Swinging by Voile USA, I saw a pair of fat skis that caught my eye. The Voile Insane 183cm ski is fat and light--perfect for backcountry touring (A/T or Tele) in the Rockies and Western USA. These skis are made right here in Salt Lake City with love, not overseas. I like that. After a quick chat with Mark from Voile, I'm stoked on these skis. Their dimensions in the 183cm length are: 150 / 109 / 140. That solid 109 cm waist will provide the float needed under all backcountry conditions, while the sidecut will still make the skis perform inbounds or on spring corn. The core is constructed of aspen wood from Michigan with layers of carbon and fiberglass for stiffness. The base is sintered for long-lasting durability. They felt super light and were torsionally stiff with ...

I demand a lot from my outerwear, and I don't appreciate much of today's fashion. I'm definitely not trendy, nor do I aspire to be. I want my clothes--especially my outerwear--to go from the office to the trails in style and function. Classic, styles with modern technology and fabrics are my ideal clothing. The design team at Merrell Apparel sees it the same way. Their clothing line is highly fashionable, yet simple and functional in its design. Take their new-for-2008 Truckee Pant, for example. These are solid-looking and functional all-purpose outdoorsy pants that have been constructed to wear well over time. If you look at the back hem of each pantleg, there's a reinforced rubbery area where all pants tend to get worn from dragging on the ground. That's just one example as the entire Fall 2008 line ...

I've got some of the flattest feet around. Combine that with a low volume foot and I end up being an odd fit for many shoes. Often times, I have to cinch the laces up so tight that the eyelets on either side are nearly touching. I also have gone the custom orthotic route by going to a podiatrist and shelling out several hundred bucks for a pair of custom orthotics that are gathering dust in my closet. Over time, I'd settled for a pair of Dr Scholls 3/4 arch supports and thought they did a decent job providing me the arch support that my feet, ankles, knees, hips and back so desperately need. And, they were super easy to swap out from shoe-to-shoe. Introducing SOLE Heat-moldable Footbeds I had heard about SOLE in ...

Scott USA has gone from a goggle, pole and basic outerwear company to a full-on hardgoods manufacturer... and a darn good one at that. Their top-shelf ski lineup is now one of the best in the industry, while their entire product line has been beefed up, improved and expanded. Their upcoming goggles are functional and stylish with an entire lineup of limited-edition, bling bling models that will definitely make a statement on the slopes. Though pricing is not included, I'm sure the limited-edition lineup will come with a price. Looking over the goggle lineup, the Scott Celebutante goggle--which is a decked-out goggle based based on the Alibi frame--looks like a sweet example of style and function. They look sweet. Rounding out the ski and outerwear lineup, there's a ton of new eye candy. Here are a few ...

Fall 2008 will see the launch of an entirely-new and stylish watch model from Highgear built for both men and women. The Highgear Axio and Axio Mini watches are built from an entirely-new design with the intent of providing a technical altimeter watch all wrapped up in a wearable and good looking package. Most importantly, the Axio Mini will be the smallest and lightest women's-specific altimeter watch (as far as I know, it may be the only women's-specific altimeter watch). All altimeter watches to date have been much too large for a woman to wear off the mountain. When FeedTheHabit.com was still selling altimeter watches, I got several of them returned from women who just couldn't bear the size of the watch on their wrists. The Axio Mini aims to solve that problem by providing a basic altimeter watch that fits ...

Vasque is hitting the trail running market with a full line of trail runners built for all conditions and athletes. The entire line from the durable and competitively-priced Vasque Blur to the all-new Aether Tech Softshell, Vasque has a shoe for every trail runner. The softshell design is built for cold, wet or even sandy conditions (no mesh=minimal sand between your toes) with an impenetrable, yet breathable softshell upper. Vasque is releasing the Aether Tech Mesh (same shoe, but mesh uppers for more ventilation) this spring and will be introducing the Aether Tech softshell in mid-2008. The new softshell design carries over the same lock-n-load fit of the Boa lacing system. Both the mesh and softshell designs are the first trail shoes to employ the Boa lacing system on the tongue. Previous shoe designs placed it on the heel ...

The Smith Optics booth is always a happening place with the beanie-wearing Smith sales/marketing crew working the crowd like no other. Greg Randolph (aka Chopper) showed me a few goodies in the lineup for fall 2008. The two items that stood out were the all-new Smith Hustle Evovle Ski Helmet and the I/O Evolve Goggles with a recycled rubber frame and bamboo-fortified strap. I'm a big fan of the Smith helmet/goggle combination since it allows them to build helmets and goggles that maximize airflow and overall fit. It's no wonder Giro has also branched out into the goggle world, but Smith has them beat on years of experience in optics. Smith Hustle Evolve Ski Helmet New for Fall 2008 is the stylish new Hustle helmet. This lid looks like a mixture of the Variant and a standard skate helmet, giving ...

A quick swing by the Sierra Designs booth revealed a common theme at OR Winter Market 2008--Eco-friendly outerwear. The unfortunate downside of most current outerwear is that they are made from petroleum byproducts. In reality, outdoor gear represents only a small portion of that petroleum consumption, but doesn't it seem a wee bit hypocritical to wear wear gobbs of petroleum-based products into pristine backcountry areas? Not that the mere presence of those chemicals will pollute the environment, but it's the principle of it all. So, for Fall 2008, Sierra Designs is releasing a solid, lightweight shell made with lightweight Drizone Green 2.5l waterproof/breathable technology. This shell is made from 100% recycled polyester, solvent-free laminate and PVC-free tape at all seams. It's a lightweight, packable shell built for backcountry travelers who need something durable and functional alone in summer ...

I'm a big fan of Garmont alpine touring boots. It is evident that their years of boot-building experience give them an advantage because they are building the most anatomical, comfortable and functional backcountry ski boots on the market. Their new line of ski mountaineering boots are the result of millions invested in the right-fitting molds and the right technology. New for the 2008-2009 ski season will be a full line of beefy and capable ski mountaineering boots. The top-of-the-line model will be the Garmont Radium--a classic-looking 4-buckle design that will completely blow you away by its overall comfort, walkability and light weight while still being able to drive even the burliest skis. Dynafit-compatible and Hiking-friendly The Radium sports a tough, rockered and lugged sole that will keep you firmly planted while ...

Yes, the enviro-friendly bandwagon. Well, I really don't think it's a bandwagon anymore--it's more of a reality of the world we live in. We all must be better stewards and be more aware of our impact on the environment. I don't want to get into a global warming debate here other than regardless of what you believe, positive change that takes better care of the environment should be a no-brainer for everyone. Enter Nau. Built on a philosophy to produce environmentally-friendly clothing for outdoor enthusiasts. Based in Portland, Oregon with store locations in Portland, Seattle, Boulder and Chicago, these guys are serious about sustainability and environmentally-friendly materials and production processes. They are also serious about their gear and haven't cut any corners just to make it eco-friendly. They use high-quality recycled materials and natural wool fibers in all ...