Archive for the '02 Gear' Category

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Gear – A Question of Balance, Part II

Published on February 27, 2009 in 02 Gear. 18 Comments Tags: .

In regards to balanced gear diets, here are my current favorites:

Superlight  (15% of the time)

   Skis – 160cm K2 Sahale (68mm waist)
   Bindings – Dynafit TLT’s without brakes
   Boots – Scarpa F1

Comments:  In the right conditions, I love this set-up as it tours effortlessly.  Because it is so light, you don’t have to be going very fast to feel like you’re haulin’ ass, so the thrill is the same as mach-schnelling downhill with a much heavier set-up.  The disadvantage is that it gets knocked around in anything less than ideal (corn/powder) conditions.

Medium Light (45% of the time)

   Skis – 167cm K2 Backouts (Euro skis similar to Chugoris/Summits – 72mm waist)
   Bindings – Dynafit ST Verticals with brakes
   Boots – Scarpa F3

Comments: I prefer this set-up whenever possible as I can ski powder, chutes, meadow skipping, etc. and it has it covered.  It tours very well but is a challenge when the snow gets tricky.  For expeditions, I take this set-up with the Scarpa Spirit 3 boots as the F3′s can get overpowered with a heavy pack or wind-jacked snow.

Medium Heavy (35% of the time)

   Skis – 167cm K2 Mt Baker Superlights (88mm waist)
   Bindings – Dynafit Comforts (no brakes)
   Boots – Scarpa Spirit 3

Comments: I use this set-up for powder, shorter tours or when I’m going out with a semi heavy-metal crowd.   I love the way it skis (especially powder), but there’s a weight penalty for longer tours. 

Heavy Metal Thunder (5% of the time)

   Skis – 167cm K2 Kung Fujas (twin tip alpine skis – 94mm waist)
   Bindings – Marker Dukes
   Boots – Scarpa Typhoons

Comments:  I use this set-up for kiting as I get yanked around and land backwards (twin-tips help), as well as resort skiing.  I like the Marker Dukes for this as they have excellent return-to-center abilities, a clean, predictable release and are brainless to step into.  Weight isn’t an issue as I’m probably not carrying them more than 100′.  Tourability is almost more of an insurance policy – it would be better than post holing.

An embarrasment of riches?  Yes, but it is a job and somebody has to do it.  :)

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Gear – A Question of Balance

Published on February 26, 2009 in 02 Gear. 18 Comments Tags: .

Individually, skis, boots and bindings are important, but a far more significant concept is how they all work together.  I was reminded of this the other day when a friend mentioned that he didn’t think his new boots were stiff enough, which may have been the case, but then again, the 125mm waisted skis he was on may have just been too much for them as well.

Light is right... for long and/or fast outings.

Even if you buy all top-of-the-line gear, it can still seem “off” if it isn’t matched carefully.  A quiver of skis is nice, but a quiver of skis/boots/bindings is even better.  For backcountry skiing, I alternate between three set-up; superlight racing, lightweight all-purpose and the heavy-metal monsters.  I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite as they all serve such differnt purposes, and in their respective catagories, I think they all ski really well.  On rare occassions I’ll use a heavier boot on a lighter ski, which can be fun as you can drive the ski like a nail and make it come around REALLY fast.

Mid weight, all around. Hard to go wrong, except if you are going really far, or really fast.

When I look at a new skis, boots or bindings, the catagory they are in (light, medium, heavy) is more important than the individual product.  For example, Dynafit TLT bindings (light), Scarpa Spirit 3 boots (medium), and K2 Coomba skis (heavy) are all great products, but would be a horrendous combination.  Conversely, when properly matched, the sum of an assembly of mediocre gear can be magical.

Heavy metal thunder (although not really a touring set-up).

 That said, if it skis good, it is good.  Your mileage may vary.

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BeaconReviews.com

Published on November 20, 2008 in 02 Gear. 0 Comments Tags: .

I found out about BeaconReviews.com through an odd coincidence – the webmaster, Steve Achelis, is a mountain unicycle rider and was suppose to go out on a ride with us today, but couldn’t as he was reviewing beacons.  I’ve never met Steve, but the website is excellent.

I’ll probably get sued for saying this (like I almost did for my last beacon review…), but the top brands of modern beacons are all pretty good and as much as anything, it is a matter of personal preference.  In the right hands and with enough practice, people can get very speedy with any beacon in a search.  That said, I was psyched to see that Steve also thought my current beacon of choice was one of the top contenders.

A great thing about BeaconReviews.com is that as much as anything, it is a labor of love for Steve.  He is a software entrepreneur and presents everything you’d ever want to know about how beacons work, current reviews, known issues, history and tons of links.  It is like Consumer Reports for beacon buyers – straight up facts coupled with ratings which are unbiased by manufacturer’s advertising.

