This year’s Shops 1st Try on-snow demo was blessed with a first day made of dreams, as seriously deep powder welcomed 90 plus brands brands and over 200 retailers to the Alpbach event. There wasn’t a powder board left in the village on the first day as everyone got down to the serious job of testing the most ideal kit for the conditions. The first evening’s exhibition dinner saw everybody recounting their awesome day against the backdrop of stands from all the brands at the test. The next day retailers were again out in force and had the opportunity to try other board types as the weather turned to rain for part of the day. The second dinner was as busy as the first with everyone appreciating the mellow business vibe. Day three and the sun appeared and added to the positivity emanating from the test village. All in all the best Shops 1st Try yet. Images by Clive Ripley & Tom Wilson-North.
Deep Joy on arrival It's going to be a good dayEntrance to the test village.Around the test villageAround the test villageAround the test village.Around the test village Microbrand tentAround the test villageAround the village, sun at lastOutside exhibition dinner hall Outside exhibition dinner hall At the dinner Inside exhibition dinner hallAnd the winners of the BoardSport Source design awards are..1st Capita, 2nd Nitro and 3rd Ride At the dinnerLast tests coming back Muck and Toby celebrating job well done32 Exhibition dinner stand32's Lashed Double Boa has a new closure, performance liner.32's Toby Hammer is German Sales Rep for 32.32's Women's Lashed Double Boa has a new closure, performance liner..686 Exhibition dinner stand686 Motorhead collab, 10k waterproof jacket with removable hood686 Stephane Grenet and Pacome Allouis686 Women's Hydrostash Reservoir jacket with inbuilt hydration system ABS Exhibition dinner standABS pack and inflated bagABS..inside the pack now has the P ride systemAcademy have just started being distributed by Choppy Water, this is the Propaganda zero camber flat boardAcademy, are entry level boards built in the Never Summer factory, this is the Team standard camber boardAction outside on Day #3Action Sports Job Exhibition dinner standAdidas 10K Premier lightweight riding jacketAdidas Boost Boot performance does not drop even in very low tempraturesAdidas booth Exhibition dinnerAdidas took over a space under the awning and set up a pop up showroom upstairs Adidas' Tactical has a silver liner and Boost foam Airblaster Exhibition dinner standAirblaster team riders Basti Glock, Erik Leon and Leander GreitemannAirblaster's Beast suit with 30k-20k waterproofing and has a cool waist zip.Airblaster's Papoose pullover jacket has an eye-catching design.Alex Konz, Marketing for Nitro GermanyAlex Zwingel, Pretty Great Sales , Product, Katharina Baumann, Pretty Great MarketingAmplid's Aloha Vibes swallow tail for stylish powder ridingAmplid's DaDa pure twin tip for freestyle in both powder and freerideAmplid's Peter Bauer and Gregor CommonAmplifi booth Exhibition dinnerAmplifi Mk2 Jacket armoured back with multi impact materialAmplifi's minamalist Hex pack to store your backcountry accessories Andi Spangenberger, Capita North GermanyAnon's new M4 is full magnetic, and costs 290€ including spare lens and MFI. It's compatible with spherical and flat lenses.Arbor Cypress binding, patent pending bowed strap and new buckles Arbor Exhibition dinner standArbor Westmark Frank April Edition maximised for park and pipeArbor's Jens Hartmann, Basti Glock and Christian Siebrecht Bataleon's Minishred is now available at reduced prices to encourage kids to take up the sport.Bataleon's Partywave super fun carving boardBataleon's Rubby Kiebert still smiling from the memories of yesterdays POW Bent Metal Binding Works Logic binding offers ergonomy and performance.Bent Metal's new Joint has a Tim Zimmerman graphic and mid flex.BOA Exhibition dinner standBOA systems Tobias Trojok and Marcel Piermryr BoardSport Source Good design award winnersBonfire's Aspect jacket and pants is 30k with 4-way stretch at reasonable pricepoints Bonfire:Nikita:Session booth Exhibition dinnerBorealis Drakkar. Freeride and carving board with extra long nose for powder Borealis Exhibition dinner standBorealis Shaman hightly versatile all