SIA Snow Show (you should go, bro.)

SIA 2012 in Denver. click 4 pix.The 2012 SIA Snow Show took place in Denver last weekend.  It's the greatest show on snow...the biggest skiing and snowboarding trade show.  All the major snow brands are there and many smaller brands and start up's represent too.   

To break it down, The SIA Snow Show is pro skiers and riders, sales execs, retail buyers, models, free food and drinks and bags and bags of swag. It's serious networking and hopefully deal making.  Unfortunately SIA's Snow Show is held at exactly the same time as the Winter X Games in Aspen...so AspenSpin was a pretty busy boy.  Carmelo and I took the quick drive down to Denver to meet up with sponsors and troll for new ones. We got to see what you'll be riding and wearing on the mountain next  Winter.

Our quick visit to Denver for SIA 2012 was fun and exciting.  We scored BIG Time.  Unofficial totals:  t-shirts (12),  hats (15), chapsticks (unlimited), sick headphones (2), awesome socks (4), stickers (325).

Sick PIX:       SIA Day 1              SIA Day 2                Spyder Party

Pow Day in Denver. 1/27/12

AspenSpin's 5 Trends for 2012/13

1) COLORS and GRAPHICS:   The brighter the better.  Both soft goods and hard goods will feature vibrant, bright with colors.  Skis and boards will incorporate even more graphical designs than they currently do.  Animal prints are here to stay...the more exotic the better (see Shaun White).  Cheetah prints, snake-skin prints and more.

2) CROSSOVER:  The bad blood between skiers and shredders is over.  It's all good as long as you can keep up.  Many companies are finally understanding that their styles might appeal to both skiers and riders.   Several brands are creating variations on a theme for both two plankers and knuckle draggers.  Alpine Touring equipment including split boarding is a segment that is growing quickly.

3) CHANGING of the GUARDS:  Some of the smaller, more boutique brands are gaining strength and influencing their HUGE corporate rivals in terms of performance, design and demand. Newer, more adventurous shapes and sick graphics are coming from the little guys. Brands that come to mind, HIGH SOCIETY, ICELANTIC, SKI LOGIC and others.  From the majors, I'm digging the new quivers from KASTLE, ROSSIGNOL and VOLKL. I can't wait to try next year's models.  *AspenSpin did not participate in the on-snow demo events

4) SILHOUETTES : Skiing is always a fashion statement:  Baggy pants are still around, but I'm seeing more and more stylish cuts coming out... even from the American brands.  The Euro-style makers continue to lead the way...but everybody is bringing out sleeker and more technical outer gear.  We are still partial to KJUS from Norway. Their collection for 2012 /13 looks awesome.  Their stuff is performance oriented and stylish.  It even makes me look "slender".

MONKEY SEE / MONKEY DO.   No new revelations here.  It is well known that the snow sports industry is an incestuous community.  Everybody knows everybody else.  Many of the execs, the reps and designers move from company to company.  It's a pretty tight network.  From my perspective as a relative outsider who lives in a small mountain town at the end of the road...I don't see very many unique ideas coming out of the inner sanctum.  The bigger they are..the more resistant they are to change and risk. It's good to see that independent start-ups are taking more risks...and succeeding.  Then everyone jumps on-board.

It was on in Denver for SIA 2012.AspenSpin's 5 TOP moments @ SIA 2012

1) BAGS of SWAG;  You don't have to be a big time blogger to get tons of free stuff. Every booth has some promotional item on their counter.  It's official, I'm a Swag-hoarder...and I love it.

2) WAFFLES on a STICK.  Thanks Vans.  It's the Breakfast of Champions.

3) MARQUES SCOTT:  The internet-famous dub step animation dancer at the Spyder party.

4) SKI LEGENDS:  Meeting and rapping with Glen Plake and Picabo Street...pretty cool.

5) The MODELS:  Like any major convention...there were a lot of "booth girls".

Wrong Gear gettin it done at SIA 2012, The Snow Show. Click for Day 1 pix.2 Legends of Skiing convine at the Snow Show. click for pix.Breakfast of Champions. Day 2 at SIA. Waffles on a Stick. Click for pix.Yeah, They let smowboarders in. SIA Day 2. Click for sick pix.

The Spyder Party went Gonzo at SIA. Click 4 Pix. 

Aspen: It's a Ski Town, Bro!

Aspen, Colorado is a small and very beautiful town.  A high alpine village at 8000 ft. at the end of the road.  Once the snow hit's the mountains there's only one way in...and...one way out.   Aspen means a lot of different thing to different people.  The restaurants, the shopping, the art galleries, the Aspen Institute , the night life,  the music and culture, the development opportunities, the snow polo.  Everyone has their own individual reasons for loving Aspen and their own definition of the Aspen Idea... Body, Mind and Spirit.

AspenSpin has an announcement to make.  Aspen:  It's a SKI TOWN, Bro!!!

