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The Fatigue pant is Saga's more tailored option. Rather then being the baggy fit of most of their gear it has a more tailored slim fit. I was wearing them in a XXL so although more fitted then I would normally wear they were by no means a skinny fit. For a more tailored pant they still offer a good amount of mobility. Im 5'10 and about 160lbs and although I did need to wear a belt to keep them up I never felt restricted by the fit. They have a 15K waterproofing rating but only a 10K breathability rating so are certainly more of a park/resort pant. I never had any issues with the waterproofing but they could get a little sweaty when hiking features. The style was what I really liked about the pants. The more slim fit matched up well with hoddies and they were a great spring time riding pant which could do equally well for a winter pant so long as you don't expect to be off hiking or touring in them. The build was really good and they felt very durable. Even after a few spills on rails they never showed any signs of wear. If you are looking for a slim fitting park pant the Fatigue would be a great option.
Revision skis may only be a couple of seasons old, but in their short existence they have already managed to get a lot of people talking about them. First of all, they offered unbelievable pricing, basically selling skis at cost and following that up with one of the most comprehensive warranty programs in the industry. They will even warranty skis which have been used on rails! But what really matters to most people is how the skis actually perform. A few reviews have been published, but they have mainly been on the powder and wider skis in the range. This being Newschoolers, we know the main interest will be on the park selection. Last winter, me and Twig got the chance to put the the Dime and Talisman skis through their paces. Twig’s review of the Talisman will be out next week, but here’s my views on how their flagship park ski stood up to our testing. [b]Construction[/b] [img=The weird topsheet where the bindings would be is not normally there. It's only there as Vin Diesel skied this particular pair (read on for that to make sense)]843746[/img] The Dime is a fairly interesting ski in regards to what is in fashion for parks skis at the moment. Full camber is not something you will find from many brands these days - the trend has been for park skis to get softer and more rockered - but personally, having grown up on full camber skis, they still have a place in my heart. At 90mm underfoot, this is not your old-school park ski and unlike a lot of higher-end comp sticks, the Dime is a fully symmetrical ski. At 117-90-117 it is relatively straight and has a longer turn radius of around 19.6m. Revision classify the Dime of having a flex of 8, and although this is a rather arbitrary number, these skis are stiff. Even hand flexing you can tell these are going to be serious. If you are looking for that soft, playful noodle it’s fair to say you may want to look elsewhere, but if boosting big is more your thing, then there is plenty of stability to be had. [img=Back when I started to ski park this would be considered a rockered tip, if rocker existed back then, but now this is considered full camber.]843747[/img] They use a fairly standard build, utilizing sidewall underfoot for increased carving performance and protection against rails, and a capped construction in the tip and tail to reduce swing weight and give a little more flex. They have a poplar and bamboo core, which gives a good combination of light weight and strength. At 2.2mm, the edges may not be the largest on the market, but they do look beefy enough to take on the worst that urban skiers could throw at them. Full carbon stringers are used to maximize pop and also hopefully prolong the lifespan of the flex, helping to reduce the likelihood that the skis will soften too much over time. Overall, the skis seem well built. Perhaps not at the highest quality being produced by some of the larger European factories or the more high-end North American shops, but you would be hard pressed to find any real shortcomings in the overall build quality. [b]On the Snow[/b] [img=Yes I'm grabbing boot, sorry Newschoolers. Photo Daniel Murphy]843748[/img] Being a symmetrical ski makes the mount point decision an easy one, centre is the only spot you would want, and although a good option for park, a centre mount can make the all mountain performance rather lacking; so it was here I started my testing. This particular pair of skis used to belong to Sandy Boville and it was not until later in the season that I got chance to test them out. Luckily the winter in Whistler last year was a good one and there was still plenty of snow to be found in April. My first time riding the skis was ripping round the 7th Heaven area of Blackcomb. If you have skied this area you will know there is a good mix of steeps, with plenty of rolls to get the skis airborne. For a relatively short, centre mounted ski they handled it very well. The stiffness was evident from the first few turns. These are not a ski you will be pressing around on, they prefer a faster more aggressive style. At 176 these skis aren’t that long, but the stiffness really helped and this is worth considering. Many people on this site just go long with skis, but the actual stiffness of a ski has a big role to play. With stiffer skis you can get away with going shorter, as the stability comes from the stiffness rather than the longer running length. If you are considering these skis you really don't need to be up-sizing. Although centre mounted skis are never my favorite for ripping around on, they still performed much better than I expected. I was skiing with a buddy who was riding the K2 Marksman (which Twig reviewed [url=http://www.newschoolers.com/news/read/The-Roofbox-Reviews-K2-Marksman-2017]here[/url]) and he is no slouch when it comes to skiing. I was following him over a blind roll and as soon as we caught air over the roll, we realized we had fucked up. The other side of the roll was a full mogul field that we would be landing into at about 70kmph. Mid-air I had visions of how horribly this was going to go wrong, but somehow I was able to pin it straight down the middle. These skis kill it in rough terrain, and so long as you are willing to hit stuff fast, these skis will get you to the other side with a look of disbelief that you survived. As a full park ski it’s safe to say these skis will rip all mountain. I did not get the chance to ski any real powder on them, but I would be confident to say that so long as you don't mind sinking a little and potentially leaning back, they would do a great job. [img=Photo Daniel Murphy]843749[/img] So out of the park they were something of a surprise, but I was interested to see if the stiff flex would yield any fun in amongst the jumps and jibs, so that is where I headed for the next week or so of testing. Let me start by saying this, no these are not a soft ski. You really have to work them, but this does not mean they are not fun. The stability is amazing and in the later season soft snow I was able to hit features hard, still knowing I would be able to stomp the landing every time. I will admit I did find the skis a little lacking in pop - they were not that lively at slower speeds and this is again down to how stiff they are. They still had enough to get you up and onto things, but compared to other skis I had tested, such as the Twall Pro model, you did have to work harder. On rails and boxes they felt really planted however. Some skis just seem to want to stay on features and you can certainly lock on your grinds with the Dime. The shorter size made the skis easy to spin and I never struggled catching the tips or tails, even without rocker, which I am quite used to in a park ski these days. Butters were tough though. You can certainly lean all your weight into the skis and know you will not over-flex the ski, but they are hard to get really flexing well. If your park days are more about a playful buttery style these are probably not the ski for you, but if you prefer to hit things hard and fast and love to stomp your landings, they could be well worth a look. [b]Durability [/b] [img=I did my best to destroy these skis but failed. Photo Daniel Murphy]843745[/img] Usually testing durability is a tough one to judge, but as I mentioned earlier these skis used to belong to Sandy Boville. If you have seen any of the recent Level 1 films you will know how hard he goes, and even with him abusing the skis before I got my hands on them, they were not in that bad shape. To make things even harder for this particular pair of skis, they began life skiing in the jungle on no snow. These were actually the skis Sandy used while filming XXX3 and even with this they still came out OK. The flex had maintained its stiff nature and even with a few edge cracks, they were doing surprisingly well. After riding the Dimes for a few weeks, Revision’s warranty scheme makes more sense to me. These skis feel bomb proof. Everything I could throw at them they shrugged off. This is partly down to their stiff nature, so it is something of a trade-off. What you lose in playfulness is more than made up for in durability. [b]Overall[/b] The Dime is an interesting ski overall. Stiff and full camber may not be in fashion these days, but I still think it has a place. For a smaller brand like Revision it’s pretty cool they are making something which is becoming harder to find. These may not appeal to the playful, buttery skiers, but if you like to ski hard and fast and hit every single object in sight, these a pair of skis that would potentially last longer than anything else you could find. They may not be my first choice, but they proved to be a lot more fun than I had expected after the first few hand flexes. I can see the design being refined over the next few seasons and personally I think softening the flex just slightly in the tip and tail, but maintaining that stiff flex underfoot, could yield some very good results. I really think Revision are a brand to keep an eye on over the next few years and considering they have the durability down already - something which can plague new brands initially - with some refinements to the designs they could have some seriously good skis in the future.
[b]Construction[/b] The Twall ski does not break the mold when it comes to construction, there are no fancy exotic carbon fibre cores and you won’t find pretzels in the base for that added pop, although that's not to say Line haven’t tried new things either. The Twall uses the same 2.2†wide by 2.5†tall edges found on the rest of their park skis and the same maple Macro block core found in both the Blend and the Chronic. Unlike the Chronic -which uses a full sidewall construction - the Tom Wallisch pro ski uses the same Cap wall build as the Blend. Capwall is a combination of a sidewall for strength and a cap on top to help keep the ski slightly lighter and also more flexible. An added benefit is the capped upper portion can help reduce the amount of sidewall chipping. Like most park skis today, the Twall has some early rise in the tip and tail. It would be a stretch to call it rockered, but it's certainly not full camber. When I measured the skis, the contact point from the tip was 36cm in and 35cm in from the tail, leaving 106cm of camber. The camber its self is not huge, however and I measured it to be only 3mm under the bindings, so compared to some of the higher end park skis, it could be considered relatively flat. One area the Twall does differ from most of Lines's other park skis is the shape of the tip and tail. Line went with a tapered tip and tail, much like that found on the Tigersnake. This tapered design is often found in all mountain and powder skis, where the shape can help reducing hooking up in soft snow, but on the Twall the shape was added to reduce swing weight. One area a few people may have concerns is in the sizing of the new ski. The Tom Wallisch Pro is offered in three heights; 164, 171 and 178. The 178 may sound on the shorter side, but through my testing I never found any issues with the size. More on that later though. At 90mm underfoot, the Twall falls pretty much in the middle of today's park skis. It not overly wide and it's certainly not a narrow mogul ski. Overall, the build quality looked as you would expect a high-end park ski. The bases came well finished and Line had even been kind enough to mount the skis, so all that was left to do was to get them on the snow. [b]On The Snow[/b] Before I get to the testing itself, I want to quickly cover one point which I'm sure will come up in the comments. Yes Line mounted the skis, but they mounted them with Squires. I have been a fan of Marker for a while, but being a grown man (at least physically) I was a little apprehensive about using the Squires. I run my Din at 11 for the park, so they would be maxed out and I almost switched them out for some Griffons I had straightaway, but being someone who likes to try as many products as possible, I thought I would give them a shot. Overall they were actually OK. In the park I didn’t suffer any pre-realeasing and out of the park I only had a few issues. They wouldn’t be a binding I would choose for myself, but I do feel some of the hate they get on NS is a little unjustified. image: http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/13/837313_926w_640h.jpeg [img]http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/13/837313_926w_640h.jpeg[/img] Anyway, January and February of last season were fairly light on snow at Whistler Blackcomb, but almost as soon as I got the Tom Wallisch skis, the heavens opened and we were blessed by day after day of soft white powder. Normally this would be great, but I was itching to try out the Twalls, so undeterred I decided to see what they could handle. Being based on the Chronic, a ski which excels out of the park, I was optimistic and ended up not being disappointed. The flex is certainly on the stiffer side for a park ski. The overall flex pattern is stiff underfoot, with a little more give in the tip and tail. Compared to the Chronics they do feel softer in the tip and tail, but compared to the Blend they feel somewhat stiffer throughout, especially underfoot. On the groomers they absolutely ripped. The stiffer mid section of the ski, combined with the semi sidewall, meant they hooked up really well and you could lay down some hard carves. The softer tip and tail, combined with the early rise, helped when things got a little rougher. At speed they felt very stable and I was happy to point them down some of Whistler's steeper runs. Compared to a ski like the NFX, which is one of the best park skis at speed in my opinion, they certainly held their own. image: http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/14/837314_926w_640h.jpeg [img]http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/14/837314_926w_640h.jpeg[/img] A large factor in how well they perform out of the park is Tom's mount point choice. His preferred choice for the ski is -3cm from center and this is where I skied them for the majority of the test. For a park ski this may sound strange not to just center, but this is a directional ski so is not optimized to be centered. I did try them centered in the park and yes they did feel a bit more fun on jibs and rails but the carving performance was affected. Yes center may be the go too for most of NS but there is something to be said for mounting a ski closer to where the recommended line is, and hey who are we to argue with Wallisch. In the deep stuff they performed much better than I expected. We had a few bigger pow days, where normally I would be reaching for a far wider ski, but for the most part I never had any major issues. It was actually nice to be sinking in the powder and getting more face shots, it almost took me back to skiing pow in the early 2000's when 90mm underfoot was considered crazy wide. The only time I really came into issues was up around the higher alpine, where at speed and in deeper, less predictable snow, they could become a little scary; as demonstrated by the video below. By the time the end of March rolled around the snow finally began to ease and the parks on Whistler and Blackcomb were in some of the best shape they had been all season. Now was the time to get these skis where there really belonged. From my experiences thus far I expected the skis to be great for hitting bigger features, but I did wonder if the stiffer flex might limit the skis on the more jibby stuff. I needn't have worried. image: http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/15/837315_926w_640h.jpeg [img]http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/15/837315_926w_640h.jpeg[/img] Photo: Daniel Murphy The flex - although certainly on the stiffer side - is extremely poppy. Getting onto rails was never a problem and even the slower stuff felt controlled. The tapered tip shape did help with the swing weight and they are certainly a ski you can spin around fast. I also found the shape, combined with the early rise, meant I was catching when getting onto rails a lot less, which gave me a lot of confidence to try some of the bigger urban-style rails. One thing I did find a little unusual at first was the way the skis buttered. Unlike most skis, which you can press around, the Twall would press then almost pop you back out. Once I got used to it though, it was great to be able to pop out of my butters, something which will really appeal to the jibbier among you. image: http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/16/837316_926w_640h.jpeg [img]http://images.newschoolers.com/images/17/00/83/73/16/837316_926w_640h.jpeg[/img] Photo: Daniel Murphy The carbon bands added to the layup really let you power the skis up and then they want to snap back. Both forward and switch nollies and ollies felt effortless and the stiffer section underfoot really allows you to stomp your landings. As Tom said, these skis really will work for you, whether you are going for that latest triple, or you’re more content jibbing around the medium-sized park. [b]Durability[/b] Like any review, durability can only really be defined for the test period I had the skis. I had around 20 days on them, which clearly does not constitute a season’s worth of abuse. Having said that, I was impressed by how the skis held up. The edges looked in good condition at the end, although that was probably helped by the fact that as I knew I was giving the skis back. I de-burred them after every ride and re-edged and then de-tuned every few rides. This may sound excessive, but it kept the skis in great condition and did not take that much time, so is well worth doing if you want to keep them in good condition for longer. I did get a few chips in the tip, tail and sidewall, which are to be expected, but I would say they held up well. Now for the one downside. When I was inspecting the skis before giving them back I did find I had slightly delaminated one of the tails. This may sound bad, but I believe it happened in the fall in the video above. The ski was sticking straight up from the tail and must have come down with some real force. If it were my own ski, I would not be overly worried, as it was small and could have been glued back together easily. However, I appreciate a few of you may be concerned about something like this happening so quickly. I did contact Line regarding the problem, more so because I felt bad about having to give them back in this condition, and the response I got was not to worry as they were a pre-realese model. That may sound like marketing BS and to some extent it probably was, but the pair of skis I was testing were probably made six months before the actual pairs you could buy were going into production. [b]Overall[/b] At this point I should probably say I have never actually been much of a fan of Line's park skis. I never thought they were bad, I was just never wowed by them. This was not the case with the Twall, though; I love this ski. I have been in the park since around 2000 and I can honestly say this is one of, if not the best, park ski I have ever used. During the park session where we got the photos for this article, Dan, the guy behind the camera, asked me if they made you a better park skier. I was about to scoff at him and say of course not, but then I had a think. They make doing things in the park easier, and because of that they give you a feeling that you can try more, and partly because of the ski, you can get away with more. I was certainly skiing better in the park than I have for years and I could really only put it down to the skis. So, some slight durability issues aside, I'd argue these are some of the very best park skis ever made. They won’t suit everyone, but if you get chance to give them a try, I strongly suggest you do; and chances are you will be parting with your cash soon after. Read more at http://www.newschoolers.com/news/read/Line-Twall-Ski-Review#6SOhGE6hgPGt3GUq.99
[b]Construction[/b] The new B-Dog is a more conventional shape than the five point sidecut of previous versions. At 90mm it sits between the ARV 86 and 96 and is in the range of where most park skis seem to be going. It does use a more extreme sidecut than the ARV range and the tip and tail dimensions are similar to that of the ARV 96, even though the waist width is 6mm narrower on the B-Dog [img=ARV 86, B-Dog and ARV 96]839283[/img] Unlikethe Edollo, the B-Dogs use the 2.5mm edge - something which I'm sure the more jib happy skiers among you will be happy with. The Edollo - although a fun ski - is perhaps not the most durable, so it’s nice to see Armada address this with the B-Dog. Considering the type of urban weare seeing from Phil, durability was obviously high on his lists of priorities. The rest of the build is similar to what you will find in the ARV range. It uses the Ar rocker, which although not extreme, does make the tip and tail more playful. There is slightly morerocker in the tip than the tail, but compared to the large rockered tips of the Edollo, it’s a lot more even tip to tail. There is a good amount of camber underfoot, much like the Ar7 and Thall used to have. [img=]839285[/img] Armada's 50/50 sidewall is used - which is a combination of sidewall underfoot and a capped construction in the tip and tail. Using a capped construction in the tip and tail makes for not only a lighter ski, but also a more flexible feel and the sidewall underfoot aids carving performance and protection against damage on rails. I like this combination, as full sidewall skis can often have a rather heavy and stiff feel, which can work in certain situations, but for park can sometimes be a little overkill. The core is the Pop Light, which is a combination of softer, lighter wood and firmer more dense wood. Using both lets the core be made in such a way that the tip and tail canbe softer, without compromising stability and strength underfoot. The new spin tip is also present, which is a lighter material used in the tip and tail to reduce swing weight, much like Rossi do with the air tipin their “7†skis. [b]On the Snow[/b] The trend recently has been for park skis to get wider and wider, to the point it's not uncommon to be riding 100+ skis in the park. This wider shape does have its benefits, but it's not without down sides too. Wider skis will be heavier and slower to throw around, so I was pleased to see the new B-Dog somewhat bucks the trend and uses a 90mm underfoot width. Some of you may be surprised by this, as the old B-Dog was 95mm, but don't be put off. The tip and tail are now actually wider than previous versions, which makes the skis appear bigger than they actually are. In comparison to other park skis, in the 90mm range the B-dog feels like a wider ski, and in the 179 length I was testing they have that fat ski feel, without the added weight which comes with it. [img=Soren. Photo Daniel Murphy]839289[/img] Flex-wise, the Bdog is on the softer side in the tip and tail. If you look in the catalogue it is by far their softest ski. The new ARV 86 and 96 could perhaps be considered replacements for the Ar7, whereas the B-Dog is that soft, jibby ski that the Thall used to be. I would not call them a soft ski however. Often soft skis, such as for example the Line TC, can be almost un-rideable at higher speeds and variable conditions, but the B-Dog's never feel out of control, even when skiing fast. You can push into the flex and press the ski, but they never feel as thoughthey will give out on you. The flex stiffens underfoot and I found the stability was perfect for hitting bigger jibs at speed, which when you consider the type of urban Phil is doing, makes sense. These are not an XGames competition ski, they are an all-round high performance jib ski. Personally, I like the feel of more of a comp ski, I like to ski fast and I like really poppy and light skis. All of this is not really the B-Dog. They are much happier being ridden in a style more similar to Phil's, and this is something which will no doubt appeal to many Newschoolers. They encourage a lazier attitude, smearing and pressing your way around the park and mountain. Most of the testing I did was in the later spring season conditions when the snow was softer. In the cut up late season park, these skis were perfect. The flex helped them negotiate the ruts and for a softer ski they still had plenty of pop. For slower speed urban style rails you can pop easily to get onto the rail, where they really felt planted. [img=Photo Daniel Murphy]839286[/img] For bigger features where you needed a longer run up they were really confidence inspiring and I never felt out of control, even in the less than ideal conditions. For the urban skiers out there this will be a bigplus. Urban does not favour perfect take off or landings, so having a ski which can handle this will put you at a big advantage. On jumps they again favour a more playful approach. The skis felt stable enough on the smaller and mid-sized jumps, although at times on larger jumps I did find they lacked some stability on landings. This is not to say they don't jump well, just compared to other stiffer skis I have used - such as the NFX or the new Twall - they don't have that big jump feel to them. One thing I did notice was how fast the skis were. This was partly down to them being new and freshly waxed, but I was very pleasantly surprised how easy it was to maintain speed, even in the wetter spring snow; which again could be a big plus in the urban environment. Out of the park the skis maintained the jibby feel. They are certainly not a ski you will be railing hard carved turns on icy pitches, but for that 'jib the whole mountain vibe' they are perfect. I got the chance to try them in a little fresh snow and again they handled it well, however they would not be my choice for an all mountain twin for Whistler, as for me personally they were a little soft. I would instead be looking at the slightly stiffer ARV 96 or even the 106. If you live somewhere where the vertical feet are measured in hundreds of meters rather than thousands, they could make for a great all round ski though. [img=Soren. Photo Daniel Murphy]839287[/img] Some of you may be concerned at the largest length being 179, but to me they felt bigger then my 181 Thall's and Ar7's I had spent a lot of time on.This is partly down to the wider waist width and more extreme sidecut, but if you are worried they may be too small I would not be overly concerned. My friend Soren - who is the guy in most of the pics in this article - is 6'4 and close to 200lbs. Compared to me at 5'11 and 160lbs, I did wonder how he would get on with the 179, but watching him throw down on the skis, it did not seem to be an issue. Part of the reason I had Soren test the new B-Dogs is the fact he currently skis on the 2016 version of the ski, so was perfect to compare new with old. Along with skiing with him in the park for a few days on the new versions, I got him to write his thoughts on the new skis down, so in his own words this is how the new compares to the old: [i][i]“It’s a completely different ski from the B-Dog 15/16; a lot of the features has changed. The dimensions are nothing like the old B-Dog, it is not as wide at the waist and has completely different shape. It feels super light and more buttery, which makes it very playful and incredibly fun to do presses on. At the same time, it is still really fast and very responsive with a good pop, so allows you to try out new lines and ideas. I had heaps of fun riding it, and even though it is very different from the old B-Dog, it’s definitely still a ski I'm strongly considering buying for next season. Also, the graphics are sick.†[/i][/i][img=Soren trying his best to break the skis and himself. Photo Daniel Murphy]839288[/img] Durability wise, as ever, it’s hard to asses without spending a lot more time on aski, but for the 10 or so days I rode the skis, they held up perfectly. Soren tried his best to break the skis with a disaster gone wrong, but even that was not enough to do the slightest bit of damage. I got no edge cracks during testing, the bases held up really well, despite quite a number of stones coming through, and overall the skis still looked pretty much brand new. [b]Overall[/b] The B-Dog is basically what I always hoped the Thall ski would evolve into. It feels like a wide ski, but without the compromises of a fatter ski. Many of you will be considering the new ARV skis, but for the more jibby among you, who like to think of yourselves as a mini Phil, I would take a closer look at the B-Dog. Although I did enjoy the B-Dog, it is tough for me to say whether I would buy it. It is not stiff enough or wide enough to be an all mountain ski for the way I ski, and although it’s really fun in the park, I favour a more competition-orientated ski. However, reading the forums I would appear to be in the minority in favouring this style of park ski, so I think there are plenty of people who the B-Dog will suit perfectly. If I was still skiing the Snow Domes in the UK, or was calling the mid-west or east coast home, I think my opinion would be different. The B-Dog would be a perfect dome ski, where speed is more limited and a more playful style of riding is favoured. As an all-round park-to-urban ski they are a lot of fun. I wouldn’t say they are my favourite park ski I tested - that review is still to come - but I was very pleased with the direction Armada have taken with them. It fills a hole left by the Thall and is almost a passing of the flame from one hugely influential skier to the next.
