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Tahoe’s “Miracle March” has skiers celebrating and calling in sick to work. Start Haus got another great score in March - an early release of the new version of Volkl’s iconic ski, the M5 Mantra and the women’s 2019 Völkl Secret.

The Mantra has been an innovative leader in all mountain skis since it first hit shops in 2005, earning a loyal following that has held strong for more than a dozen years among competition that rushed to add metal to their all mountain skis. The Mantra’s composition of Titanial sandwiching with a solid wood core inspired a whole new segment of 90-100mm waist width category skis.

But with the M5 (named for the 5^th generation of the Mantra), Volkl is raising the bar again by heavily modifying the first layer of Titanal, resulting in a lighter ski with the same Mantra chargeability. The M5 brings back the traditional camber underfoot, with a rocker/camber/rocker profile. There is a full sheet of Titanal underneath the wood core, but the first layer only has Titanal

Salomon Shift – Shaking Up Backcountry Bindings

For a long time now, backcountry skiers had a fundamental choice to make: the lightest, most efficient binding design for going uphill, or the best performing, safest for going downhill.

Tech bindings, pioneered by Dynafit, are light and efficient, using toe pins to rotate with each stride in the skin track. Frame bindings, like Marker’s venerable Duke, skied like a real alpine binding but are heavy, and stay attached to your foot while in walk mode, meaning you lift the binding with each stride.

Salomon’s new S/Lab Shift binding, available at Start Haus next fall, promises to deliver the best of both worlds for the first time. Sure, the Marker Kingpin gave the touring function of a tech toe and the skiing prowess of a alpine heal, but the S/Lab takes it a step farther, giving alpine toe piece performance to complete the package.

Basically, a new mechanism lets you seamlessly swap between a tech toe and an alpine toe while on the hill. It’s

Small but Mighty: Mouth Guards for Skiing

A mouth guard is one of the least expensive pieces of ski gear you can buy, and it not only protects your teeth -- it can also help prevent concussions. Start Haus in Truckee carries both UA ArmourShield™ Mouthguard and UA Braces Mouthguard for wear over braces.

The mouth guard trend is increasing on the slopes, both for racers and freestyle. The US Ski Team recommends mouth guards for their SL racers not only for protecting teeth from getting cracked when hit by a pole, but for their effectiveness in concussion prevention. Mouth guards are strongly recommended for any level, but particularly for younger racers because as less-skilled athletes, the probability that something can happen is higher.

Many concussions are caused by the force of the jaw banging into the upper mouth. Mouth guards prevent bone-on-bone contact, dramatically absorbing the blow from a fall. And we’re seeing more mouth guards in the freestyle parks too. Dental work is not only

Are you like a garage sale when trying to get your gear together in the lodge or your car, arriving at your next Mountain Collective resort? The Thule RoundTrip Boot Backpack organizes and protects your gear and is a game changing backpack for racers. Thule’s Boot Backpack allows you to comfortably carry two pairs of skis (where other packs fall short) and poles, along with other gear and of course, your boots. Come into Start Haus in Truckee and check it out.

This pack is constructed with typical Thule toughness for skiers on the go. Transport boots in the bag's rear-loading compartment, which is also great for boot storage. You don’t have to worry about trapped water;   grommets allow water to escape through the bottom of the bag. By flipping down the back panel door to use as a standing mat, you can conveniently change in and out of boots in any location. Two-way access into the top or front of the bag allows for efficient packing and gear access.

You can tell by the detail of its

Numb fingers can ruin a day on the mountain - especially if you spend time waiting at the top and your finish time is on the line. Start Haus in Truckee carries top of the line ski gloves for racers and anyone who is looking for ultimate performance and comfort. Leki's Trigger S system features a glove-integrated strap to click your poles in and out faster with more comfort than ever - used by racers across the globe, including Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin at the World Cup.

Race gloves and mittens provide extra protection for knuckles and fingers, so hitting a gate doesn't bash your hands. Glove wearers favor the dexterity of gloves while mitt users believe that keeping your fingers together provides maximum warmth and that you don't need individual fingers to control your poles. The only thing experts agree on is that it's up to what you/your racer is comfortable with. And that the most important factor in extremely cold temps is keeping your hands as dry as possible, so breathability

Skiers have been enjoying a 30" base at Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows, Sugar Bowl and Mt. Rose (36") since Thanksgiving, and Northstar and Boreal have been cranking out more. After the initial powder honeymoon, the cold lows have kept the slopes in great shape with very fun, almost like spring-like skiing with sunny skies and mid-50s days. The dawn patrol expert groomers in their snow cats practice their art, turning out meticulously groomed runs. While powder hounds eagerly check the forecast, these "packed powder" conditions are what groomer lovers relish.

