The trails were a little muddier than I had thought, so my ride was cut a bit short to wait for another day. Only a few more warm Spring days and the trails should be stellar. For now, I’ll chalk it up to working the kinks out and getting some exercise–a system test of sorts. Looking forward to what the season will bring.

About the Outdoor Research Helium Jacket

Their most compressible storm shell is so light it practically floats, or at least it’s so light that you won’t notice you’re carrying it until a sudden downpour bursts into your day. When a big, exposed objective puts you on route for a full day stretching into dark, this jacket packs into its own pocket and can be clipped to your harness for quick access if you need protection from rain, wind, or cooling temps. And it includes all the features needed for true functionality, without any bulky excess.

• Ultralight, waterproof/breathable 2.5-layer 20D Pertex® Shield DS ripstop fabric
• Fully seam taped
• Single-pull hood adjustment
• Ultralight, water-resistant zippers
• Front zipper has 7.5″/19 cm inner stormfap
• Zippered napoleon pocket
• Stuff pocket at side hem with hook/loop closure
• Elastic cuffs
• Single drawcord hem adjustment
• Colors: Pilsner Yellow, Fossil Grey, Black
• MSRP: $140

Outdoor Research Helium Jacket Review

Lightweight is an understatement with this jacket, but don’t let its featherweight design fool you–the Outdoor Research Helium jacket is for real and not only for the “just in case” moments. The Pertex Shield fabric is light and seemingly-durable in spite of its thin-ness. It also breathes extremely-well. After a hard 30-minute run on a 45-degree day the Helium merely felt slightly damp to the touch on the inside. After 5 minutes, that had all dissipated.

The cut of the jacket is great for slapping on top of a down jacket or other puffy insulation layer as need arises. Alone with only a long-sleeve shirt underneath, I’d wish for a little more form-fitting torso. As it stands, it works great on top of puffier under layers. The hem is cut longer than many jackets of this type, so it covers your backside well even when you’re moving around a lot. The simple elastic sleeve cuffs are simple and light, but a lightweight Velcro cuff would have been great.

I brought this jacket along on a handful of ski tours as well and loved the light weight and compressibility of this jacket. Stuffing it into the bottom of my backcountry ski pack, it yielded plenty of space for other sundries.

I really dig the hood and find it necessary in a jacket like this. Should you need to slap it on in a pinch, the hood can be easily worn–leaving your noggin well-protected.

As time goes on, I still marvel at how lightweight this jacket is yet how performant it remains. Excellent overall design for “just in case” backcountry use or highly-aerobic activities.

Good Helium

• So light it will amaze you
• Excellent water and wind protection
• Pertex Shield fabric is really the star of the show
• Attached hood adds to the versatility
• The Fossil color is muted and dashing
• Very lightweight and packable
• Single-handed shock-cord hem cinches well

Bad Helium

• Missing some sort of grippy rubber along the inside of the hem to keep in place
• No hand pockets
• Front zipper is reversed (for the ladies?)
• Would like to see a simple Velcro cuff closure instead of just elastic

Bottom Line: Outdoor Research Helium Jacket

While some great Outdoor Research jackets are sometimes overlooked, the Helium should garner several double-takes. It’s light weight, packable and offers solid shelter for aerobic activity or in a pinch. The Pertex fabric breathes well and performs when needed.

Buy Now: Search for the Outdoor Research Helium Jacket

I think it’s a safe bet that 2×10 will also be unveiled throughout the X9 and X0 range for 2011 as well–most likely at Sea Otter.

It’s just the tip of the iceberg of all the little goodies I’m going to miss out on, but hopefully I can catch bits and pieces of the good stuff and pass it along. Now onto that email from Fox about what’s coming for 2011… uggh, there’s that word again, “Sea Otter”.  Maybe I do need to get down there!

More Info: SRAM.com

Essentially, the steps to find the SylvanSport Go are simple. Sign up at www.findthego.com and follow the weekly clues. Suerte!

Official Press Release Below:

SylvanSport announces the first annual ‘Cache Me If You Can’ contest. The makers of the award-winning ‘GO’ Mobile Adventure Gear camping-trailer, have loaded a GO with phenomenal adventure gear from eight partner companies and will hide this prize somewhere in North America. This is the best adventure gear cache ever, including a custom Niner bike, Jackson Journey kayak, Burton snowboards and more from Yakima, Kelty, Ground Industries, SPOT, and WNC Outdoors. It is valued at over $14,000!

