Winter holidays are near and people are rushing to get things done before they set off to the nearest mountain resort. Whether you are planning to ski, ride a snowboard or sip tea in the evening next to the fireplace, you need to get ready for winter delights. These preparations are as smart as they are physical in nature. By creating a list of things to take to your winter holiday trip, you are making sure that everything runs smoothly so you can max out the fun.

Several layers of clothing

If our grandparents have taught us anything, then it’s the fact that we should wear clothes in layers when it’s cold outside. A single winter jacket is not enough to keep us warm regardless of how stuffed it is. Several layers of clothes are a far better option so be sure to pack T-shirts as well since they’ll make for that initial layer of clothing. Before you start packing, do the math to calculate how many suitcases full of clothes you’ll need for a family of four.

Don’t forget to bring the charger

Needless to say, a mountain lodge doesn’t have a grocery store next door. That’s why it is essential not to forget the stuff you would normally forget to bring with yourself because you cannot buy a replacement that easily once you arrive in your accommodation.

One item that we frequently forget to pack when traveling is the phone charger. We usually charge the phone the night before the trip, unplug it in the morning and just leave it like that on the table. You really shouldn’t make this mistake this winter as well since a phone with a dead battery won’t do you much good in the woods. Not only can it be used to call for help but is flashlight is a lifesaver if you stay outdoors after dark. 

Planning your itinerary

In order to avoid a scenario in which you get lost in the snow, you should preplan your itinerary. Exploring the wilderness on your own might be alluring but you should plan for such walks and calculate the distance and time necessary to cover it.

For instance, don’t go off jogging after dusk in the spur of the moment. If you like running in the snow in the woods, then plan this activity for the following morning, when there is plenty of daylight. Remember, you are not in an urban settlement, as cold air and snow will cause you to get tired faster than you normally would. 

Keep the kids busy 

As far as your children are concerned, you need to keep them busy while the adults go skiing or snowboarding. While you’re still driving in the car, snacks are the ideal distraction but once you arrive at the resort, you’ll need to find a daycare center, if available. If not, then you can play their favorite cartoons or take them for a (daytime) walk through the woods. There’s nothing like a long stroll and playing in the snow that can wear a child down so they will fall asleep fast.

Keep a first-aid kit near at hand

You are probably used to cuts and bruises on the summer holiday but injuries not uncommon in the snow as well. The tree bark you are skiing close by is all but smooth and to mention the worst-case scenario of falling down a tree well. For safety reasons, keeping a first-aid kit near at hand is a smart move to make. Once you settle in, you can move the first-aid kit from the car to the hotel room.

As you have seen from the examples above, getting ready for activities in the snow is nothing complicated. If you create a list of things to pack and wear, you are making sure that you’ll have tons of fun in the snow this season. 

Europe ski gear & equipment market is projected to reach USD 1,567.05 million by 2024, witnessing a CAGR of 2.78% during the forecast period (2019-2024). Increasing participation rate in outdoor activities like skiing and other snow sports increased government initiatives to encourage participation in skiing, and growth in the number of ski resorts are some of the major factors contributing to the increased sales of ski gear & equipment across the region.

Have you ever found yourself growing tired of the winter season? Do you dread the colder weather? Do you sit inside and bemoan the fact that you’ve already seen all the good holiday movies three times? Well then, it sounds like you need a new winter hobby, and we think that new hobby might just be skiing! When you first dive into the world of snowsports, it can be a bit overwhelming to figure it all out. But you don’t need to fear! We’ve compiled a list of the best skis for women right here to help you sift through a handful of our very favorite skis.

Our CEO Jen Gurecki was recently featured on the She Explores podcast. In this episode, Jen talks about how from the outside, each company is quite different – hardwood skis and snowboards vs. editorial print vs. a micro lending venture, but each contains a common thread: Jen’s unwavering devotion to putting women in front.