Looking at the jacket and pants its clear to see this is high end outerwear. If you have seen brands like Arcteryx you will be familiar with a how a high quality garment should look and initially inspecting the Ridge jacket I was very impressed. The construction felt solid, the seams were all neatly sealed and the overall feel defiantly was what you would expect for a jacket this cost. Probably the most striking aspect of the jacket was the actual feel of the material. Often higher end shell jackets which use Goretex can have a rather rough feel and the outer material can be a little unforgiving offering little in the way of stretch. The material used on the pants and especially on the jacket, has a much more natural feel. It is incredibly light and has a smooth feel to the inside. The outer material is very easy to fold and even stretches a little, compared to many equivalent jackets it feels much more like a lighter rain jacket. The pants feel to use a slightly firmer material, possibly to increase durability but they again offer a really unrestricted fit and feel. I would be testing both jacket and pants in a size large. At 5'11 and 160lbs the lrg fitted me fine but don't expect a baggy fit. This is outerwear designed to fit and even if you up size, it's not really going to give a baggy fit. I could have actually got away with a med in the pants but they do have a good amount of waist adjustment so I could make them work. One small factor I did notice with the pants is they don't have any belt loops at the front. They have a long section at the back that you can run a belt through but it's weird in my opinion that there are no belt loops at the front. I did not have any problems during testing. You can attach the pants to the jacket to seal out snow and it has the added benefit of helping to keep them up. In Use Helly sent me the jacket and pants back in March and I have been wearing them on and off ever since. In that time they have certainly seen nearly every condition you could imagine, being used all over the mountain in both winter and summer. I was testing a number of touring products at the end of last season and this gave me the perfect opportunity to really put the outerwear to the test in the type of scenarios it was designed for. Freeride can mean a lot of things but Helly are expecting users to be using this at the more extreme side. This may mean multi day tours, single long hikes to get to a face or just riding hard in-bounds. The common ground here is that users will be out in all conditions and working hard. Helly Hansen use their propriety Helly Tech professional membrane and have done a great deal of research into improving the breathability of this membrane culminating in the new membrane being the most breathable Helly have ever used. If you have not been touring before you would probably be surprised how warm you get. Even in the cold, skinning uphill can get pretty warm fast and often maintaining body temperature can be hard. You get hot and sweat so you remove your jacket but then when you stop you will soon cool down and it can often be a case of constantly adding or removing layers. What would be ideal is a Jacket and pant combo which offered wind resistance and protection when your not moving but could breath and allow airflow like you were not wearing a jacket when you are moving. Many high end jackets claim to do this but where most fall down is breathability. They are great at keeping you dry but just cant keep up when you start working hard and sweating. Even some top end Goertex jackets can feel rather like a sauna after a short while hiking. The Ullr outerwear is different, the jacket in particular breathes really very well. While touring I was finding I could keep the jacket on the whole time and even on warmer days I would not be overheating by the top. One of the big factors which makes this jacket and pants so good is how well they are vented. The Jacket has large, mesh-less vents beneath both arms and the pants have a long vent which again opens fully, down the outside of each leg. Other brands often use a mesh to cover vents and although stopping things like snow getting in if left open they do restrict how much airflow you can get in the jacket or pants. The vents on the jacket allow a good amount of airflow and having them extend a good way down the body means you can get airflow round the back, an area which often overheats especially with a pack. The placement of these vents and also the other pockets on the jacket have been carefully considered. The skiers using of this type of outerwear are quite likely to be wearing a pack when they ski so making the pockets and vents easily accessible without removing the pack is important. Helly have done a great job here and even while testing with 4 different packs I am yet to find one which does not work with the pocket placement. The two lower pockets sit above the hip belt of all the bags I have tried and the toe inner pockets sit just inside the shoulder straps. The arm vents can be fully opened and closed around the pack straps. This may sound like a small thing but it can be extremely annoying to have a pocket or vent be covered by a strap and it could become a real issue if you are caught in a slide, having things easily to hand could make all the difference in those situations. The pockets on the pants sit slightly lower and are designed to be accessed without hiking up the jacket. When things do become too warm the light weight and ease of which you can fold and compress the jacket means it can be stuffed into the the fullest of packs. I even found I was able to stash it in the helmet carrying section of my Evoc bike bag, something I was not able to do with any of my other ski jackets. In the Wet Stuff At this level I expect the waterproofing to be excellent and comparable to Goretex. Initially I did wonder how an outer fabric so soft and stretchy could offer any real protection but even in the heaviest of rain I have never had any water making its way through. Water beads on the surface and being so smooth the drops simply run off before they are allow to begin to wet out the material. I did wonder if wearing a pack would affect the shoulders but even with the extra pressure from a pack I never had any problems. When it actually decided to snow rather then rain the snow skirt and wrist gators did a great job at keeping snow out. The snow skirt is pretty tight but it stretches and really does stay in place well. The wrist gators are quite thick and really one of my only real complaints. I found them a little thick to fit under some gloves and although they are really warm they can get a little damp and certainly in the summer they are far to warm. I would prefer a thinner material be used here, I like gators but they are maybe a little bulky on the ridge jacket. One area I do like a lot is the cuff. They have an extremely large Velcro section and you really can seal the arm well and have no worries that the cuff will come lose. Even when scrambling through trees and rocks I never had the cuff release, again maybe a small thing but I did find it useful at times. They are easy to use in gloves or even mittens however I did find some of the larger more bulky gloves I had struggled to fit in the cuff. Although they are big they don't actually open very far but there was only one pair of mittens I found to be a bit tight. The gators on the pants are a bit different to what you may expect. They use a much thinner stretchy material and I did wonder how durable it would be but so far I have had no issues. I have found they work really well especially with boots with a big range of motion. The stretchy material fits over the boot really well no matter what position you are in. The hood has a good amount of adjustment featuring a pull string either side and one on the back making it easy to adjust weather you are wearing a helmet or not. Without a helmet I did have to pull the back adjuster quite tight to keep it in place when windy but I do have quite a small head. One thing I did find was if you have the hood adjusted tightly it can be a little hard to put the hood up and down with the main zipper fully done up. It was not a big problem but I did notice it a couple of times throughout testing. The overall feel of both jacket and pants is excellent. They give a great range of motion and never become heavy or wetted out even in the heaviest of rain. To get some of the photos for this article I was wading around in rivers and even that was not enough to wet out the pants. I did find after washing a few times the jacket began to wet out in high abrasion zones but it should be noted I was just washing the jacket with normal washing detergent, something I will talk about more later. Durability When you are spending close to $1000 on outerwear the last thing you want is for it to fall apart. This issue is compounded by the fact people buying this type of outerwear will potentially be in environments where scrambling over rocks and bushes is not uncommon so being built to survive the abuse is very important. To properly test this, I treated this outerwear in a way which would make most Arcteryx wearers wince. I was scrambling over rocks, climbing through trees and bushes and generally doing anything you would avoid doing if you had just paid $1000. I fully expected to do some damage but even the worst I could throw at it, it easily shrugged off. The pants in particular held up really well. They have a reinforced section at the bottom which although not very “cool†really did a great job of preventing edge slices and other damage. I even had a few crashes on the bike wearing the jacket and again was pleasantly surprised to see I had done no damage. I would not want to be crashing in the bike park but out on the trails I had no concerns wearing the jacket. For an outer material which gives such an unrestricted feel it is very durable something which I must admit surprised me. Over the last 7 months the worst that has happened is a small amount of fraying of the thread on one wrist and overall its actually survived a lot better then most of the other outerwear I have tested despite how badly I have treated it. The Bad Points As they say, nothing is perfect and unfortunately there is one main issue with the jacket. It gets really smelly. I do admit I use this jacket very differently to most jackets, if I'm going out and I know i will be working hard and sweating this is the jacket I will wear. So you would expect it to need washing more regularly but it does seem to need washing a lot. I think a big part in the problem is just how well it breathes, it is constantly talking moisture through the fabric but I think the fabric it's self is holding onto the bacteria more then it should. Obviously you can wash the jacket and reading Helly's website it says to just wash with normal detergent, not something I would normally not recommend. To test it I washed it like this a few times and it does seem to work fine. The smell goes and the jacket is good until you work hard again and the smell returns. Having to wash a jacket a lot is not really a bad thing but with outerwear like this you don't really want to be washing it constantly. The is a waterproof coating applied to the outside and constant washing will remove this. I would recommend a proof wash every now and again but the smell is only really an issue if your wearing this jacket to work hard. When I was testing in the resort I was having no problems but once I started touring it got nasty pretty fast. Overall I can expect the smell to some extent as it performs so well in terms of breathability. All my bike gear needs washing after 1 ride in summer so if you are working hard you have to expect things will get a bit stinky. Interestingly I had no issues with the pants at all. Overall There is no denying it, this is expensive outerwear and to be honest it's probably not for many people on this site. If your outerwear requirements are keeping you warm and dry while looking steezy in the park, well no it;s not for you and you probably have not read this far anyway but if you are the type of skier who will get after it, no matter what Ullr is definitely worth a look. If you can compare the feel of the Ullr jacket to some other top end jackets it will be easy to see just how different the feel is but it really works. The fit is excellent and offered some of the most unrestricted movement I have ever had, the waterproofing has been what i would expect from a high end jacket and the breathability has far exceeded my expectations. If you like to work hard while skiing this could seriously be your new outerwear, I truly have never used anything which breathes so well and my preparations for tours have become much easier as I can just wear the Jacket all the way, most of the time. Most of the top brands offering Goretex will have outerwear offering similar waterproofing, so if you mainly ride the resort then although Ullr is excellent it's on par with other options. Where the Ullr range really wins for me is the breathability and fit and if you plan on touring this coming season I would highly recommend checking it out.
Looking at the jacket and pants its clear to see this is high end outerwear. If you have seen brands like Arcteryx you will be familiar with a how a high quality garment should look and initially inspecting the Ridge jacket I was very impressed. The construction felt solid, the seams were all neatly sealed and the overall feel defiantly was what you would expect for a jacket this cost. Probably the most striking aspect of the jacket was the actual feel of the material. Often higher end shell jackets which use Goretex can have a rather rough feel and the outer material can be a little unforgiving offering little in the way of stretch. The material used on the pants and especially on the jacket, has a much more natural feel. It is incredibly light and has a smooth feel to the inside. The outer material is very easy to fold and even stretches a little, compared to many equivalent jackets it feels much more like a lighter rain jacket. The pants feel to use a slightly firmer material, possibly to increase durability but they again offer a really unrestricted fit and feel. I would be testing both jacket and pants in a size large. At 5'11 and 160lbs the lrg fitted me fine but don't expect a baggy fit. This is outerwear designed to fit and even if you up size, it's not really going to give a baggy fit. I could have actually got away with a med in the pants but they do have a good amount of waist adjustment so I could make them work. One small factor I did notice with the pants is they don't have any belt loops at the front. They have a long section at the back that you can run a belt through but it's weird in my opinion that there are no belt loops at the front. I did not have any problems during testing. You can attach the pants to the jacket to seal out snow and it has the added benefit of helping to keep them up. In Use Helly sent me the jacket and pants back in March and I have been wearing them on and off ever since. In that time they have certainly seen nearly every condition you could imagine, being used all over the mountain in both winter and summer. I was testing a number of touring products at the end of last season and this gave me the perfect opportunity to really put the outerwear to the test in the type of scenarios it was designed for. Freeride can mean a lot of things but Helly are expecting users to be using this at the more extreme side. This may mean multi day tours, single long hikes to get to a face or just riding hard in-bounds. The common ground here is that users will be out in all conditions and working hard. Helly Hansen use their propriety Helly Tech professional membrane and have done a great deal of research into improving the breathability of this membrane culminating in the new membrane being the most breathable Helly have ever used. If you have not been touring before you would probably be surprised how warm you get. Even in the cold, skinning uphill can get pretty warm fast and often maintaining body temperature can be hard. You get hot and sweat so you remove your jacket but then when you stop you will soon cool down and it can often be a case of constantly adding or removing layers. What would be ideal is a Jacket and pant combo which offered wind resistance and protection when your not moving but could breath and allow airflow like you were not wearing a jacket when you are moving. Many high end jackets claim to do this but where most fall down is breathability. They are great at keeping you dry but just cant keep up when you start working hard and sweating. Even some top end Goertex jackets can feel rather like a sauna after a short while hiking. The Ullr outerwear is different, the jacket in particular breathes really very well. While touring I was finding I could keep the jacket on the whole time and even on warmer days I would not be overheating by the top. One of the big factors which makes this jacket and pants so good is how well they are vented. The Jacket has large, mesh-less vents beneath both arms and the pants have a long vent which again opens fully, down the outside of each leg. Other brands often use a mesh to cover vents and although stopping things like snow getting in if left open they do restrict how much airflow you can get in the jacket or pants. The vents on the jacket allow a good amount of airflow and having them extend a good way down the body means you can get airflow round the back, an area which often overheats especially with a pack. The placement of these vents and also the other pockets on the jacket have been carefully considered. The skiers using of this type of outerwear are quite likely to be wearing a pack when they ski so making the pockets and vents easily accessible without removing the pack is important. Helly have done a great job here and even while testing with 4 different packs I am yet to find one which does not work with the pocket placement. The two lower pockets sit above the hip belt of all the bags I have tried and the toe inner pockets sit just inside the shoulder straps. The arm vents can be fully opened and closed around the pack straps. This may sound like a small thing but it can be extremely annoying to have a pocket or vent be covered by a strap and it could become a real issue if you are caught in a slide, having things easily to hand could make all the difference in those situations. The pockets on the pants sit slightly lower and are designed to be accessed without hiking up the jacket. When things do become too warm the light weight and ease of which you can fold and compress the jacket means it can be stuffed into the the fullest of packs. I even found I was able to stash it in the helmet carrying section of my Evoc bike bag, something I was not able to do with any of my other ski jackets. In the Wet Stuff At this level I expect the waterproofing to be excellent and comparable to Goretex. Initially I did wonder how an outer fabric so soft and stretchy could offer any real protection but even in the heaviest of rain I have never had any water making its way through. Water beads on the surface and being so smooth the drops simply run off before they are allow to begin to wet out the material. I did wonder if wearing a pack would affect the shoulders but even with the extra pressure from a pack I never had any problems. When it actually decided to snow rather then rain the snow skirt and wrist gators did a great job at keeping snow out. The snow skirt is pretty tight but it stretches and really does stay in place well. The wrist gators are quite thick and really one of my only real complaints. I found them a little thick to fit under some gloves and although they are really warm they can get a little damp and certainly in the summer they are far to warm. I would prefer a thinner material be used here, I like gators but they are maybe a little bulky on the ridge jacket. One area I do like a lot is the cuff. They have an extremely large Velcro section and you really can seal the arm well and have no worries that the cuff will come lose. Even when scrambling through trees and rocks I never had the cuff release, again maybe a small thing but I did find it useful at times. They are easy to use in gloves or even mittens however I did find some of the larger more bulky gloves I had struggled to fit in the cuff. Although they are big they don't actually open very far but there was only one pair of mittens I found to be a bit tight. The gators on the pants are a bit different to what you may expect. They use a much thinner stretchy material and I did wonder how durable it would be but so far I have had no issues. I have found they work really well especially with boots with a big range of motion. The stretchy material fits over the boot really well no matter what position you are in. The hood has a good amount of adjustment featuring a pull string either side and one on the back making it easy to adjust weather you are wearing a helmet or not. Without a helmet I did have to pull the back adjuster quite tight to keep it in place when windy but I do have quite a small head. One thing I did find was if you have the hood adjusted tightly it can be a little hard to put the hood up and down with the main zipper fully done up. It was not a big problem but I did notice it a couple of times throughout testing. The overall feel of both jacket and pants is excellent. They give a great range of motion and never become heavy or wetted out even in the heaviest of rain. To get some of the photos for this article I was wading around in rivers and even that was not enough to wet out the pants. I did find after washing a few times the jacket began to wet out in high abrasion zones but it should be noted I was just washing the jacket with normal washing detergent, something I will talk about more later. Durability When you are spending close to $1000 on outerwear the last thing you want is for it to fall apart. This issue is compounded by the fact people buying this type of outerwear will potentially be in environments where scrambling over rocks and bushes is not uncommon so being built to survive the abuse is very important. To properly test this, I treated this outerwear in a way which would make most Arcteryx wearers wince. I was scrambling over rocks, climbing through trees and bushes and generally doing anything you would avoid doing if you had just paid $1000. I fully expected to do some damage but even the worst I could throw at it, it easily shrugged off. The pants in particular held up really well. They have a reinforced section at the bottom which although not very “cool†really did a great job of preventing edge slices and other damage. I even had a few crashes on the bike wearing the jacket and again was pleasantly surprised to see I had done no damage. I would not want to be crashing in the bike park but out on the trails I had no concerns wearing the jacket. For an outer material which gives such an unrestricted feel it is very durable something which I must admit surprised me. Over the last 7 months the worst that has happened is a small amount of fraying of the thread on one wrist and overall its actually survived a lot better then most of the other outerwear I have tested despite how badly I have treated it. The Bad Points As they say, nothing is perfect and unfortunately there is one main issue with the jacket. It gets really smelly. I do admit I use this jacket very differently to most jackets, if I'm going out and I know i will be working hard and sweating this is the jacket I will wear. So you would expect it to need washing more regularly but it does seem to need washing a lot. I think a big part in the problem is just how well it breathes, it is constantly talking moisture through the fabric but I think the fabric it's self is holding onto the bacteria more then it should. Obviously you can wash the jacket and reading Helly's website it says to just wash with normal detergent, not something I would normally not recommend. To test it I washed it like this a few times and it does seem to work fine. The smell goes and the jacket is good until you work hard again and the smell returns. Having to wash a jacket a lot is not really a bad thing but with outerwear like this you don't really want to be washing it constantly. The is a waterproof coating applied to the outside and constant washing will remove this. I would recommend a proof wash every now and again but the smell is only really an issue if your wearing this jacket to work hard. When I was testing in the resort I was having no problems but once I started touring it got nasty pretty fast. Overall I can expect the smell to some extent as it performs so well in terms of breathability. All my bike gear needs washing after 1 ride in summer so if you are working hard you have to expect things will get a bit stinky. Interestingly I had no issues with the pants at all. Overall There is no denying it, this is expensive outerwear and to be honest it's probably not for many people on this site. If your outerwear requirements are keeping you warm and dry while looking steezy in the park, well no it;s not for you and you probably have not read this far anyway but if you are the type of skier who will get after it, no matter what Ullr is definitely worth a look. If you can compare the feel of the Ullr jacket to some other top end jackets it will be easy to see just how different the feel is but it really works. The fit is excellent and offered some of the most unrestricted movement I have ever had, the waterproofing has been what i would expect from a high end jacket and the breathability has far exceeded my expectations. If you like to work hard while skiing this could seriously be your new outerwear, I truly have never used anything which breathes so well and my preparations for tours have become much easier as I can just wear the Jacket all the way, most of the time. Most of the top brands offering Goretex will have outerwear offering similar waterproofing, so if you mainly ride the resort then although Ullr is excellent it's on par with other options. Where the Ullr range really wins for me is the breathability and fit and if you plan on touring this coming season I would highly recommend checking it out.
The Bent Chetler has been around for quite a few seasons now (this is the 7th year in production) but last season it got a fairly big update in, namely the Hrzn tech use in the tips and tails (horizontal rocker). The change of in the tips and tails is basically like a side to side rocker which actually increases the surface area by 10%. This increase in surface area not only aids the float of the ski but I did find it makes the skis very easy to butter and press. The raised edges at the tips and tail really allow easy initiation of both butter and carves. New tech like this is sometimes mainly marketing but I do think it improves the way the skis ride when compared to older versions. The flex is more towards the stiff side and they are certainly a ski which likes to go fast. I was finding that until you get the skis over about 70Kmh they do feel a little lifeless but get some speed up and they really come alive. I was having a blast even in the wet heavy snow that the 14/15 season in whistler seemed to be made up of. Considering they are more on the charger side they are still playful. As i mentioned the Hrzn does help with the playfulness but they like most pow skis, they do have a large rocker which means getting up on the tip and tails is still relatively easy. One thing I did find is because they are a powerful ski they do really ski better with stiffer boots. I tried some 90 and 100 flex boots and they were just not delivery enough power to drive the skis. Once I got in the waymaker 130's it was a totally different experience. The stiff powerful boot matched perfectly with the skis and I was quickly skiing faster and harder then I had all season. For a fatter ski they handle the hardpack pretty well, you wont be doing short turns but they pivot and smear easily so although not a ski I would choose for my everyday ski they could work. One of the Oakley reps in town actually rides the Bents for his everyday ski including in the park and e throws down on them so although not my first choice for an everyday ski they can certainly work. Overall if you are looking for a soft jibby pow ski these probably are not for you, but if you are a bigger guy or you prefer a more aggressive style they are well worth a look.
