Adam Broderick manages the web content at Tahoe Mountain Sports. When he is not in the office, he tries his best to be in the field doing something awesome.
The summer of 2014 will be a hot one for disc golf in North Lake Tahoe! The Sierra Tahoe Series, plus a prestigious Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) “A” Tier event, are the highlights for this summer’s lineup. The A-Tier event, King of the Lake, is back for the first time in several years with players from across the country competing for bragging rights and a huge cash or prize purse. North Lake Tahoe, a leading disc golf destination in the United States, offers some of the most beautiful courses in the world and is sure to both challenge and entertain players at an altitude of over 6,000 feet. In years past, the PDGA Sanctioned “A” Event has helped boost the Tahoe region’s growing interest in the sport of disc golf. Disc golf courses worldwide have more than doubled in the past decade and participation in the sport continues to grow at a rapid pace.
The Sierra Tahoe Series (STS) includes eight tournaments from Reno to Truckee to North Lake Tahoe to Markleeville. In its third year, the Sierra Tahoe Series hopes to attract even greater attention in the disc golf community through the use of top-notch courses coupled with incredible sponsors and dedicated organizers. “With the tremendous success of the Sierra Tahoe Series and support of the disc golf community, we are excited to offer the biggest year of the Sierra Tahoe Series yet,” said Reno Disc Golf Association President Skot Meyer. “We have seen unprecedented responses since this year’s events opened for registration, with many quickly selling out. We are proud to bring back one of the sport’s most popular events, King of the Lake, and add it as the crown jewel of the series. We are sure that the hard work and dedication of our team will yield a memorable year of great events, for both the players and the communities where they will be held.”
Tahoe Mountain Sports (TMS) has been instrumental in raising the profile of disc golf in the region. Through a cooperative agreement with the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, TMS has been able to market the North Lake Tahoe region to disc golfers worldwide. Also, through the support of the Resort Association, North Lake Tahoe has been recognized as a vacation destination for disc golfers and continues to deliver on that promise. Between the Sierra Tahoe Series and the King of the Lake tournament, there is plenty of action for professional and recreational disc golfers in North Lake Tahoe in 2014!
Sierra Tahoe Series Schedule:
Dayton/Reno, NV – May 3/4, 2014
Turtle Rock (Markleeville, CA) – May 31/June 1, 2014
King of the Lake (A-Tier) – June 27, 28, 29, 2014
20th Tahoe Pro/Am (South Lake Tahoe, CA) – July 26/27, 2014
Sierra College (Truckee, CA) – August 30/31, 2014
NV State Champs (Zephyr Cove, NV) – September 20/21, 2014
Tahoe Mountain Sports Finals (Tahoe Vista, CA) – October 11/12, 2014
The premier tournament of the Sierra Tahoe Series is being resurrected! Test your fitness and push your limits with 5 rounds over 3 days at 6000′ in the mountains. Who will be crowned King and Queen of the Lake?
Friday, June 27 – Bijou Community Park & Zephyr Cove Disc Golf Course
Saturday, June 28 – Sierra College Disc Golf Course & Truckee Regional Park Disc GolfSunday, June 29 – Lake of the Sky Disc Golf Course – North Tahoe Regional Park
This review comes from Scott Johns, an adventure cinematographer, mountain biker and snowboarder living in Incline Village on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. When Scott’s not creating beautiful imagery for video, he’s out ripping singletrack or shredding big lines in his backyard that we call the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Find more of Scott’s work at shredbums.com.
Snow Peak has rad, compact lighting setups for everything under the sun–or stars, as it were. As we’re quickly heading into camping, fishing, backpacking and spelunking season, it seems like a good idea to do a short wrap-up of these products–complete with cheesy puns–to help expedite the decision-making process. You can get all of these awesome products at Tahoe Mountain Sports, your one-stop-shop in Tahoe for top-performing outdoor equipment.
Holy Hozuki
Snow Peak’s Hozuki LED Candle Lantern and Mini Hozuki Lantern are a good place to start because they are ridiculously versatile. Both feature a warm, yellow light with high, low and manual dim settings for better backcountry ambiance, as well as an adjustable, candle-like flicker mode. Move it quickly and it will even go out! Both models are also equipped with compressible, removable silicone lampshades for easy packing and cleaning. The Hozuki Lantern features a hook and cord for hanging anywhere and the Mini’s hook is a stretchy rubber loop, fixed on one end, with a magnet on the other for easily securing to straps on your pack, tent or anything else you can come up with. The Mini Hozuki even comes in a variety of colors to match your kit.