Hopefully I’ll get out MUni riding with Steve sometime soon (or better yet, skiing) as it would be fun to discuss this in person with him.  Until then, check it out.

http://beaconreviews.com/transceivers/

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High Stakes Snow Anchors

Published on October 9, 2008 in 02 Gear. 4 Comments Tags: .

When it comes to dedicated snow anchors, nothing beats the simplicity, strength and versatility of the classic Snow Stake, also known as a Picket, Snow Fluke or Snow Pig.  They are the ultimate do-it-yourself piece of climbing equipment involving not much more than a length of angle aluminum, a drill, hacksaw and some beer. 

Placed correctly, pickets (as I call them) can be unbelievably strong and provide a secure anchor in the middle of a blank field of snow for belaying, hauling, rappelling or lowering.  The metal ones are usually retrieved, although skiers have been known to make bio-degradable versions out of stout wood if they anticipate leaving them for a rappel.

Broken pickets from Don Bogies excellent study.
Broken pickets from Don Bogie’s excellent study.

A few years ago I was attending an AMGA Ski Guides Course when the instructor made an off-hand comment about how his picket was so strong it could hold ten people.  We all immediately challenged the claim, and after whacking it in and clipping a rope on to it, we lined ten people up and pulled as hard as we could.  The rope almost broke, but the picket held strong.  Pickets can be so reliable that it is easy to take them for granted, which can lead to accidents.  In 2003, four climbers died on Mt. Tasman in New Zealand as a result of a failed picket, which lead Don Bogie to conduct an exhaustive study on how to build, place, clip and best use them in all sorts of snow.

Click here for the pdf link to Don Bogie’s paper on Snow Anchors.

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Ode to the Voile Strap

Published on September 29, 2008 in 02 Gear. 6 Comments Tags: .
Duct tape doesn’t work very well for the cold, wet environs of ski mountaineering, but it hardly matters as there is something way better – Voile straps.  In terms of classic designs, these are right up near the top and incredibly useful for almost anything, including holding your skis together.  I prefer the Old Skool versions with the metal buckles as they are lightweight, simple and never break. 
Voile Straps - the world would fall apart without them...
Voile straps – the world would fall apart without them.
I’m not sure where this design came from, but I first saw it used for skiing purposes by Mark W. at Voile, thus they are commonly called “Voile Straps.”  They can be used to clamp boots if a buckle breaks, hold a blown skin onto a ski, help split a broken leg, field-repair a binding, strap crap onto a pack, hold together a cook kit and just about anything else you can think of.
They work well by themselves, or you can chain them together for added reach.
Great on their own, or you can chain them together for added length.

The longer the better, although beggars can’t be choosers and any length will do.  I assume you can buy these things, but more often than not, they are handed out for free at skiing events where I always try to grab more than my fair share.

Strapping up in Iran - Greg VonDoersten photo.
Strapping up in Iran – Greg VonDoersten photo.

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Avalanche Beacons – My Personal Preference

Published on September 24, 2008 in 02 Gear. 0 Comments Tags: .
Picking the right avalanche beacon is trickier than it may seem.  I’ve used Pieps, Barryvox, Ortovox and BCA Trackers over the years and am not wedded to any particular brand, but instead look for the best beacon available at the time when I decide to upgrade.  I hold onto my beacons for 2-4 years because once I learn a beacon, I like to stick with it.  For me to upgrade, there needs to be some major advancement, like dual frequency (now a non-issue), advent of digital beacons (now the norm) or a major leap in technology, as happened in the last couple of years. In addition to that, all the top-tier beacon companies make good products and are constantly leap-frogging each other with features, distance or speed, so it really depends year-to-year which one is the best.

To confuse the issue, the “best” beacon will depend in part on your personality.  In the hands of a Luddite, the fanciest, feature-packed beacon will be overwhelming, but to a techo-geek, it may be a dream come true.  For me, a big consideration is durability, as I tend to be hard on my beacons.  If I’m looking at a new beacon and it doesn’t seem like it could withstand being dropped on the floor, I don’t care how many fancy features it has, I’m not going to buy it. I want a beacon which is fast, easy to use, durable and absolutely intuitive.  Complicated button sequences to change modes doesn’t cut if for me.

There are no bad beacons, only bad users.
There are no bad beacons, only bad users.

I had the good fortune of doing a beacon review for SKIING Magazine last year.  The premise was (this came from SKIING) that you open the box, turn the beacon on and use it without reading the instructions.  I liked this idea as it was so real-world, for better or worse.   In the hands of someone who practices often, any beacon will be fast, but in a panic situation, intuition counts for a lot.  My personal pick from the beacon litter of that era was the Pieps DSP, based in part on its tight feature set, but also because it looked like I could drop it a few times.  So far I’ve been very happy with it – your mileage may vary.

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The Classic Diaper-Seat Harness

Published on September 15, 2008 in 02 Gear. 7 Comments Tags: .

