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We need your help! User reviews are a great way to give your feedback on a pair of skis, boots, bindings - whatever you use. Not only do we see what our customers think, but your helping out other shoppers by adding your voice.

All you have to do is go to the bottom of any product page and click "write your own review." It's quick and easy - not to mention fun! Love a certain pair of skis? Think there's something other shoppers should know about the last pair of ski boots you bought? We want to know.

Here's what a review looks like on our product page (this one is on the Blizzard Gunsmoke)

Here's how to get paid:

• Write reviews on products you've used - skis, boots, bindings, whatever.
• Shoot us an email at online@starthaus.com with the user name you used.
• We'll read it, approve it and post it on the page, then send you a unique code for $5 off at www.starthaus.com.

It's that easy, 5-10 minutes of your time to help us and help other shoppers and you get $5 off online purchases at the Start

The Armada TST all mountain ski is a playful performer, but it's not a one-trick pony. A lot of skis that place a premium on turny, surfy skiing don't necessarily give you the confidence to rail on firm snow, but the Armada TST accomplishes this with a unique shape.

The first significant snowfall has hit the Lake Tahoe region and everybody is buzzing!

Start Haus sponsored Pro Skier Daron Rahlves wasted no time in getting out and skinning up Sugar Bowl Resort for the first turns of the season with his Atomic Skiing backcountry ski setup, check out the video:

The 2013 Atomic Automatic looks like it's going to be one of the hot skis this year - for good reason.

Atomic says it blends the playful powder surfing Atomic Bent Chetler with the hard charging straight lining power of the Atomic Atlas.

We say it's one of the most versatile fat big mountain skis out their, and a real candidate if you want to ski a fat ski everyday.

Pro ski mountaineer David Rosenbarger stopped by the Start Haus to get a new pair of Tecnica Cochise 130 Pro backcountry ski boots fit by our experts, and took a few minutes to talk to us about why they're the boots he's been waiting for forever.

Sponsored by Blizzard and Tecnica and a Patagonia Ambassador who splits his time between Tahoe and France's ski mountaineering mecca, Chamonix, Rosenbarger puts his ski equipment to the test.

Rosenbarger depends on his Blizzard/Tecnica ski gear when he's going deep into the mountains above Chamonix across glaciers and down steep, technical couloirs. He was picked for his expertise to lead famed pro skier Seth Morrison down the Col du Plan off the north face of the Aguille du Midi during the filming of "The Ordinary Skier" about Morrison.

Here's what he had to say about the Tecnica Cochise 130 Pro:

And here's what he had to say about his two favorite skis, the Blizzard Kabookie, a versatile new backcountry ski based on the Blizzard Bonafide, and

All mountain skis, big mountain skis, freeride skis, powder skis - there are so many types of skis today it can be a little overwhelming when shopping for a new pair - which skis are best for you?

But with the right information, it can be that much more exciting - they variety means you'll be able to find just the right pair.

So let's start going through some categories - as you go through from top to bottom, you'll progress from skis best for hard snow and groomers to skis best for powder and soft snow.

August 31-Sept 3, 2012
Hours: 9:00-6:00

 How it works....

For the buyers:

Start Haus staff will be on hand to help you with purchases, we are here to serve you.  We will assist you with sizing and making sure the equipment is appropriate for your needs. If we don’t think it is the right item for you, we will let you know.

For the sellers:  

We will begin taking in your equipment on August 1st. Start Haus staff will help advise you on pricing for the gear you wish to sell.  We recommend that you price your equipment aggressively so it sells, of course you will have the final say on what price the ski equipment will sold for.  At the time of listing the items, you have the choice of either 100% store credit -or- 70% back to you in the form of a check.

Items accepted:

Skis:

Race, Powder, All-mountain & Kids

(skis sell better tuned and with bindings)

 Outerwear:

Jackets, Shells, Speedsuits, Armor

(Clothing MUST be cleaned and in sellable condition)

 Items not accepted for resale:

Spring is the time of the season that we begin testing skis and boots for the following season. Here are some key reasons why we stress testing now opposed to the summer time:

Snow: When testing products you should test it on a condition that is most similar to what you will be racing on during the season.  This all revolves around the feel of the ski or boot.  Depending on the condition you will find that there can be differences that will/can eventually add up to a time difference in the course and that can be the separation between you winning or losing.

