2009 Ski Setup - Let the Fun Begin!

let the snow begin is what i should have titled this. after lots of research and emails to friends who simply know more than me, the setup is finally complete... behold.

the skis: K2 COOMBA


the boots: GARMONT RADIUM (make sure you read the great review from chris davenport)


the bindings: DYNAFIT SPEED CLASSIC


the skins: BLACK DIAMOND ASCENSION SKINS

thank you backcountry.com for making this possible and more affordable.
i'll still be paying this setup off for years to come - spend that money!

Mountain Hardwear Phantom Down Jacket Review

one of the greatest things about backcountry.comis the reviews of the products we all lust over. the reviews are often great, totally aplicable and answer a lot of the questions you need to know. as a backcountry.com athlete it's my job to contribute. i just posted this review on the mountain hardwear phantom down jacket (click link and check out the other reviews).

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Lightest and Warmest

i chose the mountain hardwear phantom over the mountain hardwear sub zero for two reasons:

1. it's warmer with 800 fill vs. 650 for the sub zero.
2. it's lighter at 15oz (440g) vs. the sub zero 1lb 11oz (765g).

i am 5'10 with 31 inch waist and i even went a step further and went for a size small. it's perfect, but any smaller and it would be too small. it's light and super warm. i like the shortness of it in case i need to wear a harness however some might feel it's too short. it packs down into a nice little package for packing on the skin up. AND the fleece lined pockets are a very nice supprise luxury for a superlight jacket.

Mountain Hardwear Ghost Anorak Review

mountain hardwear ghost anorak (mhw link)
i am a big fan of super light weight versatile pieces. adventure runs don't typically necessitate heavier jackets and they add to much weight anyway. assuming you are actually running the whole time even if weather rolls in or gets windy i've found that a light weight wind jacket/shirt can provide enough protection from wind and rain in most conditions.

so this mhw ghost anorak first grabbed my attention when it was named "gear of the year" by trail runner. when i was down in portland to speak at the mountain hardwear store i was hoping to check it out, and maybe take one home. but they weren't carrying it. so i was stoked to find out it was part of our montrail ultrarunning team kit. it's only 4oz!.. and has proven to be a fantastic wind protector and seems to be pretty breathable. unfortunately there is an inverse relationship between the amount of protection a jacket provides and how breathable it is. but i've been running in the anorak when it's colder out with great results. it breaths better than i expected actually. i've been road riding in it too because it's less baggy than my actual lg team dart-nuun riding jacket... so it doesn't flap around. i think it's perfect for adventure races and i'll be taking it as my rain jacket/extra layer on my long distance adventure runs this summer. sweetness.

aditional specs
• Articulated sleeves
• Reflective patches
• Adjustable hem drawcord
• 12" welted zip with chin guard at front neckline
• Stretch ripstop with DWR finish
• Concealed zipper side pocket
• Full elastic cuffs

Rudy Project Photochromic

if you've ridden with me lately then you've heard all about my new rudy project ekynox sx sunglasses. they are, for lack of a better description... the shit. cutting to the chase and getting right down to what is blowing my mind? the impact photochromic lenses! meaning they have a lifetime guarantee that they will not break! but even cooler is the photochromic technology. i can't even tell when they are changing from clear to dark or vise versa. i step outside and they are instantly dark glasses; a late night ride to the grocery store and they are clear ~ my view doesn't change because the glasses are adjusting for me! yesterday i rode 78 road miles in my rudy project ekynox sx and at one point i realized i forgot i had them on!

if you race long distance the implications of this new tech is huge! no more where did i put those clear lenses?, or where are my other sunglasses? ~ one pair for bushwhacking through the night, one pair for the entire 24hr mtn bike race, one pair... period. having different lenses is cool, but it's so 2003. also of note the ekynox didn't fog either riding or running in them... the basics, but important.

i have a small face so i went with the ekynox sx, but the straight dope, word on the street is that the "outside magazine's gear of the year" pick for the single best pair of glasses out for athletes is the rudy project zyon. for you ski mountaineers they even come with removable attachments that make them glacier glasses ~ this could be the one pair you need for everything!.. and the rep told me exactly that saying "i'll be wearing the zion for everything; mtn biking, trail running, it's that good". and the rep is john stamstad, so dood knows gear.

Montrail Odyssey Trail Shoe Review

being a montrail ambassador means i'm constantly being asked about montrail shoes. i would say the shoe i suggest the most is the montrail odyssey. this is because the montrail odyssey is the most versitile trail running shoe on the market today. even the most hardened trail runner is forced to run road on ocassion. the montrail odyssey was designed as a light weight trail shoe that is just as comfortable on the road as on the trail. matter of fact... this is my road shoe. it's also my favorite light weight trail shoe (just 12oz). i even race ultras up to 50 miles in this shoe because it's light weight, stable and has a great cushioned sole for my achey knees. is it tough? i wore a pair of montrial odysseys on a circumnavigation of the sisters mountains in oregon. 45 miles and 10,000 feet of gain with a summit of the south sister and a 3,000 foot decent on a lava rock and scree... and i'm still running in them. on those hot days you'll appreciate the upper being made of very breathable mesh and on the wet days you will appreciate the gryptonite treads. the only complaint i have is that the tongue on the odyssey doesn't have a loop for the laces to keep it in place. this is not usually an issue, but after hours and hours of running sometimes it falls to the side more than i would like it to.

** the first production run of the odyssey had a defect where the lugs on the sole would fall off fairly easily because they were individual pieces. the latest versions have fixed that by making the lugs all attached to one piece.

the montrail odyssey in action! - olympic national park




outside magazine's take on the montrail odyssey

you son of a hardrock! montrail nitrus review

for three months there has been a box in my bedroom. the contents of which has been called "the son of the hardrock". well the hardrock and i have a long standing relationship, we are very close... so i've been waiting patiently to take her son, the nitrus, out for a real trail run.

today... (after three months of injury) was that day and we got along swimmingly. this shoe could be my go to shoe. however i was open and honest with the nitrus. she knows i'm seeing other montrails (including her mother the hardrock - kinda weird). so we'll just have to see how the relationship developes. the first thing i noticed was the nitrus is very torsionally rigid and has a super protective sole called the terraflex (which is a three component system combining a high-traction outsole, a protection plate and a shock-absorbing midsole). it's designed for "high mileage hammerheads" (perfect!) so it's very supportive, stable and cushioned. they also felt super light (13oz) and have a lot of breathable mesh on the upper for the big sweaters. the upper is also designed to accomodate a wide foot, which i don't have but couldn't notice a difference. it also has the gusseted tongue to keep degris out, but it really helps to keep the tongue in place more than anything. for the pronator, this shoe also has a medial post.

put simply: they felt light, very supportive (for my poor knee), stable and they fit really well.