What's In My Pack And Why

It's nearly the start of a new season, and a great time to start planning trips, and organizing gear.  Going through avalanche case studies, friends accounts of avalanches, and reading more avalanche articles I keep remembering one key piece of every incident that doesn't always get discussed.  Gear.  If you don't have the right gear your chances of survival, and dealing with an accident, dramatically decrease.  Skiing in the backcountry, you should have everything you need in order to rescue, stabilize, and evacuate someone; spend the night, melt water, create heat, and get out of the snow when necessary.  An emergency is an emergency regardless of whether you are in deep the backcountry or even just outside the ski area boundary, and requires just as much care.  Otherwise, things may not turn out as you may hope, with too little equipment to deal with the situation.  So here's what I carry in my pack as a reference.

Inside The Pack

0.  Pieps Myotis 30 Pack

-  I like this pack, it works, but it's hard to like any one pack as nothing is perfect and I tend to sway back and forth between my favourite Pieps, Black Diamond, Deuter, Dynafit, and Arcteryx packs, Pieps was just what I used last, but it ranks high because of it's separate snow tools pocket, carrying ability, and ski carrying system.  The quest for the perfect pack continues...

1.  Mammut Pulse Beacon, AviTech Shovel, Speed Probe

-  The Pulse transceiver is easily the best transceiver I've ever used, and have watch hundreds of students and peers recover beacons during training in a fraction of the time that they would have using other beacons, especially when dealing with multiple burials.  It's easily customizable, and is designed for simplicity, and speed.  The Speed Probe is good, but like the pack, all my probes have worked well but I have yet to find one that really stands out.  My AviTech on the other hand is a shovel I've come to love.  It makes digging a beautifully crafted snow profile easy, and hauls snow when it needs to.  What is important and makes life easier in an overnight, is that it also doubles as a great shelter as it will help build your snow shelter.  Example: quincy, trench, snowcave.

2.  Snow Study Kit and G3 Bonesaw

-  I don't like the basic snow study saws as I can't cut trees with them, the G3's Bonesaw does both.  Metal and black screen for snow crystals is great because the white snow crystals show up great against the black background, seems obvious but there are lots of white crystal screens out there.

3.  Rab Down Jacket

-  This serves as my warm-up jacket, and doubles as my sleeping bag if I'm forced to stay overnight, paired with a tarp and foam pullout stored in the back panel of my pack it's actually pretty comfortable night in a snowcave.

4.  Modified Rescue Bubble (Rescue Toboggan)

-  This one is key, most people practice avalanche scenarios, where they find a person buried underneath the snow, probe the target and dig it up.  Now instead of finishing there, continue the scenario and move that person a mere 300m away off to a safe spot without their help.  Still think you can carry them out?  The Rescue Bubble is bomber, fits skis and splitboards, but does not have a large enough area to fit multiple people underneath during a storm.  Which is why I have a sill tarp sewn onto mine to fit a large group of people underneath without carrying the toboggan and another heavier tarp.  Another great model (and my favourite) is the Alpine Threadworks Guide Tarp.  This toboggan can be your best friend, serving as a tent, bivy, ceiling, and transportation device for the injured. 

5.  Map, Compass, GPS, Altimeter

-  Don't know where you're going, what about where you are?  What happens if you need to let people know where you are for them to come get you if you're in trouble, not to mention white-out navigation, finding better ski lines, and making your way back home in a new area?  Every map I have is organized at home to specific map datums, the magnetic declination is written in my field book every year, and I've drawn lines and routes all over the map to ensure I get amazing skiing opposed to just okay skiing.

6.  Rope Rescue Kit

-  I have about 5 different rope kits for different days, but the one that is used almost always is my trusty Beal Rando 30m 8mm rope with BD Couloir harness.  I carry Camp Nano 23 ultralight biners with Vapourlock locking Biners, accessory cord, and extra triple length Dyneema sewn slings.  This kit isn't my lightest, but it still is very light, and will rescue really well or get me into big terrain well too.  Complete contents for crevasse rescue below:

     -  1x 30m 8mm Rope

     -  1x Harness

     -  2x 240cm Dyneema Slings

     -  3x 5m pieces of Cordellete to match the rope

     -  3x Locking Biners

     -  3x Non Locking Biners

     -  1x 20cm Ice Screw

7.  First Aid Kit

-  Enough gear to stop a deadly bleed, set a broken bone, deal with cuts and abrasions, CPR (pocket mask), hypothermia (heat packs), and tons of other life threatening issues or just to make a hilarious fall not ruin brand new gore-tex with a few drops of blood.  I've found a lot of pre-built kits on the market are heavy, as well fall short of what you want and need, so building your own custom kit is the way to go.

8.  Repair Kit + Multi-tool + 'Real' Posi Drive #3 Screwdriver

-  Zapstraps fix so much, but also skin parts, heli-coils, Quiverkiller inserts, tele-screws, odd parts, epoxy, and even an extra toe piece go a really long way.  If someone breaks something in the backcountry first I want to ensure they can get home okay, but secondly hopefully I can salvage the day and continue harvesting deep powder like nothing even happened.  The full on Posi Drive #3 screw driver is a luxury.  With this screwdriver, you can take bindings on and off, adjust, and fix tons of stuff without stripping screws for later and making life easy.  Combined with the multi-tool and the rest of the repair kit you are a mobile ski tech.

9.  BD Storm Headlamp and Firestarter

-  If the sun goes down and you can't see, guess what you're spending the night!  But if you have a headlamp, you created your own light, and continue on your merry way.  The Storm headlamp is powerful, but small, light, and conserves batteries really well.  This lives in my pack year round, and sees lots of action.  Everytime I find myself reaching for it, I'm glad I have it.  Fire starter, just a small piece of bicycle inner-tube and a lighter in a ziplock bag, is enough to burn and start a fire if an emergency calls for it.  Weight:  15g, worth it.

10.  Metal Pot + Nalgene

-  What?  Who the hell carries that?  It lives in the bottom of my pack, with my repair kit and some cord stuffed in it.  Doesn't take up room, but allows me to boil water and make water long after I've run out.  It actually weighs nothing and my repair kit lives inside it, so it doesn't really take up any more space if I didn't carry it.  For long term rescues, it can also act as a source of warmth, by boiling water to add to a Nalgene, and stuffing the Nalgene inside your jacket to act as a hot water bottle, as well as warming the core of avalanche victims in a rescue scenario back up with hot water to drink.  

11.  Wax

-  After one day last year in February, all of our skins gobbed up with moist snow, making skinning very unpleasant.  I normally have wax with me at all times in the spring, but because it was February I didn't.  We suffered due to the cost of sacrificing 10g's.  Never again.