Come fall, when thoughts begin to drift toward sliding on snow, purchasing a new pair of skis or a snowboard is perhaps the surest way to shift the stoke level into high gear. But selecting the right planks for your ability is never an easy task. To help with this difficult decision, Tahoe Quarterly and Homewood Mountain Resort teamed up to provide an insider’s peek at some of the best 2020 gear with our Beer & Gear Guide. The effort began in March, when Homewood gathered a handful of locals to answer an important question: Which new gear performed the best, and—a bonus—how well does it pair with a craft brew? It was a task that required getting in touch with one’s inner ski bum, but luckily, we had just the team for the challenge.

Canadian halfpipe skier Roz Groenewoud joins the Coalition Snow professional athlete team and will compete on the Roz G Pro Model that she designed with the company this season. Committed to finding a company that would work with her to design the perfect halfpipe ski, Groenewoud began following the development of Coalition Snow in 2015.

“I was really impressed with Coalition’s bold philosophy as a ski company so I started following their development. In the summer, I decided to approach them to see if they would be interested in helping me create my ski,” said Groenewoud.

“I wanted a ski that was stiff enough to withstand the G-force of going through the transition at fast speeds. It needed to be stiffer than a typical park ski but not as stiff as a GS ski. I wanted them to be strong but with relatively light construction. It wanted dimensions that I believe are ideal for pipe skiing.” The result is the Roz G Pro Model, a traditional full camber ski that is 176 cm in length, 83 mm under foot, with a 20-meter turn radius.

“My skis are very strong and stiff enough, while still being agile. Plus they are an exceptional carving ski,” said Groenewoud.

Often referred to as Roz G, Groenewoud has competed in freeskiing events internationally since she was 15-years-old. She has developed as a halfpipe specialist. Her results include seven X Games medals including two Gold. She won FIS World Championships and has ranked first in the world on the Association of Freeski Professionals ranking system. Roz has medals from every major event for female pipe skiers including Dew Tour, European Open, World Cups, Grand Prix, World Ski International, US Open, and others. Roz received an early nomination to the Canadian Olympic Team to compete in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

“From the very beginning, Roz impressed us with her drive, acumen, and her passion for skiing. She knew exactly what it would take to build a pro model that would deliver, and we’re proud to have helped make her vision come to fruition. Working with her has been an absolute pleasure, and we welcome her to the team,” said Jen Gurecki, CEO of Coalition Snow.

See Groenewoud compete on the Roz G. on Jan. 29 at the 2016 X Games in Aspen, Colo.

http://sbcskier.com/rozg-joins-coalitionsnow/

This article was originally published in 2015 and written by Andrew Pridgen 

You know those really good ideas? The wake-you-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night kind? The notions that make you want to start keeping a dream journal? The million-dollar missives that fade away sometime between first light and that second sip of Starbucks?

Tahoe-based entrepreneurs Jen Gurecki and Danielle Rees woke up, got up and wrote it up. They made time—juggling family and full-time careers with business plans and balance sheets. During the last 18 months, the pair baked up from scratch a company manufacturing skis and snowboards made for women, by women—an industry first. Coalition Snow in 2015 raised enough capital from a Kickstarter campaign for its first full line of gear and apparel. They’ve got a quiver of up-and-coming locally sourced skiers and riders and the buzz behind gear designed and engineered by and for the fairer gender is growing.

CEO Jen Gurecki resides in Truckee where she is “waiting for the snow to fall” this season. She is pursuing a PhD in sustainability and “when not tackling the ‘shrink it and pink it’ problem in the ski industry,” Gurecki is working on climate adaptation and financial inclusions for women in East Africa with the organization Zawadisha.

CFO Danielle Rees moved to Lake Tahoe to teach snowboarding for “just one winter” in 1999. The Carnelian Bay resident blends her “passion for empowering women and girls with being active outdoors at my day jobs at Girls on the Run and Coalition Snow.”

