backcountry ski gear reviews

Gear Review: BCA B1 EXT and Black Diamond Deploy 7 Shovels

by
Backcountry Access B1 EXT Shovel

Backcountry Shovels
Backcountry Access B1 EXT shovel
$50, 1 lb. 5 oz.
backcountryaccess.com

BCA’s light and compact B1 EXT has a great strength-to-weight ratio. Its small but solid aluminum blade chopped easily into consolidated snow and icy crust in test pits I dug while backcountry skiing in Idaho’s Boise Mountains. The two-section, straight shaft and blade assemble as quickly as most traditional shovels of similar design, and the shaft compresses short enough (16 inches/40.5 cm) to fit into a pack’s snow-gear pocket without separating its two sections. Extended, the shovel’s length (22.25 inches/56.5 cm) allows for digging without being uncomfortably hunched over.

Read on

Gear Review: Brooks-Range Ski Binding Tool and Heli Ski Straps

by
Brooks-Range Ski Binding Tool

Brooks-Range Ski Binding Tool
$10, 6 oz.
Brooks-Range Heli Ski Straps
$7/pair, 2 oz.
brooks-range.com

I’ve seen ski bindings blow out in the backcountry, and the result ranges from truly not fun (a buddy hiked two miles back to our car on one ski) to potentially dangerous if you’re not prepared (another friend had a repair kit and remounted a busted binding two days into a weeklong ski traverse in Yellowstone). This lightweight kit comes with eight bits—two Philips, a PZ3, standard #6 and #4 flathead screwdrivers, ¼ and 1/8 Allen, and a Torx T-20.

Read on

Gear Review: Black Diamond Soloist Winter Glove

by
Black Diamond Soloist

Winter Glove
Black Diamond Soloist
$110, 9 oz. (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-XL, women’s XS-L
blackdiamondequipment.com

Routinely getting cold fingers is a real drag when you like to ski fresh backcountry powder. I’ve tried a lot of gloves over the years, looking for ones that will keep my fingers from turning white, not cost a fortune, and allow me reasonable dexterity. For most of last winter and my first days on snow this winter, skiing the backcountry and resorts from Idaho’s Boise Mountains to Oregon’s Wallowas, I’ve pulled on the Soloist for cold days and never suffered painful digits.

Read on