12.  Radio + Cellphone

-  Communication is vital for a rescue, if you can't get a hold of anyone back in civilization you might as well be on a desert island in the middle of the pacific.  Nobody knows there's an emergency, that you need help, and will only call in the cavalry when you don't show up for your check in time.  Then Search And Rescue will have to look for you, only in the daylight hours, and over a wider expanse of terrain at which point you will either be dead of near dead.  Two way communication is vital.  Spot devices are great, so are certain Satellite phones, devices like InReach, etc.  Two forms are better than one.  The point of two way communication is that you can let the other party know what's wrong, what you need, where you are, and your urgency, while they can assist as best they can over the radio.  

13.  Extra Gloves And Toque

-  This is an easy one for most of us to understand but the toque is the key.  If you ever need to dig someone out of an avalanche you will notice right away its rare that they are left with all of their gear.  Avalanche's are quite violent and powerful, your brand new warm toque is probably going to be the first to go.  Having a rescuer present you with a nice warm new toque after you've gone hypothermic is always a nice welcome back to the world of the living.

14.  Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Goggles

-  The sun sometimes doesn't seem that bad, but it packs a punch, especially when you are out in the mountains 100+ days a year.  A number of years ago, a ski touring partner of mine got so badly burned up his nose (from the sun reflecting off the glacier), in his mouth and on his face, we were forced to take a rest day in our tents to avoid making it worse.  Enough said, sunburns and snow-blindness is for those who don't want to ski.

Here's what I split among the group.
1.  Rescue Tarp/Toboggan
2.  Rope (partner still needs their harness and rescue gear)
3.  Repair Kit
4.  First Aid (sometimes we still do have a few first aid kits around in case one gets lost in an incident)

Avalanche Incident

Even if an avalanche occurs, and all people are accounted for, this equipment is still necessary.  A friend of mine, Lee Lau, was caught up in an avalanche in April of 2010.  They were prepared, skied well as a group, and something happened.  However, because of their strengths skiing the line watching out for each other, having the right equipment, and carrying the proper communication equipment their avalanche accident turned out much better than it could of.  Here's the Account Of What Happened, and a step by step version of the accident.

Be prepared this season, because it's better to carry the gear and not use it, than to not carry it and need it!

The Backcountry Web And Technology Race

Information, technology, and the use of mobile phones are the name of the game out in the backcountry, and will be for the foreseeable future.  Information, both a plentiful and relevant helping of it, is what we base our decisions on.  While ski touring our goal is to gain as much information as possible, but we are limited to our strengths and speed in the mountains, as we are mostly unable to move through vast sums of terrain on our skins unlike a helicopter.  However, technology such as mobile phones like Androids, Iphones, and the like connect us to a global community of ski tourers instantly giving us access to more information all around us.  But it's still not clear exactly.  Mobile technology in the avalanche field is still evolving.  This article may even be outdated the second it's put up on the web, but the fact remains that we need to get with the times and learn how to move through the internet quickly, efficiently, so we can gain more information to reflect on while making decisions.

(Photo Above:  A loose snow avalanche running through the Loop Brook approach, which we had skinned through earlier in the morning when the snowpack was much more stable, I posted this on Twitter and Facebook getting quite a few hits and comments.  Information Shared)

Webpages are the simplest and most basic way to look at the expansion of the digital age and it's relationship to the mountains.  The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) has dialed in a new wave of forecasting diagrams, using a more visual forecasting system, which is specifically designed to give recreational users a simple but informative view on current conditions and avalanche hazard (South-Coast seen here).  Taking a step further, advanced users have a forecast details section to read up on, detailing the avalanche report, all of which have been there for years.  However, with today's blogosphere and social media networking a new Forecaster's Blog has been put in place to further educate anyone who has an extra minute or two, specifically on understanding the current conditions in the field, and gaining even more insight to the world of snow science.  The information based solely off the CAC is gold for anyone looking to head out into the mountains, and avoid avalanche's.  And last but not least it's all been packaged into one easy app to download onto your mobile phone.

However, approximately 40% of avalanche incidents go unreported on websites such as the Canadian and/or American Avalanche Association's Incident Database, but do show up on the likes of webpages and social media sites such as Facebook.  As a matter of fact, more useful information on rescue from these non-reported incidents found on Facebook have even been utilized by National Avalanche Organizations in order to build better teaching tools and techniques.  But for the main point that needs to be made is that these are tools which have not fully reached their potential.  Due to the sharing capability, ease of access, and real-time updates, not to mention field accessible on any mobile phone these days, Facebook and other real-time microblogging web products such as Twitter are new possible ways of passing on information.

(Photo Above:  Avalanche investigation in the Baja area, discovering what lead up to a widespread avalanche cycle, in order to gain a better idea of what''s going on in the snowpack, and how to avoid getting caught for the rest of the week)

The main problem with Facebook and Twitter is the non-sensical jabbering of most people either posting photos of their Friday night or last hut trip which takes up 40% of most posts.  However, by using "Pages" for Facebook and "Lists" for Twitter many people can subscribe to the web services without the annoying outside banter focusing on the issues at hand.  The final crux being a filter of what gets put on the pages or lists when issued to the subscribers.  Both social media sites have mobile apps, with Twitter being a potential for better utilization of quick information by focusing on Lists of selected users who provide relevant information.  Sadly, not enough info goes out on Twitter, so Facebook has become the better choice for snippets of info and observations.

But what's Facebook and Twitter without something to look at, other than posted photos of avalanche observations which may be relevant?  Snow profiles can very easily be shared with Avalanche Lab.  Avalanche Lab is an app built for the Iphone, that allows users to record all your observations, record your snow profile and then email it in either jpg or pdf to anyone of your choice, even post it on Social Media sites.

(Photo Above:  A quick snow profile a friend and I dug using the Avalanche Lab App, which has since seen even more updates with the new snow symbols and much more.)

Basic good old fashioned webpages or blogs may be the solution to this filter that Social Media websites lack when it comes to purely avalanche information.  Blogs and Webpages require a writer/blogger/technician/user (call it what you will) to go through each piece of information to decide whether it's worthy or not to be put up for people to read.  Another crux is the fact that the person putting it up, needs to really understand what is relevant and what isn't, otherwise it's easy for people to be mislead.  A perfect example of this is www.wayneflannavalancheblog.com, a website for the Sea To Sky Corridor and all it's avalanche and weather observations, as well as relevant tidbits of educational info, all updated every day with constant revisions and additions.  The blog is run by Wayne Flann a previous avalanche forecaster, and long time Ski Patrol and SAR member, who has the ability and commitment to share as much info as possible.

Web forums have definitely had a heavy presence in today's ski scene, to note two of the largest is TetonGravityResearch.com and Biglines.com.  Both hold ski and snowboard reports, avalanche info posts, and more, all with potentially viable useful information that can be scanned on a smartphone and during the downtime in the coffee shop heading to the mountains in the morning.  They do lack a "professional filter" but have useful information when users properly note occurrences.

