-Trip Report- Whitewall: Abundance of Caution (January 2010)

                                                      Going Ninja on Whitewall

The thermometer registered 9 degrees above zero as we pulled into the parking lot.

It was already 7 pm and dark.  The plan was to get up to Zealand Notch, camp overnight, ski Whitewall in the morning and then possibly ski Mt. Hale on the way back in the afternoon.  We calculated a total distance (round trip) of around 12 miles-- even without a trip up to the top of Mt. Hale it was ambitious.  Gered and I had already spent the better part of the afternoon braving high winds and zamboni grade ice at Cannon Mountain.  Our legs were tired and our spirits were low.  And we still had a long two days ahead of us.

My Review of REI Taku Pants - Men's - 30" Inseam

Originally submitted at REI

The REI Taku pants, in a 30 in. inseam, are a versatile option for your backcountry pursuits. Waterproof, breathable stretch fabric provides the ultimate in comfort and the ultimate in protection.

REI Taku Pants - Men's - 30" Inseam

Comfortable and dry but flimsy

By NEBackcountryXplorer from Boston, MA on 3/22/2010

 

2out of 5

Gift: No

Waist: Feels true to size

Length: Feels true to length

Pros: Breathable, Comfortable

Cons: Poor Material or Construction

Best Uses: Hiking, Backpacking

Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer

I appreciate the exact sizing of these pants. Most comparable items don't come in leg/waist sizing, instead coming in generic S/M/L sizes. I have Hobbit legs (30") so most standard sized pants are too long (32"). These were comfortable, and kept me dry during resort and backcountry skiing. My complaint is that the fabric in the ankle area is easily cut by ski edges or crampons. This should be a simple fix for REI. It merely requires a stronger material in that one fairly small area on the pants. These are great if you plan on wearing them for hiking, or using gaiters. I would not, however, buy these again for skiing.

(legalese)

Rudy Reborn: Better, Stronger, Faster

"We can make him better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster."

From Sean Astin to Steve Austin, Rudy is reborn.  It didn't exactly cost six million dollars, or even six dollars for that matter, but Rudy's back and better than before.

Boot Flex Rating System

So you've bought a new pair of eight pound skis and your  backcountry boots don't have enough backbone to push them around.  How do you figure out what boots would be more appropriate?

Interestingly, there is no universal standard for boot flex.  Some manufacturers assign their own rating system, but the ratings aren't useful for cross-brand comparisons.

Luckily, the folks over at Teton Gravity Research have already put together an unofficial rating system for the most popular boots.

Whitesnake: A Ski Review

...an' I've made up my mind, ...I'm ain't wasting no more time.... Here I go again with another ski review.

It's not everyday that you come across some guy from Tennessee selling several thousand pairs of identical skis on Ebay.  After failing to sell his bulk load of army surplus skis, I encouraged the owner to sell me a few pairs (Gered and Justin jumped on the deal too) for $25 a piece.  Not bad.

Duck Duck Get Hit in the Head with a Stick

While discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the recent helmet fad around dinner a few weeks ago, I decided that if I was to continue bashing ski helmets I should at least try one out to see how poorly I perform without the keen sense of hearing and broad field of vision my hat head allows for.

It's not that I don't have the excuse of not having a helmet to try. I have one, and I've worn it, and I think it serves a real purpose. For one, it is great to wear bike commuting in the winter. The lack of chilling air vents aside, there are numerous disadvantages. To start, I found it in a dumpster, it's 10 years old, and weighs 200 pounds. And makes you deaf as a door knob. So, I've never worn it skiing.

That all changed the other day when I saw this beauty. One of the lightest helmets on the market, great vent control (super warm) and DOLBY Surround (tm) quality sound built in. And, it's blue. Love at first sight.