Not Your Average Tulip
The Tulip LED Lantern is less of a backpacking lantern and more of a do-almost-anything-else lantern. Use it as a desk lamp at home, illuminate a broader area with it pointed straight up, while preparing dinner or playing cards on a car camping trip, for example, or hang it in the tent to get your Walden on before bed. The Snow Peak Tulip’s gravity sensor will know how you have it set up and focus the beam accordingly. It’s snake-like, adjustable neck ensures you’ll always get light where you need it. Output is 250 lumens, running on three D batteries or powered through it’s USB port.
Snow Miner Headlamp/Lantern Combo
Need a headlamp and a lantern, but don’t want to lug around the extra weight–or spend the extra money? Snow Peak has you covered. The Snow Miner Headlamp is where it’s at. High, low, strobe and dim modes, 110 Lumens and press the silicone dome in to create a focused beam on the fly. The included, unobtrusive hook on the headband instantly converts your headlamp to a lantern.
For immediate release Contact: dave@tahoemountainsports.com April 8, 2014 866-891-9177
Tahoe Mountain Sports Donates Over $10,000 to Tahoe Non-Profits in 2013
Kings Beach, CA (April 8, 2014): Tahoe Mountain Sports (TMS) contributed over $10,000 to multiple local non-profit organizations during the 2013 calendar year. TMS is a small business on the shore of North Lake Tahoe that supplies outdoor enthusiasts worldwide with high quality sporting equipment for adventures ranging from ski mountaineering and backpacking to swimming, running, stand up paddling and more. Other retail businesses can say the same, but how many give so much back to their community?
TMS Owner Dave Polivy and Sierra Avalanche Center’s Holly Yocum raffle off new gear at a fundraiser for community avalanche awareness.
TMS is a socially responsible leader in North Lake Tahoe that recognizes opportunities to engage with their neighbors and takes initiatives to boost their local economy through events/fundraisers, generous donations, and partnerships with charities and 501(c)3 organizations. The owner, Dave Polivy, also serves on the Board of Directors for the North Tahoe Business Association. Dave is an advocate for shopping locally because dollars get circulated in the community rather than being spent elsewhere. Out of every dollar spent in a local business, approx $0.60 stays in the community. For every dollar spent at a national retailer or outside the community, only $0.10 stays in the community. (Key Studies on Big Box Retail & Independent Business, 2013)
“It is very important to us to support our local community and this is one of the many ways we can do just that,” said Dave Polivy, owner of TMS. “I encourage folks to shop locally because it means the money stays here rather than drifting down to Reno or further out of town. We try to balance our giving to a variety of local sources and we only hope that folks recognize those donations and try to think of Tahoe Mountain Sports when stocking up on outdoor gear.
Here is a partial sampling of the beneficiaries of Tahoe Mountain Sports’ charitable giving in 2013:
Yogis take to downward-dog pose during “Yoga, Fashion & Books”, a benefit for Friends of the Kings Beach Library.
Tahoe Mountain Sports is proud to call North Lake Tahoe “home”, and these contributions are only a monetary display of their support for their community. To experience their small-town hospitality first-hand, TMS recommends joining them in the mountains and lakes of the Sierra for outdoor fun or partnering with them for local events and fundraisers.
Ditch the snowshoes. Tahoe Mountain Sports has splitboards and splitboarding equipment for sale online and in Kings Beach. Once you do toss those ‘shoes, or lend them to your friend and kindly leave them at the back of the group, you’ll understand what the hype is all about. Ever trekked through knee-deep powder on snowshoes with a snowboard on your back? Tried breaking trail up a steep mountainside covered in fresh snow? You can probably recall moments of overheated frustration and thoughts of “there’s got to be a better way“. Well, consider cutting your snowboard in half and turning it into ‘skis’ that climb uphill, then reattach as a snowboard for the downhill. Or, even better yet, buy one that’s already split. It’s called a splitboard, and owning one can make – or break – your winter.
