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Multiflex ski boots, visco-elastic bindings, subzero datagloves - gearing up for winter's new vertical reality.
Expert skiers may schuss through deep powder in Warren Miller films and nail cornice jumps in glossy product ads, but the reality is that most downhillers wipe out. So ski equipment is engineered with that graceless truth in mind: Pole straps burst open, skis have built-in brakes. There's even talk of remote-sensing, microprocessor-controlled, quick-release bindings. Yet the makers of one key piece of gear - the boot - have long ignored the fact of falling, leaving the hard, uncompromising plastic footwear relatively unchanged since it was introduced in 1959.
It's time for a re-boot, and Lange is betting $1 million and years of R&D on literal reverse engineering. "To reduce the plethora of knee injuries," says Charlie Adams, Lange's VP of product development, "the boot needed to move backward." So the new Lange V9 flexes to protect the highly stressed joint, infamously prone to injury during a common fall in which the upper leg goes in one direction and the lower leg is locked in the other.
The V9's breakthrough lies in the lightweight, stainless steel lever attached above the heel, which bends like an elbow, allowing the cuff to move rearward. To determine maximum give and proper spring resistance, scientists used calculator-sized computers to monitor the torque on their boots as they snowplowed and slalomed at Vermont's Stowe and Killington resorts. The V9s were then flexed 50,000 times (the equivalent of five seasons of hard use) at the company's main manufacturing facility in Montebelluna, Italy, and survived 3,000 skier hours in the Italian Alps. Engineers couldn't test for ligament stretch on live subjects, so they turned to the next closest thing: preserved flesh. Two defrosted cadaver legs were wired and systematically jerked backward to measure stress inflicted on the anterior cruciate ligaments - connective tissue attaching the upper and lower leg bones and stabilizing the knee. When more than 70 "cadaverpult" trials were tallied and the powder settled, researchers found that the rear-releasing system generated 33 percent less ACL strain than did conventional ski boots.
But since safety concerns shouldn't intrude on the sport's rush - Lange does have a reputation to uphold as the choice boot among world-class racers - the V9's default setting allows the lever to spring into action only under crash-level pressure. "It feels like a normal, rigid boot until it gives way," says Javin Pierce, a bioelectrical engineer who shares a patent with Adams on the boot's release system. "We established an envelope of injury and of performance."
Lange's boot has arrived at just the right time. "We're all good at denying that it's going to happen to us," says Jasper Shealy, an engineer at the Rochester Institute of Technology who's been studying ski injuries for the last 30 years. "But there has been a shift." Growing numbers of skiers and snowboarders are hitting the slopes with all kinds of protective equipment in tow - from this season's most practical (an all-weather multisport helmet) to its most ambitious (a releasable binding for telemark skiers) to its most far-fetched (a ski pole with a horn). So turn on, strap in, and chill out.
HOLD YOUR WATER CamelBak's streamlined Zoid hydration pack is designed to be worn under cover; its 70-ounce reservoir lies flat against your upper spine, high enough to clear the back of the typical chairlift. The few parts of the bag that are continually exposed to cold air - the liquid-delivery tube and bite valve - are covered in foam insulation to keep the Zoid's flow rate from sputtering in subzero conditions. Millennium Silver Zoid: $50. CamelBak: (800) 767 8725, www.camelbak.com.
TURNING POINT The telemarker's stiff plastic boot has always lacked a fittingly sturdy binding. Unlike the primitive cable rattraps before it, the burly, Alpine-style Skyhoy binding solidly clamps the heel and toe. The dual-hinge bridging system moves more fluidly to maintain underfoot support, and the heel release prevents injury. In several years, look for an evolved Skyhoy with an optional lock-down heel that lets you descend the slopes via genuflection or parallel turns. Skyhoy: $328. Black Diamond Equipment: +1 (801) 278 5533, www.blackdiamondequipment.com.
HAT TRICK During the dead of winter, fit the Kameleon helmet with fleecy ear flaps and a neck warmer. For spring skiing, swap in a minimalist lining. And when the snow finally melts away, the 12-vent Boeri is perfect for skateboarding. Color choices range from a low-profile monochrome to a high-combustion three-tone. Kameleon: $100-120. Boeri Sport USA: www.boeriusa.com.
HINGE BENEFIT Here's the boot that lets you make mistakes - without making your knees pay for them. Available in both men's and women's versions, the Lange V9 has an adjustable, spring-loaded cuff that follows as you pitch backward, preventing catastrophic knee twist. If you manage to bounce up off the snow, the cuff automatically resets so you can keep on skiing. V9: $575. Lange: +1 (802) 655 2400, www.langerrs.com.
THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT Ride's pipe-ready Fuel snowboard is a study in minimalism. Its wood center is grooved and milled to its structural essence, the tip and tail are tapered to reduce swing weight, and the black trim on the look-at-me tangerine underside is fused into the base rather than layered on (ink weighs). But the Fuel is far from ethereal: An internal rubber damping system smooths out boilerplate bumps, and the board's sidecut runs in two different radii to ensure that your turn is never too wide or tight. Fuel: $449. Ride Snowboards: +1 (206) 463 8841, www.ridesnowboards.com.
AGAINST THE GRAIN Don't judge the Muñoz board by its low tech walnut veneer. Under the retro-timber top, sets of carbon-fiber stiffening rods add the rigidity needed for stable, high-speed groomer runs and ride-on-rails turns. The graphite base is a bit finicky - it sheds wax quickly - but with proper TLC the surface skims over snow like no conventional polyethylene base can. Mickey Muñoz Signature Series Freeride: $459. Arbor Snowboards: +1 (310) 656 3268, www.arborsports.com.
ROMPER STOMPER Lowa's Struktura GTX boot delivers the two ingredients necessary for an enjoyable alpine tour: warmth and dryness. Thin fiber insulation covers the top of your foot, while a layer of heat-retaining polyurethane cradles your sole. The GTX's Gore-Tex liner acts as a vapor barrier, so sweat can escape but moisture can't seep in. Once you reach the summit, flip the lever to convert the GTX from walking boot to downhill charger. Struktura GTX: $450. Lowa Boots: +1 (203) 353 0116, www.lowaboots.com.
FULL FRONTAL VIEW Red Baron aesthetics meet advanced ergonomics in a pair of CliC goggles. A thin, molded nylon band connects the outside corners of CliC's separate lenses, but the real bond is on the the nose bridge - high-power neodymium magnets. Though the lenses snap together easily, the coupling is so strong that it won't separate in 130-mph winds. In more benign conditions, the goggles hang unobtrusively around your neck. CliC: $49.95. CliC Goggles: (800) 577 3947, www.clicgoggles.com.
LOSING IT Now you can avoid that sinking "Where's my ski?" feeling after you've popped out of your bindings on a deep-powder day. Just press the button on the Ski Finder's remote and a mouselike, waterproof receiver mounted to each ski top emits a smoke-alarm howl. There are also nine innocuous chimes to beckon you (without scaring everyone out of their long johns) during those crowded-rack postlunch ski hunts. Ski Finder: $79.95. Wireless Alarm Products: (888) 442 6256, www.wirelessalarm.com.
HEAT SEEKER Sandwiched between the lining and the waterproof-breathable shell of Spyder's Chamonix jacket and pants is ComforTemp DCC, an insulation with roots in NASA. Micron-sized paraffin pellets absorb the heat you generate while bouncing down a bump run, and then radiate the stored warmth to keep you toasty on the chairlift. ComforTemp is strategically placed where heat loss is the greatest: kidneys, shoulders, and thighs, for instance. Just don't leave the Spyder togs in the car overnight - the beads also soak up the cold. Chamonix jacket (includes vest): $699; Chamonix pants: $399. Spyder Active Sports: (800) 333 0302, www.spyder.com.
SKYWALKER The C4 board shoe is a soft boot with a hard-shell personality. For comfort, the Airwalk has three layers of insulation and two gel inserts. But the spine and tongue are made of stiff nylon for quick heel-toe transitions, and the lacing system is reinforced with cuff buckles to guarantee a tight fit. C4: $250. Airwalk: (800) 677 1545, www.airwalk.com.
SLIM TRACK Burton's latest board binding, the C14, has all the pared-down, revved-up appeal of an Indy car: pure performance, no amenities. Weighing in at 10 percent less than its competition, the high-back C14 is a carbon-fiber, ready-for-turning frame. Its strong aluminum buckles batten down cowhide straps that break in like a baseball mitt. C14: $300. Burton Snowboards: (800) 881 3138, www.burton.com.
STEPPIN' OUT Ralph Lauren's RLX line keeps pace with a legacy of stylin' après footwear (flashback: shaggy-haired boots). The Armageddon Mid sports a WWF-style exterior that's a durable blend of synthetics, leather, and incredibly soft rubber, backed inside by a Gore-Tex laminate. The lugged tread, inspired by the mountain bike tire, provides all the grip you'll need for hot-toddy-fueled trips across icy parking lots. RLX Trail Armageddon Mid: $225. RLX Polo: (800) 875 8347.