THIRTEEN COMPANIES, MOST OF THEM BASED IN EUROPE, DOMINATE THE SKI BIZ AND THEY MANUFACTURE HUGE NUMBERS OF SKIS IN CHINA OR AUSTRIA WITH R&D AND DESIGN DEPARTMENTS RIVALING BIG AUTO MANUFACTURERS. BUT, THEY’RE OFTEN SEEN AS OUT OF STEP WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE MOUNTAIN, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WOMEN. IS THIS OVER-SIMPLIFYING OR IS THIS THE PROBLEM YOU WANT COALITION TO SOLVE?

Jen Gurecki: This is definitely one aspect of it, but it extends beyond R&D. There need to be more women in executive positions in these companies. Without more opportunities for women to hold leadership positions in the industry, you have to wonder if their increased focus on women is another case of girl-washing or if they are truly committed to eliminating the insulting ‘shrink it and pink it’ mentality that permeates the industry.

YOUR COMPANY’S MOTTO: ‘PUTTING AN END TO SHRINK IT AND PINK IT ONCE AND FOR ALL’ IS PART OF THE ZEITGEIST. OUTSIDE RECENTLY WROTE AN EDITORIAL ENTITLED “NO MORE BARBIE GEAR” SAYING, “GIVING US PRODUCTS WITH CUTESY NAMES AND DRENCHING ADS IN MY LITTLE PONY COLORS ISN’T THE WAY TO INSPIRE TODAY’S WOMEN.” IS THIS A REFLECTION OF COALITION’S ETHOS?

Jen Gurecki: Absolutely. They nailed it with their critique of the gender stereotyping that happens across industries—it’s not just in skiing. We know that there are some women who may be drawn to this type of aesthetic design, but it’s not representative of all women. And that’s the problem—you can’t put us all in one box. Women are diverse and should have more options available to them.

FEMALE ATHLETES, IF THEY’RE GOING TO GARNER MASS APPEAL, STILL HAVE TO SELL THEMSELVES AS HARD BODIES AND HAIR WHIPS. WHAT’S YOUR COMPANY’S ROLE IN CHANGING THIS?

Jen Gurecki: Women should have more of a say in how they are represented in the industry. There are going to be women who want to show off their hot bods, and it’s not for us to judge them or say that they shouldn’t. Other women are going to want to have their skill showcased. Our role is to support women in having a voice and making decisions that are best for them.

DANIELLE, YOU’VE BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF GROWING GIRLS ON THE RUN SIERRAS, WHICH BASICALLY EXPOSES GIRLS TO WOMEN WHO TAKE THEMSELVES AND THEIR FITNESS SERIOUSLY. THEY’RE PART COACH/TRAINER, PART MENTOR. IS THIS PHILOSOPHY CROSSING OVER TO COALITION?

Danielle Rees: Yes, Girls on the Run is about discovering girls’ authentic selves and celebrating their strengths. Our volunteer coaches serve as role models of collaborative leadership and instill confidence and competence in the girls while training for a 5K run. We named our ski company Coalition Snow because it builds on the strengths of a team of women. At Coalition Snow our goal is to design gear that will give women confidence to rip. I know it has for me.

THE AFOREMENTIONED BIG 13 HAVE (ACTUAL) ROCKET SCIENTISTS ENGINEERING THEIR SKIS. SOME OF THE BETTER INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURERS ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY ON R&D THAN ON THE DESIGN OF THEIR TOP SHEETS THESE DAYS. YOU’RE A STARTUP STAKING ITS CLAIM ON ENGINEERING SKIS SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN’S BODIES. JEN, HOW MUCH ARE YOU INVESTING IN THIS TECHNOLOGY AND WHO’S DOING IT FOR YOU?

Jen Gurecki: We aren’t making gear for women’s bodies, we’re making gear that women want. There’s a difference in that statement. The former opens itself up to all sorts of bulls*** pseudoscience, which is in part responsible for the copious amount of short and soft skis on the market. The latter is inclusive and responsive, and it’s filling a huge gap in the industry. We’re not investing all of our resources into technology; we’re investing in women by actively engaging with them to understand what it is that the advanced/expert skier/rider wants in her gear. We pair their feedback with what we know as women who’ve been skiing and riding for decades. It’s not rocket science. It’s authentic listening and action.