I'm sure for many of you Icebreaker will require no introduction. For the past 21 years Icebreaker having been using Merino wool from New Zealand to produce some of the highest quality base layers you can buy. The Tech top is the warmest of the base layers Icebreaker produce using the heavier 260 weight fabric. With base layers the number used describes the amount of stitches per square inch of fabric. More stitches means more wool in the same space so the higher the number the warmer the material. The merino wool Icebreaker use has a number of advantages. Wool is an excellent insulator but importantly for a base layer, it retains it's thermal properties even when wet. When you sweat you base layers absorb the sweat meaning your base layers can often be slightly damp. If you use a material like cotton which gets cold when wet, your base layers could actually make you colder. When wool gets wet it will be just as warm as dry. Another advantage and the one I like the best is how resistant to smell the top is. Bacteria have a hard time getting trapped in the wool fibers and this means you can wear an icebreaker layer much longer between washing then any other base layers. In practice this means you can wear the top much longer without it getting nasty and I find myself wearing it almost constantly in winter. I will wear it to ski in the morning but I can still wear it under my shirt at work in the evening. Wearing something so often means it has to be durable and the tech top is a serious piece of kit. I have probably put about 300 days into my current one wearing it for absolutely everything and other then one small hole in the front and a little fraying on the bottom it looks pretty good, more importantly it stills functions perfectly. Some people claim the 260 weight is to hot for everyday use and for those people there is the 200 weight Oasis crew. I have both and will vary depending on the conditions but it always seems to be the 260 Tech top I come back too. Icebreaker are not cheap but they are the very best base layers in my opinion and purchasing them can be seen as an investment. They will last for years and more then likely become a part of your everyday clothing.
When it comes to ski goggles it may seem there are endless possibility's. You can get almost any size and shape with any lens you could possibly want but common factor is they are all made in virtually the same way. In both framed and frame-less designs, a lens in held in front of the eyes and the space behind the lens in sealed by the goggle body and the foam which sits against the face. For most skiing this system works perfectly but there are some situations where it is less then ideal. By sealing the space behind the lens, if you are working hard and sweating you can find that the lens begins to fog. This happens when there becomes a difference in temperature behind the lens and in front of it. When touring, for example not many people would choose to skin up wearing goggles as you would quickly overheat and the lenses could fog. It's not just in the backcountry that it is an issue. If you are hiking a rail in the park, even on a cool day you can begin to overheat. Most of the time you would simply remove the goggles and maybe switch to sun glasses but what if there was an option to wear your goggles the whole time without overheating. Well thanks to the new Jublo Aerospace such a product now exists. The Aerospace uses a whole new design concept when it comes to allowing airflow but the actual system is very simple. Unlike most designs where the lens is attached on all sides the aerospace's lens only attaches to two movable sections of the frame at the left and right side. With these to sections pushed back the lens forms a seal with the frame and the goggle functions like any other goggle. However when you pull the two end sections of the frame forward they move the lens around 5mm away from the frame and allow airflow. The system is very simple to use and can be done in gloves and mittens. The mechanism is both easy to move and solid when the lens is pulled out. You can easily ski with the lens pulled forward and the mechanism will hold. Getting the lens to push back is very easy and a small click lets you know the lens is seated. There is a small bridge at the top of the frame which prevents snow or rain entering the goggles when the lens is pulled forward. Overall it is a very simple idea. By pulling the lens forward you are able to get good airflow which helps regulate the temperatures really well. Although designed for touring I actually found I was using the lens feature all the time especially in the spring. On warmer days when you get down to the lift it was so nice just to pull the lens forward and get some airflow. Yeah you could just put the goggles up on your head but the heat from your head will often fog the lens. The aerospace system gives a really good option for cooling off while maintaining your lens so you can actually see. I tried them a few times touring but most of the tours I did were in the spring so to be honest it was still too warm for them. They would be great for mid winter tours were you would want some protection but still need good airflow. The fit is described as Extra large but I would say they are more a mid to large size. The field of view is excellent but they don't feel large and weighty. They fitted my smaller face well but would suit a more mid to large face. The strap is a fairly regular width and has a couple of lines of rubber to help secure the strap. There are 7 different color options with the 4 different lenses Jublo offer. I have tried both the Snow Tiger, a darker lens for clear days and the Zebra. The Zebra is a slightly lighter lens and did offer great clarity on lower light days. The lenses have really impressed me and although only having 4 options may seem limited compared to what the competition offer I do think Jublo have got all conditions covered so why offer more if they don't need too. When I first received the Aerospace, although I thought they were a cool concept I wondered how much I would actually use them. In reality I have found I move the lens all the time. Its so nice to be able to cool off at any point you want. Even if you just stop mid run you can pull the lens forward, get some cool air and ensure the lens will not fog on the rest of the run. I constantly have the lens forward on lifts on warmer days and if I'm ever hiking the park I will just leave the lens forward while skiing. I should note its a little odd skiing with the lens forward at first as things do look a little different but you get used to it although really just ski with it down. If you overheat regularly skiing or you often struggle with foggy lenses these may be the goggles for you. If you tour regularly and want something that offers more protection then sunglasses these are definitely worth a look. The design is very simple and really does work. Whether you like the style is up to you but in terms of functionality and vision you cant go wrong.
You may have seen the Smartefy being ridden this summer by no other then Tom Wallisch and now you can get them too. The Smartefy is better suited to medium to small faces but the combination of a frame keeping the lens close to the face with a frameless design at the bottom offer a great field of view. They have a spherical lens featuring Shred's NoDistortion technology, basically a small valve which regulates the air pressure between the outer and inner lens to give the perfect optical clarity no matter the altitude. I'm not personally a fan of frameless goggles, I find they often give an almost tunnel vision with the lens so far from the face, but a frame can have the disadvantage of restricting the view at the bottom. Shred have gone for a combination of frame at the top and an open bottom similar to the Smith Io. The field of view is excellent and I never found I was wanting a larger overall goggle. The lens I was testing was the Dark Fader and although almost completely black it offered an excellent amount of contrast, far better then most black lenses I have used. From overcast to bluebird there was not a condition the lens could not handle so if a black lens is a high priority then these are probably the best you will find. The fit was comfortable and the foam on the face was soft and never too warm even in the spring. I never suffered any steaming issues and overall I was very impressed. If you are after a goggle with a dark lens then these are a great option.
The Warden is one of a new generation of ski bindings which allow different boot soles (such as rockered touring soles) to be used on an alpine style binding. Touring boots with rockered soles will not work with most alpine bindings but with boots like the Salomon MTN lab really changing what can be done in "touring" boots, the Warden gives skiers a binding option for resort days when not touring. Looking at the binding it looks like a combination of a Guardian Toe and a STH2 heel and this is essentially what it is. The Guardian was updated to accept touring boots and this toe piece design is used on the Warden. The toe features automatic wing adjustment and can be manually adjusted in height for different boot soles. The heel uses the same free floating system as the STH2, which allows the ski to flex more freely under the binding, creating less of a dead spot in the middle of the ski. Both toe and heel use a wider mount pattern more suitable for today's wider skis. The binding also uses the Freeski brake which is designed to retract better on switch releases to prevent damage. In use they feel extremely similar to the STH2 binding. I never felt any movement and never worried about pre-releasing. I would be perfectly happy skiing the Warden any where on the mountain including the park. With the types of boots being used changing quite rapidly a binding like the Warden gives a great amount of flexibility. You could use solely alpine boots and have no problems but the adjust ability means future boot purchases with a different shaped sole should not require a new binding. I will be using the Warden on quite a few of my skis this season as it simply offers the most freedom in terms of the boots I can use.
The Descendant Line of boots from full tilt for the first time offers a wider fit from a boot developed completely by Full Tilt. There are 3 men's boots and 2 woman's boots ranging from 4 – 8 in stiffness (a 10 tongue will be available) and at 102mm for the last they offer a significantly larger fit then the 99mm last used on the Original and Soul boots. They also have a number of developments but underlying everything are the key elements which make Full tilt boots so attractive; the progressive flex from the tongue and the lack of shell distortion when flexing. The progressive flex is all thanks to the tongue and it's ridged design. In an overlap boot the cuff has to flex over the shell and at the point the cuff hits the top of the shell the flex will stop instantly. On a full Tilt boot the way the tongue can bend when flexing gives the boots a really progressive flex, feeling softer at the start and firming up gradually. The lack of distortion in the shell when the boots are flexed is again achieved by controlling the flex with the tongue. In an overlap boot the cuff is usually bolted or riveted to the shell to help stiffen the flex. When you flex an overlap boot the lower shell will bulge slightly as the cuff compresses the shell. On a 3 piece boot the cuff is not bolted to the cuff and is free to flex over it, by doing so the lower shell is not put under so much load and does not bulge like an overlap boot will. This lack of shell distortion helps gives the boots a consistent lateral (sideways) feel even even heavily flexed forward. Although the original Flexon DNA is certainly present Full Tilt have addressed a number of slight problems found on the Original and Soul boots. These boots are quite easy to spot and a lot of people asked me about them while testing. It seemed everyone had there own review of Full Tilts (you should be adding those to the review system here) and although nearly everyone raved about the flex a lot of people also complained about breaking buckles. On the Original and Soul boots a cable passes all the way across the tongue and is secured by a buckle on the shell. The cables helps give the unrestricted flex so this was certainly something Full Tilt wanted to keep on the Descendant but to address the buckle problems they have changed the way the cables and buckles work on the Descendant. Instead of passing across the foot the cable now extends about half way and a set of buckle teeth are attached to the end of the cable. These teeth sit on top of one of the ridges so as to not restrict the tongue from flexing. A traditional buckle is then mounted to the shell and this latches onto the buckle teeth on top of the tongue. Personally I think this is a good approach, you don't want to lose the unrestricted flex of the tongue achieved by using cables but adding more sturdy buckles makes a lot of sense. The buckles are no longer mounted on a track to adjust, as multiple teeth and micro adjustment on the buckle offers all the adjustment you will need. The top and middle cable can also be moved with the top having three different available positions and the middle two. The other big change is a little less obvious to spot but if you look at the position of the second buckle on the Original boot above and then on the Descendant you may be able to spot it. On every other Full Tilt boot the second buckle is mounted to the shell just above the cuff pivot bolt. On the Descendant the buckle has been moved onto the cuff instead. The reason for the change was to give the new boots even better heel hold. By moving the second buckle down Full Tilt were able to get a 45degree placement which should give an even better hold on the foot. By moving the buckle onto the cuff they were also able to achieve a consistent pressure. With the buckle on the shell, when the cuff flexes forward the pressure would be slightly released on the Original shell but on the Descendant the ankle hold will be consistent no matter how hard you flex the boots. This should be good for ollies and butters where you need to flex the boots hard but need a good hold on the foot. Another area the original design has been improved upon is the forward lean adjustment. On the Original shell you could change the forward lean by removing the cuff and replacing a small wedge piece. On the Descendant the forward lean is taken care of using an external backbone. You loosen the screw to release the backbone, then move the cuff to the desired forward lean and re-tighten the screw. It is a much easier way of adjusting the forward lean and is another example of how the original design concepts are still present but they have been updated and possibly improved. Like the Soul boots the Descendant has fully replaceable heel and toes and there is a small rubber section in the middle to help with walking. I have heard some people complain about how soft the material was on the Soul boots and I can confirm Full Tilt have used a firmer and hopefully much more durable material. I have done quite a bit of walking in the boots and so far they show very little sign of wear. Like all their other boots Full Tilt have gone for an intuition liner, favoring a wrap style in all the Descendant boots. So with the Descendant Full Tilt do seem to have addressed some of the issues and even improved upon the original Flexon design but is it really possible to improve such an iconic design, only one way to find out, but before that I had to fit them. Fitting At the time I received the boots, my entire experience with Full tilt's was about 3 runs at an indoor snowdome in the UK about 6 years ago. It was not that I disliked the way they skied, I just thought at the time there were perhaps better boots for me (mainly to do with me having wide feet) so I never really tired them again. I first tried the boots in April and if I'm being honest initially I was not impressed and I could not see what all the fuss was about. My heel was lifting, they felt tight all over and my shins were hurting after one day. At that point I put the boots aside and got on with testing a few other pairs I had. When I came back to them I gave them one more try and then set about fitting them. The one best piece of advice I can give you is get the liners molded correctly. When I first tried the boots I was in a bit of a rush so only stuck the liners in the oven for 5 minutes and just put them on (no toe caps) and went skiing. The second time around I heated up the oven for a few minutes then gave them a full 10 minutes. With the liners cooked I added my footbeds and put my foot in with a toe cap. The toe cap not only helps give the toes some room but it more importantly forces your foot back and creates a much better heel hold. After molding the boots again they were like different boots. My heel was locked in and I began to understand what everyone loves about the boots. Full Tilt do use slightly different sizing to most boots so you do want to be a little more careful when selecting the size. I wear a size 26 boot which will usually have a BSL of around 305-308mm. A 26 Descendant is only 300mm so I decided to instead go for the 27 which is 310mm so closer to what I am used to. Shell checking the length they were just slightly over a two finger fit so similar to most 26 boots but do make sure you try the boots before buying and don't just presume you will be the same size. I have had to add a small heel lift in addition to my footbeds so these are certainly a high volume boot as I often struggle with boots being tight over the instep. I have had to do no shell work to the forefoot or toe and for my wide feet that is quite a rarity. If you used to ride the SPK and like the roomy shell the Descendant may well be the boot you can finally replace your SPK's with. Skiing As I said my experience with Full Tilt and 3 piece boots in general is pretty limited so my first few runs were just on groomers to get an idea of the boots. The biggest difference I was initially finding compared to overlap boots was that the support the tongue felt to offer was both lower and also more forward then I was used too. I found I was more forward then I would usually be and this was causing my thighs to get slightly tired. The forward flex itself did feel surprisingly supportive, I had heard a lot of people complain that even the stiffest tongue was too soft and after flexing the 8 tongue in the shop I did wonder if I was just going to overpower the boots but what I was forgetting was that it's progressive. Yes it feels soft initially but once you got some speed up and were putting more force through the tongue they did feel pretty good. I would probably put the 8 tongue around a 110 flex maybe a little softer so not stiff by any means but for a park boot it should be pretty good. I did find that adjusting the forward lean to the most upright setting helped me and certainly the new method of adjusting forward lean is much easier and faster then the old method. With the boots more upright and a few more days on them I really began to enjoy the way the boots flexed. I got used to being a little more forward and I finally began to understood what people meant about loving the feel of the flex. To get to the park from the Peak on whistler you have to traverse round a fairly narrow ridge. The ridge by this time of the year has some big bumps which if you hit them at speed can be pretty unforgiving. At first I was taking it easy over them as they had been hard work in my overlap boots but in the Descendant I was finding I could just hit them full speed. The flex really is one of the best I have tried for bumps and other obstacles and I can totally understand why they have been a mainstream in moguls for decades and more recently the park. I used to think people complained to much about shin pain. I would ski park all day in a 130 Overlap and yeah by the end of the day my shins would be a little sore but I figured "hey that's skiing" but in the Descendant there really is no shin pain at all. The whole no shin bang thing I used to think was mainly marketing but having spent some time in the boots I would admit they are the comfiest flexing boots I have ever worn. Another area the boots have absolutely shone is in impact reduction. I have been a little critical of the wrap style liner in the past as adding footbeds to a soft base will result in a less then ideal foot position but what it does offer is an amazing amount of impact reduction. Having foam under the footbed and a soft boot board gives an incredibly comfortable feel on big impacts, again probably the best I have tried. I also like that the toe box of the boot is made slightly longer then the liner so on heavy impacts there is a little space for the toes. In the park I have really become a fan of the boots and I can completely understand why so many people choose to ride them. Landings are more comfortable and I still feel I have enough support from the tongue to do everything I would in a stiffer overlap boot. The comfort is I think the biggest factor, I could ski everything in the park the same I would in an overlap but the Descendant just offers more comfort, which if it does not come at the cost of performance I'm all for. Out of the park I have not found any real problems. No they don't carve quite as hard as an overlap boot and if I was sticking to carving on firmer snow or big mountain stuff in marginal conditions I will probably still pick an overlap boot but for everything else I think they do fine. I would go for a 10 tongue for skiing out of the park but I am a fan of a stiff boot. For softer snow where there is less emphasis on digging an edge in, they will be just as good as an overlap boot and it now makes sense to me how Seth can ski the way he does in them. The buckles have made the boots as easy to adjust as any overlap boot and I have found I can now put them on the same setting on the 2nd and 3rd buckles and leave them all day. I adjust the top as I need but pretty much I can leave the buckles and have a good fit all day. One slight issue I have found is the foot buckle does have a tendency to open quite easily. When closed the buckle does sit a fair way out from the shell and I have found when hiking the buckle would usually come open. Its not a big problem but it could lead to you damaging the buckle more easily if you have a fall with it open. The liner once properly fitted has been great. I have always been a little dubious of how comfortable a wrap style would be, I thought the overlap would feel weird on the leg but they have actually been great. I have become a big fan of Intuition this season and although I probably do still prefer the feel of a tongue liner the wrap style does help fill the cuff volume very well as well as fitting bigger calf's which could be very useful in a wider fitting boot like this. The liner did take more time to bed in then most which may be something Full Tilt could look at improving. Although the liner fits really well when bedded in, having it feel completely different when trying them in the shop may be holding back sales. A few brands are going to pre-shaped liners and for the most part I find these boots give a pretty good indication of fit in the shop and for the most part these are the boots that are selling well. In terms of durability I really have not spent enough time on them to really test this out but so far I have had no issues at all. One of the things most people have said when they look at the boots is "Wow they don't look like they will break" although maybe a little harsh to full tilt it does at least show that the boots at least seem more durable. I could see if you are a heavier skier or if your tall then you may find that you want more support from the cuff and tongue but I must admit I am pretty much sold on the boots which going into this test, as open minded as I try to be, I did not expect. Comparing to Overlap Initially I was going to compare the boots to the Original shell but after skiing both really they feel very similar. If you are in the Original or Soul now and you could do with a wider fit you should have no hesitations about switching to the Descendant. What I thought would perhaps be more interesting would be to compare them to overlap boots and see if I could really notice the difference. The boot I choose to compare to the Descendant will probably be very familiar to a lot of you. The SPK form Salomon was for many years the go to park boot for people with wider feet. I myself used them for 6 years and if you look in the parks today you will still see plenty of pairs. Newschoolers very own Mr Bishop is skiing in a pair of the White SPK Pro's from 2008 and I asked him what it was about the SPK he loved so much Mr Bishop: The SPK boots are bar none the single most comfortable boot I have ever had on my foot. I have incredibly wide feet, and before I discovered them every boot I ever tried was absolute miserable hell. The biggest reason I still wear them is simply their exceptional fit. Now having said that, I also love that they are an incredible park boot. The more upright stance as well as the shock absorbing are incredible features. The stance is something you really notice going switch if you are doing that a lot, so between the comfort and the specific performance tailored to my park roots - there has never been a boot that I have loved as much as the SPK Pro That sentiment is matched by many other skiers and when Salomon discontinued the SPK last season in favor of the Ghost FS ( a very good boot just not the same wide fit at all) many were left wondering what they were going to get next. In my opinion the Descendant is that SPK replacement. I did a few runs with one on each foot and found there were a lot of similarities. The stiffness felt pretty identical (the spk has a flex of 100) and the fit was also very similar. One of the best features on the SPK was the rubber toe but the Descendant offered just as much comfort even without the rubber section. The forward lean was similar, remember I had made the Descendant more upright, but interestingly the SPK felt stiffer rearwards. Normally I like a boot to be stiff there but I was actually finding it was throwing me off a little. The Descendant does seem to give a slightly more forgiving rearward flex mainly due i suspect to it not having the cuff bolted. Buttering and landing backseat was actually far more effective and more comfortable in the Descendant. The main difference really was the feel of the flex. Trying both side by side really did show how effective and comfortable the flex is on the Descendant. I was getting pressure over the instep on the SPK as the cuff hit the shell and it just in general did not feel as good. The lateral stiffness was fairly similar but I can see why people would prefer an overlap boot if you really like to lean into the boots. An overlap cuff is more supportive and if anything trying them side by side did make me wonder whether even with a 10 tongue they would be stiff enough for me out of the park. The SPK was great but certainly not a charger so with the 8 tongue feeling the same I think I may find even the 10 a little soft for how I normally ski. It does also make me wonder who actually skis the 4 tongue. Full Tilt are making the Descendant in a 4,6 and 8 tongue version and personally I would have liked 6,8 and10 instead where the 10 is a little beefed up and a little more freeride, but hey this is the first year. But apart from that honestly there is no competition. If you like the way the SPK fits and skis you will love the Descendant. Overall This has been quite an eye opening test for me. I never really believed all the hype but in this case it is actually for the most part justified. If you already like the feel of a 3 piece boot but you need a wider fit then these are for you. The improvements if anything have taken them beyond the Original and Soul boots, so really you are lucky in a way if you have wide feet. As far as my park riding goes I certainly see myself riding Full Tilts quite a bit but I will have to see how they fair for me out of the park. I think for the more aggressive riding I do, I probably will still choose an overlap boot, I would love to try some Seths's maxed out with the stiffest tongue though, and obviously for backcountry and touring I will still choose other boots but I really am sold of the flex and feel of the boots and I will certainly be experimenting more with them and really seeing what they can do. There are a few little areas which could perhaps be improved. The toe buckle I do see being an issue. Having it open so easily will lead to people damaging them, but it should be an easy fix if it turns out to be an issue. Perhaps switching it so the buckle sits on the tongue would work better or perhaps better would be if full tilt could find a way to make a buckle with a bend. The teeth latch could sit where it does now but instead of having the buckle go straight down perhaps it could sit more at a 45degree angle, hopefully preventing it from opening so easily. The other area I think could be, not so much improved but more developed would be to make the boots stiffer. As I have said repeatedly the flex is pretty much as close to perfect as you can get but it perhaps is not as supportive as it could be. The hard part is stiffening without loosing the natural flex. My proposal is pretty simple, make the tongue about 2 inches higher and add a second buckle on the cuff. You can keep the ridged tongue but having two buckles side by side on the top of the cuff and the new 45degree buckle would in my opinion offer a more supportive feel without loosing the natural flex. I would love to see Full Tilt gain traction throughout the ski industry again just as Raichle did back in the day. Just imagine a 200lbs downhiller stood in the Olympic start gate in a pair of Full Tilts. No I don't think it will happen but they have one Gold in DH before so you never know. Now I'm sure all these things have been tried and they probably don't work, hence why we don't see them but I figure its always good to think what else can be done. One area which might be quite interesting in the future is the new Backbone. You may wonder why that is exciting but having an external backbone does potentially mean a Hike/Walk boot could be developed. A 3 piece touring boot in my opinion could be pretty awesome. Many overlap freeride boots suffer from not adequately being able to lock the cuff when in ski mode, but Full Tilt wont have this issue. The free floating cuff is perfect for a hike boot as all they need does is release the flex rearwards. They are also already setup to remove and replace the tongue, like a lot of touring boots use make walking easier. You could perhaps put in a 2 flex tongue to hike up but then replace that with whatever you normally use when you are ready to ski. I have no idea if Full Tilt are working on any other new boots but looking at what they have done with the Descendant I see the potential for quite a few changes throughout the line and also maybe some more new boots. But even if no new boots come from this, Full Tilt now do have a very capable wide fitting boot something they could not truly say in the past. So perhaps now the old "just get full tilts" is actually good advice.
