It’s hard to go touring in the Wasatch without running into a Backcountry.com employee, which makes it feel like just another day at the office–an office stuffed with some of the finest easy-access ski terrain around.
This dedicated crew of tour-ists (touring + enthusiasts, for the gravely uninformed) awakes in the pre-dawn hours to hit Superior before a morning meeting and spends the holy Sabbath trekking up the Pfeifferhorn. Collectively, the Backcountry posse possesses an impressive wealth of backcountry gear knowledge–and as any bloke on the skin track can tell you, having the right touring setup makes the difference between an amazing day and a miserable slog.
So kick off your boots, pour yourself a nice toddy, and join us as we sit down for a water cooler chat with five of our shred-ready comrades. Each individual offers unique insight on what you need–or need to avoid–for a comfortable and successful day away from resort lines.
Tommy Chandler, Photo Editor
Skis: Black Diamond Verdicts
Bindings: Dynafit TLTs
Boots: Dynafit ZZeros
Skins: Black Diamond Ascensions
Tommy roams the Wasatch steeps in a super-light, lap-anything-all-day-long setup. And he’s thrilled with it–it means he can afford to carry plenty of his girlfriend’s espresso brownies and a Thermos full of warm Nuun drink. It all packs into his Black Diamond Covert Avalaung backpack, along with his camera setup. (He’s kind of good at taking pictures.) Tommy rocks an old Ortovox F1 beacon; he’s pretty handy with it, so he feels no urgent need to upgrade, but eventually he’ll throw down for a Mammut Pulse Barryvox. He’s also entertaining the idea of getting some stiffer boots, but for now, his setup is dialed for any day tour or extended hut trip.
Tanya Christensen, Content Writer, Pro Skier
Skis: Fatypus E-Motions
Bindings: Marker Dukes
Boots: Lange Women’s Freeride 110s
Skins: Black Diamond Ascensions
Tanya demands reliability and burly performance–nothing that will break or pre-release when she’s 3,000 feet above the trailhead. For this, she’s willing to drag a few extra ounces–or pounds–up the mountain with her. A bomber old Dakine Heli Pro pack stows her foodstuffs and just-in-case necessities. She always carries chocolate, trail mix, a piece of bacon wrapped in a paper towel, a good sandwich, extra granola bars, duct tape, a headlamp, cell phone, extra layers, and a first-aid kit. (Preparedness, thy name is Tanya.) She feels comfortable with her trusty Ortovox D3 beacon and the sturdy avalanche shovel she found at a garage sale. Overall, she feels great about her setup. She may want to add some collapsible poles if she can find a reliable pair.
Elias Littenberg, Assistant Ski Buyer
Skis: Armada JJs
Bindings: Marker Barons
Boots: Tecnica Agents
Skins: Black Diamond Ascensions
Elias prioritizes his touring setup around the fact that nobody tours because it’s fun to skin up. People tour because it’s fun to ski downhill. So Elias slaps some skins on his 175cm JJs, stuffs his feet into super-stiff boots, and makes do with the fact that his rockered skis offer skin-to-snow contact about the length of a Saltine cracker. Because once he slips and slides his way to the top of the mountain, he gets to take the ride of his life back down. He’s psyched on his Black Diamond Outlaw Avalung backpack, and he feels confident with his BCA Tracker beacon.
A characteristically detailed list of things he wouldn’t consider leaving behind include: Icebreaker merino baselayers, exactly three bandanas, a knife, sunglasses, a Vanilla Crisp-flavored Power Bar, a Stoic softshell hoody, a puffy jacket, park/pipe gloves for skinning, warm gloves for skiing, and a 240cm probe. When a gnarly line is on the agenda, a lightweight helmet’s a must. But he never brings an MP3 player. “I go music-free both for safety and soulfulness,” he explains. Makes sense–the whoosh of the yachtlike JJs’ powder turns is music enough.
Jenn Berg, Marketing, Pro Skier
Skis: Volkl Katanas
Bindings: Marker Dukes
Boots: Tecnica Agents
Skins: Black Diamond Ascensions
Jenn doesn’t mind one bit that her go-to touring setup is a bit on the heavy side; she needs something rock-solid to stand up to her hard-charging ways. She tosses her essentials in a Dakine Heli Pro pack–gummy bears, a Mountain Hardwear micro puffy, extra gloves, scarf, extra goggles, camera, Clif bars, and chocolate. She loves her Mammut Pulse Barryvox beacon and practices with it regularly in the Snowbird beacon park. Jenn wouldn’t dream of skinning without music. “You gotta keep some rhythm in your skin,” she explains. Check out just how effective Jenn’s ski setup is on her site, JennBerg.com. Her gear seems to be working out prrretty well for her.
