OUTDOOR RETAILER 2007: The latest and greatest from Utah
It might not have offered classic Wasatch powder, but the Backcountry Basecamp on Friday, Jan. 26, which kicked off this year’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Tradeshow, offered retailers—and privileged Powder magazine writers--an inside look at classic innovations hitting the shelves. We tried out as many skis and bindings as possible, taking them up the Millicent lift and even into the backcountry, before finally making it back to the Basecamp Party and a well-deserved (albeit 3.2) beer. For those who couldn’t make it there themselves, following is a sneak peak at what we unearthed (apart from unearthing a few rocks in the sub-average conditions).
Backcountry Access
The BCA boyz from Boulder, Colo., hit it hard this year, debuting a prototype of their new digital beacon, the Tracker2 (6.4 oz., $335), designed to be faster and more user-friendly than ever. It boasts instantaneous real-time display, triple antenna pinpointing, simplified search/transmit switching, a new multiple-burial indicator, and is easier to use than the Tracker DTS. Look for it to hit shelves when you’re hitting the slopes in fall 2007. Just as big a buzz was created for the new Rottefella NTN ($349.95 with breaks; $329.95 without), the biggest development to hit telemark bindings since the advent of granola. The NTN stands for New Telemark Norm, and corny as that might sound it indeed created ripples among retailers. Rotefella, the world's largest nordic binding manufacturer, teamed up with bootmakers Scarpa and Crispi for an integral boot/binding system. The binding clamps on to the sole of the boot rather than the heel, offering better edge control and lateral stability, complete with four cartridges for different weights. When touring, a simple pole pry kicks it into energy-efficient, free-pivot touring mode; then push the toe piece down for bombproof skiing. We used both boot and binding on and off-piste and were easily convinced of its all-mountain merits. Best yet, the boots (we tried the Scarpas) also work in AT bindings. Also look for BCA’s new Squall pack ($56.50), Carbon 260 Probe ($75), and Snow Study Kit ($89.95). bcaccess.com
G3
What’s new at G-3? Well, gee-whiz what isn’t? The company made serious waves at the demo with its new Paul Parker-designed El Hombre ski line (it even ran a Mexican-themed contest getting people to guess the weight difference between El Hombre and Parker to win a new pair of the boards, complete with a cameo appearance from Lucha Libre wrestling star El Hombre clad in cape and mask). Designed to float in fluff and carve in crud, the superfat Hombre measures 136-105-124, with a topsheet tribute to the wrestling star known for his size, speed and agility. Like all G3 skis, it features an all-wood core reinforced with sandwich and cap construction for a smooth, round flex underfoot and torsional rigidity at the tip and tail. Also look for the new SpadeTECH shovel and Alpinist Climbing Skins. genuineguidegear.com
Garmont For beef in the backcountry, look to Garmont’s new Shaman, an ultimate freeride boot new to the company’s Power Freeride line. It comes with an anatomical fit based on the custom fit G_1, but with more volume for all-day freeriding, and is available with two soles: an ISO alpine; or bi-injected, rockered ski-mountaineering sole. Maxwell beef for Maxwell boardin’. garmont.com