You know that Spring is just around the corner when you see runners on the road, people in shorts and Corty Lawrence on his road bike.

Footloose has just received a new shipment of RUNNING SHOES. Asics, Brookes, New Balance, Adidas, Nike have all just arrived. Come check out the great selection of trail and road running shoes from all these major brands.

Shirley, T.K., Doug, Van, Julien, Gavin and Brett are all happy to get you in the correct shoes for the right condition.

Coming soon: Merrell and hiking boots from Asolo, Lowa, Hi Tec.

Hey everybody. I was having a conversation last week with Randy the Demo Shop manager about my favorites skis of all time. I don’t know how we got started down this particular conversational path but It gave me an Idea. Before we head into the mind twisting adventure of choosing which of next years skis to carry why not ask everybody out there about their ultimate ski list. Mine has accumulated over the last 25 years of involvement of all kinds in the ski industry.  I don’t know if this will help us pick the next great ski but it couldn’t hurt to know. At the very least it’s a fun trip down memory lane.Here’s mine: Volkl Rentiger R circa 1988- Great do it all ski and owning a Volkl in the 80’s was so hot.Atomic Bumblebee 215- You know, the black and yellow ones that had the length marked on the tail. This was my first DH ski and I’ll never forget my first run on them. It change everything I thought I new about skiing.Salomon Force 9 2s- Salomons revolutionary cap construction turned out to be just another ski design but this model was soft and floaty in the pow. Combine that with the ElNino years of the early 90’s and powder skiing went to a level I never knew existed. This is the ski that first sparked my belief that softer skis are better in most off trail conditions.K2 GS race and DH race- These are the skis that showed me the way to real skiing. Stable and smooth without being too stiff. They saw me through the gnarliest lines of my life during my indestructible years. I had about 7 pairs because they would always break in the same spot and K2 would faithfully send me a new pair.K2 AK Launcher- This was my first true fat ski. It felt flimsy and light at speed but the combination of extra width, easy flex, straighter side cut, and simple construction where the foundation for all of K2’s great skis to come.(i.e. the Recon and the Coomba.) The launcher and the Chubb are the skis that, for better of for worse, brought the skinny ski era to an end.Volkl Sanouk- This totally under appreciated ski is simply one of the greatest powder skis of all time. Soft, straight, wide, and yes virginia swallowtails really do work. This ski should be studied by every manufacture who wants to make a true powder ski. No gimmicks like rocker, just design elements that truly work for all around powder days.Thats it. Lets see yours.   

Another Trade show has come and gone this past week and boy are my legs tired. The On Snow Trade Show is held at Mammoth Mountain every year to help retailers get a better idea of what exciting new products to introduce to their customers the following season. This event is met buy your Footloose Testing Team with a mixture of Christmas time excitement and eagle eyed criticism. Skiing nearly every 2009 ski in 3 short days is no easy ask. Just ask newbie to the team, 19 year half pipe aficionado Beau Silva, who’s quote at the end of day three pretty much summed things up for everybody, ” I’m tired and hungry.” I know it’s good work if you can get it, but you have to bring a game time determination and a brown bag if you want to ski as many skis as our most prolific testers. Bobby Lichen averages 20 skis a day. ” I ski with two different skis on each foot so I can double my productivity,” bobby says, with a wry grin that leaves you feeling like he’s only half joking. Ok, ok. I know your all dying for me to cut the chit cat and get to the point. “What’s the best ski for 2009,” is the question everybody asks when they catch wind of what’s happening in the chair 2 parking lot. I think I can sum things up with the classic statement, “Evolutionary not revolutionary”. Many skis come back unchanged or only slightly modified for 2009. Even the worlds most popular ski, the K2 Recon, only sees slight modifications. Believe it or not, this is a great thing because skis haven’t been this good across the board… ever. My advice is to buy now. Skis are at the best prices they have been all year and with a similar set of products coming out next season take your discount now and use the money you saved to go skiing.

