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Fluidstance – The Level Balance Board

Lots of companies talk about work-life balance, but few do it as literally as Fluidstance. Fluidstance makes a series of balance boards designed for working at a standing desk, or anywhere you want to add a little movement into standing tasks.

I’ve been using a standing desk in my home office for several years now, ever since the “Sitting is Killing You” infographic came out in 2011. The infographic makes some rather bold announcements like “Sitting increases risk of death up to 40%,” and “Sitting makes us fat,” but does a really good job of highlighting some of the changes we’ve experienced as our jobs have become more dependent on computers.

I enjoy being on my feet. I guess it comes with the territory when spending 150+ days snowboarding and skiing, and another 50 days a year paddleboarding, surfing, hiking, and camping. But along with the adventures comes plenty of time at a desk. Whether it’s sitting down to type up a recent adventure, or at the computer for my role as Manager of Training for the Vail Ski & Snowboard School, there’s no escaping some amount of time spent in front of the screens.

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Step On Up to Strapless Bindings

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With Burton’s big reveal of the Step On, snowboarding’s worst kept secret of the last year is finally official – the step in binding is back.

Photo: Gabe L’Heureux / Transworld

For the last few decades, many of us have been deriding step-ins. They were heavy, clunky, unreliable, poor performing, pieces of junk that were just as likely to accidentally release as they were to ice up and refuse to attach. Similar to binding “advancements” that swivel the front binding, add levered brakes, or automatically close the ankle straps, step-ins were just another great intentioned, but overly complicated invention. As a result, they were unable to compete with the simplicity, weight, and reliability of traditional straps.

Despite the disdain mainstream snowboarding threw at them, step-ins found a niche of die-hard followers that put new liners in their beat up old boots, search for replacement binding parts online, seek out gear at garage sales, and post in forums about their love for step-ins.

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