Run Ready

Photos by Chad Chisholm, Custom Creations

Sadler and Gina Merrill of Centennial’s SNÖBAHN spend their days overseeing the indoor ski and snowboard center’s popular courses, but that’s not the only reason the couple knows a thing or two about tracking down long-lasting, high-performance ski and snowboard fashion. “After we got married 11 years ago, we moved to Boulder, sold my wedding dress and bought all of our mountain gear with that money,” Gina recollects. “And that gear lasted 10 years. We just pared down to one outfit each last year.” That one-outfit maxim was almost ousted when the Merrills modeled these current options. Also ahead: advice to focus your shopping list.

Gina Merrill of Snobahn — “Update your socks, goggles and helmets. Socks can lose performance over time, so it’s good to get new ones that will continue to wick. New goggle technology enables you to change lenses to match lighting conditions, which helps you see better and stay safe. Technological advances in helmets distribute pressures of impact across broader areas so there are fewer head injuries.” –Sadler

Smith Liberty MIPS helmet, $200; Smith I/O Mag S Everyday Rose Gold goggles, $240; Bogner Fire and Ice Sassy down jacket, $750; Volcom Swift bib overalls, $210; and Tecnica Mach1 MV 95 ski boots, $600, all at Christy Sports, Centennial Promenade, 303.708.8535; NILS Snowflake sweater, $195, and Blizzard Black Pearl 88 skis, contact store for pricing, both at Epic Mountain Gear, Park Meadows Center Drive, 720.328.7402

Sadler Merrill of Snobahn — “Salomon, Patagonia, Columbia Sportswear and POC are our chief brands. They all have great awareness and honorable reputations, are leaders in technological innovations and are consumer-friendly in that most people in the industry are aware of them. These brands make something for everyone. Our customers, for instance, span the gap from never-ever skiers to expert skiers, so we need to have brands that meet all of those demands. … There’s some new heating technology in gloves, liners and even socks making mountain gear more comfortable.” –Sadler

Smith Code MIPS helmet, $200; Oakley Flight Deck XM Mikaela Shiffrin Signature goggles, $210; Flylow Handlebar flannel, $90; and Salomon Launch Boa STR8JKT snowboard boots, $299.95, all at Christy Sports; Salomon Drifter mid-hoodie, $180; Salomon Icefrost jacket, $400; Salomon Chill Out bib pant, $275; Burton Genesis binding, $349.95; and Jones Snowboards Mountain Twin, contact store for pricing, all at Epic Mountain Gear

Sadler and Gina Merrill — “Don’t layer socks. With the rest of your body, you can wear a lot of layers and take them off as needed. With boots, layers won’t create additional warmth. They actually crowd boot space, restrict blood flow and then cause your feet to fall asleep and become cold.” –Gina

SADLER: Black Crows Captis skis, contact store for pricing; Bogner Fire and Ice Fabiano quilted jacket, $298; Rossignol Classique sweater, $180; and Bogner Fire and Ice Scott ski pants, $398, all at Epic Mountain Gear; Tecnica Cochise 130 DYN Ski Boots, $900; Smith Code MIPS helmet, $200; and Oakley Flight Deck XM Mikaela Shiffrin Signature goggles, $210, all at Christy Sports

GINA: Smith Liberty MIPS helmet, $200; Smith I/O Mag S Everyday Rose Gold goggles, $240; Bogner Fire and Ice Hanna jacket, $598; Columbia Bugaboo pants, $110; and Salomon Ivy Boa STR8JKT snowboard boots, $269.95, all at Christy Sports; Spyder Savona zip t-neck, $99; Rossignol Hiver fullzip layer, $190; Salomon Mirage binding, $249.95; and Jones Snowboards Twin Sister, contact store for pricing, all at Epic Mountain Gear

GO TO THE PROS
Snöbahn
Centennial
303.872.8494