goods on the goods

Bern was new to the snow helmet scene last winter. Despite not being widely available I saw the Bern signature model “The Baker” almost every time I went to the mountain. The Baker is especially unique among other snow helmets because of its integrated visor. I’m not sure how functional the visor is, but it looks pretty dam cool.

The key differentiator between Bern and the other major helmet brands, this being Red and Giro, is that Bern helmets are built to be four season. This means the skate version of the Baker is identical to the snow version, just minus a beanie or optional liner. The one exception to this is there water series. Bern water series helmets come with a different water liner.

This coming winter Bern helmets will be widely available both in retail store and online. Check out http://www.bernunlimited.com/ for more specifics on models, online dealer locator and updates on there team.
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I had the distinct pleasure of riding the 2006 CWB Zeus Hinge-Tech bindings this past weekend. They were paired with the 140 cm Hyperlite Parks wakeboard and a Malibu Wakesetter, and while we didn’t get the greatest water, the weekend as a whole was a definite success.

Both the Parks board and the Wakesetter I am very familiar with and knew the high level of performance they provide. However, I didn’t know what to expect from these new “Hinge-Tech” boots from CWB. While I knew CWB’s reputation for quality was very high, and I had faith that they wouldn’t put out a product until it was ready to go, I also had the struggles of the snowboard binding company Flow during their first few seasons with similar technology in the back of my mind. With the weekend behind me I would say it definitely appears that CWB has side-stepped all of the problems that affected those early Flow bindings and the end result is a solid, high-end binding.

There are the obvious advantages that come along with this new technology: the ease of use, no more need for binding slime or soap (though you’re never sorry if you have some handy). Also, the Zeus can accommodate a wider range of foot shapes and sizes while still maintaining enough support to remain in the high performance category.

The best parts of the boots are the intangibles that you can’t rate until you have used the boot yourself. The biggest one for me is heel hold down. My feet measure in the middle of the sizing range for the large Zeus and my heel was completely locked down while riding. I didn’t have a single instance of slippage during three days of hard riding. Another area that the Zeus excels in is the surprising comfort. In the past I’ve forced myself to ride with some really uncomfortable boots to get the performance I’ve wanted. It was a great bonus to find that these boots on the front line of the cushy new footbeds now found in the competition level bindings from the major manufacturers. Cutting down on “waffle foot” and heel bruises from hard landings is a great perk.

While maybe not quite as stiff as the 3DS from Hyperlite the Zeus definitely belongs with the big dogs in wakeboarding. With its ease of use, and versatility in the range of foot sizes it can accommodate, the Zeus is one of the top choices on the market for a high end boot this year. This boot comes highly recommended by the Evo Staff.

Ryan Madison
Evo Grunt