(Photo Above:  Size 2 avalanche with a 90cm crown at the deepest (right) which is also only a 25 degree slope, the culprit was most likely spotty patches of well preserved Surface Hoar along with Decomposing Facets overloaded with new snow load from a recent storm.)

However, there is a catch.  With all this great information sharing technology and websites out there, especially on the recreational level, how do we know the information has been properly recorded by a trained professional or recreational skier who has followed the industry standard observation protocols.  Trained avalanche technicians, guides, forecasters, will but what about recreational skiers.  This is a vital crux that remains an issue on the public portion of these observations.  Someone who doesn't understand the difference between a Sudden Collapse and a Progressive Compression, or even Non-Planar Break could be giving the wrong information to those who are actually basing their decisions on these findings.  And although we should always only use other observations to get a better picture of the entire area, rather than base our decisions on one single snow profile, the importance of the accuracy of information is still a large component of that.  The only way to combat this is to post credentials with each observation, for others to gauge the accuracy of an individuals observations, and to help that person make a decision on how much weight can be allotted on such a snow profile.

(Photo Above:  The Bridger-Teton Avalanche mapping system, a notable event with info and photos)

The Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center has combined a few of these things together along with some other very useful info.  Along with collecting field observations from trained backcountry skiers and posting them on their up to date observations section, they have also incorporated everything into a Google Maps event map (seen above).  The map displays all notable avalanche events, snow profiles (with graph), and all weather plots for a very easy visual idea of what's going on in the field.  Users are even able to change the date ranges in order to bring up past information, and get a strong handle on the history of the snowpack and area, before heading out in the field.  They even have links to maps which are downloadable for field reference on your Smartphone in PDF format that have avalanche hazard area marked on well used trails (seen here).

Canada is also on top of this Google Maps technology, many guiding and heli-ski operations are utilizing Google Maps for run mapping.  But one interesting useful mapping technology is the ArFi mapping software currently in development and research (so take note, errors may exist).  The system takes info from every weather product available, snow pillow, webcam, etc, in order to help Forecasters get a better idea of what meteorological effects throughout the day will effect the snowpack and where along with the use of GEM maps (Geographic Earth Mapping).  Not so much a public tool, but very useful in the trip planning portion of the day, and for deciding where the best snow quality will be found. 

(Photo Above:  Using the ArFi mapping program looking at precipitation moving into the Sea To Sky Corridor.  The Green being 0-10mm of precip, Yellow being 10-20mm, and Orange 20-40mm)

And if that amount of snow science products wasn't enough, there's even more, including an Excel spreadsheet called SWarm.  SWarm is spreadsheet designed to help calculate and estimate the affect that solar radiation will have on the snowpack on any given day, in relationship to location in the world, cloud cover, elevation, slope angle, and days since the last snowfall. Download it here.

There is far more to the mountains other than snow science and weather.  Iphone technology is even beautiful rigged for backcountry skiers to purchase a $7.99 app which gives them complete access to maps of any area, and allows them to plot reference points, in order to navigate through any kind of terrain.  A GPS at any gear supplier will cost $80 and up, and usually require you to purchase most of your maps for use on the GPS.  The only argument that I've heard is on multi-day trips most people can't recharge an Iphone, that is if they don't have a Goal Zero or any other solar charger.  However, it should be used in addition to maps and compass as you can never beat the old schools methods for reliability in storms and for if you run out of juice and need to navigate immediately.

Iphones, Androids, compatible with In-Reach (with review and info) and Spot Connect devices are the ultimate to have along with their snow science apps.  GPS and map information is readily available for those who want it, and allow you to find your way home while of course recording your ascent and descent for your Facebook profile update at the end of the day.  This alone, if many people who became lost in areas had had this technology, may not have spent uncomfortable nights cold in the mountains.  Even if they had, they would have been able to Google or text someone to find out how to dig a snowcave, and been far more comfortable while waiting for Search And Rescue.

There has even been the question of the possibility of putting beacon technology to use finding cell phones, which is a long ways a way.  But the idea has sparked research on Search And Rescue Technology using a Geolocation Satellite System called Galileo, to begin working on it in Europe.  The idea is to use a specialized software and cellphone location function, to create an accuracy that Search And Rescue can use when called into a scene.  That being said, the beacon is still here for a long long time, as once analog beacons are finally taken off market, the digital beacon will rise further in their capabilities and range but is still the most important thing for backcountry skiers to carry in the mountains.

The point that gets across is that there is a large potential for information sharing throughout the entire backcountry community.  Mobile technology in the backcountry world needs a push, as the ability to share and communicate is there with technology that exists, it only needs to be better adapted to our needs as backcountry users.  And even if you don't embrace social media, you can at least pull out your cell phone for a whole bunch of other useful pieces of information, or at even the most basic look up a plentiful amount of information on the internet before heading out.

DPS Wailer 99 Review

I've had the chance now to ski my DPS Wailer 99’s now in every snow condition imaginable. They've been put through the ringer skiing chest deep blower, icy chunder, spring slush, upside-down snow, breakable crust, dust on crust, and everything in between. The verdict?  It is the best all-around ski ever to be made, unbelievable for ski touring or ski mountaineering, and has become a standard tool in my ski quiver.  Light enough to pound elevation on under your own power, but powerful and stiff enough to push hard in big terrain, a ski for the discerning skier.

(Photo Above:  The 185cm DPS Wailer 99 Pure)

The ski design is based off the incredibly successful Wailer 112RP platform, with a few minor changes which dial in the narrower profile, and allow the ski to stand on its own against its bigger brother. Just like the 112, the Wailer 99 is slightly cambered underfoot, and rockered at the tip and tail with an 18m turning radius. For those still unfamiliar with rocker, I'll let Tobias, the BC/Yukon DPS rep, explain:  

“Laying the ski flat, rocker is the measured height between the widest part of the ski's nose (or tail) and the surface (the zero degree baseline). Early rise is the horizontal distance from the very tip (or tail) of the ski to the contact point where the ski meets the ground. Splay is the measured height from the tip (or tail) to the surface (baseline). The W99 and Wailer 112RPs have more splay than similar models, i.e., the tips peel farther apart, and they have a deep early rise combined with strong rocker. In short what most people call "rocker" is a 3-dimensional property. Also, both the W99 and the 112RP have a bulletnose design, which is where the nose is skinny at the top, then fattens out (like a bullet) and then gets skinnier again. This fattest section is where you measure rocker, and the combination of rocker, splay, and early rise with the bulletnose is what DPS calls Paddletech Geometry. It is Paddletech in the tip, combined with slight camber and a rockered tail with similar properties that creates a ski that can both carve and float. In many respects, the three-dimensional shaping of the shovel is more important to dancing through powder than the ski’s width. This is why the Wailer 99 floats surprisingly well in the deep—you can pressure the tip.”  