Last year we introduced splitboards to our already impressive selection of backcountry touring gear. This year, we’re adding even more splitboarding gear to accommodate the increasing number of backcountry snowboarders that seem to have lately emerged from the depths of Lake Tahoe. Last year, we couldn’t keep Spark R&D bindings with the Tesla System (eliminates the need for slider pins) on the shelf. Same went for most of our Voile hardware and accessories. This year, we’ve more than doubled our order for both Spark R&D and Voile Manufacturing. We’re also adding Jones splitboards to the lineup, and stoked about that partnership because if you aren’t already aware, Jones Snowboards has made their mark as the premier brand in a fast-growing industry.
Please note that it is currently March 2014 and our next shipment of splitboarding gear will not arrive until September. Don’t get discouraged when you see our inventory is low, be excited that it will fill up again soon…with plenty of time to prepare for the record-setting winter of 2015! For any products currently Out Of Stock, you can opt to be contacted via email when they arrive this fall.
Jones Splitboards – Jeremy Jones, big-mountain snowboarding pioneer and founder of Jones Snowboards, is an advocate for sustainable “green” practices. So are we. Jones splitboards provide the most reliable gear available to those seeking extreme adventure. So do we. We’re stoked to have such an outstanding business partner for the coming winter(s). So are they. I’m sure of it.
Solution Splitboard – $849 The Best-Selling Splitboard in the World. Time-tested shape and flex deliver equal performance to your solid snowboard. The design is identical to that of the Flagship, only split down the middle. The Jones Solution floats in powder, busts through crud and chop, and holds a mean edge on hardpack (credit: Magne-Traction). It’s poppy and playful, and is 300 grams lighter for 2015. It’s also a bit stiffer in the torso so you can really slay it up high.
Stiffness: 8/10, Directional Rocker, Camber Under Foot
Ultra Core, Quadrax Carbon, Carbon Split Stringers
Mellow Magne-Traction, Blunt Nose, Progressive Sidecut
Sintered 9900 Base, Stone Ground Finish, Recycled ABS
Stronger Edges, OneBall Jay BIO Wax, Karakoram Hardware
Carbon Solution Splitboard – $1119 Ideal for Technical Backcountry Lines. The Jones Carbon Solution is built for powerful riders who rip technical backcountry lines and demand a splitboard that offers the same ultra-responsive performance as a top-level solid freeride deck. A carbon topsheet and carbon stringers provide a damp, stiff ride that excels in variable conditions. It’s 500 grams lighter for 2014-15, thanks to the Jones ULTRA core with new ultralight wood cores and two layers of carbon fiber. Jones splitboards with ULTRA Construction are the lightest, most high performance snowboards on earth.
Ultracraft Splitboard – $1199
One of the lightest splitboards on earth. Tested on Denali and the Grant Teton, the performance of the Jones Ultracraft has been proven on some of the heaviest splitboard mountaineering achievements on the planet. Featuring the same trim and power as the Hovercraft, only with a carbon topsheet and core inserts that cut weight by 25%, the Ultracraft Splitboard is the ultimate ride for long days fulfilling big dreams in monster terrain.
Stiffness: 7/10, Directional Rocker, Camber Under Foot
Mellow Magne-Traction, Blunt Nose, Progressive Sidecut
Sintered 9900 Base, Stone Ground Finish, Recycled ABS
OneBall Jay BIO Wax, Karakoram Hardware
Spring weather means losing the layers and getting out into the sun and fresh mountain air! Whether you’re a Tahoe local or visiting for the weekend, there’s a ton for everyone to do in Tahoe. I took the liberty of compiling some photos from our favorite activities in the area, everything from spring skiing and mountain biking to fly fishing and disc golf. With such a beautiful landscape to explore and endless recreational opportunities, you don’t want to miss out on all the fun associated with spring in Tahoe.
Of course, there’s the beach and the lake:
Miles and miles of sandy beaches
Kite Surfing on the lake
Running on the beach, stand up paddleboarding and kayaking are great ways to enjoy Tahoe’s endless miles of secluded lakefront. If you’d rather more social interaction, you can find more sunbathers and waders on the public beaches on the North and South sides of the lake. Many public beaches allow dogs, including the Coon Street Boat Launch just east of our store in Kings Beach. Kite surfing, paragliding and other airborne adventures are also becoming more popular each year, and the warm air combined with cool breezes makes good wind for flying. It’s not uncommon to count a handful of thrill-seekers charging through the waves on windier days.
