Monthly Archives: February 2011
Randoms, Celtek family tradition, Electric’s EG 2.5, 686/New Balance’s 2012 790 Boot, Brighton’s RFID park photos, Absinthes YouTube channel, and the SLC stop on the Campus Rail Jam (whew)
Lots of quick random stuff in this post but first a few notes on whats to come on the Blahg. I have three SIA posts left Rome, Nitro/L1, and finally a post about three companies to be on the lookout for in the future. Also I have a half dozen board reviews a couple interviews in the works and finally Ive thought about my next give away. All of that should hopefully come in March with a few surprises and contest coverage as the contest season gets into full swing. So once again thanks for reading and stay tuned for all the above content. Now for the randoms post…
Celtek is a family ( literally)….
I was at the grocery store the other day and saw this FJCruiser in the parking lot…..
So I thought “I guess Erik is in here some where I have to say hello if I see him” We got our items checked out and never saw Mule but no worries I figured I’d see him at some other point. As we are walking to my car theres a lady walking in front of us and its her that walks up to the FJ. Im like hey are you BJ and Mules mom? Shes says yeah and we talk for a few secs about Celtek and the site. Shes super stoked haha. Not only was mom rocking the Celtek logo on the door she also had a full hood die cut she also had the Doman monster on the back window. Dont you wish your mom was as cool?
Electric 2.5′s ….
Earlier in the season on a big storm day I rolled up to Brighton and realized that I forgot my goggles. It was dumping so going without was not an option. Reluctantly I went into the shop and ended up buying a pair of Electric 2.5′s. New for this season the 2.5′s are a bit smaller than the EG2′s I have been rocking the EG 1.5′s for the last two seasons and was very pleased with their fit and performance so I bit the bullet and paid $60 more than I could get them with Milos discount because there was no way in hell I was going back down that canyon for my goggles. It took me awhile to get the 2.5′s adjusted to fit comfortably on my face but once I did I liked them. I dont think they have as good of a vision field as my 1.5′s but I’ll get used to them over time. The best/worst thing about the 2.5 is the lens. I have the amber lens with the mirror coating. These are for sure the darkest amber lenses Ive ever seen. Even after having the goggles on for hours I can still see a noticeable amber tint on the terrain. While that is great for bright days it definitely doesnt allow you to get by at night with them. Its a minor thing to think about if you were looking to purchase them but overall these are a great goggle.
EG 2.5's
686/New Balance 2012 790 Boot….
OK lets start out with a disclaimer.. boots reviews are pointless. Everyone has a different foot and my comfy boot is your foot nightmare. The best way to buy a boot is to go into your local shop with no pre-dispositions and tell your shop kid what your are looking for in flex and lacing and let the kid bring out lots of boots for you to try on. Dont be dead set on a particular brand. One of the best boots Ive ever had was from a company I would have never tried out if my shop kid hadnt made me put them on. Look all you see are the tips of your toes anyway so dont get hung up on brand names and just find the one that feels best on you…
686/NewBalance 790's for 2011/2012
With that being said if you are someone whose tried the 790′s from 686/NewBalance and they fit you well and you are looking for some impressions on the product let me help you out. The 790 is 686′s park flex boot with a 6 rating on their stiffness scale and a traditional lacing system. The liner has a standard pull tight lacing system and as an added touch the 790 has a velcro strap added mid way up the top portion of the boot. Personally I thought these were a tad too stiff for a park boot but remember Im the guy that rides jibs boards on two foot pow days. I just like really soft boards, bindings, and of course boots as well. That doesnt mean the 790′s were a bad boot. In fact quite the opposite, I rather liked them despite being a bit stiffer than what Im used to. They were super comfy for me, in fact I was able to put in 5 hours riding and never really had any discomfort. Thats a big deal for a brand new boot with stock insoles. The thing I liked most about the 790′s was a few little touches that 686 put into the boot. First the liner has velcro anchors in the heel as well as around the cuff of the liner. I liked the velcro to secure the liner, in fact Ive been doing it DIY in my boots for about 6 seasons. Another thing that I liked on the boot was the double stitched leather area over the toe where you would set your board as you are riding up the lift. Little things like these touches show me 686 is paying attention to the details and really trying to put out a great product. As I said the boots never felt uncomfortable in the 5 hours I was laced up in them and at the end of day 1 they were already starting to break in well. If you have ever had a pair of boots that takes weeks to break in you know its maddening. So feeling it conform to how and where I flex on day one was a great thing and a good sign. All in all I dont think these would be my day to day boot but could see them being a great choice for me on days where we hike some steeper back country terrain and I would like a little bit better response than what I get from my very mushy park boot. Normally I dont have extra sets of boots for such purposes but feeling the comfort level on these 790′s I want to keep them around for sure.
