Well this came out of no where. Who would have thought Columbia would jump on the 80’s bandwagon of colors to ring in the 2009-2010 ski season? I mean we are talking some crazy colors that will soon be flaunted downtown and on the slopes. My first ski jacket was actually a Columbia. I would post a link to the model but it was before Al Gore invented the Internet. Let’s just say it was bright yellow, had this fluffy insert, and was as waterproof as a sponge.

I’ve had the chance to look at a handful of Columbia jackets out this year and overall I think the style is right on. I mean. It’s all about the colors anyway, who cares how they perform? Sorry, its Tuesday and my sarcasm is over flowing. Columbia boasts the Omni-Tech and Titanium construction to be waterproof and breathable. Even if Arcteryx and eVent are screaming the same claims I have to get outside and use this stuff before I can say they can actually walk the walk. Some of the jackets I’ve been able to use in the moisture but not all of them.

Rodeo Magic II Shell – $200
First on the docket is the el Magic Shell. The inner lining has the micro fleece which is nice for throwing on real quick to go shovel the walk way. The arms are quite bulky which for me a treehugger telemark skier isn’t cool. If telemarkers had it their way, we would all be back in those tight spandex and snug racer jackets. The pockets on the Magic are fleece lined which, if your not lining your pockets with fleece then designers need to wake up to the cries of ladies who complain about cold hands. Haven’t been able to test in the snow but from the feel of it I think it will do fine. You knuckle-draggers might need something a bit more waterproof in the bum area since your sitting quite a bit.

The Ice Ice Jacket – $120

I can’t help it! I have to make a Vanilla Ice joke! “too cold, too cold…Kick it one time, BOOOY!!” Ok I’m good now. Has a more slimmed feel with also more water proofing, being seam sealed and all. I took this camping and luckily it rained. Popped up the hood and cooked my soup for about 40 min. and it kept me dry. To me, if a jacket can perform in the rain then your set. Also has fleece body paneling which I first saw from Mountain Hardwear using their Pimp Chimp fleece. The collar comes up a little high if you ask me, how am I suppose to breath with jacket in my face? You know us telemarkers, huffing and puffing to keep up with our uber cool alpine friends.

Git Down Puffy Jacket – $170
If your considering shoplifting during the winter the Git Down is a stellar choice. Careful running after you snag a Blu-Ray player though because you’ll overheat in this puffy really quick, just like any down filled piece. For an around the town jacket this would make sense. I wouldn’t take it winter hiking or skiing, way to bulky and low water-resistance. Not sure how much ‘Git’n Down’ your going to get with the Git Down, but hey the colors are crazy. I see mostly casual use for this jackets future.

Mahagony Ridge Parka – $200
For those ’save the Earth’ types, the Ridge offers 57% recycled polyester along with a completely seam-sealed shell. I don’t care for the removable hood. I mean, honestly anytime something comes completely detached; its gone. I like when companies tuck the hood in the collar a lot more. The zip in liner cranks up the price a bit more than the other models. The fit is quite baggy, only snowboarders need apply. Fleece-lined pockets are a plus and should be standard in all jackets in my opinion.

The Ice Ice jacket is by far my favorite jacket. It fits the best and I can tell it will resist moisture really well. It really is nice to see Columbia up the ante with cool styles. Hopefully the quality performs well this season. But hey, for the price, you get into a solid jacket that meshes well with the 80’s scene.

Check out the Columbia line to stay warm and in style this winter.

Wanting to test your legs against other nordic skiers before the trails open this year? Every year The Utah Nordic Alliance (TUNA) throws a bit of a fitness test for everyone prior to the ski season. The TUNA Mountain Challenge 2009 will be held this weekend, Sunday October 11, at world-famous cross-country ski resort Soldier Hollow in beautiful Midway, Utah. Or as I like to call it, New Switzerland. Every nordic nut wants to test whether his body is ready for the x-country skiing season, and this is the perfect venue. The Mountain Challenge is an off-road duathlon (bike and run). It consists of a 5k run and a 10k bike portion. See TUNA’s announcement below for more details:

Join us at Soldier Hollow on Sunday, Oct. 11, for the annual TUNA Mountain Challenge, our traditional early-season fitness check. The race is an off-road duathlon, a 5k trail run followed by 10k on the bike. You can race as a two-person team or do the race solo. Don’t have a team? We’ll set you up on race morning. No one will be turned away, even if you only want to do the run or the ride. This is a low-key, fun event, and all are welcome.

