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The Head Kore series of skis are the kind of skis that don’t come around every year.
They combine characteristics that we traditionally think of as mutually exclusive.
And they’ve definitely grabbed the attention of Start Haus staff.

Well damped, calm and stable on edge, yet light, playful and quick from edge to edge
– The Head Kore 93, 105 and 117 manage to never be nervous nor lethargic,
responding to skier’s input intuitively and always doing what you want them to do.

The narrowest of the bunch – the Head Kore 93, rails on groomers and even
punches through the crud in a way a ski this light has no business doing. It may
sound like hyperbole, but a unique construction combining karuba wood, Koroyd
(think Smith helmets) and a layer of carbon infused with Graphene all add up to a
structure that does the job of traditional metal laminates, minus 200 grams per ski.

The Head Kore 105 snagged Powder Magazine’s ski of the Year last year, and it’s
really a perfect all-rounder for the Tahoe

Norco Sight 29 & 27.5: Two Top Tahoe Bike Contenders

The perfect Tahoe bike is something we can debate until we’re blue in the face – but for a bike that can take on our region’s gnarly terrain just as well as it can head out for an all-day epic on the Tahoe Rim Trail, the new Norco Sight is tough to beat.

Start off by picking the personality you’re looking for –29-inch wheels with great rollover and speed, or 27.5 for a more nimble ride perfect for those who prefer to pop off of little lips and rocks rather than plowing through them.

The 29er gets 130mm of well-controlled travel in the rear, 140mm up front. Enough to mash through the local rock garden, but without slowing you down on the climb. The 27.5 gets a little more with 140mm in back and 150mm in front – great for getting rowdy without dumbing down your favorite flow trail.

But geometry is what really defines the character of these bikes, and the Sight hits all the right angles and measurements on the head. The head tube angle backs

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

No skier daydreams about a sweet new pair of footbeds while watching the clock and clicking through ski websites on a Friday afternoon at the office. Well, maybe Jim Schaffner does, but that’s a different story.
Most people pour over magazine reviews of the latest carbon this or rockered that, gear of the year winners and that pair of powder skis that made the latest Internet edit look so cool.

But for most of us, wanting to make a real difference in performance and comfort on the mountain, a pair of custom footbeds might actually be the breakthrough we’re all looking for.

Book an appointment with a bootfitter at Start Haus and you’ll quickly find out that custom footbeds aren’t just about being comfy (although that certainly is one result), but about performance.

If you’re still skiing on stock insoles, pull one out of your boot. Odds are it's a flat piece of foam doing next to nothing. Flat insoles make for flat feet, bones spread out and toes jammed against the end of the boot. Custom

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.

Want a light ski but need hard-charging stability? Come into Start Haus in Truckee and check out Head's Kore 105. The Kore 105 is an impressively light all mountain high performance ski. New for 2018, the Kore is getting rave reviews across the industry, including a rare unanimous top ranking among testers to nab POWDER Magazine’s Ski of the Year for 2018 and dubbed by POWDER editors as “the perfect ski.”

The Kore 105 is versatile to its core. Its Tip-Tail Rocker offers perfect buoyancy in the finest powder. The Kore delivers quick edge-to- edge transfer on open groomers, an incredibly smooth ride in all different snow conditions and turn shapes, and excellent stability for charging straight down the fall line. And the Kore's light weight makes the ski accessible for skiers ranging from intermediate to expert levels.

The Kore achieves its light weight of ~1845 g per ski and stability with a construction of super-light Karuba wood combined with Graphene, Koroyd, and carbon fiber. The Kore

Ski helmets are lighter and safer than they were just a few years ago. Bolstered with better equipment and increased access, skiers continue to push their limits with speeds and terrain. Fortunately, helmet engineers have come up with more ways to protect skier's brains. Start Haus in Truckee carries a wide selection of the best helmets on the market for vacation skiers to racers. Smith helmets, known for their light weight, style, and fit are a leader for their integrative helmet-goggle systems that provide exceptional performance, ventilation and comfort.

Smith's new helmet designs focus on four types of impact: low speed, high speed, rotational, and multiple-impact. And their helmets and goggles are designed to work and look better together. The AirEvac ventilation system in their helmets allows Smith goggles and helmets to function as one system, venting warm moist air away from the goggles, through the helmet climate control system and ultimately away from the head.

All of our Smith

Product Highlight: Nordica – Enforcer 100 Skis

Are you looking for an all mountain ski that cuts through snow like butter in varying conditions? Check out the Enforcer by Nordica at Start Haus in Truckee. Back this year after selling out quickly the past two years, the Enforcer delivers exceptional stability and power along with a smooth ride, solidifying its reputation as the go-to ski for those who embrace the entire mountain.

Proclaimed by Nordica as “the most versatile and advanced line of skis we’ve ever made,” the Enforcer raked in awards its first year off the line and continues on as the all mountain hard charging defending champion, earning Skiing Magazine’s Ski of the Year last year as well as Freeskier’s Editor’s Pick.

Designed for advanced to expert skiers, this ski shines blasting downhill making big GS turns and darting through trees. The Enforcer provides easy turn initiation, flotation, and maneuverability. Its rocker-camber-rocker profile and carbon-Titanium layers provide

Need a new pair of ski gloves? Choosing the right pair boosts your comfort, dexterity and confidence, keeping you out shredding even on the coldest days. Start Haus in Truckee carries a spectrum of choices, including top rated Hestra Alpine and Freestyle gloves, offering durability and flexibility for skiers who put high demands on their equipment. Hestra has been making gloves since 1936 and they are used and tested by the Swedish and Norwegian National Ski Teams.

Why go with a high-end glove? Even a 9-year-old can tell the difference. I thought my husband was crazy buying our daughter a pair of Hestra gloves her second year of ski racing. They were at least twice what I thought we should spend for something I was sure she would lose by her third race. The increased warmth, comfort and flexibility of the gloves were more than worth the cost. Those gloves were like armor to her. She didn't complain about cold hands the entire season and she carefully tucked them inside her fluorescent pink,

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