We are stoked to get out and test these new pow skis!
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As ski season draws nearer we, like most skiers, turn our attention to gear. If we can't ski yet we might as well be looking at, talking about, buying and generally driving our significant other nuts over gear. Today we got a little gift from Mr. Postman in the form or two fresh sets of skis from Rocky Mountain Underground - RMU. We haven't skied on anything from RMU in the past so we are very eager to get out and give these a whirl.
In our possession is a set of The Whole Enchilada and a set of The Professors. We will be testing, reviewing and shooting pics of these skis this season so stay tuned.
Until then, take a cruise on down to your local ski shop and share in the early season waiting pain with the fellow skiers, it is only a few more days here in BC!
Win a set of brand new skis from our friends at Skevik Skis. As you may have seen on this website, Skevik is one of our skis of choice out there. We have a set of Loken 116's and a set of Oda's. Having 2 sets of Skeviks between 4 guys is a recipe for tourble...
Testing the big fat fatties at Big White Ski Resort
While you were skiing mid season pow and still stoked on the 2014 gear, we were invited to try and test the fat powder skis up at the Big White ski intro. Alongside our partners at Fresh Air we shredded run after run on the new 2015 Ski offerings from K2, Volkl, Armada, Line, Head, Salomon, Atomic Skis and Rossignol. Some were unchanged, some where refreshed and tweaked while others were completely new.
You may notice in the video that we are stoked about pretty much all of these skis. That is not because we were bought off with beer and gear (well, sort of). It is because we selected only the skis we were interested in testing. We skipped the ones that weren't fat enough and went straight for the goodies. Kind of like pushing the veggies aside and just going for the steak!
Enjoy the vid. It is a bit longer that what we normally produce but is jammed packed with info and eye candy (the skis, not the skiers!). If you need any advice or opinions on what you saw here, drop us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If we are looking to pick up a new pair of 2015 powder skis, please check out our friends at Fresh Air www.freshair.ca They carry some amazing product and are extremely knowledgeable. And as always, tell em we sent ya.
We hope you are as pumped about the 2015 ski season as we are!
This past season Backcountry Access came out with the BC Link. An affordable and easy to use 2-way radio with all the features designed for backcountry and winter use.
When it comes to backcountry skiing and travel, safety is paramount. Whether you’re a catsking operator, or just a recreational ski bum, this fact should remain the same. One more way to ensure safety in a group is communication. Ski guides and professionals have been carrying portable radios for years, and it is becoming more common for entire groups to be linked up. This is where the BC Link fills a need.
We got out on some of next year's gear and there are some good ones!
Last week we were invited by our friends at Freshair.ca to come out and test some of the 2014 powder skis at Big White Ski Resort. So like good little powder freaks we dropped everything and headed up to see what is what for the 2013/2014 ski season.
Unfortunatley there wasn't much powder to be found that day but the skis were tried more than made up for the lack of fresh pow. We tried more than 30 pairs of 2014 skis from several different companies and there were a few that stood out in the crowd....
2014 K2 Annex 98, 108, 118
The K2 Annex is a refreshed version of the current SideStash. What the 'stash was missing was a longer tip rocker and a flipped up tail. Both of these features have been perfected in the new K2 Annex series. The tip is a longer and lower rise giving the ski a more comfortable and controled feeling while touring. Don't be led astray though, the Annex has ample edge grip with skiing in the crud or hard stuff. The new tail design allows the ski to break free a little more easily too.
2014 Head Flight Series - Turbine, Cyclic, Collective and Venturi
These skis are a total reversal of everything we have experience from the Head freeride offerings in years past. The are lighter, more nimble and transfer from edge to edge with ease. In years past, the Head powder skis felt light wider GS skis. This is good for some but it really narrows the market for the skis. For 2014 the Head Flight series blew us away. We can't wait to get out and test them in the powder.
2014 Volkl Katana VWerks
The Volkl Katana has always been a solid ski since it first debuted. We always liked it and recommended it for all-round aggressive skiers. For 2014 the Volkl Katana VWerks is insane! It comes in a full carbon design that is ultra thin, ultra light and ultra fast! It isn't going to be cheap and it isn't for everyone, but it you like to ski pedal to the medal all the time and especially enjoy crud-busting then these skis are for you. Your cheeks will ache from smiling so much!
2014 Salomon Rocker 2 122
Unchanged from 2013 the Salomon Rocker2 122 still is a stunner. It is confident, light and can handle anything you throw at it. We have liked this ski since it was introduced and still do. We were looking forward to an evolution to the Rocker but I guess we will have to wait until next season.