The amount of options for overnight camping in Tahoe are ridiculous. From state parks with facilities like bathrooms and boat ramps to National Forest land where you can choose your own adventure and wilderness camp, it doesn’t take much effort to find a place to pitch a tent. Just pick up a map of the Lake Tahoe Basin and drop your finger somewhere in the woods – chances are you can camp there.
Many Lake Tahoe campsites are near freshwater tributaries that flow into Lake Tahoe. You know what else goes on at those creeks and rivers? Some of the best fishing in California, that’s what! The Brown Trout in the Truckee River (and Little Truckee River) are known for their elusive nature and stamina during a fight, and if you can pull one out you can consider yourself a truly skilled fisherman. Or just really, really lucky.
If you’re into backcountry skiing you know that spring is prime-time for bagging the steeper couloirs and peaks you’ve had your eyes fixed on all season. You won’t need a warm winter jacket because you can get away with shorts and a t-shirt, just be sure to lube up with some organic sunscreen to shield your beautiful skin from the sun’s harmful rays. (more…)
The North Lake Tahoe SnowFest is celebrating its 33rd year of fun festivities for everyone! 2014′s schedule of events is drawing crowds of locals (and visitors) to Tahoe-based destinations, both indoors and out. There is a full list of activities scheduled throughout the ten-day festival, and the final parade will pass right in front of our store in Kings Beach on Saturday!
While you’re out enjoying everything Snowfest has to offer, like the infamous Kings Beach Parade, stroll into our storefront across from the North Tahoe Event Center and Jason’s Beachside Grille. You’ll find incredible savings at Tahoe Mountain Sports this Friday through Monday. We will have all sorts of awesome outdoor gear and clothing on sale, some as much as 70% off! In fact, everything in our store will be marked down for all four days!
These photos and video were taken from our storefront during the 2013 Kings Beach SnowFest Parade:
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Come enjoy all the festivities with us, and bring the kids! You’re sure to find fun for all ages. From Firework shows and a Firefighters’ Pancake Breakfast to an Ice Cream Eating Contest and the Dress Up Your Dog Contest, there are lots of cool events you won’t want to miss.
Now’s your chance to get a screamin’ deal on those skis you wish you had. Or, think ahead a few seasons and grab yourself a warm winter jacket that will last for years to come. Stock up on breezy spring dresses for the warm and sunny days only a couple months away, and save big on a camp stove and summer backpacking equipment that you may otherwise regret not “stealing” while you can.
Get an affordable backcountry setup before it’s too late! All skis and boots will be 20-60% off. We’re not talkin’ your average boots or skis, either. We’ve got backcountry gear from Black Diamond, K2, Dynafit, Marker Bindings, Salomon and more!
All Marmot, Mountain Hardwear and The North Face clothing will be 40% off. Can you believe that? Go ahead, have the person next to you pinch your arm. Yes, this is real. There will be so many discounted items to choose from, and I wouldn’t dare attempt to list them here. You’ll have to come have fun exploring our inventory.
*Monstrous sale applies to walk-in customers only. We don’t tolerate shoplifting, but we’re happy to let you come steal from us this weekend via huge savings
Here’s a map of the best place to watch the parade. We have wide stairs and an elevated balcony for a better view, and the local radio MC usually posts up right in front of our store to announce the stars of Snowfest’s Kings Beach Parade:
As the concluding event of our 2014 Backcountry Experience Series in partnership with Dynafit and Diamond Peak Ski Area, we bring you Nachtspektakel! Hire a sitter if you have to - you don’t want to miss this fun night of good food, drinks and skiing with comrades. Start your evening with a skin up to Snowflake Lodge at Diamond Peak, where you will partake in a delicious catered meal with both new and familiar faces. The Snowflake Lodge is one of the best places to watch a Tahoe sunset, with an incredible view of the lake and surrounding mountains. Conclude this wonderful evening with a ski back down under the stars!
When: Friday, February 28 from 2 to 9 p.m. Where: Diamond Peak Ski Area Tickets: $45 – Click Here To Sign Up What you get: Two hours of lift served skiing, a guided skin up the mountain, dinner and drinks, and a private, nighttime ski down on fresh corduroy that Diamond Peak will groom especially for us!
Bring a headlamp and dress warmly. Comfortable shoes or sandals are recommended for dinner indoors. One beer, wine or will drink is included – the bar will be open if you care for more.