Brighton’s RFID park picture system…
There as been quite a bit of bad press recently about Vails RFID system on its ability to track personal information as you are on their mountain and what they may or not do with it. Recently Brighton also installed some RFID technology but at Brighton the R in RFID stands for RAD. See unlike some of the high end hoity toity resorts Brighton knows its all about having fun and their Park Sponsor “The Truth” wants you to have fun too.
Brightons RFID doesnt track movements or days on the hill or vertical feet or anything like that. The RFID at Brighton is used to activate automatic cameras within the terrain park. That way you can have some great pictures of your self getting in some great jibs.
Grab an RFID tag, put it on, get rad, have proof of said radness
Heres how the process works…
Come find some of the Truth workers in the lower section of rails on the Majestic park. They will give you a small badge with an RFID chip in it and a number printed on the outside. When you hit selected jibs the RFID chip in your badge will activate the camera and also relay your badge number to it. Later that night you can log into the site, browse your pictures, and share the ones you like. Simple, non-invasive, fun. YEAH BRIGHTON!
Abisinthe’s Youtube Channel…
If you are savvy enough to be following Absinthe on Twitter you already know this information. If you dont well here it is… Absinthe has been heavily loading old footage of premieres, Flipside episodes, teasers, and all sorts of out takes onto its Youtube page. It is definitely worth checking out for tons of great stuff you may have missed over the last decade.
Campus Rail Jam in SLC…
Last but not least the Campus Rail Jam Tour hit SLC last Thursday and I went up to get a few pics as well as show some support for some local riders. Niche Snowboards rider Erika Vikander won the womens title and Brighton Park Crew Member Everest Arnold took the glory in the mens division. It was fun to go up there to support my friends and to also shout out “its not switch its backwards” at the top of my lungs everytime the announcer said a skier was dropping in switch. Check out the official page for more information about the Campus Rail Jam here and also enjoy a few pics…
Erika Vikander took home the womens title.. box jam Method
The Brighton Park crew has a long line of heavy hitters on its roster.. Jake Welch, Cam Pierce, Ted Borland, Brandon Hobush ... is mens winner Everest Arnold the next big name to come from the crew? Sw 50/50
Well heres the news none of you up and comers wanted to hear ... theres another Hobush .. Christian Hobush shows his mad style here...
Stance Socks….
Stance is a skate/snow/surf company based in San Clemente California that emerged over the summer. They are a group of people looking to put a bit of style and flash into a relatively ignored area of fashion within our community, the sock. Stance has casual socks for everyday use as well as performance socks for both skateboarding and snowboarding. Stance also has an extensive group of artist collaborations. Just prior to SIA Stance announced the addition of a snow team to its previous roster which includes surfers, skaters, and artists.
Heres the low down on the snow team and also I was able to get a few moments with Stance’s Ryan Kingman at SIA to look at the upcoming street and snow line for 2012. Enjoy the pics and be sure to check out the Stance blog for what Stance has to offer including team news, video clips and a contest to win Stance socks for a year…. your feet will thank you.
Stance at SIA ….
The Stance Casual collection
Holy Cow its another whole wall of Stance Casuals...
A few pieces of the Stance snow line...
More of the Stance snow line...
Stance Celtek collaboration
straight up 70s athletic style right here
Stance snow sock artist collaboration with Russ Pope
Stance is pushing the snow sock tech envelope with stance specific socks... note the difference in padding from one sock to the other.
Another shot of the stance specific socks .. again note the difference in padding from sock to sock.
