Ski Pack Testing Testing new packs often tests my patience for locating my gear, as every pack has a different pocket scheme and loading style. Some speak to me, some don’t. In general, I like a simple and pretty traditional top-loading design. Other design characteristics that top my list include a dedicated avalanche safety tools zone, easy access pockets for… Read More
As if any of us needs another reason to dream about skiing Japan, DPS, Outdoor Research and Gore-Tex offer six minutes of temptation to book now. Three wanderers emerge from a raging Hokkaido storm, and are drawn into the light and the warmth of a mysterious doorway. The snow flies and the wind beats against the walls, but here, in… Read More
It’s easy to get jaded about the Jet-A fueled, cliff hucking ski film world; a little goes a long way. It’s refreshing to see a more homespun effort that includes enviable backcountry terrain and skiers working hard to make it happen. Patience is a Virtue is a nice short grassroots ski film that hits the DIY target. These two live in Cooke… Read More
With summer turning to fall and winter on the horizon, the off-season is almost behind us. The next month or two offer a chance to savor the last warmth of the sun and anticipate the ski days to come. Here’s a short film that pays tribute to the off-season from T-Bar Films, an independent media cooperative founded by brothers Elliot… Read More
In the national forest around the volcano near my home, there is a pocket formed by the near-perpendicular intersection of two ridges. There’s a steep, old logging road that winds its way up to the ridgetop above this cleft in the earth, past a small spring that seeps downhill and is gathered by a creek and continues onward. I am… Read More
Wave Skiing by Salomon FreeSki TV Fall is not quite in the air, so here’s a not quite snow related ski film. A few years ago, Voile did some water skiing on their skis. I suppose it was only time before someone decided to try surfing . . . and now for something completely different. Wave Skiing by Salomon FreeSki TV
Alpine Singletrack on the Rise Story and Photos by Steve Shannon A hundred kilometers south of Revelstoke, British Columbia, tucked away in an alpine meadow in the Monashee Mountains, sits a growing alpine singletrack hotspot: Sol Mountain Lodge. Sol has operated as a ski touring lodge since 2005 but with the lodge accessible by car after the snow melts, owner, Aaron… Read More
REPAIR, RENEW, REUSE All in a day’s work at Mountain Soles In an era of disposable products where cheaper equals better to many consumers, there stands a testament to quality and longevity in a small shop in Portland, Oregon. Mountain Soles, a fixture in Northwest outdoor gear repair since 1979, has been quietly repairing, altering and renewing quality outdoor footwear,… Read More
Every summer we post the previous season’s back issues of Off Piste Magazine and here’s the links for the 2014-15 digital editions. These are digital “page turners” and it’s the same format that our digital subscription uses. Of course, subscribers get the digi editions during the ski season as they are released. You can look at previous seasons’ back issues… Read More
Less is more, going for it on nordic ski gear . . .
Aeropress Portable Coffee Maker The AeroPress is the best travel coffee maker on the market. It’s simple to use, durable and easy to clean. But most importantly, it makes a great cup of coffee. From car camping to road trips and backcountry to bikepacking use, AeroPress is our go-to portable coffee maker. How The AeroPress Works Using a small paper… Read More
Here’s a short Tuesday time waster to remind you to be careful when locking into your skis on the summit . . . yikes. Summit fever gone bad
The Dynafit Radical The proliferation of new tech bindings this past season is proof that the system has gained mainstream appeal. Of course, all the new options are sure to put pressure on Dynafit, the originator of the tech-binding concept. The Dynafit Radical binding is arguably the most widely used tech binding on the market. The Speed Radical, Radical ST and… Read More
Here’s a little pure ski inspiration – human-powered, big mountain fun in the Canadian Rockies . . .
2015 has been the year of the tech binding. The G3 ION, the Fritschi Vipec and the Marker Kingpin have all hit the market. Marker is the first big player to offer a significantly new take on the traditional pin-tech style heel attachment. The Marker Kingpin is essentially a hybrid binding featuring a tech toe and an alpine heel connection. The Kingpin’s… Read More
