Feb 18 2013

AT Boot Review: Tecnica’s Cochise

 

The Cochise Pro 130.
Burly without the burden.

Tecnica’s Cochise, not just a model but a complete line of AT boots, has built a solid following among skiers looking for the ultimate go anywhere boot. It is powerful enough to deliver control while hammering through mogul fields, but has enough cuff mobility to keep you smiling while earning your turns. With the option to swap in tech inserts you can reduce weight enough to use on a big vert day in the backcountry.

Of the many variations in the Cochise family, my fave is probably the Cochise 110. Mind you I haven’t tested it, per se, but my time in the Pro Light with a flex rating of 130 suggests the 110 would be more to my liking. If you like a stiff flexing boot the Cochise Pro 130 or Pro Light will probably be right up your ally, especially if you tip the scales in the 200+ pound (90 kg) range. Aside from the flex of the cuff, the Triax plastic lower shell insures there is no rotational loss of control with the Cochise, yet it is relatively easy to modify if you have a foot that demands a bit of punching or grinding.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 13 2013

ATK’s Newmark – lightest tele tech binding

ATK’s Newmark – the latest idea for merging tech with tele.

Europeans have not been sitting on their laurels lately. The latest evidence comes from ATK, an Italian manufacturer of race caliber tech binding.

In spite of the apparent lack of interest in telemark skiing by retailers, interest continues by the practicing faithful as well as manufacturers dreaming of a better way. The latest variation comes from Italian tech binding manufacturer ATK and they are calling it the Newmark binding.

At first glance it appears to reinforce the concept that a Dynafit-style toepiece can be utilized as part of a telemark binding. The key, of course, is this requires a telemark boot with Dynafit inserts in the toe. For those intent on retiring the ubiquitous duckbilled telemark boot, the Newmark binding represents another threat to their continued existence.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 12 2013

Tahoe’s Nachtspektakel II grows by 2x

 
Last Saturday, February 9th, 2013, Alpenglow Sports and Dynafit hosted the 2nd annual Nachtspektakel event for the Tahoe area. Over 90 people showed up to skin to Squaw’s High Camp as the sun set below the Sierra Crest. This was nearly double the number of people from the inaugural event. According to Jason Telford, Dynafit representative, this was the largest event of its kind in the United States.

About half the hundred or so gather for a group shot before heading up to Squaw’s High Camp to party!


As predicted, the skin up from Squaw’s Village to High Camp began at 3pm TST (Tahoe Sharp Time) with nearly a 100 pairs of skins final gripping snow and making tracks up the summer access road around 3:45pm. It took about 2-1/2 hours for all the skinners to make the 1800 vertical foot journey to High Camp. The fastest skinner of the group, a tall lad dressed in green, charged ahead with a pair of Fritschi Freerides, perhaps to show the dynafiddle crowd it takes more than equipment to set a winning pace.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 11 2013

Thule makes ‘chains required’ easy

Climbing skins for cars – by Thule

One of the unexpected gems found in the aisles of the recent Outdoor Retailer Winter show was a new type of traction device for skiers. No, I’m not talking about climbing skins for skis, think of these as climbing skins for your car. For those of us who love to ski there are two choices to be made when considering an automobile – go with a 4WD or AWD transmission, or take your chances with two wheel drive and chains.

If you can afford it, the 4WD transmission is the way to go. For the discerning, as long as it isn’t a Government Motors product, AWD is highly recommended. Yes, these options are more expensive but the convenience they provide when the roads are covered with crystalline water is easily justified, especially when you can be waived through a chain check.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 10 2013

Backcountry Mag’s Icon Issue

BC Mag’s Icon Issue. 50 living legends + superb photos and inspirational words.

Have you seen the latest issue of Backcountry Magazine? Besides the usual fair of stunning photography with inspirational words to accompany those images, the current issue focuses on the who’s who of the backcountry world.

As much as I’d like to remain silent and humble about it, the fact is the latter can’t be done without a bit of confession. So I am humbled, and honored at being included in Backcountry Magazine’s list of 50 backcountry icons.

It is an honor because this comes from peers steering a ship that was once a competitor, then odd couple partners, and friends. No doubt the votes and nominations came from some of the others listed, and you. While your opinion might not have been solicited, the sentiments from the community at large had some sort of influence in this, even if not directly.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 07 2013

Internat’l Tele instructors flocking to Snowbird

When people get passionate about something you can take all the numbers that say it can never happen and simply trash ’em. The latest example is the first ever Inter Tele & Tele Academy for PSIA instructors and instructors from around the world. It will be held April, 17-21, 2013 at Snowbird, Utah.

Two years ago the PSIA Nordic ski team hosted the first ever Telemark Academy at A-Basin resort to share ideas and techniques on teaching telemark skiing. An alpine oriented instructor academy had been offered for years with a few optional seminars on tele technique thrown in to pacify the free heel faithful. When asked if a separate telemark only academy could be established the pinners were told there wouldn’t be enough interest.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 06 2013

Review: 22D’s ski crampon for AXL

 

22D’s AXL w/teeth!

You probably don’t remember 22 Designs announcement at last years OR show (OR Winter 2012) that they were going to make ski crampons for their renowned AXL binding. I might have overlooked it myself except for the fact that the sample they had in their booth had backwards teeth. It was certainly contrary to any other pair of ski crampon I’d ever seen but I mused, “maybe these young turks from 22D knew something the rest of us missed?!”

Thankfully that isn’t quite true as the sample pair they sent arrived with teeth pointing to the rear like everyone else. The only practical difference was how the crampon hooked on to the binding.
Keep making backcountry turns