Cache Me If You Can is open to anyone over 18 with a desire for adventure and access to the net. To find the GO prize package, tune into www.findtheGO.com every week to receive a video clue. The video clues, featuring SylvanSport Adventure Team Captain, Tracy Broeckel, contain a set of geo-caching coordinates and a verbal clue that will guide users to the ultimate gear-cache location. The first person to arrive at the final location with the information from all 8 clues will qualify to take home the prize! Contestants are encouraged to use their skills and to team up with friends to optimize their chances.

“This is the kind of creative fun we love at SylvanSport.” says Tom Dempsey, SylvanSport president. “We’re so excited to partner with great companies like Jackson Kayak, Yakima, Kelty, Ground Industries, Burton, SPOT, and Niner Bikes. We’re also thrilled to be part of the Western North Carolina Outdoors region, and to have WNC Outdoors provide an outdoor getaway to the winner. This is a GREAT prize package, and a super fun way to win it!” Bikes, kayaks, vacation packages and more will be a part of the grand prize. In addition, Yakima products and some other surprises will be given away to participants along the way.

SylvanSport and its friends in the industry have chosen LiveStrong/The Lance Armstrong Foundation as their charity of choice for this contest and expect a strong response from the outdoor community for this great cause.

More Info: Visit www.findtheGO.com

After closer inspection, I think it will be safe to answer yes to all the above questions. I’ve closely followed Niner as they have re-designed the Jet9 from the ground-up. Their attention to detail and amazing customer service throughout has been a model for all to follow. Speaking of following, are you following Steve Domahidy as he walks you through the buildup of the new Jet9 from the factory? Check out the Niner Facebook Fan Page for details.

More Details: See the Old vs. New Jet9 Comparison Up Close (PDF)

About the Salomon Quest Pebax Pro

The king of the new Salomon Quest line, the Pebax Pro is lightweight and powerful. The Pebax shell offers stiffness and better flex consistency across temperature variations–all in a lighter-weight (but pricier) package. Out the chute, the Pebax Pro includes A/T blocks with Dynafit-compatibility. Should you wish to go full-alpine, you can purchase DIN blocks for carving up Deer Valley’s finest corduroy.

Features

• 3-buckle design
• Magnesium backbone for walk/tour switching (patent-pending)
• Burly power strap
• Swappable DIN or Dynafit Touring blocks
• Ultralight Quicklace liner
• Contagrip soles
• 110 flex index
• Available Fall 2010 (Quest 12 is available now)
• Weight: 7.72 lbs (pair)
• MSRP: $810

Salomon Quest Pebax Pro Ski Boot Review

Lucky enough to get one of Salomon’s few available Pebax Pro boots, I was determined to head out and make the best of it. Since I don’t doubt the inbounds ability of these boots, my focus has been touring. Yes, some burly, hard-charging, cliff-hucking skiers will want to know how these boots handle the burl of the gnar-gnar, but that’s not what most skiers do and I’m way past those days. I want a burly boot that’s dependable and powerful on the down yet is still 100% walkable for the long skintrack assault.

My foot shape is fairly narrow with low arches. I really don’t have anything in particular to challenge Surefoot’s best bootfitters, so my intent was to ski these out-of-the-box. The initial fit seemed OK, so off I went.

The three buckle design is more than sufficient for touring and most inbounds duties. In fact, the forefoot buckle is most often there for show as it does little to impact the ski-ability of the boot. I kept that buckle just tight enough so as not to pop open, while keeping the instep and lower buckles snug and secure.

On the uphill, I was very impressed with the walkability of these boots. The Contagrip sole provides excellent rocker and the Magnesium Backbone allows the rear cuff to “unlock” and flex in a fairly natural stride. The stride is best with the uppermost buckle in the touring latch with the powerstrap loose, but remains acceptable when buckled to skiing snugness.

While I didn’t get the liner heat molded, I did at least swap out the standard (flimsy) insoles for Superfeet Red ski-specific insoles, which provided more support and better feel. I opted for the size 27.5 since they didn’t have 27.0’s and the 26.5’s would require some minor bootwork. As it was, the 27.5’s were a little large in the forefoot, which did impact the downhill feel of the boots. I also had a pressure-point in one boot, but I think this would largely be eliminated by a smaller size and a quick trip to the bootfitter.

