TMS Blog

Burning Man 2010 is just around the corner and we want to make it easy for burners to get last minute supplies before venturing off to the Black Rock Desert. NOTE that this list is not all-inclusive and will not contain everything you need out on the playa, just a few things we carry at the store that will make your stay in Black Rock City more comfortable.

Hydration

Burning Man is a lot of things to a lot of people, but first and foremost it is desert survival. Water is the single most important thing you can bring out on the playa. The rule of thumb is 1.5 gallons per person per day. Bring more if you are using a solar shower, mist sprayers or anything else that uses additional water. For in-camp water storage, check out 5 Gallon Foldable Water Carriers, 10 Liter MSR Dromedary Bag or the 6 Liter Platypus Water Tank. All of these water carriers can be folded up to save space on the way back. For hydration out on the playa, we carry a variety of hydration backpacks, hydration reservoirs and water bottles. Last year I took the 40 oz. Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle with a sling through the top, and it was plenty of water for long escapades. For electrolyte-enhanced water add Elete, Cytomax Recovery or Nuun drink mixes.

Bike Accessories

Bikes are an indispensable mode of transportation on the playa. You will be able to see and do more on a bicycle than you will traveling on foot and hopping on art cars or mutant vehicles. Need to carry some cargo? Check out our selection of bike bags and bike baskets. For nighttime riding, bike lights are a must. At the very least you will need a front light and blinky rear light, like the Planet Bike Beamer 1 Front and Rear Light Set. I also recommend some SpokeLites for some extra flair.

Sun Protection

The sun’s rays are very powerful in the high desert, and the reflection off the light-colored alkali ground amplifies the sun’s effects. Protect your skin with Sol Sunguard Altitude SPF 40 or Alpine SPF 25 sunscreen for non-greasy, sweatproof sun protection. Lip Balm is also one of the best things to have with you after a couple days in the desert. Sunglasses are a good idea as well, but will not protect your eyes against dust storms. Snow goggles, work well for keeping dust out of your eyes. A big hat like the Kavu Chillba Fisherman’s Hat is another great way to keep the sun off your face.

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The Tahoe Mountain Sports website has been going through a lot of changes for your surfing and shopping pleasure.  Many of the changes were small usability fixes, coding tweaks and other technical nonsense, so I will spare you the geek-speak and jump right to the cool new features we have added recently.

Let’s start off with our social media profiles. You can now follow us on our TMS Facebook profile, as well as our Twitter and Google Buzz. We are using these channels to provide fans and followers the inside scoop on sales, special promotions and contests. We are running a contest on our Facebook page for some cool bike accessories for the rest of July (see this post for details). These links can be found at the footer of every page within the site:

Follow Us: Facebook, Twitter and Buzz

We have also been working on making it easier than ever to share our blog posts and product pages on Facebook, Google Buzz and Twitter. Every blog post and product now features a Facebook “Like” button, which will make it easy to share links to articles and outdoor gear with your friends:

new image slider and Facebook "Like" buttons on product pages

In addition to “Like” buttons, we also have buttons that let you Tweet or post a Buzz about any articles on our blog. The Tweet button even shortens the page URLs automatically. These features will soon be available on our product pages as well.

Facebook "Like," Tweet and Google Buzz buttons on our blog

Here’s a little sneak preview of another Facebook application that will give you a free $5 gift card for posting about TMS on your Facebook profile:

Coming soon: free gift card for telling your friends about us on Facebook

Once we work out all the kinks, this offer will appear on our homepage. Anybody with a Facebook account can click on the link, write a little recommendation about TMS, and instantly receive a $5 gift card by email to use at checkout.

There are lots of exciting updates in the pipeline for the Tahoe Mountain Sports website, so check back often, join our Facebook Fan Page, follow us on Twitter or Google Buzz, or sign up for our email newsletter to stay in the loop and get the best deals on gear and clothing.

Tech Talk is a Tahoe Mountain Sports monthly blog post by our resident geek, Todd Shimkus.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always hunting for a good deal… I’ve bought a mountain bike in the dead of winter, a snowboard in summer. That’s why I’m particularly stoked for the upcoming Sales Rep Sample Sale in our back parking lot on Saturday July 17.

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., some of our favorite sales reps are clearing out their inventories so you’ll not only find amazing prices on summer gear like camping equipment and clothing, but winter will be represented, too: Nordic gear from Salomon, merino wool layers from Icebreaker and more. Your deal of the summer awaits… don’t miss it! Stop by for some great deals on these other brands as well: Isis, Skirt Sports, Sherpani, Jetboil, Mountain Hardwear and Granite Gear.

Burning Man is just around the corner, and with all these sunny skies begging for two-wheeled adventures, we know some of you have bikes in need of a little flair and functionality. That’s why we’re giving away a bike basket, horn and spoke lights to one lucky ride that we deem most in need. Simply post a photo or video of your down-and-out cruiser to the Tahoe Mountain Sports Facebook wall by midnight on August 1, with a few words on why your bike needs a makeover.

Can’t wait until August? Check out our selection of bike gear today.

Special thanks to Honker the bike for his superb modeling skills. And give me a break on the makeshift speech bubble… I’m new at Photoshop!

