Reviews by User: Andy Jacobsen (20)

These skis are incredible. I can not say enough good things. The tip rocker make these skis very turnable even in the 188 length. So do not be afraid to buy them as long or a little longer than you are used to. For telemark skiers the dreaded "tip dive" is virtually eliminated by the unsinkable rockered tip on the Megawatt. The progressive flex gives this ski a nice tail that can handle hard charging skiers no problem yet this ski still seems to be the most user friendly fat ski I have ever skied. 5 stars really doesn't do it. As far as powder big-mountain boards go this ski is 6 stars for sure!

I love this device. Makes raps down thin, icy ropes a lot less sketchy . The ability to clip directly into the anchor and belay two ropes with a self-locking system is amazing for alpine and multi-pitch climbing. A little on the heavy side but worth every ounce. I don't really mind this but this device is quite slow while rapping on thick (10mm+) cords.

I have about 25 days on these boots, about 50/50 as far as resort/touring days. I have been skiing the Scarpa T-race for years before this boot came out. In contrast to the T-race I think the Custom is slightly stiffer in the bellows. One big advantage over the current T-race is the Custom has a tour mode and a great one at that. The Custom when in tour mode has a ton of freedom of movement. Compared to similarly big and stiff boots the Custom is lightyears ahead as far as ability to tour. As far fit goes, I was a 28 in Scarpa and I am also a 28 in the BD Custom (I have a 10.5 street shoe). The Custom's heel cup is large and comfortable. There is no need to even snug these boots up for the hike up, I leave all the buckles on the loosest setting for hiking. The boa lacing system in the liner and big heel cup keep my foot right in place. One of my first days touring with this boot we skinned 7,000' and no blisters or even hot spots! So far my only major complaint is with one of the buckles. I buckle my boots TIGHT and sometimes have problems unbuckling the higher of the two lower buckles, especially with gloves on. My solution is to tie on a very small scrap of 3mm cord to the end of each buckle so I can grab that with a gloved hand.

Great shovel. i really like the small size, it allows me to always leave the handle on the blade no matter what pack I am using. Shovels I have owned in the past have been too big to fit in an accessible area of my pack without taking the handle off of the blade. Putting the handle and blade back together is just another thing to fiddle with in the case of a burial. It seems that in terms of speed of digging a person out a larger shovel is only preferable in softer snow. Seeing as most avy debris is generally solid and dense I don't know how much a bigger shovel will really help. Maybe a little. If I was a ski guide and had to dig 10 pits a day I would definitely prefer a bigger shovel. One of the best features of this shovel is how the handle and blade extend and collapse easily into a tight little package. Cool design feels far stronger than other shovels I have used.

These knee pads are so comfortable they seem to disappear once you put them on. They are light yet provide great protection. My favorite feature is the upper portion where strap attaches. It stays above your kneecap even when in a deep knee bend, providing protection against a direct impact to the uphill knee while making a telemark turn. By far my all-time favorite knee pad. Can't say enough good things.

Great shoe for very overhanging climbing. I tend to only wear my pair on really steep stuff. Almost felt like I was cheating the first time I climbed in them. My feet were sticking to crystals where I had popped a foot repeatedly before. I have climbed some trad in these shoes and they were ok but I definitely prefer my miuras when climbing trad or something less than vertical. I have two main complaints about this shoe: 1. The big and thick heel is not very sensitive at all for heel hooking. 2. The velcro strap can wear out and snap. Good thing these shoes climb almost the same strapped shut and not. I am 10.5/11 street shoe and wear the solution in a 40.5. While I could barely get them on when they were new, I think that I would size down to a 40 for a redpoint only type of shoe and up to 41 for all day comfort. For some reason this shoe is still comfortable when fit tight.

Light... quick to put together... what more do yo want out of a probe? I have been very impressed with this probe. I upgraded from my old aluminum probe to shed some precious ounces and have been pleasantly surprised to find that this probe is not only lighter but more functional. The shorter sections make it possible to fit the broken down probe in my smallest pack without it sticking out. Also this is the quickest probe to put together that I have ever used. The velcro flap on the stuff sack opens much quicker than a drawstring, then just pull the cable tight and the whole thing snaps together. Very impressive.

Great all-around ski for anywhere in the west. If you live on the east coast check out the Havoc. The Verdict is not huge so it is fine on longer tours yet big enough to ski on a pow day at Alta. Surprisingly great edging on firm snow. Stability in all types of snow seem to be the #1 quality of this ski.

This pole does it all. It is light, durable, adjustable, comfortable and easy to use. I have done everything from multi day tours to hucking cliffs and this pole has withstood it all. Takes a little tweaking to get the flicklock adjustment dialed to where it is not too tight but just tight enough not to ever slip. But once it is dialed in you never have to think about it again. I would recommend this pole to anyone looking for an adjustable pole that is lightweight and durable.

