So this winter I've decided to get off the resorts and explore the backcountry in search of more power. Because I can't afford to take a helicopter every weekend (or even at all) I've gone the backcountry touring option, this involves skiing or snow shoeing your way to the top and then skiing down. While a lot of the gear is similar to alpine/resort skiing there are some differences. The full post has my list and the reasons why I made these selections.
Skis: Prior - Husume (Topsheets: Haida Eagle Black/Clear, Bases: Red/Black). This ski has a rockered pow-tip and tail, camber underfoot, moderate sidecut, dialed flex, 12-14mm taper, squared tail, maple core, and a sintered diecut base. This ski a really nice balance between weight savings and float. The Husume ski is named after a premier backcountry run accessible behind Blackcomb Mountian. Prior started out making custom snowboards in 1990, and in 2002 took their snowboard knowledge and started to make custom skis as well. Based in Whistler BC all skis are made to custom order. The Husume has won Powder Magazine's Skier's Choice award for 2010, and I can't wait to try these skis out!
Boots: Dynafit - ZZeus TF-X or Titan TF-X. I haven't decided on which boots I'm going to finally end up with. I'd like to try both boots on and see which ones fit best. The other deciding factor between the boots is how stiff they are. The ZZeus is a more all terrain boot which is a little more flexible and will be more comfortable for the climb. The Titan is a stiffer boot and better suited for the run down. My final decision will be made once I put the boots on my feet and see which ones I like best. Both boots have the ability to switch from the dynafit binding to a regular alpine binding which will allow me to pick any kind of binding I want for my skis and I can still use my new boots with my old skis if I like.
Bindings: Dynafit - TLT Vertical FT 12 w/110 mm Stopper. I've decided to go with the Dynafit binding system because it is a lighter system, and from what I've seen so far there are less parts on it to break as well. The downsides to a Dynafit binding is that on a resort it isn't as nice as a regular alpine binding. As the goal is to spend as much time as I can back country, and I already have some good resort skis, this shouldn't be a problem at all.
Avalanche Transceiver: Mammut - PULSE Barryvox. This transciver has digital and analog modes, three antennas and a 50m search width. The main reason I picked this transceiver is because the on/send/search switch is a physical switch, not a magnetic switch. I plan to ski with a radio just in case of troubles, and I have heard of situations where the speaker in the radio can trigger the send/search switch of a transceiver. This unit also will switch back into send mode after 4 or 8 minutes of being idle just in case you get buried in a second avalanche.
That's the big ticket items. I'm still debating between getting a avalung or a pack with the avalung built in, I'll keep everyone posted.