Yes, ski shaping is complex, but even understanding that the difference between a rockered ski and a traditional ski is like comparing straight skis to shaped skis, it's an obvious choice to go with a ski like this. So much so, that if you purchase a non-rockered ski, you're purchasing out-dated technology. Rocker allows the Wailer 99 to turn in insanely tight areas, pivoting around crux points, in various snow conditions without hooking up or diving under the snow. The same goes for pulling Super-G turns down big faces or launching into fast mini-golf style terrain.  The ski edges in hard, holds, and completes a turn in perfect style.

(Photo Above:  Wailer 112 Tail (front) Wailer 99 Tail (Behind))

One key difference between the Wailer 99 and the 112RP is the tail. The Wailer 99 boasts a stiffer, less rockered tail that really powers turns, and hooks ups as if you were smashing gates, but releases when you feel the time is right, as if it wasn't even there. Clearly DPS has a magician (Peter Turner) shaping its skis as no other ski in the world has both these wide spectrum characteristics existing on the same ski.

Black magic aside, the 99mm waist floats in powder, but grips remarkably well on steep icy terrain. Always a skinny-ski type of guy for the ultra-steep, I have to admit this ski will probably fit the bill for 99.9% of my ski mountaineering objectives, with the exception of verglass blue ice, on-belay nearly rappelling, anchor to anchor, 60 degree, barely-skiing skiing but that's not really skiing is it.  Why? I say it again—it skis EVERYTHING.

The setup I use with it is either a four buckle boot or my ultra light Dynafit Dy.N.A.. Both drive the ski with no issues. A rare thing to see in skis is both a stiff heavy boot and lighter boot both driving the same ski with great results. Most people who purchase skis either end up luckily matching their ski to their boot and enjoying the ski, or the odd time not matching the system properly, and ending up hating the ski as a result of poor gear compatibility. Ski gear reviews only complicate the matter, with incomplete information on the total system, but with this model it is a non-issue.

The skis weight is something that really allows the skier to excel in the mountains.  A heavier ski, such as everything else on the market, will weigh more.  Which means more effort, more weight to move with each stride and turn, and end up not being as playful on the way down.  Today, another great high quality snow day, was no different.  Within 3 hours, I had the chance to ski 5 beautiful ski laps in the backcountry, which most people pay thousands of dollars for using a helicopter, with enough time and energy to have a leisurely lunch and coffee before starting work.  Only my tiny race skis allow such speed and efficiency, but with nowhere near the downhill performance, which is why I love the 99.  I have the ability to perform uphill, but have zero sacrifice when it comes time for the best part, the downhill.

Downsides?  Not many.  Again, just like the DPS Wailer 112 review I posted, the skis bases do require a bit more attention and waxing, but are incredibly fast when taken care of.

So, in conclusion, if you want the ultimate all-around ski this is it.  But if you don't believe me, get on a pair, and prepare to be blown away.  If this sounds like this ski is for you, get on them.  Either way, mount them, head to a rad mountain way out there, buckle your boots, and giver.  

Palau Bikini Liners - Lightweight Exotica

With the influx of lightweight race gear on the market, some stuff stands out, other stuff is still following old trends.  A great example of this is liners with walk modes, usually a neoprene cutout on the back that allows the liner to flex backwards, allowing the user to fully engage the large range of motion most race walk modes provide.  Boots without this feature, race boots or even freeride, have dropped the ball and in my eyes reduce proper and efficient skinning technique.

Enter the Palau Bikini Liner (pictured above), an ultralight racing liner that takes the neoprene cutout, and blows it out of the water.  Palau Liners have designed this liner specifically for the Pierre Gignoux XP444, the Bikini Liner is actually a two piece liner, which allows the full and unrestricted movement of the ankle inside the boot.  It is designed for absolutely the most natural and freeing walking characteristics without taking the shell out of the equation.  Weighing in at 120g, opposed to the regular XP444 liner at 140g, it weighs practically nothing and shaves a fraction more weight.

Having the luxury of a convection oven at my disposal, these liners were cooked up as soon as they showed up, to see how they would work.  Although a bit tricky to get into the shell (but anyone arguing ease at this point isn't looking for the utmost high performance speed exotica), it sits very comfortably and feels nice and snug even out of the box.  The way the liner is built is very similar to the original (pictured right).  It has the same style tongue covering the instep of the foot, and slight wrap that the Bikini has as well, however, I did feel that the lower did fit more snug than the original.  (Photo Right:  Original XP444 Liner)

The skinning performance is unreal.  Imagine skinning with a cross country boot, rather than a plastic ski mountaineering boot, the change in  feel and experience is exceptional.  The cuff is far more free to move back than with a regular liner, and really allows the user to extend the foot farther forward gaining more range of motion, which translates over to more speed over a race course or speed traverse.

Skiing in them is very similiar to the stock XP444 liner, with a bit more snugness in the cuff due to the upper portion of the liner rapping around.  The chief difference is the gap between where the two pieces of the liners connect, giving the user a slightly "breezy" feel.  This slight breeze is easily avoided by wearing you're race suit over your boots with the ankles tucked in to the lower buckle, or most softshell pants will cover the gap.  Pierre Gignoux even offers a gaiter for the XP444, which helps solve this problem, but for such performance does this really matter?  (Photo Left:  Notice the slight gap between the two liner pieces)

Although designed for the XP444, I managed to give it a shot in my Dynafit Dy.N.A's as well, to see about translate it's benefit's over to one of my ski mountaineering setups.  Because the Dy.N.A's shell last is narrower than the XP444, the bikini liner is definitely a tad bit tight, but with the right foot and/or bootfitting skill set it could work.  I would expect it to work really well with a Scarpa F1 (Race, or Carbon as well).

With such an interesting piece of equipment, more testing will be conducted, so expect an update later this winter, and expect some boot fitting adjustments to Dy.N.A's and other boots. Check them out on the Pierre Gignoux site if you want a pair, here.

DPS Wailer 112 RP Ski Review

Summer has been going on for a while. Most people are out enjoying the sun, biking, climbing, running, and getting after it. But there have been a lot of comments about winter lately. The building stoke for the season to come. People are swinging by the shop researching ski shapes, and deciding on what models to buy. There are a lot of models of skis out there, some poorly designed but well marketed, and others extremely well thought out, built to perform, and marketed a touch less.

