Donald and Nick from the BASI office popped down to SLIDE last week, the main purpose of the trip was to meet with a pro deal suppliers but it would be rude to visit a show with loads of shiny new kit and not take a look around.

Based on a flying visit, we’ve picked out what we think are some of the coolest products from the show.

The first bit of kit that caught our eye was a boot bag from SnoKart. Sure, there are loads of boot bags on the market, but these are a bit different.

Have you ever reached the end of a week of skiing and found yourself trying to pack wet, smelly boots into your hold bag without subjecting all your clothes to a combination of melted snow and foot sweat? We’ve certainly had to fashion makeshift versions of these bags countless times. They’re lightweight, waterproof and can be clipped together if you want to use them as a regular boot bag or used separately for packing versatility. Pretty handy. Check out the SnoKart pro deal here.

The second item that caught our attention was a thermal from Odlo. This thermal not only has a facemask attached that you can pop over your head for colder days, it also has a number of clever ‘zones’, which feature different properties, and have been strategically incorporated into the design to optimise ventilation and provide superior moisture management. If you’re out in the snow or cold for sustained periods this superior baselayer really comes into its own with its perfect thermal insulation providing a long-lasting barrier to the elements. What’s more, no matter how hard you hit the slopes, you don’t need to worry about sweat and the odours associated with it as the fabric contains Effect by Odlo – special odour inhibiting fibres woven into the fabric, combined with perfect breathability. Oldo will be joining the pro deal list later on this year.

The third bit of tech that caught our attention was a new top sheet material used by RIDE snowboards. They’ve basically created a material for the top of their boards which doesn’t chip or scratch – which is ideal for instructors. You no longer need to worry about beginners or aggressive queueing, your board will remain scratch free and looking new come the end of the season. It’s also a pretty cool matte black colour. RIDE products are available via the BASI Pro Deal here

Last but not least, we’d like to give the overall winner of the SLIDE technical award a mention. Lange have come up with a cracking set of touring boots designed to keep all all you racers and lovers of stiff boots happy. Giving you a light touring boot with the stiffness of a good Alpine Downhill boot when you need it. Sure it doesn’t have a 140 flex index but it’s not far off.  Here’s a snap of the Lange XT Free Tour with it’s trophy…