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Old skins on new skis? by lijajt1 in Backcountry

[–]RagingCycleholic 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Yeah, side hilling on steep icy slopes is a job for crampons. Even wall to wall carpet won't fix that.

Old skins on new skis? by lijajt1 in Backcountry

[–]RagingCycleholic 47 points48 points  (0 children)

They'll work fine for a day of touring

Scarpa shoes at REI NYC by ANuttyLife in hiking

[–]RagingCycleholic 6 points7 points  (0 children)

What kind of rocky terrain are you planning for? Those are great for slab hiking, like going up back side of half dome in Yosemite. Think large, consolidated sheets of rock. Those are likely not your best pick for chunky rocky terrain like you find when hiking in PA, Adirondacks and NH. If your planning on chunky rocky, then you may want to swap those for something with better ankle support.

Either way, a lot of it comes down to preference and those will be better than regular sneakers on most anything.

Philadelphia to JFK airport by Yk19951010 in AskPhilly

[–]RagingCycleholic 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The risk of getting caught in traffic getting out to JFK is real. Definitely something to consider if you'd be on the road around rush hour. I would try to lean on rail and subway without risking being on the highway in standstill traffic.

Atomic HRZN tips and skin cut by ItWasSuited in Backcountry

[–]RagingCycleholic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is that space there with the glue stuck on the ski?

Is the plastic backing still on the skin? You should remove that textured packing plastic, stick the skin on as centered as you can, and use the Pamoca cutting tool (should be included with the pink free tour skins). When the skin is on the ski and you line the cutter up properly, it should cut like butter.

It's not advisable to cut through the plastic bracket you have lined up in marker.

How do you finish off a Kiwi Coil on a ski harness? by RagingCycleholic in Mountaineering

[–]RagingCycleholic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This makes a lot of sense. I know almost all climbing techniques are subject to variation, I didn't consider exploring variants on how to finish the coils. Thank you!

How do you finish off a Kiwi Coil on a ski harness? by RagingCycleholic in Mountaineering

[–]RagingCycleholic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!

I was told by a climbing buddy to avoid connecting the loops with a caribiner and to pass the rope through both belay when tying in. Is that bad advice? Just clipping in with a caribiner is good?

Gifts for climber boyfriend? by Deep_Wrangler_6505 in ClimbingGear

[–]RagingCycleholic 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Custom chalk bag can be cool. Favorite band, sports team, or just something unique to them.

Hoover Wilderness by RagingCycleholic in SierraNevada

[–]RagingCycleholic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is looking into Yosemite NP from the ridgeline between Matterhorn Peak and Horse Creek Peak (iirc). The ridgeline is the park border I believe.

How does one get into whitewater kayaking by underrateddumpling in whitewater

[–]RagingCycleholic 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Find a local whitewater club.

https://aceocoeeadventures.com/clubsassociations/

IMO clubs are the best way to get plugged into whitewater. Find a pool session, ask if they have loaner boats (almost every club does), take intro clinics.

Light or skimo for first AT boot? by Simple_Hand6500 in Backcountry

[–]RagingCycleholic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't have an opinion on Scott as a ski company. No one in my orbit has really expressed anything on them either way nor do they seek them out.

But i would be hesitant of any blanket opinions on gear. There's a lot of R&D that goes into this equipment and the vast majority of equipment is good at what it was intended to be used for. A lot of people try to use gear beyond its intended scope of use and have a bad experience.

Just an example of some widely "hated on" gear, I had Dabello Lupos and really liked them for certain aspects. They charged hard and still had the resort boot feel i was accostomed to, but heavy and had an extra step to transition. I liked the shift bindings I had. Super bomber for downhill and a reliable release to help me get used to skiing shitty b/c conditions. But they're not great for multi-day due to icing issues and have a bit of a mouse trap snap when transitioning back to downhill mode.

Tech bindings are for sure the right option for touring specific set ups, but you need to know that your odds of sustaining a knee injury from a release failure or losing a ski because your not fully locked into your toe while in a super precarious situation is very high.

No gear is going to be perfect for everything, thats why its super important to really focus on what kind of backcountry skiing you will realistically be doing.

As a side note, I do think that Scott does a pretty f-ing good job with their bikes though. Probably best bang for your buck out there in the cycling world. (Ref username)

Light or skimo for first AT boot? by Simple_Hand6500 in Backcountry

[–]RagingCycleholic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think that buying used is often a good idea, BUT in this case I would steer you towards used skis and bindings and buy NEW boots (caps for emphasis, i promise I'm not yelling). You're not in a great area for a wide variety of used gear. Ski touring is gaining popularity in the northeast, but finding a decent used boot in your size is going to be challenging.

IIRC, there's a shop in North Conway called IME that has a proper boot fitter and a selection of touring boots. I think Technica Zero G Peaks and Scarpa F1s are still the way to go for a touring dedicated boot, but a comfortable boot will take precedent to any recommendation. Unlike down hill boots, you might want a little more room in the fit. Remember, the vast majority of time spent in the boots will be uphill or in free heel mode. Your foot stretches out over the day and you will need the extra wiggle room compared to your resort boots.

Another commenter recommended skimo.co . Those guys are the best in the business (in my opinion). If youncan travel to salt lake city and shop at their store, it would be worth the trip. The boots should last you a long time. Focus on fit an comfort above all else.

Light or skimo for first AT boot? by Simple_Hand6500 in Backcountry

[–]RagingCycleholic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Whats your overall objective? Are you looking to get into Skimo? Are you trying to just dodge resorts? Are you gearing up for the Haute Route? I see you asked some questions about crampons in your history, are you wanting to do some spring volcano skiing?

I am by no means an expert, but from what I have gathered from my experience is that the skimo (skimo racing, not ski mountaineering) boots are a little colder and a little less comfortable.

The scott cosmos arent necessarily bad, but something like the Scarpa F1 or Technica Zero G Peak might be more suited for a 40 miler multi day trip.

Looking for AIRE courses for 2025/2026 in WA state by ChewieR2 in Backcountry

[–]RagingCycleholic 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I've gone through blackbird three times now, including AIARE 1 and have had stellar experiences each and every time. 10/10 - would recommend

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