POWER TOOL
If you’ve been tempted by the swoopy speed of snowboarding, but unwilling to plunge into $600 worth of gear, a $60 lift ticket, and requisite baggy pants, consider Burton’s new Junkyard Snowdeck ($150; 800-881-3138 or www.burton.com). Part skateboard, part snowboard, the Junkyard is composed of an elevated, skateboard-like deck, attached to a snowboard platform by “trucks” that allow you to turn by shifting your body weight. You don’t need bindings, special boots, a ski resort, or even an eyebrow ring to get your grins atop the Junkyard. Just strap on a pair of hiking or winter pack boots, and head for the nearest sledding hill. Yes, you’ll fall at first, and probably not infrequently. But with a layer of snow to cushion the landing, and the absence of jeering teens hanging from the chairlift above, falling just got a whole bunch more fun.