Speaking of the down, these boots are solid. Flip the Magnesium Backbone in place, snug up the buckles and proceed to rip. The flex pattern is solid without any mushiness whatsoever. I felt like these were just as powerful as any alpine boot on the market, but way more versatile. As mentioned above, the forefoot volume in the test size was a tad large, but I suspect a more proper fit would eliminate that complaint.

NOTE: Every foot is different, so get to your local shop and try these on. While the fit will need some work for me to be slipper-like, you may have better or worse luck depending on your foot shape.

Good Pebax Pro

• Pebax shell offers lightness and consistent flex
• Magnesium Backbone really makes these ski like burly alpine boots
• Walk mode offers a smooth, comfortable stride
• Dynafit or A/T compatibility gives you plenty of binding options
• Beefy power strap
• Contagrip outsole provides excellent traction
• Weight-to-power ratio is very good

Bad Pebax Pro

• Expensive pricepoint, but it is a “do-it-all boot”
• First production year should be solid, but you never know
• Swappable soles are really a gimmick that not many will actually use

Bottom Line: Salomon Quest Pebax Pro

With a lightweight Pebax shell and burly Contagrip outsoles, the new Salomon Quest Pebax Pro touring boots nail it with a powerful flex and superb walkability. Three buckles are all you’ll need to drive your skis inbounds and in the backcountry.

Buy Now: Search for Salomon Quest Ski Boots

Anthill Films’ Follow Me Official Trailer

Official Press Release and Tour Info

Squamish B.C. March 10th 2010 – Production for Anthill Films’ new mountain bike movie, Follow Me is wrapping up and the wait to see one of the most anticipated action sport films of the year is almost over. With the official teaser for Follow Me just completed you can now get a glimpse at what the Anthill crew has spent the last year-and-half working on.

In less than five weeks, over 1,000 people will get to see the full film for the very first time. The world premier of Follow Me will take place April 16th in Monterey California at the Golden State Theatre to coincide with the Sea Otter Bike Classic. Two days later on April 18th, the crew will be back in their hometown of Whistler B.C. for the Canadian premier at the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival. Then its down to Vancouver B.C. for another show at the Vogue Theatre on April 23rd to kick off the world tour of Follow Me.

The world tour will give mountain bikers all over the globe the chance to get an exclusive look at the film before it comes out on DVD and iTunes in the middle of May.

Over 40 stops for the tour have been confirmed so far and new dates are being added daily. Go to anthillfilms.com to find out more about confirmed locations, dates, times and tickets.

The site is constantly being updated as more tour dates are added so check back often. Contact Us if you are interested in hosting a premier of Follow Me. Follow Me is a new HD mountain bike film from the crew who brought you the Collective, Roam and Seasons.. Follow Me is all about good times, pushing limits with your friends, crazy adventures and most importantly having fun your bike. Breaking from traditional single rider formats, the film is based on the idea that “no one rides alone”; mixing and matching the world’s best downhillers, freeriders and slopestylers in some of the best places to ride on the planet. Featuring: Sam Hill, Gee Atherton, Brandon Semenuk, Cam McCaul, Thomas Vanderham, Matt Hunter, Ben Boyko, Kurt Sorge, Steve Smith and Geoff Gulevich.

Visit anthillfilms.com to preorder and find out more.

Follow Me is presented by Shimano in association with Adidas Eyewear, BikeParks of BC, PRO Components, PinkBike.com, Bike Magazine and Nike 6.0 and will be distributed globally by VAS Entertainment.

More Info: Visit AnthillFilms.com

However, no one–not even professional ski patrollers–can guarantee any slope to be 100% safe all the time. A recent spate of inbounds avalanches and a sizeable avalanche in the well-traveled sidecountry of Bridger Bowl, MT will tell you that no matter how “safe” you may think the slope is, you can never be too careful. And, might I add, you can never have too much safety equipment.

The Avalung is just one of those little extra pieces of safety gear that, in the remote chance you are buried in an avalanche, you can survive for a long period of time while your buddies track you down.

About the Black Diamond Bandit Avalung

Built for strategic sidecountry sorties, the streamlined Black Diamond Bandit Avalung pack is built to carry just enough gear to take you safely into and back out of the backcountry. The built-in Avalung is one of the best selling points of all BD ski packs. While you can’t guarantee you’ll still be conscious if buried in a slide, you’ll darn well be grateful you’ve got the life-breathing snorkel if you do.