Justin Mool, Content Yoda
Skis: Voile Split Decision
Bindings: Ride Contrabands
Boots: Salomon Synapses
Skins: Voile Split Decision Tractors
Who says you have to be a permanent two-planker to slay efficiently? Justin rallies around the backcountry on his prized Voile Split Decision splitboard, which has kept him afloat for six seasons now. He’s dialed his outerwear setup with a 66 North jacket, Stoic Bombshell bib pants, and Stoic gloves that make him feel like Han Solo. But his favorite pieces of snow clothing are his Backcountry.com wool shirt and a wool sweater he bought at the thrift store for $3. He keeps his fuels of choice (peanut butter/honey sandwiches, butter/Nutella sandwiches) in his Dakine Pro 2 backpack. This large pack can be a bit unwieldy, he says, but there’s room for anything he might need, and it compresses well. Since safety comes first, Justin’s stocked his avie setup with a simple Ortovox X1 beacon, a telescoping Voile Telepro shovel, and lightweight Voile Tourlight probe. Brain bucket of choice? The low-profile Bern Macon EPS helmet.
What’s your setup?
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Tags: backcountry skiing, backcountry snowboarding, pro athletes
Hi, your teams gear sounds very nice. I see a pattern with the Ascension skins, but you can’t beat the best ! I like to keep my setup light. I use a pair of K2 Mt Baker Superlights, with Fritschi Diamir Explore bindings. I use Ascension skins as well, cut a bit narrower to save a bit of weight, but expose my edges better for hardpack contours.
Most of my outerwear is light weight as well. I use a Golite Pursuit pack, Cloudveil Koven ski pants, and a Golite Sastrugi hooded softshell jacket. Boots are Scarpa Magics, which work very well considering I have a very low volume foot.
I’ve been skiing the main products list for anywhere from 3-6 yrs, and they are holding up very well.
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Skis: K2 Hippy Stynx
Bindings: BD O1
Boots: Garmont EnerG
Skins: BD Glidelite
Beacon: Mammut Barryvox
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Skis: Rossignol Big Bang
Bindings: Fritschi-Damir
Boots: Scarpa Lazer
Skins:
Beacon: Ortovox M1
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Dang, the youth and strength of those on Marker Dukes and Barons, and alpine boots… impressive.
Skis: Fischer Watea 94
Bindings: Dynafit Comfort
Boots: Dynafit Titan
Skins: climbing skins direct
Beacon: BCA Tracker
I would love to put Barons on my Elan 1010s and do like Elias Littenberg and Jenn Berg but I’m too old and too interested in uphill efficiency to do that. I also like the challenge of trying to make lighter gear work for me. But I understand the desire to have a bomber descending setup, it’s why I got rid of my Dynafit Zzero4 boots after only one season — too squishy for the descent even under my 150 lbs of human toothpick-ness.
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You need to get a teleskier on staff!
Me-
Skis: G3 Aviatrix
Bindings: G3 Ascent Elle
Boots: Garmont Electra
Skins: G3 Alpinist (love them so much more than my BD Ascensions)
Beacon: Pieps DSP
Clearly I’m a fan of G3, but regardless, this is a really fun, relatively light weight but burly enough set-up.
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Skis: DPS Wailer 105
Bindings: Dynafit ST
Boots: Dynafit Titan
Skins: Glidelite Mohair Mix
Beacon: Tracker DTS
Super light, fat, stiff. What more do you want???
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Current set-up as of today, but looking to try some new things:
Skis: Rossignol S6
Bindings: Fritschi Freeride Plus
Boots: Black Diamond Factor
Skins: Black Diamond Glidelite
Beacon: BCA Tracker
I hear so many varying opinions about the Black Diamond boots in terms of stiffness and skiability. I find them to be great on the uphill because of a solid and smooth mechanical walk-mode mechanism, but too stiff for my liking on the down. Looking forward to trying their new line of boots next season.
