Ultimate Touring Skis?

Sometime last winter, I decided that it would be ideal to have a lightweight ski touring setup that utilized a cable tele binding (for use with Garmont Excursion touring boots) and had a heel lock-down mechanism for more control on the downs. I also decided that if I could accomplish this for under $100, it would be a feat. Since there is nothing like this currently available on the market (at least to my knowledge), I knew that I would have to fabricate some custom parts.

Breakdown of Costs:
Karhu 10th Mountain XCD waxless skis (with "fishscale" bases): $69 at REI Garage Sale
Bucket 'o old school generic (?) AT binding parts: $10.99 on ebay (including shipping)
Riva cable tele bindings: Came free with a pair of $25 skis that I recently sold for $25.

Total Cost: about $80 + tax 

Fabrication and Mounting:

I began the project with a pair of skis, a pair of  cable tele bindings and an assortment of old AT binding parts. 

Next, I removed the toe bails (with baseplates) from a broken pair of AT bindings and cut off the toe bail with a hacksaw. The result was a pair of aluminum baseplates. 

After the baseplates were free of the toe bails, I figured out that I needed to remove the lip in order to mount the televators on top. The small weight savings was a nice bonus.

Once the lip was removed (with a hacksaw), I filed the edges of the baseplates.

After finishing the initial mods on the baseplates, I removed the heel bails from the broken AT bindings and stuck them into the holes on the baseplates that were left behind by the toe bails. 

At this point, I mounted the cable tele bindings and took some measurements for the baseplates/heel bails.

Since I would be mounting the televators on top of the baseplates, I needed to cut some small holes into the baseplates to accomodate the movement of the televators. I used one of the televator mounting plates as a guide.

The holes in the baseplates have been cut (using a rotary tool and a file)

Next, I mounted the baseplates and televators onto the skis. I'm done!

Tele touring mode.

Tele touring mode with televators up.

Alpine mode.

Finally, I had to weigh the skis. 3,199 grams, not too shabby. 

How to Make a V-thread Hooker

Given the miserable state of the global economy, it seemed appropriate to show you how to save some money. Here's a short video that I created to show you How to make a "homemade" V-thread hooker (while listening to Beethoven's 6th in F major). Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Ice climbing and using sharp objects and rotary tools are inherently dangerous. Make and use at your own risk. You assume all responsibility for any injuries that result from the making or using of a V-thread hooker as shown in this video. No animals or ice climbers were harmed in the making of this video.

New GriGri Directions from Petzl

The Petzl GriGri is one of the (if not THE) most popular auto-locking belay devices on the market. It works great for sport climbing where weight isn’t an issue and falls are imminent. I don’t do much sport climbing, so I don’t use my GriGri all that much for belaying. However, I do use mine for the lower ascending device on static lines (works great for adventure photography). Some of the features that make the GriGri so popular also allow for some dangerous situations if not used correctly. Petzl recently relooked at how to avoid operator error and came up with a new set of instructions in the form of a video (see below). If you use a GriGri, it’s worth watching.


(video linked via YouTube tags)

Karhu XCD 10th Mountain + Dynafit F12

Omnitrack Bases

Full Length (175 cm)

Close Up

I just picked up my new set of ultralight skis (for ski mountaineering). Thanks to Matt at Edge Works, I brought my skis/boots/bindings into the shop at lunch time and was able to pick them up after work (same day). I can't wait to try them out this weekend. 

7.66 lbs (skis and bindings)

DIN 12 bindings

Omnitrack bases

The Perpetual Quest for a Quiver of One

Old SkisFor years, backcountry skiers have sought the holy grail of backcountry ski gear: Skis that are extremely lightweight and perform flawlessly in any terrain/condition. Boots that tour with the comfort, warmth and weight savings of a tele boot, and are stiff enough to drive any pair of skis. Bindings that are strong enough to survive cliff hucks and weigh next to nothing. Each year, through the introduction of new designs and materials, we get one step closer. After several years of testing multiple setups, I decided to take full advantage of the latest technological improvements in backcountry ski gear. In order to bank roll this project, I unloaded the following:

A. 159cm Sims Snowboard + Burton Boots + Ride LS bindings (really heavy)

B. 177cm Atomic Kongur skis + Fritchi Freeride bindings + Garmont Endorphin Mg boots (est combined weight: 21.4 lbs)

C. 178 cm Karhu Kondor skis + Riva tele bindings + Scarpa T3 tele boots (est combined weight: 13.2 lbs)

When putting together my new AT setup, the bindings were the easiest choice. Dynafit recently came out with a DIN 12 binding (the F12) that weighs around 500g per binding. Sold.

My choice of skis was a bit more difficult. As a ski mountaineer who is very focused on weight savings and uphill performance, I decided to go with Karhu’s XCD 10th Mountain Ski. It’s a very lightweight backcountry ski that has Karhu’s Omnitrack waxless base for superior touring performance on flat/rolling surfaces. The waxless “fishscale” bases allow the skis to glide much better than skins (which add both friction and weight). Skins will still be required for steeper ascents where better traction is needed.