Bandit Avalung Features:

• Zippered panel opening
• Diagonal ski or horizontal board carry options
• Enclosed shovel/probe organization
• Insulated hydration sleeve
• Weight: 2 lbs 5 oz
• MSRP: $180

Black Diamond Bandit Avalung Review

The Bandit is the lowest-volume ski pack (a mere 690 cu in) in BD’s lineup and offers little in the way of frills. It’s simple back panel and minimalistic interior offers just enough for the sidecountry yo-yo skier or for those who ride the heli or cat on a frequent basis. I got to test the Seth Plaid version, but there are more mainstream color options as well.

I used the Bandit for quick backcountry tours and found the size to be quite tight for all my stuff. Granted, I tend to haul the kitchen sink, but still… I was forced to live without a few items because there was simply not enough room. The small outside pocket on the top of the lid was only capable of carrying a couple of ProBars and a slim camera, so keep that in mind.

That said, I appreciated the lightweight feel of the Bandit (due primarily to me not taking along so much stuff) and, of course, the built-in Avalung–it’s just one more thing to help you in case the worst happens. Particularly nice is the insulated hydration sleeve that worked great with my Hydrapak bladder.

Good Bandit

• Lightweight and simple
• Built-in Avalung
• Great for inbounds pursuits and sidecountry missions
• Just big enough for a 3-4 hour tour… barely
• Fits my full-size Voile shovel
• Built-in, insulated hydration sleeve (cha-ching)
• Simple ski carry system

Bad Bandit

• Tight fit if you’re like me and tend to carry extra gear into the backcountry
• Simple back panel could use some updating compared to the competition
• No separate toolkit divider for quick shovel and probe access
• A single, tiny outside pocket

Bottom Line: Black Diamond Bandit Avalung

If you’re looking for simplicity in a backcountry ski pack but still want to be as prepared as possible, check out the Bandit but leave Burt Reynolds at home.

Buy Now: Search for the Black Diamond Bandit Pack

SALT LAKE CITY – March 8, 2010 – Steve Miller, president of the 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah cycling race, confirmed that August 17-22 are the official dates of the USA Cycling sanctioned pro race. In addition, Zions Bank is returning as presenting sponsor of the Tour for the fourth year (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010). Dubbed as America’s Toughest Stage Race, the tour will consist of a prologue and five stages covering some of this country’s most breathtaking terrain throughout central and northern Utah.

“I am pleased to be able to confirm the August 2010 dates for this year’s race,” said Steve Miller. “We had such an enthusiastic response to the 2009 event that local communities along the course are excited to see the Tour return, and last year’s participants have provided feedback on how to make the race even tougher. In addition, based on last year’s success, all existing sponsors have chosen to return making increased commitments to the race through cash, trade, advertising and marketing.”

Once again, the Tour of Utah is on the official National Racing Calendar (NRC). The six-day stage race will begin with The Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau Prologue on Tuesday, August 17 and end Sunday, August 22 with the legendary Park City to Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort “Queen” stage.

The remaining five stages will include the University of Utah Health Care Ogden to Research Park road race, the Heiden Davidson Orthopedics criterium in downtown Park City, the teamgive time trial at Miller Motorsports Park, and the XANGO Thanksgiving Point to Top of Mt. Nebo road race. Race route details will be announced soon.

Additional sponsors include: Utah Toyota Dealers Association, KJZZ 14, 1320 KFAN, POWERADE, Glacéau vitaminwater, FFKR Architects, Bingham Cyclery, First Endurance, Canyon Bicycles, PROBAR, I.J. and Jeanne’ Wagner Jewish Community Center, Sheraton Downtown Salt Lake City, Edge Composites, City of Ogden, and Shimano.

“The support we receive from Zions Bank, as well as the rest of our sponsors, is important to the success of the Tour of Utah,” continued Miller. “Zions Bank has a long legacy of participation in our community and its name is synonymous with hard work, commitment and success, which are the same values Tour participants embody.”

“Zions Bank is committed to the communities in which we do business,” said Rob Brough, executive vice president, marketing/communications Zions Bank. “The Tour of Utah is one of our country’s premier cycling events which showcases this great state, our culture and our people. Zions Bank is proud to take part in this spectacular event.”

The Tour of Utah will also include a non-competitive ride for enthusiast cyclists the Saturday before called “The Ultimate Challenge.” Detailed information for The Ultimate Challenge will be released soon.

For more information about the Tour, please visit www.tourofutah.com.

