January 31, 2014

SIA 2014 kicks off from Denver, CO with the best new snowboard gear for 2015

The industry has come out en force, and Day 1 at SIA 2014 is officially a wrap. Brands, riders, buyers, photogs, TMs, filmers, designers, and more; personalities from every corner of the industry have descended upon Denver for another round of tradeshow madness. The latest, greatest, wildest innovations in snowboarding have made their debut, and we’re here to make sure you don’t miss a beat.

words: Kelli Lynn Hargrove

Under Armour:

Making big moves in the snow market, Under Armour is debuting a solid line up of new gear this season. The Frackle jacket and the Rummy are standouts in the outerwear category, both infused with UA’s Cold Gear Infrared and Storm tech, which means they hold heat exceptionally well, and have a DWR coating. The Frackle has a varsity jacket feel, while the Rummy boasts a more street inspired style, elbow patches and all.

Electric:

New for 2014, Electric is not only bringing two noteworthy new goggles to the table, but they’re also tackling an entirely new product category: helmets. Kicking it off with the new goggle tech, Electric’s new EG3 has a wider peripheral scope than any of the brand’s previous designs, as it takes the tech of the EG2 and refines it into a new and improved model. The EG3 also utilizes Electric’s new ‘press seal’ quick change system, which mimics a zip lock bag as it locks various lenses into place. The Rig goggle is another new design for 14/15, outfitted with articulating outriggers, which move up and out as necessary to fit various helmets.

Speaking of helmets, Electric is making moves into this market as well, debuting a line of low-profile shells inspired by the style of old-school motorcycle helmets, and the impact absorbing technology of modern day football helmets. With the intention of bringing creativity back into helmet designs, the brand collaborated with Volcom on a graphic that pays homage to Volcom’s heritage, with a co-branded goggle to match.

Smith:

We’re dubbing Smith the king of collabs this time around, as the brand debuts an extensive series of rider and artist collabs, for both their goggle and helmet lines. One of the raddest introductions to Smith’s line is their new collab helmet/goggle combo with The Mountain Collab: The Screaming Eagle. Both helmet and goggles ooze American spirit, complete with a badass eagle and ‘Made in USA’ graphic. Another killer collab from Smith takes the basic colorway and design of a construction helmet and tweaks in into an on-snow style. A joint effort with Work by Land, the combo is simple and sleek.

Smith has been creating ID— Inspired Design— collabs with their riders for a while now, and this year is no different. Elena Hight, Scotty Lago, Xavier de le Rue, Austin Smith & Scott Stevens all put their creative minds to work in creating Smith’s 14/15 designs, Austin Smith’s re-upping on last year’s tri-lab with Smith & Poler to create one of our favorite goggle graphics of the year. An entirely new goggle to Smith’s line this season, the I/O7, is a highlight piece, with dual articulating riggers that move up, down, and out, depending on what your helmet style demands. A superior fit, plus a new foam design that prevents your lens from fogging; the I/O7 is definitely a goggle that will be making its mark.