Aspen has a reputation of being a playground for the rich and famous, of being over-the-top expensive,  the glitz and the glamour ...the see and be seen mentality.  Sure--some of that is true, but this past weekend Aspen reaffirmed it's position as THE CAPITOL of SKIING (and snowboarding). 

The Nordic Track. Click 4 Pix.Nordic Skiing is not the first Olympic sport that rolls off your lips, yet Aspen has produced 2 world class NORDIC Skiers; NOAH HOFFMAN and SIMI HAMILTON.  Both are members of the U.S. Ski Team, World Cup competitors and Olympic hopefuls for 2014 in Sochi.   Funding is always tight in the nordic world and this year the U.S. Ski Team has reduced their level of support.  The Aspen Community came together last weekend at The Limelight Lodge to throw a fundraising event for our local boys, Noah and Simi.   The Limelight was packed with well wishers and philanthropic minded locals. Approximately $40,000 was raised to help support the Olympic dreams of Noah and Simi.  Aspen Local and 1980 U.S. Olympic Nordic team Captain Craig Ward emceed the event and said " it takes a community to make an Olympian".  The generosity and support of the Aspen Community was out in full force.  U.S. Ski Team mates Sylvan Ellefson (Vail) and Tad Elliot (Durango) attended the festivities as a sign of solidarity.  Parents, teachers, coaches, neighbors and friends celebrated having 4 of the top 8 U.S. Nordic skiers in the U.S. in the house. Contact and support the guys directly at www.hoff.colorado@gmail.com  and www.simihamilton.com The money raised will allow Noah and Simi to compete at full throttle all winter.

Click 4 PIX     THE NORDIC TRACK

Like There's No Tomorrow. It's a Ski Town. Click 4 Pix.Warren Miller's 62nd annual ski film... LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW had 3 screenings at the historic Wheeler Opera House is Aspen.   Like There's No Tomorrow did not disappoint the rowdy crowds at the Wheeler.  Two of Aspen's local heros, brothers Chris Davenport and Ted Davenport lit up the screen starring in the film's best segments.  Chris was featured in 2 scenes, first he conquered New Hampshire's historic Tuckerman Ravine. Tuckerman's, a large glacial cirque on Mt. Washinton is known to have some of the worst weather in the world and has long been a proving ground for the East Coast's top skiers.  As always, Dav made it look easy ripping on all snow conditions (including ice) with his ever present quiver of Kastle Skis.   Chris was featured in a second segment skiing huge peaks in the Andes near Portillo, Chille with Julia Mancuso (AspenSpin's favorite skier). 

Little Bro, Ted Davenport sent some sick lines in the Southern Alps on New Zealand's South Island.  Ted,  a two-time World Heli Challenge Champion showed some of the skills that put him on top of the podium. Face shots, cliff hucks and pillow drops are all every day occurrences in Ted World.  Currently recovering from a horrific crash in last year's competition, Ted the Shred should be back on skis (and B.A.S.E. jumping) soon.

Click 4 Pix:  LIKE THERE's NO TOMMOROW

Spyder VIP's at Aspen Sports. click 4 pix.Colorado based SPYDER brought their A-Team to Aspen for the weekend in the larger than life Spyder Antidote Winabago.    TOMMY MOE (Olympic Downhill Gold Medalist),  JULIAN CARR (big mountain ripper and founder of Discrete), JAKE ZAMANSKY (Aspen local and Olympian) along with The DAV's hosted a VIP autograph session at ASPEN SPORTS on the Cooper Street Mall.   The Aspen Sport's Spyder Concept shop pulled out all the stops for an intimate, family friendly meet-n-greet.

Click 4 Pix:  ASPEN SPORTS / SPYDER   VIP Event.

AspenSpin experienced a milestone for which we are extremely proud.  We received a brief cameo appearance in Warren Miller's LIKE THERE's NO TOMORROW.  AspenSpin can't get on Plum TV, but we made the Warren Miller Movie...and they can never tke that away.  You'll have to pay attention to see our "segment", but heads up, it's in the first 2 minutes of the film.  A-Spin's  2 1/2 seconds of fame was captured by Colby James West's POV shoulder cam at the 2011 Powder Video Awards and made the big screen thanks to Warren Miller Enterprises.  What a rush for A. Party; to be in the audience and to unexpectedly see yourself on the HUGE screen....yeeeeeeeah.  We love this place.

It's not even Halloween yet and AJAX is covered with snow. This weekend Aspen hosted Olympic Champions, World Champions and Olympic hopefuls and the greatest Warren Miller Movie ever (we're a little biased).

Yeah...it might be a lot of different things to a lot of differnt people---but ASPEN is a SKI TOWN, BRO...and don't forget it.

Click 4 Pix   THE NORDIC TRACK     and    ASPEN:  It's a SKI TOWN, BRO!!

These guys are ready to RIP. Tim, Schultz, Pearl and Chris at Warrewn Miller. click 4 pix.Olympic Gold medalists, World Champs, First to scale the 14ers. It's a SKI Town. click 4 pixThe Spyder / Aspen Sports VIP Events brought out all the rippers. Click 4 pix.