After years of looking, I still haven’t found a harness that works better for general ski mountaineering than the trusty “diaper-seat” design.  This design is at least 25 years-old and its most famous incarnation is the Black Diamond Bod Harness, (named after Rod “The Bod” Johnson who designed it) although many other companies make them as well.  The diaper-seat name comes from the idea that after the waist belt is put on, you then pull the leg-loops through like a diaper and clip them off.

Because you are usually wearing thick, warm clothes when ski mountaineering, padding is unnecessary and is even undesirable as it absorbs water.  A spare set of gloves can provided extra padding if you need it, like when pulling a heavy sled. This style of harness works well for glacier travel, alpine and/or technical rock climbing, kiting, rappelling or hauling sleds. 

The time tested diaper-seat harness.
The time tested “diaper-seat” harness design.

 Advantages:

- Can be put on/off while wearing skis
- The leg loops can be dropped to drop your pants while still remaining tied in
- Has no padding or lining to get wet.
- Is compact, lightweight and inexpensive
- Can haul sleds off of the gear loops
- Has a full-strength rear gear loop for belayed skiing and/or glacier travel (or sled hauling)

Disadvantages:

The two major disadvantages of the Diaper Seat design is that it is decidedly unsexy and very low tech in a high tech harness world, and there is a higher chance of ROTT (Risk Of Trapped Testicles) if you spend a lot of time hanging in it.

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Ditch the Plastic Shovel

Published on September 11, 2008 in 02 Gear. 5 Comments Tags: , .

By the numbers, plastic shovels are supposedly as strong (or stronger) than steel and able to withstand incredibly low temperatures.  Their big selling points are that they are lighter and cheaper than metal.  The weight claims are a bit suspect as plastic shovels tend to be on the small side, which naturally makes them lighter, but also less functional.  When it comes to cost, there is no denying they are less expensive, but is $30 really worth it?

A plastic shovel which shattered catastrophically while digging a tent out. The tent survived, but a buried partner probably would not have.
A plastic shovel which shattered catastrophically while digging a tent out. The tent survived, but a buried partner may not have.

The biggest issue with plastic shovels is that they fail catastrophically without warning.  A metal blade on the other hand usually gives you some warning (if you are paying attention) in the form of bending or cracking, and can be nursed through an expedition and/or replaced before they have a chance to fail in the field.

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A Shovel Named Desire

Published on September 8, 2008 in 02 Gear. 0 Comments Tags: .
Avalanches shovels are a matter of personal choice and with so many out there, it is hard to go wrong.  The most important thing is to carry one – after that, if it works good, it is good.  I consider a well-made shovel to be a quality tool and am very particular about what I look for in them.  Probably the biggest mistake a skier can make with shovels to get a small, cheap one in order to save weight and cost.  Save weight in your ski/boot/binding set-up and think of a shovel’s price in terms of what your friend’s life is worth.  An extra $40 is well worth it and a good shovel will last a long time.

What I look for:

- A good sized METAL blade with high sides
- The joint between the blade and the handle should be precise – no wobbling
- I prefer a “D” handle as you can use it with mittens and clip it to your pack.

A shovel is only as good as its individual parts.
A shovel is only as good as its individual parts.
A flat back on the blade helps prevent scalloping when digging pit walls.
A squarish, flatter top edge to the blade gives a better boot contact surface. Rounded shapes are sexier, but your boot glaces off of them.

An extendable shaft is a back-saver for big excavating jobs. Being able to use it with or with out the extension is a nice feature.

 
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Love’m… and Leave’m Behind

Published on September 5, 2008 in 02 Gear. 10 Comments Tags: , .
Thermos’, goggles, ski crampons and helmets – these are a few of my least favorite things, at least in terms of backcountry skiing day trips.  I’m a less-is-more kind of guy and if I’ve carried something in my daypack for more than a few trips without using it, it gets the chop.  If I find that I really need/miss some item, I’ll bring it back, but more often than not backpacks suffer from gear-creep, as witnessed by my wife’s pack.  Everytime I pick it up I ask her “What do you have in here..?!”

Goggles – I like them for resort skiing, but wish I could get back all hours in life I’ve spent waiting for people to clear their gogg’s, only to have them instantly fog up again.  I prefer well-vented sunglasses and case-hardened corneas.

Thermos’ – Great for saving fuel on expeditions, but pack-hogging dead-weight anchors for day trips. 

Ski Crampons – Backcountry crutches.  Learn to skin and you’ll be way better off in the long run.

Helmets – I like them for technical skiing, resorts, kiting or alpine climbing, but not general BC skiing.  If anything, I think they instill a false sense of confidence.

Skiing with elephants - Jordy Margid (the man behind plastic teleboots in the US) shows how NOT to do it.
Skiing with elephants – Jordy Margid (the man behind plastic teleboots in the U.S.) shows how NOT to do it.

Other items that must go:

  • - water purifiers
  • - ice axes, especially those with classic picks.
  • - big lunches.

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