Field Notes · December 8, 2024

Behind the Lens: A Content Day at Vail with ShredShox

Six inches of fresh, an overcast sky, and a full day shooting photo and video - here's how the day on the mountain came together.

This blog is written from my personal experience and perspective, not from a third-party reviewer.

The Setup

After an overnight gift of six inches of fresh snow, the day promised to be epic. The conditions at Vail were overcast but perfect for the mission: capturing video and photo content for ShredShox. Joining me was Ben Roof, a talented local photo/videographer from Gypsum, Colorado. Ben isn't just an artist behind the lens - he's also a certified ski and snowboard instructor with 15 seasons of teaching at Beaver Creek. Needless to say, I was in good hands.

Kicking Off the Day

It was a cold one, so we started late, around 10 a.m., to handle the camera gear more comfortably and make the most of our time. While I've spent plenty of time working as a broadcast videographer in motorsports, this was my first time working in an alpine environment - and as the subject, no less. I'm not a pro skier, so being the centerpiece of our content was a bit nerve-wracking. But as a new brand, ShredShox works with what it's got, and for the day, that was me.

Ben and I met in person for the first time that morning, so we used the gondola and chair ride up to Chair 4 to get to know each other and map out the plan. A warm-up run down Northstar and the bottom of Northwoods gave me a chance to find my flow before we got to work.

Dialing in the ShredShox

Knowing we'd be spending the day in light powder, chop, chowder, and bumps, I adjusted my setup accordingly. On hard-packed days, I typically run about 70 PSI in the front shocks and 60 PSI in the rear with the fastest rebound settings. For today's softer conditions, I dropped everything by about 20 PSI and slowed the rebound. The result? Fantastic performance. Most of my time on ShredShox had been on hard-packed terrain or end-of-day chop, so I was thrilled with how the platform handled these more forgiving conditions.

Capturing the Action

Ben's vision was to highlight depth and texture - using the glade-like scenery on Cappuccino and framing the trees and rollers along Northstar and Gandy Dancer. My job was to carry enough speed and hold precise positioning so Ben could do his thing. As someone used to working with pros, he was incredibly patient, coaching me along to keep the action looking legit.

By midday the mountain was already chopped up - no fresh tracks to be found. But this is exactly where ShredShox excels.

In the light, soft chop, I was slicing through Northwoods like a hot knife through butter.

Ben was especially excited about how that showcased the platform's capabilities, and I can't wait to see the final photos and video. (Full gallery coming in January, but previews are on the way.)

Video Focus

After a late-afternoon break to warm up and thaw some of the camera gear, we headed back to Chair 4 for more video work on Cappuccino. Ben used a mix of equipment, including a long-lens video camera and a GoPro mounted on a 20-foot pole. Skiing alongside me, he captured dynamic side-by-side shots as we worked through a mix of big and small bumps. The conditions held, and the lack of crowds made popping off the tops of bumps and threading smooth landings that much more enjoyable. The ShredShox settings felt absolutely dialed, making the descents a blast.

Wrapping Up

We closed out the day with wide shots featuring Vail's iconic village in the background. As the sun began to set, we made our final descent, reflecting on a productive and exhilarating day. The cold presented its challenges, but the combination of Ben's expertise and ShredShox's performance made the session unforgettable.

Stay tuned for the full gallery in January and more Field Notes as we keep exploring what's possible with ShredShox. Until then, see you on the slopes.

First time in front of the lens. Definitely not the last.

ShredShox - Full Suspension for Skiing.