Christmas Snowboard Gift Guide
For some unknown reason women love Christmas shopping and men loathe it. For me, there is nothing worse than being dragged around a department store, book shop, jewellers and endless clothing stores to find the perfect gift only to find that within three weeks the gift that took blood, sweat and tears to find has been returned for credit or lost in the attic/local charity shop never to be seen again. This year to help SB-RV readers find the perfect gift for their snowboard addicted loved ones we’ve created a list of 10 items with varying price tags that will have them jumping for joy instead of checking the wrapping for a receipt.
Seven Nine 13 – Hellbro Shoelace Belt - $16
Three belts for $16!!! Well they are just extra thick shoelaces so don’t get too excited, but the Helgason Bros are certainly on to something with Seven Nine 13. If you’re sick of seeing a relative with their trousers so low-slung that the crotch is at their knees then this is a stylish solution.
Spacecraft - Dock Beanie - $20
Flannel shirts and folded docker beanies were so in demand last year that they’re bound to be hot property again this winter. Spacecraft is an ethical company that pays people in the mountains of Bali, Asia a fair wage to hand knit their hats. The Dock beanie is the dopest halo you’ll ever see.
Airhole Ninja Masks –Standard / Stache - $30
December and January riding can be bitterly cold and there’s nothing worse than the dreaded numb jaw when you’re trying to scoff a Snickers on the chairlift between runs. Airhole Ninja masks are a stylish way of keeping the cold off your face. The masks are available in a variety of designs; slick and ridiculous, and lots of different fabrics from Merino Wool to Polar Fleece.
POW – MEGA Mitts - $60
POW gloves might be a little off the radar in the snowboard world but they’ve hit the big time in skiing. I rode at least 100 days with the Mega Mitt last season and I was blown away by the versatility and durability. Considering its lack of bulk this glove can handle some seriously cold weather, with the inners I was happy in -25 degrees centigrade; in the spring I just used the inners. After 100 days of board carrying, binding scraping and carving hand drags my Mega Mitts are still good to go. The Mega Mitt is hands down the best value mitt on the market.
Frends – The Light - $100
Yep I agree $100 is a little pricey for a pair of headphones, but these are no ordinary headphones, these are The Light. Timeless, vintage styling and quality components are just the start with The Light, which also include a handy microphone so you can chat to your homies on the chairlift without the risk of dropping your iPhone into 3ft of fresh, and a modular design so you can interchange parts and customize your cans.
Bolle – Gravity Goggle - $110
On first inspection Bolle’s new goggle looks a lot like the Oakley Crowbar… I can confirm that after several months of owning a pair they still look like the Crowbar. However, at $110 the Gravity is a much more affordable option with an equally impressive spec. The peripheral vision is almost 100% unobstructed, the fit is comfortable and the ample ventilation means misting is history. Where the tech gets really impressive is with the Modulator lens, a reflective blue lens that adapts its light transmission levels to the amount of ambient light, so you can ride the same lens on sunny and cloudy days. This season all SB-RV testers are riding the Gravity.
Voile – Split Decision Kit - $160
Currently, there’s a huge amount of hype around Splitboarding thanks to the likes of Jeremy Jones, Xavier De Le Rue, Travis Rice and Johan Olofsson bringing it into the limelight. For those without huge filming budgets and an Alaskan heli operation on speed dial, Splitboarding is a fantastic way of getting into the backcountry on a budget. The Split Decision Kit provides all of the fixtures and fittings you need to turn an old snowboard into a tour ready Splitboard. The kit only costs $160, but once you’ve added the climbing skins and any tools, you are talking $400-$500 and the board on top.
Burton – Groucho Jacket - $175
The Groucho Jacket is one of the lowest costing jackets in the Burton line, but with a waterproof rating of 10,000mm and breath-ability ratings of 10,000g/m2/h, it’s hardly what you’d expect from an entry level jacket. The bomber jacket styling, slightly longer Team Fit and minimal pocket design make this a winner for park riders after street styled outerwear.
Union – Contact Bindings - $180
If you’re not drawn-in by the Rasta colour way then the tech on the Contact bindings will certainly win you over. Designed specifically for reverse camber boards, the Contact bindings has replaced the majority of the solid plastic binding footprint associated with traditional bindings with EVA foam allowing reverse camber boards to flex without dead spots. The Union Contacts are a great gift for somebody who has just bought themselves a rockered snowboard.
Amplid – Dopamine - $400
Ok ok so we’ve blown your Christmas budget with this one but I couldn’t leave the Dopamine off the list as I had such a ball riding it in February. The Dopamine is one of the most versatile and fun to ride rockered, twin-shaped snowboards on the market. For park and rail riders this snowboard is the business and at $400 it won’t have the bailiffs knocking on your door in the near future.
Posted by Rich Ewbank in Features.
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