Registration is day-of only, from 9a to 9.45a. Race starts at 10a. There will be a shorter loop option for those under 14. For Tuna members, entry fees are $10 for those over 14 and $5 for those 14 and under. Add $5 for non-Tuna members. Entry fee is the same whether you are doing the race solo or as part of a team. Every dollar of the entry fees will go to help TUNA Mountain Dell groomer Jesse Stewart, who is facing some serious medical issues.

The bike portion is not technical, and is cyclocross friendly. A road bike will not work. Helmets are mandatory.

Our white elephant prize table is one of the race highlights. Each racer is expected to bring an item for the prize table. The most common items are leftovers from the sporto closet, clean and in good shape. Past items have included roller skis, jackets, wax, gloves, fresh-baked pies and breads, concert tickets …. NO t-shirts or water bottles, please.

A few volunteers are needed to make this race happen. If you can help (or bring a friend as a volunteer), please contact Chris Magerl. Questions? Call Chris, 801.595.8293.

SEARCH FOR: nordic gear

I grew up poring over magazines filled with photos of Trevor Petersen’s skiing, and reading articles about the ski mountaineering exploits of him and his best bud Eric Pehota. Tragically, several years ago Trevor was killed in a coulior in the Alps of Chamonix, France. The entire ski community mourned, not unlike with Shane McConkey’s death earlier this year. But a few years ago skiing icon Glen Plake helped young Kye come to Chamonix and see the coulior where his dad died. When skiing conditions happened to be good, it became apparent that if young Kye ever wanted to ski the coulior then now would be a good time. So he did, with all of his dad’s old skiing friends. The documentary film ‘The Edge of Never‘ follows Kye and his dad’s friends on this journey.

I was very pleased to see Rossignol and Dynastar step up as proud sponsors of ‘The Edge of Never.’ See the press release below from these companies about their support of the film.

Park City, October 6, 2009: The Edge of Never is a documentary feature film set in the world of big mountain skiing. It is a real-life coming of age saga about the tribe of skiers who challenge the biggest, most dangerous mountains in the world. In 1996 extreme-skiing legend Trevor Petersen, a long time Rossignol athlete, was killed in Chamonix, France. Nine years later, skiing icon Glen Plake decides it’s time for Trevor’s 15-year-old son, Kye, one of Rossignol’s top athletes, to ski the route that killed his father and join the tribe of big-mountain skiers.

In this thrilling film, three generations of skiers mentor Kye as he attempts to finish his father’s final run. One of the mentors is long time Chamonix Guide and Dynastar athlete, Stephen ‘FanFan’ Dan. FanFan plays an integral role in Kye’s journey and sets off on a terrifying journey of his own. A ripping adventure tale of a young man coming of age, The Edge of Never is also a rich and subtle portrait of men and women who live big in the face of their greatest fears.

This film is rich with Rossignol and Dynastar heritage and we are proud to support this inspiring documentary, “The Edge of Never captures and communicates the best of skiing in so many ways – travel, terrain, family, challenge and conquest – that we, at Rossignol and Dynastar are honored to be a part of it. I strongly urge anyone who’s ever shared the inspiration of the mountains with family, or anyone who’s ever been curious about the most challenging mountains in the world, to go see The Edge of Never,” says Tait Wardlaw, VP of Brands, Marketing and Communications for The Rossignol Group.

THE EDGE OF NEVER begins where ski films leave off, or never dared to go. While these movies rely on action and loud music to provide a momentary rush that quickly melts away, THE EDGE OF NEVER combines those elements with mythic storytelling to produce a film experience that’s fun, but also meaningful and memorable.

SEARCH FOR: Rossignol gear

SEARCH FOR: Dynastar gear

Seattle just keeps churning out creative geniuses. Its latest fortunate son? Erik Seo, the skiing world’s hottest photographer. Originally from Seattle, he is now based in the Rocky Mountains of Utah. If you want evidence of his craft just take a look at his latest magazine cover, the October 2009 issue of none other than Powder Magazine — for decades widely recognized as the world’s finest skiing publication. World’s hottest ski photographer and world’s finest ski mag…match made in heaven. I hope Powder makes Seo covers a regular habit. See his commentary about how the shot happened. While he has captured cover shots across the globe and enjoys an international reputation, this was his first cover shot on a major US-based magazine. Reading his comments below you realize how far today’s photographers are pushing it to capture the ultimate shot. And the results are clearly ground-breaking.

