Reviews by User: Chris Davenport (27)

I spent all last season in this boot when skiing lift served terrain and it's a stiff, burly alpine boot that skis with grace and poise. As an ex-racer I like a stiff "race boot" feel when skiing groomers or charging pow with my friends, and the Shaman delivers on all fronts. I use the Din sole with Marker Jester and Duke bindings and the interface is seamless. The boot is super comfy and I installed a Booster Strap to give it a little more power in the cuff. For a brand that has cut it's teeth with A/T boots, the Shaman can compete with any alpine boot on the market. And BTW I use the incredible Garmont Radium for backcountry and alpinism and it is off the hook!

After skiing for 15 years on Salomon 9-16's I am really happy to say I have found something better. The Jester is so stiff torsionally that you can really feel the ski bite on hard snow. Obviously this is less important in powder, but the security is excellent (I have popped out exactly when I thought I should have) If you are considering a new alpine binding that not only works perfectly but looks trick the Jesters are no Joker!

That;s right, packs so small and is so light that I could hall this one and another foam pad up the big dog. Super comfy and actually warm as well. It may give you a bit of a workout blowing it up... but hey we all need more lung power so chalk it up to training!

We all love the nice feel of an insulating piece right? Something compressable so it fits easily in your pack, but can be whipped out and thrown on after a sweaty skin or boot pack? Well this Odin Insulator is the unit for you. Not only do I carry this with me on all my ski mountaineering endeavors because it provides the perfect amount of warmth under my shell, but I also throw it on over a t-shirt in the fall or spring when I'm headed to the gym or coffee-shop. You know you are wearing something cool when people come up to you asking where you got it or who makes it. This jacket rocks.

We all know that the three most important things with goggles these days are: 1. How they fit your face. 2. How they interface with your helmet. 3. How sweet are the optics. Well the Phenom crushes it in all three categories. The fit is super sweet for men and women (my wife rocks 'em) and they fit seamlessly with Smith brain buckets like the Holt and the Variant Brim (which I use). I'm a freak when it comes to optics, so these goggs more than pass the test, especially with the Sensor Mirror or Platinum Mirror. (I love to Platinum Mirror for sun, Sensor for clouds/ snow) Plus they have so many dope styles you won't look like the other guy in the Gondi line.

Once you wear these pads you'll never go back to skiing naked-kneed! There is a reason there are so many great reviews for the Telekneesis Kneepad... they are light, warm, and extremely protective. I love the fact that they keep my knees warm on cold lift rides where your knees stick right out into the cold. i love the fact that they protect my ski-joints when I'm digging a pit, adjusting a binding, lighting a stove, gasping, puking, or inspecting snow crystals. If you are a ski mountaineer you will definitely bang your knees on rocks while you climb epic descents, so protect that shit!

The Bombshelter is a classic 4 season mountaineering tent that gets the job done! I have used it in the Himalaya, Denali, Rainier, and around Colorado with nothing but great results. It's actually easy to set up for one person and the attached vestibule holds packs and boots for two or three folks without issue. Four people get a little tight, unless your just playing cards. For strength to weight ratio the Bombshelter is without peer. When Todd Bibler designed it he definitely knew what hard-core mountain people were looking for, being one himself!

Pretty much the best telescopic pole out there in my opinion. They are super light, stiff, and easy t adjust in all temps and conditions. I have never broken a pair. (not that they can't be broken, but they ARE tough) The grips are grippy and the straps easy to slip on and off. (if you use 'em) This pole is way better than the Traverse and anyone who says they break easy should use a little softer pole plant. These poles are worth the price if you are a skier that likes having the best quality product on the market.

The Verglass jacket is an old standby. You can't go wrong with this no frills shell that is super comfy in sunny conditions and keeps you warm and dry when it's storming. I rock this jacket probably 50% of the time I'm out skiing and can't think of much wrong with it. The new Verglass Pant also kicks total ass!

... because I never leave home on a trip without it. I like to wear it a little slack, not too tight like the Germans, so order a size bigger than normal.

The Kingpin's have been my go to spring skiing gloves for the past couple seasons. I love the feel of leather on my ski poles, as well as on rock and simply just wearing around. They make for super work gloves and are really durable. I treat mine with water-proofing wax, which absorbs well after a few days. The Kingpin is one of three or four gloves in my quiver, and pretty much kicks ass.

When your hiking and it's stormy or humid, plus your are sweating, there is no better goggle on the market than the Phenom turbofan. While everyone else is fogging up and wiping (scratching) their lenses you are so well vented its actually cooling your eyeballs! Awesome fit and cool styles make this a winner. Just look at Julian's photo!

The Projekts are great and fit really well on my normal size dome. The polarchromatic lenses are always cool and actually work really well at dusk as the light is changing. Definitely a good choice from Smith!