SIA11 preview pictures Ashbury, Celsius, and Tech Nine 2011/2012
Ashbury… Ashbury debuted a few years back and made a huge splash in the snow scene with their hip, modern take on goggles, sun glasses, and fashion. Check out their line up for 2012…
The Kaleidoscope line comes with a mirror tint and an extra yellow lens as well ( plant not included)
the rest of the Kaleidoscope line
Louif Paradis signature goggle
Chris Greniers signature goggle
LNP's Signature goggle
Justine Benne's signature goggle
Jake Olson-Elm's signature goggle
The Ashbury/Krew collaboration
Celsius… Celsius is a rider owned company thats been around since 2004. They have recently expanded from boots to a small line of outer wear. Check what they have to offer for 2012….
Tech Nine … Love em or hate em everyone has an opinion of the Tech Nine Clan. Say what you will the Tech Nine family has pushed the boundaries of snowboarding for over a decade and to be honest they really are some pretty good dudes so stop hatin. Heres some of their enormous line up for 2012…
Some of the ladies boards for 2012 .. they are looking a bit more "girly" these days
Ladies bindings .. each matching one of the boards in the line
as mentioned before for 2012 T9 has a binding for almost every board ... peep the colorways on the bindings to match each board
Many companies have blunted tips for 2012 but T9 has a few shapes that look straight out of 1993 ... leave it to T9 to be the most blunted (see what I did there?)
A few pieces of the outer wear line for 2012
T9 ... Tu Pac, Bob, and Biggie approved
Check it out ... select T9 bindings for next season come with regular and winged highbacks
The Chris Bradshaw collection for 2012
Travis Kennedys 2012 collection
The Derek Dennison 2012 collection
Dylan Thompsons 2012 collection
MFM's 2012 collection
I saw tons of product at SIA but of all the boards this one was one of my favorites for 2012 ... Gooners TMNT deck .. so freaking sick!!!
SIA11 picture previews Mervin (Lib/Gnu), Holden, Academy 2012
Mervin…. Comprising of Lib Tech and Gnu snowboards Mervin Manufacturing went from cult company to full blown major player a few years ago when it reignited the reverse camber theory and launched the Skate Banana. Check out what Mervin has for you next season….
Attack Banana and the La Nina
Dark Series, Banana Magic, Cygnus X1
T Rice models
TRS and Skunk Ape
Skate Bananas
Burtners Box Scratcher .. with Think/Thank RB/LB inspired graphic
Gnu Barrett Christy Pro Model (B Pro)
Womens B Street
Womens Bnice
Carbon Credit Series
Park Pickle ( there is also a womens Pickle available for 2012)
Riders Choice for 2012 comes in both denim and leather.. the new RC also features the Pickle Heel Edge Technology
Street Series
Kass Pro Model (human Kass not included)
Holden… Holden outer wear has been the trend setter for years in making street styled fashionable clothing for the slopes. Started by snowboarding icon Mikey LeBlanc Holden continues to blur the lines of fashion and function. This season Holden was being rather hush hush about showing their line, even those that got inside the booth for a few coveted pics were only allowed a shot or two. Holden did have a few items on display outside so I took some snaps through the windows….
Holden
Holden
Holden
Holden Vans boot
Holden
Holden Vans Street Shoe
Academy…. Keeping it small but still giving back, that Academy’s steez. One of those types of companies that is limiting its manufacturing to only cover orders, test boards, and the occasional warranty in order to prevent local shops from having to compete with big discount sites that buy up overflow Academy puts its money where its mouth is. Academy also gives back via scholarships for snowboarders. Check the line… (note Academy has a womens board entitled The Serenity that comes on a regular and Reverse shape, for some reason I cant find my pic of that board)
The Rhythm a mid flex mid wide ... suitable for the park but more oriented to the large jump aspect.. comes in reg camber and flat
a
the propaganda .. softest Academy board ..more jibby than jumpy but suitable for both. Comes in reg camber and reverse
The Team "Bro Model" designed by Jones and Jordan Michilot
How Sean Genovese saved SIA for me…..
So obviously as you can tell from the last several posts I took it upon myself to venture to Denver this past week for the annual SIA tradeshow. It was really eye opening in so many ways. As soon as I landed in Denver and got on the shuttle to town I was inundated by snow companies. In many ways this sounds like an awesome thing but to be honest hearing phrases like “pricepoint”, “market share”, “product shelf life”and “target consumer” are not how I want to view the act of snowboarding. I mean wandering around SIA was fun but obviously its a glimpse into the pure money side of the business. Of course Im not so naive to not realize what the purpose of the tradeshow is but man seriously it just wasnt my scene. Some of the bigger companies didnt even allow traffic into their booths unless you had an appointment or were able to name drop somebody and get in. Of course business is business and the “press” (as I was designated) should be secondary but to me if your booth is pretty much just a wall with a guard most of the time your company just kind of comes off as dickish.
