Latest
Waterproof Socks – Tested
Whether you set out for a ride in the rain or get caught out by a surprise squall, cold, wet feet are hard to escape. We've all been there. And it's never fun. Short of not riding, it's difficult to guarantee dry feet when cycling in cold, wet weather. Overboots and waterproof winter riding shoes help. Fenders help too, but inevitably, the rain or wet road spray is going to seep into your cycling shoes — usually as it drips down your leg. Like I said, we've all been there before. I've heard about waterproof socks for a few years, but I had never tried them until this season. Like the other solutions mentioned above, waterproof socks are no guarantee for dry feel while riding,…
Gear
Volkl Blaze 106 – A Daily Driver
Carve or Slarve – The Blaze 106 is Right at Home By the numbers, the Volkl Blaze 106 is an intersting ski. It specs out with a 146mm tip, a 106mm waist and a 128mm tail for all lengths. It’s wide shovel and strong sidecut are the first details to jump off the page, but upon closer inspection, it features… Read More
Atom SL Hoody – Ultralight Insulation and Wind Resistance
Lightweight Insulation for the Uptrack and More So compact and light, there’s no reason to leave it behind, the Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody is a superlight shell for ski touring and active pursuits. It’s also the lightest weight model in the Arc’teryx Atom jacket line up – a collection of synthetic-insulated shells designed for moving. At first touch, the Atom… Read More
BCA Hybrid Climbing Skins
Easy On, Easy Off — Hybrid Climbing Skins Most of us have struggled at one time or another while attempting to pull apart climbing skins stuck glue-to-glue. Sure, they eventually pull apart. But it’s no fun to struggle with them. That’s where the BCA Hybrid Climbing Skins come into the picture. The word hybrid in the name has double meaning…. Read More
Ortovox Diract Voice – Voice-Guided Avalanche Beacon
Ortovox Adds Voice Direction to the Beacon Search Equation The advent of digital signal processing was a game changer for avalanche beacon technology. Directional arrows and distance readouts are standard fare. There are a few more pieces to the puzzle — like multiple antennas — but the point is that technology has made using avalanche beacons faster, easier and more… Read More
Patagonia SnowDrifter 30L Ski Pack Review
The Best Backpacks Keep it Simple Backpack design is a funny thing. Designers are always looking for new ways to reinvent the wheel. When, in my opinion, the hallmark of a great backpack is simplicity. The newest Patagonia SnowDrifter 30L ski pack nails it with a clean, user-friendly and ski-ready design. It also happens to be made with 100% recycled… Read More
DPS Pagoda Tour 112 Review
Light, Playful Powder Touring Machine – The Pagoda Tour 112 RP In the words of DPS, “The best untracked snow is worth walking for.” And that’s the motivation behind the new DPS Pagoda Tour skis, including the Pagoda Tour 112 RP. Following in the playful powder tracks of their lightweight Tour 1 skis, the design wizards at DPS bring us… Read More
Features
Volkl Blaze 106 – A Daily Driver
Carve or Slarve – The Blaze 106 is Right at Home By the numbers, the Volkl Blaze 106 is an intersting ski. It specs out with a 146mm tip, a 106mm waist and a 128mm tail for all lengths. It’s wide shovel and strong sidecut are the first details to jump off the page, but upon closer inspection, it features… Read More
Lightweight Merino Baselayers
Artilect Boulder – Next Generation Merino Baselayers Your layering system is only as effective as its foundation. So, it pays to wear a good baselayer. Breathable, sweat-wicking and quick-drying baselayers are the key to staying warm, dry and comfortable when backcountry skiing. I’ve tried countless baselayer materials over the years — synthetics, merino, blends. Synthetics breathe and wick well, but… Read More
Best Ski Goggles For The Backcountry
What are the Best Ski Goggles? What makes one ski goggle better than another? It’s a combination of factors including lens shape, optical quality, venting, tint, fit — the list goes on. How do you decide which goggles are best for you? Without getting too bogged down in the tech, we recommend narrowing down the lens shape that suits your budget… Read More
Climbing Skin Reglue Service – Big Sky Mountain Products
Time for a Skin Reglue? Is your climbing skin glue a gooey mess? Do your skins leave sticky residue on your ski bases? Does your skin glue lose its effectiveness as the day goes on? Failing skin glue will put an early end to an otherwise great ski day. Whether your skins have seen too many uptracks, you’ve abused them… Read More
Adventure Ride Essentials
Waterproof Socks – Tested
Whether you set out for a ride in the rain or get caught out by a surprise squall, cold, wet feet are hard to escape. We’ve all been there. And it’s never fun. Short of not riding, it’s difficult to guarantee dry feet when cycling in cold, wet weather. Overboots and waterproof winter riding shoes help. Fenders help too, but… Read More
Merino Rules – Showers Pass Basecamp Hoodie
