Fall 2012 Game Changer Products

We've picked our top 9 products from the 2012 SIA Tradeshow that we think have the ability to be game changers in how we use our equipment. To be a game changer, you must approach the concept of your product category with a unique thought that will lead in the direction of the enhanced ride. Click through to see what we picked.

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#1 Dynafit's Vulcan Ski Boot

We're taking you straight to our number one pick, which is the Vulcan ski boot from Dynafit. This is Eric Hjorliefson's dream boot come to life. The biggest reason this boot is a game changer is simply the range of motion that you can enjoy in touring mode. Up to this point, for the most part, freeride touring boots have a very limited range of motion and they remain much too stiff to tour in, especially for long days out. This boot changes all of that. With the removable tongue you can enjoy a slipper like feel for those long tours and still get a very stiff boot for the freeride down. The ankle buckle on this boot is created to keep your heel in place. The boot also features a very unique way of engaging walk/ski mode. Once you do up the top buckle, you're in ski mode. We don't know if this walk/ski mode is an advantage yet, because we haven't tried it, but the range of motion on this boot while walking will allow hard core freeriders to get the performance they want, further back in a zone. For this, we are very stoked. Congrats to Dynafit for partnering with Hoji so we can all enjoy his Frakenboots!

#2 Salomon Rocker 2 Line

Salomon has been leading the rocker technology charge for several years. While other brands have created kinked skis that look like canoes and flop like brook trout on the groomers, Salomon's stamp as always been an elegant shape with surprising performance. Following the success of the 122 (underfoot) ski, they have incorporated this shape into an entire line of skis. The biggest issue may be in figuring out which one you want. 

#3 Black Diamond Free Tour Line

The BD Megawatt enabled a revolution for many freeriders. The width took a lot of people by surprise in how much they liked it. The only problem with the Megawatt was that it was a pretty big (heavy) ski to take to the backcounty with a touring set up. This is no longer an issue as BD launched it's FreeTour line of carbon enhanced skis. The new Megawatt in this line is 2 pounds lighter than it's freeriding brother. That's a lot of weight off every step. Now you can have a touring weighted ski with freeride shape and capabilities.

#4 BCA Dozer Shovel

It never ceases to amaze us how BCA always has new and innovative products every time we see them. This year the Dozer shovel is a showpiece for how the BCA team is constantly thinking of new ways to approach snow safety and transport. This may not be the shovel you want in your backpack on a touring day, but it's sure going to be welcome addition to any base camp and/or on a sled day.

#5 Mountain Hardware Chuter backpack

If you've ever been a camera man/woman you'll know why back entry packs are key. We're big fans of back-entry packs and it's always frustrating when you have to go back to a top loader in the spring when the big missions come your way. It's rare to have a specific ski mountaineering, back-entry pack but thankfully Mountain Hardware has done it. Their patented back support technology looks like a dream come true and this simple but elegant pack looks to have combined the ease of a back load pack with the demands of ski mountaineering.

#6 Cheetah Factory Racing Board/Ski Rack

The board/ski rack by CFR is a revolution and by far the best rack on the market. If you're like us and both ski and snowboard, and have partners that do one or the other then you know you need a rack that can easily and simply hold either, at any given moment. The board/ski rack from CFR is simple and it's bomber, which makes it essential for your sled skiing or snow'moboarding missions.

#7 Venture Snowboards Euphoria Powder Surfer (split)

When you see the shape of the Euphoria Powder Surfer you just want to try it. It's such an intriguing shape that we're already calling this a game changer, even though we haven't tried it. Factor in that you can no-split this product and shredding powder may have just changed for the funner.

#8 DPS Spoon

We love DPS for many reasons but it is especially refreshing to see how these guys come up with such interesting shapes. The DPS guys have been ironing out the kinks in their new Spoon design and it's certainly going to change things to have a ski like this actually entering the market place. It's definitely a strange ski but we love the thought process here.

# 9 Atomic Tracker 16 Touring Binding

For quite a while, there's been one touring binding that has dominated the side country market but this binding had some serious flaws: it was too high off the ski and it had a very cumbersome ski to touring functional process. The Salomon/Atomic answer to the touring binding is set to offer the consumer a selection like never before. Atomic and Salomon's R&D shared on this binding and while they call it different names and it's in different colors, it's the exact same product. This binding has a wide hole pattern, is low to the ski and has easy transitional from walk to ski. This binding is also performing like a normal DIN 16 binding and it begs the question: why wouldn't you?