Kids can start skiing essentially as soon as they can walk independently and fit securely in the smallest available boot sizes. The earlier they start, the easier it’ll be: a six year old may actually have some advantages over a more-coordinated eleven year old- they’re lower to the ground and generally less afraid of falling. A small child in the snowplow position is incredibly stable- you’ve seen little munchkins straightlining groomers in an unflappable combination of snowplow and tuck.

With modern skis, the learning curve has shortened considerably; shaped skis make for a direct transition from wedge turns to carved turns, eliminating much of the phase we used to call intermediate skiing.

Initially it’s probably better to rent for a while- the equipment that fits now might not next season. Every kid on the hill should have a snug fitting helmet and goggles, and be slathered with copious sunblock.

Boots are the key to the system- they should fit snugly with one pair of thin socks (the boots will be warm enough without thick socks). Make sure the socks are pulled up and their long underwear or ski pants aren’t getting caught inside the boot cuff.
As children improve beyond the wedge turn, rent or buy conventional overlap boots (they’ll probably start in simple rear-entry models). Overlap boots with buckles over the instep are harder to put on, but provide far better control.

For skis, sizing is crucial. Skis that are too long are hard to turn; the overcompensation that results can lead to exaggerated skiing and bad technique. Skis should be about nose height- better too short than too long. If you’re looking for new skis, flex and sidecut are also important. The softer the better: a softer flex will be easier and more forgiving to ski. Skis that are wider underfoot are definitely better: wider skis are easier to balance on and are easier to ski in soft snow.

Poles- not until the skier has a solid wedge turn: at first it’s just a pokey distraction or an impromptu weapon. As with skis, better too short than too long.

Children’s bindings are scaled-down, lighter versions of adult models that will only accept children’s boots (which have smaller toe and heel dimensions). Bigger kids using adult boots need lightweight adult bindings- but not heavy high performance models. For the transitional period, there are ‘junior’ bindings that accept both children’s and adult boot norms.

Make sure to have children’s bindings checked and reset at least once a year- the settings are based on weight and boot length, so as kids grow their bindings will need to be adjusted.
On the hill, watch out for icy or dirty boot soles- kid’s binding settings are so light that anything creating friction where the boot and binding meet can interfere with release function. Always make sure that boots are scraped clean before they step into the binding.

The most important thing to remember with kids on the hill:  don’t take it seriously and have fun.

Most equipment is made with the “average� skier in mind. If you weigh much more or less than an average adult, you’ll have different equipment needs.
The good news: if you’re a smaller skier, you probably won’t have to spend as much on gear as the heavyweights. The bad news: if you’re a lightweight expert, a lot of the high-performance equipment out there may be stiff or too heavy (as you probably already know).

Just as with bigger skiers, the idea is to keep equipment proportional. Featherweights can get away with lighter, softer skis and lighter bindings, and they will also need softer-flexing boots.

Boots: Skiers with small feet may have to get creative. Because manufacturers don’t make ‘men’s’ boots below size 24.5 (about US 7), small guys may need look at women’s performance boots (which are usually the same shell with softer plastic and a smaller size run), and small women may need to look at junior race boots.

Skis: The lighter you are, the softer ski you need (because you have to be able to easily flex them). A ski that’s to stiff will be more work to turn, and it may transmit too much impact from abrupt terrain changes- instead of flexing and absorbing bumps, a stiff ski will just throw you into the back seat.

That said, lightweight skiers may find that some of the skis that are soft enough don’t have the mass or vibration-reduction technology to keep the skis firmly planted on the snow. It’s ok to go with a heavier ski as long as you can flex it- some light skiers prefer a relatively heavy, damp ski that feels more solidly connected to the snow.

Ski size runs are finally catching up to the market: there’s a variety of skis available in short sizes- as short as 142cm, and you can get powder skis, race skis, all-mtn skis, all in appropriately short sizes for smaller skiers.