It feels very good to get my first U.S. cover, especially since it’s the cover of Powder. I grew up reading Powder. Every time it came, I read it cover to cover. They’re all still sitting around in boxes. I think I have as old as ’89. I look back through occasionally this time of the year to see if there’s something that inspires me. Some of those photos are timeless. Some things aren’t gonna change; there’s still gonna be that ridiculously deep pow shot with 7 a.m. light.

As for the shoot, it was the most elaborate setup for lights that I’ve seen go into a photo shoot. The PoorBoyz crew brought in these five lights that were the size of high school stadium lighting. As far as my lighting goes, I brought everything I had plus another lighting kit from a friend of mine. The plan was to spend the late afternoon getting set up, but it was a lot more work than we expected. It was really cold. It got below zero overnight while we were there. By the time we actually got going it was about 10 p.m. The pipe didn’t even get cut till 8 p.m. Tanner was chilling out for a while, then, I don’t know where he went. We were all in our own little world getting set up. Hopefully he went to warm up.

I had my two big lights on each side of the pipe. To get the green effect you put gels in front of the lights. The gels are colored plastic sheets and they require a lot more power. I was shooting with my Nikon D3. I switched over to Nikon about a year ago, so I was pretty new with the camera.

I logged onto facebook tonight and there was shocked by ski photographer Erik Seo’s heart-breaking status post: “RIP Shane McConkey”. After a flurry of calls, it was confirmed. Shane McConkey died today in Italy attempting a ski-BASE jump — a sport he has been a leader in for years. Ski-BASE is when a skier jumps off an enormous cliff, then pulls a parachute. While all facts cannot be confirmed yet, it appears that one of his skis did not release when expected and may have gotten caught in his chute.

For those of you unfamiliar with Shane (and if you are really into skiing — from extreme skiing to park skiing to ski racing — he has had an impact on you), he was one of the world’s most accomplished skiers. ‘Extreme skier’ the mainstream media would call him, but he refused to be bounded by labels.

He was a professional mogul skier in the mid-90s, and he even rode park and halfpipe competitively back in 1999, 2000, and 2001. But then he returned to his favorite focus which was big mountain skiing (usually via helicopter in Alaska, with his cohort JT Holmes, and with Matchstick Productions camera crews documenting his every move). He revolutionized big mountain skiing, ski-BASE, and was the first person I know of to do a switch front flip in the terrain park on twintip skis. Regarding ski-BASE, he truly was one of a kind. I have added a video clip here from one of his movie segments, and you can see just how revolutionary. The Shane McConkey death is definitely a hard blow for the industry to take.

Shane was also extremely funny, self-effacing, and a tremendously bright and smiling personality in the industry. Though I didn’t know him closely, my encounters with him at various industry events and at competitions where we were fellow competitors will always be cherished memories. So with a very sad heart, I echo Seo: RIP Shane McConkey.

Fresh from a sweep of two races on the Audi FIS World Cup in Germany, the U.S. Ski Team’s Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) charged to her first World Championship title, winning the super G at the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Val d’Isere. The Minnesota native won by .34 seconds over French skier Marie Marchand-Arvier.

“I feel like I’ve worked my whole life for this moment. I’ve always dreamed of being a World Champion,” Vonn said. ” Coming through the finish today I just couldn’t believe it. I’m so thrilled and so excited. There was so much emotion. You work so hard and to finally have something that you worked hard for, words can’t describe it. It’s an incredible feeling and I’m just so thankful.”

Vonn, who took the silver in super G during the 2007 World Championships, became the first U.S. woman to earn a gold in the discipline as well as the first woman to win a World Championship gold since Hilary Lindh, who won downhill in 1997. According to the medalist, though, she wasn’t sure she’d make the podium Tuesday.

“Today it was really tough conditions and I didn’t know if I was even going to be able to be on the podium, but I skied with my heart. I gave it everything I could and I’m just so thankful and so happy that I was able to come away with a gold medal,” Vonn said. “It takes a lot of hard work, not only for myself, but for my coaches, for my husband, for my serviceman, for everyone to make today happen and I’m so thankful that everything fit together perfectly and I was able to win the gold medal.”

Having the win under her belt from the start, Vonn says a little weight has been lifted off her shoulders for the rest of the reces in Val d’Isere.

“Now that I have a gold medal, that was essentially my goal for the entire World Championships, so I this is going to allow me to ski a little bit more relaxed and take a little bit of the pressure off,” Vonn said. “I think it’s a great thing and hopefully I am able to keep going with this momentum.”

But, even with a more relaxed tone, Vonn still has a few goals she wants to accomplish before the World Championships come to a close.

