulary. Our mission is to find a new approach in
developing smart, stylish products that are equally at
home in the mountains or on the city streets. 180s makes
products that enable you to train smarter and perform
better without being distracted by the elements.
180s. Always Out There™
Outdoor Retailer Booth #35139
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»OUTDOOR »WINTER 2008
wearers to breathe air from the snow around
them when buried and has worked for 45
minutes in real-life burials. Unfortunately, no
other pack companies have yet licensed the Avalung,
so selection is limited.
Avalanche beacons have received much of the technology upgrades, and hype, in the past few seasons. Pieps’
DSP arguably offers the best combination of price and
performance, with Ortovox’s Patroller a strong contender. In
theory, Backcountry Access’ Tracker 2 will compete in this mid-price
market once it reaches production. At the high-tech end are the
Mammut Pulse and Ortovox S1, which both have some impressive
features and equally impressive prices. ARVA appears to be out of
the U.S. market, again.
Ortovox has been poised to release its pro-focused, uber-transceiver, the S1, for several years—this season it finally hit the
market (the delay was partly due to the decision to go with three
antennae instead of just one). At $499 retail, the S1 was originally conceived as a tool for guides responsible for large parties
of skiers and riders—but it is an important upgrade in search
technology that is easy and intuitive to use, especially for someone
with very little avi-search experience.
Unlike the standard transceiver which uses pulsing lights to
show you how close you are to a buried victim, the S1 uses a
videogame-style display screen that shows the searcher in relation to buried victims. Which brings us to the second important
point: This beacon excels at sorting out the signals and finding
multiple burials. The S1 allows you to flag the signal from each
buried victim once you have located them, so that rescuers can
begin digging and the searcher can move on to find the next buried
victim. The S1 is also a backward compatible beacon, meaning it
will read signals from even those ancient earpiece Pieps.
The reigning king of classic transceivers is still Mammut’s
Barryvox Pulse (MSRP $449)—for good reason. Like the S1, it
makes it easier to find victims in multiple burials (it can find eight
signals at once) and uses a very easy-to-follow directional arrow.
It also uses a triple antenna and allows searchers to tune out the
signals of victims who have been found. Further, its motion sensor
transmits a buried victim’s vitals to searchers, assisting with triage.
The best entry-level beacons are Backcountry Access’ Tracker and
Ortovox’s D3. Old-fashioned analog beacons like Ortovox’s F1 and
SOS are quickly becoming obsolete and as a result present a perfect
opportunity for retailers to encourage consumers to upgrade to newer
and vastly more superior beacons. Pieps’ Freeride is a no-frills digital
beacon intended for the skier who occasionally goes
out-of-bounds at resorts. However, its
» Snowpulse Life Bag search features
are limited,
and novice skiers are most likely
to buy it. The problem is that these
skiers would need to practice with
this beacon more than they
would with a newer model—an
unlikely scenario.
» Clyde Soles contributed to
this article.
» Looking for a job? Need to
fill a position? Head to
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