Bindings: High-performance, high-DIN bindings are unnecessary for lightweights- its just extra material that you don’t need. If you are an aggressive skier, use the lightest version of a company’s performance series- they’ll provide the solid, flex-free connection required for high-energy skiing, without un-necessary extra mass of the more expensive high-DIN models.
By the same token, bindings with performance-enhancing lifter plate systems, or skis with integrated binding systems may be excessively heavy as well- but don’t be afraid to give ‘em a shot if you ski mostly packed snow- the plates improve ski stability without inhibiting flex and turning ease.

Poles: If you use a pole shorter than 44� (for skiers under about 5’ 4�), try a kid’s pole- they’re cheaper, lighter and have smaller grips for smaller hands.

Many of today’s skis and bindings are relatively heavy, especially high-performance gear. For the most part, this is a result of the search for vibration control, the key to a smooth ride and solid connection on firm snow. All the various solutions add mass- whether it’s a layer of metal or visco-elastic material (ski-industry marketing speak for rubber) in the ski lay-up, or a mechanical device like the hydraulic damper in Marker’s Piston bindings.

Any skier can appreciate the result of this technology for carving turns on firm snow, but the trade-off is a potentially sluggish ride in other conditions- moguls, trees, powder, and the park. Not to mention lugging a pair of leaden boards from the car to lift: “Jeez these things are heavy,� is a phrase heard daily in our demo shop.
If you’ve got the muscles and the inclination to ski at high speeds or want maximum edgehold and stability, a beefy, heavy set-up is going to be mandatory- but there are other options for skiers who want to shed some pounds on the hill:

Look for skis without metal in the construction. Rossi, Salomon, Dynastar, Fischer, and K2 all have metal-free performance skis.

Avoid heavy integrated ski/binding systems. Tyrolia and Salomon seem to have the lightest systems on the market right now, as well as the lightest performance bindings. The new Salomon Z12 binding is impressive- it’s featherweight but feels very solid.

Ski ‘em short, especially skis with deep sidecuts, integrated bindings, and stout construction. For most skiers, boards like the Rossignol Zenith 9, Volkl AC40, or the Nordica Top Fuel will be more than stable enough for eye-watering speeds in the 170 cm size for men and 160 for women.

Top-of-the-line high performance gear can be overkill. Even if you’re an expert and you like to go fast, if you’re under about 175 pounds, demo some skis that are a step down in the line from the top- they’ll be lighter and easier to ski, and save you a couple of hundred bucks.

Check out the twin-tip skis. A turned-up tail almost always indicates a lighter ski without the sophisticated vibration damping of the performance all-mountain skis. Even if you have no intention of skiing in the park or backwards, the Salomon Foil, the Armada ARV/AR6, and K2 Public Enemy are great all-mountain boards.

Lightweight Performance Skis: anything from Armada, Salomon and Dynastar, Atomic’s Nomad skis, Fischer’s Watea series, K2 Coomba, Public Enemy, & Phat Luv.

Skiing is a balance sport: you stand several inches off the snow on a stack of ski, binding, and boot- not to mention the skeletal structure of your foot, lower leg, knee, and upper leg. It makes sense that the whole stack is only as strong as it’s weakest link, and instability or misalignment in any part of the system will hurt your ability to balance and transmit/absorb pressure.

Optimizing your ski equipment doesn’t mean buying the latest and greatest piece of gear, but instead paying attention to the system as a whole from a perspective of alignment- the idea is to make sure that your equipment works with your body, not against it.

The crucial elements of the equipment system are the ski base itself (which must be consistently flat), edges (filed at consistent angles), a supportive boot that conforms closely to the shape of your foot, and a custom-molded orthotic footbed like the Superfeet Korks we make at Footloose.

Because human bodies are rarely perfectly symmetrical, it’s normal to have less-than-perfect alignment of the foot and lower leg. And because skiing is so balance-oriented, variations that are not a problem in day-to-day settings can have a noticeable effect on the hill. Without underfoot support and stabilization (a custom footbed), many skiers and snowboarders will experience excessive foot movement inside the boot while skiing. This instability inhibits the ability to precisely pressure your edges, and can lead to boot pain and chronic problems like bone spurs.

