Black Diamond for everything climbing and skiing.    Dynafit -- Speed Up!    Tracker beacons, Stash packs, shovels, more more more.    Terrific deals on randonnee AT rando backcountry skiing gear.    K2 has the skis that stay true to earning your turns.    Garmont boots -- excellent choice for backcountry skiing.

He’s Checking it Twice… The Wildsnow Christmas List

Bookmark and Share            By Lou

Have you been naughty or nice? If you’re a backcountry skier, you’re nice. Period. So here is Santa’s list. Pass it on to that special person who’s been agonizing about what to buy that mountain guy or girl in his or her life (meaning, you?). Low cost to high.

Voile straps. The ultimate stocking stuffer. Get a few super long ones. $5.54

Energizer Ultimate L92BP-4 Lithium AAA Battery 4 Pack The best bar none for headlamps. The endless stocking stuffer. With a shelf life that exceeds two years, buy a bunch and use for gifts next year as well! (Remember not to use in avy beacons, so stuff stocking with some regular alkaline AAAs as well.) $11.00

Off Piste Magazine. Sort of the antithesis to The Ski Journal because it’s printed in B&W on high quality newsprint, Off Piste still delivers root stoke. More, unlike some publications, Off Piste refrains from pandering such as giving “editor’s choice” awards to gear that isn’t yet in production. Authenticity on paper. $15.00

Backcountry Bomb cornice cutter. Probably more of a guy thing, but I’ve met a few girls in Crested Butte who cut cornices. $29.95

The Ski Journal. A subscription to this rag not only supports your loved one’s stoke, but also supports the evolution of print media to something beyond what the web can do. Our favorite here at WildSnow HQ. $39.99

Ski the Fourteeners. When I finished skiing all the Colorado 14ers back in ancient times, I dreamed of a coffee table book. The dream remained until Chris Davenport and Art Burrows made it real. Truly the ultimate tome for a ski mountaineer. Be careful, your giftee might already have one. $49.95

Backcountry Access Companion EXT Shovel. Our WildSnow.com favorite these days. Size is a nice compromise, and it’s a bit flatter than some shovels so it packs better and works good for snow pits. $54.95

Avalanche safety course. Give the gift that might bring your loved one back alive. Prices vary, if you’re on a budget you can frequently find courses near or in mountain towns that cost under $100. Check with outdoor stores and community colleges, for starters.

Canon A720 camera. What just might be the ultimate point-and-shoot, low priced camera for the alpinist. Tested by Wildsnow.com for years now, the A720 provides that optical viewfinder that’s so essential in bright, high altitude sunlight when composing on an LCD is a squint eyed joke. AA batteries, so you don’t need to constantly worry about your battery charger. 6x optical zoom, and 8 megapixels is plenty unless you want to make a jumbo movie poster out of your shots. Drop it down the mountain and you’re not out your life savings. Around $200.00

Spot Satellite Messenger. Our feeling here at WildSnow.com is that traveling with some sort of emergency communication device is a simple exercise in social responsibility. There was a time, long long ago, when people debated the ethics of carrying things like cell phones or 2-way radios. Did they reduce the adventure? Mitigate the power of the experience? Valid questions back then (if a bit self serving). But now, comm devices have become as ubiquitous as socks. Thus, in my view, carrying one is no different than bringing any other item of what’s considered to be essential gear. Sure, if you want a raw unfettered experience you can leave your clothing behind, but remember your Spot Messenger. $99.95 plus yearly subscription fee.

Black Diamond Alias Avalung backpack. Avalanche breathing device integrated with a fairly nice backpack makes this the ultimate combo. $229.95

K2 Wayback alpine touring skis. We feel these planks offer one of the best weight/performance ratios in the industry. Not the ride of huge powder planks, but then, you don’t know they’re on your feet while you’re climbing. $599.99

Pair of Dynafit FT 12 backcountry skiing bindings. At the top of just about any real backcountry skier’s wish list. Advantage of this gift is you don’t have to worry about your giftee already having a pair. Another set will suit them just fine. $569.95

Scarpa Spirit 4 ski boots. For truly core ski alpinism, a tounge style boot offers ease of entry, performance and weight savings that can’t be beat. Spirit 4 yields all that in a nice looking package. $678.00

Iridium 9555 satellite phone package, with minutes. Still less money than a new pair of skis and bindings, an Iridium phone is the end-all be-all way to stay in touch or call out in an emergency. Forget your Spot locator, forget messing around with two-way radios, forget trying to guess if you’re in an area where your cell phone will work. Just carry an Iridium and you’re done. No monthly plan required, just buy a SIM card with minutes, stow in your pack, that’s it. Approximately $1,800 with minutes.

Everyone, comment with your gift ideas!

(And yes, some of these product links may result in obscene profits for Wildsnow.com, though quite a few of the links are simply links.)