“I really hope that I am able to win a medal in the downhill. That, it think, is my biggest goal because it’s my favorite discipline. I love it so much and it just would mean a lot to me if I could be able to succeed in that discipline,” Vonn said. “I also have the super combined and the slalom, so I have a few more events left that are medal possibilities.

According to Vonn, the World Championships also offer her some preparation time for a larger competition that lies one year over the horizon – the Olympics.

“I have thought about Vancouver and the 2010 Olympics quite a bit. I feel like these World Championships are going to be good preparation for me to get used to the press and expectations and pressure,” Vonn said. “I feel like things have changed a lot since the last Olympics and I think people expect me to do well now. For me I’m going to remember the feeling I had today. I’m going to remember mentally how I was in the start and hopefully I will be able to do the same thing in 2010.”

For now, though, Vonn remains focused on the task at hand.

“I’m just going to keep fighting, keep working hard and hopefully carry this momentum throughout the World Championships,” Vonn said.

The World Championships continue in Val d’Isere Wednesday with men’s super G. Catch the action live on UniversalSports.com at 5:00 a.m. ET.

Author: Lindsey Sine
Photo Credit: Doug Haney/USSA

Have you ever gotten lost? Have you ever admitted it? If you are banging your head on the keyboard because you own a GPS and got lost with it on your dashboard you might want to check Lowrance GPS navigators. Out of the box these puppies pride themselves in ease of use and come with all the extras your looking for in a GPS unit.

The Endura series is keeping up with the Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm craze with having a touchscreen interface to buzz trails or find that POI everyone on the blog is raving about. Pre-loaded maps and SD expansions slots to cram your MP3’s and pics are just a few of the treats you get with the Lowrance Endura series.

ENDURA SIERRA – $549 (Blue)

The ‘flagship’ of the three units boasts a 4GB internal memory to store tunes and trails. This unit comes with Intermap’s Accuterra, a high resolution topo map to really hold your hand through the backcountry. The Sierra offers the NAVTEQ road network for the lower 48 for that visit to DC, so no worries on getting lost while trying to find Ben’s Chili Bowl. The Sierra accepts many GPX and online community-based content.

ENDURA SAFARI – $384.99 (Gray)

Ever thought of keeping notes when your following a map? Along with the Sierra the Safari has a built-in voice recorder to remind you where exactly you put the toilet paper. The Safari has a stout processor for quick panning and trail loading. Uploaded with detailed maps to help ease the pain of being lost…dis-oriented…errr you know what I mean.

ENDURA OUTBACK – $229.99 (Yellow)

The Outback is a solid affordable choice for getting into the GPS world. This unit comes with a geocaching application compatible with Geocaching.com to go leave baseball cards in lunch boxes tucked under abandoned railroad carts. Full color and touchscreen makes this easy to use and gives you all the POI’s you need for a jam packed road trip. The contours aren’t as detailed as the other models but will get you where you need to be. Don’t forget Fishing Hot Spots and Lakemaster charts already uploaded to catch the big one.

All units are 5.1-inch high x 2.3-inch wide x 1.1-inch deep and weigh you down 5.8oz. Sleek and easy to use, theres no reason not to pack one along and on top of that; not get lost.

Check out Lowrance to find the Endura GPS unit that will make your next trip epic.

Getting the best of both worlds only comes once in a long while. You know how you love your merino top and all its benefits? How about your old fleece that you can’t throw away? Stop cutting and trying to sew your clothing together, the Backcountry.com Agnello top takes care of it for you.

I love my Mountain Hardwear Powerstretch Zip but it can get a bit hot in the chest. The Agnello has merino where it needs to be and then does a powerstretch fleece in the arms. I’ve taken this skiing a couple times already and it works. Keeping your arms warm is key and after working hard your chest is most likely over heating.

Thumb holes. I share Claire’s excitement about thumb holes which the Agnello also provides. Cold morning and your typing away at work? Slip on those thumb holes and enjoy. And of course the other 364 days a year your going to need those thumb holes for skiing and running around in the outdoors. I have dubbed this a solid winter piece but I am not ruling it out for backpacking.

Sizing is true to size. I am 165lbs. and 5″7′ and the medium works great, which is what I normally wear in everything else. Another cool feature is there is powerstretch fleece up the sides of the back placed to keep you plenty warm all around. For camping I used this shirt as a pillow and it worked very nicely, multi-featured, I like it!

From what I have seen with Backcountry.com logo wear, I would buy 2-3 of these because you never know if they’re going to come back or not. This piece is definitely worth getting a couple of, you never know what tragedy can befall your gear.

