Steamboat-made products that keep the love in the valley
Honey Stinger/Kane Footwear Collab Shoe
Footwear maker Kane and local energy food company Honey Stinger have released a collaborative recovery shoe called the Honey Stinger/Kane Revive recovery slip-on. With both companies promoting recovery, the shoe features Honey Stinger’s logo and colors—a black upper and a white sole with black and yellow speckles—with dual-density cushioning, 10mm heel-to-toe drop to reduce tendon stress, and raised sole nodes for circulation. “It was an easy choice to partner with them,” says Kane founder John Gagliardi, a former pro lacrosse player. “They share our vision to bring recovery solutions to everyday athletes.” www.honeystinger.com, www.kanefootwear.com
Seam of Life
Seems great to us. Local artisan Morgan Kurz used her fabric-dyeing and sewing skills to bring to life Seam of Life, sustainable merino wool and hemp garments designed for the outdoors. Handmade in small batches with natural plant dyes for unique, vibrant colors, the line includes ZQ-certified/sustainable merino wool mountain bike jerseys, neck gaiters and headbands, as well as hemp clothing and hoodies. She also uses deadstock fabric leftover from other companies to further each product’s environmental preservation. www.seamoflife.com
New West Fly Co.
Next time you fish the Yampa, do so with a locally made fly rod. With his new company New West Fly Co., Mike Kelly handcrafts fly-fishing rods right here in the Yampa Valley, hand-wrapping high modulus graphite blanks, hand-turning the grips, and handcrafting all the epoxy and guides work. Taking second in 2023’s Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center’s Community Business Pitch Competition, he offers two models—the five-weight Tailwaters and four-weight Yampa—with plans to add a six-weight called the Elk. And also look for apparel, all designed “to get people talking about fly-fishing.” www.newwestfly.com
GrassSticks Toilet Plunger
When it’s dumping outside and you have to take one, don’t let your sesh get backed up by clogged pipes. Steamboat’s GrassSticks has you covered with the world’s first bamboo ski pole plunger. The forced-cup black plunger head comes with a 20-inch bamboo handle, complete with a pole strap for maximum security. Bonus: It’s made from recycled cut-off bamboo scraps from ski poles and comes with a 5-year warranty (not that we’ve known anyone to ever bust a plunger). “They’re as beautiful as a plunger can get and make you think about skiing every time you enter the pow room,” says GrassSticks plunge master Andrew Beckler. www.grasssticks.com
Town Hall Co. Mountain Town Winter Bib
Earning a cult following with local kiddos and their parents, Town Hall’s new Mountain Town Winter Bib are warm and waterproof snow pants now available in a bib version. Keep snow out and torsos dry while igloo building, sledding or ripping the slopes. The shell, liner and insulation are made with 100 percent recycled materials and it includes such sustainable features as kick patches made from excess material and recycled insulation. Bonus: the bib tightener was designed with little hands in mind, with an easy-access clip and strap that tucks into the chest pocket. “Our guiding principles are working toward being planet positive and building community,” says founder Robin Hall. “We believe in People+Planet+Place, and our ‘place’ is Steamboat, where getting your gear dirty is a badge of honor and community is everything.” www.townhallco.com
Big Agnes Women’s Piney Mountain and Men’s Half Hitch Jackets
Designed with Big Agnes’ signature diamond quilting pattern using Bluesign®-approved PFAS-free fabric and insulated with 850-fill Power DownTek™ water-resistant down, BA’s new Women’s Piney Mountain and Men’s Half Hitch jackets are perfect for minimalists who need ultralight, ultra-packable warmth. The hoodless down layer is perfect for stop-and-go cold-weather sports (uh, that’d be us skinning), and warm enough to be your outermost layer on a bluebird day. www.bigagnes.com
Bar U Eat
Founded in Steamboat by best childhood friends Sam Nelson and Jason Friday, and named after the quintessential Bar UE chairlift, Bar U Eat uses simple, whole, and organic ingredients that you can read and recognize, including roasted oats, nuts and seeds, bonded together with Medjool dates and honey. Available in bites and bars, they’re available in multi-flavors (our faves: Coffee Pecan and Peanut & Cherries) and are guaranteed to not leave you bonking. Bonus: the world’s first-ever BPI-certified, plant-based compostable wrapper. “That’s a huge step for us and a major move for our industry,” says Nelson. www.barueat.com
Harvest Skis Homegrown Tourer
From mandolin to making turns. That’s the storyline behind Harvest Skis founder Eric Baker, who, when not picking the mando presses homespun skis for Harvest. This season’s pick: its Homegrown Touring ski, complete with Tread Tech fish scales underfoot for scootching up (and schussing down) those short shots on Rabbit Ears. With dimensions of 136/105/126 (beefy shovel, ample midwaist girth for pow), it comes in four lengths (187/177/167/157cm), traditional camber for edge hold, and nose rocker for float and turn initiation. And its medium flex profile and waist width gives it playful, carving feel at the resort. www.harvestskis.com