Posted by Lou on December 17, 2009 | Filed Under Backcountry Skiing, Misc Gear Reviews 

previous post: Jonathan goes “Dynafit” Shopping
next post: Winter Survival Lessons

Comments

26 Responses to “He’s Checking it Twice… The Wildsnow Christmas List”

  1. Jordan December 17th, 2009 11:56 am

    You can never have too many pairs of Dynafits (just look in Lou’s garage).

    A Denali Sponsorship is always a good thing wink wink :wink:

  2. Ed December 17th, 2009 12:15 pm

    What about us knuckle draggers (you know, the guys that don’t wear spandex?), how ’bout some of the Spark R&D Fuse bindings which have now been sold out for about a month. That is on my back country snowboarding Christmas list.

  3. Nick December 17th, 2009 2:14 pm

    Can’t possibly have enough of the Voile straps, I use them for everything!
    The new plastic ends have me a little concerned about durability compared to the old metal ones, but so far are holding up. Voile straps seem to come in a wide range of stretchiness, some are like plastic and can’t be stretched at all, making them a PITA, others are just right.

    Black Diamond makes some similar straps which are a bit stretchier, but they are kind of gummy and hard to use with one hand. The BD ones also have a bulb on the end of the metal tab which keeps them together more securely (but also make it harder to release). Also, the BD has a weak point near the buckle where it turns into 2 thin straps that seem tenuous against ski edges…
    Just some observations.

  4. Lee December 17th, 2009 2:20 pm

    Probably a bit pricey for most peoples christmas stocking but I just watched this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV3ViwtDsRQ&feature=player_embedded

    La Sportiva’s race boot the Stratos. What a beautifully built boot. I just love the inner boot design and the velcro straps to secure it (and your heel) in the outer shell. La Sportiva make great walking and climbing boots and I really hope they enter the general rando ski boot market – it could do with a design shake up.

    On the subject of inners, my dynafit AT lacers have finally arrived – they have some design flaws in my opinion. I’ve already made some modifications to them so they work better. I’ll post a review to Lou when I’ve had a bit more skinning/skiing in them.

  5. Euro Rob December 17th, 2009 2:33 pm

    Crested Butte must be a magic place!

  6. Lou December 17th, 2009 3:40 pm

    Lee, am anxious for the review, get ‘er done!

  7. Lou December 17th, 2009 3:41 pm

    He guys, I need an idea for the $100 slot. ??

  8. Eric Steig December 17th, 2009 3:58 pm

    Lou,

    Sorry to bug you on an earlier post but..

    How do those various race heels — Dynafit and copies — work for switching between downhill and tour mode? Does the little lever on the top pull the pins backwards, out of the boot?

    If so, that seems brilliant and indeed an improvement over standard Dynafits.

  9. Lou December 17th, 2009 4:03 pm

    Eric, nope, that “lever” is just the heel lifter.

  10. Biggsie December 17th, 2009 5:05 pm

    You forgot a hall pass from the SO for that month-long La Grave trip we’ve always wanted to take….

  11. Tracy Harris December 17th, 2009 5:18 pm

    hello -

    I have a very truly unique and special item to offer for Christmas sale – Shorty Lovelace’s Final pair of Skis !

    My name is Tracy Harris, and I am a Yamaha Performing Artist & Clinician; so you know I am real and that this is not a hoax, my music website is at http://www.tracyharrisflute.com – I am a professional flutist, and my Grandmother happens to be Ellen Lovelace-Hill – the niece of Shorty Lovelace, the famous back country skier and trapper for whom the Shorty Lovelace Historic District in Kings Canyon National Park, California, is named. Among Shorty’s artifacts removed by my grandmother from his cabin after his death were his last pair of skis. They have Attenhofer Alpina Bindings and are unmarked except for numbers 6 and 930 engraved into the oak wood. We also have the tools with which he built his cabins, some of which still survive in the national park. We were hoping to keep the artifiacts together and find them a home in a museum, but sadly Family Medical issues force us to part with them – serious interested parties wishing more information and photos may write to me at TracyHarrisFlute@yahoo.com.

  12. Jess Downing December 17th, 2009 5:27 pm

    I want a cat/hut trip for Christmas in Nelson, BC… wait, Dave already booked that! :)

    Under $100 – wool baselayers are always a good gift for the skier. I can’t have enough!

  13. Tom Gos December 17th, 2009 5:59 pm

    For under $100, how about an avy class of some sort. Our local community college (Colorado Mountain College) offers a Level 1 class for $85. The gift that keeps on giving. I’ll add a vote for the Off Piste subscription – my favorite of the ski mags for sure, cheap with useful content.

  14. Lou December 17th, 2009 6:00 pm

    Tom, good idea, I’ll add it. Thanks.

