What did you like and dislike about PowderGuide.com last season? Which topics are particularly important to you? What do you think of the site's functionality? Which topics would you like to know more about?
Last weekend, PG ConditionsReporters and editorial team members got together for the traditional end-of-season get-together. PowderGuide wouldn't be what it is without the dedicated input of the extended community and especially the ConditionsReporters, so it's always nice to get together once a year in as large a group as possible and talk about all sorts of things. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who couldn't make it to the meeting! Thank you very much for your commitment this season!
The Full Tilt brand, part of Line Skis and K2 Skis, started reissuing the old Raichle Flexon 3-piece design several years ago, serving the park and freestyle-oriented backcountry skier market quite well. The design with a separate and replaceable tongue, which offers progressive flex behavior, has proven to be forgiving and yet precise. While the last width of the original Flexon mold was limited to 98mm, Full Tilt now has its first self-developed boot model in its range: the Descendant series with a 102mm last width appeals to customers with wider feet, uses proven technologies and tries to improve known weak points.
It wasn't meant to be this time: Adverse weather conditions initially caused the snowboard and women's ski categories to hold back a little and ultimately led to the cancellation of the skiers' competition at the 21st Xtreme Verbier.
Steep gullies, spectacular cliff drops and unfortunately no livestream: the fourth stop of the Freeride World Tour in Haines (USA) was the hoped-for highlight, at least on site. In Alaska, Eva Walkner (AUT) and Logan Pehota (CAN) won among the skiers, while Anne-Flore Marxer (SUI/FRA) and Ryland Bell (USA) won among the snowboarders. Snowboard "gorilla" Flo Orley (AUT) took third place. Fabio Studer (AUT) and Stefan Häusl (AUT) took fourth and eighth place; Felix Wiemers (GER) came fifth.
For most freeriders and ski tourers, it is a matter of course to think about questions like: What does the situation report say? How is the weather, how is the snow? Was it windy, is there fresh drift snow? Is the snowpack structure favorable? We know that we have to be aware of our surroundings if we want to move safely in avalanche terrain. However, we often forget to consider ourselves and our behavior in the group. The SLF has developed a checklist to help prevent problems with group dynamics.
For some years now, avalanche problems have been included in the situation reports of many warning services. The Utah Avalanche Center, among others, has been in charge of this. The avalanche problems are based on an article by Roger Atkins, published as part of the International Snow Science Workshop 2004. They indicate "typical, recurring and mostly obvious" hazardous situations. The avalanche problems provide an initial, rather rough overview of possible sources of danger, while the "danger patterns" developed by the LWD Tirol focus more on the causes.
After only a short test last season, several PowderGuide testers are now out and about with the Marker Kingpin and have gained some experience with the binding. The impressions and opinions of various people have therefore been incorporated into this test report. The good overall picture of the binding remains.
Mont Blanc West and the Marinelli Couloir - sounds exciting? Mont Blanc West and the Marinelli Couloir with Sam Anthamatten and Vivian Bruchez as guides - sounds even better? Then apply for the Julbo White Sessions.
We were at ISPO in Munich again this year and have already reported on the latest innovations in skis, safety equipment, ski boots & ski bindings, snowboard equipment and clothing. As every year, we will also be presenting selected, interesting products from PowderGuide partners that we took a closer look at at ISPO. The second part of the partner news is about new airbag backpacks from ABS, the latest Fritschi pin binding, new skis from Scott, Line and Salomon, merino-mix underwear from Icebreaker, an Evoc touring backpack, an insulation jacket from Penguin and a helmet from Uvex