They just fit so well, are so soft, and actually last longer than a season unlike many other cycling socks. Plus you can get them in so many colors and patterns. I like the black so they don't stain from mud. Super cool cycling socks!

The "beaters" are a great cross between a trail runner and a hiker and are my standard light hikers in the summer on the peaks as well as on my occasional short trail run. They are just a sweet all around shoe, and definitely worth the price when compared to other spendy trail runners

You know when you get a cool new toy and it just feels right in your hand? Well this little bugger is clean and snappy and light and solid. I love it. I have a couple in my crevasse rescue kit and also use them at anchors on rock and ice routes. Not much not to love about the VaporLock!

I have been using a GriGri for years while belaying sport routes, but am now stoked on the XP for a few reasons. It's light, really easy to thread, and the high friction mode makes controlling during lowers or rappels super easy. Love it!

Now that the spring ski mountaineering season is upon us my HH Guide Pants starting working overtime out in the mountains. This is my go to pant for long ski tours and spring ski mountaineering trips. The softshell construction is stretchy yet technical and the articulation in the knee area makes movement breeze, even with knee pads on underneath. The cut is definitely "ski touring" style, but that is why they wear so well. There are other competitors with similar products out there but the Guide Pant stands tall among them.

If you like to go fast and far in the mountains, the RPM is an awesome choice. We use it for late spring ski mountaineering missions and speed hikes of summer 14ers. I strap a water bottle holder on the waist belt of the pack, and sometimes a camera body holder as well. the compression cords work well for a quick taking off of the rain coat or even for strapping your skins on. MY buddy Stian Hagen swears by this pack in Chamonix for everything from all day rock routes to steep ski descents.

Polarized sunglasses used to be for bone fishermen and water sportsmen but turns out they work remarkably well on snow as well. The Witness' look great and fit swell... so what are you waiting for? step up and rock 'em!

When I got my Bootlegs I wasn't sure if I'd really love them. But now I've had a couple pairs and they are in my regular lineup. cool styling, great fit, and really clear optics makes these shades an excellent choice for style minded shredders.

The Jetts are dope and so are you, so pick up a pair now because as far as I know they only made a limited quantity and you don't want to be left out this spring during the season ending '80's party! Seriously epic shades... seriously.

Well it might not be as blingy as your diamond Piaget, but it can do a whole lot more. I rock the Core on and off the hill. Unless I'm trying to measure my vert and runs skied, or I'm on an expedition, this is my go to wristop computer. It's a great looking watch with easy to use features, not like those lame watches that are so packed with unnecessary features that the manual is a hundred pages long. The bottom line with the Core is it looks great and works great, both on and off the hill.

The guide gloves are tough to beat.. bottom line. Despite being outside much of the winter and spring my fingers get cold. The Guide Gloves do the trick for me when it comes to warmth and even though they may feel bulky or stiff out of the bag they actually break in real nice and even seem to mold to your hand after a couple weeks of use. Durability wise they will easily last you a few seasons or more, so at that price they become very worthwhile. I take these gloves to Denali with me... and that pretty much sums it up!

I bought a pair of these while on a trip in the Owens Valley last spring and really digg 'em. I use them almost exclusively for bouldering but on the occasional sport route as well. They wrap around my foot like a glove and my don't really smell as others have said. So all in all I'm totally stoked on my Katanas.

There are a lot of avalanche transievers out there touting there technological superiority, but the bottom line and most important fact about the Tracker is it is the FASTEST! I have been involved in the real deal, avalanche searches with buried victims, and my experience with the Tracker has been nothing short of stellar. This beacon is intuitive and friendly and all my friends use them as well as my wife, a 17-year patroller who still kicks my ass in search contests.

Ok, I have been skiing the Radium since last spring, probably over 60 days in them now, and I can honestly say this is the best performance ski mountaineering boot on the market/ I say this for two reasons: first, the overlap construction provides excellent power and control in the cuff, and combined with the very light weight, gives an ideal power to weight ratio, which for A/T I think is paramount. Secondly, the Pebax material used in the shell is far more responsive to energy input, and also isn't as easily affected by warm or cold temps, meaning it doesn't get all soft when it's warm out or crazy stiff when it's cold. Another bonus is the G-Fit thermofit liners are incredibly comfortable, and wrap snugly around the ankle, which adds to your power and control of the boot. The thin yet ultra durable rubber sole climbs like a champ on rocks, and mine are barely chipped or worn, and that is after a good beating in the California 14ers, the Alps, Colorado 14ers, and Antarctica. Also the boot buckle locks keep the buckles from flying around when they are open, and are nicely designed. Also, the Raduim just well may be the first and only A/T boot featured in a Matchstick Productions film. I wore them skiing the Matterhorn, Eiger, Mt. Blanc, and Monte Rosa in "Claim"- check it out if you need more convincing.