Like backpacking, efficient bikepacking is all about packing light. Careful choices in tent, sleep system and cook kit are easy places to save weight and space. Choosing a lightweight camping stove and meal plan saves significant weight and space over a more complex cooking plan and stove setup (read about freeze-dried meals and meal tips for bikepacking). There’s no shortage… Read More
As the adventure-cycling category grows, gravel bikes continue to evolve with improved tire clearance. Tire clearance translates to versatility, making a gravel bike a quiver-of-one bike. Run 30mm tires for all-purpose road rides. Run 40mm for all-purpose gravel riding. And run 50mm for adventure rides and bikepacking. How Wide For Gravel Tires Of course, extra tire clearance also raises the… Read More
The current trend in cycling sunglasses is for maximum coverage, where bigger equals better. From well-known brands like Tifosi, Oakley and Smith to up-and-coming brands like Vallon, maximum coverage offers bold aesthetics and serious performance.
Bikepacking Route Craft 101 “All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost.” — JR Tolkien. Gandalf’s words to Frodo as the Hobbit departs in search of Aragorn are equally sage advice for those looking to learn the art of creating bikepacking and adventure gravel routes. Route craft requires equal parts map-reading skills, curiosity and… Read More
Routine Maintenance Keeping your bike running smoothly is all about routine maintenance. Regular cleaning, lubing and fine-tuning are what keep the miles rolling easy. As the wet season begins here in the Pacific Northwest, regular cleaning is more important than ever to keep your bike running well. As the old saying goes for horses, “rode hard and put away wet”… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities – The Newbie We’ve all been there. New gear or new to the sport, the Newbie is both endearing and embarrassing. 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
April showers may bring May flowers, but March is when I start itching to ride more. March has its fair share of showers, so getting out means wearing rain gear. I will go out on a limb and suggest that no one really wants to ride their bike in the rain. It’s more something that happens because you ride a… Read More
No matter how well your ski boots fit, taking them off at the end of the day always feels good. We all have our fave shoes to slip into after a day in our ski boots. Blundstones, Bogs, Sorels, or even comfy sneakers work, but I recently discovered a new favorite après-ski boot — XTRATUF Deck Boots, specifically the fleece-lined… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities One could argue that a Rando Racer is not really a backcountry skier, and that the easiest way to take the fun out of backcountry skiing is to time it. But there’s been some bleed-over between the rando race scene and the lightweight touring world, so here is the Rando Racer backcountry skier profile. Stay tuned for… Read More
Blown-In — A semi-regular look at the latest ski and outdoor industry news bits is a collection of press releases, new products, and interesting stuff circulating on the interweb that catches our attention. This edition of Blown-In features recent avalanche activity, Black Diamond gets subpoenaed, the Hilaree Nelson Education Scholarship and the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Scholarship Award. Elevated… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities We all know a Bro or two. A classic ski bum stereotype, the Bro Brah is found all over the world. Stay tuned for the still to come Rando Racer and Newbie profiles. The Bro Brah Few skiers are as easy to identify as the quintessential Bro Brah. The Bro Brah is part ski bum and part… Read More
Since the advent of digital signal processing and the three-antenna transceiver design, avalanche beacon tech advances have been relatively incremental. There have been minor design updates, processing improvements and some promising features like voice direction and signal flagging. Nonetheless, for the average user, it’s hard to see the differences between most beacons. The Barryvox S2 by Mammut aims to change… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities No backcountry skier profile would be complete without a look at the Luddite. Sometimes grumpy and always enthusiastic, the Luddite is like a snapshot in time from ski gear history. Stay tuned for the still-to=come Bro Brah, Rando Racer and Newbie profiles and be sure to read the Gearhead, Luddite and Jaded Local profiles. The Luddite Similar… Read More
Tour Better – Tips for Better Ski Touring Backcountry skiing is a balance of adventure, fitness and skills. The more you tour, the better your systems and the smoother the day. I surveyed a few ski pals for their favorite backcountry skiing tips and tricks. From planning and layering to gear maintenance and must-have items, here are our top 10… Read More
Raise the Bar on Backcountry Communication – Rocky Talkie Radios If you don’t ski with two-way radios, you should. Good communication makes for a good day and safe travel protocol in the backcountry. On the most basic level, good communication is about staying in touch with your ski partner(s) while climbing and skiing. When the terrain splits your group, or… Read More