REGARDLESS OF YOUR COMPANY’S SIZE IN THE SKI BIZ, ONE BAD/OFF YEAR AND YOU’RE STUCK WITH A WAREHOUSE FULL OF OBSOLETE PRODUCT, YET YOU’RE STILL EXPECTED TO COME OUT WITH THE NEWEST AND MOST INNOVATIVE GEAR EVERY FALL. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO SIDESTEP THE INDUSTRY’S BIG SUPPLY-AND-DEMAND ELEPHANT?

Jen Gurecki: Our vision would be to move far, far away from the annual production schedule. It’s expensive for both the company and the consumer, and it’s not an environmentally sound practice, either. At the stage we’re in as a company, not producing a new line every season could be disastrous because at some level you have to play the game or else you’re not taken seriously. But, ideally, in the next few years we’ll have a strong enough brand and a strong enough following that we’ll be able to take those risks and we will be rewarded for being part of changing a broken system.

AFTER A DECADE OF GETTING FATTER, WIDER AND MORE ROCKER, THE SKI BIZ SEEMS TO BE SHRINKING ITS PRODUCT A BIT, OR MAYBE JUST NOT OVER-ENGINEERING IT AS MUCH. WHERE DOES COALITION COME DOWN ON ITS SHAPES AND CAMBER ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF HOW IT RELATES TO WOMEN’S BODIES?

Jen Gurecki: We’re just going to keep doing our best to make what the advanced/expert female skier and rider wants. As I mentioned earlier, it’s not about dissecting women’s bodies, it’s about listening to them and acknowledging that they are experts when it comes to what they want. We have introduced one new shape into next season’s lineup that responds to different tastes (and changing conditions) around width underfoot and rocker profile.

DANIELLE, WHO ARE SOME OF THE ATHLETES AND AMBASSADORS YOU WORK WITH?

COALITION TEAM SKIER SISI SAWYER, PHOTO BY MASON STREHL

Danielle Rees: We have some great team riders: Sierra “Sisi” Sawyer, who took first in the Crested Butte Freeride World Tour qualifier event; Sandra Dejin of Mammoth; and new team rider 17-year-old Tatum Whatford from South Lake Tahoe. Our ambassadors played a key role in developing our new line of skis: Tahoe locals include Jillian Raymond of Tahoma, Brit White of Truckee, Justeen Ferguson of South Lake Tahoe and Jen Callahan of Reno. We also have ambassadors on the East Coast, Colorado, Washington and Whistler. We’ve also grown our executive team, adding a creative director and chief operating officer. Graphic designer of Folklore Studio and graduate of the Rhode Island School Design, Lauren Bello Okerman stepped into the creative director position after two seasons of designing amazing graphics for our skis, catalogs and soft goods. Former brand ambassador Jenn Sheridan, who is a freelance writer and associate editor for Tahoe Powder and Tahoe Weeklymagazines, is now managing day-to-day operations. She is growing the ambassador team, which includes skiers and riders in France, New Zealand and Australia.

DANIELLE, GETTING TO TRAVEL AND SKI WITH SOME OF YOUR ATHLETES, AMBASSADORS AND CUSTOMERS MAY SEEM GLAMOROUS AND A PERK OF THE JOB, BUT IT’S ALSO WORK. TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU GET INSPIRED BY SEEING YOUR PRODUCT ON THE SLOPES.

Danielle Rees: This year I had the opportunity to go back to Chamonix where my husband Zach and I skied the winter before we got married. As a pre-wedding gift, he bought me the “women’s model” of his favorite big mountain ski. I could ignore the pink graphics but could not imagine the women’s 100 underfoot ski would be suitable for all conditions as it was just too soft. Going back to Cham with my Coalition Snow SOS skis was priceless. Trusting my skis to hold an edge in variable snow conditions gave me the confidence to embrace my fear of heights and push myself beyond my wildest dreams.