Finally, after trying on a half dozen different Dynafit compatible AT boots, I chose Garmont’s Mega Ride as my boot of choice. Even with my thick Scarpa Intuition liners, all Scarpa and Dynafit boots were too wide for my skinny feet and therefore disqualified as potential contenders. If Scarpa had been an option, the F3 would have tempted me based on weight, comfort and touring performance. The final two contenders were the Garmont Mega Ride and the Garmont Mega Lite. The Mega Lite weighs 230 (or so) grams less, but lacks a 4th buckle (which could come in handy on more difficult descents). A great deal + the 4th buckle convinced me to choose the Mega Rides. I’m hoping that the Mega Rides + Scarpa Intuition liners + carbon fiber orthotics will meet my requirements for comfort and touring performance over time.

In summary, my new AT setup weighs around 14.9 lbs. That’s 6.5 lbs (or 30%) lighter than my previous AT setup and only 1.7 lbs heavier than my already bare bones tele setup.

Since weight is of no consequence at the resort, I decided to hang on to my very heavy/very sturdy double-edged 177 cm Volkl Super Speed Supersport skis for skiing the groomers in style at mach 2. My new setup is headed to the shop for mounting. I’ll post a review/pictures of the new setup after I’ve put it through a few tests.

Orthotics: Gear of the Most Valuable Kind

New OrthoticsOld Insoles

Yes, I’m writing a gear review on orthotics. No single piece of “gear” has ever had such a positive impact on my ability to train and perform without unnecessary pain and injury (knees, IT band, hip flexor, etc). Until two weeks ago, I had almost accepted the fact that my knees would always hurt after every workout. After using my orthotics, my 26 year-old knees no longer feel like they are 60!

Prior to getting orthotics, I had been using heat-moldable foam insoles (Sole brand). The foam insoles were better than nothing at all, but entirely inadequate for a person that has completely flat feet. Now that the honeymoon period is over for my orthotics, I feel that I can give an honest review:

Materials - Performance and Durability
I chose carbon fiber as the base material because it was one of the lightest options and it is relatively stiff with little flex (important for someone that needs maximum support). Based on 70 miles of running, I can say that the carbon fiber base is working well for me (160 lbs). I don’t feel any flex and it does appear to be quite durable.

For the top/finish material, my podiatrist recommended a soft rubber/sponge layer (very much like a thin mouse pad) to give my feet some relief from the stiff base layer. Since I had purchased all of my shoes and boots on the basis of how they fit with my Sole insoles, I needed to make sure that the resulting orthotic was of a similar thickness. After hearing that the rubber/sponge layer would yield a comparable thickness, I agreed to my podiatrist’s recommendation.

After only two weeks of use, the junction of the top layer and the base layer is not holding up. The sharp carbon fiber is slowly cutting through the rubber. Additionally, when sweat is added to the equation, the rubber sections tend to hold in moisture. This causes them to break down faster and become very floppy. The floppiness becomes a problem when you switch from one shoe/boot to another. When wet, trying to put my insoles into a hard shell ski boot or hard leather mountaineering boot is like trying to get a wet noodle to stand up straight.

Despite being unimportant to the overall function of my orthotics, a new top layer (which also makes up the front half of the orthotic) will cost me $50 to replace. I’m guessing that my current top layer won’t survive more than another month. When I replace the top layer/forefoot, I’ll probably get a thin high density foam that has a better use life, less moisture retention and more structural integrity and form.

Gear Used on the Rupal Face

In 2005, Steve House and Vince Anderson (both IFMGA guides) completed their alpine-style first ascent of the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat. The significance of their “fast and light” climb earned them the distinguished Piolet d’Or Award. Following the climb, Steve House discussed the gear that he used on the climb. You can watch the discussion here:

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=10348

I was particularly intrigued by the fact that they coupled a 55 meter 5mm static rope with a 50 meter 8mm dynamic rope for the rappels. Combined with lighter crampon centers, two axes (one ultra light) and a custom ultra light wind shield for their stove, these guys brought minimalism to a new level. If you’d like to see a discussion of the clothes that they wore on the climb, you can watch it here:

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=10350

What's the Verdict? Let Pack Analyzer Decide

If you frequent the mountains in a variety of seasons, chances are you have a lot of gear. In my case, I have gear for a variety of activities and conditions. How do you decide what to pack and what to leave behind? As the saying goes, "ounces become pounds, and pounds become pain." On the other hand, leaving crucial gear behind is no better. Having found myself in this conundrum many times, I decided to build a solution that eventually became known as Pack Analyzer. Pack Analyzer is a relatively simple MS Excel application that keeps track of all of your gear options and their respective weights. After weighing your gear items and inputting their respective weights into Pack Analyzer, packing becomes a painless and efficient process. As you select/deselect gear items, the pack weight, on-body gear weight and pack list update in real time.

Since building Pack Analyzer, I've cut my packing time down substantially and I no longer leave for trips wondering if I forgot something. It was so useful to me that I decided to share this application with the public for free.

You can download the application here:

http://www.scottborger.com/gallery.php?gallery=packanalyzer