Over the past several years, skiing and snowboarding equipment has come a long way, and so have the tastes of those who use it. Skis and boards can be matched to everyone's ability levels. Helmets come in a vast array of designs. Heck, rock stars are even peddling hats these days. Snowsportsna.com offers reviews on what's new, what's good, what's bad - and even what's ugly. Stay tuned for more product stories throughout the season.

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No vision problems for the space Dragons

By Chris Dehnel
Snowsportsna.com News Editor

The Dragon flew into space and had a great vision of the future.

At least when it comes to snowsports goggles.

To see it first-hand, click onto the Dragon Alliance Website: www.dragonalliance.com.
On the home page will pop up an astronaut in Apollo program attire. He is holding a flag, presumably planted on the moon, paying homage to "superior anti-fog technology." Dragon itself calls the innovation "One giant leap for snowboarding."

Psst ... it's a pretty good jump for skiers too.

Dragon has applied space age technology to its 2009-10 line of Rogue eyewear, The Rogues features a medium-fit, which makes them very compatible to helmets - even hard to fit lids. The goggles also feature adjustable hinges, and a Polartech mircofleece lining.

Dragon provided a pair of Rogue Coal goggles with an ionized lens for testing. They lived up to their billing. They were clear - absolutely no glare - in both bright sunlight and shadows. The vents worked well and the helmet fit was comfortable with two brands of helmet.

The case was a bit awkward for just one pair (it's big and plush), but the second compartment within that case would come in handy if one were to purchase a second lens.

Back to the astronaut ... Dragon utilizes the same compounds in its Rogue lenses that NASA scientists apply to spacecraft windshields and astronaut helmet visors. Dragon calls it "Super Anti-Fog," and it works by minimizing surface tension to repel tiny water droplets. In theory, clearer vision is produced.

Dragon has applied the technology to its new Rogue line - introduced this fall - with no price increase over last season's line.

The Coal model has a list price of $125 on the dragon Web site. The Rogue series has a wide range of styles and colors priced up to $170.

Replacement lenses range from $40 to $120.

The entire Rogue line is featured on the Dragon Web site.

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Nordic system provides a full workout

By Chris Dehnel
Snowsportsna.com News Editor
Ullustration by Mke Roth, Snowsportsna.com

A man and a woman parked the car near the walking trail.

They walked to the back of the vehicle, opened the trunk and pulled out two pair of ski poles. They crossed the parking lot, strapped the poles to their hands, and began walking on the trail - quickening the pace with each lap.

Cross country skiing? Without snow?

Welcome to the American Nordic Walking System, developed by Pete Edwards and his MIchigan-based company,www.skiwalking.com. The system provides a workout program that takes walking - and preseason training - to a new level by promoting full range of motion and rendering balance over terrain that is smooth or undulating at a varying dergrees of pace.

Essentially, the system provides the benefits of cross country skiing all year-round. Edwards says Nordic walking burns 4o percent more calories than regular walking.

The poles are essentually hybrids of the traditional Nordic skiing equipment. They received their toughest test in the Grand Canyon, where they added much-needed shock-absorption and helped maintain proper posture in the steep descent, and helped distribute the work on the arduous climb back up to the rim.

But the poles also perform well in the park, around the mall, or on the neighborhood street. They come with baskets and spikes for snow and soft surfaces and a boot-shaped rubber tip, or what Edwards calls an "asphalt paw" that slips over the spike and under the basket to accommodate hard surfaces on the sidewalk or on the trail.

The poles feature an adjustable, glove-like strap, developed by the Salomon ski company, that fits around the thumb like a glove.

The equipment is marketed through the Swix and Exel brand names and come in three basic designs - an aircraft-grade aluminum shaft with a molded plastic handle for $69.95, a carbon shaft "VIP" model with a molded cork and plastic handle for $99.95, and the deluxe "Urban Skier" carbob model for $129.95.

The poles do not adjust, which means their lengths have to be factored in when transporting them. Edwards insists they are safer in one solid piece.

"The concept of adjustable poles is nice, but I constantly hear hikers complain that the poles caved in when pressure was put on them," he says. "Imagine that happening not only to someone young, but a senior out walking?"

Edwards even insists the poles can be applied to everyday getting around.

"I hate to see seniors struggling with canes and walkers," he says. "The poles help you walk the right way."

Edwards put that theory to the test in early August when he traveled to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. to work with the Wounded Warrior Project, a foundation that helps those injured during military service get back into active lifestyles. He said the poles helped the veterans get back into sports or just get comfortable with walking again.

Poles can be ordered through the company Web site,

www.skiwalking.com or by calling 877-754-2012. All orders come with a demo DVD.

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By Chris Dehnel

Snowsportsna.com News Editor

Snowboarding can create some strange business partnerships, but this one takes the cake.

It was unveiled at last January's annual SIA trade show and convention in Las Vegas. The invitation to a party at the Hard Rock Hotel was distributed a few days before. At the party, Gene Simmons was to unveil his new line of snowsports apparel.

Huh?

The guy from Kiss? The guy who did not do so well on that "Family Jewels" show when he tried to snowboard.

But there was Gene front-and-center at the party (he had no makeup on ... at least not the stuff he used to wear in the band) promoting a new line of "Moneybag" apparel with friend and new business partner Jason Dussault.

Dussault, a native of British Columbia, admittedly designs clothing lines so he can fund trips to ride the famed BC backcountry powder.

So with a suite full of media, industry people, strange looking rockers, and even a few rent-a-girls looking on, Simmons showed off a bunch of hats he said he was "deliriously delighted" about.

It's funny, but Simmons' one snowsports experience in his reality show resulted in a few bruises and the ride of shame down the hill in a Ski Patrol toboggan. Simmons never really talked about it that night.

But he had hats. The headgear comes in both black and brown and features an oversized moneybag and dollar sign logo. There are bags, scarves, and shirts with the Moneybag logo, all found on the Gene Simmons Moneybag Web site. Hats retail for $24.95 and the shirts for $29.95.

I took a knit hat home - an oversized black beanie with a black moneybag on it. About a month later, I took it to see what the experts thought - in the bar at Owl's Head, Quebec, during a Saturday Happy Hour.

"Hey ... look at that tuque!" screamed Luc St.-Jacques, the owner of A Tout Venant Bed & Breakfast while calling over several buddies to inspect the headgear.

"Nice," said Owl's Head Marketing director Ken Rourke-Frew.

Luc was drinking beer and Ken was a little light-headed himself because his wife was about to give birth.

"Noooooooooooo!" they said. THAT's a tuque!"

Enough said. Rock on ... with a warm head.