AS FULL-TIME RESIDENTS OF THE TAHOE BASIN, YOU’RE SEEING FIRST-HAND WHAT GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE CAN BRING. IT’S NOT PRETTY. A LOT OF FOLKS ARE STRESSING NOT ONLY ABOUT THE UPCOMING SEASONS, BUT THEIR LIVELIHOODS AND VIABILITY IN THE MOUNTAINS IN GENERAL. AND, PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT THE FUTURE OF MAKING A HOME AT ELEVATION LOOKS LIKE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT WINTER AND THE SKI BIZ LOOK LIKE AS MOTHER NATURE CONTINUES TO REVOLT?

Jen Gurecki: We should actually all be talking about what we’re going to do to protect the environment. It’s a big deal, and part of the problem is the lack of accountability about how our actions are significantly impacting the environment and contributing to climate change. We don’t need to feel guilty about this, we should feel emboldened and empowered to challenge outdated business-as-usual practices. Not only do we need to do things differently—like maybe not produce every year, produce with environmentally friendly materials, offset our entire carbon footprint—we need to adapt and embrace change. We’re starting immediately with an amazing new line of unique soft goods that don’t require any snow to operate and a new freestyle ski that I have jokingly called our “climate change ski.” It kills it and is so much fun on the conditions we’ve experienced the last four years in Tahoe. Granted, the more it snows the more skis we sell, but we’re committed to finding other ways to live and love in these challenging times. We want to celebrate our vibrant mountain communities that have so much more to offer than just powder days. It’s going to take some creative thinking and business acumen, but we know that we’re not in this alone.

YOUR SPRING KICKSTARTER FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN WAS A BIG SUCCESS. TELL US ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT HOW TO FIND YOUR FALL LINEUP AND FOLLOW YOU AS WE GET READY FOR THE SNOW TO FLY.

Danielle Rees: We exceeded our Kickstarter goal, raising $31,000 in 31 days, which allowed us to expand our second line of skis and boards. We wanted to give women more choices so we added a longer and shorter length for our all-mountain SOS and powder Abyss ski (adding a 166 and 180 to the 173 cm length). We also added length (155 cm) to our 147 and 151 Myth all-mountain snowboards. [The campaign] helped us meet future demand, support our ambassadors and team riders, and allows us to innovate around sustainable manufacturing.

DOES THAT MEANS NEW SKIS/BOARDS FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON?

COALITION’S ABYSS MODEL

Danielle Rees: We added the Bliss freestyle ski, which was a favorite among our gear testers. It’s perfect for someone looking for a narrower ski—it has an 87 mm waist compared to the 105 mm SOS and 114 mm Abyss. A birch core gives this ski the stiffness and stability to stomp that landing and a true twin design means you’ll be just as comfortable dropping in switch. We’re offering this in three lengths: 168, 175 and 182. Based on feedback from women riders, we added a new rocker board to our lineup. The Queen Bee is a true twin tip with traditional camber, which means it handles no matter which direction you send it. A bit of rocker in the tip and tail keeps you afloat when you need it. With a 288 mm waist, this whip stick can surf those bottomless powder days but doesn’t lose power when it transitions to crud and hard park. A full birch core makes this board a stiff yet playful ride. This board comes in a 147, 151 and 155 length.

This article was originally published in 2015 and written by Andrew Pridgen 

https://tahoequarterly.com/outdoors/eye-to-eye-coalition-snow

Now that  we finally have some good snow conditions after last week’s storm and there is more on the way next week, so now is a good time to purchase a new pair of skis.  Buying skis is a big decision so we’ve gone to the experts at Chillfactor ski magazine to give you some direction on finding the best ski for you.

This article was originally published May 8th, 2019 and written by Lil Krass.

Sizzling parking lot bacon, spilled PBR, a high turnout of faded denim–NASCAR races and spring skiing have a lot more in common than their respective participants might care to admit. After a historically deep winter across North America, let’s take a look back at some of the gear that dominated the hill this winter.