Whether you're a racer or like to carve down the hill at lightning speeds, Start Haus in Truckee carries the top race and carving skis for maximum fun on the groomers. Three of our highest rated front side carvers are Head Worldcup Rebels i.Speed, Head i.Supershape Rally and Kastle MX74 skis.

Head World Cup Rebels i.Speed

The i.Speed is one of the fastest race skis available, armed with the stiffness and heft for expert-level carving.

Protect Yourself on the Slopes: POC SPIN Helmets, Clarity Lenses & POC Layer at Start Haus

Can you believe that ski helmets have only been widely used for less than a decade? Ski helmets were first required for downhill ski racing right here in Tahoe at the 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley U.S.A., following the death of Canadian downhiller John Semmelink at Garmisch in 1959. Then it took more than three decades and the deaths of Michael Kennedy, Sonny Bono and Natalia Richardson from head trauma before ski helmets started becoming mainstream on the slopes in 2010. Ski helmets have evolved incredibly in design and protection since their start in leather then repurposed moto sports helmets. POC has emerged as a leader in the field for innovation and safety for gravity sports. Start Haus in Truckee, California carries POC SPIN helmets, Clarity goggles and POC Layer with innovative technology that deliver a distinct edge in safety, winning top SIA awards for 2017-2018.

SPIN

S.P.I.N. Tech may sound

Every year around late July and early August we get our annual influx of ski racers heading to the whiter pastures of the Andes and Southern Alps. Others are heading up to the summer camps of Mount Hood. This presents a good opportunity to take a look at your gear and see if it’s still up to the task. Have you outgrown your boots? How many holes are acceptable in race gloves? How about socks? What are the condition of my ski boots and skis?

We all have heard time and again that your boots are the most important article of gear- which is certainly true for ski racers. It’s hard to race when you’re hobbled in pain, or if your canting is catawampus. Summer camps are a great place to dial in gear and work on techniques or work on overcoming bad habits.

The following is a list of things we see and think are great items to be looking into at summer camps.

Ski Boots

If you’re in the same boots as the previous season approach the obvious questions first. Have you outgrown your boots? If yes obviously

At Giant Bikes, they take pride in hand build bikes from the ground up.  The family owned business strives for quality over quantity, and this principal shows in their bikes. Take a look below at this behind the scenes video featuring their factory operation.

When selling a mountain bike or simply talking upgrades with customers, one of the most common topics we cover is pedals. Pedals can be a tad tricky to choose: first there are myriad of brands and models many of which have fairly specific biking purposes. Second, there are two major camps in the mountain biking world which can be occasionally fanatical; the clipless vs. flat pedal crowd. But what we’d like to point out that at the end of the day we don’t feel one is better than the other, both have their distinct advantages, and the key is finding the right solution for your needs.

Clipless pedals is one of the one of the more confusing terms in the bike industry, as they are the pedals with specific shoes and cleats which clip into the pedal. For clarity sake we often refer these at Start Haus simply as “clip-ins” when discussing pedal options with customers. The term “clipless” derives from the pedals with straps around the foot, which were referred to as “toe clips” (not a pedal option

You’ve heard the old refrain, “boots are the most important part of your gear setup.” This is for good reason; a pair of uncomfortable boots can ruin a weekend, an expensive ski holiday, or a whole season. After buying a pair on sale that were too big and a rushed job you finally bit the bullet went to the reputable boot fitter and got yourself a pair of well fitting boots that are snug, relatively comfortable and can take your skiing to the next level. Now you’re thinking “Well now what?”

We’d love to pass on some tips to help you protect that expensive investment and get the absolute most out of your prized ski boots.

 Custom Footbeds

 Custom footbeds are one of the best upgrades you can make to your boots! We all want our houses built on a solid foundation, and you should demand the same with your ski boots. Custom footbeds give you the solid platform that will get your foot in a powerful neutral position creating less foot fatigue throughout the day. At Start Haus we carry Sidas heat

Got cold feet in those race boots?  Check out what the man Jim Schaffner does to remedy that: