The best of SIA: Snow Show Daily editor’s picks

Our Snow Show Daily editors lived and breathed the entire SIA Snow Daily, covering as much as they possibly could from the Colorado Convention Center floor, and also out on the streets of Denver. Here is what impressed them the most at the Snow Show, and some of the aspects of the Mile High City that will bring them back.

Eugene Buchanan

Smith BOA Helmets: Smith has helmets wired for next season — thanks to a partnership with BOA Technologies that brings the company’s easy tightening contraption to every helmet in its line priced $120 or higher.

Mountain Approach: Tired of slogging on — and riding — splitboards, Cory Smith designed approach skis, complete with permanent skins, that fold up into a 20-inch-long package that slides into your pack.

DPS Spoon: The new Spoon 150 ski from designer Peter Turner, who helped develop the Spatula for Volant, carries a convex base (and three-dimensional “cleat” for purchase), resulting in a monster of off-piste.

The coffee kings: When you’re out till 2 a.m. — thanks to Icelantic, Powder magazine and an all-star run on the air-hockey table — Vans and Kastle’s espresso machines jumpstart the wordsmith synapses again.

Courtney Holden

SmartWool socks – All of them. SmartWool’s 4-Degree Fit System pulls the toe of the sock in tight for a great fit, and I love the company’s dedication to environmental stewardship. Plus, the prints rock.

Salomon Emmy boots: They’re waterproof with split-suede leather, women’s specific and thin-sulated. Oh, and they’re really sexy.

Croakies belts: Not only do these belts come in loud colors, they can be personalized with the customer’s choice of buckles. And the wide range of patterns are soooo diverse.

Patagonia’s booth: Like its brand, the Patagonia booth doesn’t scream for attention. It’s just laid back, classic, comfortable and cool.

Rachel Walker

Rossignol BB Down Jacket: Part of Rossi’s 1907 collection, which celebrates the rooster’s legacy, this hot jacket’s fine details extend even to the embossed zipper pulls.

RAB Women’s Baseline Hoodie: Made of Polertec Power Dry fabric with Hyperwick technology, the attractive design looks just as good in the bar as on the tram.

Hestra Seth Morrison 3-Finger Pro: Hestra brings Seth Morrison on board to design a feature-packed warm glove that combines Gore Windstopper, the brand’s trademark waterproof, and impregnated army goat leather.

The Bus: Forget paying $35/day to park for all of us Boulder commuters. For a mere $5 (each way), the RTD bus has been schlepping me back and forth from bed to bedlam. The only word for that is: love.

Mike Horn

Venture Snowboards Odin: Big names are bro-ing down with core brands and boosting their recognition across the industry. Storied snowboarder Johan Oloffson and Venture boardsmith Klemens Branner teamed up to build the brand’s first pro model for 2011/12.

Burton Rampant Boot: The lightest boot ever made by Burton rings up at $200. Shrinkage technology eliminates toe drag and broadens board options for riders with bigger feet.

The Denver Nightlife: The Ogden Theater, Steuben’s (get a Moscow Mule), and the Broken Arrow bar. This town’s got character — tail a local and find the goods.

The Never Summer Booth: Hometown board brand Never Summer channels Metallica’s “Kill ‘Em All” album into its booth theme and sets a rocking vibe for this year’s show.

Doug Schnitzspahn

Rossignol Super 7: With a rockered tip and tail and normal camber that elevates in pow yet stays stable at speed on groomers, the brand added titanal to that winning design to create the even more stable Super 7.

Fischer Vacuum Fit: This boot took the custom mold game a step further — the entire plastic shell is custom molded to a skier’s foot shape.

Ortovox S1+: Locating multiple avalanche victims is easier thanks to an icon screen, with its 3+ beacon, which changes the way it transmits depending on how a victim is buried.

Denver’s El Chapultepec: In the midst of the many frat boy bars in LoDo, this famed dive has been offering live jazz, blues and funk for decades in a close atmosphere that transforms bohemians, tough guys and SoCal snowboarders into a grooving one-love crowd.

Peter Kray

Salomon BBR: I love the message the surf-styled shape of the BBR sends to snowsports — that skiing is, and always has been, about fun first. Ski design is going to continue to explode in the “fun” direction, and the BBR is the warning light.

Nordica Hell&Back Hike Pro: Nordica’s TR10 was an icon in the early days of freeride touring. Now, with the Hell&Back’s slick touring features and hardcore ski-ability, the brand has a truly worthy 21st century update.

The Mervin Booth: Whether it was baking cookies back in Vegas, with vents that fed onto the aisles, or the instant T-shirt prints available at the show, the Mervin booth is always offering up interactive treats.

The Ship Tavern: I used to meet my dad for lunch at the Ship Tavern in the Brown Palace Hotel. And now it’s always my first stop before the show starts. A reuben, a cold beer and some old friends always make me say, “Oh yeah, it’s good to be back.”

On Oct. 6, 2010, veteran journalist Peter Kray joined the SNEWS team and is now editor of the new SNEWS WinterSports channel. We trust you are enjoying the full offering of WinterSports news. Be sure to email your friends and let them know the best WinterSports news has arrived — just in time for the winter season. Got WinterSports news? Send your WinterSports news to Kray at pkray@snewsnet.com. Subscribers can also post WinterSports news releases directly to the SNEWS website. Email us at snewsbox@snewsnet.com to learn about posting your own news releases, or for any other questions or comments. We love to hear from our readers!