Love’m… and Leave’m Behind

Andrew — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:00:43 +0000

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 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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Love’m… and Leave’m Behind