(Editor’s note: Guest blogger Joe Risi is in DC today surviving the big storm. We wish everyone there the best and that the storm passes quickly. Meanwhile, in honor of our own storm tracker Joe, I thought it would be good to publish one of his blog posts. Perhaps he’ll see it and get a smile out of it in spite of everything.)
I caught this stuff at the Outdoor Retailer trade show last summer. Want a gift for that backcountry skier who seems to have a gear room chock full of everything that should have been on Ebay two years ago? Following items could actually cause him to purge. Shopping links included of course!
A simple device such as the cam strap was one item in my truck that I thought was almost perfect. That is unless I have it maxed out and can't get that extra bit of tightness. The roller cam addresses this. Have no fear you can carry more gear! Truly a perfect gift for nearly any outdoors person.
TOUGHSTAKE ROLLERCAM 12 FOOT (Rack Systems)
Biolite wood burning power generator. Great concept but further examination and review needs to take place to see if its actually worth its weight in watts to lug around in your pack.
As you can imagine, I just had to include the Biolite in this post. I mean, for the outdoorsman who has everything? Charge his iPhone from the campfire? It’s a no brainer. BioLite Wood Burning Campstove
Mammut's newest rescue device known as the Rescyou will be available February 1st. Weighing in at 400 grams or 18 oz, this device will be a game changer for crevasse rescue. Complete with a 6 to 1 pull ratio and retailing for an astonishing $125.
Ready in seconds and the size of a pack of cigarettes or two iPhones. The Rescyou fully deployed.
Rescyou truly is amazing. Perfect for all sorts of glacier travel. We’ll stick a shopping link in here just as soon as it’s available.
Light & Motion is already a strong player in the mountain biking scene and with their latest offering, Solite 100, they have bridged the gap into the outdoor world. With 100 lumens of output and 149 grams this blinding light with integrated red filters, so not to blind your ski buddies, looks like it'll be a big hit in the coming months.
Light and Motion Solite 250 Lumens Headlamp, Bronze
Although I haven't had one in my pack since my Boy Scout days, Swiss Army rarely disappoints. I have a feeling this multi-tool may weigh me down a bit, though it would be fun to pull it out when Lou and Lisa ask me to do some work up at WildSnow Field HQ. Lou probably already has one. Specs: 87 tools spanning 112 functions: seven blades, three types of pliers, three golf tools (club face cleaner, shoe spike wrench, and divot repair tool), 25 flat and Phillips head screwdrivers and bits, saws, wrenches, bicycle chain rivet setter, signal whistle, 12/20-gauge shotgun choke tube tool, combination fish scaler, hook disgorger, and line guide tool, cigar-cutting scissors, laser pointer, tire-tread gauge, toothpick, tweezers, and key ring. 2.75 lbs.
Multi-tools make terrific gifts. No person on the planet can have too many. One for the car. One for the boat. One for the pack. One for the kitchen. REI has a beautiful selection that will get you browsing their site forever. Backcountry.com has a good selection as well.
What we’d recommend here at WildSnow? For the backcountry skiing kit as well as our daily go-to knife, we’re partial to the Leatherman Skeletool.
You can go high-end with the Skeletool and opt for the CX model, which incorporates some carbon fiber into the tool’s frame.
The only downside we see with Skeletool is the insert bits are proprietary rather than being standard 1/4 inch hex inserts (they’re flat and pack easier, so that’s the upside). If you get a Skeletool, you need a bit kit if you want full versatility. Weirdly, the Leatherman bit kit doesn’t seem to be available from the usual suspects, so here is a link to it at Amazon: Leatherman 931014 40-Bit Assortment for Leatherman Bit Drivers
Any of you WildSnowers out there have suggestions for good multi-tool setups for backcountry skiing repair kits? Comments appreciated.
Joseph Risi was raised on pasta and meatballs in the “backwoods” of Long Island before seeking higher education in the mountains of Vermont. Always looking for adventure, building treehouses, working too many odd jobs around the world he now lives in the Aspen area of Colorado.
