A Clean, Functional Ski Pack for Day Tours “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Airman’s Odyssey Testing ski packs is a little like backseat driving; It’s easy to be a critic. In an effort to come up with fresh designs or innovative… Read More
How Light is Right for a Bikepacking Tent? My first bikepacking tent was an REI Half Dome—a roomy two-person tent with two doors and a bomber build that handles rainy nights and gusty thunderstorms with ease. But at 4.75 pounds, it’s not exactly ultralight. Nonetheless, I packed it for several multi-day bikepacking trips, including the Oregon Outback, and always appreciated… Read More
I’ve long avoided freeze-dried meals in favor of creating simple camping meals like pasta with pesto. But bikepacking offers limited storage space. There are many tricks to packing light, and one of the most effective is using freeze-dried camping meals. But how do they taste? Dehydrated Versus Freeze-Dried A question that came up while researching lightweight camping meals was, what’s… Read More
For those old enough to remember the 90s, it’s hard to believe that fanny packs have returned. Sure, they’re called hip or waist packs now, and they’ve evolved on the features front. Nonetheless, I’ve been slow to embrace the waist pack trend until recently. Turns out they’re pretty functional for mountain biking and adventure rides. Hydration Waist Packs for Mountain Biking… Read More
The Best Ski Packs Keep it Simple Backpack design is a funny thing. Designers are always looking for new ways to reinvent the wheel. 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
Pack Light. Go Far. It’s the rare day that look at a fellow backcountry skier’s pack and think, “Wow, that pack looks light and efficient.” More often than not, I wonder why a pack looks so big or full. Packing light, or packing smart as I like to think of it, is about more than just having the lightest weight… Read More
Ready. Set. Pack. Salsa EXP Handlebar Bag Review Choosing the best bikepacking gear is a lesson in weight, space, function and durability. Salsa Cycles strikes a nice balance in their bikepacking handlebar bag – the Salsa EXP Series Anything Cradle Handlebar Kit. The three-part set-up includes the EXP Anything Cradle, the EXP Dry Bag and an Anything Cradle Accessory Pouch. The… Read More
Waterproof. Durable. Secure. Ortlieb Handlebar Bag Review Well known for their bike panniers, Ortlieb has been making bomber-grade, waterproof bike packs since 1982. So, it’s no surprise that the Ortlieb bikepacking handlebar bag serves up secure, waterproof storage in a durable and easy-to-use design. Clean and simple describe the bag well. But it’s far from basic. It’s a minimalist dream… Read More
Fork Mount Storage – Salsa EXP Anything Cage HD Options. That’s what the Salsa Anything Cage is all about. As the name suggests, these fork-mounted bikepacking cages let you carry just about anything. They expand your carrying capacity on the bike while maintaining a low profile and secure attachment for handling rough off-road travel. The Salsa Anything Cage has evolved… Read More
Made for Big Days Traditional backcountry ski packs get less attention in this age of avalanche airbag packs. Airbags certainly have their place, but so do regular ski packs. For example, the Gregory Targhee FT 35. It’s a ski pack that’s ready for big loads, overnight trips and technical objectives. Targhee Pack Design The Targhee FT 35 is a traditional top… Read More
Backcountry Ski Packing List What’s in your ski pack? It’s a good question, and it’s one that I occasionally ask myself as I heft the weight of my pack to my shoulder in the morning. There’s no sense in carrying more up the hill than you need to, but there are essential items that you should always carry on a… Read More
Know Your Snowpack Stability Tests With the growing complexity of snowpacks around the country, it’s a great time to brush up on your snowpack knowledge, specifically common snowpack stability tests. The following video presentation of snowpack stability tests by Bruce Jamieson and Mike Conlan from the Applied Snow and Avalanche Research Center at the University of Calgary in Alberta offers a lot of… Read More
Osprey Soelden 32 Backcountry Ski Pack Skins. Shovel. Probe. Layers. Goggles. Food. Water. Check. Packing for a ski tour isn’t rocket science, but dialing in your ski pack for easy access to the gear you want — when you want it — takes practice and a pack with thoughtful organization. The Osprey Soelden 32 backcountry ski pack balances a quick-access… Read More
Outdoor Research Helium Jacket – Ultralight, Packable Rain Jacket The wet weather has arrived. It’s not quite ski season, so full-on GORE-TEX ski wear is not really necessary. But if you want to head for the hills during shoulder season, you need some sort of waterproof jacket. The Outdoor Research Helium jacket sets a high standard for ultralight rain jackets,… Read More
Light is Right with the Black Diamond Cirque 30 Ski Pack I’ve long subscribed to the less-is-more philosophy when weighing design options and choosing a ski touring pack. The fewer zippers, buckles and accessory pockets, the better, in my opinion. The Black Diamond Cirque 30 ski pack fits the less-is-more profile to a tee. Alpine Climb Inspired For skiers who… Read More
