April 2016 archive

Review: Fischer ProFoil climbing skins

Time for an update on Fischer’s new climbing skin technology, their ProFoil climbing skins. Unlike traditional skins that are modeled after the fur of seals, these are essentially a full length sheet of plastic scales like that found on waxless cross-country skis. Like climbing skins, they are attached or removed to the base of your …

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EMS & Sport Chalet file for bankruptcy

One way to gauge the validity of lamestream media reports that the economy is doing well and recovered from the Great Recession of 2008/09 is how the retail world of recreation is doing. Recreation depends on the availability of disposable income. When times are tight, having fun gets sacrificed for paying the bills and putting …

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Overview of next gen tele bindings

I was really hoping to end this season with a set (or two if they skied similarly) of bindings that I could go into next season with and be confident I had a good setup. I’m pretty close, but I need more time on these setups to have more confidence. And I don’t have two …

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Thule’s One-Minute Chains revisited

The problem with chains is they’re a pain in the ass to put on and take off. For common chains, by the time you cave and admit you need them, putting them on usually requires crawling on your belly in slushy snow while the wind howls. It’s a miserable, time consuming process. There are alternatives. …

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