Tune:  Having the ability to test multiple different brands of products with the exact same Start Haus tune.  This will result in you being eliminate the tune as being a variable in the test and making it easier for you to feel exactly how the ski feels.

Product:  Ultimately you are testing skis or boots to see if you are faster than other brands.  When you have the ability to test multiple different skis or boots in one

2 Years on the Rossignol S7:

As some folks may recall, I was on board with the Rossi S7 pretty early. I got a sample pair in the spring before the ski was in general release and then kept it in my quiver for the next two seasons. Initially, I was stunned by the quickness and maneuverability and I found it to be stupid easy to ski in trees and tight spots. Eventually, I skied it a bit more in wider, more open areas and in heavier snow and started to discover a few limitations. The S7 tends to get knocked around a bit in rough conditions and the narrow tail can tend to “wheelie” out from under the skier in a sharp downhill to flat transition. At first, I attributed those issues to the soft tip and tail and the rather abrupt rocker profile. The S7 also skis very short and I suspected that I was slightly undergunned on the 188. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that the tapered tip and tail profile also played a part. For all that, the S7 was and is a remarkable tool in untracked snow and

For Tahoe spring races, there are some consistent tricks for speed.  Our Spring snow changes from 1st run to second run; and there is dirt, oil, tree sap as well as pollen mixed into the snow.  We are also dealing with some dusting's of new snow.  You will need to use some form of antistat to keep the dirt, oil and tree sap from adhering to your wax mix. Graphite plays a key role in the performance of your antistat thus why we also carry high fluoro graphite to use as an additive to any base wax.  The best is Start Haus Warm Antistat by Dominator or Dominator FG88 or SRB32.  These should be rubbed on the dry base before you iron your wax in.  It is also effective to mix these antistats with your overlay to help repel dirt.

Base:

• Dominator - Race Zoom Old Snow/SRB32 or HF Pink/SRB32 50/50 Mix
• Holmenkol - Hybrid Red/SRB32 50/50 Mix
• Swix - LF8/SRB32 50/50 Mix
• Toko - LF Red/SRB32 50/50 Mix
• Note: Dominator SRB32= Start Haus Warm Old Snow

Overlay:

• Holmenkol - Wet Speed Block
• Swix

The Rahlves Banzai Tour kicked off this past weekend at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. There is no doubt
that this is the most exciting race series in the US today. The course was set by Daron Rahlves and it
showed; technical, fast and above all fun. This particular course ran from above tree line and then dove
off the Pop Chips air into the Snake Gully. The lack of snow only added to entertainment of the course,
with more features such as jumps and the necessity of technical skiing. This Banzai stop will certainly go
down as one of the more exciting stops of the series.

Day one at Kirkwood was all about qualifying to determine who the best skiers were. The course was
running fast to say the least and having the right tune was key. There were skiers from all different
disciplines of skiers within this competition be it big mountain, freestyle or race all of which proved to
have certain advantages. Topping the Men’s qualifying was Toby Lamar with a time of 1:27.55 followed
by Greg Lindsey at

(Photo Credit: Marcus Caston)

By Lesley LeMasurier

Former World Cup Skier, National Champion, and Rahlves' Banzai Stop Winner.

Only two athletes hold these multi-titles, one male and one female.  Funny thing is, the latter looked up to the former when she was a kid.

Montana Girl

For Keely Kelleher, skier Daron Rahlves is the man.  “I loved going off jumps pretending to be him when I was a kid,” she reflects.  “I tell all the kids I coach now, Just Daron It!"

Just Daron It! is something Kelleher has been doing her entire career.  As a young ski racer, Kelleher was on the smaller side of the field.  “All my coaches called me birdlegs.  I could create these outrageous angles, but I was not fast. I developed so much later than most the girls I was racing against,” Kelleher reflects.

Her first year of FIS racing, Kelleher was a mere 95 lbs and pushing her birdlegs to compete against fully developed phenoms, like fellow 1984’s Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Vonn. Kelleher’s road to