This is a pretty big statement but these are the best park socks I have ever used. Why are they are a park sock, well they aren't really. What they are is a very high quality med weight sock with a graduated compression. That sounds very technical but basically they are a super comfy and technical sock. If you are wearing boots which are not super tight these socks will really help with the fit. Initially when I was testing the Descendant 8 from Full Tilt a was struggling a little with the fit. I tried lots of things and a few socks but nothing really helped until I tried these. In a wool sock from a very popular brand I was getting some of the worst pain from the boots you could imagine. I changed to these socks and it was like I had spent 10 hours with a boot fitter. The boots not only did not hurt but they actually fit really well and I could actually enjoy the boots. They may seem expensive but if you are spending a few hundred bucks on a boot then you really owe it to yourself to get good socks and these honestly are the very best you can get. The only issue you may find is if you have very tight fitting boots and in that case you may prefer the thinner Ski GFX Compression Hybrid Protect or the even thinner Nano tour.
There are a million Hoodie and Tshirt brands these days but in amongst them all you sometimes find real gems like this hoodie from UK brand Black Label Project. This is not your average basic hoodie, it is one of the nicest made garments I have worn. The fit is perfect for skiing, slightly longer but not wide, it has a really nice slim fitted look. I also like that the sizing is not all XXXXL. Im wearing the LRG size in the photo and on me that fits well. Its baggy without being huge. The LRG has a length of 85cm so unless you like things to your knees it should be long enough for most people. The construction is a combination of fleece and cotton which gives it a really soft feel but also makes it warm. This is certainly of the warmest hoodies I have worn. It has held up really well, I have worn it a ton both on and off the hill and it is showing no sign of wear. Currently BLP are direct sale only but they do ship worldwide so you have no excuses to not check them out. http://www.blacklabelproject.com/home/
The Pants feature a removable bib which is really useful to keep the pants up. The waist is adjustable but even in its smallest setting its too big for me but the suspenders on the bib have a really comfortable feel on the shoulders and the bib section does help with warmth on colder days. I actually have found I prefer wearing the pants with the bib rather then without and with a belt as I find it just gives a much more nonrestrictive feeling. There is a pocket on the front of the bib which I have been using for my phone. The Pants like the Jacket are rated at 25K for waterproofing and breathabilty. They are fully insulated (Virtika also make a shell version of both Jacket and Pants) and have a DWR coating on the outside. If you are getting too warm there are two large mesh covered vents on the inside of the legs. The bottom of both legs has a zipper to open the pant wider if you want. In terms of waterproofing I have had no issues at all, luckily I have not found the material wets out easily. They certainly are warm though so if you are mainly riding in warmer areas of your looking at Virtika for Spring/summer use I would look at the shell versions. However on the colder snowy days this is one of my favorite suits to wear, its really warm and the longer length on the jacket combined with the bib on the pants really give a great warm setup. There are a total of 6 pockets on the pants; two at the top, two larger cargo pockets on the knee and there are two more on the back. All the pockets have zippers and are covered by a flap held down by a small magnet. All the pockets are a good size but I did have one issue with right side the top pocket getting a hole in the bottom. I did not realize this and lost my house keys down the inside of the pant which resulted in a fun 20 minutes trying to retrieve my keys. On some pants I find the pockets lower down the leg can be a bit awkward to use, having items lower down the leg can feel strange but the cargo style pockets on the leg are both a good size but also still comfortable when full. If you always have your pockets full these pants do have a ton of storage space that works very well. Other then the hole in the pocket, which I think I probably did with my keys in the first place, the pants have held up great. The outer material is hard wearing and so long as you remember to roll them up when your walking I can see them lasting a long time. I have been keeping an eye on Virtika for a few years now and when the outerwear turned up to test I was really stoked to try it and I'm pleased to say I am still stoked on Virtika after testing. No its not high end Arcteryx style but if your after good value for money, from a brand that is involved the freeski scene I think Virtika should be high on your shopping list.
The Jacket Has the same 25k ratings as the pants and the same level of insulation. Worn together they are really warm and perfect for those colder windy days. Its almost like wearing a sleeping bag you can ski in. The sleeves on the Jacket are removable and there are large mesh pockets on the inside that you can store the sleeves in. Being able to wear the jacket as a vest is a nice feature but I did initially wonder what the seal on the arm would be like and if it could let moisture through but the zip attaching the arm is heavy duty and there is a good amount of material covering the zip. Even in heavy rain I have not found any water getting through. The arms are easy to remove and although you probably would not ride with the sleeves in the pockets inside all day it is nice to have somewhere to store them if you need to. There is a mesh inner lining and the jacket also has removable hiking suspenders which are pretty useful for hiking. The Jacket has an over-sized hood which has a press stud to hold it out of the way when not needed, I do like this feature as often with baggier jackets especially landing switch I do find the hood can come up over my head. The Jacket has a total of 6 zipped mesh vents including 2 vertical vents either side of the back. When the two back vents are both opened they give some good air flow through the back to help keep you cool, combine this with the pit vents and although not a jacket perhaps for hot spring days you can keep cool. There are 7 waterproof pockets all of which have the magnetic closing flaps. The main Zipper also has a magnetic cover and I really like the use of magnets. It does make it faster and more convenient to access pockets compared to press studs. The are large zippered cuffs and the seams in high wear areas are double stitched to improve durability. I have had zero durability issues with the jacket and it has held up really well. The fit is pretty huge but hey if you want baggy you will want this kind of fit. I have been keeping an eye on Virtika for a few years now and when the outerwear turned up to test I was really stoked to try it and I'm pleased to say I am still stoked on Virtika after testing. No its not high end Arcteryx style but if your after good value for money, from a brand that is involved the freeski scene I think Virtika should be high on your shopping list.
Climbing After being very impressed by the Backlands it was the time to see what the MTN Lab had to offer. Salomon provided me with quite a selection of skis to test, including 2 pairs of the MTN Explore Ski (95mm underfoot) one mounted with a Dynafit Radical and the other with a Salomon Warden binding. They also gave me a pair of the MTN Lab skis (115mm underfoot) again mounted with a Dynafit Radical so I could try the boots on some wider skis. After getting my fitness up with the Backlands I decided my first tour with the MTN Lab boots should be with the slightly heavier MTN Lab ski. We had received quite a bit of fresh snow over night so the wider skis would be the more fun and luckily Salomon have done a great job at keeping the weight down and I would say they are actually lighter then the Automatics. I initially started with the boots reasonably loose, like I do most boots to climb but I quickly found that I was getting to much movement inside the boots. I tightened the boots to close to how I would to ski them and found a much better overall experience. I have found that you can honestly leave the boots the same tightness to ski and walk and all you need do is flick the walk mode switch on the back. The way the shell and cuff are constructed allow the boots to move just as easily when tight as they do when lose. I really like this as again not having to adjust boots at the top really saves time. The walking motion is again very good and the backwards motion is close to that of the atomic. The forward flex is certainly not as good but when in the binding you don't notice it too much, if at all. If you wanted more ROM and did not mind the slightly softer flex the MTN Explore boot does have a larger ROM, so if the uphill is more your thing the Explore may be the one to go for. After a few shorter climbs I wanted to give the boots a longer climb to find out if you had too how far you could go in the boots. The peak in the distance is where I would be climbing too. With Symphony lift closed I skied down through some of the glades to the bottom of the lift. It was turned out to be so much fun as no one had been down with the lift being closed, if only whistler could always be like this. At the bottom I put the skins on and set off to attempt to reach the peak of symphony. I decided to give my legs every chance possible so went for the lightweight MNT Explore skis. Initially going was good but I was having some issues with rubbing on my left heel which did unfortunately get worse as I went along. I'm sure with a little more bedding in of the liner and maybe some shell work I could relive this issue but it was a little annoying. Apart from the heel issue I was absolutely fine in the boots. Going for the MTN Lab is going to give you a far better climbing experience then most if not all freeride boots currently on the market. No it is not as good as the Backland uphill but it really is very good. Although I do think the Backland is a better option for longer tours I have been pleasantly surprised at how well the MTN Lab climbs. Downhill In my opinion one of the bigger selling points of the MTN Lab is the ability to use non tech bindings. With bindings like the Marker Lord or the Salomon Warden you could potentially use these boots on your alpine skis. Talking with people round town who have used the boots, quite a few are considering them as their only boot next season. To see if they would compare to an alpine boot, I took out the MTN Explore skis with the Warden bindings so I could ski the boots hard and not be held back by the tech bindings. To say they felt solid would be an understatement. When in Ski mode the cuff is so stiff backwards, there is no play what so ever and even compared to freeride boots like the K2 Pinnacle 130 or the Atomic Waymaker Carbon 130 the MTN Lab feels way more secure. This stiffness in the cuff really gives you the confidence to attack. The forward flex is consistent and although perhaps on the softer end of 120 I have had no issues with the flex. The cuff does have the slightly softer lateral feel which is common to most Salomon boots but it is certainly still stiff enough to power the skis. I would say the Backland actually feels more powerful side to side but the MTN Lab does have a much more powerful forward flex. I really can't feel any difference to a regular alpine boot and when you consider how well the boots walk you begin to realize just what a good job Salomon have done. I also tried the wider MTN Lab skis to see how these boots would handle a wider ski and I was actually very surprised how well they did. Even with the Tech bindings I had confidence to throw the skis around and the boots felt solid at all times. I would not be worried at all about using the MTN Lab boots on wide skis. Would I ride these boots in big, steep terrain? Absolutely, they feel as good if not better then a lot of alpine boots I have tried. I even took them for some park laps and although I may not use them as a dedicated park boot there is absolutely no reason you could not do a few laps every now and again. If your aim for touring is to access some big zones these are your boots, seriously. All the power and control of an alpine boot but with the weight saving and ROM of a true touring boot. Resort Riding I covered most of the resort riding elements in the last section for the MTN Lab but I really do believe these have the potential to be your only boots. There is nothing I have found that the boots can't handle and they give better all day comfort then the Backlands, up there or beating many alpine boots. You could potentially buy this boot and never tour but still be very happy with your purchase. A lot of people will have bindings which will work with these boots and if you are looking at bindings in the future consider going for something like the Warden which will give you a lot of boot possibility's. I will admit I am strongly considering these as my main boot for next season as there offer everything I need. Yes the Backland is better on the way up but for how I tour the MTN lab would be a far better option as I could ski them as hard as I wanted on the way back down, which for me is still the reason to tour in the first place. Read more at http://www.newschoolers.com/news/read/2016-Atomic-Backland-Carbon-Salomon-MTN-Lab-boots-2016#3mYHTrHygpCTE3TF.99
Climbing I received the Backland's about 10 days before the MTN Lab boots so my first few tours were all in the Backlands. Along with the boots, Atomic provided me with a pair of the 2016 Automatic 102 skis mounted with a Dynafit Radical ST binding. Although not really the ski you would necessarily match up to these boots as they are not really that light (Atomic also have the Backland skis which are crazy light) it would give a good indication of whether the boots had the power to drive a slightly wider ski. My first few hikes were up Flute which is just off the side of Symphony on Whistler mountain. Although not a tough hike it does give access to some decent terrain and using Symphony lift I was actually able to hot lap Flute and really get some miles on the boots. The Backland's are the first boots I have used with the option of removing the tongue so excited to try it out my first few hikes I took the tongue out and took full advantage of the full ROM. The best way I can describe the feel of the boot in Walk mode is by saying it honestly feels like a Hiking boot. The cuff is almost completely friction free and without the tongue the motion is amazing. I have actually worn hiking boots with less motion in the ankle. You may think this much movement could give an unstable feel, but by using Carbon in the cuff, Atomic have been able to really stiffen the cuff and there is never a sense of side to side play which could make things unstable. One thing I often struggle with touring is blisters on the heel and this was one area I was conscious of as it had been the tightest part of the boot. However never once I have got any type of rubbing or discomfort in any way and I put this down to a combination of two things. Firstly to stop blisters you really want the foot held down, its when the heel lifts and rubs that you will get problems. The cable system used over the forefoot does a really good job of holding the foot down but without giving it a restricted feeling. Having the cable cross the foot twice means there is more hold over the instep then a single buckle. The second aspect which really helps in my opinion is the liner it's self. Atomic have put a lot of work into not only making the liner light but also to make it as breathable as possible. When you get hot and sweaty in a liner, this can also lead to problems. Never once did I feel overly warm in the liners and even on the really hot days my feet were staying comfortable. I did wonder how warm they would be on cooler days and although we have not had any really cold days to test them they do feel as though they would be ok but perhaps not the warmest. If in doubt a pair of heated socks from a brand like LENZ would be a great addition for cold winter tours. I also tried a few climbs with the tongue left in and to be honest if I was doing shorter hikes (under an hour) this is probably how I would leave it. The ROM is still very good and when paired with a binding like the Radical I was still able to get up flute faster then I usually do. The fact it's a little faster to get skiing as you don't have to put the tongue back in at the top means if I was out chasing powder this would be the way I would go. Having as few things as possible to do at the top means more time for skiing. The shell shape around the forefoot and toes has felt fine and I like the amount of space I have in the toes. Having your toes close to the front of the boot when climbing for a few hours can get quite uncomfortable very fast. The weight, or lack thereof is undoubtedly helpful and if matched up with a lightweight ski and binding you could have a seriously light weight setup. If climbing as many vertical feet in a day is your thing you will love these boots. The walk motion is simply un-matched and the weight is going to be hard for a lot of brands to beat. Downhill So the Backland would get you to the top no problem but would it actually get you down the other side? My first few descents were all fairly mellow but considering how firm the snow was, this probably was not a bad thing. With the boot in ski mode the forward flex is actually surprisingly stiff. The boots do have a rather unique feel, the cuff is not typical of what you would find on an alpine boot. It is rather low and only about 5cm tall at the front but when the tongue is installed the boot does have a good amount of support. It does take a little getting used too but I never worried too much about overpowering the boot. The lateral stiffness is amazing but you would expect that from a carbon cuff. Its hard to say exactly how stiff the boots feel flex wise as they do have a different feel to most boots. I would probably put them around 110, they do feel softer then the MTN Lab in the forward flex but the lateral stiffness is up there with 130 flex boots I have used and it feels stiffer to me then the MTN Lab I quickly got the confidence to really throw the boots into turns knowing they would support me and if anything I was finding I was being held back by the tech bindings more then anything but feeling fairly confident in the boots I decide to tackle a few of Whistler's bigger lines. Although I have skied these lines before, I must admit I was quite nervous standing at the top. The cuff of the boot although stiff when locked does not feel the most supportive to me. Being so small at the front it does somewhat give the feeling your being held in the middle of the shin and not really anywhere else. I have been finding when you are leaning the skis over and carving the support feels great, the carbon in the cuff really allows you to push the boots. However when your attacking a bit more and pushing into the front of the boot, I find the Small Grillamid cuff does not really offer the same level of support. This became especially evident when skiing the wider skis like the 115mm MTN Lab. Carving the skis felt fine and initially I figured there was no issue with wider skis but once I started hitting a few jumps and bigger terrain head on I was finding that the boot was struggling a little and the ride did not feel too stable. I really would not be considering these boots if your idea of touring is a climb to find a big mountain run. Wider skis and big drops will certainly push these boots to the limit and the feeling of the cuff never really inspires confidence in me to hit things as fast or as hard as I can. For more mellow descents these boots are great. If your climbing for a while to get to a non rowdy descent you should have no real problems at all. Resort Riding For many people having multiple pairs of boots is a nice idea but unfortunately not a possibility, so if you spent your hard earned money on the Backland's could you potentially use them as your every day boot? Carving on groomers I must admit they feel excellent. The cuff is so stiff side to side you really can drive the skis very hard, I was laying down some big GS style turns with no problem at all. While I was testing the boots we had a staff ski day and I decided to use the Backlands to see how they would handle a full day. Staff ski days, if you have never been on one, tend to be a lot of drinking and a lot of messing about, hitting stupid stuff. This day was no different and I was drunk by 10am. The rest of the day was spent straight lining things and jumping over stuff or attempting too at least. I will admit I could not ride quite as hard as normal but it was not really the boots holding me back but rather the bindings. Even with the toe locked I had a few big pre-releases and some big falls. But that is me trying to ride a Dynafit in bounds as hard as I would my STH 16 steels. If your average riding is not too aggressive the Backland will do fine. Other then the bindings the only real issue I found after a long day was the shins did get a little sore. The lower cuff and the minimal liner don't offer much in the way of protection but this is one area the boots are being improved before release next season. So although perhaps not the boot the average Newschooler would choose to ride inbounds you certainly could do a few days resort riding in the Backlands. Read more at http://www.newschoolers.com/news/read/2016-Atomic-Backland-Carbon-Salomon-MTN-Lab-boots-2016#3mYHTrHygpCTE3TF.99
Slytech Backpack Pro Nobound 10 Slytech may be a company you are not familiar with but you will certainly know one of the athletes they sponsor. Tom Wallisch now rides for Slytech and their sister company Shred Optics. One of Slytech's founders is a ski racer you may also have heard of. Ted Ligety won two gold medals in the Torin Olympics and it was his passion for skiing but also his own personal needs that promoted him to start Shred Optics and Slytech Protection. You may wonder what protection a backpack could offer but the Nobound is one of the new generation of packs which feature a built in back protector. A back protector was the one piece of protection I wore quite often but they can be somewhat uncomfortable to wear, especially on warmer days where you are touring. Incorporating the protection into the pack is a great solution in my opinion. It maintains the protection but is a more comfortable way to wear it. Another of the Nobound's selling points is it is a “no season†backpack meaning it can be used for both winter and summer activities. This is a nice feature as a few ski backpacks I have used are not suitable at all for summer use as they are far to warm. Having to only buy one pack could potentially save you quite a bit of money. Features For a smaller pack the Nobound 10 still manages to pack allot of features into its design. The back protector is removable and with the additional purchase of a waist belt and shoulder straps it can function as a back protector in its own right. Straightaway this gives the pack great value for money in my eyes. If you were to buy a pack and back protector separately you would for sure end up spending more. The protector its self is nicely enclosed in the back of the pack and it does not add too much weight or bulk. Wearing the pack you would not really no it had a protector, it still conforms and shapes well to your back and is as comfy as any pack I have used. There is an internal sleeve for a hydration pack and the hose can pass up through the top and a simple band holds it in place on the strap. It easily fits my 2L bladder and could fit a 3L I'm sure. The rest of the internal storage is one main compartment and I can fit skins, shovel, probe and water inside but that will be about it. If you are going on longer tours Slytech also offer the Nobound 25 which along with offering more storage is ABS compatible. There is a large goggle pocket with a soft fleece lining at the top and there is a second fleece lined pocket on the right side which is useful for a GoPro or wallet etc. On the front of the pack is a helmet carrying system. You will fit a ski helmet in no problem and full face MTB helmets can also be secured. The straps holding the helmet are firm and attached to the main body of the pack so the helmet stays in place well. There are also bungee straps to attach poles and this is something I have found very useful. In Use This is the smallest of the packs I have but I have actually been using it a lot. Being smaller makes it a bit easier to use in resort and also means I pack lighter. I have never really struggled to get everything I need in the pack and most importantly it passed the test of being able to carry a six pack of beer. The straps are soft and comfortable yet offer a firm fit something which is helped by the back protector. Although I have not really fallen heavily on the pack to test the protection I do like knowing its there if I need it. I have used the pack on my bike a few times and its certainly better then nearly every dedicated ski pack I have used. I do have an Evoc MTB pack and I would say that is slightly better overall as a MTB pack but the Slytech is a great option if you only want one pack. Off the hill it has also become my go to pack. Its easy to wear and the ability to remove the back protector when not needed makes it a very light weight and functional pack. Overall I really think this is a great ski pack. If you have been considering getting a back protector then this makes perfect sense, look at it like almost a free pack when you get the protector. The fact you can use the pack year round only increases its value for money in my eyes.
