illegal eagle industries part.
I wish extreme skiing was as cool as skateboarding. shame.
Henry ZakowSki
Henry Zakowski is an American freeride skier whose profile has grown through a modern mix of YouTube edits, resort laps on storm and “low-tide” days, and steady collaboration with rider-forward brands. Based in the Salt Lake City area, he spends most winters stacking footage at Solitude and Alta while coaching and joining visiting crews for photo and video shoots. Rather than chasing televised podiums, Zakowski’s lane is film-first: concise, watchable edits that show how a strong skier solves real resort conditions—firm chalk, wind buff, and chopped afternoon snow—as well as deeper days when Honeycomb Canyon and the Wasatch backcountry-style lines fill in. What sets his skiing apart is composure and line-reading. In resort terrain he prioritizes clean takeoffs, centered landings, and speed management through natural features—side hits, wind lips, gullies, and technical trees. When conditions are thin, he switches to a more precise style that emphasizes edge control and terrain absorption, making clips educational for everyday skiers looking to refine technique. On deeper days he’ll push into steeper pitches with confident fall-line choices, but the footage remains grounded in lift-accessible zones that viewers can recognize and aspire to ski. Media cadence matters in this lane, and Zakowski has leaned into a consistent YouTube presence. His channel intermixes two-minute resort laps, short park practice cuts, and trip edits, giving viewers a season-long narrative rather than a single annual part. This distributed output suits today’s discovery patterns: individual clips can travel on their own, while playlists and thumbnails make it easy for newcomers to binge through a body of work. The tone remains approachable—captions that explain snow quality, route choice, and what the camera doesn’t show (wind, crusts, variable light) help the audience understand why certain lines work on a given day. Brand and community ties reinforce that identity. With Pret Helmets, he’s appeared in quick-tip pieces about resort etiquette and confidence, aligning with his coach’s voice. Collaborations with ski manufacturers on travel shoots and local meetups highlight an ability to adapt style to different snowpacks and audiences. Regionally, you’ll find him linking up with Utah shop employees, filmers, and visiting athletes for “hot lap” episodes that double as resort guides: here’s where the surface stayed cold, here’s a traverse into a lightly skied pocket, here’s how to ride when the base is firm. That pragmatic angle—less sizzle reel, more real skiing—keeps engagement steady. Travel segments broaden the picture. Southern Hemisphere footage from New Zealand’s The Remarkables shows the same characteristics—measured speed, sluff awareness, confident exits—applied to a lean snowpack, which makes line choice and edge quality even more important. Viewers get a look at how a pro-minded skier keeps the day productive when coverage is limited, a scenario many encounter in shoulder seasons at home. Equipment-wise, Zakowski trends toward a versatile freeride setup: mid-fat skis with enough backbone for firm mornings and enough rocker to stay loose in trees, bindings with predictable elasticity, and boots tuned for progressive flex and shock absorption that won’t punish the shins on chopped exits. The message to fans is consistent: choose gear that matches conditions and your speed tolerance, then focus on line economy—fewer checks, cleaner exits, better flow. As his catalog grows, the roadmap is clear: continue releasing tightly edited resort laps that decode daily conditions; drop a few marquee clips each season that show creative problem-solving on consequential terrain; and collaborate with filmmakers who value readability over spectacle. For skiers researching Solitude/Alta lines, looking for coaching-informed breakdowns, or just wanting relatable, high-signal edits, Henry Zakowski’s channel offers a steady reference—grounded, repeatable, and rooted in the actual surfaces most of us ski.
Pret Helmets
ret Helmets is a rider-focused brand dedicated to ski and snowboard helmets, best known for building lightweight, low-profile lids with excellent ventilation and a dialed fit. Rather than chasing gimmicks, Pret’s design language favors clean shells, practical features, and materials that hold up to daily resort use, storm-day laps in the trees, and spring park sessions. The line covers everything from minimalist, everyday resort helmets to more feature-rich freeride models, plus youth options that mirror adult performance in scaled-down fits. Safety and fit are the brand’s core pillars. Many Pret helmets are offered with a Mips option to add rotational impact management, and the company pairs that with robust in-mold or hybrid shell constructions designed to balance strength and weight. A precise rear dial fit system lets riders micro-adjust on the fly, while plush liners stabilize the helmet without pressure points. The brand’s approach to sizing tends to be forgiving across head shapes, which helps skiers and riders land a comfortable, centered fit—crucial for both protection and all-day comfort. Ventilation is a standout. Pret emphasizes multiple intake and exhaust ports with easy, glove-friendly sliders, so you can tune airflow for cold storm days or warm spring corn. Because real-world skiing means hiking ridgelines, waiting in lift mazes, and ducking into tight trees, that quick adjustability keeps goggles from fogging and helps regulate temperature across changing conditions. Many models also use moisture-wicking, antimicrobial liners to manage sweat and keep the interior fresh over a long season. Everyday usability gets careful attention. Magnetic chin buckles click together easily with gloves on, ear pads are audio-ready for drop-in speakers, and goggle clips are designed for secure hold with a wide range of straps. The low-profile silhouette integrates smoothly with most major goggle frames, minimizing the helmet–goggle gap and reducing wind noise at speed. For riders who bounce between storm skis and carving setups, being able to swap headwear and adjust the dial quickly is an underrated advantage. The product family is easy to navigate. Freeride-oriented helmets prioritize broader vent ranges and rugged shell layups; all-mountain models focus on balanced weight, warmth, and airflow for daily laps; park-friendly options aim for low profiles and refined impact zones that stand up to lift bars, chair bumps, and the occasional head-butt with a rail feature. Youth helmets borrow the same playbook—good venting, light feel, easy buckles—so kids can run a comfortable setup that encourages keeping the helmet on all day. Athlete and community ties support the brand’s development cycle. Pret collaborates with coaches, patrollers, and resort regulars who log hundreds of days per year, gathering feedback on liner longevity, vent sliders in freezing rain, and how buckles behave with mittens. That loop translates into small but meaningful revisions: sturdier goggle clips, smoother dials, or liner materials that dry faster between storm days. Seasonal colorways and special editions keep things fresh without compromising the clean, technical aesthetic that defines the line. From a buying perspective, the checklist is straightforward. Start with fit: the helmet should sit level, make full contact without hot spots, and stay stable when you shake your head. Decide whether you want a Mips version for rotational impact mitigation. Consider your climate and riding style when choosing vent count and adjustability—cold, windy resorts reward more coverage and fewer openings, while spring-heavy climates benefit from wider vent ranges. If you use audio, confirm ear-pad compatibility with your preferred speakers, and make sure the goggle interface is seamless with your go-to frame. Pret maintains an active presence across social video and short-form clips, showcasing product walkthroughs, fit and sizing tips, and riding edits that highlight how the helmets behave in real snow—wind, cold, tree laps, and variable visibility. For skiers and riders who value functional gear over flash, Pret’s catalog hits a practical sweet spot: protective tech where it matters, a stable and comfortable fit, and ventilation you can actually feel when the weather flips mid-day. That combination explains why you’ll see Pret on lift lines from the Rockies to the Alps and in the packs of people who ski bell-to-bell.
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