Derek's Picks

Born and raised in Portland, Derek learned to ski at Mt Abram as a toddler. He skied the East Coast exclusively, until after college deciding to try different terrain. He spent five seasons in Steamboat Springs, Colo., skiing as much powder as he could, before eventually returning to New England. Now a member of Allspeed's bootfitting team, Derek helps run the shop's media presence (he snapped many photos seen on this website). He also uses those skills as a freelance wedding/portrait photographer!

Atomic Shift 13 Bindings

Derek doesn't ski tour often so he values the Atomic Shift 13 binding's ability to produce excellent daily downhill performance, but also get him up the hill effectively on occasion. He recommends them for anyone who prefers using a one ski/binding quiver, as these allow for great performance in both directions. 

"Bibs are a great choice to keep snow out and heat in," Derek says. He's owned these popular Flylow three-layer bibs for a handful of years, and they've served their duty well. He reports that this durable shell is comfortable and vents well while enduring all the elements.

Peter's Picks

Peter grew up in Naples, Fla. and never tried skiing until moving to Maine for college. He quickly fell in love the the mountains and now avidly skis downhill, backcountry & cross-country. He enjoyed road biking in the Florida flatland but also only came to mountain biking post-college. He enjoys spending time with his chickens and his goats when he's not doing active sports. Peter is part of our bike/ski tech team.

Stio Fernos Insulated Knickers

While these knickers are intended for warmth on the slopes, Peter loves how comfortable they are, to the point where he wears them in the car traveling to the mountain, and even lounging around the house. These are well-designed with a 3/4 length cut and well-placed single pocket.

Originally designed as a cyclocross race bike, Peter says the Crux is a "pretty perfect all-road bike" that can also go fast on gravel, though he rides it mostly on the torn-up pavement of the Portland area. Additional bonuses are the wide tire clearance, the wicked fast carbon layup, and excellent build kit.

Chris's Picks

Chris is a lifelong Mainer, born and raised in mountains of western Maine. Skiing and mountain biking have always been central to his life - he even met his wife, an avid skier, on the slopes. Together they're passing it on to the next generation, raising their now five-year-old daughter to be a skier and rider. As he's gotten older, he's come to appreciate earning his turns and pedaling more. Chris is Allspeed's owner.

Gravity Grabbers

Gravity Grabbers are the perfect way to organize all of your ski equipment. If your family has a lot of skis in a pile in your garage or basement, Gravity Grabbers make short work of tidying up a mess - and they'll help make it quicker to get out the door.

As a youthful ski racer, Chris avoided custom footbeds, since they were typically high volume and didn't fit into boots. But Allspeed's head bootfitter convinced him to get a pair of Sidas custom low-volume footbeds and he says they're a game changer. "You feel like a superhero on your skis, and they're incredibly comfortable." Consider them if you're looking for incredible edge control and overall enhanced skiing experience.

Glenn's Picks

Glenn grew up skiing the East Coast. Bikes were for getting around (and getting into trouble), with some BMX thrown in, until he got the mountain bike bug after college. As a skier, creative lines are his thing - he likes to get dicey on the hill. But old shoulder injuries have tuned down his playful style on the bike - for now! Glenn is Allspeed's buyer and inventory expert.

Maxima SC1

Get your bike back to looking "better than showroom" with this product. SC1 adds a protective layer and makes your bike super easy to clean. Mud doesn't stick and micro-scatches disappear. And it's an easy-apply aerosol.

A tip for keeping more than just your hands warm: put a HotHands warmer in a pocket with your phone to extend its battery life. (And the toe warmers have a sticker you can adhere directly to your phone.) Keeps your heart warm too!

"This is the best East Coast ski we have right now," Glenn says. This all-mountain ski ticks off every category. It carves, it's responsive, it's balanced and poppy. Glenn has only demo'd it so far. Come take a look before he buys it. 

Joel's Picks

Joel has been working in bike shops his whole life. Growing up in the Mid-Atlantic, he skied as much as he could but biked more. In the snowier Northeast, he's been able to embrace the region's touring and backcountry offerings. He rides all styles of bikes but identifies most as a mountain biker. At Allspeed, Joel is our suspension service expert.  

NixFrixShun Ultimate Chain Lube & Green Genie

These lubes are manufactured in small batches in the Mid-Atlantic. Both varieties run super clean and help minimize chain wear. (Green Genie works the same as Ultimate but is biodegradable.) After seven years of use, Joel has been thoroughly impressed with it. The best you can get!

This is the all-activities top. Joel reports that he mountain bikes in it, skis in it, and comes to work wearing it (not necessarily the same day). It insulates when it's wet and he can go longer between washes because it doesn't hold a smell.

Joel first noticed the high quality of materials used in these skins when installing them on customer skis. He got his own pair just last year, and has been happy with how they glide, how much grip they have, and how packable they are.

Evan's Picks

Evan grew up skiing at Sugarloaf and likes the challenge of skiing on a variety of snow conditions. He is an avid telemark skier in winter, and he rides a Santa Cruz Stigmata and Specialized Epic EVO in the "off season." Evan is a member of our boot fitting team. Photo by Chloe Jimenez. 

TwentyTwo Designs Outlaw X NTN Binding

These simple and reliable telemark bindings are step-in, and there is an option to run brakes. Plus, you can customize the spring tension and there are multiple spring options. And they will release if you crash hard enough!

Smith Optics Squad Mag

For these go-to goggles, Evan likes the wide field of view, the ease of lens switching, and the range of lens options. Plus, the goggles fit on a variety of helmets (not necessarily Smith).

Evan likes how easily this wax can be applied and how quickly you can feel the difference. It helps especially on a warm spring day, particularly while touring when glide becomes an issue on longer run-outs.