Blog

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.

The Dynastar Cham 97 was just awarded Outside Magazine's Gear of the Year for 2013 - Best Alpine Skis.

It's definitely an interesting ski, worthy of consideration from a wide range of skiers for a great all-mountain ski.

The fall season is upon us in Tahoe and at Start Haus - that means it’s almost ski race season. While most ski racers won’t be on snow until at least the early camps at Copper, everyone is thinking right now about their race gear for the upcoming year.

Sold out, check out our new SKI SALE now!

If you've been waiting for the best price on a pair of Nordica Skis, this is it: the Nordica Blemish Ski Sale!

Every year the Start Haus uses our super-secret connections to scoop up a bunch of the previous year's Nordica Skis with minor cosmetic blemishes at almost unbelievable prices, then pass the savings on to you. Whether you're looking for Nordica all-mountain skis, Nordica powder skis or something else, this is the best price you'll find.

So after a hard week of training with 4 to 5 days at the gym, and 5 days of intense bike rides/sprints, my Saturdays are the days where I can relax a bit and do some of the easier but long cardio workouts that are actually some of the more important workouts of the summer!  Its really important to really work your "lower end" cardio early in the training period so that you build a strong cardio base, so that when you do those sprints and intervals all week you can work at a higher intensity level.  We call these workouts "Slow Long Distance" workouts, and I usually like going on a fun adventure by going on a hike in the mountains!  During these SLD workouts I try to keep my heart rate between 135 and 155 so it is pretty chill and I have to go slow on some of the uphills.  However there is a huge payoff to doing these workouts outside on a hike rather than on a spin bike in the gym; you get to see some pretty amazing places and it is super fun! Believe it or not, some of the other

4.bp.blogspot.com/-rEPors98wr4/T5EfZ8AacNI/AAAAAAAABzc/Pa4qDzGE9LY/s640/DSCN2067.JPG" alt="" width="480" height="640">

I had a crazy spring/early summer.  Following a full World Cup Dh and Super race season in Europe,  I made a stop at US Nationals in Colorado, and then headed home to Tahoe for a week before heading off to Alaska to go film with Warren Miller Entertainment! It was an awesome trip up to Points North Heli in Cordova and it was super fun working with Tom Day, Danny Day (who I grew up with in Tahoe), and Court Leve.

After Alaska I joined my girlfriend Marie Michele Gagnon, and her teammates Marie-Pier Prefontaine and Eve Routier, as well as Federica Brignone and her boyfriend in Mexico for a few days of surfing and summer in Sayulita! Then I came back to Tahoe for a few days, drove up to my home for the summer, Canmore, Alberta, and then flew to Mammoth for our annual spring ski camp with the US Team.  Then I finally flew back to Canmore after that month and a half of craziness and I am settling into the summer training routine here! It has taken me a month to recover from all that travel,

This photo gives me motivation to get in the gym! (Looking out of the start hut at Kitzbuhel)

Ski season is officially over, and for many ski racers like myself, vacation season (time off) is also sadly winding to and end.  This only means one thing; it is time to get back in the gym and start getting strong again for next ski season!  Being on the US Ski Team for the last 7 years, I have learned a lot about how important it is to be strong in order to push the limits in our sport and in order to prevent injuries.  Injury prevention might actually be the most important thing.  The stronger, fitter, and more flexible I am, the faster I am able to bounce back from a crash.  In the last training run at Kitzbuhel this year I crashed on the bottom side hill, and bruised myself up pretty good, but since I had worked the entire summer before on getting strong and on my flexibility, I was about to bounce back and have the best race of my career the very next day getting 12^th!  

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