Author: Susan (Page 3 of 15)
Get ready for the next level of ski geekery to hit the slopes next season. Recon’s Micro Optics Display (MOD) Live is dashboard that projects live data from your ski experience out in front of you so that you can monitor your stats without taking your eye off the snow. With it, you can track your speed, altitude, airtime, distance and location. You can also track your friends, find your position on a map, view your texts, see your camera shot through a viewfinder and more. A glove-friendly bluetooth remote lets you control what you see on the go. Now, Smith and Scott will offer this technology in their lines. With this new partnership, getting this technology in your googles will be easier and more stylish than ever before. They’ll be on display at SIA this month and on the hill next season.
Appalachian Ski & Outdoors recently sent me a pair of Manzella Adventure 100 gloves to review. Like my feet, my hands are chronically cold. I usually wear mittens to try to retain the most warmth, but they are cumbersome and I have to take them off a lot to do routine tasks. So, I was excited to try these gloves because they are specifically designed to fit women’s hands and because they are in the “warmest” category of Manzella’s three categories of gloves.
The gloves are insulated with Primaloft for warmth and lined with Microfleece for comfort. The exterior is made from Gore Windstopper Softshell for water and wind protection and the palms are lined with synthetic leather for grip. Overall, they feel very nice, inside and out. Though they are lined, they are low-profile and not bulky so they are easy to put on and keep on. They flex and grip nicely and work as well around town as they do on the mountain. I have to say that they don’t work magic; my hands still got cold while ice skating on a cold evening. Despite that, they are probably the warmest and most comfortable gloves that I have used.
After gremlins snuck off with the last pair of earphones in the house, Rob and I were treated to two new pairs from House of Marley. Rob has been using the Redemption Song Earphones and I have been using the Conqueror Earphones.
Both come with a pouch full of silicon tips of varying shapes and sizes so we were able to choose the ones that fit our ears best and provide optimal sound. Being able to customize the fit is especially important so that the earphones don’t slip or fall out when running or otherwise moving around. Its also nice to have some backups in case you loose a tip.
The long fabric cord is another really cool feature. I am the queen of cord tangle; if its possible for something to tangle, I’ll make it happen. The fabric cord on these earphone is significantly less likely to tangle, and much easier than rubber to untangle.
Attention to detail and emphasis on social good is another great reason to choose House of Marley. The packaging and the aluminum ring are made from recycled material and a portion of proceeds go to 1Love.org, an organization that supports charities for sustainable and responsible living.
To use these earphones as a handsfree device, you can upgrade any model to a 3-button remote with microphone for $20. You also get a choice of tip color on many models.
Film Review: Boot Deep by JANKYFilms
Sitting on my couch, looking out the window at a snow-less Mt Rose, I just finished watching Boot Deep by JankyFILMS. The 34-minute ski flick, filmed mostly at Alta, brought me straight back to the 1997-98 season that I spent there, living in the “fort” of the Alta Peruvian lodge. The film is well made, with quality cinematography that captures the unique feeling of living and riding at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. There are shots of clouds rolling in up the valley, dry snow pouring out of the the sky, the excitement of an impending Interlodge, sunrise over Superior, good old day drinking and general carefree silliness on skis. Besides the soulful soundtrack (Thievery Corporations works impeccably for the pow sequence) and the beautiful shots, the lightheartedness is what really shines through. The skiers are good, but the footage keeps you on edge. Unlike most ski movies these days, where the lines are smooth and near-perfect, Boot Deep skiers are more likely to double eject or shoulder check. Here’s to JankyFILMS for keeping it real and bringing me back. My only critique: let’s see some more women. I know they’re hard to find at Alta — especially when they’d have to share a dank, smelly, closet-size dorm room with the likes of the cast and crew — but they’re out there.
Paige wrote us to ask:
“Only get one good week a year skiing out west…have you heard anything about late Jan. predictions for 2012? Don’t really want to go to CO, as we were there last year, but they’ve got some snow, so we’re giving it some consideration, but would rather try Tahoe if there’s some improvement in the coming conditions.”
SBDC responds:
We usually turn to TahoeWeatherDiscussion.com with questions about the weather and the forecast. TWD author, BA, is predicting another La Nina pattern with slightly above average snowfall (105%) this winter. The snow hasn’t started falling yet, so there is a chance that we will be catching up and getting good snowfall later in the winter. Check out this post for some more info: https://tahoeweatherdiscussion.com/some-good-signs-for-the-second-half-of-december
Finally, it’s official! Squaw Valley USA (owned by KSL) announced that it will buy Alpine Meadows and the two resorts will combine their operations. The result will be a massive ski resort offering skiing and riding along the Pacific Crest from the West Shore of Lake Tahoe (Ward Canyon) to Granite Chief Peak, nearly halfway to Truckee from the Lake. The two ski areas combined will offer over 6,000 acres of skiing and riding.
Though it’s all just rumor now, the two resorts may eventually be connected through Troy Caldwell’s White Wolf property, adding additional dynamic terrain off the backside of KT. This would make Squaw-Alpine the second largest ski resort in North America, after Whistler-Blackcomb. For this season, at least, the two resorts will only be connected via shuttle.
This is the biggest news that we’ve heard in North American Skiing since Jackson Hole opened it’s boundaries a decade ago. Bring it on!
The rain finally fell toward the end of September, packing down the dirt and finishing off an excellent summer of biking with prime riding conditions. Last weekend we headed up to Downieville to camp by the Yuba river and ride the downhill. The trails were in good condition and the 17-mile ride gave us the perfect opportunity for a final test of some of the gear we have been happily using all season.
Hydration Pack: Hydrapak Morrow $124.99
This pack has everything that you need and nothing that you don’t for a take-everywhere, do-everything hydration pack. Made from lightweight, durable, rip-stop fabric, the 800 cubic inch pack comes with a 100-oz bladder. The bladder hitches onto the inside of the pack so that it stays upright and in place, and a slick zipper lets you open and close the bladder to fill with no spill. The straps and back panel are made from ventilated mesh that has been keeping me cool on hot rides. Six conveniently placed pockets store everything I need for a ride, just where I need it. One of the coolest things about this pack is that all of the straps have easy, tuck-away storage for the excess, so that there is no strap dangle or flapping while riding.
Sunglasses: Ryders Defcon Photochromic $69.99
Ah, technology… These durable, lightweight glasses change their tint depending on the amount of sunlight. This meant that it was bright enough to see obstacles clearly while riding down a shady creek bed and then dim enough to protect my eyes from the glaring sun when we emerged from the shadows 10 minutes later. The glasses fit well on my face, staying in place while the rest of me got bumped around.
Energy Chews: GU Chomps $35.20 for 16
Gone are the days of worrying about keeping an energy bar warm enough so that you don’t break your teeth, or choking down just enough grit to power you through the rest of your ride. GU chomps are easy to chew and they taste like candy, so they go down easily and provide quick energy during big climbs and tours. I alternated between the caffeinated and non-caffeinated flavors depending on whether I needed an extra energy boost or just some extra calories. Flavors include orange, peach tea, blueberry pomegranate, strawberry, watermelon and cranberry apple. Peach tea and strawberry were standouts for me.
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Sierroin: The Movie
Exit Strategy: The Movie
Exit Strategy: The Movie
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