Dissent Ski Pro Fit Compression Nano Tour They may well have the longest name for a sock ever but they are also one of the best socks I have ever used. Dissent may not be a brand you have heard of but you should check them out. Hailing from the Whistler area they are a company who are very focused on what they are doing. Their mission is to create the highest quality products but only in the fields they know. Unlike some sock companies who produce socks for many different activities such as hiking, running, skiing and so on, Dissent only produce products for skiing, mountain biking and motor cross. The Fit/Construction Compression socks sometimes get a bit of a bad image with people expecting them to be tight and uncomfortable and the first time I put these socks on I was worried that I would not like the feel. Compared to nearly every other sock I have tried, they are harder to get on. They material is tightly knit and they do take a little time to get on. They are left and right specific which I like and the Nano Tour is the most light weight sock Dissent offer. Once on the fit is actually very comfortable. You can really tell Dissent have put time into designing the shape of both the leg and the foot. The heel shape is excellent and really cups the foot well. The socks come to just under my knee which is fine and luckily the top cuff of the sock is not overly tight so they still fit comfortably high up the leg. The overall feel of the sock is very high quality. There are no seams or logs to interfere with the foot, and additional padding is kept to a minimum. I do normally wear merino socks so I was intrigued to see how the synthetic build would do in comparison, but certainly the overall feel on the foot is much better in my opinion. The compression is not overly tight and certainly not uncomfortable but it does help maintain the foots volume by stopping it spreading so much under load witch can really help with the fit of the boots. In terms of sizing the Nano Tour is slightly different to the rest of Dissent's range. In the other socks I wear a Med, size US 9 shoe size 26 boots, but in the Nano Tour I do wear a LRG. The Nano tour does fit tightly round the calf so it is more the calf size which dictates the size you need. I have some in MED too and they do fit but they certainly are if any thing a little tight round the calf. In Use I have used these socks both touring and for resort use and I am well and truly sold on what Dissent are doing. These are high quality socks. Even throughout a whole day of touring the socks stays perfectly in place. They never bunch or slide which really helps with reducing the risk of blisters. After a few hours hiking when your feet are very sweaty the socks never become uncomfortable. Josh the owner had told me you could take a bath in the socks and then go skiing quite happily and he is totally correct. Even when wet they give a warm and comfortable fit. One massive element in my eyes is how much they can change the fit of your boots. I was testing the Salomon MTN Lab boot with these socks and the fit with other merino socks had been tight, but with the Nano Tour the boots just fit better. Now in terms of the medical benefits of compression its a tough one to go into. There is allot of info but I think the most relevant info is how they perform skiing. I have never suffered from numb feet wearing the socks and I do put this partly down to an improved blood flow using the socks. In terms of if they made me feel less tired its hard to say but if they do offer a performance increase that is just a bonus to everything else they offer. Overall The main factor which may hold you back from purchasing is probably the cost. At around $45 they certainly are at the higher end for socks, but in my opinion if you are a serious skier they are worth every penny. They are built with feedback from some of the best skiers in the world, their needs and also the needs of the equipment are taken into account and the finished product is as perfect for the job as I think you can get. The fact they really help give a consistent feel in boots is a massive factor for me. If you have a well fitted, custom boots you really owe it to yourself to get some socks which will really do the boots justice. Only issue you may have with the Nano Tour is they are very thin so if you have older more packed out boots you may want to look at one of Dissent's other 2 thicker socks, both of which I will be reviewing here soon. Pro's Best fit and feel I have tried Comfortable and warm when wet Give the ultimate fit for custom boots Compression helps with feeling good in boots all day Con's Expensive (but worth it) They are thin so packed out boots may need a thicker version
G3 Via Carbon If you have read any of my boot reviews you may have seen me holding a black G3 pole in most of my photos. Those poles are the G3 Via carbon and they have fast become my favorite pair of poles ever. Many people think a pole is a pole and I admit I used to think the same but getting these adjustable poles from G3 has been awesome. I will admit if I only rode the park these would not be my pole of choice but for the type of skiing I do, which could be anything from touring to park these give me a great amount of freedom. Construction. The Via Carbon as the name suggests is a carbon pole and it is G3's lightest adjustable pole weighing only 280g in the larger size. The top uses a 18mm carbon shaft and the bottom a 16mm shaft so the pole is good and rigid top to bottom even when used in the longer lengths. One thing I really like is the fact you can easily (and fairly cheaply) replace just the lower shaft. The lower section is more often the one that gets broken so not having to replace the whole pole if this happens is nice. The adjustment mechanism is a simple lever which you flip open and push or pull the lower shaft to adjust the length. Close the lever and the pole is solid. Even leaning hard on the pole will not force it to give. They are available in two sizes, small which has a range of 95cm to 125cm and the version I have, the large which goes from 115cm to 145cm. 145Cm may seem big but if your touring especially on a traverse having long poles can be really nice. The handle is very different to the minimal designs you will often find on park poles. It looks more like the control stick from a fighter jet. It fits in the hand very nicely with or without gloves and the sturdy top is very useful when things get steep. The large hooked end also has other benefits such as being designed to enable you to open and close boot buckles and flip risers on touring bindings. In practice I find it works well, but having to flip the pole round can be annoying so often I just use the basket. The straps are well shaped to fit over the glove and allow the user to hold the top of the strap in the palm or have it rest on top of the hand. The straps also feature a quick release system similar to that found on Leki poles, however it is still advised to ski without the straps in avalanche terrain. The baskets themselves are a larger powder style and the material used is fairly firm which does help when trying to move things like heel risers. The tips are made from Carbide, Wikipedia says carbide is “a carbide is a compound composed of carbon and a less electronegative element†and G3 say they are designed to grip onto ice and rock. In use they do as G3 say they are sturdy and have not really dulled at all over the course of a season. In Use Composite poles I have used in the past often had quite a large amount of flex to them if you planted hard but these are rock solid. The first few times I almost thought they were too stiff but once I got used to them I began to love them. There is no flex or give, if you get out of control you know you can plant and potentially recover. The locking mechanism has never given any problems and it is very simple to use. It requires no real force to close but holds the pole very firmly. While touring the handles are comfortable and grippy even without gloves and I do like that the carbon shaft does not get cold so is more comfortable to handle in bare hands. I am fully confident in there strength and have been using them everywhere, even the park. Although they are a pricey pole for just the park they could certainly work but they are overkill, but anywhere else they are an excellent option. Pro's Incredibly rigid and durable Useful and comfortable handle Lightweight Good range of adjustment Con's Pricey, but there is the standard VIA which is only slightly heavier
image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F82%2F81%2F768281.jpeg&size=600x564 My first few laps in any new boot are always a case of trying to get the buckle tightness correct and these Rossi's were no different. I usually leave the foot pretty loose, but I like more support in the cuff but hopefully without a restrictive feeling in the calf. The cuff of these boots works quite well for me and I'm finding so long as I have a reasonable tightness on the top buckle I can have the second down a little looser. The wide powerstrap also helps gives the top of the boot a good snug fit and only in the beginning was I finding any real discomfort due to tightness. Having a cuff which supports you well but without cutting off blood flow is really important. If you need to tighten your boots excessively to either make them feel secure on the leg or two make them feel stiff enough you may want to consider getting some fitting doing. Ideally you should have good support from the cuff but be able to fit two fingers side by side behind your calf when you lean forward. Try to find this kind of fit and you will have good circulation all day. Having the conventional four buckle design with a power strap did make things overall pretty easy to dial in the fit, although I don't see the need for a toe buckle to be honest. Once I had the fit dialed in I did a few warm-up laps to see how my modifications were working. I could tell instantly that raising the ramp angle and adding the soft foam had worked perfectly for reducing impacts. Along with getting a better impact reduction I was finding I got better heel hold, partly because I sat better in the heel pocket but also because I had a more snug fit over the instep. Heel hold can be hard but I have found ensuring the heel pocket is wide enough is very important. Too narrow and even with the best impact protection you can hurt the side of the heel on heavy landings. image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F83%2F71%2F768371.jpeg&size=600x564 On backseat landings my left foot was feeling great in the toe box on the left boot but the right was still a little tight and did require some more adjustment. The toe box has been the hardest part to get right over my time testing. Although it is possible to alter the shell there are limits and I found I was not able to push it quite as far as I needed. They work well nearly all the time but on big backseat landings my toes will be sore. Part of the issue is the liner though. People often get a boot stretched loads but are then surprised it does not feel much bigger and the reason is the liner. Although liners are soft they wont stretch a great amount or they would offer no support. Its important to consider if you may also need the liner adjusting along with the shell. I found the toe box of the liner matches the shell quite closely so again was not working for me. I was able to improve it by cutting a few of the seems to give a more relaxed fit but overall if I was buying boots I would perhaps look for a boot with a toe box which better suited my foot. image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F83%2F69%2F768369.jpeg&size=600x564 The flex was something I expected to play with a little to find what I liked best, but I found the standard 120 setting has been great for nearly everything. I'm finding that the flex never really feels overpowering in the park, but I am still able to push the boots hard. I often find boots aimed solely at the park tend to be a little forgiving and often too soft. Personally I prefer a more conventional, stiffer flex as I find a good fit offers more comfort to me then a softer overall boot. I'm also getting a bit older and I do like the added support a slightly stiffer boot offers. I was able to rest into the cuff and take some weight off the legs without worrying I would overflex the boots, having the ability to rest slightly in boots I find very useful especially on longer runs. One thing I do like in boots is lateral (side to side) stiffness, a boot should feel stiff side to side, so when you're carving you can really push into the boot. However, in many boots however I find the forward flex feels stiffer then the lateral flex. If anything I would say these are the opposite, they feel incredibly powerful side to side, while still giving a fairly forgiving forward flex, all of which means they work really well both in and out of the park. Something I often overlook is how easy the boots are to get on and off but the first time I put the boots on I noticed just how little effort it required. There is a section of softer plastic over the instep which allows the boot to open more easily but I have found it has other benefits too. Being slightly softer I do find I can get a better fit over the instep then a lot of boots. The plastic can give a little to give a comfortable fit but the firmer plastic around the sides still offers all the support you will need. Another thing I found it offered was a little unexpected. Being slightly softer it gave the end of the forward flex a less harsh feel. On some boots with a very firm shell you may find the end of the flex is very harsh as the cuff hits the cuff, on these boots that hard hit was less intense partly to do with the softer plastic on the instep. So although unexpected the boots being easy to get on may also may them more desirable for park riders. image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F87%2F28%2F768728.jpeg&size=600x564 One thing I did slightly differently for this test was to not mold the liners. People often say if you don't mold them, they will bed in just the same and last longer. To test this I skied them out of the box and really they have been ok but no great. They have taken some time but they are bedded in but I would not do it again. Molding really does do more then just skiing. If you use toecaps you can really push the heel back into the liner giving potentially more room in the toes and a tighter heel fit. If you get a boot with a heat mold liner, get it molded it really is worth it. Overall I have been very happy with the Allspeeds. The cuff offers a very supportive yet forgiving flex which is perfect for the park. The shell shape is tighter then I would normally go for although I have found it has held me so well I can usually ski without the foot buckles, buckled which has been nice. A big factor in these boots favor is the large amount of possible fit and flex options. Most people should be able to find an option which works for them and with a little modification you will have a boot which will work perfectly not just in the park but all over the mountain. The biggest issue has been the toes and really this is not a fault of the boot but more simply a case that I don't fit perfectly. But I have never found any occasions where I have been wanting more cushioning or any of the other features offered by "Park Boots". image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F44%2F54%2F764454.jpeg&size=600x564 Just a few of the other boots which could work just as well as these Rossi's in the park. With any ski boot, fit is the biggest factor, so having more options will always be good so next time you head to a boot fitter, take a second look at the boots you may have dismissed in the past. Read more at http://www.newschoolers.com/membernewsread/2016-Rossignol-Allspeed-120-ultimate-park-boot#ms51pLSh5UkLrWHw.99
2016 K2 Pinnacle 130 Next season will mark the third year of K2 producing ski boots and although I have fitted and sold them for the two years they have been on the market this would be my first opportunity to put the boots through their paces. K2 produce two lines of boots, the Spyne (Spyre for woman) an all mountain boot with a fixed cuff, and the boot I would be testing the Pinnacle (Minaret for woman) which is the freeride offering with a ski/walk mechanism. Both lines are available in various flex's from 90 to 130 for men and 80 to 100 or 110 for woman. Perhaps more interestingly the higher end models are offered in a range of fits from Low volume at 98mm right up to the High Volume at 102mm. I would be testing the top of the line Pinnacle 130 in the Medium volume which has a 100mm last. This version has some pretty impressive features such as Tech binding inserts in a Din compatible sole and Intuition liners customized by K2, but how would these relatively new boots stand up against boots from companies who have been doing this for decades. Firstly though I want to mention one thing, no doubt if you pick these boots up the weight will be the first thing you notice. These are no light weight touring boots but that is not what the designers wanted to make. Their aim was to create the ultimate freeride boot, a boot the best riders could use in the biggest of terrain. If your looking to do multi-day backcountry missions these are probably not the boots for you, but if your backcountry is more ascending to find some gnarly terrain then keep reading. Technologies Interlock and Powerfuse Spyne Running through both the Pinnacle and Spyne boots is one key idea witch set K2 boots apart from the competition. Most Boots use bolts or rivets to connect the cuff to the clog, like the Rossingnol Allspeed 120 I reviewed last week. These bolts help make the boots stiffer and give the boot a more consistent flex. However using bolts does cause stress on the cuff in the place the bolts are located. Because of this instead of bolting or riveting the cuff, K2 use their Interlock system. The basic idea is to connect the cuff and the clog without any bolts or rivets so that the stress is more evenly spread through the back of the cuff. The cuff and clog are connected with interlocking plastic inserts, which K2 think better distribute the stresses more evenly. Along with Interlock K2 use what they call a Powerfuse Spyne. Although it sounds complicated it is basically a injected section in the back of the cuff which Carbon Fiber is added too. This helps strengthen and stiffen the cuff and K2 also claim it helps with the rebound of the forward flex. Reading the information I must admit I was a little skeptical about K2's claims of the improved feel by using interlock rather then the standard bolting but the theory did seem sound and I'm always interested to try new ideas. The Powerfuse Spyne I did think had promise. I am a big fan of the use of Carbon in the cuff, for example in the Atomic Waymaker Carbon 130, so I was hopeful these boots would offer a similar powerful feel. Powerlock buckle One feature that is exclusive to the Pinnacle 130 is the Powerlock buckle. In essence it is a power strap which you close using a buckle rather then just pulling it tight. With only 1 standard buckle on the cuff the Powerlock buckle means that the strap acts more like a second buckle but with all the benefits of a standard power strap. Along with giving a firmer fit compered to a regular power strap the buckle gives the ability to easily loosen the strap when you want some more mobility in the cuff, such as when your touring. You can open the buckle to loosen the cuff but re-tightening is as easy as flipping the buckle down again. I like the concept of this but I was interested to see how easy it would be to get the right tension. Tech Compatible Din Soles This is probably the Pinnacles biggest selling point. It is the only boot currently on the market which is compatible with all binding options. On the same day you could use a Dynafit tech touring setup and your good old FKS without having to change anything. As standard the boots come with a replaceable sole which is Din compatible. As of next season K2 will be offering Vibram sole options for the pinnacle. Although these soles will not be WTR compatible they will work with tech bindings and the Marker Kingpin. The tech insets are build straight into the shell so are not effected by changing the soles and should also offer a stronger interface then if they were included in a replaceable sole unit. I would be testing these boots with a selection bindings including STH Steel, STH 2, Griffons, Radicals and the one I was most excited about, the Marker Kingpin. Custom Intuition Liner K2 decided to go with Intuition liners throughout the whole range of boots. The liners used differ slightly boot to boot but the Pinnacle 130 uses the top end PrecisionFit Tour liner. Unlike the wrap style Intuitions used in Full Tilts for example, K2 decided to go with a standard tongue style liner. I think this is a good choice personally as I do tend to prefer the feel of a tongue in a boot designed to be ridden hard. From a boot fitters perspective I was also very happy to see that K2 did not use a liner with foam beneath the foot. There is a standard firm base to the liner which makes fitting much easier. One area K2 customized the liners is adding plastic to the cuff area. This reinforcement is designed to further improve the power transfer of the cuff. It does add some weight to the liner but does certainly give a firm feel to the cuff while still offering a comfortable fit. On the back of the liner is a mid firm rubber spoiler (not pictured above). The spoiler is attached with Velcro so it is very quick and easy to adjust the position. The spoiler is quite big though so by having it in the forward lean will be increased quite a bit. Ski/Walk Mechanism As I covered above K2 is using the Interlock system for the Ski/Walk Mechanism but I wanted to take a closer look at how it works. The cuff is released in a similar fashion to most of the current freeride boots on the market. A wedge piece is used to stop the cuff flexing back when in ski mode. Inside the wedge is a square cutout which matches a raised section on the clog. This is the method K2 is using to lock the shell and clog. Along with releasing the cuff to flex backwards, when in hike mode, the forward flex is also softened making it easier to achieve a natural walking movement. The way this is achieved is fairly simply. Some of you may have seen or even done a V shape cut in the back of a boot to soften the flex slightly. Removing a V shape allows the Cuff to flex over the lower clog more easily making the flex of the boot softer. K2 have done a very similar thing, there is a V cut in the clog but when the boot is in Ski mode a small plastic piece moves forward to fill the gap, effectively removing the cut and stiffening the flex. When the boot is put into walk mode, this plastic piece moves back allowing the V shape to open and the boot can flex forward easier. It is a simply idea but is very effective. The flex really softens when in walk mode and although the cuff does not go as far beyond vertical as some boots on the market the overall feel of the boots in walk mode is one of the best I have tried compared to equivalent boots. The Rest I always like to take boots apart when I get a new pair so that I can really get to know the boots. Often the amount you can remove is pretty limited but these boots are a boot fitters dream. You can fully remove the cuff, all of the hardware (buckles etc) are bolted on rather then riveted and everything comes apart very easily with very few tools, all of which are provided in the box. This may not seem like a big deal but it does make the boots much easier to work on and if you have issues you could potentially fully rebuild the boots at home if you had the spare parts. Speaking of spare parts this is something K2 is doing very well. Everything is available free of charge after original purchase and many of the parts are interchangeable between models meaning if certain model parts become unavailable you should still be able to get a part which works. The boot board is a soft rubber in the Pinnacle series, whereas the Spyne uses a rigid boot board. The boot boards are interchangeable between the models though, so you can take your pick on which you want to use. A softer boot board added to a Spyne could make them a great option for the park. The cuff features dual cuff alignment which works in a very similar manner to that used on some Full Tilt and Dabello boots. The way it works is very simple, the adjuster is built from 2 plastic pieces each with an offset hole. The smaller piece goes in the larger and the cuff bolt goes in the hole in the smaller one. Arranging the pieces so the offset is in different potions allows for a total of 4.4degrees adjustment which is pretty good. On a boot this price I would have liked to see these parts be metal to add durability but plastic has been effective in this area on other boots. Overall although the boots have not technically changed I do think the 2016 version looks better then the current season version. The way a boot looks hopefully should be a very small factor in the decision process but hey if a boot can look good as well as ski and fit well that is a bonus. The Fit For 2016 the Pinnacle 130 will be offered in Low (LV), Med and High (HV) volume options which at 98, 100 and 102mm should cover a good section of the market. It was always annoying having your boot selections be limited by fit so I think the fact companies are now offering the same boot in various fits is great. As I said above I would be testing the 100mm version and initially shell checking the boot I would say its more on the roomy side. The instep is not overly high and the forefoot and toebox are a decent size for a 100mm boot but the throat of the boot is rather high volume. K2 have done some things like adding space for the navicular (bone on the inside of the foot) which can often be painful but for me it does add to much volume in that area. I'm all for companies taking work away from me but I do think some stretches should be left to a boot fitter. One area which is quite low volume is the heel. I do not have a particularly high volume heel but the shell is rather tight on my foot. I would be testing the boots in size 26, in this size they have a BSL of 306mm which is fairly standard for boots this size. Shell check wise if anything they are on the larger side but this is partly to do with the decent sized toe box with plenty of big toe room, something I often struggle with. If I'm being honest I would say I was a little underwhelmed by the fit of the shell. There was nothing really wrong with it but it did not seem to have much overall shape. The liner however really changes things. This would actually be the first pair of intuitions I have used and once molded they did give an excellent fit in the shell. They initially felt a little tight on my instep and heel but I decided to leave it and see how they bedded in. One thing I had found fitting these boots for customers was the cuff fitted rather large. I often had to move the buckle teeth inwards for people to be able to get a snug fit and this was something I found on my test pair. On the first try I was finding I was having to do the buckle to the last of the teeth. This was an easy change to make but I have not had to move the buckles on any other boots I have tried this season. Having fit options is always good when it comes to boots and having boots with larger volume cuffs is very useful at times but I do think K2 could slightly redesign the cuff to reduce volume. Like the shell I also felt the liner lacked some volume in the cuff. The calf section felt OK but the tongue is very thin. The Intuition foam still gave it a snug, comfortable fit but I did wonder how my shins would feel after a few days in the boots. Other then adding my footbeds and molding the liners I did not have to do any work before taking them out for there first few days on the hill. The Ride All Mountain My first few rides in the boots were just general riding around the mountain. We have had a pretty awful snow year here in whistler and the snow pack at the time I was initial testing, was firm to say the least but this did give me opportunity to push the boots hard. The forward flex is firm, they are certainly some of the stiffer freeride boots currently on the market. They are no race boot 130 like K2 claim but you can certainly lean into the boots. The lateral stiffness felt good but not as stiff as some boots I have used. One thing I did notice was there seemed to be a slight mismatch in forward and lateral stiffness. The boots feel slightly stiffer forward then side to side something I would personally prefer to see reversed. I like a boot to be stiff side to side but with some forgiveness forward to help with impacts. One thing I did notice was a slight movement in the cuff. I was finding that there was a small amount of play forward and backward. The walk mode was engaged correctly and the wedge was working but there was still a slight amount of give. image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F81%2F93%2F768193.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size The fit did soften up slightly and I found the instep pressure disappeared pretty quickly. I have become a big fan of the liners, I have heard for years how comfortable and warm they are and I now see why so many people like them. They have offered a comfortable, consistent fit and even though they feel soft they still allow a good amount of energy transfer. I am seriously considering getting Intuitions for all my boots after testing these. I did find sometimes that the lack of volume in the tongue was slightly uncomfortable after a long day and I would like to see k2 build up the tongue in future versions. I also think the spoiler pushes you slightly to far forward and would prefer a thinner rear spoiler and a thicker tongue to give a slightly more upright stance. So as far as the resort the boots were fairing very well but that is only one aspect of this boot and to really test them out I wanted to take them touring. Backcountry image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F50%2F82%2F765082.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F50%2F83%2F765083.