Along with a footbed, choosing the right boot will also help to stabilize and secure the foot in the most effective and comfortable position. The boot shell and liner must match the shape of the foot as closely as possible and hold it securely. Bootfitting, the art of strategically modifying the liner or shell, will allow you to use a snug, functional fit without pressure points.

The ski tune is the last link in the chain- the edges and base are what actually interfaces with the snow. Like the carefully honed working edge of a craftsman’s chisel, a proper ski tune makes the ski feel precise, predictable, and controllable.

The base material must be ground as flat as possible, and the edges polished smooth at consistent angles and sharpness. A base that’s convex will tend to wander and feel disconnected on the snow, while a concave base will cause the edges to hook up unexpectedly and feel difficult to disengage. A flat base and consistent edges will engage and release smoothly and predictably, allowing you to pivot and skid without catching an edge.

There are great skis out there, and plenty of shops that will put a good tune on them, but hands-on custom bootfitting and footbeds are the key to getting the most out of your gear, and maximizing fun on the hill.

Shape and sidecut were about the last ski characteristics the industry paid attention to- but when they did, they went to town. Ski shapes changed only gradually over 50 years as manufacturers played with stiffness, flex profile, camber, materials, vibration control, and mass before they finally got around to trying new shapes.

These days shape is about the biggest determinant of a specific ski’s function and performance on the hill. You can choose a wide, straight shape for skiing fast in powder, or a narrow, deep-sidecut shape for slashing carved turns on hard snow- and just about anything in between.
But even within a single category, shapes vary- so what difference do those more subtle variations make? How do they change ski performance and function?

Tip and Tail Width: Some companies (notably Dynastar and K2) generally build skis with relatively wider tips than tails- 10mm or more. The wide tip floats better in soft snow, and pulls you into a carved turn, while the narrower tail releases from the turn and skids more easily. This shape allows you to ski more in the fall line, and will be more stable in long turns at speed- preferred by all-mountain skiers for versatility.

Other companies make models with relatively flared tails- less than 10mm narrower than the tip. This shape is better for packed snow carving performance- the wide tail slingshots you through the end of the turn and across the fall-line. It can also work really well for arcing turns in supportable crud or spring snow. These skis will be trickier to skid, and that wider tail can make the tip prone to diving in soft snow- since it will float more, it’ll also push you forward, and the tip down. Most park skis tend towards this shape for better carving in the pipe and initiating spinning tricks.

Overall Width: At the extremes, the widest skis (over 100mm underfoot) are pretty much powder-specific, while the narrowest (sub-70mm) are essentially hard-snow specific. In between lie the skis that most of us use every day: all-mountain skis… but there’s a big difference between a 75mm-waisted all-mountain ski and one that’s 90mm underfoot.

Most importantly, more width = greater floatation, which means easier skiing in soft snow, but width also changes how skis work on the packed. The wider they are, the slower the transition from edge-to-edge, and the further you have to angulate your leg to get the ski tipped up on edge. This makes for more sluggish transitions on packed snow, and the wider skis can be difficult to carve for more conservative skiers. On the plus side, the wider skis offer a larger, more stable platform on any snow surface, and they skid more predictable in the steeps.
Less width = more precision and quicker transitions on the packed snow, and a more demanding ride in the soft stuff.

If you understand how ski shape affects performance and function, it’s a lot easier to narrow down your choices when there are all-mountain skis with a wide spectrum of different shapes.

Ski sizing is arcane at best- 170, 201, 183- the numbers might as well come from a magic eight ball. And to some degree, it is arbitrary- you could probably make it down Stump Alley on a pair of 223’s or 150’s. But the odds are good that something in between will work way better.

Over time, skis have shrunk. Gold Country miners raced on ten-foot long planks in the 19th century. Standard ski size for decades was as high as you could reach- 210 cm for most men. Today, professional freesking, World Cup Giant Slalom and mogul skiing are all skied on 185’s.

