Equipment |
As a full time professional outdoor educator equipment is an essential element of my life. To maintain my comfort and clients’ safety, only the best will suffice. I often need to function beyond expected limits. Gear becomes crucial. My choice of equipment helps me keep this edge and I need to pay attention to detail. Here is an overview of my equipment:
Please feel free to contact Ski4Real for any advise on the equipment used. |
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Clothing |
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I rely on Haglöfs as their quality base layer, mid-layer, soft shells and shell clothing is unsurpassed. The garments are multi-functional and perform just as well in the mountains, woods, river or lake. I work in the outdoors just about every day and Haglöfs range always keeps me protected! Haglöfs is the largest supplier of outdoor equipment in the Nordic region. What started with Victor’s (the founder) backpack has grown into a range of 350 products and the Haglöfs market has expanded from the Swedish towns of Torsång, Rättvik and Sveg to include the whole of Scandinavia, Europe and Japan. |
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In the past I have used a whole variety of Haglof products including, Active base layers, Bungy mid layers, Husky fleece, Nube 2 down insulation, Sharkfin soft shell, Spitz jacket and pants shell in Pro Gore-Tex, Helix and Rando gloves, Yoho cap and Yak and Rand rucksacks, Goga sleeping bag, Rugged mountain pant, LIM Jacket and pant, Jaw jacket and pant, Speed vest. I can honestly endorse them all, no single item has failed to disappoint!
www.haglofs.se
Coulouir Jacket and Pants
See the editorial on the front page. Haglofs featured this in Fall Line magazine.
Helix Gloves
For the past few years I have usually destroyed, wrecked or shredded a pair of gloves per ski season. If you consider that whilst teaching skiing that you basically live in your gloves for nearly 8 hours a day, then add to that the abuse that a working glove receives of handling skis, picking up and positioning of clients skis, holding skis in that snowplough position and forever unclipping telemark bindings. Then increase the wear with off piste usage, ropes, metal ladders, rocks, skins, ice axes and crampons. Then count the endless number of times that the gloves are put on and removed in a day. I guess that being a professional glove is no fun!
Despite this my Haglofs have now lasted 2 full seasons, plus usage in winter cycling to work and on canoe expeditions in autumn to Sweden. The only visible wear has been to the thumb and first finger tip of the right hand, slight and still not detracting from their function and the separation of the stitching to the liners. The later is more significant to the right glove. I am right handed.
They are still in serviceable condition, being still warm, weatherproof and retaining the soft supply feeling as when new.
What a great bit of kit, people often forget that if your hands can not function then you are
heading for potential disaster.
That was last season, the gloves are still seeing service on my winter MTB rides to work!!!! |
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| This present season I will be using: |
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| Base layer |
ACTIVES zip top, a high wicking performance fabric that has excellent warmth to weight ratio, stretchable to allow maximum body movement and is entirely made from recycled fabrics.
Actives Merino Zip Top
A multi purpose base layer that maintains body heat and comfort in a variety of situations. They have that great early morning warm comfort! |
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| Mid Layer |
WIGO top, can also be used as an outer on spring days, it has a clean-layered technical design. It has a double-layered collar for warmth and all important thumb loops to maintain wrist heat to avoid chilled fingers.
WIGO tights for cool days to keep the legs warm on long uplifts and ready for immediately telemarking. Again they incorporate flat locked seems for chafe free movements.
For extreme front area days is the ZONE jacket, the highest thermal comfort but with a low weight and pack volume. Key areas are stretch Polartec power stretch. Giving maximum warmth and freedom of skiing movements.
NAJA Vest
A full stretch wind stopper vest with a high level of wind and water resistance and highly breathable. |
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| Soft Shell |
TURBINE HOOD, Haglofs most resistant wind stopper jacket its woven stretch fabric provides excellent wear and tear durability. Full-length watertight zip and DWR treated.
Combined with TURBINE PANT again with excellent wind and water resistance for extreme outdoor usage. |
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| Outer Shell |
CIRQUE JACKET, a three layer pro Gore-Tex shell with helmet compatible hood. A garment engineered for all off the worst weather elements.
Combined with GARD PANTS, again a 3 layer pro Gor-tex shell garment. Being waterproof and breathable to handle all diverse weather conditions.
Nevluck Jacket and Pants
A performance shell with combined insulation. An ideal all round combination for those early season penetrating cold days. |
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| Gloves |
| HELIX II, quality Pitards leather, waterproof liner and totally reliable in all weather conditions. |
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| Hat |
| MOUNT BEANIE HAT, compact and light combined with excellent thermal properties to keep the infamous cold La Thule winds at bay. |
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| Rucksack |
| For extended backcountry the RAND SNOW Rucksack. Just read the reports to know how it is the market leader. For skiing on piste and general teaching the TIGHT EVO. The easy top zip is ideal for the continual access to the video camera. |
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| Emergency and Refugio Insulation wear |
The BARRIER HOOD and BARRIER II PANT. Incredible weight to warm ratio and with a very small pack size. The Barrier system is a fantastic bit of kit!