  15. Eric Steig December 17th, 2009 6:20 pm

    ‘that “lever” is just the heel lifter’

    So how do you get out for the uphill? Have to release the toe?
    I guess the idea is that you’d have to do that anyway to put on skins..

  16. Lou December 17th, 2009 6:43 pm

    Just like a regular Dynafit, you unlatch at the toe…

  17. Randonnee December 17th, 2009 7:24 pm

    An avalanche airbag backpack. Aside from using your brain properly that is the one piece of gear to keep you out of an avalanche.

  18. Lou December 17th, 2009 9:12 pm

    Good one there Rando!

  19. jason December 17th, 2009 9:16 pm

    Lou, your first three sentances just made my day. thank you.

    as for another $100 slot, i love my BD whippet poles come spring time! too bad they’re $100 each (i guess that means if you get a 2nd one its a-ok!)

  20. Colin in CA December 17th, 2009 10:32 pm

    Gifts for $100 or Under:

    BD Apollo Lantern
    BD Icon w/ NRG Rechargable Kit
    Leatherman Skeletool
    Jetboil Flash
    Giro Maze Helmet
    Swix FX Wide Vise
    G3 Bonesaw
    BD Deploy 7

  21. Mark December 17th, 2009 11:32 pm

    Might need the cornice cutter. Very cool..

  22. Alex December 18th, 2009 12:44 am

    How about an insulated hydration tube for your suckey bag? Mine’s froze the last three times I’ve gone out… and leaks onto my shirt when it thaws… Inexpensive and useful!

  23. Colorado MoJo December 18th, 2009 9:22 am

    Here’s the perfect gift: “Honey, I’ll take care of the shopping/cleaning/dog walking/oil change/hockey practice today—you really need to get out and go skiing!”

  24. dwaag December 20th, 2009 11:59 am

    Lou,
    Thanks for the Off-Piste Mag plug on your Christmas list! We have been fueling the stoke (and providing fire starter) for 11 years now. Happy Holidays!
    Cheers,
    Dave Waag
    Minister of Ski Culture
    Off-Piste Mag

  25. Jeff December 21st, 2009 1:30 pm

    Lou- great x-mas list. I was curious to hear more about the K2 Wayback. In particular I was wondering if you had a chance to compare it with the Dynafit Mustagh Ata Superlight which seems to occupy the same performance to weight niche (but advertised at a pound lighter). I would love to read a more indepth comparison when you have the time. Thanks

  26. Marlies December 22nd, 2009 8:44 am

    Nice list….
    Here a cautionary note about Iridium satellite phones: having used them extensively over the years during extended wilderness expeditions with troubled youth I’ll have to do a bit of “getting-you-back-to-the-ground”. Yup, the phones work mostly and have saved my butt many times – and yup, the satellites move…. or you’re in a valley, or the cloud cover is to thick, or you’re just not positioned perfectly… plenty of reasons that can make calls tough. I used them mostly in Oregon, Washington, California areas but this summer also in Colorado. Even on the flat unobstructed slopes of a 14-er we had trouble communicating… so, good wish, and yet, they have plenty of improvement to take care of.

    Happy Christmas!

Got something to say?





Anti-Spam Quiz:

:alien: :angel: :angry: :blink: :blush: :cheerful: :cool: :cwy: :devil: :dizzy: :ermm: :face: :getlost: :biggrin: :happy: :heart: :kissing: :lol: :ninja: :pinch: :pouty: :sad: :shocked: :sick: :sideways: :silly: :sleeping: :smile: :tongue: :unsure: :w00t: :wassat: :whistle: :wink: :wub:

Due to comment spam we moderate most comments. Please do not submit your comment twice -- it will appear shortly after we approve it. Once you've had one comment published, your comments will be pre-approved and appear immediately if you're using the same computer and not blocking browser cookies. NOTE however that ALL comments with one or more links in the text will be held for moderation no matter what, again for spam prevention.
Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information and opinion website. Lou's passion for the past forty years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the Fourteeners! Books and free back country information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.

All material on this website is copyrighted. Permission required for reproduction, electronic or otherwise. That includes publication and display on other websites by whatever means. PLEASE SEE OUR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION.

Backcountry skiing is a dangerous sport. You may be killed or severely injured if you do any form of randone, randonnee and randonnée skiing. The information on this website is intended only as general information. While the authors and editors of the information on this website make every effort to present useful information, due to human error the information, text and images contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date. By using, reading or viewing the information provided on this website, you agree to absolve the owners of Wild Snow as well as content contributors of any liability for injuries or losses incurred while using such information. Furthermore, you agree to use any of this website's information, maps, photos, or binding mounting instructions or templates at your own risk, and waive Wild Snow its owners and contributors of any liability for use of said items for backcountry skiing or any other use.