I Don’t Think The Cracks Will Swallow You: A Tale of an African Expedition in Search of Disappearing Glaciers and 16,000’ Summits
Weaving together her love of the outdoors and passion for women’s empowerment, Tahoe/Truckee local Jen Gurecki will share what it’s like to work hard and play hard in Kenya. Her latest adventure—Summit For Our Sisters—took her up Mt. Kenya, an ancient, extinct volcano that boasts the second highest peak on the continent of Africa, towering more than 16,000 feet.
With 12 glaciers that are expected to disappear within the next 30 years, Gurecki seized the opportunity to summit and make turns down the Lewis Glacier, while also raising more than $12,000 to help women start small businesses in Kenya through the non-profit she founded, Zawadisha. During Ladies’ Night, Gurecki will share her recent expedition via an inspirational slideshow presentation before raffling off all sorts of great gear in an effort to raise money to grant a scholarship for participants of future S.A.F.E. A.S. clinics!
You don’t want to miss this event. Tahoe Mountain Sports will be raffling off women’s outdoor gear for winter sports, including a Coalition snowboard or pair of skis! (Must be present to win.) All proceeds from the Ladies’ Night raffle and a portion of gear and clothing sales will benefit Tahoe’s local S.A.F.E. A.S. clinics, a women’s introductory avalanche safety series.Started by Elyse Saugstad, Jackie Paaso, Lel Tone, Michelle Parker, Ingrid Backstrom and Sherry McConkey, the goals of the S.A.F.E. A.S. clinics is to heighten community snow safety and avalanche awareness among women.
What: Ladies’ Night Adventure Slideshow and Raffle Benefit When: Wednesday, March 5, 2014 from 6 to 8 p.m. Where: Tahoe Mountain Sports, 8331 North Lake Blvd, Kings Beach
Thank you to the sponsor of the evening, Coalition Snow.
We recently made the TMS annual pilgrimage to Salt Lake City to check out the hot new trends and unique innovations coming down the pipes for the outdoor industry next season. We did the classic meet and greet. There were thousands of brands, purchasers and spectators to speak with. We did some research, taking lots of notes and pictures. We probably took too many of each, and now have to sift through it all. We went skiing and snowboarding at both Snowbird and Solitude. After all, sometimes a product run-down with a sales rep doesn’t cut it and you have to actually put equipment to use before deciding whether it’s appropriate for your customers.
We picked up countless product catalogs whenever a .pdf wasn’t available – What a waste of paper! We asked for promos and SWAG (Stuff We All Get). We heard “sorry” and “I can’t…” quite a bit. We also heard “yes” occasionally, and that always makes us smile. But most important, and the part you can most enjoy, is the information we gathered about the gear we plan to carry (or have since changed our minds about carrying) for fall 2014/winter 2015.
We skied day and night prior to the show. Here, TMS-Owner Pam (left) starts the day with top-to-bottom skiing at Snowbird; The North Face athlete and photographer Kris Erickson (right) descends Snowbird with a flare in-hand during an apres-apres night-ski.
TMS employee Adam was rejected at the gates of Alta Ski Area. “Excuse me, sir? You can’t snowboard at Alta.”
And now, on to the gear. This is just a teaser…there is SO MUCH MORE coming in and only so much we can tell you now.
Volkl released their V-Werks Katana skis last year, a super lightweight all-mountain model ideal for both on and off-piste skiing. The V-Werks Katana uses vertical sidewalls and carbon fiber to reduce the weight of their original Katana by 15%. The upgraded version slays powder and holds an amazing edge on hardpack and rides stable at high speeds. The ski was so popular last year that Volkl is bringing it back with color options, in addition to improving their BMT skis, now 15% lighter and included in their line of V-Werks backcountry focused skis for 14-15.
The new Dynafit Denali skis, along with the 2.0 versions of the Radical FT 12 and Radical ST 10 bindings. Like the name entails, the Dynafit Denali was designed for Denali. It was tested by mountain guides on the Kahiltna Glacier in May of 2012. “The combination of weight, construction and materials makes this ski the perfect companion for long ascents and descents,” says Dynafit. “The dimensions and light weight are balanced optimally for performance on both the ascent and descent.” This ski is stiff and skis smoothly, carving very well in advanced terrain and performing excellently on steep, icy slopes.
As for the bindings, we all know the Radical reputation. Ski mountaineers and freeriders love and trust the light weight and top-tier performance of Dynafit Radical bindings.
Venture Snowboards gave their line of solid boards and splitboards a makeover.