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size As I mentioned at the start these are certainly no lightweight boot so to help my legs, I wanted to try and save as much weight as I could with my Skis and bindings. I decided to go with the Volkl BMT 95 and the Marker Kingpin. Although admittedly not cheap this is the perfect kind of setup for these boots. If you get a hard charging, lightweight ski and binding you can really get the most out of these boots. The ascent we would be doing was from the backcountry access gate on the Blackcomb glacier, climbing up to access Bodybag bowl. Although not a long ascent we would be traversing our way up for an hour or so which would hopefully be enough time for potential problems to arise. With both boots set to walk mode we set off up the ascent. The heels were still feeling tight so I had decided to tape my heels in anticipation of problems but luckily even with the foot buckles undone the boots felt nice and snug and my feet were not moving around. By the end of the climb my heels were a little sore but I do think with more bedding in and maybe a shell stretch they will be fine. The liner is firmer in the heel which although giving a snug fit can take longer to bed in then the rest of the liner. The Powerlock buckle did work well here, undoing the buckle does release the cuff but I did find that I undid the strap slightly more any way so I'm still not fully convinced of its benefits over a regular strap. The movement in the cuff felt fine and I actually found at the top that both boots had actually reverted back to ski mode. The fact that I was still able to skin up fine with the boots in ski mode was quite impressive to me but I was a little worried about why the boots had reverted back to ski mode. I contacted K2 and they had not heard of it so I put it down to user error and I have had no issues since this initial trip. It may be one area k2 could look at improving though. Although the light weight skis and bindings certainly helped I really did not find any issues with the weight on the way up. If I was going to be climbing for hours for multiple days I would go for something lighter but for shorter hikes where the emphasis is the way down these boots will work well. image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F50%2F84%2F765084.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F50%2F85%2F765085.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F50%2F86%2F765086.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size Once we had made it to the top, the boots really began to show there full potential. The snow was fairly firm and the skis were getting thrown around quite a bit but the boots really allowed me to drive the skis as hard as I wanted. These conditions would have challenged a traditional tech setup and I certainly would not have been skiing as hard on a traditional tech setup and a big part of this was thanks to the kingpin. I will be doing a full review on the binding but they really do feel like an alpine binding. I was pushing them as hard as I would any other binding and they really allowed me to get the most of the boots. A Dynafit binding would not allow you to use these boots to their full potential, so I would recommend Kingpin's or frame bindings as the best matches for these boots. Although these will not replace a light weight touring boot for longer missions if your main aim for hiking is to access some big terrain these are an excellent choice. They are comfy on the way up but as powerful as you will ever need on the way back down. Park image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F81%2F94%2F768194.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size Although these boots were never intended for the park, this being Newschoolers I thought it was important to see how they handled the abuse of the park. On a slight side note, I do think its important for boots like this to consider the park in their design process. We have got to the stage with skis where we have skis that can handle everything from park to pow and although we are close to it with boots I don't think we are quite there. I would love to have a boot like this that can handle the park just as well as it does the climbs and big descents. Having said that I do actually really like these boots in the park and its mainly to do with the fit. The roomy shell combined with the plush liner and soft boot board do a great job of reducing impacts. They have actually become of of my favorite boots in the park and its mainly down to how comfy they are. For me the flex is fine but after a long day my shins do get a little sore. Again I think a more robust tongue would help here. One problem I did find was the cuff play did get a worse. After a while the play in the cuff had become a bit of an issue so I decided to take a look and see what was going on. The Cuff Looking at the shells its hard to determine exactly where the play is coming from. There does seem to be a slight gap between the wedge of the walk mode and the lower shell so this may be where some of the play is coming from. I think the main issue is more likely the way the Interlock system works. It works really well when the weight is forward but when the weight is back on the cuff, the system seems to loosen slightly. It is seemingly made worse by adding the moving parts for the walk mechanism and I have found no real play in the Spyne boots. I do also think some of the play is coming from the plastic cuff adjusters, it feels as though the screw holes have deformed slightly further adding to the play. While I was looking at the cuff I did notice something interesting about the plastic piece used to fill the V cut. It is slightly smaller then the V cut which means the initial flex is much softer until the V shape is filled by the plastic piece and the flex stiffens. I was finding that this initial softness meant I was sitting slightly into the flex and I wondered if this was adding to the feeling of movement in the cuff. image: http://thumbs.newschoolers.com/index.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.newschoolers.com%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F17%2F00%2F76%2F50%2F97%2F765097.jpeg&size=600x564 Click for full size Looking at how K2 had built the wedge section I figured I could recreate it fairly easily but this time make it big enough to fully fill the gap, hopefully removing the initial flex. My first attempts were made from wood and although looking very nice they both broke. I instead used the plastic from a wax scraper. Although very basic the conversion seemed to work very well. The cuff felt more solid and the flex felt more consistent as there was no initial soft flex. The small blue piece in the photo above is the part I recreated. I got a few other boot fitters I work with to blind test it and they all said the modified version felt better in the cuff, even though they did not know what I had modified. I never intended to ski it but it felt so good in the shop I figured I had to give it a try. I told my self I would take it easy as it could potentially break at any point, but that lasted about 30 seconds. The boot felt great and I very soon was hitting things just as I normally would. Personally I think the flex does feel better but it has certainly stiffened the boot up. I got the chance to speak to the K2 boot designers to discuss the issues I was having and they did explain the reasoning for making the wedge slightly smaller. They were finding that when the boot was buckled tightly when still in walk mode, the V would close slightly and then a full size wedge would not work. I do understand this and can see that the solution they chose was an effective one but I would like to see a more effective method of closing the V used in the future. Perhaps an angled piece which could push its way in when weight was applied forward. I should also say at this point that I was initially skiing sample boots. Although not vastly different to the production models they are not quite the same and you should expect a few more issues. K2 have recently supplied me with some 2016 production boots and the cuff is certainly better. There is still some play, although less then before but I still think there is room for improvement. Overall Having read that last section you may expect that I'm going to be quite negative about the boots but actually I really like them. I feel these boots have a lot of potential. The issues I found were small and chatting to K2 they are certainly not consistent with what they have found. Its also worth noting that I was skiing samples and not full production versions until fairly late on. I really like the idea of boots like these though, making a boot which is compatible with so many binding options straight out the box is awesome especially if you only want one pair of boots. It may sound like a small thing but being able to just put the boots on and ride any possible binding combination is great. Yes lots of boots have the ability to add tech compatibility by swapping the soles but that is just one more thing to do. K2 have tried some new ideas and I think this is a good thing in the boot world. Some things I'm still not totally convinced by but some such as the Powerlock buckle are growing on me. Overall the fit is great, I love the liners and the walk mode is one of the best I have used on a freeride boot but they are not without their problems. I love the foot but the cuff needs work. I would like to see a redesign to try to reduce the play and also reduce some of the volume. In doing so if K2 could find some ways to shed some weight that would not hurt either but I think these are acheivable goals. With a little more development I really do see these being one of the top freeride boots available. Of course there are quite a few boots in this market and as always with boots, fit should be the most important factor but having tried a number of this style of boot I do believe K2 should be right up there in your next boot choices. read the full news article here: http://www.newschoolers.com/membernewsread/2016-K2-Pinnacle-130-Boot-Rule#G2SdTCZUAxHY4B5u.97
Julbo may not be a name you are too familiar with and I must admit I had not heard of the brand, but having used a couple of their goggles for some time now I strongly recommend you check them out. Founded in France they have been producing eyewear for mountaineering and other outdoor activities since 1988. The Welcome goggle I would be testing, is a collaboration between pro skiers Sam Favret and Enak Gavaggio and is one of Julbo's top end goggles. It features Julbo's XL frame and the Snow Tiger spherical lens, a lens which is both polarized and photocromic. Looking at the google they do not have a huge size and certainly don't look overly big on the head but the minimal frame and the positioning of the lens close to the face give one of the best field of visions I have ever had from a goggle. One of the ways the goggles give such a good field of vision is by offering an excellent fit to the face. Unlike most brands which use a polycarbonate lens, Julbo choose to use a NXT material instead. The NXT used allows the lens to be slightly more flexible which means that the goggle can conform and fit to the face very well. It also offers a very comfortable fit as they conform really well to the shape of the face. The foam used on the inside has a nice almost fleece feel and gives a great seal to the face helping prevent fogging and also gives an extremely comfortable fit without becoming overly warm As I mentioned before the lens has some pretty interesting features. Look wise the Snow Tiger Lens is similar to the Fire Iridium from Oakley but it does give a pretty different vision. Being polarized, any wet or shiny surface, ice for example, is given an almost metallic look. At first I found this a little unusual but after a few runs I was really liking the unique look the lens offered. Possibly more important then being polarized the Snow Tiger is also a photocromic lens. If you do not know what this means, it is basically a lens which can get lighter and darker depending on weather conditions. This lens claims to be able to darken from a Category 2 condition (overcast conditions) to Cat 3 (fairly bright). In practice I did find that the lens was very usable from bright sun to overcast conditions. I never really noticed it changing which I take as a good thing, but I did always seem to have a fairly optimal vision. Even in very overcast conditions, where traditionally a fully mirrored lens would struggle the Snow tiger still offered good definition. The anti fogging has won a number of awards and I can say I never had any fogging issues at all. I also like that unlike some brands the anti fogging is not just applied to the inner lens. This method can cause problems when snow gets on the inner lens. If you wipe the lens when wet you can permanently damage the anti fogging possibly resulting in you needing a new lens. I had one particularly big fall while using these goggles and completely filled the goggle with snow. I had to scrape the snow out and wipe the lens out to be able to continue and I did worry I may damage the lens. Luckily they were absolutely fine and the anti fogging is just as good. I really like the idea of these photocromic lenses as they can effectively remove the need to change lenses as conditions change. Julbo offer 4 different lenses which may not sound a lot but shows in my opinion just how versatile the lenses are. Overall I have become a huge fan of the Welcome goggle from Julbo. I really like the style, the fit is excellent as is the field of view and lens really does offer a great amount of versatility. Julbo have got quite a few new goggles coming next season including a really interesting Touring Goggle called the Areospace. The Areospace features a lens which can be pulled forward to help keep you cool on the uphills. I am currently testing the Areospace so look out for a full review soon but I strongly urge you to check out Julbo, you will not be disappointed.
The Electric EG3 is the third pair of frameless goggles I have tested this year and they have probably the most interesting and easiest lens change feature of the three. Unlike most goggles which use a press fit or mechanical method for securing the lens, Electric go for a method were the lens and frame form a tight seal all the way around. Rather by being only held in at a few various points on the frame using a full seal means the lens fits very securely in the frame but changing the lens is as simple as pushing the lens forward. The seal is excellent and changing lenses is very easy. I do like the system a lot. The fit is wider then many goggles I have tried. Although the frame is not that tall it is wider then most I have used.This does help with peripheral vision but one thing I have found using frameless goggles this season is that you can get an almost tunnel vision look. Having a frameless google means the lens sits further away from the face then a traditional framed goggle. This can mean you see more of the frame then you would in a framed style. You get two lenses with this goggle and the lenses you get depend on the version you buy. Electric have 14 lenses available for the EG3 covering everything from Jet black to clear. I was testing the blue and the yellow lenses. The blue is supposed to be good for more overcast conditions but I did find even in cloudy conditions the lens was quite bright. The lens has an overall yellow tint with the blue outer coating and to be honest it is not one of the best lenses I have used. Personally I have been much more impressed by the Oakley Prizm lenses and the Julbo Polarized lenses. Overall if you are a fan of a frameless goggle take a look at the EG3. The lens swap system is great and they do offer a slightly different fit to most goggles on the market which could be good for some people.
These Pow mittens are inspired by Dash Longe and they are a serious product. They are a two part mitten, the outer is a Nylon shell with a leather palm and the inner is a fleece and synthetic insulation mitten with individual fingers for extra warmth. See image below http://www.newschoolers.com/photo/768086.0/POW-Gloves---Tallac-Mitt?c=12&o=8 By having both the outer and inner you can wear both or either by themselves. I don't often wear just the outer shell, as without the inner they are a little big but the inner glove is great to wear on dry days or even off the hill when its cold. With the outer shell the gloves do fit slightly bigger then most but the outer shell has a handy draw string on the cuff which both helps keep snow out but also helps the gloves fit under jacket cuffs. A sachet of Nikwax Leather balm is included to help keep the palms in good condition although so far I have not had to use it. The water proofing has been great so far and I have found the back nylon does not wet out in in the wettest conditions. The palm did get a little wet sometimes but never let moisture through to the inside. Treating the palm with the Nikwax would help with this I'm sure. The inner gloves having individual fingers inside makes them pretty warm but even on warmer days I do find they breath well to help prevent overheating. I would certainly say these are a more cold weather glove but having the ability to just wear the inner glove on its own is a big bonus to me.
The buckshot is a small Bluetooth speaker built specifically for the outdoors. It is made from a firm rubber material meaning you can drop this thing and its going to survive. The rubber used in certain versions is also glow in the dark which can be really useful. It is water resistant so perfect for use on the slopes. At around 3 inches long it is pretty compact but still manages to produce some hefty sound. Although not as big and bassy as Outdoor techs other speakers, the turtle, the buckshot can easily be used on the go. In the box is an adapter to fit it to bike handle bars so you can have music on the go. On the unit its self you have the ability to adjust the volume, skip tracks and even if you want, make and receive calls. The sound is good from such a small unit and is plenty load enough for smaller gatherings. Next season there is a new version of the Buckshot which adds the ability to attach a light to the unit. So you can have a torch come speaker or bike light with speaker. If you are often outside but like to have your tunes check out the buckshot.
If you have not heard of Outdoor tech you should take a look at their site. There offer a number of solutions for audio and power which are built to be used outdoors in all conditions. As skiers this is perfect and luckily they offer a number of products designed for skiing. The product I am reviewing here is the Chips helmet audio solution. Chips are made in wired and Bluetooth versions and I would be testing the Bluetooth version. The chips are designed to fit into helmets with an audio enabled ear piece. Helmets often have a zip on the ear piece where you can insert the Chips. There is one cable which connects the two speakers which sits around the back of teh head. If you ride without the ear pads in the helmet then you can still use the Chips. As of next season Outdoor tech is offering beanies and headbands which can accommodate the chips. In Use The chips are very easy to pair to your phone and once paired have most of the features you will need to never take your phone out again. You can raise and lower the volume, skip tracks and even receive calls. The sound is very good, it is deep and crisp. Compared to the ear buds I normally run the sound is much better. In terms of comfort in the ear pads of a helmet you don't notice them at all really. The buttons are still easy to use and the sound is clear. Battery life is good and they do not get effected by the cold which can often drain a battery. Another new addition for next season is a headphone frame for the chips. You will be able to add the chips to the frame and wear them as over ear headphones. Overall I have been very impressed by the sound quality and ease of use of the Chips and the new additions next season will add much more usability. If you like the idea of these but prefer ear buds then outdoor tech make 2 wireless ear buds as well as a Bluetooth adapter which can turn any headphones into a wireless option.
The bones sock is the second offering from Saga along with the Academics sock. Again like the Academics the Bones is offered in one size fits all, but luckily for me the Bones fits both longer and less tight in the calf. If you are an average sized guy then I would recommend the Bones over the Academics which I found far to tight in the Calf The foot fits the same as the Academics and again fits me well (size 26 boots). The weight (thickness) feels slightly heavier to me then the Academics but I think that is mainly to do with the additional thread on the inside for the bones pattern. I was worried all this additional material inside would be uncomfortable but I have found no issues at all. They are quite comfortable and the tighter mid foot sections holds the sock in place well. I would like some extra padding in the toe, heel and shin however. They do however have a logo stitched on the inside at the top which I have found to be slightly uncomfortable on the cuff of a boot. I would prefer there kept the sides of the sock clean. In terms of style I love these socks. I have the black ones with the white bones and they do look kind of freaky when you wear them. It would be nice if they had a left and right foot (both socks are a right foot with a left leg) and if they did I would be using these as try on socks in the shop. Although these are not the highest quality ever they are some of my favorites as they are just so cool.
Working as a bootfiiter I am always stressing the importance of good socks for skiing. I have used numerous pairs from various brands over the years and lately have been using Smartwool almost exclusively so I was interested to see how these offerings from Saga would stack up. Initially inspecting the socks they are more basic then the Smartwool I am used too. They claim to be One size fits all but with feet this simply does not work. I wear a size 26 boot so about a 9US shoe and the foot is fine, however at 5'11 the socks are too short on my leg. They only just come above the boot and the ribbing at the top sits inside the boot and is quite uncomfortable. Along with being to short for me the top ribbing is far to tight. I don't have particularly big calves but they are uncomfortably tight on me. In terms of fit these will suit a younger rider with skinny legs. If you have issues with socks staying up these could work well. Saga say these socks are a medium weight and they are thicker then most lightweight socks but I would not really call them a medium weight. My boots feel loser with these then a Medium weight sock from a different brand. One problem I have with them is they are the same thickness all over. I would prefer the heel and toe areas to be slightly thicker to help with the fit in the boot. Having some extra padding on the shin would be nice too. They do have a tighter section in the mid foot which helps keep the sock in place and I have found them to be quite comfortable to ski in. At $14.99 they are roughly half the price of a top end sock, but unless you are still growing and need a cheaper, tight fitting sock I would still recommend spending a little more on a better product.
I have used various gloves and mittens from Dakine in the past but these offer something a little different. Running down the side where the index finger sits is a zip which allows you to open the mitten up to use your fingers. Included with the mittens is a pair of inner gloves with touch screen compatible fingers. Why is this useful you might ask, having to take your gloves off every time you want to check your phone or change a setting on a camera for example can be time consuming. Having the ability to simply unzip and have full use of your hand is great in my opinion. The mittens them selves are quite similar to the Fillmore mitt. They are a lightly insulated mitt (liners help with the warmth) and feature a Velcro closure on the wrist. I revived a LRG pair to test and they fit me pretty well, a MED would be better however which is what I normally wear so sizing is fairly consistent to other gloves. The palm is a full leather construction and has a rubber pattern which really aids in grip. The back is made of a Nylon/poly mix with a DWR outer coating. I have used the Skylines in some hard rain and never had them let in moisture. They did wet out a little but it was very heavy rain. They stayed warm no matter how wet and the zip on the side never allowed any moisture through. One thing to note, you can wear the mittens without the inner glove and I have been doing this on warmer days but on cooler days the zipper head on the inside gets quite cold against your hand. It would be nice if Dakine could cover the zipper head inside a little better. The overall build quality is one par with any Dakine glove but the added functionality offered by the zip and inner gloves make these a great option for people who are constantly using there hands but want the extra warmth and comfort a mitten offers.
Alongside the Washburn Jacket I also had the opportunity to test the new Wellington Pants. Unlike the Jacket which is a shell these pants feature a light insulation, however it is not insulated evenly all over the pant. The seat of the pants and knees have more of the PrimaLoft insulation as these are zones which often get cold especially while sat on a lift. Keeping the insulation restricted to key zones allows the pants to be more comfortable on warmer days then some other fully insulated pants. In terms of warmth, although I have not tried them on any really cold days, I have never found I am too hot or too cold in these pants. They do a great job of regulating temperature. Like the Washburn Jacket they feature 10K waterproofing and breathability. Even out in heavy rain I have never found any issues moisture sweeping through and they do a good job of not wetting out. The outer materiel has a good thick and durable feel to it however the pants are not bulky or heavy. I'm very confident that the outer material will stand up to quite a bit of abuse and its an excellent wind stopper, so on windy days you can stay nice and warm. There are two large top pockets and then two cargo short style pockets on the mid thigh. The pocket placement works very well as things in the pockets don't end up to far down the leg even with the pants sagged. I received the pants in XL to test and I must admit I would probably have gone LRG if I had tried them. I can get the waist to work with a belt but they are pretty long on me. I do have to roll them up a long way when walking around however I have never found any issues on the hill. They are a standard fit pant so not meant to be supper baggy but in the XL size they do offer a good baggy fit. This is how they fit me when sagged http://www.newschoolers.com/photo/764055.0/Dakine-Washburn-Jacket?c=12&o=8 Overall I am extremely impressed by the Wellington Pants and I would certainly recommend them. I like a slightly insulated pant and I think Dakine have got it spot on with these. I like the fit and the build quality of the pants, the only thing I would like to see is a way to cinch the pant legs up better when off the hill.
I have worn Dakine gloves and mittens for years now, I have had a few of their rucksacks and I have even tried the bike gear but this would be my first opportunity to take a look at the new Ski outerwear. The jacket I would be testing is the Washburn Shell Jacket. At 10k for waterproofing and breathability this is not at the top end of the range but offers great value for money. It is a shell Jacket but unlike some shells, the Washburn has an inner liner which gives a more comfortable feel next to the skin compared to some shells. The Washburn is a standard fit Jacket but at 34in zipper length (in the XL) it still fits pretty long. It is a more square fit then long and slim but if you cinch in the bottom, it has a good long relaxed fit without looking to boxy. To give you an idea of the fit I got some of my co workers to pose in the Jacket to give you an idea of the fit of the XL on various size people. http://www.newschoolers.com/photo/764054.0/Dakine-Washburn-Sizing?c=12&o=8 At 5'11†and 160lbs this is how the Jacket and also the Wellington pants fit me. http://www.newschoolers.com/photo/764055.0/Dakine-Washburn-Jacket?c=12&o=8 Unfortunately in the PNW this season we have had more rain then snow but this has at least let me try out the jacket's waterproofing. I have worn it in some really heavy rain and although it did wet out eventually on the shoulders, no moisture got through. For a 10K jacket in those kind of conditions the fact it kept me dry is very impressive. The zips are all YKK® Water Resistant Zippers and have again stood up really well to the wet conditions. There are two large front pockets which are fleece lined, a small pocket on the right and a larger chest pocket on the left with a headphone hole to the inside making it perfect for your MP3 or phone. Inside the jacket on the Right there is a deep pocket perfect for goggles. The wrists feature large Velcro closures but no gators however I found that the way the wrist closes gives a really good seal even without the gator. The hood is over sized so will fit over a helmet but if you are riding without then there are three drawstrings to keep the hood out of the way when not in use. Alongside the main body zipper is a short zip which allows the top of the jacket to open slightly, while an enclosed mesh helps to keep snow out. This is great for cooling off slightly without having to open the Jacket fully. Weight wise the Washburn is very light. The fabric used is soft and offers a very nice un-restricted fit. Being a shell you will want to layer but being lined it is slightly warmer then some shells. Overall I have been very impressed by the Washburn. It has stood up to some awful weather and it is a very comfy and light jacket to wear. I have found no durability issues so far and if you know any of Dakine's other products you will no doubt know the quality and this Jacket is no different.
