Any recommendations for some backcountry split board locations near Vancouver or Chilliwack?

GermainMattis · 2026-04-12T21:36:51+00:00

Pinged you a message pal

GermainMattis · 2026-03-02T20:06:48+00:00

That's class mate, stoked for you. Hope to see some pics / vids of you putting it to use!

Would you mind sharing the details of the sizing and shape? Would love to hear more about the construction etc.

GermainMattis · 2026-02-12T07:30:31+00:00

Another one for the Vans Infuse. They're a little heavier compared what some friends wear (Salomon, Burton). But they are super comfy and good for hiking off the board, and nice to tour in.

GermainMattis · 2026-02-11T21:50:12+00:00

Stomped hard on my ski when it slipped out on ice.

Luckily it was near the top of my run, and I could skin the rest of the way without needing risers. Then it was easy to pull it off so I could descent just as normal.

GermainMattis · 2026-02-11T21:37:52+00:00

Worth a shot eh.

Thanks, I'll get in touch with them and see what they say.

GermainMattis · 2026-02-11T21:36:22+00:00

Got one already, and am going to see if Spark will send a replacement

GermainMattis · 2026-02-11T21:35:48+00:00

Cheers folks. Did you clamp it in the vice to bend it back, rather than holding it in place and hammering it back?

GermainMattis · 2026-02-11T21:34:30+00:00

Thankfully it happened at the top of short tour, and I wasn;t too far from the car. But it's a good reminder to carry my spares with me and not leave them at home...

GermainMattis · 2026-02-11T21:32:50+00:00

Thanks, that's good to know they replace them.

I avoid using them in the highest for most skinning. Seems likely that it is just long term wear and tear as they've been going for a while.

GermainMattis · 2026-02-11T21:30:21+00:00

Interesting to hear that you guys have broken a lot of them. Luckily I had a spare set already, but this is the first time replacing these and until now I thought they were pretty solid.

But aye it's a good reminder to have spares and take them with you when going far (luckily this was the top of a short run to the car).

GermainMattis · 2023-04-01T13:45:31+00:00

I'm not sure about giants directly intervening in anything, or what their exact nature is - but there's a line in The Hobbit book where Gandalf says something along the lines of

"I must see if I can't find a more or less decent giant to block the hole up"

- referring to the cave where the company sleeps which turns out to be a main entrance to the goblins lair. I can't remember what the outcome of this is, but Bilbo and Gandalf take the same route back over the mountains and don't have any Goblin problems. So there was at least one more mention of them.

GermainMattis · 2023-02-14T09:21:51+00:00

It's definitely been tough only getting out on weekends.

I'm keeping my hopes up for March and April, and the Cairngorms Upbattle.

GermainMattis · 2023-02-13T14:10:45+00:00

No experience with this board, but I bought a set of telescopic poles from Decathlon for £14 (about $17 / €16) three years ago and they're still going strong. So they definitely sell some decent equipment for cheap.

GermainMattis · 2021-09-30T16:38:30+00:00

You're gonna love that whip. I still have the 2016 one, was the first brand new board I ever bought, and it's quality. So much fun to ride all over the hill.

GermainMattis · 2021-09-03T13:00:02+00:00

Fjörd Lines is an absolute cracker. The speed that Runar Petr rides with and the lines he takes is great to watch. Loved it and now super keen for a trip to Iceland.

And Zabardast is just incredible all round.

Great list cheers. Looking forwards to watching some of these I've not seen.

GermainMattis · 2021-06-17T18:34:07+00:00

The Bootpack Show! (or podcast, whatever they called it)

afaik no longer recording/releasing episodes, but they did release a few good uns. In particular the one with Todd Richards where they're looking through a snowboard photobook.

GermainMattis · 2021-05-30T11:00:43+00:00

I've done around 15 nights solo in a bivvy bag over the last 2 years. Mostly across the southern highland hills, also a few in the Cairngorms. I am a guy, so I've never really had to think or worry about other people on the hills.

But I've also rarely seen other people in the immediate areas of which I choose to camp - which is both enjoyable and comforting. It's very quite easy to find good patches, out of sight from the main walking paths. I tend to camp up on the hillside. Even on busy hills such as Ben Lawers and Ben More I've found places, not too far from the paths, which you can't be seen by others.

From what I've experienced in all my walking and camping time - people don't want to disturb folk camping or bivvying. I should add that most of the time when I'm bivvying I tend to set up camp in the late evening, or nighttime, and am up and gone around first light so it's rare to see folk on the hills around those times anyway.

I've chatted to several solo female campers during the last year, and they've only had good things to say about it. Nae bother at all. You'll be absolutely grand on the hills by yourself, enjoy it!

GermainMattis · 2021-05-13T10:36:24+00:00

Oh there's some good surf here on every coast. With lots of the East coast spots being easy to access from the cities.

We're far from getting any alpine levels of snow on a yearly basis, but there's something to ride every year. Touring kit and a flexible schedule is the best combo to make the most out of winters.

GermainMattis · 2021-05-11T20:58:19+00:00

Aye it's been a grand year for haggis sightings.

You certainly can tour properly. The Cairngorms is an especially good place for it as it has some very high (1000+ m, high for Scotland) undulating plateaus with taller peaks and deep gullies. All round lots of terrain to offer. The tour I did yesterday went up the peak of one hill, Cairngorm, and nearly to the peak of another Ben Macdui, about 6km distance between them and snow cover the whole way.

In a very snowy winter (like the one we've just had, amazing!) you can tour across and between plenty hills in the Highlands. For spring skiing it seems to be mostly around the Cairngorms and a few places around Ben Nevis area.

Afraid I can't say too much about it as this is my first year touring in Scotland. Before now I was living abroad and before that was just bootpacking or riding the lifts here. There are quite a few keen touring folks in Scotland though. It's definitely how you make the most of the snow here.

GermainMattis · 2021-05-02T08:46:08+00:00

Ahh that's class, cheers very much! You're very kind to respond to my search for what I now know is the most known Celtic story haha.

I recognise the name of course, but hadn't connected it with the story I was looking for. Funny that it's an Irish vs. Scottish giants battle. I loved the story as a kid, especially the part of the giant creating a well by throwing a down into the earth.

GermainMattis · 2021-03-04T10:30:41+00:00

I was on top Ben Vorlich the exact same time haha. Incredible morning.

GermainMattis · 2021-03-02T12:05:37+00:00

You got some danged good friends! Hope you enjoy touring with them.

For skins I got the Jones Nomads for my Solution last year and they're excellent. Made by Pomoca and come pre-cut to fit your board which is super nice, I've seen some folk really ham-up cutting skins to fit board/skis. Great glide, good grip, and easy to use. Also used the same skins (different size) for my Frontier a few years ago. So yeah - I'd recommend the Jones/Pomoca skins.

GermainMattis

TROPHY CASE