BY ARIEL KAZUNAS

I never had *that* poster on the back of my door as a kid—you know, the one announcing your obsession with the boy band or teen heartthrob of the year. Somehow, my bookish self kinda missed that middle school milestone. 

But apparently I am making up for that as an adult, because, in the past month, I have gone absolutely feral for the Canadian hit series Heated Rivalry (HR as my equally-as-obsessed friends and I now shorthand it). I kid you not that my brain chemistry has been altered and its neural pathways fully rewired by this show, its characters Ilya and Shane, and its two breakout stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie.

And, sweet baby Jesus, what it has done to my emotional state! I have always been a bit jaded by the reality that I’m a bit too queer for traditional heteronormative relationships but a bit too straight for the lesbian meet-cute of my dreams. Add to that a slew of failed dating attempts and a recent (brutal) dismissal after I let my typical guard down, and I was of the mindset that I was going to move through the rest of life focused on (and, don’t get me wrong, very fulfilled by) my platonic friendships and familial relationships.

HR had other plans for me though: my heart has now swelled back up with an impossible amount of belief in romantic love again, all because of some fictional gay hockey players and six episodes of television devoid of misogyny and full of passion, tenderness, and empathy. 

So if you haven’t watched it yet, I suggest you set aside six hours and watch it straight through like the best movie you’ll see in your lifetime. And then I’d encourage you to rewatch it (two to four times) to pick up on all the nuances you missed the first time around. And then send me all the beautiful memes (@akazunas) and critical reviews with which your FYP will quickly populate.

You are, at this point, probably wondering what the hell any of this has to do with the fact that Wild Rye is making ski outerwear this year?

Hear me out: 

I have been lucky enough to have had both the Butterfield and the Heyburn ski kits since the start of this season. Granted, we’re having an incredibly below-average year in the Tetons (as with the rest of the Mountain West), so the powder days have been fewer and farther between than anyone in their right mind would want. 

But even still, (and honestly because of this), I have been able to put both sets of outwear to the test: we’ve had rain up to 8,000’, weeks of sub-arctic high pressure temps, and a handful of days in a row where I manically stayed outside for every hour of daylight and worked until the Witching Hour in order to make the most of the fresh and fluffy when it finally did fall.

And I have come to the conclusion that while both kits are incredible, they certainly have their own unique personalities that compliment each other in beautiful ways— just like HR’s Ilya and Shane (or should I say WR’s Ilya and Shane?) Owning both, the chemistry is undeniable. 

HEYBURN 3L JACKET & PANT

The Heyburn Kit, with its preference for high-output adventures over staying between the (rope) lines, channels Ilya’s confidence and delight in spicing things up, and has the body —I mean tech specs— to back that confidence up.

With enough stretch to let you move the way you need to when you’re wrestling… with aggressive terrain, two chest pockets to keep your hips free (for pack straps omg get your mind out of the gutters), and plenty of vents to cool you down when things heat up, the Heyburn kit is as honed and toned as Ilya’s beautiful butt. 

But for all that the Heyburn thrives when there’s a little danger involved, it still has a soft spot for comfort and an ability to make me feel very cared for. The packability of the coat, the streamlined helmet-compatible hood, the drop flap on the bibs for easy bathroom breaks, the beacon hard points… I just feel so seen and loved by the Heyburn, just like Ilya sees and loves Shane.

BUTTERFIELD 3L JACKET & PANT

The Butterfield Kit, on the other hand, certainly embodies Shane, and in all the best ways, with its ability to focus on competitive performance while still being (very) willing to try new things. 

With its brushed interior for extra warmth and modern freeride fit, the Butterfield will make you, too, feel like you’re a cold-impervious Canadian with an on-call stylist. Its two large zipper hand pockets, plus two internal mesh pockets, mean you can pack all the tuna melts or Ginger Ales you want for the road, and its 30k/30k waterproofing means you’ll still enjoy riding when things get a bit wet (*cough*).

And with a removable powder skirt on the coat, and an extremely adjustable and comfortable waistband on the coat, the Butterfield kit, just like Shane, is ready to work hard, throw down, and please, no matter the setting or objective. That, and all the little details like the wrist gaiters, the pass pocket on the arm, and the soft fabric on the chin guard, make me and the Butterfield feel very “compatible.” (IYKYK). 

And while the two kits feel like they may be in stiff competition with each other, the Heyburn and Butterfield actually just bring out the best in each other, like Ilya and Shane do. The Heyburn knows full well the Butterfield is fully capable of leaving the gates or heading up the bootpack, just as the Butterfield knows the Heyburn can send it in the terrain park or provide the warmth and full bend-over-ability needed to stand on Magic Carpets and scoop kiddos off the Bunny Hill slope all morning. 

So while they each have their own traits and quirks, together, they hype each other up and create one whole VIBE that is this first season of the Wild Rye outerwear era, just like HR needed both Ilya AND Shane to become the mass-psychosis-inducing success it has been. 

I am as obsessed with finally having ski kits designed by and for women who rip as I am with HR and I can’t wait for Season 2 of either show. :)