BUY NOW: The Backcountry.com Prime Agnello Top at Backcountry.com.

Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal had a heroic finish, winning the Audi Birds of Prey downhill one year after he had an incredible crash during a training run at Beaver Creek. Steven Nyman (Provo, UT) took the lead for U.S. racers Friday as he finished seventh in the downhill after Bode Miller crashed hard coming into the Screech Owl jump.

The men’s downhill will air on NBC, the Olympic network, Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

“It’s special. This whole week has been special. I knew it was going to be mentally challenging to get back here and be able to get after it because it’s for sure in the back of my head what happened here,” Svindal said. “I’ve put energy into not thinking about the wrong things and thinking about the right things like how to ski. I don’t think about not crashing because that’s going to get you nowhere.”

Svindal was joined on the podium by Marco Buechel of Liechtenstein, who was second, and third-place finisher Erik Guay of Canada.

Nyman, who in addition to placing third in 2006 was second in 2008 at Beaver Creek, said despite his history of success at the Birds of Prey he is happy with his results today.

“You’ve got to charge to win and I was going for it and I had a little mistake and got dragged pretty wide. It didn’t allow me to carry my speed where I wanted to, but I carried my speed everywhere else,” Nyman said. “I’m seventh, which is a good rebound from Lake Louise, so I’m stoked.”

Nyman also gave Beaver Creek credit for pulling off what he feels is a great event that took over 300 volunteers and large amounts of machinery to make it happen after 18 inches of snowfall that forced the cancellation of the super combined Thursday.

“It’s incredible what these guys do here. I’m really proud for the way Beaver Creek handled this whole deal,” Nyman said. “Every year it seems to just dump here and they prep this hill tremendously. It’s awesome and I’m really excited with the way it always comes out.”

TJ Lanning (Park City, UT), who had a career best ninth-place finish one week prior in a downhill at Lake Louise, followed Nyman for the U.S. in 13th.

“I was a little bummed out that the run got canceled yesterday because I was going to use the downhill portion to practice since I crashed in the training run,” Lanning said. “It was a pretty good run. There were a few places that I didn’t ski the other day where I lost some speed, but overall I went out and skied and it went pretty good.”

Crashes Hinder U.S. Results

The Birds of Prey downhill was riddled with DNFs for the U.S., the most notable of which was Miller, who clipped a gate just before Screech Owl and flew across the course smacking head on into fencing. Fortunately, Miller was able to get up on his own. Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) also lost control on course, but only skied out.

“I made a really nice turn coming out of the pitch and was carrying good heat, I just got too early on my left foot and got pinched off by the gate, which sent me low,” Sullivan explained. “Headed into the next turn, I put pressure right on top of a little roll and it just high-sided me and I shot out toward the fence.”

Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) who had an incredible 10th place finish in the 2008 Birds of Prey downhill race, also crashed on course, but said he would be back for the super G on Saturday.

“I was going all out and I just hit a rut wrong and got shot over a roller and that was it. All I remember is seeing the fence upside down,” Weibrecht said. “I’m doing OK, though. Everything is working right and I’m going to try to get my courage up and get back on it for tomorrow.”

Mac Makes Strides

Scott Macartney (Crystal Mountain, WA) made significant strides toward his desire to be back on the World Cup podium, finishing 21st one week after his first race back from injury where he finished 59th in a downhill in Lake Louise

“I was pretty happy with how I skied. I needed to get a little more aggressive on the top,” Macartney said. “It’s coming along and it was another step up from how I was in training and overall I was pretty happy. It’s another good step for me.”

The Perfect Day

A massive crowd at the Birds of Prey downhill was on hand to celebrate a successful race day after the cancellation of the super combined due to poor weather conditions.

International racers were busy handing out compliments to the Vail Valley for a great show. Buechel praised course workers for all they did to prepare an excellent race course, while Svindal heaped his praise on the treatment he had a year at the Vail Valley Medical Center.

Before the competition began, the audience took a moment to celebrate a noticeably absent presence – the late Paul Robbins. The mountain arena was filled with the ringing of bells and cheering for Robbins, a journalist and historian for the U.S. Ski Team for over 30 years.

The Birds of Prey excitement continues Saturday with a super G and wraps up Sunday with a giant slalom. Fans can watch live coverage on UniversalSports.com.

TREW Technical Outerwear to Launch

TREW’s premier men’s collection consists of three jackets and two pants, each available in three colorways. The collection re-invents classic pieces with updated colors, technologies and fits. TREW will also be offering hoodies, tees and beanies in addition to its core outerwear. The price points will range from $30.00 to $479.00 and will be available at independent retail shops throughout the country.

