Category: Gear

1st Look: K2’s Pinnacle 130 for AT

  For their first foray into the world of ski boots K2 is making a big splash in a pond teaming with established competitors. What’s more, they’re making a big deal of the freeride, go-anywhere-you-want aspect of their line. Which means they deserve a closer look. At the WWSRA demo day in February I stuck …

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1st Impressions from WWSRA Demo Day

  Even the though the bulk of new gear for next season is aimed at the urban backcountry skier, that just whets the appetite for more adventure down the road. It is awesome to see how many manufacturers are offering the necessary ingredients for a BC passport. One day at the Outdoor Retailer show was …

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Ski Review: Dynastar’s Cham HM 97

  When you first look at any of Dynastar’s Cham skis it is hard not to think, “somebody was smoking some whacky tobaccy when they made that ski.” Even in an age when traditional shapes and construction are rarely the norm anymore the Cham series draws attention with a tip that more resembles the bow …

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Review: Scarpa Freedom SL

  For a heavy weight boot from a backcountry focused company Scarpa’s new AT boot, the Freedom, delivers much of the performance you would expect from a traditional alpine boot, but without much weight. If that sounds contradictory, let me explain. True, it does weigh in at an ounce over four pounds per boot (1.85 …

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Mantis: Elegant home brewed TTS

Editor’s Note: The fact that several people are tinkering on their own with the TTS concept verifies two things. First, that tele is far from dead. Secondly, that the future of further progress in the telemark world will be found where the grass roots energy is flowering in spite of the lack of commercial development. …

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Black Diamond goes all in on apparel

When Black Diamond set out to impress the press with the launch of their apparel line it was obvious what they intended to do. Frankly I wasn’t expecting that much of substance, but figured it would be a good show. Indeed, the showmanship was top notch for a bunch of guys struting their athletic builds …

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Airbag Review: Mystery Ranch’s Blackjack

Admittedly it took a few tours for me to warm up to the Blackjack from Mystery Ranch and even then I wasn’t completely convinced until I happened to share a ride up the Jerome chairlift at Sugar Bowl with a ski patroller who also happened to be wearing the Blackjack on his back. He pointed …

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