(Photo Above:  Posted earlier in the year, Zack Wasson on his Wailer's enjoying some blower pow)
The DPS Wailer 112RP ski was the one ski that made me feel brand new again. I've skied on a lot of skis from ski tests to demos, to nabbing friend’s skis. Last winter was no exception. I got on the Wailer 112RP, skiing it as much as possible, and desperately trying to find its weaknesses holding off on a review. Skiing the 190cm in blower powder, corn, ice, chunder, breakable crust, groomers, and sastrugi, this 112mm waist ski is seriously fun.  (Photo Below:  Holding The Wailer 112RP, photo by:  Tobias Van Veen)

Maneuverability
Whenever I read reviews in magazines about how this ski turns on a dime, and so on, I roll my eyes as it seems every year someone else is pulling this generic saying out. But it this case, it truly does. The 112 starts, holds, and finishes its turn exactly when you want it to. Great so it turns….. But here’s the difference between all other skis. With the 112, you can straight-line your run getting up to an incredible speed, and simply throw the Wailer sideways and start wiggling through the trees with ease and control. All other skis out there would most likely double eject you into a tree well for trying to push them so hard.

The past few years, people around town have been praising the Rossi S7. My friend Matty Richard has noted the amount and scale of terrain people have now been able to get into, due to its quick easy turning, massive float, and ease of use. The Wailer 112 is no different in the sense that it can get a less advanced and experienced skier into rowdy terrain, but that with a slight shaping change, it performs better for the advanced and elite skier while giving the less experienced skier far more for/aft stability. The biggest difference is in the tail.

(Wailer 112RP Tail above)

The tail of the 112 is less rockered that the S7. This provides the skier with more control and power in his or her turn. It also makes stomping landings off cliff’s or pillows far more simple and the worry of having your skis take off from under you, or flipping back because you don’t have enough tail is gone. Those skiers who like a powerful tail, and release from their turns, will be delighted with the difference the Wailer provides.  More for/aft stability, more control at higher speeds, sounds like a better design to me. This leads us to talking more about Rocker.

Rocker
If you haven’t heard about, or understand Rocker in skis yet, welcome to the future. It’s pretty much the difference between getting punched in the face and eating ice cream on the beach. So I’ll explain it for those who still may be rubbing their cheek after that last experience. Rocker is essentially, and in the most basic way, extending the arc of the skis shovel (tip) and tail farther down the running length of the ski, creating a monster shovel and tail and effectively reducing the skis length of camber.  If I have already lost you please refer to the diagram below. What is does is keeps the skis tips above the snow, allows a 190cm ski to turn more like a 170cm ski, while still feeling stable and in control. Turning, pivoting, hucking, slashing, straight-lining, is all effortless and far more enjoyable; *please see eating ice cream on the beach.

(Rocker measurement from 190cm ski)

The 112 is well balanced and importantly not overly rockered. It is incredibly stable and solid under food, due  to the rocker being perfectly aligned. To be honest, I found skiing it in conditions I wouldn't exactly call stellar (read breakable crust), it made the poor conditions fun. I know, who could have thought breakable crust could ski well?

One key feature to my breakable crust experience, and which translates to better tracking of the ski, is it’s narrowing of the tip. Where the ski comes of the ground (effectively where the rocker starts) and where the ski is it’s widest (450mm from the tip) the ski begins to narrow again. This really helps the ski track because when the ski is put on edge, the tip and edges still maintain some rise, stopping the tip from catching on crust or the rapidly moving soft surface, which would cause you to “catch an edge.”

Construction
The Wailer 112RP, comes in two options for the consumer. A Hybrid core: A mix of fiberglass, carbon and bamboo. Typically this is a touch heavier, but has a bit more dampening for in-bounds crowd. I ski on the Pure Construction, which is a Carbon and Nanotech Resin core that is built off a Poplar/X-Wood core. The Pure is much lighter and great for the touring crowd, but also skis in bounds extremely well.

Both the Pure and Hybrid core skis have 2mm edges, and great Austrian World Cup Race Bases. These  bases are hard! A few times I have landed hard on a shark fin rock, expecting to have absolutely destroyed my bases, and been prepared for hours in the shop fixing and patch the skis. But to my surprise not even a core shot, only a long scratch, which I didn't even bother about.

Yes, I’m stoked on these skis, but there is a negative. And here it is, the bases are very high end, and I do have to wax my skis on a regular basis, otherwise they can dry out. What a big negative (sarcastic tone). Funny enough, people have complained to me about that, but honestly, for the speed and durability of the base that’s a small price to pay.

Overview
Skiing on these skis is game changing to say the least. I won’t review an obviously flawed or poor product, only the cream of the crop, and these are one of the best products out there. I cannot put into words how well they ski. Any skier, elite to intermediate, will benefit from this ski.  DPS has more genius in the works, and those who really love to ski will be smart to take notice. There is even more I can say, but may end up going to far, and overloading the Ski Theory server. You want these skis.

Lengths
168cm, 178cm, 184cm, 190cm
More detailed dimensions here.

Plum Guide Binding Overview

Stoked!  The Plum Guide is here in North America, and it's insanely nice!  Plum, a CNC company out of France, who create cutting edge designs in the ski mountaineering binding game.  Having already cornered the market on the super light race bindings, the Race 135's, 145's, and 185's, now have a binding for the burly ski mountaineers looking for a higher DIN.

Enter the Plum Guides, a meticulously designed ultralight binding that has been designed for hardcore users.  Weighing in at only 335g per foot the Guide takes the edge over it's competition, the Dynafit FT12, weighing 530g per foot.  It's beautifully CNC'd design, not only makes the binding more robust, but by far more stiff and rigid to ski.  This advantage will translate down to the skis, allowing them to hold a better edge on steep exposed ice, and ski even more like a downhill binding.  On a closer look they have even more to offer than just any 'tech' system.

(Photo Above: Integrated Crampon Slot)

The toe's are designed with a full metal locking lever for the toe, also a big advantage, as I have seen many plastic levers broken in the cold or due to crashing into rocks, alder, or other skiers.  It is also one single piece, opposed to other competition models, which are two separate pieces and are made with one part plastic.  The toes have the same beautiful engineering as all their race bindings, and also have a crampon insert directly molded in with the overall frame of the toe.

The heel is pretty cool looking.  It's only plastic piece, the main body and housing for the springs, is actually made from aerospace polymer to ensure the bindings stay light.  Like the polymer, the aluminum and steel, on the heel and toe are also aerospace grade.  What skiers may find is that the volcano, or climbing aid, is much easier to turn and less likely to break as it has also been CNC'd out of metal.  Yep, no more pesky climbing aid breaks in the backcountry!

The heel does not have a rearward adjustment screw, like it's competition, but a wider sliding platform that adjusts and screws in on a track (pictured on the right).  Having been modifying and trying to find the widest and most stable options, for many high end freeskiers wanting to huck more, I am happy to see the slightly wider metal platform.  As a result it will stand up to hucking, skiing high speed through debris, and generally poor snow conditions far better.  The track itself has 30mm of adjustment in it, so you can swap multiple models of boots, and sizes without having to re-drill your skis.  The DIN is set at 12, for both the lateral and forward release settings.  Steep skiers will be happy to know the rear pins are quite long allowing for a great deal of negative flex of the ski in awkward conditions, and barely any chance of popping out unexpectedly.

