GEAR CENTRAL
Gear review: Boot test
Columbia Hoodster Mid Outdry
By Gordie Bowles ♦ Photo by Skarsgard Photography
I put this boot to the ultimate test by packing no other footwear on a recent trip to Big White Resort. If it performed poorly, I’d be an unhappy camper with no options.
I tested the boot in multiple situations and for long periods of time in or on the snow. At one point I was outside for five hours straight in minus-12 degree Celsius weather. That evening I put the boot back on for an indoor social environment (translation: the Pub).
The Verdict
Although categorized as a trail boot by Columbia, this super lightweight and surprisingly warm boot performed very well in all winter conditions. With the feel of a tall running shoe with even more comfort, the Hoodster withstood my toughest tests. The softshell upper features Columbia’s “outdry,” essentially a waterproof and breathable membrane with a protective leather overlay. My foot was protected and warm at all times.
Big thumbs-up from me on this boot.
MSRP: $160
www.Columbia.com
Another day at the office ... the gondola!
Setting up a mobile office for on-snow productivity requires some experience, and you’ll need to assemble a few gadgets to give the perception that you’re in the office. Here’s a few items you’ll need:
Protective cases: Otterbox (otterbox.com): Phones jump out of pockets. Period. It’s a well-known fact that if a phone can escape, it will. Protect it when it happens.
Hand’s free: Apple In-Ear (Apple.com): Throw away those awkward earphones that come with your Android device. Manufacturers are putting in-line microphones in everything. Extra style points for rigging the mic into your helmet audio system.
Gloves: Swany (swanyamerica.com): When a call comes in, you need to answer fast. Your gloves can make or break response time. What if an important call comes in while pounding out of the back bowl? This glove will help you avoid dreaded pocket dial.
— Dustin Titus
Dial in your boot fit: Four tips for guaranteed comfort and joy
Before you seek out the latest and greatest in ski technology, pay attention to what will help you enjoy those fantastic skis — your ski boots. Your ski boots are what connect you to the performance of the skis and eventually give you feel for the snow. Without a great-fitting set of boots, all that science and engineering in the skis is potentially wasted. Even worse, you might end up like a lot of skiers — with cold and uncomfortable feet.
To get that connected-to-the-snow feeling as well as comfort and warmth, here are 4 key components to consider these four crucial boot-fitting components:
1. FLEX: Choose the right flex for your size, strength and skiing ability. Look for numbers on the side of your boots, in the range of 85-150. That number indicates the stiffness of the boot — the higher the number, the stiffer the flex. With no set standard, a 120 flex in a Salomon boot might feel softer or stiffer than a 120 in a Head boot, but across all brands, the lower this number is, the softer the boot will be. Only you can answer what flex pattern is right for you. It depends on your ability level and the type of skiing you enjoy — cruising the groomers, bashing the bumps, spinning in the park, exploring the back bowls. Generally speaking, the bigger, stronger and more advanced you are, the stiffer the boot you will need.
2. SHELL FIT: How does the boot fit you without the liner in it? I prefer a performance fit so when I slide my foot into my shell there isn’t much space. A good rule to follow is how many fingers you can fit behind your heel with your toes gently brushing the end of the toe box. One finger, or slightly less, for a snug performance fit, and up to two fingers for a comfort fit. With more than two fingers, you risk the chance of the boot being too big and sloppy, which will rob you of performance. On the other hand, too tight (less than one finger) will lead to cold, cramped feet.
3. FOOTBED: To help keep your foot in a position that’s comfortable and biomechanically strong, you need a custom-made footbed. This is probably the best investment you can make for performance and happy feet that last all day. See a professional, such as an orthotics specialist, as every foot is different. Some attributes of a well-made footbed are:
a. Fit: The footbed should be trimmed so it doesn’t take up extra space around your toes, which could feel bulky in your boot.
b. Arch support: The feeling should be firm under your arch but not too much pressure. A little give will let your foot move naturally, but if it’s like a solid block, you’re asking for foot cramps.
c. Natural feel: When you stand on the footbed, it should feel like it supports your foot in its natural position. You don’t want it to feel like it’s rolling your foot to the inside or outside.
4. ALIGNMENT: The last thing to check once you’re all set with the right flex, a good shell fit and a custom footbed is the alignment. Most boots have adjustment screws on the ankles. It might say something like “canting” These screws allow you to align the cuff of the boot to the angles of your lower legs. This is important, because you want the boot to respond right away when you make a move. This also contributes to your ability to get edge grip when you need it.
Following these four simple tips will help you get better performance, more comfort and warmth from your ski boots, all of which lead to a much more enjoyable day on the slopes. A professional bootfitter can guide you in this process, so head down to your local ski shop and meet your new best friend.