mountain boardBorealis' Ben HallBuddy Buddy Catnip with more dynamic flow and camber profileBuddy Buddy exhibition dinnerBuddy Buddy MC Eco Earthkeeper wood core, glass laminate with hybrid rocker. Buddy Buddy Rainer Solch Burton queue for the chilli con carne. Hot and gratefully receieved.Burton's iconic Custom looking its best next year.Burton's Trick Pilot istheir high end freestyle, freeride powder twinCapita's Navigator is back after a successful 1718 product year.Capo Exhibition dinner standCrab Grab Exhibition dinner standCrab Grab foam stomp pads looking fly on this DWD board.Dakine Exhibition dinner standDakine's Heli Pro 24 litre size, matching pack and glovesDakine's Max Niedreinter and Rainer MinthDakine's pro model pack with rolltop which works with Mammut ABs systemDakines booth Exhibition dinnerDC booth Exhibition dinnerDC's 56, traditional camber team riders boardDC's HR lightweight powder board collab with Japanese store House of Powder DC's Stefan KnollDeeluxe's Edge carving boot has gum reinforcement for a nice stiff flexDeeluxe's Florien HeimDeeluxe's Footloose powsurf boot had a good workout in Alpbach's rolling terrain.Deeluxe:Capita:Union Exhibition dinner standDragon X1S is good for smaller faces and has Transitions lensesDragon's NFX2 with Lumalens brings contours and quick double clip closure. It comes with a free second lens.Drake's Podium - a new carbon highback and elegant two position FLAD.Drake's women's DL has magnesium buckles, heel cup adjustability and a sick aesthetic.Dupraz booth Exhibition dinner.Dupraz's 193cm D1 6"3 is an absolute weapon for all-mountain domination.Dupraz's new premium X6 has a carbon topsheet and layering - a premium product from this owner-operator company.DWD Brewster directional DWD Pilocq camber...winners of the best Trump of the show awardElectric booth Exhibition dinnerElectric Egg new improved shape to fit all heads Electric Kleveland comes with detachable nose protectorElectric's Phil LalementFix's new Magnum has their Minimal strap, and a full alu heel cup with size adjustability.Fix's Truce is the same old tried and tested great value do it all binding in some new great colours.Flow's carbon highbacked NX2-CX has an asymmetric highback.Flow's NX2 has the regular highback and is a comfortable, smooth, forgiving option.Flux Exhibition dinner standFlux TL girls advanced haifpipe board with pu damping system Flux XF comes with new improved toe strapFlux's Kyosuke OgataFurberg Exhibition dinner standFurberg Free ride split all conditions board with long side cut radius Furberg Hampus Cederholm and Danny TuckerFurberg POW full rocker powder board, for days like today Giro booth Exhibition dinnerGiro have a POW collaboration on the Contact goggle and Jackson MIPS helmetGiro's Emerge MIPS helmet with seamless goggle graphic continuationGiro's Soeren Borcherding, Brand Management Germany, Tanja Fischer, Customer Support and René Landsberg, Sales Rep Bavaria.Gnu Headspace has an asymmetric shape with shorter heelside sidecut, and is a true twin, fun riding park and rail board with C2.Good Question's Eric Bruweleit and Jan LiebigGoodBoards Exhibition dinner standGoodboards Josef HolubGoodboards Prima girls all mountain board now in larger sizesGoodboards top selling Wooden, all mountain board, sized for bigger feet.Haglof's Chute loose fit mens jacket from their boarding lineHaglof's Janina Schmidt and Sandra Muehlhausen Haglof's womens Kihone Jacket 2 layer gore hard shellHorsefeathers Eika Helgason jean style pant comes with 7:9:13 beltHorsefeathers Eika Helgason pro 10k:10k street style jacket Horsefeathers Exhibition dinner standHorsefeathers Tomas Koudela with crew from the Temple store in the Czech RepublicIcetool's new flexible back protector.Inside the Microbrands Incubator tent.Jones mountain safety gear comes via Komperdell and ARVA.K2 Exhibition dinner standK2's Far Out splitboard binding system is puck compatible. It has nice straps and tool-free adjustment, and weighs only 840g.K2's Max Anselstetter, Marketing Manager EuropeK2's Overboard has early-rise rocker, has a tapered tail and wide nose. A tester's favourite.Karakoram new user friendly interface for the Alpine Prime series.Kolja Keetman - sales agent for southern Germany for