We are going to post reviews of all of the 2014 powder skis we tried at the intro but for now we have some skiing to do!
Click Contine Reading to Check out all of the pics
With our first trip coming in a couple of days we figured we had better get the new boards mounted! Normally we would use some of the old sticks to go poke around the rocks out there during the early season. But this year with area catski operators reporting above average snow fall, we thought we would break out the new stuff.
Our collection expanded this year thanks to the guys down at Moment Skis. They hooked us up with a late season deal at the end of last year and we couldn't be happier. On the bench we had a couple pairs of Donner Party's, A Ghost Chant, a sweet pair of Comi's and a Jaguar Shark. Also in the mix is a big-ass pair of Liberty Mutant that keep our photographer Geoff floating to all the best shooting locations.
All these skis are strapped up with the Marker Jester bindings from the our friends at Fresh Air. They will be joining us on a trip to Valhalla in early January so stay tuend for footage on that one.
For now, we are getting stoked for first turns of the season at Big Red Cats. Check in with us next week for a full report and a load of pics and video!
If you are going to get caught with your pants down, be sure you are wearing Icebreaker
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Here it is, the all new underwear from Icebreaker Merino Clothing. Who would have thought that one could wear wool underpants? Rather than itchy, scratchy and sweaty, Icebreaker Underwear is comfortable, dry, and is excellent for active use. And for some reason it makes you take pictures with you holding your spear. The socks are the real deal as well. Great for on your feet or for 'stuffing' (see above).
This season we decided to change our underwear and start wearing Icebreaker right at the source of our daily clothing. Cleverly displayed in our images here we have the Icebreaker Anatomica Boxers. Bright and tight with maximum comfort. They are made using the ultralight BodyFit 150 Merino wool with a dash of Lycra to perfect the fit. Although Icebreaker uses the motto 'No Stink' we don't recommend pushing the limits when it comes to your underpants.
Icebreaker is more that a clothing company. They are more than fashion. They are even more than a lifestyle. You see, for us Icebreaker is an obsession. An obsession that has seeped from the dark corners of our closets to the forefront of our lives.
Everyday we all make the conscious choice to put on clothes (most of us anyways) and that decision comes easy to some and more difficult to others. But when you have an Icebreaker obsession, these decisions come easy. It goes a little like this: “Ummm, let me see, polyester shirt, cotton underpants, tight and uncomfortable socks? No thanks, I will just put on my Icebreaker again.”
Check out the entire collection on the Icebreaker site here: www.icebreaker.com
OR steps up their Sidecountry line once again for 2013
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Christmas came early this season for everyone here at Catskiing Canada headquarters! The delivery man dropped of a few boxes of joy from Outdoor Research filled with the latest and greatest gear for 2012/13. The new Sidecountry line-up from Outdoor Research looks stunning and wears even better. This will be our third season running the OR outerwear at Catskiing operations around BC and we are stoked to show it off.
New additions we are particularly excited about are:
We will be posting reviews of the OR Sidecountry gear during the first few weeks of the season once we get some time on the snow. But we can tell you that as the word spreads, there won't be much left on the shelves at your favorite mountain shop!
We are huge fans of Icebreaker Pure Merino here at Catskiing Canada. We have been using the ultimate no-stink garments for years and are happy to report that their technology has made our road trips much more pleasant. Over the past few seasons, Icebreaker has been adding more and more fashion pieces into their line up to attract the mainstream shopper, but they haven't gone slack on the technology.
Enter the new nanotechnology Kodiak Hood. That's right, nanotechnology. It makes me think of robots, computers and eventually the Terminator. But Icebreaker has taken nanotechnology and applied it to their RealFleece line of clothing. What nanotechnology does when combined with Icebreaker RealFleece is make a garment that is warm, dry, and now water-resistant. Water-Resistant wool eh? I can't wait to tell my grandma and see the look on her face.
We have only had the Kodiak Hood for a few weeks now and it has been an incredibly warm Fall here in western Canada, but we can tell you this: it is a very striking looking jacket. It has very clean cut lines, a shaped hood, and shaped-sleeved cuffs for better feel around the wrists. Couple the nanotechnology with the RealFleece and Icebreaker's famous quality and you have yourself a jacket you can rely on to be dependable and stylish. It truly is a remarkable piece of clothing.
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This season we decided to change our underwear and start wearing Icebreaker right at the source of our daily clothing. Cleverly displayed in our images here we have the 
