The Snowsports Industries of America (SIA) tradeshow is an eclectic mix of mainstream downhill brands and companies that are really pushing the limit of backcountry skiing and snowboarding.
There are numerous new technologies and updated designs for next year. Many of these brands we did not cover at Outdoor Retailer, and as usual I am looking at this as a backcountry splitboarder.
Jeremy Jones with the JJMTB, Jeremy Jones Mountain Boot. An interesting “walk-mode” design will be incorporated using Boa technology. Idea is to allow for a longer stride. The boot will only be compatible with a strap-on crampon.
ThirtyTwo — New touring inspired boot design in collaboration with Jeremy Jones.
ThirtyTwo will be incorporating a built in gaiter to prevent frozen laces on long-multi day expeditions.
Karakoram: New for this current season is their redesigned binding and interface system. The Prime system includes a simpler and lighter interface, a redesigned attachment system, and a unique heel riser component.
Prime binding with the new ankle strap. Click all images to enlarge.
Available fall 2015 is a carbon fiber version of the Prime interface…light!
Karakoram will also be introducing a new ankle strap design that looks to be significantly more supportive and form-fitting (available fall 2015).
Spark R & D: Next year Spark will expand on their “hardboot” adapter components by bringing back a hardboot specific binding. Don’t stop reading too soon skiers; there is more than a hint of Dynafit technology in here.
The Dyno DH Hardboot binding. Weighs in at 1.68 lbs for the pair.
Spark’s hardboot set up. Dynfit toe-piece, Dyno DH binding, Dynafit TLT 6 all on the super light G3 Scapegoat.
Jones Snowboards: There are a number of new designs and additions to the Jones line-up for next year. They will do away with wrap-around edges, and metal plates in the tip and tail. To replace this will be tail notches for a new skin attachment system, thus making things lighter and more durable.
The new Quick-Tension tail clip, as well as the new Eco-Plastic top sheet.
A sample of a skin with the attachment notch shown. Notice the lack of the metal plate.
On the Solution split, a new top sheet construction will be incorporated – derived from castor beans; said to be stronger, lighter, and more eco-conscious. Jones will also be introducing a new board for the backcountry, the Aviator Split – a full camber, directional twin, with a beveled section of base just before the tip and tail to prevent edge catching (called 3D Power Camber).
Jones will work with Pomoca and release a new splitboard skin with two different types of tip attachments: universal and specific to Jones boards. The skins will be 70% mohair and 30% synthetic nylon. After a brief look, these skins are extremely packable.
Weston Splitboards
Currently available is Weston Snowboards’ Big Chief Split, a cambered construction with rocker in the tip and tail. The Big Chief is available in a 157, 164, and 168 sizes. We here at WildSnow like the light colored top sheet.
POC –- Spherical lens design.
The Fovea Line will be POC’s new spherical lens goggle.
Boots
A common trend is incorporating a walk-mode function into boot designs and making them more crampon compatible for technical ascents.
Fitwell — Redesigned liner and power strap
The Backcountry boot by Fitwell has started to incorporate a power strap into their shell. This has been out since last season. The boot is still compatible with a semi-automatic crampon.
Fitwell has taken feedback and gone through and redesigned their liner to remove pressure points and increase durability. With a brief try on and test, it definitely feels significantly better. A slide on snow will be the true test.
Deeluxe — New walk-mode design
Deeluxe has incorporated a similar walk-mode function to increase stride. The mechanism is attached to the power strap. They have also added a short, minimal gaiter to prevent lower lace area freeze-up.
K2 — New boot versions for the Kwicker system.
K2 now has three different boot options for their Kwicker system ranging in stiffness and style.
The interesting
Of course, these tradeshows will always feature totally new designs. It’s always interesting to see what adaptations people are thinking up.
Rodin Split introduces a splitboard that can ski? Or skis that can snowboard? When split, each ski has sidecut on both edges. Dynafit bindings are used in ski mode, and Voile pucks are used in snowboard mode. Claimed to float well, despite the large gap.
The binding is a traditional snowboard binding with Dynafit toe and heel compatibility.
Solomon – a 4 piece splitboard
A little hard to decipher in this picture, but the board has a middle section that folds into two during tour mode. I believe the idea is for weight saving on the up. Definitely interesting.
Gentem Stick out of Niseko, Japan is making some of the most beautiful boards I have ever seen.
Overall trend
Generally speaking, if I had to decide what the overall trend of snowboard designs are for the coming year, it would be the surf-inspired swallow tail designs. Just about every company has a powder-specific board. I had the opportunity to demo a couple of these boards at the On-Snow Demo day, and despite the lack of bottomless Japan-style powder, these shapes are absolutely amazing carve boards. Needless to say, tons of fun!
Jonathan Cooper (“Coop”) grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has been playing in the mountains since he was a teen. This was about the same time he made the fateful decision to strap a snowboard to his feet, which has led to a lifelong pursuit of powdery turns. Professionally speaking, he has been working as a ski guide, avalanche educator, and in emergency medicine for over a decade. During the winter months he can be found chasing snow, and passing on his passion for education and the backcountry through teaching avalanche courses for numerous providers in southwest Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest. Similarly, his passion for wilderness medicine has led him to teach for Desert Mountain Medicine all over the West. If you’re interested, you can find a course through Mountain Trip and Mountain West Rescue. In the end, all of this experience has merely been training for his contributions to the almighty WildSnow.com.
