Reviews by User: Andrew McLean (32)

I Scarpa boot in general, and love the F3 in particular. For almost everything but the steepest of slopes, the F3 has ample control and can drive a mid-phat ski (95mm waist) in most conditions. The beauty of the F3 is that it is so light, reliable and tours so well that you can get many extra thousand feet of climbing (and thus, skiing) in per day. The bellows make it easy to walk in, the fit is legendary Scarpa (super-plush) and when combined with a Dynafit binding you can fly up hill.

I've been skiing with Whippets since they first came out - actually, even before they came out as I designed them for BD many years ago (no, I don't get commissions or royalties on them!). I love using them because they are always there and you never know when you are going to have a small slip which could turn into a big slide. With Whippets, you can instantly plug them into the snow to stop a fall, or at least get your feet back underneath you. I use them as a pair - one in each hand. Another nice aspect of Whippets, especially for ski mountaineering is that they work well for ascending - I'm constantly using them in 4wd mode when booting up a chute and they greatly enhance your traction.

I've used Barryvox, Ortovox, Pieps and Tracker beacons over the last 15 years and liked them all without developing an attachment to any particular brand. Last year I had an opportunity to review the top six brands of beacons for Skiing Magazine under the assumption that they would be tested as a "normal" user uses them, ie; take them out of the package, turn them on and use them with little to no reading of the manual. Fortunately, I was in the market for a new beacon, so I had a personal interest in the results. I tested range, speed of a single search, ease of a multiple search, ease of use and how the harness fit. I didn't know what to expect, but I definitely didn't aniticipate the Pieps DSP to be such a clear winner in almost every category! It had by far and away the longest range (70 meters) and somehow eliminated the flux line arc which takes the searcher on a tangent before honing in on the victim. Instead, it was a direct bee-line to the victim. Single searches were no problem (as they are on most modern digital beacons) and the multiple search was very intuitive and accurate. I use a custom beacon harness, so I don't have any comment on the fit of the Pieps harness. Of the two Pieps models, I chose this one as it is the most basic - I want simplicity and durability out of a beacon and get temps and altitude from my watch.

I got my first set of Dynafit bindings for racing and never expected to fall so completely in love with them! Like switching from old-style strap-in pedals on a bike to clipless pedals, your initial reaction is "Whoa! These things are ackward and fiddly!" but a week later, once you figure them out, you will never go back as they have so many advantages. The TLT is the classic Dynafit binding and has been in the line for many years. They are the epitome of simplicity, and, much to peoples surprise, durability. I use to take an entire tool kit and many spare parts of other bindings on expeditions, but after six or more extended trips with Dynafits, all I take is a spare toe piece for the entire group (assuming everyone is on Dynafits, as they should be!). Even then, I've never had one break. As one of the bigger testiments to their burliness, a friend once hung unside down over a yawning crevasse for half an hour by his Dynafit toepiece - something no other binding could have done. As far as high release settings, another thing I love about Dynafits is that you can ski with the toe racheted up if you want to lock out the release, which is a nice feature for steep, committing terrain where you absolutely don't want your ski to come off. With other bindings, if you want this extra security you have to ski with it set on a high DIN all the time, which is not so great for general cruising. The TLT's forte is minimum weight and maximum tourability. It doesn't have the adjustment range of the Vertical or Comfort and shouldn't be used with brakes as it wears the bearing out.

You can't go wrong with any of the Dynafit bindings and the TLT Vertical is the latest and greatest. A cool aspect of the Dynafit bindings is that they are all share the same basic mechanism, but have differing degrees of creature comforts. In the case of the TLT Vertical, they have a greater range of adjustment, an easy to pull front tab, a nice heel lifter and are set up for integration with brakes. In true Dynafit fashion, they have done this without adding much weight and at the same time keeping the binding simple.

I got a pair of Marker Dukes for resort skiing and kite skiing as I wanted a binding that I could ski bumps with, use with any boot (alpine, AT, whatever) and had excellent release characteristics in all situations. I dont really plan on touring with them as they are quite a bit heavier than Dynafits, but I like the idea that if I had to tour, I could. For instance if I skied out of bounds at a resort and had to do a short tour back, or if the wind died while kiting and I had to get back to the car the Dukes would be WAY better than walking. For kiting and resort skiing, being able to step into the binding is a big plus and the Marker Duke does that very well. It also has excellent return-to-center abilities, which is nice for chattery conditions. They are fairly easy to do a home-mount with, although the instructions are geared more for a shop mount and require some reading between the lines. The swap-over method from skiing to touring is a bit janky (have to remove your ski), but not that big a deal, especially considering the beef of the binding.

I'm very particular about my hats - they have to be warm, but not too warm, stylie without steeze, cover my ears without covering my eyes, stay on my head without being too tight, work with sunglasses & goggles, not itch and fit in a pocket when I'm not wearing them. The BC.com Lukla does all of that, which is why it is my current hat of choice.

