E-Mail This Article to a Friend Snow stylin’ (continued)
	Where to find it • Bob Smith’s Wilderness House, 1048 Comm Ave, Boston, (617) 277-5858. • Hilton’s Tent City, 272 Friend Street, Boston, (617) 227-9242. • Ski Market, 860 Comm Ave, Boston, (617) 731-6100. — NM

Boots

K2 T1 Boa ($259.99)

The K2 T1 Boa boot was around last year, but the newest model features some improvements. The Boa system has a titanium cable inside the boot that you can adjust using an outer dial, letting you customize the snugness. This year, the dial protrudes a little further from the shell of the boot; K2 tweaked it after hearing reports that the dial would pop out during hard riding, explains Ski Market’s McNiff. And if it’s not quite clear what these boots are all about, think back to Reebok Pumps, those classic sneaks from days of yore, and exchange the plastic-basketball button and air for a barely noticeable dial and a titanium cord. The Boa system lets you release or increase tension around your foot, so that blood gets to your toes on the ride up, and you’ve got more control and a more responsive board on the way down.

Bindings

Flow Pro 11 ($185–$220)

This is the first season that Ski Market has carried Flow bindings, which include the notable Flow Pro 11 freeride style. The reclining highback allows for easy in-and-out access, and with one strap over the boot, you need to adjust the fit only once, McNiff says. There’s 33 percent glass fiber in the base plate and in the reinforced bladed highback, offering support and power through the turns.

Burton Mission ($169)

Instead of a strap over the top of the boot, the new Burton Mission bindings feature "cap straps," which cup the toe of the boot, thereby distributing pressure throughout the board and eliminating any cross-boot bite. Cap straps are available on their own for $40.

Pants

Arc’teryx Theta SK Gore-Tex Pants ($320)

Coats, pants, and gloves take a beating on the mountain, and you want to be able to maintain warmth and agility in durable snow-sport duds. Arc’teryx Theta SK Gore-Tex pants are designed for full-force alpine skiing and boarding. The high-waisted pants have tough reinforcements in the seat and also from the knees down, to prevent scraping and abrasion. The rear bib panel is fleece-lined to keep you warm, and the watertight three-quarter leg zippers allow for ventilation and save weight. These pants, available at Hilton’s Tent City, are engineered for mobility.

Outerwear

Moonstone Men’s Nemesis Jacket ($230; $184 at Tent City)

Input from the Moonstone Design review board resulted in the Moonstone men’s Nemesis jacket. It’s an alpinist’s dream, weighing a mere 14 ounces (for size medium). Made out of Gore-Tex PacLite, it’s water-resistant, and the adjustable hood easily fits over a helmet. It features fully taped seams, single-hand-adjustable cords, and a forgiving fit.

Mountain Hardware Women’s Tenacity Parka ($395; $335 at Tent City)

For women who need to combat foul weather at high altitudes, there’s the Mountain Hardware Tenacity parka. Ideal for trekking and tramping through the backcountry, the jacket is made of Gore-Tex XCR, with water-resistant zippers, super-light pit zips, chest-high hand pockets, and a one-hand roll-away hood with a chamois-lined chin guard, plus a double-flap front zip and reinforced shoulders.

Gloves

Black Mountain Glissade Gloves ($55)

Keeping your hands warm isn’t just a matter of comfort, it’s a matter of safety. Frozen fingers can wreck an afternoon, and it’s worth it to invest in a pair of mitts that’ll keep your digits dry and toasty. For all-mountain riding in mid-temperature climes, try the Black Mountain Glissade gloves. They’ve been updated this year with a sleeker new look, and are now 100 percent waterproof. They’re light and supple, allowing you to tweak your bindings, zip up your jacket, and adjust your poles, boots, or goggles with ease. And the shock-cord gauntlet can be closed with the pull of a hand or a tug of the teeth.

Outdoor Research Alti Mitts ($154.95)

When keeping warm takes precedence over dexterity, there are the Outdoor Research Alti Mitts. Made for the most challenging conditions at the highest altitudes, the mittens are constructed out of a lightweight, waterproof Ventia exterior with a breathable shell. A lithe grip results from the Pittards-leather palms, and the removable liner is insulated with 10 ounces of PrimaLoft on the back of the hand and the thumb.

Helmets

Giro Fuse LTD Edition ($179.99)

Helmets aren’t for weenies. All the speed and derring-do in which this new gear lets you indulge makes keeping your noggin safe imperative. But beyond helping ensure that your skull stays in one piece when you tumble head over heels (or someone tumbles into you), some helmets now provide personal sound systems. Part of the Audio Series, the Giro Fuse LTD Edition helmet comes equipped with Giro’s new TuneUps, a set of specially designed speakers built into the ear pads. Plug in your iPod or Discman, and dance down the slopes to your own customized snow-sport soundtrack. Besides the headphone feature, the Fuse offers thermostat ventilation: a sleek slider mechanism instantly adjusts air flow for as-you-go individualized temperature control at your fingertips. And this year, the Fuse has a super-lightweight in-molded shell. Call it a marriage of safety and song. It’s also possible to get just the Giro TuneUps ear pads ($29), with the headphones built seamlessly inside.

Snowshoes

Atlas Snowshoes 12 Series ($244–$254)

Finally, if you prefer more-horizontal snow sports to plummeting headlong down mountains, try tramping over snow in a pair of Atlas Snowshoes 12 Series. The snowshoe choice of the US military’s Special Operations division, the 12 Series packs flat and fits large boots, both boarding and mountaineering. The loaded binding and lateral flex make for stable footing on varied terrain, and eliminate heel twist.

Tubbs Adventure ($148–$166)

For something less military-grade, Tubbs Adventure snowshoes are ideal for all ages and abilities. Lightweight and sturdy, they’re designed to accommodate a range of footwear, and the broad, round tails optimize stability and balance.

Nina MacLaughlin can be reached at nmaclaughlin[a]phx.com