Archive for the '13 Gear Testing' Category

CAMP Speed Helmet Review

Published on March 15, 2012 by a ok.

Take a look at the helmets at any rando race starting line, and you’re likely to see several dark, yet bright, green helmets protecting the heads of some toeing the line. The CAMP Speed helmet isn’t quite ubiquitous, but it’s an increasingly common sight, both at races and simply out and about in the mountains. The Speed helmet is gaining popularity presumably because it offers those attributes that ski mountaineers prefer: safety in a lightweight and comfortable package.

The lightweight CAMP Speed helmet out and about in the mountains. Photo by Jason Borro.

CAMP bills the Speed as the world’s lightest UIAA certified climbing helmet. On my scale, it weighs a bit more than represented, tipping the scale at 8 5/8 oz., or 245 grams. CAMP claims 210 grams, so perhaps they weighed theirs – it’s a one size fits all model, at 56-62 cm head size – without the additional padding that lines the top of the helmet, the adjuster strap, and the chin strap. Regardless, the helmet weighs several ounces less than many competing models, while Continue reading ‘CAMP Speed Helmet Review’

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Update on Dynafit Radical Series Climbing Post Breakages

Published on March 14, 2012 by a ok.

As some of you have already heard – but hopefully not experienced – the Dynafit Radical Series bindings can suffer a climbing post breakage, in which nearly the entire top of the binding plate shears off. As noted in the link, once the pieces are found, one can be skiing on their merry way. Skinning for the  remainder of that day, however, will be tough as the only position then available is the ‘flat on the ski’ heel riser setting.

Dynafit has looked into the issue and come up with ‘hydrogen embrittlement’ as the cause behind this occurrence. For those of you who might be wondering, hydrogen embrittlement is not a fancy way of saying, ‘metal too thin!’ Rather, it’s a manufacturing issue. For more details, I’ll turn it over to Jim Lamancusa, Director of Sales and Marketing at Dynafit:

Dynafit has seen a recent increase Continue reading ‘Update on Dynafit Radical Series Climbing Post Breakages’

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Dynafit TLT 5 Mountain versus Garmont Masterlite

Published on January 17, 2012 by a ok.

Lightweight, backcountry specific ski boots are all the rage for those who power themselves up the hills. Backcountry specific? Yeah. Think excellent ankle articulation, tech binding inserts, a minimal number of buckles which open and close quickly, and rubber soles suitable for clambering around on rock and ice.

In the non-carbon, might-last-longer-than-a-season-without-breaking variety, there are several models available for consideration – the Scarpa Alien, the Dynafit TLT 5 Mountain, and the Garmont Masterlite come readily to mind. Haven’t used the Aliens yet, but I‘ve got enough time in on the other two to make a meaningful comparison of the pros and cons of each.

The Dynafit TLT 5 Mountain in tour mode.

The Garmont Masterlite and its unique spiderweb 'I-beam' design.

Can’t decide which boot is for you? Continue reading ‘Dynafit TLT 5 Mountain versus Garmont Masterlite’

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La Sportiva RT Binding Review

Published on January 11, 2012 by a ok.

A lot of people are aware by now that La Sportiva – long a well-regarded player in the footwear game – has broadened their product offerings to include ski gear. And they’re not starting off small by dipping their toes into the low end of product offerings, either. La Sportiva has gone for the competition’s jugular by offering up sophisticated, high end, lightweight products that are long on design while being short on frills and excess weight.

Entering the ski market with a bang, La Sportiva showcased their lineup of five different skis at the Winter Outdoor Retailer show in early 2011. (They also offer custom fit skins cut to the lengths and dimensions of the various skis in their product line) Also on display were the ultra-lightweight carbon fiber Stratos ski boot; a high-end ski boot lighter than many leather hiking boots. And finally, the La Sportiva RT tech binding was also visible for curious eyes to gaze upon.

The clever approach of La Sportiva to a new realm of gear manufacture was to enlist the help of established players, presumably to ensure quality. While Sportiva may be the sole engineers behind their Stratos boots, they’ve enlisted Pomoca to make their skins, and ATK to make their bindings. ATK is a Euro company, and the RT binding offered by La Sportiva is a mirror image of ATK’s RT binding, although the color scheme is different.

The entire package, in pieces. In the bag on the left are the heel risers; the bag in the center contains the mounting screws. Beneath the binding on the right is a simple mounting template.

The La Sportiva RT binding toe piece, held in place with four screws.

As presented, Continue reading ‘La Sportiva RT Binding Review’

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Darn Tough Vermont makes Tough Ski Socks

Published on January 1, 2012 by a ok.

The New Year has rolled in, and perhaps one of your resolutions was to sort out your footwear for the winter. Out go the ski socks with holes, and in come some new pairs of socks to treat your feet right… Hopefully, anyway. Many ski sock manufacturers have come up with cool patterns, colors, thicknesses, fabric blends, flat seams, and other sock technology to tempt buyers. This can make it hard to decide on the next brand to sheathe your feet.

But what about this scenario? Tear a big hole into one of your favorite ski socks while pulling it on in the dark of some pre-dawn, chilly ski morning, and you’re often stuck with that wound of a mistake. Not so with Darn Tough Vermont’s ski sock offerings.

The premise behind DTV’s ski socks is solid and straightforward, which is not unlike Vermonters in general. Maybe that’s why it’s no surprise that DTV offers a guarantee on their socks the likes of which is not common in an increasingly disposability-oriented world. Their guarantee? Beat ‘em up, try to wear ‘em out, and generally do your worst to DTV socks. If you manage to corrupt the integrity of their socks in any way, Darn Tough will replace them, free of charge. It’s a lifetime guarantee, by the way. No wimpy one-year coverage here.

Lounging by a tiny stream in Darn Tough Vermont socks after an early morning ski session.

That means any of the usual concerns Continue reading ‘Darn Tough Vermont makes Tough Ski Socks’

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Keeping the Eyes Happy with Ryders Eyewear

Published on December 30, 2011 by a ok.

Ryders Eyewear has been celebrating 25 years of operations throughout 2011. During those two and a half decades, Ryders has operated with one aim: good products available at a good price. This lands them somewhere between ultra-high end eyewear – often on display in a locked glass case – and your average convenience store rotary sunglass display.

You might wonder what makes a pair of sunglasses better than the essentially disposable, $5-15 dollar variety. The majority of sunglasses in the lowest price bracket are geared towards curbing feelings of sadness should they end up destroyed. That’s good. Should a pair fall off one’s head or be sat upon accidentally, one can smile, pick up the pieces for disposal, and move on with little regret.

But if you want to step up to better sunglasses, midrange eyewear is stuff you’ll want to keep in one piece. Its superior design is obvious from the moment one slides a pair of sunglasses onto their head. In the case of Ryders, glasses such as the Hijack or the Rockslide present a glimpse of what the entire product line offers. I’ve been reviewing a pair of each for months, in temperatures ranging from the cold of winter to the intense summer heat of Utah’s desert climate. Let’s look at what Ryders bring to the table.

They call ‘em Continue reading ‘Keeping the Eyes Happy with Ryders Eyewear’

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