“Holy crap this race was nutty,” wrote Reno resident and frequent Tahoe adventure racer Elaine V. on her Daily Mile update. Thanks to her Garmin Forerunner stats, I was kept in the loop on her Fourth of July Run to the Beach 10k performance, despite being 15 or so miles away on the West Shore. Here’s a look at the 10k race profile she posted on Twitter. Check out that elevation hike starting just before mile 2, ack!

Not only was there runner road kill on the start’s single track, but once battling intense up- and downhill sections, competitors had an uphill, loose sand route to the Kings Beach finish. Tahoe Mountain Sports owner-extraordinaire David Polivy was at the finish line snapping some shots. Congrats to all the winners (2010 race results should be posted online soon), and check Big Blue Adventure’s upcoming events to test your mettle.

FRIDAY July 2: The Music on the Beach summer concert series kicks off with local favorite the Blues Monsters in downtown Kings Beach, behind the playground area. We’ll be dancing to their combo of funk, jazz, blues and R&B starting at 6:30 p.m.

[our gear] Keen shoes that won’t slip on the dance floor but are comfy and cool

SATURDAY July 3: We’ll hit the beach, head back to the shop for the pre-fireworks rush, then get shore-side again for the official July 3rd Fireworks Celebration. The VIP viewing deck party at the North Tahoe Event Center starts at 7 p.m. (doors at 6:30), with music from Under the Radar with Serina Dawn. The fireworks go off at 9:30 p.m. Don’t forget we’re open until 9 p.m. if you need us!

[our gear] lightweight beach blankets, with a shade structure and beach umbrella, for the day, then low-back, folding chairs (starting at $17.95 at the shop) for the fireworks

SUNDAY July 4: We’re sponsoring the Run to the Beach 5 and 10K along with the Big Blue Adventure Series, Vasque running shoes and Lole women’s clothing, so look for us panting across the finish line. Register to run with us!

[our gear] Vasque Mindbender Trail Running Shoes (I’m gonna need those trail-running outsoles as I cross that sandy finish line) and the Lole Step Tank Top, super lightweight with an integrated sports bra

Tahoe Mountain Sports and Vasque are once again proud to sponsor the Run to the Beach 5k and 10k on the 4th of July! Last year’s event was a huge success and we are sure that this year’s will be as well. As with last year, both the the 5k and 10k start at the North Tahoe Regional Park and finish on the beach in Kings Beach across the street from Tahoe Mountain Sports. The 10k race takes a longer route, click here for a map of the exact routes. To register or for more information, go to BigBlueAdventure.com, or just click here.

The King’s Beach fireworks are scheduled for the evening of the 3rd, so make a weekend out of it and come enjoy summer in Tahoe!

Running to the Beach 2009

Run to the Beach Finish

To help Tahoe shop local this holiday season, Tahoe Mountain Sports is staying open until 8pm on Wednesdays in December! As an added bonus for our local customers, we will have free beer, wine, and appetizers to help alleviate the stress of holiday shopping. This is the perfect time for locals to check out the newly expanded store if you haven’t already.

Tahoe Mountain Sports is Open Until 8pm Wednesdays in December

Kings Beach based outdoor retailer Tahoe Mountain Sports is expanding operations in anticipation of a busy holiday season and the continued growth of their online retail operation. The Lake Tahoe based retailer launched a new website in mid September that features a store blog, learning search, live chat, and other state of the art features. They are also doubling the size of their retail location on North Lake Boulevard in Kings Beach in response to growth in both the online and local sales channels.

Founded in 2003, Tahoe Mountain Sports has continued to grow through the recession and is poised to make an impact in the competitive retail outdoor gear industry. “People are being smarter with their money and shopping around more. This really benefits us because we have a unique combination of knowledgeable staff, great customer service, and competitive prices and we can now serve our customer even better” said Tahoe Mountain Sports’ owner David Polivy.  “The new website has some really great customer service tools, like live chat and The new retail space will give us room to expand both online and here locally in North Lake Tahoe.” he continued.  The new website, www.tahoemounainsports.com has been live since mid September, and the new expanded retail location is scheduled to open mid November.

During winter months, Tahoe Mountain Sports specializes in backcountry ski and snowboard gear, high quality clothing and outerwear, along with accessories for any winter activity you can imagine. Including the Black Diamond Megawatt, what some say is the best of the new breed of rockered powder skis and the hot new VholdR ContourHD 1080p helmet camera that can capture and help you share all your adventures in full 1080p HD video.  During summer, TMS offers everything from tents, sleeping bags, stoves, and backpacks, to rash guards, flip flops, and board shorts. High quality, niche brands are their specialty, with representation from Cloudveil, Black Diamond, Patagonia, Mammut, Icebreaker, Keen, Vasque, Gregory, Deuter and more. Come stop by the store or check us out online for the best selection of gear, clothing, and local knowledge in Tahoe.

The new Vholdr ContourHD 1080p was recently featured in USA Toady, you can check out the article here. The addition of HD quality to the helmet camera market has created a lot of buzz. These great little cameras are still selling out as fast as we can get them, so if you want one for the holidays we recommend placing your order soon.

We haven’t had the 1080p in stock long enough to take one out and get some test footage, but we have been using the regular ContourHD for a few months now and everyone we show the footage to is impressed with the quality. The additional resolution with the 1080p is probably more than most users need, but seeing yourself flying down a mountain in full HD quality is a pretty cool experience.