With the maniac trip report writers doing what they do best, (writing kick ass trip reports) I figured I might as well toss a gear review into the mix. And since ski season is JUST around the corner, a ski review is only fitting. So…..today we’ll be talking the Kastle TX97 (177cm length – 128x97x117mm with a 22m turning radius). But before we begin the review, a brief history of the company is in order. Kastle has been making skis since 1924 when Anton Kastle made his first pair in Austria (all ash construction). Several winter Olympians won gold medals using Kastle skis (3 gold’s in 1952 and 2 gold’s and 18 other medals in the 1956 olympics). Read more…
I am not exactly sure when or why it happened, but at some point in the past few years, buying trail running shoes became a huge, huge thing. Step into any running specialty shop or mountaineering store these days and I can pretty much guarantee that you will eventually come to a wall that is completely packed with trail running shoes for sale. As you look around, you will notice that there are literally dozens of different options, colors, makes, and models to choose from offered by virtually every brand imaginable. If you are anything like me, it is pretty overwhelming and confusing. Compounding the issue is the fact that most of the people trying on these shoes look like they would get tired jogging up your local sledding hill – it is usually not a very reassuring peer group to get reviews from. And that’s not even to mention the typical gear rep, who looks like he might get lost in your local greenbelt without the aid of map and compass. Read more…
As we make the rapid transition to summer hiking season here in Colorado I thought I’d kick it off with a review of my favorite piece of footwear – the Camp Four trail shoe from Five Ten. This shoe has been just about everywhere with me since I bought my first pair in the spring of 2007, from long distance trail running endeavors to peak bagging missions, hanging around at the local crag to alpine trad climbs on Crestone Needle and the First Flatiron. It’s nice to have a few time-tested items in your arsenal that you can simply order brand new every few years with full confidence in what you’re going to receive. No shopping around, no sizing up or deliberating over various products, you just know. Well, this shoe is that piece of gear for me, and my fourth pair just arrived in the mail yesterday. To start things off, the Camp Four might be best described as a multi-use approach shoe. A hybrid between a trail runner, an approach shoe, and a climbing shoe, the Camp Four seems to hit the nail on the head in all the right areas. Read more…
Review time again! I wanted/needed a new jacket (It’s funny how my gear seems to wear out at the same time). The primary intended use of said jacket would be winter backcountry skiing and spring tours on the peaks. I didn’t know quite what I wanted in a jacket in terms of a soft or hard shell (definitely wasn’t looking for an insulating piece). Both types of shell construction have their advantages and disadvantages when you start talking breathability, durability, wind/water proofing, etc. I spied the new line of apparel from Black Diamond at last year’s SIA show and all the pieces looked fairly well thought out (would you expect anything less from the crew at black diamond, honestly?). After more carefully scrutinizing the BD product line, the dawn patrol hybrid shell stood out above all the other pieces. The “hybrid” in the name means they use a hard shell (waterproof/windproof – breathable?) fabric on the front, shoulders, top of the arms and the hood, with a stretchy and very breathable soft shell fabric everywhere else… Read more…