Within two years of using my first Dynafit binding, I had sold off or given away all other bindings and switched over to Dynafits exclusively. Not only that, but so has my wife and our ski locker looks like a Dynafit show room! About half of our Dynafits are Comforts as they have a good range of adjustment and are intended to be used with brakes. I like brakes for everyday skiing, but tend to go with removeable leashes (and thus the TLT Classic binding) for expeditions.

The biggest disadvantage of a phat ski for the backcountry is that they tend to be heavier. The heavier the set-up, the slower you go uphill, and thus the less skiing you get in for a day. Enter the K2 Mt. Baker Superlight - a fat ski which has been put on a weight diet. The MBSL is a blast to ski and floats through powder, chops up crud and eats up anything you can throw at it. I'm 5'10" and 145 lbs, so I like them in a slightly short size for the backcountry (167cm). I've used longer ones (174cm) as hybrid resort/BC ski and been happy with their stability on high speed groomers.

Im very particular about my backcountry skiing packs as they have such a big impact on a day of skiing. If they dont fit, have straps in the wrong place, or have features that dont work, you end up dealing with it multiple times per day which adds up to an annoying experience. But not so with the BD Covert pack. I switched to it this season (from a Switchback pack and before that an Attack Pack) and have been very happy with it for days tours. I got the smallest size (22 liters) as I dont carry much on day tours, and with a small pack, you dont really have the option! It fits a good size shovel blade (G3 AviTech) and has a nice selection of holders for your shovel handle and probe. It also allows many ski carrying options, including my favorite, strapping them to the side. The Covert comes with all sorts of extra straps which can easily be removed by unclipping them, which I do as I like a nice clean profile for skiing through trees or just keeping the dingle-factor at bay. I tried the AvaLung version of this pack a few years ago and didnt like it as the AvaLung mechanism took up too much room in the small sized pack, which meant I had to upsize to the larger pack to carry the same amount of stuff, which meant the pack was no longer as light and trim. Your mileage may vary. On the negative side, once you put a shovel blade in the back pocket, it compresses the inside goggle pocket to the point where it is almost uselessly hard to get into, so I carry nothing in there. The hydration tube holder doesnt really keep water from freezing, so it is a bit of a moot feature. But overall, this is my favorite backpack for day tours around the Wasatch.

There is a lot to love about this shovel. Ive had one (my first and still the original one Ive owned) for five years and have used it all over the world on numerous expeditions, as well as when I was working as an avalanche forecaster. To me, it is the Golden Standard of all backcountry shovels. Pros - The D handle works with mittens and you can pass straps through it to securely lash it to a pack or sled (cant do that with a T grip) - I love the flat back on the blade as it cuts nice, clean pit walls without scalloping - The extension tubes are a very precious fit which means that it doesn’t feel all rattly and loose when you are using it. - The blade ferrule is machine bored, which means that it has an excellent, tight fit with the handle. This is important as over time it doesnt get loose and wobbly like other shovels. - The sidewall are deep enough to hold a good load of snow, yet not so deep that it makes it hard to fit the blade in a day backpack. - The material is very durable and will withstand being driven through hard snow with a solid kick from a boot. - The top of the blade is nice and square which helps when you are stomping on it with a boot as your boot doesnt deflect. Cons? Hard to find any, but the tight fit between parts can sometimes make it a bit hard to extend the shaft or engage it into the blade, but this is a small issue. Oh, and the name (AviTech) is kind of lame for such a great product. Perhaps one of the best things about this shovel is that it is so reliable. If I have to dig a friend out of an avalanche, I want a 100% shovel and the G3 AviTech is it.

Starting with the Scarpa Lazer, the Matrix continues Scarpa's line of perfectly balanced touring boots. I like this boot as it tours well, skis well, climbs well, is warm, comfortable, durable, a nice balance of weight vs performance and superb all-around boot.

Trim and well thought out. Has everything you need in a day pack and nothing else.

High beam, low beam, durable, great price.

I've been using the BD Carbon Fiber Flicklock poles and variations of them (Whippets) for years and have never had a problem. They are a nice balance of weight and function and I like the simple, yet comfy grip. Like any piece of backcountry gear, they will last longer if you maintain and inspect them a few times a year, but I have never broken a lower or upper shaft or had anything malfunction on them. It helps to occasionally check the tension of the clamping mechanism, especially if you are going from a warmer climate to somewhere very cold as the clamp has less elasticity. I've grown to totally trust the clamping mechanism to a point that I probably shouldn't! There have been a few times where I'm booting along a ridgeline and put the majority of my weight on the poles, only to realize that if the clamping mechanism should slip, the pole would collapse and I'd be sent for a header. So far this hasn't happened and it is much more likely to happen with other clamping devices. On the negative side, snow can occasionally plug up the clamping mechanism (no big deal - knock it out), and the bulbous lump on an otherwise smooth shaft takes a bit of visual getting use to, but you get over it. The swing weight is nice and I love the asymmetrical baskets (truth in advertising as I designed them years ago). Overall, an excellent backcountry tool.