Technology circa 2004 essentially squeezes a long traditional ski into a new, wider and shorter shape. A modern all-mountain ski has all the mass of an old 207 GS ski and just as much edge contact- but it’s a foot shorter so it’s easier to hop around. It has almost 50% more surface area, so it skis soft snow better. Its been designed and tested on a computer, and the construction integrates a variety of carefully sculpted materials in a sophisticated package that absorbs shocks and vibration. Binding integration allows the ski to flex freely, conforming to the terrain, increasing edge contact and grip. The overall flex is softer, easier to ski and more forgiving. The deep sidecut initiates effortlessly and pulls you through perfectly carved turns.
That big old GS ski still might have the edge in straight-line stability on hard snow (only because of is straight sidecut), but in every other aspect, the new ski wins.

The size range is what it is (150 to about 195cm) because the smallest sizes are about right for the smallest skiers, and the biggest sizes are about right for the biggest, strongest skiers (and the chronically insecure). In general, sizing today is pretty simple- ski length should be about your head height- a couple inches more if you like more speed, a couple inches less if you are more conservative (or prefer short turns). This will put most men on about a 180, and the ladies on 160-165’s.

Going to the next longer size will add stability and smooth out the ride a little, at the cost of low-speed maneuverability. When you drop a size, the skis feel more responsive, but less stable at high speed. The bottom line is that you should ski the shortest size that you’re comfortable skiing fast on. Anything longer is just unnecessary extra effort, and using skis that are too big can force skiers to develop awkward technique to compensate. The skis should be short enough to turn easily at the speeds you ski at, and long enough to feel stable when you open it up.

If you can, try different sized skis for yourself- get a feel for what changing length does the way the skis (and you) work. You’ll learn something and its good for your technique- going from long to short (and vice versa) forces you to re-center and adapt.

Anyone who’s been around skiing long enough has heard about race-stock equipment- gear you can’t get in the shop (until now). So what make it different?

Race stock skis are typically wood and metal laminates- a traditional construction that still rules the roost in speed events because it glides fast. There’s nothing exotic about laminates, but the skis are hand-made to a higher standard; they need to withstand being slammed down rutted-out ice by large angry Austrians. These days, the FIS (the international governing body of competitive skiing) mandates limits on sidecut, length, and binding rise, so there’s nothing special there.

There is however, some real technology in the built-in plates used on all World Cup skis. These plates absorb vibration and allow the ski to free-flex; Rossi’s race plate actually allows you to change the flex of the ski. In the end these skis, while handmade and sweet, are heavy, stiff, and worthless for anything but skiing fast on hard snow. In fact, retail skis (which don’t have to conform to the FIS specs) can have more sidecut and lift, and be skied shorter- in many ways making them ‘higher-performance’ than race-sock skis.

Like skis, race stock bindings feature less technology and more metal. “Green Springs� (their extra-stiff springs are painted green or red to prevent mix ups) are the Neanderthal version of a retail binding: heavier, stronger and dumber. Their mission is to keep you attached to the ski, regardless of little things like knee ligaments. Retail bindings can only be adjusted to 14 or 15 on the DIN scale (measuring the tension that keeps you in the binding). This is plenty. Green spring bindings have tension ranges from 8-18 or (for the truly disturbed) 12-24. While no one outside the World Cup needs a 20 DIN, many hardcore freeskiers hoard green-springs like gold for their durability and superior retention.

Race-stock boots are narrower and stiffer than their retail cousins, typically featuring far better liners and more internal lift. For strong, experienced skiers, they will offer the ultimate in precision, responsiveness and power. These boots are built simple so they can be easily modified- which they will probably demand. The trade-offs for the ultimate in boot performance are the sheer amount of boot work that may be required, and the fact that unless you’re actually skiing hard and flexing the boots, they’re going to be just about the tightest, stiffest thing you’ll ever clamp on (“…somewhat claustrophobic� in the words of the immortal Kevin Hepburn). You’ve probably noticed how the first thing ski racers do after the finish is unbuckle their boots…

For most of us, this gear is irrelevant, but for elite-level racers (and some freeskiers), it’s the price of admission.