About the 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
Deemed “America’s Toughest Tour,” the 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah presented by Zions Bank, is a six-day, seven-stage, 300-mile plus professional bicycle road race along the Rocky Mountain’s Wasatch Range through some of Utah’s most beautiful and challenging landscapes. Scheduled to take place August 17-22, 2010, the Tour of Utah will attract 17 professional cycling teams totaling 136 cyclists competing for a cash/prize purse of $45,000. The 2010 Tour of Utah will be accompanied by a colorful, rolling festival celebration that will take place at the finish line of each stage. More than 30,000 spectators are expected to line the racecourse and attend the festivals in Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City and Tooele, and 60,000-plus race fans are expected to follow online.

About the Outdoor Research Furio Pants

These pants are up to any alpine challenge. Lightweight and breathable Gore-Tex® Paclite® fabric easily deflects nasty weather and expels internal moisture to keep you moving quickly. The rugged 70D Gore-Tex® Pro Shell fabric provides critical reinforcement in high stress areas while full-length, double-separating side zippers allow maximum ventilation and allow the pants to be pulled on easily over boots.

• Strategic mix of 70D Gore-Tex® Paclite® and Pro Shell fabrics
• Fully seam taped, all-conditions protection
• Accepts accessory suspenders (sold separately)
• Integrated belt; snap and double-sliding zipper fly
• Water-resistant zippers
• Full-length, double-separating side zippers allow drop seat
• Articulated knees
• Zip-out internal mesh gaiters with gripper elastic
• Reinforced ankle scuff guards
• Snap/drawcord cuff closures
• Grommets for instep lace
• MSRP: $280

Outdoor Research Furio Gore-Tex Pants Review

Simple, black and streamlined, the Furio Pants are no-frills on the surface, but with some niceties once you wear them awhile. First off, the outer fabric is very durable and has withstood plenty of carwash exits (scrub oak + nylon is usually a bad thing). Add on top of that the Gore-Tex Paclite laminate front and Pro Shell back and knees for breathability and waterproofing and you have a durable, functional winter pant.

As far as sizing goes, I did have a little bit of trouble getting correctly-sized in these pants. It seems I’m a medium-and-a-half in Outdoor Research pants (5′11″, 32″ inseam, 175 lbs.), but the size large ended up fitting just dandy with enough baggyness around the thighs to keep things comfortable, yet not grab on every branch in sight. One nice thing about the size large is I had plenty of room for my hind end, which can feel snug in some designs. So, maybe I’m a large, I guess.

After wearing these on several cold, snowy days, I then pushed the limits of these pants on a warm, spring-like ski tour. I did have to open the side zips for moisture management and thank goodness because although Gore-Tex Paclite does breathe decently, it still needs some ventilation assistance. I did have some aggressive tours where the inside of the pants were pretty damp from perspiration. That dampness becomes more apparent in this design since it lacks a brushed backing on the interior (to shave weight). A backing would add a tad more weight, but it would not only improve the moisture management, but aid in the cold, next-to-skin feel of these pants on early dawn patrols.

The Furios are made for athletic mountaineering, ice climbing and backcountry skiing, so keep that in mind. They are light, functional and lack some of the pocket frills found on most other pants. All you get is a single pocket for your right hand (left-handers are out of luck, sorry). This is good in some ways, but kind of frustrating at times when I searched for a pocket with my left hand to no avail. I did also miss having at least one small cargo pocket for lip balm or the occasional wrapper storage.

While they are simple pants, they do offer some great features, like zip-off powder cuffs, loops for optional suspenders and full-length waterproof zippers. Zipping off the powder cuffs allows these pants to be used for foul weather year-round.

Keep in mind that the cuffs aren’t as wide-opening as some designs, so pulling these over my Lange Banshee Pro’s with Hotronic heaters was a little difficult and resulted in a skinny jeans look at the cuff. On my touring boots, the fit was a little better with the powder cuffs keeping the white stuff at bay.

Good Furio

• Gore keeps things waterproof indeed
• Durability is top-notch
• Full-zips easily allow ventilation or access
• Integrated belt worked like a charm
• Zip-off powder cuffs extend the lifespan of these pants

Bad Furio

• Only a single pocket on the right thigh (sorry lefties!)
• Mighty chilly on cold mornings until you get revved up
• Cuffs are a little tight for some boots

The Bottom Line: Outdoor Research Furio Pants

The Furio pants attack the mountain with precision, but just make sure you’re down with the lack of pockets before you commit. If you do jump in, the Furio’s will provide durable weather protection and excellent ventilation via full-length zippers.

Buy Now: Search for Outdoor Research Furio Pants