The Newest Gear for the New Year

Every year snowboarding companies use the best technology available to produce quality snowboards while creating a precedent for many years to come

Story and photos by Sam Hollingsworth

Whether making the ride smoother, more fun, safer or just replacing outdated equipment, snowboarding companies have worked extra hard this off-season to ensure their newest stuff would be shredding local mountains like Whiteface and Jay. For the 2007 season, businesses like Burton, Ride, and Rome, have all added new gear to their roster of specialties to ensure their companies not only sell products, but represent quality, revolutionizing equipment on the best peaks in the Northeast. From snowboards to the boots upon your feet, along with protective goggles, are just some of the new items that the sport as we know it is changing each year.

Already-legendary and gold-medal winning professional snowboarder Shaun White designed what is surely going to be one of the most popular snowboards of the season, "the Shaun White Collection." White has been breaking extreme sport records since he was 15 years old and it is no wonder this board has so much to offer, being updated since last year. This freestyle directional board presented by Burton comes in lengths of 152 and 156 centimeters but is steeply priced at $499.99, according to CCS.com, a leading skate and snow merchandiser. Updated with new sizes and a new Pro Tip profile, Burton ensures this board has limited overall swing throughout the board making the ride smoother than most on the market this year.

"Burton has been around for a very long time and they have been able to master the art of snowboard creation"

"Burton has been around for a very long time and they have been able to master the art of snowboard creation," locally sponsored snowboarder Tim Caudle said. "A nice honeycomb or wood core allows a lot of flexibility as well as better pop and it seems they have perfected it so far."

Another 2007 Burton specialty that claims to sum up its qualities in one word - the name - is the Elite. Available in four different sizes (147, 151, 155, 158 cm), the Elite is a free-ride directional twin board, which maintains stability while riding curves all over the mountain. The Elite is supported faithfully by Burton's signature Super Fly wood core, a layered mixture of soft and hard wood to ensure consistent response and pop while also remaining light in weight. Priced at $359.99 at CCS, Burton promises this board will satisfy any customer.

Rome Snowboards, a snowboarding company that is on the rise, has been making a buzz locally as well as nationally. "Rome is a cool and upcoming company with great service and great boards," David Light, a Maui North employee in Plattsburgh said. Rome has a solid line of updated snowboards for the 2007 season, including the well-rounded Anthem. The Anthem offers a lot of the same features as Burton boards but with its own Rome spin. Available in a wide variety of sizes (146, 151, 154, 156, 158, 161, 163, and 166 cm), Rome has also improved their core entirely, changing to a lighter, more consistent-flexing wood. "Lighter boards are what people want these days," Caudle said. Rome is also releasing a limited edition board that has not arrived at the store yet, but will be available at Maui North before the start of the season. "Rome has been one of our top-selling boards recently and the limited edition is going to be sweet," Light said.

"I look forward to tackling Whiteface, Jay and Jiminy with this all winter long"

Atomic Snowboards is another company that has been on the rise in recent years. The Atomic Alibi has won Trans World Snowboarding's Good Wood Award more than any other board in the competition and is back for its fifth year with improvements. With a special milled-wood core and updated fiberglass cover, the Alibi's bottom has the signature look of a white business tie embedded with an Atomic image on it, along with varying backgrounds based on size. Sizes range from 149, 153, 156, 159, 163, and 166 centimeters and the $459.95 price tag is a little painful to look at. Caudle claims this board is worth the cost and his favorite because of its edge-angle and solid core. "This board rides hard and fast anywhere but is still fun in the park as well. I look forward to tackling Whiteface, Jay and Jiminy with this all winter long," he said.

Ride Snowboards has been developing worthy boards, like the 2007 Havoc, for years, but Ride's original specialty was binding production. Since its early days, Ride has been evolving into a top name product and still continues to develop some of the best bindings in the world. This year's line-up is led by the Greek series: Alpha, Beta and Delta. Each binding offers a different appeal and price, and is stacked with new features like a new aluminum movement system. The Alphas, Betas, and Deltas also carry the lightest highback and most advanced shock absorption concept with a footbed and shockpads, illustrating why they cost from $270 to $190. The main differences between the three are based on the manufactured binding, along with the quality of other key features like the foot bed and rollbar, which was created for even force distribution.

