Nov 07 2013

Wireless speaker for Camp Decadence

 

Wireless Audio Experience. WAE cool.

Wireless Audio Experience. WAE cool.

Got me one of them newfangled wireless speakers sent last week, made by Hercules called the WAE, which stands for Wireless Audio Experience. Their BTP04 model is a relatively small package, a bit smaller than a one liter bottle. Small enough that you wouldn’t mind taking on it an overnight backpack, especially if you were planning on adding a dash of decadence to the camp scene. If you’re going to be really remote, be sure your smart phone has the music you want to hear in memory already. Otherwise, why bother?

Which is where this portable speaker excels. Simply toggle the On button, beneath a durable, water-resistant black rubber cover on one end, and then have your stupid phone, the one that is sold as being smart but really just has great memory, search for a local Bluetooth® and it will pretty much automatically connect. Now “that” bit of magic seems pretty smart, until you realize it’s just a dumb, but well-trained robot. Then have that ‘bot play some music, or whatever it is you want to hear as long as it isn’t something from the presstitute media.
Keep making backcountry turns

Nov 05 2013

Tech Tip: Making a Buckled Power Strap

 

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Bravo Tecnica.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Bravo Tecnica.

One of the best developments to come out of the latest round of AT boots is a buckled power strap. From a strictly mechanical point of view it does not necessarily equal a buckle, but it increases the pressure available from a velcro’d power strap. More importantly to ski mountaineers, it allows you to quickly free up your lower leg by just releasing the power strap without having to undo the velcro patch and reattach it in a looser position. Once your preferred tension is set with the buckle latched, just pop the buckle open to loosen the cuff for more mobility — walking, skinning or standing around.

The best incarnation of this is the power strap on K2’s Pinnacle 130. If you’re going to get picky about convenience, this power strap allows you to set the tension, and leave it. When you want to get out of the boot, even then you can leave the velcro strap locked in position, just detach the buckle to open the top of the cuff.
Keep making backcountry turns

Oct 30 2013

A.T. Boot Review: BD’s Factor MX

 

BD's Factor MX - much improved!

BD’s Factor MX – much improved!

When I began locking my heel again two years ago I was surprised how far Black Diamond had missed the mark with their AT boot line. This year’s updated Factor MX does a lot to remedy that.

Since inception BD’s tele boot line was too aggro and heavy for me to spend much time in, but I figured their alpine boots would be a hit for the training heel crowd. Then I tried a pair on and found out why that wasn’t so true. They weren’t bad, but they didn’t rock my world either. Cuff ROM was sub par and so was the fit. Admittedly I had zero options for on-the-hill adjustments, but it didn’t wow me making turns either. Just sort of okay.

This year the Factor MX gets a make over and it is more than skin deep. The improvements make it a worthy contender again. In a nutshell they’re on par with several other excellent, mid-weight boots (less than 4½ lbs./boot) that work equally well going down or skinning back up.
Keep making backcountry turns

Oct 27 2013

Picking the right Tech Binding

 

Going light reaps more fluff. RB demonstrates on Lil' Morrison.

Going light reaps more fluff. RB demonstrates on Lil’ Morrison.

Choosing whether or not to go all in with alpine touring is a question that begets several more. First, are you serious? If you’re not, just get a passport binding to get you going until you’re undeniably hooked on the backcountry. Once you’re hooked then it’s time to get serious with your attitude, and about gear.

Inevitably you will adopt the time honored principles of “speed is safety” and “light is right.” Weight is great, when you’re in camp decadence. For fast strike tours, or going long and deep, weight is a hazard. Now you’ll be looking for the best balance between performance and a compromise you can live with that chops weight by the pound; a pound here and there adds up quickly.
Keep making backcountry turns

Oct 24 2013

BCTalk: Battle Abbey, BC, Canada

Morning run at Battle Abbey. Photo by Tom LeCount

Morning run at Battle Abbey. Photo by Tom LeCount

Oct 21 2013

BC News Roundup

Updated 25oct13: More info on NTN below.

First American 2-pin Tech Toe

TTS with the first American-made tech toe.

TTS with the first American-made tech toe.

Olympus Mountain Gear has managed to scrap together the resources to build the first American made tech toe for their TTS binding. Existing manufacturers were unwilling to sell tech toe units to OMG. As Oliver Steffen, president of G3 explained, the problem comes down to liability and whether or not a product is being used as intended. Those boundaries are strictly defined and there isn’t enough money at stake to add the use of a cable around the heel or the NTN heel. Perhaps that is about to change. So far, the fastest way to implement TTS is to cannibalize an existing Dynafit binding from your own quiver, or get a pair used, then add the cable system.
Keep making backcountry turns

Oct 20 2013

BCTalk: Chilcotins, Canada

Chilcotins - where's the hut?

Chilcotins – where’s the hut? Photo by SteveK


From BackcountryTalk on Earn Your Turns: BC Photos, let’s see ’em!