Meeting in the Salewa Dynafit North America showroom. I was amused at the positively “western” style of the pleasing industrial architecture, what with high ceilings and great open spaces, in comparison with most of such facilities I’ve visited in Europe.
WildSnow is in Boulder, Colorado, doing a few industry visits. First stop, Salewa Dynafit had an enjoyable open house last night at their new Boulder facility. A year in the making, the new digs enjoy 6,200 square feet of beautiful open office and logistics areas built in a former indoor tennis court. Everything from full mechanical to a new roof took a year of work. I’m excited for these guys as they spent years in a cramped space that didn’t do justice to how hard they work on getting product out there for us all to enjoy.
Salewa comprises four brands: Salewa, Dynafit, Wild Country and Pomoca.
If you were there, you were in for a treat as a pre-retail version of the new Hoji boot was on display to all. I’ve got an NDA on details and photos at the moment, that’ll all be coming soon. Super cool (congrats to developers Hoji and Fritz Barthel) and I’ve actually skied in a prototype so I’m not just vaping, available at retail a year from now so hitch your pants up, grab your suspenders and be patient.
I also got a backroom espionage view of a few other new products. About that, let me say that Dynafit continues as both a core innovator and a “brand” company since they established their full-on North American distribution in 2007. In other words, they could have succumbed to simply stamping somewhat boring gear with their logo, but they’re still coming up with exciting new kit, some of which could be pleasantly disruptive. It’s a good time to be a backcountry skier.
Ski storage and workshop area is roomy as well.
Only ‘open’ office area I’ve ever even half way appreciated, as it’s a bit more open than many of the others I’ve checked out.
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
