Atomic is going all-in with regards to backcountry skiing. New Backland skis, packs and skins came out this year. So the big story next season will be the new Backland touring boots. Everyone is abuzz about the Backland boots, which were on display at Outdoor Retailer 2015 Winter Market. There will be four versions: the…
Snow drought skiing on North Reynolds Peak
Damn has it been warm. Crazy warm. With our last shot of snow a distant memory, and record breaking temperatures making January feel like April, it’s a depressing time to be a backcountry skier in Utah. Even worse, no fresh snow in a while means that even the backcountry is tracked out, and you have…
New brands with good ideas at Outdoor Retailer 2015 Winter Market
One of my favorite things to do at Outdoor Retailer is get away from the major brands in the convention center and wander among the small booths in and around the ballroom. The area is filled with small and even brand-new companies that are riding a new idea or have innovative technologies. Often, the brands…
Mountain Khakis go retro at Outdoor Retailer 2015 Winter Market
Fall of 2015 will be a season to watch out for Mountain Khakis product hitting store shelves, as retro-mountain style is on the rise in both men and women’s clothes and jackets. Here’s a look at what we’ll be wearing in about 8 months: Alpha Switch Jacket One of the few technical pieces coming from…
New packs from Osprey at Outdoor Retailer 2015 Winter Market
Osprey had a few new packs and accessories on display at Outdoor Retailer, but the big news is their new line of adventure-travel bags. As a skier who likes to take his gear to far-flung places, a good gear bag is essential. The new Shuttle Series is just what I’ve been looking for. It will…
Beeline Cases create buzz at Outdoor Retailer 2015 Winter Market
Ever drop your phone? Ever break or lose your phone because you dropped it? Us outdoorsy folks sure have to be careful when on the crag or paddling on the water. So how do you protect it? Beeline Cases seems to have found an answer, and was showing them off at the Outdoor Retailer 2015…
Outdoor Retailer Winter 2015 Media Preview
New at Outdoor Retailer this year is the Media Preview – a first look at some new outdoor products before the show floor at the Salt Palace Convention Center officially opens. We showed up to take a gander, and here are the things that jumped out and caught our eye. New Boots from OBOZ Oboz…
Liberty Sequence ski review
Liberty is a small ski company based in Avon, Colorado. While they are relatively new (they were founded in 2003) they are rapidly growing. Their exclusive use of bamboo cores set them apart from the pack, and successful skis like the Helix proved that they were the real deal. As a Colorado native, I’ve been keenly…
Video: “Sierra Quitiquit How Did I Get Here Trailer”
It’s only January, and already ski movie trailers for next October are being released. In this preview for “Sierra Quitiquit: How Did I Get Here” we see Park City’s own Sierra Quitiquit rise from working as an unknown line cook to becoming a world-traveling model and downright ripping skier. The trailer is chock full of…
Black Diamond Evac 7 Shovel review
Avalanche shovels are pretty utilitarian. You have a shovel blade, a telescoping handle and a grip. As long as your avalanche shovel is metal and not plastic, there’s nothing to see here… move along. Unless of course, that shovel is the Black Diamond Evac 7. Why is this shovel so special? Because it’s more than…