In addition to its ideal snowboard technology, Burton also spices up its other accessories annually with a strong line of bindings, boots and clothing. Another binding expected to be popular this season is the limited edition Burton Custom Brew coalition binding. "The limited edition Custom Brew bindings are sure to sell a lot this season," Light said. The Custom Brew's gimmick is a knock-off of special beer made with ingredients by a skilled staff, something sure to attract some beer-drinkers, as well as intermediate snowboarders. Features include a smaller highback that makes the translucent binding lighter but also offers structure and response. Included is a tool-free adjustable "gas pedal," which, according to Burton.com, increases toe-edge response and reduces toe drag. At $159.95 and available in either beer bottle brown or beer bottle green, Custom Brew bindings offer personality as well as Burton's regular lifetime guaranteed backplates.

For the feet, Burton Tribute boots offer additional comfort features along with its usual rugged and waterproof synthetic leather with a textile shell. The Tribute boots have a custom fit liner along with a molded tongue for comfort. Available in most adult sizes and priced at $109.99 at CCS, this boot is known as an entry-level snowboarding boot.

"We see it all: rain, ice, sleet, hail, and even powder"

This year's new trend for snowboarding helmets are ones looking more like skateboarding helmets. The classic winter helmets that were often large or gaudy are taking on a thinner style, resembling ones worn in skating. Long-time protection producer Pro-Tec offers pro-rider Danny Kass' Assault signature model, a new model. Improvements to the usual top-notch Pro-Tec helmets come from expanded coverage protection and audio earphones built into helmets. Available in five different colors, the Assault helmet is priced at $80. "East coast riders should wear helmets [when riding] because we experience a lot of ice here in Northern New York and Vermont," Caudle said. "We see it all: rain, ice, sleet, hail, and even powder."

This year's trendiest glove choice comes from Grenade gloves, in the Eddie Kruegger series. Designed by pro rider Eddie Wall, this series gets it's name from the design and color combination. The familiar candy cane striped red and olive gloves bring back memories of horror legend Freddie Kruegger. At $44.99, the gloves sport a fleece lining and special grip that can grab onto any slippery surface.

Burton also carries a line of gloves, ranging from Gore gloves ($59.99), the Pipe gloves ($39.99), and the Spectre gloves ($34.99). Each design can be purchased in a choice of colors and are offered in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes. The Gore glove offers advanced technology, including Gore-Tex protection in three separate layers to protect from wind and water, in addition to a highly water resistant outer shell. The Pipe and Spectre gloves are priced more conservatively and still offer a number of features, like enhanced grip and a water resistant outer shield.

Whether it is Statton, the snowboarding-home of Olympic Gold Medalist Ross Powers in Vermont, or a New York Adirondack mountain like Whiteface or Gore, east-coast riders need to be informed of the new gear for this season and what has improved since last year. "The best gear is lightweight and comfortable, whether it be a snowboard itself or the clothes on your back," Caudle said. "Everything has to be comfortable for you." Competitive prices are available sometimes, but if you buy a product from its original site, it's most likely the best price a consumer can get.

Have you purchased any of these products for the 2007 season?

Snowboarder's Glossary

All-mountain snowboard - waisted, varying flexes and lengths, soft boots, sometimes slightly directional, meant to perform well as a Freeride and Freestyle board

Backplate - The part of the binding that supports the rear end of the foot and heal

Cupsole - The bottom inside of a snowboarding boot

Directional - A board that is easily handled and changes direction with the help of the shape.

Forward-lean - The amount in which the board allows a rider to lean without falling.

Freestyle - Riding with the intention of doing tricks like hitting jumps and riding rails.

Highback - A stiff moulded support behind the heel and up the calf area. The HyBak was originally designed by inventor Jeff Grell and built by Flite Snowboards. This allows the rider to apply pressure and affect a "heelside" turn.

Pop - The motion of aiding a jump with less force than usual

Response - The amount of effort that needs to be applied to make a board movement.

Rotation - The amount of spin given by the board by weighing the options or rider's weight and board's shape and weight.

Sidecut - The edges of the board are symmetrically curved concavely, so that the width at the tip and tail is greater than the center. This curve aids turning and affects the board's handling.

Tail - The rear end of the board

Tip - The front end of the board