Although the bindings do not yet have brakes, do not fear, Plum is already designing one for the Guide which should be out shortly.  That being said, brakes are just more weight!  One cool feature, which also sets these bindings apart is they have been TUV certified, making them the only TUV certified tech system on the market.

Overall, these bindings have a lot going for them.  Expect to see even more fantastic designs and models in the very near future from Plum.  Having been sworn to secrecy, I can honestly only say, this is only the tip of the iceberg.  Ski Mountaineers, Racers, and hard skiing Freeskiers should take note of these designs as this the path I see ski gear trending towards.  If you want to get a pair, The Escape Route, in Whistler has them here. Plum also has multiple different models, with lower climbing aids, and lower DIN's so check them out here.

Pierre Gignoux XP444's

Pierre Gignoux XP 444's are light.  Insanely light.  In ski mountaineering racing, lighter is faster, but there is a point where too light can be the downfall of gear.  If the boots or skis get too light, they aren't as stiff, or robust.  Yet somehow, the XP444's defy this rule, and are one of the few pieces of gear on the market that any racer can benefit from.

The boot itself weighs in at only 444g (no liner) in a 27.0.  The incredibly light boot, is made up of high end, pressed carbon fiber which is the main reason it is so light.  The original model, the XP 500 weighing in at 520g without a liner, were the start of building such an light boot.  Pierre, found a new way of pressing the carbon, to use far less resin and to ensure less air pockets with the XP 444.  This new method of pressing carbon, allowed for a 30% stiffer boot, with less flaws in it.  The lighter the weight, the more efficiently the racer will be able to stride, and thus a faster cadence can be acheived (more information on this here).

The Gignoux XP 444, fits well, and doesn't require much adjustment.  The forefoot is slightly wider than a Dy.N.A, as well as the heel pocket.  It does come with a Palau liner, which is thermo moldable, and specifically designed for the 444's volume and shape.  Although the liner does tour uphill well, it does lack the neoprene cutout on the back of the calf, which many boots have these days to allow the liner to flex backwards as well.  That being said, the liner is a bit more supportive while skiing downhill, so the performance between uphill and downhill is well balanced.  The extra liner material on the tongue (pictured on the right), is actually very comfortable while skiing and skinning, as it provides a bit of support on top of the foot and keeps your heel locked down.

This version, which is slightly different than a few XP 444's has been fitted with a shock absorbing rear ski/walk lever, that is easily replacable.  Both the solid and shock absorbing levers are designed similar to the Scarpa F1 levers.  The design allows the user to lock his/her boot into ski mode while simutaneously tightening the upper cuff, a now regular design slightly differing between different brands of race boots.  I have found that these shock absorbing plastic levers do have some flex to them, which doesn't affect the way the boot skis, but can be slightly fiddly to swap back into walk mode if your in too much of a rush.  This sticky feel (only with shock absorbing lever) is because the XP444's ski/walk lever sits on a post, opposed to the F1 which sits on a bar.  Pierre is still working on perfecting the shock absorbing levers, and still recommends the solid stiffer lever, but both have seemed to be working for me.

The boot skis well, but you definitely feel like you are skiing a lighter boot, compared to skiing the Dynafit Dy.N.A which is till very robust feeling.  The weight savings makes the boot a bit more squirlley on the descents, however, still drives the little race sticks quite well.  It does take a bit of getting used to being so light while skiing through re-frozen snow, but feels quite comfortable and stable on groomers and powder.  The stiffness of the carbon can be felt in the cuff, but racers will notice the lack of a tongue, a minor change of skiing style and you are still able to charge.

My number one recommendation for anyone using this boot, as a racer and ski tech, is to purchase a binding such as the Plum Race 145's with adjustable toe pins.  This is important, as the tech fittings on the boots do require a much more custom fit, which ensures a solid 'lock' and feel on the toe piece.  Setting the system up and taking the time to do so properly, will be the difference between a light but still strong setup, compared to something which can be jittery on the descents.  Although some people may find this to be a big hassle, the boot is well worth the one time adjustment, and committing to a left and right ski.  (photo right:  Note that the tech inserts on the toes are metal, set in carbon fiber.)

As for how it skins, the best way to describe it would be to click your running shoes into your race skis, and start hammering up the mountain.  Because it is so light, but still very stiff, it transfers power to the skis efficiently and quickly.  The range of motion the cuff provides is huge and doesn't limit your stride length at all. With the large cutout over the top of the foot, and carbon tongue, the foot is able to move naturally and comfortably (pictured above).

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with the boot.  The weight on its own makes it worth while, as skinning becomes even more efficient, and a high cadence is noticeably easier to maintain.  The stiffness on the downhill is adequate, and forward lean position allows you the rest on the downhill.  I would recommend to anyone who wants such a high end boot to invest in the lightest skis possible, and the right bindings, because matching this boot to them is vital to squeeze every last drop of performance out of it and create an overall 'system' opposed to just throwing different pieces of gear together.  Expect to see a few of these exotic boots on the Canadian Circuit this year, as a lot National Team members have jumped on this bandwagon, looking to get every edge they can for going faster!

Plum Race 135, 145, 185 Bindings

Here in North America we are usually the last to see the latest in greatest gear on the Ski Mountaineering Race side of the sport; but those days have come to an end.  Plum Bindings, is now distributing in Canada!  I've been watching this brand for a number of years and am really excited to see them here.

Plum has three binding models for the racing and crazy light crowd.  The Race 135, Race 145, and the Race 185.  To start, the number which the Race bindings are named is simply the weight which they come in at on the scales, per binding.  All of them nearly the same, but with a few key differences, setting them apart.  The Race 145 is the signature model for the guys out there.  The 145 is designed to have a slightly stiffer rear fork, made out of steel that has a forward release setting of about 8.5, and a lateral release of 7.5, which is suited to people over 70kg, tall racers, or more aggressive skiers.  The 135 differs as it has a 10g lighter rear fork made of titanium, but has a forward release setting of about 7, and a lateral release of 7.5.  Other than that the two are the same, and users can order both steel and titanium forks to replace whichever model Plum Race they have.  (Photo Above Left:  2 Race 145 red & orange, and the Race 185 in the back)

One complaint which most ski mountaineering racers have is that they can't adjust these race bindings to different boot sole lengths, in order to use a training boot and race day boot.  Enter the Race 185.  The Race 185 is essentially a Race 145 binding mounted on a cnc'd adjustable plate.  However, the Race 185's heel piece is actually 5mm lower than the 145's in order to accomodate the 5mm cnc'd plate, and making sure not to change the ramp angle of the boot in the binding.  (Photo Right:  You can see the Race 145 and 185 heel height are virtually identical, so the plate does not disturb skiing ramp angle or skinning heel height)

