Slashing through the snow

From Spy Scoops to `Too Blue' Gore-Tex, cool stuff for the ski bums on your list

by Mike MIliard

Christmas morning. Cape Elizabeth, Maine. 1981. The tinsel on the Christmas tree glitters in the 7 a.m. sunlight as a boy in yellow footie PJs plods down the stairs. Beneath the magnificent spruce are pile upon pile of carefully wrapped packages. Leaning against the wall, just waiting to hit the new snow, is an enormous blue plastic Flexible Flyer.

Boy [in awe]: Hey, Mom and Dad! Santa brought me a giant Frisbee!

Okay, so as a five-year-old, my grasp of winter sporting goods was minimal. Since that time, though, I can tell you that I've really grown to appreciate the finer points of plunging at top speed down a snowy mountain face. And I've learned to do it in style. Sure, it's a blast to spin flying-saucer-like down a slope of packed powder, but these days I prefer to do it standing up. A lot of other people do, too -- and business is booming.

The kind people in skiing and snowboarding R&D see to it that newer, flashier, more cutting-edge products are unveiled every season. What this means for you, the holiday consumer: the perfect solution to the annual what-the-hell-do-I-get-the-guy-who-has-everything quandary. To that end, here's a handy guide to some of the best new equipment (and some tried-and-true classics) for your favorite spoiled-rotten winter-sports enthusiast.

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Let's start with the predictable. From time immemorial (until the invention of the snowboard, at least), the fastest and most efficient way to get yourself down a mountain has been to attach two pieces of wood to your feet. Skis started out as a decidedly low-tech product, but boy has that changed. These days, some are so loaded with innovations you'd think they'd been designed by NASA. Certainly, a purchase like this requires a considerable outlay of cash. But if you're game, Trey Bruggeman at Bob Smith's Wilderness House (9 Spring Lane, near Downtown Crossing) recommends the new Atomic Beta Ride 10.20 ($750). Considered a member of the "mid-fat" category, the ski is slightly wider throughout than its standard peer, which gives it great versatility in any conditions or terrain. Says Bruggeman, "The fact that it's slightly wider in the tip and the tail allows it to float quite well in powder and softer snow." Mount the special Atomic bindings on the Beta Ride's race plate (dubbed, incomprehensibly, the Carv Xcharger) and you'll achieve, according to Bruggeman, "a more efficient, even-flexing unit." Well, that's great. But the best reason to buy these skis, as far as I'm concerned, is that they come in bright orange. And, as any loyal reader of Stuff@Night knows, orange is hot this season!

What are skis without ski boots? Mighty uncomfortable. For this reason, I spoke with Eric Yankovich at St. Moritz Sports in Wellesley (475 Washington Road). He's pretty keen on the Lange Frame 8 ($400), which he describes as the perfect boot for the intermediate skier -- an ideal blend of performance and comfort. "They're manufactured using a new technique called co-molding," he says. "Different hardnesses of plastics are melded together, which allows the boots to be stiff when you need them to be and flexible and responsive to the terrain at other times. The areas of softer plastic also make for an easy and comfortable entry." Another point in the F-8s' favor: the angle at which they're constructed forces you to improve your form, automatically placing you in a forward, balanced position and greatly improving the efficiency of your turns. Featuring a heat-moldable liner, the F-8s can be custom-shaped to fit the peculiarities of your gigantic clown feet, and their bright reddish-orange hue will complement your new Atomics quite nicely.

Yeah, yeah, I can hear it already: "Some people don't ski, y'know! What about all the rest of us? We have feelings too!" Yes, I know. That's why I called up Jack Stevens, the resident snowboard expert at Bob Smith's other location (1048 Comm Ave). He recommends the K2 Valhalla ($359), a board that's perfect for the intermediate-level weekend rider, and whose intermediate price makes it the perfect Christmas gift. Stevens especially likes the Valhalla's lightweight, wood-core cap construction, which makes it an ideal free-style, free-ride board -- expect easy turns and a stable ride. Of course, the board doesn't attach itself to your feet, so Stevens suggests the K2 Yak step-in boot ($249) and the K2 Clicker SLT binding ($169) for optimal board synergy. For the woman on your gift list, Stevens suggests the K2 Luna ($359), the first board designed by women for women. It's very similar to the Valhalla, but slightly narrower. With it, use the K2 Venus ($219), a women's full-spectrum, free-style, free-ride boot with the Clicker binding. Again, this technical stuff is all well and good, but let's not forget those crucial fashion issues: the Valhallas come in five different hues to facilitate color coordination with a snazzy new jacket!

