Stylish colours, techie gadgets and the latest in fabric technology are all hot commodities for hitting the North Shore slopes this season.
When it comes to jackets and pants, crazy prints and patterns from seasons past are slipping in popularity.
Colleen Zirk, clothing and accessories buyer for Destination Ski in North Vancouver says the biggest change she has seen in jackets is colour, as a lot of companies are steering away from prints.
"We've got a lot of earth tones in our store especially in the snowboard side," says Zirk, adding that Powder Room and Ripzone, a Canadian company, have gone to browns, rusts and gold. "The traditional ski companies are still with the reds and blues and a few jewel tones."
Zirk says that neon colours, though, are getting bigger and coming in next year.
Sarah Wallace, snow sports designer for Arc'teryx, says there has been a shift over the past couple of seasons towards more neutral and earthier tones. "Super bright colours and even neons were dominating all over the industry but that seems to have waned off," says Wallace. "Now it's a real kind of eclectic blend of still some really strong saturated intense bright colours, but they're being moderated with softer, more neutral additions to colour palettes."
Wallace says bright citrusy greens and purple tones, including maroons and burgundys are the stronger colours trending this season.
Amanda Arnold, soft goods manager and buyer for Swiss Sports Haus in West Vancouver, says the ski jackets in store are all in a variety of jewel tones, including vampire red, royal blue and regal purple.
Men's jackets tend to be more contemporary with classic red, black, blue and orange, whereas children's jackets showcase the more bold colours, she adds. Neon colours for boys include favourites like safety orange and sharp lime, according to Arnold. "The little girls are very girly in pinks and purples and turquoise blues. The kids' is really loud so that parents can see their kids on the hill."
Bright neon colours aren't just for the kids, though. Cassandra Donnahee, manager and menswear buyer for Northshore Ski & Board, says neon colours are trending, especially in men's, and are not limited to a particular age group. "They always wanted black before, (but) they definitely are looking for the brighter stuff now. Even some of our older customers, they like the bright reds and orange is really big this year in men's and women's."
Donnahee says that although camouflage is making a slow comeback, customers tend to opt for solid colours over patterns. "Ladies don't mind a few patterns but it's definitely
not as big as it was a few years ago," she says. "People are liking the solid or they like block colours too."
Fabric technology in jackets and pants has become a high demand component of ski and snowboard wear. Stretch, whether it's two-way or four-way, waterproofing and breathability are all essential elements of a good jacket.
"Lots of stretch. Waterproof zippers. Shell jackets. A slimmer profile. Not the baggy pants, not the baggy jackets-people just want them to be narrower," says Zirk.
Arnold says jackets are made with a lighter fabric and a four-way stretch, in both the jacket material and insulation. "That just makes the jacket feel likes it's part of you," she says. "The trend is fitted, body hugging, very fashion forward."
Gore-Tex is still big, says Donnahee, especially with the North Shore's wet climate. She says a material called Cocona, used in some men's jackets, is highly waterproof and more breathable than typical Gore-Tex. "There are a lot of other competitors that are coming out that are as good as Gore-Tex," she says, adding that Westcomb, a Vancouver-based company, has a similar product called eVent.
Layering underneath jackets has become an art as well, starting with a base layer and then adding a midlayer on top. Fabrics used in layering are important for breathability and warmth. "Merino wool for the last three or four years has been very important in a base layer aspect because it doesn't smell," says Zirk. "You can wear it for days and days; there's something in it that repels the odour which is great for people that are going on holidays."
Layers are important, says Arnold, because they act like a moisture transfer system, wicking moisture away from the body. Compression garments, including XBionic, provide an intense thermal insulation and work well as a base layer. "It keeps your body warm at all times but it also provides your muscles with support and it's anti-odour," says Arnold. "It has anti-microbial properties, it enhances your blood circulation by compressing your muscles and it's a really technological product."
Wallace says the recent trends they have seen are in backcountry pursuits, so clothing including layers, have become light, less bulky and pack easily.
"I'd say there's been a shift in recent seasons away from traditional fleece and going more towards midlayers that are built using a synthetic fibre-fill insulation, so they have kind of a lighter, more airy, weightless feel to them," she says.
Accessories, such as hats, gloves and socks, are trending in materials and fabrics that are breathable and durable.
The latest trends in hats, says Wallace, is chunky knits. "A lot of blending of textures together, combinations of different knit patterns with one another, so having a regular jersey stitch and a cable stitch together in the same hat," she says. "Lots of playing with different types of yarns."
When choosing gloves, Wallace says people are always looking for a good level of mobility and dexterity. "Gloves that are going to be used for ski touring, in that kind of product, you'll see things that are breathable and air permeable but of course there's still a huge demand for more emphasis on protection and warmth, if it's something that's going to be used for different applications."
For socks, Zirk says, merino wool works the best. "They should be really thin; you don't want big and bulky and you definitely only want one pair not two pairs of socks," she says. "It's better for the boot fitting, if you get something too thick then you can end up with wrinkles and lumps."
Hitting the slopes, whether it's skiing or snowboarding, has brought in a trend of gadgets and wearable technologies, from avalanche rescue systems to music, GPS and interchangeable lenses.
Goggles are not just for keeping out the sun and snow. Arnold says the latest trends in goggles have GPS and can play music. "We've got a recon goggle from Smith that has a heads-up display - it's got GPS, it plays music, it can track your buddies, it can integrate with your smartphone and it has real-time data of where you are," says Arnold, adding that the goggle retails for $649 and has almost sold out already.
Arnold says Skull Candy also has earbuds that slip into a helmet, play music and are Bluetooth compatible.
Donnahee says outdoor enthusiasts are looking for more techie-type items like GoPro cameras. In the last two seasons, goggles with interchangeable lenses, such as the Oakley Air Break and Smith I/O series, have become popular. The Oakley goggle has a recon system and built-in camera that records jump analytics, speed and location.
