POLE ENVY
Admit it: You’ve always had trouble getting excited about ski poles. And all along, you thought it was you. But maybe, just maybe, you’ve got the wrong poles. To understand just how thrilling the humble ski pole can be, we suggest you wrap your digits around the swanky, stitched-leather grips of K2’s new 6 Speed poles. The leather is just the beginning — these ultralight, ultrastrong poles are constructed of beautiful gray-on-black carbon fiber and topped with chrome trim. Even better: The 6 Speeds are packaged with a really cool bottle opener for your après-ski soda. Yeah, soda, that’s it. $125. (800) 426-1617, www.k2ski.com