— Josh Foster
Josh Foster is the director of snowsports for Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, B.C., and is a regular contributor to S-Magazine. Josh can also be seen on Ski Television during the winter months.
Mouthguard magic: Osborne-Paradis seeks boost from fitted orthodontics
When Canadian ski racing star Manny Osborne-Paradis’ 2010 season turned from amazing (four World Cup podiums including two wins) to disappointing (17th in the Olympic downhill on his home hill at Whistler Mountain), he decided, in an effort to regain his form, that it was time to add a new piece of equipment to his arsenal.
So shortly after the Canadian National Championships ended, he jumped in his car and headed to Calgary to buy, of all things, a new mouthguard. Of course this wasn’t just any drugstore mouthguard worn by hockey and lacrosse players to prevent concussions and chipped teeth, Osborne-Paradis was after a customized “performance mouthguard,” a $2,000 device that manufacturers claim pushes the bottom jaw slightly forward, offering better balance, more stamina, greater strength.
He’d watched American Bode Miller wear one made by Nova Scotian company Makkar en route to three medals at Whistler, including gold in the super-combined, and that convinced Osborne-Paradis, who’s generally dubious of voodoo technology. “I’ve never bought into the idea that those magnetic bracelets or pendants actually have any effect on your performance,” says Osborne-Paradis. “But Bode spoke very highly of these things. And since this is our livelihood, anything that can be a positive influence on my skiing was worth trying.”
So far, the investment seems to be paying off. After training in New Zealand while wearing his new mouthguard, Osborne-Paradis says his skiing is “more aggressive” and his chronically tight back “feels looser.” He adds that the device makes it “easier to breathe in my tuck and easier to stand on my outside ski. And my balance is great — I just feel a lot more solid.”
The idea that adjusting a person’s jaw position allows the body to function better isn’t a new concept. In the 1970s, Texas dentist Aelred Fonder discovered that by manipulating his patients’ bites, using acrylics and metals to build up certain teeth, he was able to cure them of everything from scoliosis to psoriasis. “As we bite, the forces generated are transmitted along the roots of the teeth and pass into the bones of the skull,” says Dr. David Lerner, a New York-based dentist who has done extensive research into the way jaw alignment affects overall health. “If the jaw is properly balanced, the forces directed into the skull are dissipated in a healthy way. If the jaw is unbalanced, it can put pressure on nerves that effect reflexes throughout the body. I’ve had patients who couldn’t walk because of muscle issues. We fixed their bite and they could walk again.”
The problem, says Dr. Anil Makkar, the dentist responsible for inventing the Pure Power Mouthguard that’s worn by both Miller and Osborne-Paradis, is that 90 percent of the population has a misaligned bite, “an overbite that causes the head to be slightly ahead of the spine.” This affliction, he says, “doubles the strain on our neck and shoulder muscles, and that can cause everything from headaches to bad hips.”
By sliding the jaw forward, Makkar says the “muscles in the face relax, which allows the neck to roll back a little bit and align with the spine. That causes your shoulders to become square, creating better posture, which creates a stronger position and causes your rib cage to open up, allowing more air into your lungs.” Further, he explains that balance is improved by releasing pressure from nerves in the jaw that effect equilibrium.
But these results don’t come easy. To fit the mouthguard, Makkar and any of the 450 other dentists specially trained to work on the PPM attach wires to the patient’s face that radiate pulses of electricity from a nine-volt battery into the temporomandibular joints, the main hinges of the jaw. “It flexes the muscles in your face for a few seconds,” explains Osborne-Paradis, “then allows them to relax for a few seconds.”
“Forty-five minutes of this,” says Makkar, “causes all the muscles in the face to become very relaxed.” At this point, the patient is outfitted with elaborate headgear that’s connected to a computer. The information sent from the contraption to the computer allows the dentist to find the patient’s perfect alignment. Finally, a silicone mold is cast, which is then sent to a lab where the mouthguard is made.
A 2008 Rutgers University study backs up Makkar’s assertions that his mouthguard works. Researchers concluded that wearing the device “appears to enhance power output and performance in explosive, short duration bouts of exercise.” Good news for any skier pounding down a minute-long run through crud and over moguls, which is why Osborne-Paradis believes the device can help anyone ski better. “I’d 100 percent recommend them to a recreational skier, especially older people who are tight in the hips or tight in the back,” he says. “You hit a mogul the wrong way and this can make you looser and help you recover. At the end of the day it’s all about confidence, and if wearing a mouthguard inspires greater confidence, it’s worth it.”
— Gordy Megroz