Le Bent Thermals When it comes to keeping warm I have plenty of experience with different base and mid layers. Even skiing in the relatively warm PNW I always seem to be cold skiing the resort so wearing good layers has become important. I have tried Merino Wool and Synthetic base layers but have never tried the Bamboo and Merino mix these particular base layers from Australian brand Le Bent feature. Bamboo may seem a strange choice but upon further investigation I found Bamboo is actually a really good choice to mix with the traditional merino wool. Bamboo is incredibly environmentally friendly. It grows fast with little care and can even help prevent soil erosion, the roots can help prevent soil erosion and when processed the fiber produced is as soft as cashmere or silk. Best of all it naturally contains an antibacterial agent called “Bamboo Kunâ€. This antibacterial agent stays on the fiber for as many as 50 washes and helps keep the base layers smelling good longer. Both the top and bottoms are a 200gm weight. If you don't know what this means it basically explains how heavy the fabric used is. The higher the number so thicker the material, the warmer it will be. Generally base layers range from 150-260gm so these sit somewhere in the middle. The fit is slightly different to most. At 5'11 and 160lbs I am not a small guy so when I was sent a small top and medium bottoms I was concerned they would not fit. However I nee-dent have worried. The bottoms in a medium were perfect and the small top is really not that bad. I would probably go for a medium if I was buying again but the small works fine. One bonus is the top is pretty long, in most smalls the top would be riding up but these base layers fit long. Unfortunately the bottoms also run long. In a ski boot you only really want the sock inside so I always roll the base layer up, however I have to roll these base layers over 4 times. I'm not sure if I have very short legs but they are way to long on me. Luckily the soft fiber does mean they still fit comfortably rolled up but I would prefer a shorter fit. Both the top and bottoms feel extremely comfortable to wear. The material is soft and the seams are well placed and very well hidden so there is no rubbing. Te material does not itch and it does wick sweat away well. I did find however it does unfortunately get a little cold when wet compared to some pure merino tops I have worn. They are certainly a very well made and comfortable set of base layers and although I do like the long fit of the top I would prefer the bottoms to be shorter. On very cold days I would prefer a top in a heavier weight but most people I ski with are fine in a lighter weight like this so its probably just me. As well as the base layers Le bent also provided a balaclava and a neck tube. The balaclava was my favorite I have ever skied in. It uses the same soft material as the base layers and had a hinge front section rather then just an oval hole. Unfortunately I have lost it or someone has taken it which I am really annoyed about as it really is awesome. I have used the neck tube too and that is comfy too but I really hope I find the balaclava. Update - I found the balaclava and I have been wearing it all the time. All the Le Bent items are holding up really well after half a season of use and they have become some of my favorite base layers to wear.
The TNT is the replacement to the Threat. The Threat was a foam core, price point ski which was not a true twin. The tail was significantly lower then the tip but the skis were actually still quite fun in the park. They were light and soft and I rode a pair for a few months a couple of seasons ago and really enjoyed them. The TNT is quite a step forward compared to the Threat, they are a full wood core and have a redesigned shape now featuring some slight rocker in the tip and tail. The rocker profile is not like that of the Rocker 100 and is more like early rise. Unlike the NFX they have a cap construction giving a softer overall flex then the NFX. The only size they had for testing was the 171 which is a little short for me, I would prefer the longer 176 length but I can handle a 171 when I have too. From the top of the lift was a nice groomer and I had the chance to lay down some turns. The edges hooked up really well, there is a lot more stability then the Threat and I was pushing the skis pretty hard. The flex is certainly softer then the NFX but the pop was still just as good and the skis felt light and easy to move around. The shorter length and the softer tails did make me a little concerned about stability on landings but the skis held up really well and Im sure in a longer length would have been even better. The softer tails are easier to butter then the NFX and in general the skis are basically a softer more playful version of the NFX. Whereas you would use the NFX on the biggest jumps and jibs the TNT would be more fun in the slower jibs and could make a good urban ski. Like a few brands are doing, Salomon have kept the price low on the TNT at $399, so the TNT could be a great first ski, however experienced riders will have just as much fun without having to spend a fortune. If you like the idea of the NFX but prefer a softer ski check out the TNT.
The Rocker 100 remains unchanged other then the change of blue. The Rocker 100 is positioned in the range to be just as happy in the park as out in the powder. Looking at the ski they have a very similar profile to the ON3P Jmo or Kartels, skis I am a big fan. The flex is mid soft in the tip and tail but the ski does firm up underfoot which should help the skis carve well. I headed up and instantly found that the skis did indeed carve very well, you do have to be a little more upright then on some skis with less rocker but they were very stable at speed through the mixed conditions. The rocker profile allowed the skis to release easily and even with the very sharp edges the skis pivoted very easily, something I really like on the larger skis in the Rocker series. The rocker profile also helps to give the skis a very playful feel, the actual flex is on the stiffer side for a park ski but the rocker really helps keep the tip and tail playful. Buttering was very easy and there was still plenty of pop in the skis. I would certainly suggest you ski this ski slightly longer then you would a conventional park ski to help maintain the stability with the rocker. The skis felt pretty light and were easy to move around in the air. I could certainly see these being a great all mnt park ski, and riders like Jarred Martin are using these exclusively as their park ski. If you like the idea of a wider park ski with rocker definitely check these out.
The Rocker 108 has been in the range for a few seasons now but this would be the first time I had skied them. I owned a pair of the Rocker 122 and really liked the way they skied so I was hopeful the 108 would be just as good. Comparing the 122 and the 108 the skis are very similar. They both feature a large symmetrical rocker with a near symmetrical but still directional side cut. One thing I really liked about the 122 was the light weight achieved through the cap construction and the hollow tip and tail. In deep snow cap construction can work fine as the skis are not often being edged hard but would the cap construction of the 108 allow the skis to carve hard. I headed to the top of Red Chair in whistler to find out. Straightaway the skis felt very similar to the 122. They were easy to pivot, light and you can scrub off speed very easily. The softer flex makes the tips and tails really playful and it was incredibly easy to butter the skis. The underfoot flex is firmer and the skis did carve ok. They are certainly not the best carving skis I tried all test, but they are some of the most playful and fun to mess around on. They handled the deep snow outstandingly, I am a big fan of the symmetrical rocker as it gives a very stable mid point to the ski. Mounting wise I do think you can go pretty close to center with these skis. I would say -2 to -3cm from center is the sweet spot but some people I know center these skis. They would suit a smaller skier for a powder ski or make a great all round ski for a more playful skier. You certainly can still get some good speeds on them and they do a great job of cutting through wet heavy snow, but if you like to edge hard and charge every where, you may prefer skis from Salomon's Q range such as the Q105.
My favorite type of ski currently is the true all mnt twin. Most skis I like are around 100mm underfoot with some tip and tail rocker. The Peacemaker at 104mm and featuring Blizzards Flip core ticks those boxes and having been very impressed by the Gunsmoke I was excited to see what the Peacemaker could do. One thing I want to touch on is something I don't usually mention, graphics. The current version of this ski in my opinion looks pretty bad. I know its just personal opinion but I do wonder if the graphics have held back the uptake of the brand some what. The new versions, although quite Rossi "7" in style do look good I think. You may notice one of the cows eyes is smaller then the other and according to the French designer that is because "he is taking a shit". Anyway back to the skis. I got the rep to move the bindings forward so I was around +2cm on the scale and straightaway I found I liked the way the tails handled much better. The Peacemaker is slightly softer then the Gunsmoke and I was finding it much more playful. Its certainly not a soft ski but has a decent flex in the tip and tail if you are a stronger rider. The edge hold was just as consistent as the Gunsmoke. There is one steep corner on the Lower Dave Murry DH and I threw the skis into it so hard I fully expected to fully blow out the other side, but no the edge hooked up and I flew round. In the deeper snow I was finding I could maintain a fairly forward stance and could still drive the tips. On the various hits on my test run the skis got air borne with no effort and the fairly light weight made moving the skis around no problem. I really enjoyed the Peacemaker and its skis like this that really make me enjoy testing. Blizzard were not that high on my list in terms of testing but in the peacemaker I have found a really fun All Mnt twin that can truly rip. I really hope to get back on these skis as I want to know how they handle the park and if they could be an option for my new All Mnt skis.
The Gunsmoke was the first ski I tried and like other skis in the Blizzard range features Flip Core. Flip core essentially builds the rocker directly into the core of the ski, meaning the ski is not manipulated post manufacturing to create the rocker profile. In other skis I have tried from blizzard it gives great float while maintaining a lively ski with plenty of energy. One thing I did question the rep on was the mount point. There is a scale on the ski with recommended being 0cm which is 6cm behind center. Speaking to the rep he said for this style of ski, the recommended point would be best so I took his advice. At 114mm underfoot these skis were similar dimensions to a few others I had tried that day but straight away it was noticeable how well the skis carved. The skis are on the stiffer side but certainly not the stiffest I had tried but the edge hold was consistent and gave confidence that you could throw these skis into things, knowing the edge would bite. In the softer snow I did wonder if the stiffer feel would be an issue but the rocker did an excellent job of keeping the skis on top. The Flip Core does work very well to help the ski float but maintain power for you to drive the skis. Through the cut up, wetter snow the skis really powered through, I was not being bounced around and when I needed to, I could edge hard. On hits the skis had a good amount of pop and although not the lightest skis I have used they were good in terms of weight. One thing I was noticing however was I was struggling with the lack of tail. I would personally have preferred the mount further forward. I could see if you were using the ski as a full on freeride ski, that the recommended mount would be good, but if you wanted to use it in a more playful manor and you are used to a close to center mount, I would move a couple of cm forward of 0. These skis will certainly suit a more freeride type rider then a true park rat. Although I still had fun they are not the most playful of skis, but they did go fast. I was skiing sections harder and faster on the Gunsmoke then nearly any other ski and always felt in control and if anything the skis had more to give.
Although the 102 is not the smallest in the range, there is also a 92, it was the smallest of the skis I tried. I have become a big fan of the 100ish underfoot twin tip ski, as they often give a great option for an all round ski which can be used just as happily in the powder as the park. Like the other skis in the Shreditor range the 102 has a fairly soft flex which gave a very playful feel. They do feel like a bigger park ski so if you are worried about losing the feel of a park ski when moving to a wider ski these are a good option. I was skiing with a friend of mine who although a very good skier is in no way a park skier. I was skiing the Pettitor and he was on the 102 and after seeing me do a tail press on the Pettitor he was inspired to give it a try. Although it was one of his first try's he nailed it in no small part thanks to the skis. These skis can help anyone get a more playful style. They handled the deep snow well but I was finding I was having to lean back slightly more then the wider skis in the range. On the more cut up snow they were easy to maneuver but did get thrown around a little bit. They carved really well on the harder snow lower down and I felt confident riding the skis fast on the Lower Dave Murry Downhill. They don't hold an edge as well as some stiffer skis so again I would not pick this ski if you like to charge around everywhere but if you prefer to throw butters and spins on any feature you should check these skis out.
The Shreditor 112 is the real go any where ski in the shreditor line. At 112 underfoot it still has enough float to handle some deep and I found no real problems in the deeper snow up top. In cut up snow the ski handled it well and did not get thrown around. Being a slightly softer ski I was finding they were not holding an edge as well as some other skis I had tried but they were very playful. Buttering around was easy and the skis still had a decent amount of pop. They carved well on the harder snow lower down but were again not the best in class. The person I would steer toward the 112 would be someone looking for a softer, buttery all mnt freeride ski. You could happily ride somewhere like the PNW with this as your only ski. My personal preference would be to go for the Pettitor and the Shreditor 102 but if you only have the funds for one ski The Shreditor 112 would make a great all round option for a skier with a more playful style.
I have seen a few versions of the Pettitor including some prototypes Sean had early on but this would be the first time I had tried a pair. After skiing the Powabunga the skis instantly felt more maneuverable but I was still finding no issues in the deep snow. I could ski fast down cut up powder and the skis did any excellent job of holding there line and not getting deflected. They are certainly a softer flex then some skis in this category which does give them quite a playful feel but never did I feel out of control at speed. One issue I was having was that the bindings were mounted quite far back. I was getting thrown off a little by not having as much tail as I am used to but this would be easy to change. I would certainly recommend you can go closer to center on this ski then most powder skis. They do have a large park ski feel to them which may appeal to park riders looking for their first powder ski. Skiing switch the skis certainly reminded me of a park ski and even with the fair amount of rocker the skis felt stable. A few times I really tried pushing into the tails on jumps and you can really butter these things, I could certainly see myself using these in the park occasionally. On the harder snow lower down the Pettitor carved well while still always having quite a playful feel. I really do think these skis will suit a more playful park rider looking to get out into the powder. They may not suit bigger guys looking to charge but if you are a smaller guy, like Sean they would make a great freeride ski.
The Powabunga is the replacement to the iconic Hell Bent. The Hell bent had a really soft, surfy feel largely thanks to its flat camber and I was interested to see if the Powabunga would retain any of those quality's now that k2 had added some camber. At 136 underfoot these would be the biggest skis I would try all test, but luckily it had snowed overnight so hopefully I would be in the right conditions. The first thing I did when I got on the skis was test out the flex in the tip and tail. They do feel firmer then the Hell Bent but still extremely easy to get up onto. I tried a little tail butter off a ridge and the tails definitely allow some good flex. The added camber certainly does give the ski some extra power, you can actually drive these skis quite hard not something that was always possible on the Hell Bent. The camber also gives the skis some decent pop and does make landings a little more stable especially when you get more over the tails. Any ski this large will always be quite heavy and the Powabunga is certainly no light weight but the ski does not feel slow and unresponsive. In deep snow they were incredibly stable, you could push into the tips to really drive the skis but I found the best stance was a little more upright. In the wetter, cut up snow the skis did get deflected and bounced around quite a bit. Having such a wide ski can be quite hard to control when its not just soft deep snow, so if you were considering these as an all mnt ski I may look else where. These skis are made for one thing and that is to have fun in the deepest snow. They are not a big line charger, they are a softer more playful big day ski. You can certainly ski them hard but if you are looking to straight line tight chutes these would not be my first choice. However if you were going on a Cat or Heli trip and just wanted a fun ski that can handle the deepest snow, the Powabunga could make a perfect option.
Its fair to say I was not the biggest fan of the old bacon. I found them heavy and a little lifeless. Well problem solved. The cloud core again delivers a really light weight ski which in this case could easily be used as a wider park ski. The flex felt nice and buttery but the ski had more pop and more energy in general then older versions. The narrower underfoot size also helps make the ski more nimble and its very fast edge to edge. It handled the heavy snow well but did get deflected a bit more then the other two. Lower down on the harder slopes it really carved well. I could see these being a really fun all mnt park ski. I think the light weight in the park would be great and would make some tricks easier. They are a big improvement over the older versions
It handled the deep snow almost as well and the Opus and I never felt like I was having to lean back. The early rise gives a very consistent float while still maintaining a good amount of effective edge and camber to allow you to drive the skis. In the cut up, heavy snow the Mordecai was if anything even better then the opus. The smaller size really allowed the ski to maneuver quickly yet when you hit heavier snow the ski still felt powerful. It had great pop and again the light weight made the skis really easy to move around. On the firmer snow lower down the Mordecai was amazing. It really carves well and has a lot of power but when you want to be a bit more playful or get air borne it will allow you to get away with some mistakes. Its a forgiving, powerful ski if that can exist. I really was extremely impressed by the Mordecai. As a wider freeride twin they are one of the best I have tried.
It had snowed quite a bit overnight in Whistler so I decided the biggest of the three skis would be a good option to start. Although this is not a new ski I had not previously had the chance to try them so this was a first try for me. I was up early so at the top of my test run I found plenty of deep snow and the Magnum felt perfectly at home. The ski has an almost surfy feel to it and its very easy to turn it deep snow. Lower down was more cut up, and the snow was heavier but the Magnum had no problems at all. The tips drove through the wet snow and the flex felt supportive and stable. On hits the pop was good but the real surprise was just how light the ski was, it was not until I was in the air I realized just how light they were. For a ski that is so light they really don't get deflected by heavy snow at all and they drive just as hard as any other ski. Whatever line has done with these skis is certainly working. Lower down where the snow was even wetter and you had to stick to the one groomed trail and the skis did struggle a little to carve on the hard snow, but no ski this wide would perform great in those conditions. Overall I was very impressed, for such a light ski you never feel like you will over power it.
Unlike the Wall and the Step the Kink is a directional ski and is also the widest of the three. The flex felt similar to the Step but the tail felt slightly stiffer. Unlike the Wall and the Step the bindings were not centered and in fact they were mounted pretty far back and personally I would have preferred them forward. I like a directional ski and I found I could handle the softer flex better on the Kink. They were easier to carve then the Step and would actually make a pretty good all mnt twin. The pop was still good and they felt more stable to me then the Step. I would like to try them again mounted further forward but I did enjoy the Kink, I think it would make a good all mnt park ski.
Like the wall the Step is symmetrical and full sidewall but this time some tip and tail rocker is added and the ski is softened overall. The step is also slight narrower then the wall but I really could not feel any difference. Skiing the Step I found the flex is much softer then the Wall, I was finding I was struggling to hold an edge on the harder snow at speed. To be honest I don't really think my test run was that well suited for the skis with me on them. These skis would be really fun in the park for jibs. The softer flex made it really easy to get up on the tip and tail and the symmetrical shape made switch riding very easy. They still felt nice and light and had just as much pop but for me at 5'11 and 160lbs I found the flex a little soft for what I was doing. So if you are a smaller rider or like the idea of the wall but prefer a softer ski give the Step a try.
The first ski I tested was the Wall. The Wall is Volkl's top end park ski used by team riders such as Nick Geopper. It is a full camber, symmetrical ski with a full sidewall construction. Interestingly though looking at the top sheet it looks like a cap ski and I actually had to check if there was sidewall. The location of the test center means that doing park laps is not really possible with the time limitations, so instead I am using a fun all mnt route under red chair and into Dave Murry which still has quite a few hits and rollers to test the skis. Instantly I found that the skis hooked up really nicely. There was no skidding and they carved really consistently. During testing I did not actually know the Wall was symmetrical and when the rep told me when I got down I was amazed. They really do carve very well. On the first few hits and rollers the pop was very evident. The ski got air borne with no effort and was consistently stable on landings. One thing that really surprised me was how playful the tails were. For a seemingly quite stiff ski the tails are actually quite soft and are really easy to butter. I was finding they have a really nice flex point mid way from tail to heel piece. Overall I was hugely impressed by the wall. I can honestly say it was the best park ski I tried today. They are stiff enough to carve hard and ski fast but without losing the playfulness I like in the tip and tail.