Nowrthwave, Drake, Amplid, Smith.Konvoi's Colon powsurf, with pad, leash and carry case.Lib Tech's EJack Knife C3 is an all mountain freestyle board, with wider nose and setback.Lib's Travis Rice Orca was a three year project and has a double positive camber before the kick tail. Lobester Schoph special artist addition, full on jib boardLobester's Stomper intermediate all mountain freestyle board Max Meinhardt, Deeluxe Product ManagerKonvoi Snowboards booth Exhibition dinner.Melon's Elena Mcdowell strap, one of their artist editon lineMelon Chief has new frame and strap colourways this is the Topographic pattern strap Melon's Neil Slinger and James Pointer, with a mate on the left.Mervin booth getting busyMervin Manufacturing Exhibition dinner standMervin's European crew.Mervin's Marian Kaeding and Hendrik Teutsch Michael Berger, marketing director Pryde Group GermanyMinishred is an important story for Capita next yearMr Dupraz himself on screwdrivering duties at his busy First Try boothNever Summer Exhibition dinner standNever Summer Peacemaker pipe and park board, stiffer than their Warlock modelNever Summer Shaper Twin used by Chris Corning to qualify for the Olympics Nidecker Exhibition dinner standNidecker_s Tracer is a regular or goofy specific carving boardNidecker_s Venus girl_s board is an evolution of the Flow board of the same name, a girls_ all mountain do-it-all deckNidecker's Ben Crean, sales & administration manager and Cedric Nidecker, Chief Sales OfficerNikita's 10K Chikita Hawthorn print jacket in Camo Pop has larger and smaller sleeve adjustability.Nikita's Mondrana one-piece in Black Camo Pop.NItro Exhibition dinner standRome in the houseNitro's Fusion in 154 & 159 are old school with a cut-off nose and flat tail. For backcountry and pow riding.Northwave Freedom, great finishing and an old school look Northwave's Domain with updated speedlace system, and brand new rivets and pulleys.Now's Pivot binding with new baseplateO'Neill Exhibition dinner standO'Neill's Julia Pröll, Marian Beuerlein and Julian Ankenbrand O'Neill's mens Frozen wave anorak with 10k waterproof and firewall insulation O'Neill's women's Frozen Wave anorak inspired by the 80's from the RE-ISSUE rangeOakley Exhibition dinner standOakley Fall Line XL, new button controlled version with 3 prism lens to be launched in late JanOakley Line Miner new kids size gogglePicture Exhibition dinner standPicture Organic Clothing's Xena with 3D pocketing and internal suspenders...and Coremax insulationPicture Organic's Panel Print jacket has a classic snowboard look - it's a best seller in France and beyond.Picture's Mathieu Orsolini - Events Manager, Manon Perret - Team Mgr, Sebastien Dumarest - Germany, Ben Muller, GermanyPlum Exhibition dinner standPlum's Sok with full interface, for uphill skinning and downhill ridingPlum's SP collaboration with reclining highback.Plum's visionary splitboard genius Tal.POW Exhibition dinner standPOW's Gore-Tex and primaloft Stealth has softer leather for this yearPOW's Michi Mohr POW's Simon Riviere mitt, part of their new artist rangeRide Exhibition dinner standRide's award winning TwinPig, supersoft asymetric shape all terrain boardRide's freestyle Burnout 100% for jib and ParkRide's Joerg Schramm and Stephan Schnetz Rio Curl Pow Pow jacket durable and eco friendly part of the Search seriesRip Curl Bib pants PVC free and 100% recyclable fabricRip Curl VanRip Curl van to be launched later in 2018 by CitroenRip Curl's Edouard Cousty and Fred Begou.Rip Curl's Mark Godoy.Rome Buckshot minimum cambered and sintered based flagship park boardRome Crux minamalist soft high back affordable binding with aluminium heel loopRome Exhibition dinner standRome National easy to ride hybrid camber boardRossignol Exhibition dinner standRossignol Germany's Snowboard Category Manager Tobias Bear with Rossignol rider and former FWT Champion Aline BockRossignol's Diva 52 - one splitboard for every condition. As ridden by FWT Champion Marion HaertyRossignol's Sushi 145 - a total powder board for trees and short turns with double light frame Roxy's Torah Bright EditionSalomon Assassin Pro and the less stiff Assassin, both versatile freestyle boards Salomon Exhibition dinner standSalomon's 410 camber splitboard can be used