With Colorado becoming home to a burgeoning industry of handmade skis and snowboards, the Summit Daily is taking a look at our creative neighbors' products, the ground-zero of design innovation.

From now through March, 11 mountain “celebrity” gear testers will hit terrain that tests the limits of Colorado-made and regional equipment. The testers, particularly those exploring the backcountry on telemark, alpine touring and splitboard setups, will go beyond the traditional “tried and true” evaluative method. They will talk about performance, flex and durability at the same time they create stories of outdoor adventure to share.

The bottom line: The Summit Daily's Local's Gear Guide puts local and regional gear into locals' hands to put to the test in Summit County's own back yard with evaluations catering to the day-to-day recreational skier.

Local's Gear Guide: Men's boards

On a warm, sunshiny day with line cues filled with guests and locals getting in the last turns of the year before the fireworks and New Year's festivities, Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia put Pete Wurster's hand-made Unity boards and Venture's flagship to the test at Copper Mountain.

CLICK HERE to read Lt. Governor Joe Garcia's SDN Gear Guide.

Local's Gear Guide: Women's snowboards

Crusing down the hill in East Coast-like conditions, Summit County naturopath, acupuncturist and Colorado Mountain College professor Jannine Walldan used her imagination to round out her pre-New Year demo day at Copper Mountain.

CLICK HERE to read Jannine Walldan's SDN Gear Guide.

Local's Gear Guide: Men's telemark skis

If Summit County Commissioner Dan Gibbs were to select a single ski for his one-ski quiver, it would be the Liberty Helix. Tested on hardpack and powder, the ski's playfulness and energy was the highlight throughout.

CLICK HERE to read Dan Gibbs' Gear Guide.

Local's Gear Guide: Slaying the slopes on women's telemark gear

Long before Jody Thompson started up Mt. Everest as part of the first all-American women's mountaineering team sponsored by Ford Motor Company in 2002, she was competing – and winning – plenty of telemark competitions in Summit County and beyond.

CLICK HERE to read Jody Thompson's Gear Guide.