The real beautiful thing about these models are that the toes (77g no screws) have adjustable pin widths, in order to accomodate boots where the boot inserts are off center, wider, narrower, allowing the binding to be specifically dialed in to any boot toe width, custom or stock.  You can see in the photo's where the pins screw in, as I have yet to install them.  This can be a huge benefit when it comes to ensuring there is no additional load to the toe's springs, and also helps guard against pre-releases due to systems which have not clicked down properly.  The toe also has an automically locking toe piece, ensuring for insanely fast transitions, and shaves even more weight using only 4 front screws versus other brand's 5 screw design.  (Photo Below:  Toe without pins 'left' and pin insert 'right')

To look a bit deeper into the design, the binding is specifically designed to reduce any calf strain and fatigue, by raising the heel slightly to eliminating muscle fibers from being overstretched while working hard.  The binding ensures that a 27.0 (300mm) boot sits at a 7.73 degrees, the height is  specifically designed for use on flat rolling terrain as well as steeper skintracks with more switchbacks.  Racers should shoot for an angle between 7 and 8 degrees of positive ramp angle while skinning (heel higher than the toe) to find the most efficient skinning position.  The toe piece has an optional, screw on or off, crampon attachment for spring skiing use and speed traverses.  As there is no plastic on the toe piece, there is no risk of accidentally cracking anything, or breaking off crampon attachments while sliding on and off.

The Plum Race series are beautifully thought out, and engineered for speed, with less chance of user error.  These are easily a better choice for anyone who wants an extremely light weight binding, but also a system that holds the boot in during aggressive skiing, and reliability through simplicity in remote mountain ranges.  Keep in mind these are well designed race bindings, but the bottom line is that they will hold up to so much more, and I for one am excited to ski these as an everyday ski mountaineering binding as well as on the race course.  (Photo Left:  The Plum Race 145 heel piece, weighing in a 61g with no screws)

You can buy these online at escaperoute.ca or click here.

Dynafit TLT 5 Performance TF - A First Look

For all those people who have yet to realize that race boots like the Dynafit Dy.N.A, are fully capable of handling steep crazy terrain, the new Dynafit TLT 5 boot may be the answer.  Boots such as these, are unbelievably light, stiff, and are better to climb in than conventianal touring boots.  They provide the same amount of stiffness as boots such as the Garmont Radium, are half the weight, only weighing in at 1115g with a tongue!  The walk mode is easily the most beautiful part of the boot, which extend your stride a massive distant building speed and allowing you to move long distances in a short amount of time.

The TLT 5 is built off the same mold as the Dy.N.A race boot, but with a few changes.  To start, the TLT 5 has a "Ski" tongue which is easily field removable, and only requires you to unlock the bottom buckle to slide it out.  It even has a post on the shell, with a hole on the tongue, to make sure the tongue does not shift while sitting in the forward tongue triangle.  (Photo Right, note the yellow triangle is where the tongue slides into the shell)  The idea is to utilize the fantastic range of motion the boot has, without the tongue in, on the way up.  Then just simply slide the tongue into place for the way down, which gives the boot a large boost in stiffness.  Th shell even has a slightly more built up lower that wraps around your foot slightly differently than the Dy.N.A, which would allow you to easily ski without the "Ski" tongue in place.

The Dy.N.A sole is molded onto the the lower shell in two separate pieces with no rubber in the middle of the boot.  The TLT 5 has a slightly thicker rubber sole, than spans the entire length of the boot, and a harder rubber on the toe and heel.  The change will be advantageous when climbing rock, ladders in the alps and Himalayas, and awkward ridge tops. 

The upper cuff is still made of Carbon Fiber.  It still has the genius buckle which doubles as a ski/walk mode latch.  And it still has the same fantastic lightweight liner, with neoprene walking cutout, as the Dy.N.A.  So what doesn't it have?  The lower cutout on the boot which allows the boot to flex 5mm on the sole, giving the boot a more natural stride, is not made of carbon.  It is made out of Pebax plastic.  Big deal?  I think not.

The lightweight tech cord buckle connectors have been replaced with super strong woven metal straps.  The slight increase in weight, does make for an incredibly reliable boot, and ensures you don't have to monitor the buckles for wear on a regular basis.

The TLT 5 will retail for less than the $1600 Dy.N.A, but will pack a serious punch for those looking for a hardcore ski mountaineering boot.  So next year when you're in the market to buy a new pair of boots, why bother even wasting an ounce of energy on trying on a big heavy clunker that "looks" stiff, when you could get the full package with this boot.  The future is here for touring boots, it's up to everyone out there to realize the potential with boots such as these, and get with the program.

New Revamped Dynafit Low Tech's

With new crazy light versions of "tech" bindings out on the market, companies like ATK, Colibri, Merreli, Montura, etc, really had the race market in a new era of lightweight gear.  Dynafit has met the demand, of insanely light gear, and ramped up the competition between companies with the revamped version of the Low Tech's.  Weighing in at 117g per binding (toe and heel), the sleek new design is hard to miss.  I had seen the new version awhile ago, while Dynafit had been keeping it undercover and hush hush, but now that the Outdoor Retailer show is going on it's available for the world to discover.  I asked Pete Swenson to get some closeups for this post.

The heel, using the previous year's Low Tech's as a jumping off point, has a reduced weight.  Shaving the weight down was acheived by taking off more material, keeping the overall structural integrity strong, and reducing the 4 hole mounting pattern to only 3 screws much like the Merreli R8.  The flap, or walk mode latch, is not longer plastic but an insanely lightweight metal.  Now no announcements have been made about the exact materials being used for each part, but they include Titanium, Magnesium, Steel, and Aluminium.  One advantage of three screws, other than weight, will be for ski techs as mounting these will be much more simple as you will be able to mount the rear mid screw first to line up the binding with ease.  In other words there will be less chance of a mis-mount.

Looking at the toe design will get you even more stoked.  The toe automatically locks when you step into the system, which ATK's are known for, and also has 1 less screw in its mounting pattern.  The toe excenter piece is also no longer plastic, but CNC'd out of a yet to be announced metal, ensuring that while racing there is less chance of cracking the toe excenter. 

Make sure to puchase these with the Super Race Screw kit, saving an additional 11.7g, which have been made out of Titanium.  Yet another bullseye from the brand that continues to dominate, and illustrate the limitations of other non "tech" systems in the field.  I am stoked to ski these next year.

Scarpa Maestrale Boot - A First Look

The future of Ski Mountaineering, is moving faster, longer, and covering larger expanses of terrain.  When choosing an objective for your days off, trip of the year, or whatever you feel is right, why not add another few peaks or steep lines to your day.  Why ski one face, when you could enchain five?  Our goals and imaginations begin to exceed our gear, and ski companies are expected to fill the need and demand for the tools we require.  Meet the Scarpa Maestrale Boot.  Designed to be burly enough to handle new progressive and aggressive styles, but also to be light, and walk effectively.