Anyway so on day two I felt like I was kind of swimming upstream and was a bit frustrated. I decided to go downstairs to the coffee shop and buy a three dollar 20 oz. of Coke Zero. Im sitting there on the laptop and I look up and see who I think is Sean Genovese of Dinosaurs Will Die talking to some people and apparently handling business. Dinosaurs Will Die is one of the companies I wanted to talk to at SIA but to my dismay they did not have a booth. As I pay more attention Im pretty sure it is Sean so after the people he was talking to leave I pack up my stuff and walk over to him..
I say “Hi… um are you Sean Genovese?”
He says “Uh yeah I am”
I reply.. ” Oh cool so are you just handling business for DWD here in the lobby?”
He says that the people he was talking to are some of his manufactures or something Im not too sure now after a week or so.
Any way I introduce myself, give him my card, and we quickly talk about my site and about DWD. I shake his hand and I start back upstairs and I suddenly realize that you know its not all about price point, market share, and shelf life. At least its not if you dont want it to be. No matter how big snowboarding gets, no matter how much money is in the industry, no matter how many “booths” are really just walls with guards wielding clipboards there will always be a group of people like Sean. There will always be a group of people working around the system, holding meetings in the coffee shop vs leasing out booth space. People who are there not to try and get their product into a position of global dominance but just trying to get their product out there to the kids that dont want to be thought of as a target consumer but rather just as a snowboarder. I felt a sense of renewal and went back upstairs with a clearer head. Stoked on snowboarding….
Sean sent me a mail a few days ago with the DWD line up for next season. I thought you might like to see it…
SIA11 preview of Never Summer, Neff, Frends, and Siege 2012
NeverSummer.... Hand made out of Colorado this company has traditionally been associated with more all mountain and back country riding than it has jib kids and park. Over the last few seasons however they have made a transition towards a more all encompassing line and have been met with great success. With a three year warranty and a “Made in America” label on their side Never Summer has become the brand of choice for discriminating buyers…
The much anticipated Proto CT topsheet and base
The Summit and Summit Split
Womens decks The Pandora The Infinity and The Lotus
Like last year the EVO and Revolver share graphics but have differing color ways
Another shot of the Proto CT also the SLR and the Legacy
The 20th anniversary Heritage and the Raptor
The SLR split
Frends …. The ever popular Frends crew made a move from internet comedy into retail this past year with Frends Headphones. Check out their stylish line from SIA….
Mid sized headwear
The full sized headwear from Frends is still pretty compact and very stylish
I always assumed the Frends crew had plenty of bud.. now its confirmed
More of the full sized offerings from Frends
Neff…. Started in the SLC by Shaun Neff and done fully D.I.Y. Neff has boomed into a huge player in the accessory/streetwear market. Even Snoop Doggs reppin Neff. Traditionally bright and loud check out what Neff has to offer going into the fall…
The roots of Neff are beanies .. obviously Neff hasnt forgotten where they started
Neff facemasks
Neff has loads of funny/cutesy product this year. Actually truth be told Id rock these...
More gloves
Yeah its the third glove shot in a row but I mean c'mon Rainbows man Rainbows!!
HMMM not too sure on these .. whats the target market kids and Asians?
Although Neff doesnt have high end outerwear they have always had a huge assortment of soft shells and this year is no different
Traditionally Neff has been known for loud colors and crazy prints but this year there are more solids in the line
Hers a good example of traditional Neff on the right with more subdued Neff on the left
It looks like a sweater but its really a softshell pullover
Neff makes about any type of accessory you can think of .. here headphone covers, socks , wallets, cell phone zip packs
Siege Audio… Siege Audio is a headphone company devoted to making professional quality devices for the average joe. Whether you like buds or full sized Siege has something for you. Check out the upcoming line….
Check out these wire framed Headphones ... keeping it light and snag free on the hill
The heavy duty gear
An assortment of Siege earbuds
Mid Weight Head Phones