Waymaker Carbon 130 There has been a big change in freeride boots in recent times. 5-6 years ago, if you wanted a boot for the back country you were looking at light weight offerings from brands like Scarpa and Dynafit, which unfortunately failed to offer the support needed for the way in which a new generation of skiers were playing out of bounds. With the release of products like the Marker Duke binding, a whole new wave of skiers were venturing into the steep and deep and they needed boots to let them charge hard. Fast forward to today and nearly every brand has a range of boots available with some form of walk mode. They tend to fall into one of two categories: the lightweight true touring options and their burlier freeride siblings. The Atomic Waymaker Carbon 130 certainly falls into the second category. This is a serious boot. The shell and the cuff feature the same plastics used in the Redster 170 race boot - admittedly in a thinner form – and it also utilizes the carbon spine borrowed from the Redster series. However, unlike the Redster, the Waymakers are designed with all day comfort in mind instead of a single race run. The shell uses a roomy 101mm last and also uses Livefit on the lateral (outside) portion of the forefoot. If you have not seen Livefit before it is basically a soft section on the side of the shell designed to relive pressure in the common 6th toe area; a bit like the soft toe of the SPK boot. The material its self is not rubber as many people think, but in fact the same PU plastic used on the rest of the shell; just with a different hardness formula. The soft section is both chemically and mechanically bonded to the rest of the shell during production so is completely water tight and can even be stretched and punched like a standard shell. What this all means is that the shell offers a very comfortable fit to the forefoot, especially for people with wider feet like myself. One thing I do want to touch on here is the larger fit. Some people I know complain about this, but personally I think what Atomic have done is quite clever. Traditionally, high performance boots have basically been close relations to full on race boots. The fit is tighter, which is great if you have a narrow foot, but not all high performance skiers have slim feet. I'm a perfect example, I ski hard, but my feet measure 106mm wide in a size 26. This rules out a lot of boots for me, so having something like the Waymaker - which offers both a high volume fit but also a very high performance - is perfect. A big factor for many people when buying this style of boot is the cuff range of motion and the Waymaker fairs pretty well here, with 35 degrees of cuff movement. More important in my opinion, is the way in which the boot performs when in locked mode. Many boots on the market feature a walk mechanism, which when engaged does not lock the cuff to the clog, like often happens in a conventional overlap boot. This gives a softer, less progressive flex which is not desirable when ridding bigger terrain. The walk mechanism on the Waymaker locks the cuff to the clog when closed, giving a very similar flex to a traditional boot. Like many boots on the market, the Waymaker can be set-up with traditional alpine soles or tech compatible touring soles. The soles screw directly into metal inserts in the shell which mean you can exchange them as often as you like, not something which is possible on boots where the screws go directly into the plastic shell. Staying warm in boots is a big factor in maintaining comfort, especially out in the back country, where stopping off at the lodge to warm up is not an option. In this area the Waymaker excels. The liner uses Thinsulate insulation in the toe box, an area which is traditionally very cold, as most liners don’t have much foam in the toe box. The other part of the boot which aids in warmth is a little more unexpected, as it uses a foam which is both extremely lightweight but also highly insulating. The Fit Having previously spent some time in the Overlord 120 - a boot which features the same lower shell as the Waymaker - I new roughly what to expect. The 101mm combined with the generous instep does give a mid to high volume fit. The heel hold is still good, especially with the 15 degree forward lean of the cuff, which really helps bed the heel into the liner and gives extra toe comfort. I found that in the Overlord I had to punch the big toe to give me some extra space and I fully expected to have to do the same with the Waymaker, but found the added forward lean meant my toes were further away from the front. The cuff gives a supportive mid volume fit, with the buckles only lightly closed. Talking of buckles, some may question why there are two cuff buckles and only one foot buckle. The answer is pretty simple. In a well fitting boot, the shell itself holds the foot and the buckles only act to close the overlap and make the boot watertight; meaning one buckle can achieve the same job and save weight. The cuff is what really lets you drive the boot and it is where the power comes from. Using two buckles and an oversized power strap gives the best performance and lets you drive these boots much harder than those which only use one cuff buckle. I must confess that these are my personal boots and I have had them for about a year now. The initial fitting only consisted of adding my footbeds and moulding the liners - I needed no further work and to be honest they offered a very comfy fit from almost day one. I have made only two slight changes over the year. The first was to add the slight heel lifts, which come supplied in the box, as I was not really getting heel lift, but was getting some pain in the inside of my shin on the left foot. I determined there was a little to much space over my forefoot, so adding the heel lifts raised me into a better position. Since adding the lifts I have had no shin pain. The other change was more one of personal preference. The rear spoiler on the Waymaker is quite curved and I found on back seat landings it was hurting my calf. My solution was to take some of the soft rear spoilers from an SPK and add them to the existing spoiler in the Waymaker. I'm sure this is mostly just me being used to the soft spoiler of the SPK, a boot I used for years, but I do like the added comfort it gives. I have found the fit to stay pretty consistent throughout my year of use. The laces on the liner really help give you a snug fit in the top of the cuff and I have not found any issues with packing out yet. So How do they Ski When I initially got the boots I was a little nervous about the 130 flex. There quite a bit stiffer then the park boots I was used too. My first time really using the boots was on a trip away to Morzine in France. Straight away I found a big difference to what I was used to. The cuff was so positive that I was edging like I had not done in years. The lack of give in the cuff meant I could really lean on the skis and drive the edges as hard as I wanted. At higher speeds the stiff forward flex really gave me confidence to hit things, knowing the boots would not give beneath me. I was hitting things harder and faster then I had in years and it was all thanks to the power of these boots giving me the confidence that my legs could take the hits. Another nice benefit was getting less tired than I would in softer boots. Being able to lean gave my legs chance to rest a little, compared to always having to stay balanced in a softer boot. I did wonder how the rigid foam of the boot board would handle the hits and although you do feel impacts more then you do on an active board, I was pleasantly surprised how good it felt. Over the rest of my time in France I got to ride some of the best powder I have ever seen and the boots never failed me. This season I have been back in Whistler and really tested the boots in a variety of conditions. From days in the park to hiking big lines, these boots have seen it all. When using them with park skis I do sometimes find them a little much. The cuff is not very forgiving and I find on cold days something like the Ghost FS 90 I revived recently or simply the Waymaker 110/Overload 120 is better suited to the demands of the park. However once you get onto some wider skis, the Waymakers really shine. My daily driver is a pair of ON3P Jmo’s in 186. They are a pretty big ski, but they absolutely charge. Skiing these hard with the Ghosts got scary at times, but the Waymakers can really drive the ski. However it wasn’t until I got on some Bent Chetlers in deep wet snow that I really appreciated what these boots can do. For the first time I had a boot which could drive the wider skis. Big skis get deflected much more, which puts a lot of force through the boots. Skiing the Bents fast really made the Waymakers come to life. They didn’t feel stiff, just drove the skis better then anything I had ever used. I was dropping into things not worrying about the impact, as I knew the boots would take it and I would not over-flex. If you spend most of your time on wider skis, these boots should be high on your shopping list. Up until this point I have not had chance to use these boots for any long tours, so I am afraid I can offer no real insight there. However, as I said before, long multi day trips are not really what this boot is made for. I’ve used them for short hikes to access zones not accessible from the lifts, scrambling over rocks and boot packing some longer ascents, with the walk mode working well each time. The soles offer good grip and a rubber section on the bottom of the shell does help when things get slippery. So although you may not choose this boot for a five day back country trek, it will perform excellently for what the majority of free riders do in the back country. Summing Up Working as a boot fitter I get to work with a lot of top end boots on a daily basis, so for me to choose a boot to ride regularly means it has to be pretty good. Fit is obviously a big factor, but being a fitter I can make most boots work. I have skied quite a few different freeride boots from various companies and I can honestly say these perform better then nearly anything else out there. If you want a high performance boot, which can also help you access more of the mountain, then I suggest you check them out.
No More F***ing Excuses Salomon It’s fair to say the Salomon Suspect did not have the best reputation on Newschoolers. Problems with the edges tarnished the Suspect from the start and although the stiff flex made it a great ski for hard carving, it wasn’t really what most people were looking for in a park ski. When Salomon announced that the Suspect would be replaced I was very interested to see what they would come up with. This question was partially answered when I found out the new ski would be a LAB ski; the moniker Salomon’s very top tier of products hold. They are generally reserved for the racing side of the sport, but with free-skiing being added to the Winter Olympics, they clearly wanted their free-ski athletes to be on just as good skis as the racers. This meant the new ski was going to be made to the highest possible standards, without any compromising, hence its name; No Fucking Excuses or NFX. But what would all this mean for me and you - would we get the same ski as Woodsy and Brown used at the Olympics or would it be some cheaper relative - and perhaps more importantly, if it was the same ski, would it actually be something the average park skier would want to ride? If you compare the Suspect and the NFX on paper it’s a little hard to see what has changed. The tip, tail and underfoot dimensions are the same at 122, 86 and 115, however the turn radius has changed to 18.6m on the NFX compared to 19.7m on the Suspect in the largest size. Another notable change is the base. Often when companies produce a top end park ski they just slap a high end race base on the ski. Although this is certainly fast, it is perhaps not the best for everyday park use as they require more maintenance and tend to get damaged more easily than a cheaper base. What Salomon has done on the NFX is combine the two. The more durable but slightly slower material is used on the edges and high impact zones, while the faster base is used in the high glide zones. This means is you get a fast base which should still hold up to the abuse of park skiing. The NFX remains full camber and is in fact the only ski in the entire Salomon range to feature no Rocker of any type, although the tips have been redesigned. Compared to the Suspect, the NFX has a slower more gradual tip and tail, giving the effect of a slight early rise, while maintaining as much effective edge as possible. The construction uses full sidewall and rubber elastomers added to the core at the tip and tail as well as under the bindings, to aid impact reduction. Looking at the ski it’s clear to see that this has been part of the LAB program, as the build is very good. Some complained that the graphics look rather unfinished, but I like how you can see some of the layers and laminates added to the ski. Flexing the ski showed promise too. The overall flex is still certainly mid to firm, but on closer inspection the tip and in particular the tail have some decent flex. Underfoot it’s certainly stiff, but given the flex in the tip and tail, I expected the ski to be a little more playful and forgiving than the Suspect. Everyone seems to be very interested in edge size these days and the NFX does pretty well. Salomon us their XL edge on the NFX which I measured to be 2x2mm, so although not as wide as some on the market it is a pretty decent size. The particular pair of skis I tested were lent to me by a rep and anyone who has borrowed a ski from a rep will know they like to keep them with sharp edges. This pair were no exception. I gave them a couple of groomer laps to see what they could do. The snow was pretty firm and the NFX had no problem carving, they were easy to initiate and finish turns, with the flex letting me push them hard. They were really good fun for ripping about edge to edge and any time I found a hit the pop was huge; the skis just wanted to be in the air. After a few laps I had to try them in the park, regardless of the stupidly sharp edges. The Whistler park at the time was mainly just boxes and wider rails so I figured I would be ok. My first few laps were awesome - despite the stiffer flex, the skis still popped really easily onto the slower, smaller features. Compared to the Suspect, the flex is much more progressive and they are also a more forgiving ski. Eventually I did end up catching an edge pretty hard on a rail and I figured I had pushed my luck long enough. Back in the shop I gave the skis a quick detune. I took a file to the section under the bindings and rounded off the edge, also detuning the tip and tail at the contacts slightly. This sort of detune is the one often used by slope skiers who want to maintain some edge to be able to carve into jumps, but want to reduce the chance of catching underfoot. Straightaway I could feel the difference, detuning the contacts made the ski much more playful - buttering, reverts and swaps became much easier. Compared to the Suspect, the NFX is also much more fun on slower jibs, as the slightly softer flex and crazy pop makes them easy to get onto things. On the larger rails the fast base was nice to get speed easily and I was actually finding I was over jumping things quite often. On a little butter pad area I was finding I could get up on the tip and tails pretty easily and compared to some softer skis the NFX actually supports you in the butter so you don’t feel like you will wash out. Over the next few days I spent some time just riding the mountain. We had a pretty big pow dump and I decided to see what they could do in deep snow – let’s just say they are a park ski so don’t expect much. A few days later when the snow had firmed up I took them down a different bowl and they ripped down. Although the NFX was never intended to be used as an all mountain ski, park skis often make good options if you ski somewhere that does not see much fresh snow. Back in the park it was time to see how they handled the jumps. As I mentioned before, these skis just want to be in the air; off any lip the pop is incredible. I constantly surprised myself how big I ended up going off things. The swing weight is also really low, so getting the skis around is no issue at all. On landing the stiffer underfoot flex gives you confidence that even if you land slightly off balance, you can recover. I can certainly see where the athletes input have gone into these skis. I’m sure you all want to know about the durability. Much to the annoyance of the kind rep who lent me these skis, I have been trying my best to destroy them to find out. Full disclosure, I am getting on a bit and don’t ride as hard as a lot of park guys, but so far these skis have held up really well. Although the edges are showing some minor signs of wear, there are no cracks and they are holding up really well. The bases are still near pristine, despite the fact I took them for a run down A-Line with shall we say less snow then I expected in places. One thing that has really impressed me is how durable the top sheet has been. With sharp edges on sections of the ski I expected some damage, but so far I have nothing worse than a few cuts. I have bashed the tips off a few rails getting on and expected to have pushed the edge in a couple of times, but again the NFX has more then stood up to the abusive. Only time will tell how they survive long term, but so far I am very impressed so far. Overall the biggest thing that has surprised me about the NFX is how much more fun it is then the Suspect. Going into this test I expected a ski which performed really well on the bigger jumps and rails, but was perhaps not the most fun at slower speeds. Luckily this is not the NFX. I have found I am spending much more time on them then I expected. Unless it’s been dumping, they are my go to ski. If you base your opinion of Salomon on the Suspect then I urge you to at least try the NFX.
There is always quite a debate about what works best when it comes to headphones for riding. Earbuds, over the ear and helmet audio options all have their benefits, but I favour the first option as I like to be able to wear only one while riding, so I can still talk to people and hear what is going on around me. But what I have found with some is it can be hard to keep them in place, especially when you get sweaty. The Skull Candy Fix aims to fix this problem with a sweat proof rubber ear piece. This may sound strange, but I found these headphones stay in really well, while with other earbuds if I was riding fast or jumping a lot the earbud come out, with these that never happened. The soft rubber is also very comfortable, even under a balaclava, hat and goggles. The sound quality is OK, but to get the best sound you do have to push the earbud pretty far in and this really blocks off the sound. With both earbuds in like this the sound is pretty good, but it does block a lot of ambient noise. So far I have been impressed by how well they have stayed in place; I think they are going to do really well in the summer on the bike too. The sound could be better, but if the earbuds fall out it does not matter how good they sound, so I can deal with it for how well they stay in place.
Alongside the Lodge jacket I reviewed here, I also tested the Structure pant from Eira. In contrast to the insulated jacket, the pants are a shell with a thin polyester lining. The pair I received to test was a large and the fit was just about perfect on them; they are not too long or baggy and with a belt they stay up nicely. I really liked the look and fit of the pant instantly, the outer material has a subtle print which is quite unique and they have two large zippered pockets on each leg. Initially I was a little concerned about the waterproofing on the zips, but like the jacket I have found no problems throughout testing. Again, like the jacket I was very impressed by the weight of the pants. Being a lined shell they would always be pretty light, but the material used gives a low weight while also being very unrestrictive. If you have worn some Gore-Tex pants you will know they can have quite a firm feel, but that is not the case here, as the outer material is very soft and easy to move in. One thing I will say though is they are not a warm pant. I have worn shells pants before so knew what to expect, but these pants were pretty cold out on the mountain; not so much riding but more when I was sat on a lift. I found that for colder days I had to layer thermals to keep warm, which is not something I have had to do before. One particularly cold day I decided to do a little hiking to help stay warm and I did find when you were working harder the pants were pretty comfortable temperature-wise, so for backcountry use these could be a great option. One other slight issue I have is the positioning of the pockets. I ride with my pass in my wallet, but the top pocket is a bit shallow so it sits pretty high on my leg. The zip is also quite hard to get to with the jacket on. In comparison the lower pocket is very deep, so things end up sitting on your knee, which is less than ideal in a fall. I would prefer a deeper top pocket with an angled zip and a less deep lower pocket. These things aside, I do like these pants. The fit is really comfortable so long as it’s not super cold. I have got a couple of small cuts on the bottom, but then I have been skiing some wide skis with sharp edges. The bottoms have wetted out a couple of times, but only in slushy snow. Overall they are great pants, I just wish they were a little warmer.
Eira is a brand I have seen quite a bit around Whistler, but before this review I had never properly checked out their gear. A proud Canadian brand in its fourth year producing outerwear, I was very interested to see what they had to offer. The pieces I received for testing were the Lodge Jacket and the Structure 2 Pant; you can find my review of the Structure 2 pants here. Initially I was a little surprised by the combo, as the jacket is insulated, whereas the pants are a lined shell. Often matching jackets and pants will feature similar specs, but here Eira have changed it up a little. All of Eira’s outerwear features 20k waterproofing/breathability thanks to their propriety membrane used across the range. The lodge jacket has a 100% nylon outer fabric which is both soft to the touch, while also shedding water and snow very well. Throughout testing I did not find that the outer material wetted out once. Eira use a fixed fill 60g Primaloft insulation, which gives the jacket some warmth without making it too bulky. Other features include a zip-off powder skirt and wrist gators. I got a large size to test and with a zipper length of 32 inches it is certainly not a tall jacket. At 5’11 and 160lbs, the jacket fits me well, but my personal preference would be a bit bigger. On the hill one thing I noticed straight away was how light both the jacket and pants were. Previously I had been wearing an Armada Reckoning jacket, again in large, but as soon as I put the Eira on I noticed how much lighter it was. The first day I used the Jacket it was a chilly -17 celcius and even then I was warm all day with the right layers beneath. I have also been wearing the jacket quite a bit round town in the evenings and often finding the it warm enough with just a shirt underneath. One thing I really like is that the front two pockets are fleeced lined, which is nice to keep your hands warm. The jacket is fairly well catered for in this respect, with two large front pockets which are dived into a zipped section, with the fleeced lined section closed off by a flap and poppers. I was initially a little concerned about the waterproofing on the zippers, but so far I have had no issues at all. It has a front accessed pocket with an internal headphone port for your phone or MP3 player, as well as an internal mesh pocket. Overall I am extremely impressed by the Lodge jacket. I usually tend to go for shell jackets as I dislike heavy outerwear, but I am naturally quite cold, so I always had to layer a lot. The Eira jacket gives a great combination of light weight with good warmth. The materials so far have proved to be durable and stayed dry even in the heaviest rain of this PNW season. If you are looking for some new outerwear this season I can highly recommend checking out what Eira has to offer.
Dragon has had frameless goggles in their line up for a few years and the X2 is the latest offering. The design features Swiftlock technology, a simple system which allows for easy lense changing. The system is simply two levers either side in front of the strap which, when flicked up, releases the lens from its housing on the frame. Both removing and replacing the lens is really quick and easy, however there is a disadvantage to the system. Because the lense does not directly connect to the top or bottom of the frame, it is possible for there to be a gap between the lense and the frame. I had issues with wind getting in the top even when I had the strap done up tight. The version I received for testing came with the Inverse/Red Ion lens for bright conditions and the Yellow/Blue Ion for overcast conditions. The Inverse/Red Ion lens is a fairly standard bright conditions lens, with fairly good contrast even in the overcast areas. The Yellow/Blue Ion is very similar to the HI Yellow lens from Oakley, performing pretty well, although in cloudy, flat light conditions I was struggling for any contrast. The slight mirrored finish did help when the sun broke through and it was not blindingly bright like some low light lenses can be when it’s bright. The field of view to the sides and to the top is excellent - it’s hard to see the frame at the top and it’s hardly noticeable on the sides - giving you very good peripheral vision. However the bottom of the frame is quite prominent and I was finding I could not actually see my skis when I looked forward. I have been wearing Oakley goggles for around the past 6 seasons and this was not something I have found before. To check I was not imaging it I swapped to a pair of Oakley Flight Decks I also had to test and found no issues. The lack of downward vision may not be an issue to some people, but I did find it rather odd. Fit-wise I did have some issues with the goggle not conforming well to my face shape. I did have some issues with wind getting in, so I would say they would fit a larger face shape better. Overall I was fairly impressed by the X2. The lens change system is very effective and the lenses supplied offered a good range. The restricted downward vision and issues with the frame interface let the goggle down slightly, but they are still much better than a lot of goggles I have used.
I have been a fan of mittens rather than gloves for quite a few years now. I’m naturally quite cold, and like to stay warm on the lift rides so mittens are an obvious choice. My issue has been finding a pair which did not get too hot while riding on days which were not super cold. Having a combination of good insulation and good breathability to keep hands from getting sweaty is what I am looking for in mittens. I have used quite a few different pairs from companies including Dakine, Armada and Oakley but these Pimp Hands were the first pair I have used with individual fingers inside the main body of the mitten. This particular model, the Benjamin features a 100% cowhide leather palm and has a 10k waterproof/breathable membrane. They have wrist loops, something I am a big fan of. I like to take my gloves off at the lift and loops make it really easy. Insulation is taken care of by a Thinsulate fleece liner. Overall they are a very well put together mitten and personally I’m a big fan of the look. Luckily while testing Whistler experienced virtually every weather condition possible. We were hit by 3 sub-tropical storms, which soaked the entire mountain by some of the heaviest rain I have seen. I went up expecting to get soaked and was pleasantly surprised how well the gloves stood up. Water never got in and although the backs wetted out I did not notice any breathability issues. A few days later the monsoon rain gave way to heavy snow and colder temperatures. In these conditions the Benjamin’s were excellent. The individual fingers help keep the hand warm without having to make the insulation too thick. This means the gloves are pretty slim and very easy to move in. The leather palm is very grippy and so far has held up very well. I have found that the Benjamin’s regulate temperature very well. I am not finding I’m getting too hot after long runs but I have not experienced cold hands once even with some cooler temperatures in the mornings. If you are looking for some new gloves this season Pimp Hands should certainly be on your radar. Along with these Benjamin’s, they have a full range of gloves and mittens including a favourite of mine, the Darkness. I would easily put them alongside more established brands like Dakine and Oakley and the look is sure to be a hit with Newschoolers. Take a look at the full range at Pimphands.ca Pimphands.com.au And follow them on Facebook. If you have any questions feel free to get in touch with me here and I will try to help.
For my full review head on over to: http://www.newschoolers.com/news/read/Salomon-Ghost-FS-90-Full-Tilt-Killer Add your reviews here and let me know if you agree.
The x max 120 is the best all round option in the x max range I think. Th flex is responsive without being too stiff and can be adjusted down to 110. The boot out of the box is low volume with a 98 mm last and low instep and heel. However the shell uses full custom shell on the clog meaning a lot of the fitting work can be done very easily. Like any custom shell boot always get footbeds made before moulding. The boot uses the race liner which features mouldable foam on the outside of the liner to help the liner mould to the shell giving a very solid fit. Overall these are a great low volume boot.
The x max 130 is salomon top level 98 mm lasted all mountain boot. Although similar in fit out of the box as the ghost the x max has a full 360 custom shell. This means it is incredibly easy to get a great fit very fast. You need to ensure you have the footbeds correct before you do any stretching. Unlike regular pu boots you can't just heat the shell to unstrech so make sure you don't go too big. Flex wise they are pretty soft for a 130 however acpect this shell to stiffen more when cold then regular pu boots. The liner is the lab liner so pretty thin and cold so these are high level boots don't expect super plush comfy liners. Look at the x max 120 if you want this. The flex is adjustable from 120/130 and they have solid soles which are good for grinding. Overall if you need a narrow boot and want a high level boot these are grey. We sell many more of the 120 though so look there too.
The freedom was a new boot for scarpa last season. Every one knows scarpa for true touring boots but now they have a great freeride option too. The sl features the full pebax clog. Pebax is often used for touring boots for a couple of advantages it offers. Firstly it is not effected by temperature like pu shells are. A pebax shell will flex the same in the shop as on the hill on the coldest day. This can help give a better representation of flex. The boots feature a carbon shank in the sole which keeps te boots nice and stiff they don't carve as well as a waymaker but they are good. The walk mode is excellent. This is really where scarpas experience in boots becomes clear. It has a huge range of motion for a freeride boot and even features forward lean adjustment something not many freeride boots offer. They come with din norm and touring soles but ensure the tourin sole has the metal tech insert fitted as some came without them. Fit wise they are a generous 98mm fit with a mid height instep. They fit wider then a quest but narrower then a waymaker. Great boots and one of the stiffer freeride boots available. Good for bigger guys or harder skiers.
The quest max 130 is salomon stop of te line freeride boot. The boot is based off the ghost/max shell and features full 360 custom shell. Out of the box the boot is a 98mm last with a low instep. It is one of the smallest freeride boot fits available out of the box. However with custom shell the shell can expand a lot. I had feet which were 12mm wider then the starting width fit well with some work. You need a good shop to fit these boots but really this is the case with any top end boot. The boots ski well they are mid stiff. The custom shell does soften the boots slightly so think of them more along the lines of a 120. The walk mode is simple and easy to use. Overall these are a great option for a narrow foot.
