Like anything else in life — the party, the interview, the gig — you’ll perform better on the slopes if you’re feeling yourself. Snowboarding style, though, can be a bit of a razor’s edge. You’re stuck between being a park rat steez monster and being a dad. Unless you’re a 15 year-old, or have a 15 year-old, neither is acceptable. You’re in luck though — we’ve found the middle ground.
After a couple mediocre winters on the East Coast, our brains’ snowboarding lobes are focused westward for 2012-2013, but regardless of where you’re strapping in this winter, our kit will have you looking sharp, feeling good, and ready to carve. Everything we’ve picked had to meet our criteria of standing up in tough conditions (read: not Colorado powder days). Equally important to the function of our kit was the form: if it looks like it belongs at a Fall-Out Boy concert, or Iraq, we left it out.
Think snow, and get the gear — winter is almost here. See you on the lift.
JACKET // The Squire by Burton x Filson
The centerpiece of any winter outfit is the jacket, so we looked for one that was classic enough to stay in style for years to come, and cutting-edge enough to impress your riding buddies. Burton‘s collaboration with Filson delivers on all counts. Inside, it’s lined with virgin Mackinaw wool and 3M Thinsulate Platinum for thermometer-defeating warmth. Outside, it’s sewn from the Seattle outfitter’s oil-finished, weatherproof Shelter Cloth, which is a heavy, resilient, patina-developing fabric similar to the Tin Cloth found on the company’s beloved hunting jackets. Brass hardware, leather hoodie pulls, and a full-time fleece-lined hood make The Squire a sure-fire piece of outerwear for years to come.
Burton x Filson // Available at Burton; $349.95 USD
PANTS // Heritage Suspender Snow Pants by Burton
For a while, it was cool to have a belt with a buckle that was actually a multi-tool, bu– what’s that? Oh, that was never cool, ever? Gotcha. Beating the sag with a suave, heritage-inspired solution, Burton outfitted a pair of its top-notch snowpants with tri-colored, Thom Browne-esque suspenders. Put the braces on your shoulders when you’re riding, or drop ‘em down at your sides when walking around — they look good either way. The pants also come with reinforced knees and two massive, button-closed front cargo pockets, plus two in back as well.
Burton // Available at Burton; $189.95
GLOVES // Isa Trigger Mitts by Isaora
Made like “tanks for your arms” in New York City, the Isaora Isa Trigger Mitts look more like a nail head plaid suit thanks to the Italian technical nylon from which the outer shell is sewn. Inside, 60 grams of PrimaLoft ONE ensconce your hand; depending on how cold it is, you can keep your index free in an articulated slip (hence, the “trigger”), or snug it in with your other three digits and leave the thumb on an island. Don’t worry, it’s wrapped in cowskin. It’ll be fine.
Isaora // Available at Isaora; $219 USD
BOOTS // Double-Tongue Zoom Danny Kass Quick Strike by Nike
With almost as much attitude as its designer Danny Kass, the Nike Zoom DK QS is a snarling, double-tongued strap-in boot with a Spitfire-esque shark graphic running from toe to arch. Besides that graphic, though, the boot looks like a classic sneaker, with a black outsole, white midsole, and an upper sewn from a grey, suede-like material. The contrast swoosh looks especially dope flanked by the shark’s eye.
Nike // Available at these Nike retailers; around $350 USD
BINDINGS // Burton Diode
With boots as slick as those, you don’t need to worry about winning the battle on bindings. But you should anyway, which is why we dig the Diode from Burton. Aside from the black-on-black colorway with silver hardware (which is the hotness), the Diodes are an out-and-out performance binding. With a hi-back crafted from handlaid carbon fiber and Burton’s Re:Flex technology, the Diode is one of the brand’s more responsive bindings, so it’s definitely not for beginners.
Burton // Available at Burton; $369.95 USD
BAG // Pop Quiz Backpack by Herschel Supply Co.
The Pop Quiz backpack from Herschel Supply Co. isn’t a technical backpack, but in the tangerine orange with white zippers, we can’t resist including it. Fair warning — if you’re trying to bootpack the Highland Bowl with a rescue shovel and an extra layer, this is not your bag. It’s not designed for that sort of thing. It is designed for carrying a day’s worth of snacks, devices, maps, and cash, so if you’re just looking for something stylish to leave in the mid-mountain lodge stocked with beers & lunch in it, this is your guy. The paisley liner will bring some warmth to those grey Vermont mornings, and the fleece-lined sunglasses pocket is key for after your goggles come off.
Herschel Supply Co. // Available at Herschel Supply Co.; $69.99 USD
WATCH // 30th Edition Watch (GDF100BTN-1) by G-Shock x Burton
This G-Shock x Burton 30th Anniversary watch is (as we wrote in our previous review of it) full of “enough snow-specific features to fill a backcountry bowl, from temperature & atmospheric pressure displays, to altitude readings up to 10,00 feet.” More self-indulgent quoting!: “Its high-bright LED backlights mean no more squinting against glares or overcast skies, and the Cordura band ensures that the watch stays where you want it to, be it your wrist or the outer strap of your bag.” Get yours and never drop a cell phone in the snow again.
G-Shock x Burton // Available at select retailers; $170 USD
EYEWEAR // Zeal Optics iON HD Camera Goggles
If you’re finna go pro, you’ll need footage of that epic 355 that you almost landed and totally would have if the runout hadn’t been so patchy! The last thing you need is for your GoPro to get clipped off your helmet ;cause you’re shredding too damn hard. Enter the Zeal Optics iON HD Camera Goggles, which solves this problem as technically as possible by embedding a 1080p HD camera directly into the forehead bridge of the goggle. Now all you have to do is figure out how to throw tricks actually worth showing people.
Zeal Optics // Available soon at REI; $399 USD
BOARD // Special Edition Full Bleed Joystick by Burton
Full Bleed is essentially a Take Ivy of New York City’s skateboarding culture in the ’80s and ’90. Curated by Alex Corporan, the book is loaded with glossy photos of gritty, sometimes-beautiful moments from the sport’s glory years in the Big Apple. Burton tapped Corporan to select four of his favorite Full Bleed pictures, then laminated them on the topsheets of four different Joystick boards. The result is a limited-edition, functional piece of skate history that you can bring to the slopes. Our favorite is the Harold Hunter photo, but they’re all dope.
Burton // Available at Burton; $499.95 USD
BASE LAYER // Merino Thermal Variant One-Piece by Isaora
A handsome, woolen soldier in Isaora’s “righteous battle against awkward, hideous first layers”, this one-piece is 100% Merino shorn from New Zealand sheep. The coolest feature is its contrast detailing, from the white front-button placket, to the reinforced heather grey inner thighs, to the white crotch and sleeves. If you’re trying to stay warm, and not look stupid, arm yourself in Isaora’s battle.
Isaora // Available at Isaora; $389 USD
BONUS
Burton // Available at Burton; $12.95 USD
Burton // Available at Burton; $19.95 USD