with a hard boot, has metal edges on both side and when seperated the width of each of the two parts is the same as a ski Salomon's David Pitschi and Munchie's Capten discuss the merits of powder Vs beer Salomon's Karl Kelbaumer and Henriche Blume. Sanbox's Apex with boa system and washable liner and hidden venting systemSandbox's Legend Apex with boa and washable linerSandy Shapes Alessandro MarchiSandy Shapes Deliziosa - same construction concept as Divina for that snow surf feel Sandy Shapes Divina directional swallow tail, short and wide, flex in the width and for going deepSany Shapes Exhibition dinner standSessions' Spearhead jacket is team rider Leandro Eigensatz's favourite Shops 1st Try Day One started under the snow. A lot of snow.SIA'S Florian Wiedmann SIMS booth Exhibition dinnerSIMS Juice true twin board with micro camber.SIMS Kidwell, a camber based retro graphic design from one of their first pro riders.Smith's Code MIPS with Gridlock magnetic closure and Koroyd underneath. The beanie style liner is good for under goggle straps.Smith's Exhibition dinner stand.Smith's I-O Mag sees classic I-O styling with magnetic attachment and clip security with outriggersSmith's Lisa Günther, évents coordinator, Florian Rheimeier, sales & marketing manager and Frederik Krekosch, marketing and event managerSource's senior snowboard writer, Tom Wilson-North and Cedric Nidecker.SP Brotherhood comes with Fastec rear-entry system system SP Mountain Series is stiffer for freeriding SP's Berhard Altmannenger and Martin BirnbaumbrStance Backcountry series, comes in 5 mens and 3 womens stylesStance Exhibition dinner standStance Park series, Tailgrab to the rightStance's Philipp Sehorp..with that warm feet smile Switchback Halldór Helgason for when you want to go big with full controlSwitchback Session Raw lightweight stripped down precision bindingThe Beast is a collab of four of Nitro's top park riders - with a Volcom logo on the base. Regular camber.The ever Glorious Mr Muck Mueller mixing his beer with his micThe First Lady..The Hypercarve is a c2 directional shape made for carving. Team riders use it everywhere, and it_s Blake Paul_s go-to board.The Jones Mountain Twin is a welcome return to the lineThe Snow Breaker jacket is retro Adidas styling from the archives.The Spring Break Twin won the Best Board Graphic award at the evening event, unsurprisingly.The YES. 420 is internally unchanged for 1819.Thorsten Hoehne, owner, Good Question Supply.Tom Wilson North and Salomon's Thorsten Schlossbauer TSG Exhibition dinner standTSG's Amp with cylindrical shape and comes with fastlock lems change systemTSG's Andi SchmidTSG's Vertice with new adjustment wheel systemUnion's Legacy has the new Strata highback.Union's TRice Falcor is back and looking better than ever..Vans Exhibition dinner standVans Mary Rand pro model bootVans all-new Hi Standard Linerless DXVimana Exhibition dinner standVimana lead guitarist Tronna Husvaeg.Vimana's - An all-mountain twintip with Vimana's new VTip - same weight, more float.Vimana's Scandal with a Urethane base and highback, and almost indestructible straps.Volcom Exhibition dinner standVolcom tent, gluvwein on the houseVolcom's 15k Brighton pullover jacket will be worn at 2018 Olympics by volcom team riders Markus Kleveland and Torgeir BergremVolcom's Jens Hefnefarth, Jans Prokes, Joost Grootswagers and Jeb Desigaud with snow blindnessVolcom's womens Leda 2 layer stretch Gore-Tex jacketVon Zippers Pedro Fernandes and Mafelda Morais Von Zippers Satellite goggle comes with 2 lensesVonZipper Exhibition dinner standVonZipper's Capsule with fast change system.Weedo boys Monster outfit, this is the launch collectionWeedo Cyrus Meyssamy and Antje RisauWeedo Exhibition dinner standWeedo girls bunny outfitWest Exhibition dinner standWest Snowboarding La HacheWest Snowboarding's busy graphic Lasalle with bamboo wood core for intermediates West's founder David Lambert.Woo Exhibition dinner stand Woo gaming platform, the device records your actual tricks statisctics onto your smart phone and then you upload results and you can compare yourself with other riders around the worldWoo's Dirk ZeevenhoovenYES. Basic Decade has a lighter core, better flex and more snappy new topsheet with slambacks.