After 10 years of touring on normal telemark bindings, my first day on 01's I felt like I was falling UP the hill. It was way too easy. Good thing I never tried AT gear before that because if I would have known what difference free pivot makes I would have bought an AT setup and locked the heel down until the day someone came out with a ripping tele binding that has a free pivot touring mode. Well that day is here and the 01 excels in all aspects, not just uphill ease. The rid stiff cartridges are stiff enough for your 6'5", 258 pound friend that likes a particularly deep and powerful tele turn and the softer cartridges work great for your mild mannered girlfriend that likes to shred pow all day in the trees. Truly a binding that does it all. I have been skiing this binding exclusively since it first became available and they still bring a little smile to my face every time I start up a skin track and click them into tour mode. Ahhhhhh free pivot is a beautiful thing!

Great all-around ski for everything except the deepest days. Extremely snappy, while these skis love to turn they have no problem opening it up a little for some high speed carving. Light enough to not weigh you down on those long tours yet burly enough to hold an edge on 50 degree ice. I would recommend these skis a single quiver ski for most places. In Utah and other places that get large amounts of snow regularly I would prefer something a little bigger like the Verdict as an all-around ski. I am 5'11", 155 and ski very aggressive and the 185 feels perfect for me.

Great harness. I love mine. Easy on and off with adjustable leg loops. I use this harness for sport, trad, big-wall, alpine and occasionally ski-mountaineering. It excels in all types of climbing. Super-comfortable even on those long hanging belays. A little heavy for alpine or ski-mountaineering but if I am going to be at any hanging belays the comfort makes it worth it and the adjustable leg loops make it possible to easily take the harness on and off with ski boots on. Gear loops work well even when over-loaded. I had to tie a little knot in the straps that go over the butt to keep them from adjusting but other than that this harness is fantastic.

These nasty bad boys are my favorite sunglasses. The lens are amazing, they seem to enhance everything. The flyer is comfortable yet very snug on my face. Never have to worry about these flying off your face. They are fairly large sunglasses so they offer full protection for your eyes. They seem to fit very close to my face which I like except that they tend to fog while touring a little easier than some other sunglasses that are not quite so close fitting.

My favorite ski glove for all but the coldest days. Tons and tons of dexterity and durable enough for the hardest of the hardcore. Easy on and off with a very simple and effective velcro closure system. Simple no frills design is perfect for a leather work type of ski glove. Dexterity is definitely the priority, not warmth. I generally have warm hands and this glove works for me all winter except for the absolute coldest days.

The guide is my cold weather glove of choice. Still has reasonable dexterity considering how nicely insulated they are. Great everyday glove for people who normally get cold fingers. I generally have warm hands so these can be hot on warm spring days. The large gauntlet keeps all the fluffy white stuff out even on the deepest days.

Definitely the most versatile lens in the business. Amazingly good in flat light yet still fine on those bluebird spring days. Great peripheral vision as well, almost like wearing nothing at all. Compatible with or without a helmet. My goggle of choice.

I use this watch mostly for backcountry/ski-mountaineering in the winter and training for backcountry skiing in the summer. The logbook is my favorite function of this watch. It tracks the total amount of vertical ascent and descent as well as the number of laps. I only use the heart rate monitor in the summer months while training. I like being able to keep an eye on my heart rate. The heart rate monitor allows me to pace my self better and target a certain heart rate and stay there. Definitely helps me get a little more out of my workouts.

All-time favorite shoe. If I could have only one shoe for the rest of my life this would be it. Light, waterproof, comfortable, durable and actually I think very good looking. I love the lacing system, easy on, easy off. I have been buying this style of shoe from Salomon for about 3 years and have been consistently impressed. I use mine mostly for trail running and long approaches to crags. I have a semi-wide foot and unlike other reviewers below, I have never had any problems with the fit of the shoe.

The avalung is obviously a nice feature on this pack but that is not really what I love about it, more like icing on the cake . I love the simplicity. There is nothing on this pack that I do not use. The vertical zip on the back offers quick and easy access to all of your avalanche tools and seems to be the perfect size for my shovel, probe and snow saw. I use the 42 L which is quite large for small day tours but it is worth it to me to have the versatility. No big deal if I want to bring the extra down or if heading out for a three day tour carrying bivy gear. The fit is great for me. I am 5'11" and 155 lbs. Plus you gotta love the name... Anarchy rules!

The Alias is my pack of choice for light and fast missions when traveling in avalanche terrain. BD has done their research and come up with a highly efficient tool for gaining and dispensing vertical with the added safety of an avalung. This pack is lighter than the other BD avalung packs of similar size. While I prefer the BD anarchist for carrying heavier loads the Alias really shines on long tours and climbs where I am going light and fast.