Tripp, John and Chris are Hood River transplants by way of Michigan and North Carolina and will be touring the U.S. and Canada to formally launch TREW, share the brand’s philosophy and have some fun. A customized TREW RV, complete with solar panels, will be traveling throughout the U.S. starting in December and ending whenever the snow melts. The three of them intend to visit snow destinations in British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Each stop will be unique to its own; however, each stop will include product previews, giveaways, barbeques, beverages, visits to the local pubs, and of course riding.  TREW will also be meeting with local retailers to present the collection throughout their journey.  Information and updates about the TREW Tour will be posted continuously on TREW’s website www.TrewGear.com.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the TREW RV in your town; if you see it, stop by and say hi.  To learn more about TREW or the TREW Tour please check out: www.TREWGear.com.

About TREW

The TREW customer is first on the tram and knows what it means to earn their turns in the backcountry.  He is friends with the locals wherever he goes and knows that being TREW means being who you are and doing what you love; and above all having fun.  Trends come and go, but the fun of being on the mountain with friends remains a TREW constant.  TREW provides men’s outerwear that combines the technicality and comfort needed to stay on the mountain from sun-up to sun-down while adding style to take you into the night.  Founded in 2008 by Tripp Frey and Chris and John Pew, TREW price points range from $30.00 to $479.00 and will be sold though a network of independent
retail shops through out the country.

More Info: Visit TREWgear.com

Many of you may not have heard of KJUS Skiwear (pronounced ’shoos’; visit gear.com/kjus for more info about the company and its products). And if you don’t follow World Cup ski racing you may not know of KJUS’s founder: Norwegian ski racing phenom, Lasse Kjus. His ski racing achievements are amazing (including several Olympic medals), and many young racers have grown up idolizing him right along with Bode Miller.

But, not unlike Willy Bogner, Lasse may ultimately end up more well known for his skiwear than for the undeniable stamp he has left on the ski racing world. Founded in 2000, KJUS Skiwear takes its designs seriously — with a clean, sleek aesthetic. And then lays supreme technology over the top, because no one takes their gear quite as seriously as racers and KJUS Skiwear is no different.

KJUS Skiwear has gained much-deserved praise, and is now available in dozens of countries worldwide. They were even approached by — you guessed it — Bode Miller to strike up a partnership, and several of this year’s KJUS items carry the Bode badge. And Bode is working with KJUS on the Bode line, which will be available in the near future as well.

Attached to this post are several men’s and women’s items from the 2008-2009 KJUS Skiwear collection, but to get the most complete view of the KJUS brand and products (including video clips and product details) visit the brand page that we have built and dedicated to KJUS Skiwear: gear.com/kjus

Are you in a softshell yet? Take the dive, you won’t need much push and shove after feasting your eyes on the Apex Bionic by The North Face. First off, go to your closet and pull out that old duct taped jacket. Now stick it into a picture frame and proceed to hang it on the wall. Use that extra space for your new softshell. Results may vary.

My favorite part about this jacket is putting it on over a t-shirt and feeling the nice soft micro-fleece lining for a cold night on the town. Mixed with an athletic fit and a DWR treated outer softshell, this thing will replace quite a few of your old fleeces and shells alike. I also like wearing my softshell with a down vest underneath for skiing, does wonders for blocking wind.

This jacket repels snow super well and even kept me dry while walking through the rain. I also like how the Apex looks on the ladies compared to a fleece, makes them look thin and sporty. Do you and your closet a favor; go with the softshell this season.

BUY NOW: The North Face Apex Bionic at Moosejaw.

“World ski racing champion Bode Miller has chosen KJUS Systems skiwear as his official uniform supplier for his new independent race team through at least the 2010 Olympic Winter games in Vancouver, Canada. The news was announced Wednesday by LK International, producer of the Swiss skiwear KJUS Systems.

American Bode Miller, now an independent World Cup ski racer, has signed a multi-year agreement with KJUS Systems skiwear. (photo: KJUS Systems)

“Bode is an impressive personality,” said Didi Serena, the CEO of KJUS. “He is an absolute individualist and a guy who loves to win, which suits us perfectly.”

As an independent racer, now racing and training separately from the U.S. Ski Team, Miller for the first time had the opportunity to select his own skiwear partner. He will wear KJUS skiwear beyond the boundaries of the FIS infield and during training.

Miller, who is poised to eclipse Phil Mahre’s record for most World Cup wins by a U.S. skier this season if his winning ways continue, created his independent race team consisting of his own team of staff and trainers to support his World Cup campaign. He created the team following his split from the U.S. Ski Team earlier this year.