I carry a Mountain Hardwear Hooded Compressor jacket with me at all times while day ski touring in the Wasatch backcountry. It usually stays tucked into a stuff sack at the bottom of my pack, but when I do bust it out, it provides heavenly warmth. I think of this jacket as insurance I may not use it all the time, but when I do, I love it. I prefer the synthetic fill over down for just this reason you never know if you might have to use it in the rain, and down doesnt do well when it get wet, but the Compressor does. Another advantage of the synthetic fill is that if you accidentally rip the outer fabric, you dont dump feathers all over the mountains and lose your warmth. I am a mens “medium in jacket size, but I have a large in the Compressor jacket as I wear it over the top of my shell, etc.. I could put it on under a shell, but this would mean stripping the shell off, putting the Compressor on, then putting the shell back on over it, which means you are going to get even colder. The beauty of a larger jacket is that you can quickly put it on top of everything and conserve warmth. The Compressor has nice big pockets and an ample hood, which can be cinched down. For me, this is definitely a layering jacket as it is a bit thin and baggy on its own.

Along with beacons, shovels and probes, a Suunto X6 wrist computer is an essential piece of backcountry equipment. I use mine every time I go out to track vertical and it often inspires me to take one more run just to round up my total to the next highest number. Suunto watches have a vast array of options, yet a simple menu layout which makes them easy to use. They are also incredibly durable and reliable, which is nice when they get dropped, sat on or accidentally abused.

Probes are not the place to cut corners and try to save weight - they need to be simple, quick to set up and reliable. I like this probe as it can survive a good, hard pounding without breaking. Other probes I've tested in hard snow (like automated beacon test sites) have bowed, bent and/or had the tensioning mechanism come loose. Not this one.

I love the Syncros for backcountry skiing. They can be unzipped for venting, worn alone, worn under shell pants, or worn around town after a great day of turns. A classic Mountain Hardwear piece!

Works well for any and all things ski mountaineering related.

I got my first fairshare mug as a door prize and now have a few of them as they work so well. I like how the lid screws on tightly (can carry stuff securely in it) and how much it holds. I wrapped mine in foam to insulate it.

The Beryillium is intended to be more of a climbing jacket, but I love it for backcountry skiing as it has perfect pockets, a nice set of features (without having too many) and the material is excellent. It has a nice loose fit which works well for hiking and helps make it breathable. I was skeptical at first about the lightweight fabric (Pro Shell), but am now sold on it - it breathes well and is durable. The hood is also very well designed and can be used with a helmet or folded back for use with a regular hat.

This jacket holds its own amongst the Sundance Film Festival crowd! Sleek, stylish, warm, comfortable and legendary Mountain Hardwear quality.

The Apache Recon was my first new pair of Alpine skis in about ten years (I mainly backcountry ski) and I couldn't believe how fast & furious they are. I felt like I should have a license or something to be eligible to use them. They slice through bumps, blast through the crud and annihilate any irregularities which get in the way. Laying down big phat arcs on the groomers is a blast as well. An excellent all around high performance ski.

Leather palms, trigger finger liners, durable, yet simple. Love it.

For backcountry or resort skiing, the Zip T is my upper base-layer of choice. I've used them since they first came out (2000?) and have yet to wear one out. They are a nice blend of close fitting comfort and warmth, without being too clingy or hot. The long neck zipper is a nice feature as it allows you to vent on the uphills, then zip the neck up tight once you get to a windy ridge. The fabric breathes well, disapates moisture and dries quickly. I have worn a Zip T for weeks on end during expeditions and they are still warm & comfy - even if they reek. The only downside is that they don't have a small zipped pocket, which would be nice for a key, chapstick, etc.

I wear a pair of MHW Vertical pants over some MHW Synchro softshell pants for 99% of my backcountry skiing. Both pants have full side zips, which means you can vent them all the way down to bare skin without stopping, or mix and match for perfect tempature control. At first the Vertical fabric (ProShell) doesn't seem burly enough to withstand hard useage, but after a year and a half, mine are still going strong.

I originally thought this jacket might be too froo-froo for me, but after trying it on and wearing it for a few days, it has migrated to the front & center. It is a nice balance of warmth, comfort and weight, plus it works well on its own or as a layer.

Whippet uppers with carbon fiber lowers (made possible by using these adaptors) make for a nice, lightweight self arrest ski pole.

The ultimate backpacking status symbol. Babes love it.

If you are looking for a ski Quiver of One, the Shuksan is an excellent choice. It works on steep, icy couloirs, powder, groomers, bumps, backcountry... whatever. Not only that, but it is incredibly durable and will last for years. There are lots of backcountry skis available nowadays, but few of them have reached the "Classic" status of the Shuksan due to its all around perfect geometry and blend of performance.

As the product description says, you can do almost anything with a Joker rope from climbing big walls to sport climbing, to using it as a glacier rope. I like'm.