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I am a heavier fella so I choose to rip on a pair of K2 Apache chiefs. The stiffness really helps me because by the time I’m all suited up I’m in the 240+ range. My bindings are a pair of Black Diamond Fritschi Diamir Freerides. I choose these because I am a ski patroller in the winter and I need something bomber to be able to handle the days of abuse. On my feet I use a pair of Garmont Adrenaline’s so I am able to switch out the plates with other downhill bindings when needed. My skins I use some BCA’s along with a BCA Tracker beacon and probe. I use an older REI pack that I stuff in a PBJ sandwich, peanut butter Cliff bar, some trail mix along with some jerky. I have also been known to toss in a diet Rockstar (if I think I might need a pick me up). I also always carry a light first aid kit (with derma bond), Teaka Headlamp, a Mountain Hardware puffy jacket, extra pair of gloves (Cloudveil Troller gloves+ Swany leather spring gloves), Patagonia R1 micro fleece, and an extra beanie. I always keep my mellon covered and currently I’m rockin’ a Smith helmet and goggle combo. My outer shell is Cloudveil’s Koven jacket and pants which are superior by far to anything else I’ve used for backcountry breathability and waterproofing.
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Wait just a sec. All alpine skiers Beth! You must have some free heel skiers at your fine establishment. For which I would have to say Black Diamond O1′s are money whatever ski you choose.
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Very inspiring! Going to have to definitely give tour a go!!
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Wow, you must all have quads like speed skaters to carry those heavy set-ups. At least Tommy has figured out the Dynafit thing, but even he is lugging Verdicts. With skis like the Goode Carbon and Dynafit Stoke out there these days, there is no reason for a heavy set-up unless you are shooting for a one size fits all resort/backcountry ski package. Bindings over 2 lbs. a pair and skis over 7-8lbs/pair are crazy for AT or telemark if you are trying to put in the vert. in the backcountry.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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Skis: Volkl Katana
Bindings: Marker Duke
Boots: Lange WC 150
Skins: Black Diamond
I don’t care about weight, because it’s all about the DOWN!
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Wow… Aren’t there any telemarkers on board? Where are all the freeheelers? I guess I’m old-fashioned.
K2 World Piste
Voile CRB Releasables
BD Ascension Skins
Garmont Synergy Boots
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Skis: Lhasa Pows, K2 Coombas, K2 Mt Baker SL
Bindings: Dynafit FT12, Dynafit ST, Dynafit ST
Boots: Dynafit Zzero 4
Skins: Ascensions on all
Beacon: Tracker DTS
I like light gear for the many vertical feet up in Alaska and don’t think anything is sacrificed on the down as far as performance goes. But I dont drop big cliffs either. Whatever works as long as you get out in the back country.
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Skis: Volkl Gotamas
Bindings: Dukes
Boots: BD Factors
Skins: Ascensions
Beacon: Ortovox X1
Other goodies I never leave the trailhead without:
G3 Bonesaw – sweet for digging immaculate snowpits
Compass / Inclinometer – you need both to travel safely in the BC
Binoculars – scope lines and slide activity
Voile Straps – 8 million uses
Micropuffy – packs small, heats big
Dakine Poacher Pack – It’s the shit!
Plus duct tape, med kit, lighter, Leatherman, Dakine ratchet tool, headlamp, mylar blanket, etc.
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Hey Sean,
Don’t know how else to do this – sorry if posting this here is inappropriate. I am considering an almost identical AT setup to yours – I’m just starting AT, but a longtime alpine skier. Currently have the Titan boots and am considering the Watea 94′s with Dynafits, but am in a quandry on the ski length. I am 52 but an athletic 6’2″, ~180 lbs. body weight. I’ve tried the 186 cm in an alpine setup and loved it in the deep crud. But then when I tried the same length on a total pure crust day in alpine boots, I couldn’t get them to hold on the crust/ice. The 178 did better but then chattered. Of course, AT would hopefully not engender those conditions, but I am worried about being able to drive the 186 with the Titan. OTOH, the 178 might be too short for the real deep days. I wish they came in an in between size. Any suggestions?
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Hey Nick, I suggest you go to the Watea page on Backcountry and ask there, too:
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Fischer-Watea-94-Alpine-Ski/FIS0050M.html
You can ask questions on the “Product Wall”
You’ll probably get an answer quicker.
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