“I’m pleased that now, at last, I can work with a partner who takes on problems and challenges and overcomes them. That gives more than 100 percent. Because what really matters is the functionality,” said Miller.

In support of the partnership, KJUS skiwear is planning a Bode Miller line for future seasons. Miller will provide his expertise and input in the design of his signature line as well as for the development of the entire KJUS collection.

At the age of almost 30, Miller has recorded 25 World Cup victories in all five alpine skiing disciplines, an accomplishment shared by only a very few athletes. Highlights of Miller’s accomplishments include World Championship gold in four different disciplines, two Olympic silver medals, a World Cup overall championship, and three additional World Cup crystal globes in two different disciplines.”

If you’ve got a ski vacation planned this winter, are you wondering how much extra it will cost you to bring along all your gear? Man, I sure am. Though these fees may likely increase business at local ski rental shops, since it may make even more sense to rent, it will definitely increase the frustration level for ski travelers.

I remember the good ol’ days when you could bring two checked bags, a ski bag and a boot bag for free. Then, they cut things down recently to just one bag plus skis. Now, I have no idea what the costs are going to be should I choose to travel to Whistler or home to Seattle for a ski trip.

I just saw this news report out of Vail that they are offering an extra bag fee refund by staying at their resorts. Sounds like a great short-term fix that’s worth looking into.  Here are the details:

Broomfield, Colo., Oct. 6, 2008—To help offset added airline fees, Vail Resorts is offering a “Baggage Bailout” for skiers and snowboarders staying at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly this winter. Guests will receive a $50 credit when they book a stay of least four days and nights by Dec. 1 through Vail Resorts reservations system. Children may also receive a $25 baggage credit, if at least four days of children’s lift tickets are purchased.

“We have decided to help carry the load for our guests by addressing airline baggage fees,” said Rob Katz, chief executive officer.

It is not necessary for travelers to actually carry their own bags to earn the credit: the offer applies even to fliers who are not checking bags or who are traveling on an airline that does not charge baggage fees (such as Southwest Airlines).

Looks like a great little gimmick that just might work. The trick would be to fly Southwest and pocket the extra cash.

More Info: Visit the Baggage Bailout Program from Vail Resorts

With Black Diamond’s quick release leg loop system, you can easily take your harness off while keeping your crampons on, without having to worry about hopping around on one leg and hoping not to put a spike through your harness with the other (I like to call it the alpinist dance… Maybe I’ll try that move out at the next party I go to!). You can simply unclip the leg loops and undo the waist buckle, and you’re out! As a female, this is an added bonus for me for bathroom trips… You can even leave the waist belt buckled, meaning that you can stay tied in, a crucial point for glacier travel bathroom excursions.

Black Diamond Alpine Bod Harness

• Weighs only 14 oz and packs down to the size of your fist
• Comes in XS-XL, fitting waists from 26 inches to 37 inches
• 2 gear loops for ice screws, glacier rigs, or whatever your alpine adventure necessitates

BUY NOW: Black Diamond Alpine Bod Harness

Picking up the Grivel Air Tech Racing Ice Axe, you’ll have to look twice to make sure you’re actually holding it! At 14.1 oz, the Grivel Air Tech is the lightest forged steel ice axe on the market. With other great features, you can be sure that this light tool isn’t cutting any corners to make weight.

With a classic positive pick and a shovel on the head, the Grivel Air Tech Racing Axe has proven itself a valuable tool in multitudes of situations. The aggressive pick on the head makes the tool versatile enough to use as a technical ice tool if necessary. From high daggering on the Skillet Glacier on Mt. Moran to glacier travel in the Cascades, the axe is a critical tool for any weight conscious mountaineer who doesn’t want to scrap the technical versatility.

Key Features of the Grivel Air Tech Racing Ice Axe

• Comes in a range of sizes, from 48cm up to 74cm
• Shaft resists up to 280kN of force, so it can take that brute force self arrest!
• Head composed of hot forged chromolly steel

BUY NOW: Grivel Air Tech Racing Ice Axe

As a first year graduate student in a clinical speech therapy program and a part time rock and ice climbing instructor, free time is not something I seem to get a lot of. However, on those rare weekends that I do have to myself, I love to pack as much adventure into a short period of time as possible.

Recently, my climbing partner and I have developed a reputation as car-to-car maniacs, ascending large peaks in under 24 hours, with minimal gear and maximum speed. Among the peaks in the past year have been Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood (both in the same 3 day period!) and The Grand Teton all in this light and fast alpine style.

