Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to have the pick of the litter from the Black Diamond ski and Dynafit binding line up. Like all products, some perform better than others in particular conditions and terrain. For fat powder days I like big and fat skis with bindings that can handle […]
Gear
If you backcountry ski, there is no doubt that you know the benefits of having adjustable ski poles. Whether they help you kung-fu turn down the steepest slope, meadow skip through your favorite open snowfield, or break trail through the deepest powder on the flats, adjustable ski poles are a backcountry skiers best friend (behind […]
Good news for all you ski patrollers, SAR personal and avalanche rescues, RECCO has a new detector that has more features and is much smaller. Hopefully the general public won’t see these units put to work very often, but many skiers and snowboarders out there are increasingly seen with RECC reflectors highlighted on their clothing […]
The Ortovox Up-Box can update your S1 to have the most current firmware. Well, technically version 1.2.2690, but who’s counting. Honestly though, ever go shopping for an avalanche beacon and wonder if the current technology will be obsolete (like your computer) in the next year or two. Fear not, because the Ortovox S1’s firmware is […]
I don’t know about you, but I’m the worst when it comes to carrying extra stuff, like first-aid and gear repair kits, in my ski pack. However, I don’t completely roll the dice and there are one or two items (besides a shovel and probe) that I do carry to stack the odds in my […]
For more information on any of the products mentioned in this video, please visit Arc’teryx.com.
NOTE: Today is the last day to enter the TetonAT.com/Black Diamond Trip Report Contest. One of my recent email responses (to Grant?) didn’t get delivered, so be sure to try again if I haven’t responded. Thanks…and good luck! –Steve Now most people know that you need to calibrate your Suunto compass to have it be […]
So, you couldn’t find any ski partners, but today is your only day off this week and you are just dieing to ski that couloir you’ve been eying. The avalanche forecast is for moderate danger, with isolated pockets of instability in wind-loaded areas and the weather forecast is for bluebird skies. You decide to go […]
The Zzerctor 3. Now don’t get me wrong. I love my Dynafit “Green Machines” (Zzero 4 CF) for their amazing balance of lightweight and stiffness, and I’m growing to really like my Black Diamond Factors for their unbelievable skiing performance and great walk-mode…and as a (former?) competitive rando racer and backcountry skier who doesn’t mind […]
Note: Some modifications shown in this post may effect the manufacturer warranty. Getting to work with the Black Diamond Factor. It’s always fun getting new gear in the fall and spring, and there’s always a ritual of getting familiar with it in front of the TV with a beer and some munchies. With some products, […]
I’ve been thinking about buying a snowmobile lately. (I know…don’t say it!!) Not a big mountain beast…but a little ripper type that can jet me up some access roads in the surrounding mountain ranges. Maybe a four-stroke. (Any suggestions? Remember this one?) Anyway…I found this little video and thought about just moding the KLR!!! 😉 […]
Ortovox Peak 29L and 42L Ski Packs. When I first started to get serious about backcountry skiing in the late nineties, I owned an Ortovox ski pack. I remember liking it a lot. It had lot’s organizing features and carried my skis nicely in many different configurations. Last season, my friend Marcus from Ortovox […]
Sup Randosteve! I got a set of the new Dynafit TLT’s (not the Verticals, but the ones with the round cylinder heel lift) and have broken a big chunk out of the front ski/tour “button”. Is this a problem with these? I don’t like the angle that is required to press down at to go […]
Putting the Black Diamond Outlaw pack to the test in Garnet Canyon. To me, making a backcountry ski pack seems pretty easy. Make it relatively lightweight, easy to attach skis to in different configurations, offer an insulated hydration sleeve and have a separate pocket for my avy shovel and probe. There are some extra features […]
Check out this Alpine Club Avalanche Transceiver Test Chart. The chart and full report (be patient, takes long time to upload) are in German, which I don’t speak, but the results are displayed in the chart with different colors (very good, good, acceptable, problematic, deficient), which helps my little brain absorb all the information. The […]
The finished product. I don’t know about you, but I easily go through 2-3 pairs of gloves during any given winter season. Mostly they are lightweight gloves that are used for long periods of time while skinning, and the constant friction has worn through either a stitch on a seam or through the material completely. […]
With only one touch of a button, the Suunto Observer gives you accumulative ascent/descent and number of runs skied while you are recording a logbook. (Last night’s Snow King run) As a backcountry skier, I’ve come to the conclusion that the best feature to have in an altimeter watch is a running total of your […]
Dynafit FT12 Binding. With the introduction of the new Dynafit FT 12 binding this season, I am certain there will be an explosion of new backcountry skiers giving Dynafit binders a try for the first time. For years, there has always been a little resistance (for unknown reasons) for some to trust Dynafit bindings. But […]
We’ve all seen it at the local crag, maybe in the climbing gym or high on an alpine route. Johnny rope-gun gets to the crux of the route, palms sweating from the heat and exertion. He digs into his chalk bag to dry them off before tackling the move. But is all that rock marking […]
Junk show? Like many of you, I have a hard time finding enough storage for all the toys that you need to live and enjoy life in a mountain town. Luckily, I have a garage to stash a lot of my stuff in, but there still never seems to be enough room for it all. […]