Merino — Breathable. Lightweight. Warm Wool has been part of the adventurer’s layering kit for a very long time. So long in fact, it’s sometimes associated with an old school vibe. Turns out though that wool’s natural temperature regulation, sweat-wicking and odor fighting qualities are difficult to match with modern synthetics. Add into the mix the naturally soft and resilient… Read More
Portable Solar Panel – GoSun SolarPanel 10
GoSun 10 Watt Portable Solar Panel Phone, GPS unit, satelite communicator, camera gear, headlamp, the list goes on. Carrying electronics in the backcountry is the norm these days. Keeping them charged over the course of a multi-day backcountry trip, however, is a project of its own. Portable batteries are an obvious solution and are great for a single device for… Read More
7Mesh Horizon Cycling Jersey – Low-Key Look, Refined Feel
The boom in gravel riding and adventure cycling has brought with it a fresh take on cycling clothing — jerseys and shorts that offer all the performance of technical cycling kit with a clean, simple take on the look and feel. You no longer have to settle for the race team or over-stylized cycling jersey that has dominated riding apparel… Read More
Avalanche Safety
Ortovox Diract Voice – Voice-Guided Avalanche Beacon
Ortovox Adds Voice Direction to the Beacon Search Equation The advent of digital signal processing was a game changer for avalanche beacon technology. Directional arrows and distance readouts are standard fare. There are a few more pieces to the puzzle — like multiple antennas — but the point is that technology has made using avalanche beacons faster, easier and more… Read More
Terrain Tips
Using Terrain to Your Advantage – Seven Terrain Tricks Safe backcountry skiing starts with a big picture perspective (plus reading and understanding the local avalanche conditions report). Experienced skiers often reference terrain as trumping hazard. In fact, “The snowpack is the problem, and the terrain is the solution,” is an old ski guide’s adage that informs a lot of backcountry decision-making…. Read More
BCA Dozer 2H Avalanche Shovel – We Dig It
Avalanche Rescue and Snow Pits – The BCA Dozer 2H Shovel Does It All Avalanche shovels are the kind of gear we hope to never really use for their intended purpose of recovering a buried ski partner. But the shovels we all carry have many other uses, primary being to dig snow pits in search of weak layers and to… Read More
Backcountry Radio Channels – Group-to-Group Communication
Designated Radio Channels for Popular Backcountry Zones It’s commonly understood that avalanche safety often hinges on human driven factors. Ideas like familiarity with terrain, the expert halo and group communication (or lack thereof) rise to the top of the list as contributors to avalanche accidents. Broadly speaking, group communication is at the root of many mistakes. Communication alone will not… Read More
Movies
Snowflake Science – The Snowflake Mystery Video
Dr Ken Libbrecht is the world’s expert on snowflakes. From stunning snowflake images to the movie Frozen – his photos and knowledge of snowflakes have appeared around the world. Learn more about the man behing the snowflake books and the science behind snowflakes in this video – The Snowflake Mystery See more ski movies
Tales from Cascadia – Ski Film Trailer
Six Tales That Define The Cascadia State of Mind Cascadia is a bioregion defined by its unique natural characteristics, its people and its diversity. From the shores of the Pacific coast, to the lush rainforests, to the volcanic mountain peaks, there are tales that define this harmony. Blank Collective films embeds themselves in Cascadia in pursuit of these winter tales.
TGR Ski Movie Trailer – Stoke The Fire
Ski movie trailers are dropping like snowflakes. Get your winter stoke fix with the the latest ski movie trailer from TGR: Stoke The Fire Stoke The Fire – Behind The Scenes
The Alpinist – Movie Trailer
The Alpinist – Feature Film Movie Trailer As the sport of climbing turns from a niche pursuit to mainstream media event, Marc-André Leclerc climbs alone, far from the limelight. On remote alpine faces, the free-spirited 23-year-old makes some of the boldest solo ascents in history. Yet, he draws scant attention. With no cameras, no rope, and no margin for error,… Read More
The Vault
The Art of the Uptrack
The Art of the Uptrack – How to Make an Efficient Skin Track Larry Goldie – Owner, Lead Guide at North Cascade Mountain Guides First, there was the epiphany. It was a deep day, sixteen inches of new and still snowing. The hookup began as many do, spontaneously meeting at the trailhead with the same objective in mind. I was… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities – The Newbie
Backcountry Skier Personalities – The Newbie We’ve all been there. New gear or new to the sport, the Newbie is both endearing and embarassing. The Newbie You needn’t search far afield for the Newbie. This species is ubiquitous around North America and commonly sighted at sidecountry locations and roadside attractions made popular by their easy access and moderate terrain. A Newbie… Read More