An absolutely crucial part of these trips for both my climbing partner and myself is our Mountain Hardwear Transition Jackets. Lightweight yet bomber, these jackets provide the essential wind protection we need without being as bulky as a regular softshell layer.

A breathable windstopper softshell with stretch side panels, the MH Transition Jacket does it all. From Mt. Rainier, to cross country skiing, to on campus bike commuting in cooler temperatures, this jacket is the best breathable wind resistance I own. Another plus for late night trail runs and biking- the Transition Jacket has several small reflector swatches on the jacket and an mp3 zip pocket in the back of the jacket.

Mountain Hardwear Transition Jacket

• At 10 oz, this lightweight, slim cut jacket provides maximum usage and minimal bulk.
• Thumb hooks in sleeves ensure that jacket stays anchored down on arms, but are retractable when not necessary.
• Small, fitted hood fits great under climbing and biking helmets.
• No frills, simplistic design for front of jacket keeps zipper pulls and pockets out of the way as you are haulin’ in the backcountry.

BUY NOW!: Check out the Mountain Hardwear Transition Jacket

Some people are just a natural at anything they pick up, and it’s just a matter of time before one of their interests makes the world stand up and take notice. Matt Griff is one of those guys.

I first met Matt when I was running with the Haggis rugby team in Salt Lake (now called the Park City Haggis team). I was a little runt, who happened to be slow — not a good combination for a rugby player. If you aren’t big, you better darn well be quick. Griff would give me tips & run drills with me — a couple of times a week we would meet at the Highland High School track at 5:30am with some of the other guys and run ladders or stairs in the stadium. It was extremely helpful, and by the end of the season I was my fastest ever. I can even boast of having chased down and caught the cheetah of the team a couple of times – Jason Pye (Jason now plays for the US rugby team). And while I’m sure those happened to be moments when Jason just wasn’t trying too hard, it never could have come close to happening without the encouragement of someone like Griff.

But Matt’s athleticism doesn’t end with rugby, where he is a high scorer in every game he plays. He also plays on the Utah Jazz demonstration basketball team — you know, the guys who do flipping dunks off of a trampoline at half time? Crazy! He is a guy with a natural body awareness that he has honed over years and years of eager practice. You can tell there’s nothing he loves more than to analyze a movement until it is dialed-in perfectly.

This body awareness and analytical approach to motion is what has now landed him stuntman roles in several recent and upcoming films, including Eleventh Hour and this fall’s big Hollywood release about the Highland High School rugby team: Forever Strong starring the next Tom Cruise — Sean Faris. It also stars Gary Cole (‘Office Space’), Neal McDonough (‘Flags of our Fathers’), and Sean Astin (‘Lord of the Rings’). Click here to watch the movie clips for Forever Strong. All those stunts you see where a guy is getting hit and doing a flip? That’s Griff.

You’d think that would be enough to tire a guy out. But not Matt. He is also shooting for Olympic glory at the Winter Olympics in the Skeleton event —- which is like luge, but face-first. And he is making people stand up and take notice at the times he’s throwing down in skeleton: placing 2nd in the US Western Regional Championships, and 2nd in the Utah Winter Games.

So keep your eye peeled for Matt Griff — he has talent that is undeniable. And the next time you’re wondering why you are such a talentless clutz, it’s just because God gave Griff a little extra.

It’s amazing to me when I consider the various speed records that exist in the outdoors, specifically those of climbing mountains.

A couple that immediately come to mind are Pemba Dorje Sherpa with the fastest Everest climb of 8 hours and 10 minutes followed by Rolando Garibotti with his Grand Traverse record from 2000 that stands at six hours, 49 minutes! (The Grand Traverse is a 9 peak, 14 mile, 12K vertical enchainment of the high peaks in the Tetons that includes the Grand Teton)

Then there’s photographer, skier, climber and adventurer Jimmy Chin, who is also sponsored by The North Face. This past week he managed to climb and ski the three Tetons (Grand, Middle and South) in a record 10 hours and 55 minutes car-to-car!

If you’ve ever summited the Grand Teton, Middle Teton or South Teton, you’ll know just how amazing this feat is. Heck, it took me and a climbing partner 14 hours to climb the Grand Teton car-to-car.

Granted, skiing down is a lot faster than walking/rappelling but HUGE props to you Mr. Chin. Nice work!

—Get the details of his record including a map showing the route at TetonAT.com

–photo of Jimmy courtesy of The North Face