The fit, which is different than the usual Scarpa last, is not overly narrow but much more snug than its predecessors.  The  boot does not have a larger shell last, with a larger liner, but a narrower last with a beautiful tongue style liner, which is not as large and cumbersome as  previous styles.  The liner itself, has a neoprene insert at the rear of the calf right above the Achilles tendon, allowing it to flex back and not limit your foots natural stride length.  Not only that, the walk mode has a larger range of motion, allowing a much larger stride length, much like the Scarpa F3.

The tongue of the boot is actually riveted onto the lower shell, almost exactly like a telemark boot.   It gives the boot a much stiffer feel, and is designed to have a good progressive flex.  Having this will allow the boot to drive a bigger ski, despite being a slightly lower boot, in comparison to all the other light and fast boots on the market.  The stiffer tongue does feel really supportive, and combined with a laterally enforced cuff, the boot feels very reactive and playful.  The overall boot is even made out of Pebax RNew plastic, and is a bio-based plastic, that has less of an environmental impact in production and after use.

The little things on this boot are help in a big way.  The Dynafit tech fittings on the toe, have the patented Dynafit quick step-in system, which make a big difference and are a pleasure to have on any boot.  The tech fittings, appear to also have the same rearward 5mm offset that gives the boot a more natural stride, and improved pivoting point.

This boot should be a great addition to the quiver of boots on the market specifically designed for light and fast efforts in the mountains.  It will also begin to shift the idea that we need to compromise weight and tourability for downhill performance.  All the more reason to shift into gear, train harder, and get out in the mountains and push your limits.

Dynafit Dy.N.A Review

There are a lot of great race boots out there, all with their own features, quirks, and advantages/disadvantages.  Dynafit released the Dy.N.A World Cup Boot with the goal of eliminating any disadvantages and building a boot that caters to exactly what the ski mountaineering racer is really after, and to meet the demands of speed traverses, even steep skiing.  I had previously wrote an article on its features, those alone convincing me that this was an awesome boot.  But skiing is believing, here's all the other info you've been looking for.

The Fit

The Dy.N.A's sleek, anatomically correct fit, is not like the rest of the Dynafit line although some similarities can be noticed.  The heel pocket is snug, not too tight, but enough to grip the heel without pinching and/or creating blisters.  The mid foot, begins to widen from the heel, remaining snug with some room for the foots bones to move while walking.  The forefoot is nice and wide.  It is at its widest at the 1st and 5th metatarsals, which makes feels fantastic when walking, and allows the foot to move naturally inside the boot without being restricted.  The toe box, is widened to the inside, allowing the big toe to sit naturally and does not squeeze it it with the other toes.  The upper cuff is narrow, and hugs the athletic calf really well, where as other race boots may feel more loose.  
How It Walks

One word will describe the way the Dy.N.A walks, unbelievable!  There is absolutely no restrictions on your foot.  No walk mode limit, no instep top out on the top of the boot, and barely any weight on your feet.  The stiff sole is great   Breaking trail was much easier, as the boot was smaller in girth overall, so your foot cuts through the snow making life way easier in the deep.  In the track, they make maintaining a fast cadence easy, and are entertaining to pay attention to how light and efficient they are.  I loved the way they felt on the flats, regardless of other arguments of a stiffer sole, and was powerful on the steep up track.  


Each stride you take with these boots has a powerful kick.  The 5mm flex of the forefoot of the boot gives the boot a "pop" when your skinning, which I have never felt on any other boot on the market.  

How It Skis

If you've been after a really light boot, but have not found anything stiff enough, look no farther.  I having some incredible conditions to test it in, I decided to really test it out, taking it out in backcountry knee deep bottomless powder, wind-packed sastrugi, in-bounds chopped up crud and moguls, and icy groomers.  


Having skied other race boots on the market, the F1, some different Dynafit predecessors, but none could hold a candle to these.  You can drive these boots just like any other touring boot.  They are stiff laterally, but the real treat is that you can drive your knee forward, and ski these hard.  Bottom line they charge.  A massive advantage in racing, you will be well ahead of the pack when skiing through variable snow conditions, and not have to worry about holding back at all.  Coming from an alpine racing background using the stiffest boots and skis, it was revelation to ski this boot with such monstrous energy transfer, a big change of pace compared to the other Rando race boots on the market.  I know it may be hard to believe that such a light boot skis so well, but this is something you will have to experience to believe.

Fitting The Boot

Fitting the boot was just as easy as any other boot.  Just toss it on a stack heater, I wouldn't recommend using a convection oven as it may overheat the thin race liner too quickly, and wait 12 minutes at 114 degree Fahrenheit. Make sure you have a toe cap on with a stocking, not a sock, as they do pack out well, but also to make sure you aren't swimming in it.  I just walked around with it on, as it is a race boot for walking, rather than standing in one spot with my toes elevated (footbed out).  After it cooled down, I popped the footbed back in, and voila!  Perfect.  
This being said, fitting the DyNA can be more work than other boots.  Mine did work out easily, but I have spent awhile on other peoples boots making sure the little quirks fit, and concentrating on micro adjustments.  You can fit this boot in three different ways to customize the volume.  Boot shim in, Footbed in, or nothing at all; the choice is yours, and do what feels best, or combine two if necessary.

One thing to note, is that this boot has a significantly taller cuff than the F1, which may require some extra fitting for some people with larger calves.  This is also a big advantage.  A taller cuff means extra support, and if you are thrown into the back seat, you will have a much better chance of recovering.


Overall Impression

Before heading out to test the boot, I dealt with a person who believed he was too good a skier to even be in a Dynafit Titan.  Nothing was stiff enough to hold his ego in, as he tore into how poorly designed touring boots are, and how nobody who really knew how to ski could use them.  Laughing to myself knowing the secret to skiing more, faster, longer, steeper, harder, was using lightweight gear that still packed a punch.  The secret is out of the bag, and maybe we can hope that not every skier realizes it, and leave the great vastness to those who chose to accept it and move fast.  For those who do, the Dynafit Dy.N.A World Cup Race boot is the key to unlocking vast distances and massive elevation gains and loss, with no compromises.  


I could of easily just wrote this review in two words, "no brainer," but it would not explain and outline the reasons behind it.  Race gear is the future of ski mountaineering gear, and is the answer to accomplishing more in the backcountry.  The Dy.N.A World Cup boot is the big stepping stone that bridges the gap between light but flimsy boots, and really heavy but stiff boots, combined into an extremely light and beautifully stiff boot.  Not only will I be skiing this boot for training and racing, but for everyday skiing, steep skiing, and guiding.  So stoked to ski these everyday!