The snowboard industry has a lot of new products to offer for next season. Following in-depth evaluation the ISPO international jury selected those products, which showed the highest degree of sustainable, user-friendly, and technical details.

Winner Hardgoods/Board – K2 Fastplant Snowboard As flexible yet durable as bamboo in a windstorm – that is the idea behind the new construction concept of the K2 “Fastplant” board. The multi-layer bonded bamboo core was inspired by skateboard construction and is encased with fibreglass. This guarantees the highest level of stability. Tested on hydraulic test rigs – and features a five-year warranty. Thanks to using this material mix as well as a rocker profile K2 promises riders agile performance in park and terrain. In addition, the new construction concept reduces its impact on the environment: bamboo is a fast-growing resource, which can be grown without use of pesticides and artificial irrigation.

Winner Hardgoods/Boots – DC Shoes Status Boot When you ride hard you’ll sweat – even your feet. In snowboard boots wet feet can quickly become cold feet. DC Shoes decided to tackle this problem, and integrated its “Aerotech Ventilation System” in the model “Status” for the upcoming season. Ventilation channels are integrated into the lining and shell, allowing condensation to be transported to the outside, yet moisture from the outside cannot enter. DC Shoes guarantees dry and warm feet – even after the hardest ride.

Winner Outerwear – Sweet Protection Crusader Jacket
Sweet Protection has completely redesigned its “Crusader” jacket to make it even better for the adventures of snowboarders and Freeriders. 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell ensures the body stays warm and dry, as does the back ventilation system. According to the manufacturer, the longer and wider cut not only makes riders look cool, but also provides effective protection against the cold for sensitive areas of the lower back.

Winner Kids Products – Zimtstern Blockkids Outerwear Gone are the days when kids wore snow wear hand-me-downs. These days, parents look for function and design in the winter apparel for their little ones. The “Blockkids” jacket and pants from the “Die Stars von morgen” collection by Zimtstern is an outfit which is not in any way second-rate to an adult ski suit. Designed for 8- to 14-year-olds, the collection wants to attract young boarders and skiers with bright colours and large-scale prints, such as a star design. Technical details such as powder cuff, water columns up to 10,000 mm, helmet compatible hood, simple operation of zippers, and an MP3-player pocket will ensure that kids are comfortable and have fun. Like all of Zimtstern’s products the “Blockkids” combination is bluesign-certified. The jury believes that this product satisfies all requirements of young snow sports fans.

Winner Accessories – Zeal Optics Transcend Goggle In cooperation with Reco Instruments Zeal Optics developed a snow goggle with integrated “Head Mounted Display” system. With the push of a button the rider can call up data right in front of his/her eyes and like jet pilot display information such as speed, altitude, temperature, time, GPS location, and stop watch. The jury considers the “Transcend Goggle” an excellent example of applied “Wearable Technology” and selected it as the winner in the category Accessories.