GROUND ZERO The 1080 Pro isn't ski boot so much as landing gear. With design input from the big-air jumpers of the New Canadian Air Force, Salomon added an ample rubbery footboard that remains cushy after hundreds of touchdowns, and a two-setting buckle over the instep for a reassuring fit. The translucent orange shell has the same silhouette as Salomon's race models, but it's more forgiving, allowing for slight backward flex in case you don't come out of your flip just so. 1080 Pro: $645. Salomon: (877) 272 5666, www.salomonsports.com.
CUTTING BOARDS Grip and glide are opposing forces in cross-country skiing. When you shift your weight from one Fischer Superlight to the other, all the grippy scales underfoot immediately pop off the snow to reduce friction. But press down and the ski instantly digs in like a claw, rather than delivering the traditional progressive amounts of traction. With a paper-resin core, the pair of track burners weighs in at less than 3 pounds. SL Superlight Crown: $230. Fischer Skis US: +1 (603) 224 2800, www.skifischer.com.
WYSIWYG SOFTWEAR The Snow Tech runs on Nike OS 1. Navigate the jacket's overwhelming array of features using a series of stitched icons - an antenna on a zipper pull (the storage spot for a two-way radio), a musical note beside a hole (for headphone wires), a pair of goggles on a pocket (the compartment is lined with fabric that won't scratch lenses). Can't remember the symbol for lift-pass holder? A Help menu is sewn into the lining. Storm-Fit Snow Tech Jacket: $195. Nike ACG: www.nike.com.
PAC-N-GO A zipper cleverly located on the inside back of Da Kine's pack provides easy access to buried gear. Slip out of the shoulder straps, spin the bag around your waist, and open the Chute without ever setting it down in the fluff. The 2,400-cubic-inch tote includes a hydration bladder sleeve and can hold enough supplies for a full day of exploration. Chute Pack: $110. Da Kine: +1 (541) 386 3166, www.dakine.com.
SOCIAL CLIMBER Reusch's Alpine Information System handware lets you back up those skier boasts with facts. Built into the left wrist of one gauntlet-style glove is a hyped-up watch/data device that calculates how many vertical feet you've conquered and your average speed. A rubber stud on the right glove's pointer-finger ensures you push all the right buttons without getting your hands cold. The AIS also tracks weather, so if you're in the lodge before the last lift, you can blame it on that approaching storm. Alpine Information System Race Glove: $350. Reusch: (800) 222 6553.
TURN AND BURN Rossignol's T-Power Vipers let you descend like a slalom champ through trees or gates without catching a tip. They're maneuverable at unusually short lengths because of their crescent-shaped cut and distinctive construction. The Viper is a hybrid of two technologies: the cap (for snappy response) and the traditional vertical sidewall (the best angle for sure-hold edging). A vibration-damping visco-elastic material in front of the binding further keeps the Rossis smooth at winning speeds. T-Power Viper: $739. Rossignol: +1 (802) 863 2511, www.rossignol.com.
SPEEDRACER Ready for a luge ride? The Snow Champion's seat is covered in nonslip, easy-to-grasp rubber that you'll appreciate when the 3-foot, stainless steel runners take off beneath you. The sled folds for convenient carrying, though the plastic frame is heavy. But the beauty of this 8-pound burden is that what's dragged up must fly down. Snow Champion: $150. MPH Associates: (800) 394 6741, www.eurosled.com.
JOINT VENTURE The first all-in-one ski and binding system, courtesy Salomon, provides seamless steering and powerful carving. With the hardware built into the sides of the ski, as opposed to the conventional top mount, the Scream 10s flex uniformly from tip to tail. Hit powder or crud and feel each wide-bottomed ski float like a butterfly. Scream 10 Pilot: $949. Salomon: (877) 272 5666, www.salomonsports.com.
SKI SO HORNY Snowplowing crowds will part in front of you with a tap on the Ski Alert pole's horn. The battery-fueled blare roars out of a speaker positioned on one of the telescoping aluminum rods. Should you take a fall in the backwoods - or find the cross-resort traffic particularly nasty - a sustained press on the button turns the short beep into a high-volume wail. Ski Alert: $99.95. Grandoe: +1 (518) 725 8641, www.grandoe.com.
WARM PLEATHERETTE Garmont's telemark boot imitates the flexibility of old-school leather by incorporating three densities of plastic. The softest is above the foot for easy bending, while the stiffest is in the sole and the back seam for maximum rigidity. The result is the smooth ride of broken-in cowhide, but without the leaks. Squadra: $550. Garmont: +1 (802) 658 8426, www.garmontusa.com.