We spoke with evo’s ski buyer Laura Holman about some of the biggest trends the Seattle-based retailer saw this winter.

Uphill Ambitions
Backcountry skiing is the hot thing to do right now, there’s no getting around that. As new skiers pour into the backcountry at an exponential rate, it’s no surprise that alpine touring gear has become the focus of many brands and retailers.

“A lot of skiers really want to have just one setup, and brands are responding to that, with boots, bindings, and skis that are designed to be skied in and out of bounds,” says Holman.

Salomon and Atomic’s new Shift Binding, which features the step-in and security of a burly alpine binding as well as pin-tech touring capabilities, is a key example of the desire for a midweight, high-performing option that offers ultimate versatility between the resort and backcountry. Holman says they expected the Shift to do well when it launched last fall, but they had no idea how well; “We literally can’t keep enough in stock,” she says.

Atomic’s Hawx Ultra Xtd 130 Alpine Touring Boot was evo’s best-selling overall boot this year, not just for the backcountry category.

“Brands are taking the technology they used to make lightweight touring boots, like thinner plastic, and applying that to their downhill line,” Holman explains, adding that while Titanal (the most common metal used in ski construction) still holds a strong presence, it’s not necessarily tip to tail– instead, brands are incorporating shaped metal constructions, like Volkl’s M5 Mantra, to create a more optimal balance of strength to weight.

Interestingly enough, while touring bindings and boots are at an all-time high, climbing skin sales haven’t seen the same uptake. “Touring is really aspirational,” says Holman. “Whether or not they’re actually skiing in the backcountry, a lot of customers want a boot or binding that has the option.”

For The Ladies
Women now make up half of all participants in skiing, and brands are focusing more than ever on customizing products specifically for women. Holman says women’s ski and snowboard sales have increased 7 percent from 2009 to 2017.

“We see brands like Blizzard/Tecnica really looking to gain a deeper understanding of the female market and what women really want and need in equipment,” she says. “They’re actually changing tech specs and construction of the ski, instead of the classic ‘shrink it and pink it’ protocol.”

Blizzard’s Women to Women initiative, which began in 2015, works with women of all ski levels, backgrounds, and body types to develop skis and boots that meet their needs.

Blizzard’s Black Pearl and Sheeva skis, which use Blizzard’s women’s-specific Carbon Flipcore construction, were some of evo’s top sellers this year, alongside the Black Crows Atris Birdie and Coalition Snow’s SOS skis. “There are more women at the table on the back end of production now,” Holman says. “The female voice is louder than ever and it’s really cool to see the industry moving in that direction.”

Slimming Down
Mid-fat skis have been slowly edging their way back to center stage in the last few years. “There’s far less demand for ultra-fat powder skis like there was maybe five years ago,” says Holman. The Volkl M5 Mantra and Armada ARV skis were evo’s top two sellers on the men’s side, both with a 96-millimeter waist.

“The industry is circling back to right around to that standard, versatile, 100 underfoot ski,” she explains. “Skiers are looking for versatility now, instead of investing in two or three different setups. There will always be a place for a 130 ski, but the drawbacks outweigh the benefits on 99 percent of the days you’re actually skiing.”

Holman also added that developing ski technology allows a slimmer ski to perform better in deeper conditions, like with Atomic’s Horizon Tech. The tip convexity in Horizon Tech, seen in the Bent Chetler 100 and the Backland series, creates more surface area in the tip of the ski, allowing more float and stability like a wider ski, without the dimensions of one.

Holman says that evo’s also seen a solid uptake in carving skis, especially on the east coast. The Atomic Redster X9 and Blizzard Firebird WRC were popular styles this winter. “We’ve seen a lot of skiers looking for narrow, low 70mm underfoot carving skis. again,” she says.

“I think skiers are remembering that in the right conditions—which happens more often than pow days—a narrow ski is the right fit.”