SIA Snow Show ‘13 Preview: Women’s-specific products

Leading up to the SIA Snow Show, SNEWS is previewing new trends and products you’ll see at the trade show in Denver, Jan. 31-Feb. 3. Today, we take a look at the latest women’s-specific skis. All these stories also can be found in the print or digital flipbook edition of our Snow Show Preview.

Ski and boot manufacturers are hearing the message loud and clear: Interest inwomen’s-specific gear remains strong. Last season, women purchased $136 million of alpine equipment, according to SIA market research. Sales of women’s flat skis in waist widths between 80-95mm were up 17 percent and models between 95-110mm were up 16 percent. “For 2013-14, we see a need for a coast-to-coast ski for an everyday driver,” says Jake Strassburger, Atomic’s alpine product category manager.

Atomic debuts the Vantage Polarity (122/83/106), with a twin progressive sidecut that has a longer radius in the forebody for edge grip and rebound. Black Diamond opens a new factory and continues manufacturing women’s models like the Element, with a 115mm waist, plus tip and tail rocker. Blizzard adds more size runs to the Samba and Dakota, the latter getting a pinch of forgiveness and a lighter and softer flex.

After the buzz of last year’s line of freeride skis, Dynastar debuts the three-model Cham Women’s line, with lightweight cores, rocker, and progressive five-point sidecut.

Two new skis round out Fischer’s KOA series, both with full wood cores and sandwich sidewall construction: the 80mm-waisted KOA 80 and the twin-tip KOA 100. Head adds the Mya 9 (98mm underfoot), with tip-only Allride Rocker, and the Mya 10 (105mm underfoot) with rocker and Head’s stabilizer system in the tip and tail.

K2 introduces the SuperSticious (128/84/112), featuring RoX technology, designed to increase edge hold by adding stiffness. Retailers can offer the ski flat or with the new K2/Marker ERC binding. Line offers several new high-performance women’s skis, including the 90mm-waisted Soulmate 90 and the park-oriented Tease. Nordica’s new all-mountain Wild Fire (137/107/125) has a polyurethane and wood core that’s 25 percent lighter than pure wood, and a balance of camber and rocker.

Rossignol fuses backcountry, freestyle, and freeride with the new women’s 7 Series, including the Star 7 (140/116/130), Savory 7 (136/106/126), and Saffron 7 (128/98/126). All have lightweight cores, Rossi’s Powder Turn Rocker, and new Air Tip technology.

Lightweight is key with Salomon’s new models, including the composite-core BBR Starlite (129/76/94) and the Bamboo (125/78/106), made with 100-percent bamboo. The more aggressive Q-96 Lumen (128/95/114) has a five-point sidecut and tapered tip. And Völkl introduces the Yumi, an all-mountain freeride ski with an 83-mm waist and lightweight flex.

For 2013-14, the dominant boot trends are custom shells, a wider range of last sizes, and adaptive fit solutions. Atomic debuts the Waymaker Women (available with DIN or tech-fit soles), with a 101mm last, three-buckle design, and a metal-on-metal mechanism for walk/ski mode. Dalbello’s Kyra 95 borrows from last season’s Krypton KR2, featuring a three-piece Cabrio design, walk/ski cuff lock, and 102mm contoured last. It also sports Dalbello’s women’s-specific expandable cuff, which adds 5cm of adjustability.

Building on the success of its customizable Vacuum technology, Fischer addresses lower price points and wider feet with three new models. Head adds the Challenger Mya boot, featuring an expandable last, customizable liners, and a walk/ski mechanism.

As the newcomer to ski boots, K2 launches the SpYne 110, its flagship women’s model. The 97mm-lasted boot focuses on lateral stiffness and power, and includes a PrecisionFit Intuition liner. Lange’s latest addition in a series of “Choose Your Width” options includes the new SX W, billed as the first 102mm mono-injected boot.

Apex introduces the ML-2, a high-performance ladies complement to the MC-2 with dual BOA closure. Full Tilt calls its new three-piece Rumor the world’s lightest high-performance women’s ski boot.

Nordica unveils new customized canting and an anatomical overlap design with a lightweight, proprietary blend of plastic in the Hell & Back collection. Three women’s models are the H1W, H2W, and H3W. Lange’s sister company, Rossignol, unveils the Alltrack W line of women’s all-mountain boots. Available in 100mm or 102mm lasts, they feature walk/ski modes, a new Sensor Grid shell design, and OptiSensor 3D liner.

The sole-mounting system of Black Diamond’s freeride Shiva MX 110 increases lateral stiffness in both DIN and tech bindings. Scarpa’s lightweight Freedom SL ups the ante for freeride boots with a two-part walk/ski mechanism, carbon-fiber lower, and bolt-on interchangeable soles.

The new Cochise W105 is the signature women’s boot in Tecnica’s free mountain line, with a 98mm last, Power Lock Buckle, and scalloped liner. Salomon expands on its 360 Degree Custom shell with the lightweight X-Max 110 W, which incorporates TwinFrame Technology for power and comfort. The X-Pro 90 W has a medium-wide last.

These are just a few of the new products to debut at the show. Be sure to check out many more new products and trends in the Snow Show Daily, published live at the show, and available digital format each following day of print on SNEWS.

—Krista Crabtree