Gear Reviews
Cheap Core-Shot Base Repair
After getting a cavernous core-shot repaired, I was so impressed with the quality of the repair I asked how much a good base-welder costs. “About $1,200.” Hmmm, I probably don’t need one that badly, but I do often rip moderate gouges in my bases that I’d like to repair, but aren’t worth the time and […]
Skin Glue Touch-Up
Blown out skin glue is a very common malady and with our recent snap of cold weather, I’ve seen at least one skin track casualty per day due to *&^%’ing glue. I think this is especially common in the Wasatch where it is very easy to get a dusting of snow on your skins while […]
Last Second Xmas Gifts
Last second is a relative term when you shop with Backcountry.com, especially if you live in Utah where their main warehouse is located. I’ve ordered gear at 1:00pm and had it show up the next morning by 10:30am, via their standard free shipping service. In that regard, you have pleeeenty of time to shop before […]
AK Factor Guidebook
After many years of research, Joe Stock of Anchorage, AK has recently published a new guidebook titled “The Alaska Factor – Backcountry Skiing in Southcentral Alaska.” It’s a full-color beauty and well worth adding to your guidebook collection. The Alaska Factor mainly focuses on areas that are day or weekend trips from the Anchorage area, […]
Wasatch BC Skiing Map
Have you ever wondered where Oingo Boingo, Hoop’s Crotch, Room of Doom or Toot to Boot is? Wonder no more, as Steve Achelis has put together the be all, end all of Wasatch backcountry skiing maps, appropriately titled “Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map.” The map, and it’s even more powerful accompanying website, document over 1,000 named […]
Pentax WG-II Review
Shopping for a new rugged camera is an exercise in frustration as instead of finding the best one, you are left trying to find the one which sucks the least. Two and three star reviews are the norm and almost every review leaves you hanging with a teaser like, “this is a horrible camera and […]
HotWire History
I recently saw that Outside Magazine had voted the HotWire carabiner as one of the most influential pieces of gear of all time, which was a delayed honor as I designed the HotWire 18 years ago when I was working at Black Diamond Equipment. I first started working at BD right after they had broken […]
The Elusive Pot Parka
I was checking out Forrest McCarthy’s ultralight gear list from his recent sufferfest on the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Ski Classic, and was surprised to see that a pot parka made the cut. I’ve been using them for years and haven’t been able to find them any more, so I was especially psyched to see that […]
OR Show Overview
Another Outdoor Retailer Show has come and gone. At two per year (winter and summer), times 20 years (minus a few missed ones), this was about my 30th OR Show, and I still really enjoy them. More than anything, it is a great way to catch up with all sorts of people, meet new ones […]
Scarpa Aliens
I’m wearing a Scarpa Alien boot on my right foot and a Montrail running shoe on my left, and without looking, it’s hard to tell the difference. The Alien is the latest full-on race boot from Scarpa and one of the things I love about it is that it is so completely, apologetically specialized that […]
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