From sassy boots, to Snojo backpacks, foolproof GoPros, and ski jackets that crush the competition, this season’s line-up of ski and ride gear will you have looking, feeling, and skiing good.
PODIUM TESTED
Columbia has been building custom uniforms for the Canadian freestyle team since 2008, using technology to benefit performance. The CSC Mogul Jacket, part of the Titanium line, is lightweight, warm, waterproof, and breathable. The removable storm hood and underarm venting allow for activity options. And you can pretend you’re Mikaël Kingsbury, crushing the competition. Men’s jacket and pants shown.
CSC Mogul jacket $349.99 | www.columbiasportswear.ca
Jump Off Cargo pant $299.99 | www.columbiasportswear.ca
JOAN of ARCTIC
This sassy city boot built on a comfy wedge can also hold its own on snow. Inspired by a French visionary, this soft-to-the-touch boot features waterproof materials (not lined) and full-grain leather upper with burnished touches at the toe and heel. – S. Threndyle
$280 | sorelfootwear.ca
SNOJO 20 BACKPACK
There’s nothing worse than fumbling with your pack straps when you’re loading the lift, but this slim, low-profile, full-wrap pack can just stay on. It also double as a carry system for skis, and the dual storage compartments allow for dry storage for extra layers. – S. Threndyle
$150 | mountainhardwear.com
SUNGLASSES vs. GOGGLES
No piece of gear defines the yin and yang of the ski experience quite like eyewear. Bluebird days call for high-performance sunglasses that screen out harmful UV rays while offering fashion-forward frames that do double duty on the slopes and the après-ski patio. Snowstorms and overcast days are when the goggles come out to protect your eyes from swirling snowflakes. But if there’s a happy medium – that is, a shield that both covers your eyes and protects against errant wind gusts while still providing fog-free vision, then Scott’s new Leap LS sunglasses might be it. The impact-resistant light-sensitive lenses use photochromic technology that automatically adapts to sunlight intensity.
The lens darkens and lightens as sunlight becomes stronger or weaker, enabling you to ski in a wide range of light conditions from intense brightness all the way through to flat light. – S. Threndyle
SMALLER LIGHTER
Perhaps you’ve been delaying joining the GoPro generation because, well, you think the cameras really do look dorky on your helmet, especially when you’re in a lift line. Or maybe you’ve been intimidated by the amount of technical trial and error you need to go through to in order to become halfway decent with it. The new GoPro Session breaks with the past and presents a much lighter unit that is waterproof to 10 metres (no housing needed) and features a sleek, unobtrusive cube shape that’s almost half the size of existing Hero models. Aimed at the “point and shoot” amateur who might be intimidated by the multiple shooting modes and options of more advanced models, the Session’s QuickCapture mode is essentially a foolproof “always on” button that starts recording at the push of a button. Indeed, it’s ideal for filming those short “sessions” that seem to come out of nowhere. – S. Threndyle
$525 | gopro.com
