This backpack cam shot is my favorite so far this season, mostly because it shows more of the valley, and oh yeah…sickbird POWDER!!! It’s been a snowy last few days up here in JH, which has been awesome, and if you could withstand the 2-3 second long whumps in the snowpack while breaking trail, there […]
Gear
I wish this mobile iPhone application was Android compatible (word is Android version could be ready by mid-February) since it would be fun to play around with this newly released Ullr Mobile Avalanche Safety Tool that uses avalanche science principles, along with all the technology built into an iPhone (camera, GPS, compass, gyroscope, comms) to […]
Too many Dynafit options is a good thing. Like you, I often struggle to decide what bindings I want to mount on which skis and it kills me when there are so many great options out there. On some skis, lightweight is the most important factor, but for other skis, having a bit more boot […]
It’s important to look your best and follow the rules of the fashion police when backcountry skiing, as you never know when the paparazzi may jump out from behind a snow drift and take your photo, or when a tele-tubbie POV’er may ski up to you and include the cameo in their next 10k pageview […]
I’ve tried a lot of the Arcteryx pieces over the years, some have worked out for me and some haven’t. (What can I say; they just don’t match my eyes.) Today, I thought I’d give a quick run down of which jackets I like best for 2011. Occasionally, like during the shoulder seasons or maybe […]
Since I turned the big four-oh this past June, I figured I’d change things up a little this summer, go easy on my body and take a break from the pounding trail running puts on the joints, mainly my knees and back. To do that, I bought a new mountain bike (Giant Anthem X29er) early […]
Can you guess what I’ve been doing here? The off-season is a great time to FWIG and I have been doing a lot of it recently. Making sure all my gear is up to par and working correctly, as well as remembering what I didn’t like, or thought I could improve (at least for my […]
There were two items that I really looked forward to receiving and using last year. One was the 2011/12 Black Diamond Carbon Justice skis, and the other some “magic elf boots”, AKA the Dynafit TLT5 Performance AT boot. The Justices will be arriving on shop shelves in the next month or two (and is bound […]
It’s pretty interesting to see how things are progressing in the AT binding market, especially in the big and beefy realm where skiers want the upmost level of downhill performance, security and boot retention. I’m quite happy and content with tech style bindings (in which nearly all models are based on the Dynafit binding design), […]
You see them all over the skiing forums, threads from people asking about all the different heli-ski operations in Alaska, as well as throughout Canada and the lower forty-eight. Dude, what’s the heli terrain like in Valdez vs. Haines? How are the guides at Bro-Show-Heli vs. Rad-Dude-Rotors? Will my helmeted head fit inside the heli […]
In regards to the history of the telemark bindings, first there were three-pin bindings, then, three pins with spring loaded cables, followed by rigid toe bar bindings with compression springs, which evolved into free-pivot bindings that allowed telemarkers to truly enjoy the feeling of non-restrictive movement when ski touring, and then NTN (New Telemark Norm) […]
You’d have too live on the moon if you missed the big news about the Black Diamond Magnetron carabiner on the interwebs about a month ago. It’s due to be released next spring and being hyped as revolutionary as far as design and function go. There weren’t any samples to play with at my BD […]
As a retailer, it’s amazing to see all the new companies entering the footwear business every year and fighting for the same chunk of the consumer pie. This summer, Salewa, parent company to Dynafit, entered the US market and next summer, Dynafit itself will come to the plate with a new trail runner called the […]
Well, it’s a wild ride down here at the Summer Outdoor Retailer in SLC once again and I’m very busy with appointments for the shop. There are a record number of both vendors and retailers attending this year’s show and it’s quite crowded and hectic as usual. CAMP Race 290 tech-compatible crampons. Click all photos […]
It was recently announced that Matchstick Productions fame Eric Hoji Hjorleifson is teaming up with Dynafit to make a new freeride edition AT boot. Hoji was featured skiing on Dynafit in many MSP video clips in the past couple years and his style, skill and what he has been able to do on Dynafit bindings […]
Well, close is a relative term, but when you drive 6 hours, hike in and bushwhack through tough terrain and camp within a mile of your line, I’d say that is pretty close. Unfortunately, the wind, sun, rain, and graupel made this mission unsuccessful. Camp and the line in the upper left corner. Click photo […]
I’m heading out for some adventure skiing tonight and a bit of a drive before for a Monday morning departure, with 3-4 days scheduled in the backcountry. This is the second time I’m going for this peak and line…sorta. The first time, my partner and I departed Jackson, did most of the drive, only to […]
…I had the day off today. Well, at least I got mine in this morning, but the conditions are so good right now that it would have been nice to have had a bigger day. Duty calls however, and with the summer tourist season fast approaching…it’s time to make the donuts. Contour Settings (w/ ND […]
A big thanks and shout-out to Alex Doaga, who sent us this Whippet modification. (Note: This modification will most likely void the warranty.) It’s that time of year again when Black Diamond Whippet poles can really come in handy. Whether it’s sketchy skinning on a firm and steep slope, or skiing a gnarly line, a […]
A couple weeks ago, I was able to do a fair bit of ski touring on the new 2011 Dynafit Radical FT binding due out this fall. Dynafit touts the Radical FT as a true step-in tech binding and includes it in it’s FreerideTouring category of bindings. The Radical FT has many nice improvements that […]