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But what kind of jacket? Bob Smith's Bruggeman (not only can this guy shred, but he's quite the fashion plate) is raving about the Arc'teryx Alpha SV jacket ($475). What's so great about it? Well, for one thing, it's designed for extreme weather, which comes in handy in a part of the country where conditions can change in minutes from sunny to rainy to all-out blizzard. The Arc'teryx has a full Gore-Tex shell, and its fabrics are laminated together rather than sewn. Special waterproof zippers eliminate the need for a protective front flap. In fact, excess fabric is cut down wherever possible, allowing the jacket to weigh in at an astonishing 25 ounces. According to Trey, the Arc'teryx "is one of the most technically advanced and well-made jackets on the market right now." It looks good, too: the duo-tone color schemes have nifty names like "Fiery Red" and "Too Blue." And you can almost hear the space-age fabrics begging you to put them to the test, whispering, "Go ahead. Make my day."

Keep in mind what helped make Dirty Harry seem so badass when he uttered those famous words: his ultra-cool sunglasses. Although shades are great for spring skiing, you'd be well advised (especially in New England) to have a sturdy and protective pair of goggles handy for the winter months. So which are the coolest? Jeremy McElwain at Ski Market (860 Comm Ave, Brookline) swears by Spy goggles ($65), specifically the Scoop model -- "the best goggles ever made." Why? "Well, they look the best." Good enough for me, although they're just as impressive in technical terms. The Spy Scoops feature special lenses, conceived by race-car and motocross professionals, that are designed to minimize light differentiation -- that constant switch from shade to sun that occurs on a late-afternoon run. It's not only a nifty innovation, but one that could really save your neck. Add to this the fact that they rarely fog up and allow plenty of peripheral vision, and the Scoops are an ideal marriage of form and function.

Protecting your lips and skin from wind and sunburn is just as important as protecting your eyes. That's why McElwain also recommends Dermatone lip balm and sunscreen ($3). Put some on your lips, then smear some more on your nose and cheeks, and you're good to go. More great stocking stuffers -- for both the one on your mantle and the ones on your feet -- are Grabber Mycoal hand and foot warmers. Put them in your gloves or between your socks and boots, and the iron, salt, and activated carbon in these little pouches will react chemically to keep your feet toasty for the next seven hours. They can be found for a buck or two in most hardware stores and ski shops.

For a slightly more traditional way of warming up, consider getting your favorite over-21 skier a trusty flask. In the Alps of yore, Saint Bernards were dispatched with barrels of brandy around their necks to energize stranded and freezing skiers. These days, most ski areas unfortunately spend so much on newfangled ideas like snowmaking and chair lifts that they don't have the funds to maintain a fleet of canine rescuers. That means you'll have to take care of yourself. A tug or two of Jameson on the chair lift can make the long ride up much more enjoyable -- just remember to be discreet and, above all, responsible. You can find a nice eight-ounce English-made hammered-pewter flask ($49.95) at Harvard Square's venerable tobacco shop Leavitt and Peirce (1316 Mass Ave).

When the sun has set and the last chair lift has groaned to a halt, it's time to take that flask back to your cabin, light a fire, and pop in a movie. You could watch the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band again, but is that really what you want to do? I hope not. How about watching some shredderific ski movies from two masters of the genre -- Warren Miller and Greg Stump. Most people know Miller, whose movies document the intrepid globetrotting of a loyal band of die-hard ski bums. From the Alps to the Himalayas, Kilimanjaro to Stowe, he travels the world to bring skiing thrills to you in your local auditorium (a cherished annual tradition) or your own living room. Incidentally, this is the 50th anniversary of Warren's filmmaking. Check out his Web site (http://www.warrenmiller.com) to order legendary movies such as Endless Winter and Vertical Reality and experience the Miller mystique online. New England's own Stump is a young buck to Miller's old master; his movies, many of which feature prototypical extreme skier and mohawker Glen Plake, enthrall legions of young skiers and boarders with their fast action and slamming soundtracks. Check out titles such as The Maltese Flamingo, The Blizzard of Aahhhs, and P-Tex, Lies, and Duct Tape and you'll get an idea of just what Greg is all about. Order his movies at http://www.videoactionsports.com/justpushplay/skiingvideos.html. All movies will run you about 15 to 20 bucks -- leaving just enough cash for you to buy yourself a lift ticket and hit the slopes on December 26.