Go direct to see more reports at www.haglofs.com |
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Kim’s Skis |
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| SCOTT CRUS'AIR the carbon dream |
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Category
Freeride Mountaineering. Piste 25% / Off Piste 75%
Concept
“THE MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE”
Mid body 90 to 92mm width
User Profile
Intermediate to expert. The mountain guiding ski. Perfect balance between freeride and mountaineering skiing
Ski features
Dual Radius. Pre Track. Factory Finish. Pro-Tip Rocker 375. 3D Carbon Frame |
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Bindings and Boots
Supplied buy Back Country UK Ltd. |
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The New Telemark Norm is here!-This the future!
Extensively tested and refined over the last few seasons, NTN is the way ahead for Telemark Free Riders - giving better stability and edge control, for both beginners who are learning to Telemark and more experienced skiers looking for ultimate performance and control. The worlds's two leading Telemark boot manufacturers Scarpa and Garmont now sell more NTN boots worldwide than they do the older style 75mm versions, which means NTN is the future of Telemarking.
Aimed at commited Telemarkers and Telemark Free Riders offering seeking superior control and performance over the old fashioned 75mm systems. NTN provides the best edge to edge power transmission of all the current telemark boot and binding systems available. This provides better stability and edge control while cornering, whether you are initiating a Telemark or alpine style turn. The Rottafella NTN has a safety release to reduce the risk of injury and is one of the few Telemark bindings to have brakes that actually work!
With the NTN system the boot is gripped in the binding independantly of the spring tension - i.e. there is a direct connection between the ball of the foot and the ski. No more 75mm duckbill toes - NTN boots have a rounded toe profile like alpine boots and the Scarpa boots in particular, can be used in both the NTN and Dynafit TLT alpine touring bindings.
Free pivot tour mode Flipping the toe lever over into tour mode releases all flex resistance for efficient skinning
Symmetrical design The NTN system provides you with symmetrical bindings (i.e. no left or right ski).
Power Tubes Depending on your weight, boot size and ability, you can choose from four different stiffness Power Tube springs.
White - extra soft: recommended for smallest boots used with the short binding.
Green - soft: recommended for 26.5-28 mondo boots used with the short binding.
Blue - medium: recommended for 28.5-32 mondo boots used with the long binding.
Red - rigid: recommended for 28.5-32 mondo boots for those who want a super-stiff flex.
Safety
The Rottafella NTN binding has a safety release mechanism. Each of the 4 power tubes has 5 settings for tension and release. This makes the Rottafella NTN binding one of the safest Telmark bindings available.
Ski Compatability
The Rottafella NTN is suitable for mounting on most skis with a flat top deck. Skis that have mounting brackets/rails for fitting alpine bindings, will need the rails removed and the original holes filled before a Telemark binding can be mounted.
Durability
The Rottafella NTN Telemark binding has been costantly improved and developed since it's launch. After some durability issues in the early models, we are now on the fourth version of the binding. With each new version, Rottafella have used stronger alloys and tweaked little things like the design and angle of the brake levers.
For Ski Mountaineering
The Rottafella NTN can be used for ski touring in alpine terrain. The binding has a lockable pivot point making skinning more efficient and aiding kick turns compared with bindings without pivot plates. Rottafella don't make a ski crampon for the NTN but can be used with the Voile ski crampon which is available by mail order from the U.S. Releasable bindings of this type help to minimise the risk of injury when touring. |
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BOOTS Scarpa Trminator NTN Pro
For Telemark Skiing
The Scarpa Terminator NTN TX Pro is aimed at advanced, aggressive piste Telemarkers and Telemark Free Riders. The TX Pro's asymetric bellows is progressive and natural in feel, flexing with the foot rather than creasing over the toes. The extra torsional rigidity that is achieved with the NTN binding and the TX Pro makes this the natural choice for driving wider, powerful Free Ride skis. |
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| The Scarpa NTN TX Pro has one of the best available thermofit innerboots making these boots superior in fit to many of it's competitors. The buckle layout also helps with heel retention in the back of the boot suiting both wide and slimmer fitting heels. An overlap tongue and high cuff provide the ultimate support suited to all but the most extreme of conditions. |
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For Occassional Ski Mountaineering
The Scarpa Terminator NTN TX Pro is first and foremost a Telemark boot. It does however perform realativley well when used in Dynafit TLT bindings for occassional Alpine Ski Mountaineering. The TX Pro is not compatible with Fritschi or Marker bindings.
Contact Back Country UK Ltd. for advice and sales. |