Red = Red Mountain (SW CO)
Green = Pine Trees
Yellow = Aspen Leaves
Blue = Bluebird Days
We’re stoked on Venture splitboards and looking forward to carrying them next year! Venture covers all the bases with a full line of splitboards for everything from mellow pow and pillow lines to steep and slick no-fall-zones.
The new lineup from Voile splitboards is looking good with a fresh paint of coat instead of last year’s wood-core look. Here’s their swallowtail (not sold at TMS), the Voile Artisan men’s and Artisan women’s boards, and the new Revelator and Revelator BC (with Scales). We’re stoked to see splitboarding gaining popularity so rapidly!
The Voile Lightrail Binding is now offered in women’s colors (top left). Voile Universal Hardware (top right) is still the most common splitboarding hardware seen in the field, even with the latest pin-less technologies from Spark R&D. Using Canted Pucks that are tilted slightly inward (bottom left) increases your board’s response-time and decreases muscle fatigue. Starting Fall 2014, Voile will include their own Voile tail straps with splitboard climbing skins. Now you don’t have to order separately through another brand and pay double shipping!
The Voile Revelator BC splitboard comes with scales so you can skin up and ride down without splitboard climbing skins. It’s an interesting concept, and a pretty niche design, but would be ideal for anyone who spends a lot of time touring. The scales are well-suited for long approaches, traverses and rolling hills when repeatedly adding and removing skins can become a hassle. I wouldn’t recommend them on slopes greater than 30-degrees, but they’re great on mellow terrain.
Black Diamond is releasing a battery-powered avalanche airbag backpack and the hype is building quickly. The Black Diamond Jetforce Pack holds a charge for up to two weeks and is ideal for hut trips and other multi-day tours when you may be required to deploy the airbags more than once. Caught in a small sluff slide but unsure if it will become dangerous? No worries! Go ahead and pull the trigger…you’ve got many more on reserve.The BD Jetforce airbags inflate within three seconds and maintain their volume (200 liters) for three minutes. The second two-thirds of this time is spent automatically refilling the pack in case of an accidental puncture. The weight of the system rides close to the back, and isn’t actually that heavy (28 L pack w/ system = 7.5 lbs). Stay tuned…we’ll have more beta about this Black Diamond avalanche airbag pack in the near future. Models to watch for include the Pilot 11 Jetforce, Saga 40 Jetforce and Halo 28 Jetforce packs.
Arva Snow Safety Equipment makes packs that fit women better and boast serious fashion-sense (see right), backcountry shovels that dig more efficiently and weigh less, lightweight avalanche probes that are most compact and durable, and they offer all the features you’d expect from a top-notch safety equipment brand. Did you know the word “Arva” is synonymous with “beacon” in Europe?
The Arva Freerider 25 pack gets a face-lift for 2014-2015 with a separate storage bag for snow safety gear. Now you can keep your avy gear organized and easily accessible through the bottom of your backpack. Here’s an unedited video preview from the showroom floor:
ABS backpacks also got a sweet makeover for 2014/2015. As a leader in avalanche airbag packs, the ABS Avalanche Airbag System has the most experience and the highest survival rate (97%) of any airbag company on the market. The ABS Base Unit goes unchanged, since they’re so dialed already, besides a narrower profile (depth-wise) that keeps the weight closer to your body for easier skiing.
Watch for a neoprene stretch fabric in 18 and 24-liter ABS Zip-On packs that provides more space for longer shovel handles. ABS also incorporated their 40-liter and 55-liter bags into the ABS 45+5 airbag backpack (right), perfect for longer tours, mountain guides and connecting routes from hut-to-hut.
The new Mammut Eiger collection, looking sleek and polished. Mammut clothing is designed for extreme use in harsh conditions and demanding terrain, and their Eiger line is for the top of the top. Next season’s outerwear is looking even better than last year…and we thought they’d already had their styles pretty fine-tuned!
Not only is Mammut men’s and women’s clothing functional and fashionable, but check out that sly little headlamp on the mannequin in the middle. Mammut headlamps are super lightweight and provide superior lighting for mountaineers. Still, they’re sleek and affordable so everybody has a need for one, not just those who play in the high-alpine rock gardens.
Smith Optics has a full collection of new colors and styles in both their ski and snowboard helmets and ski and snowboard goggles. This yellow-on-yellow combo is just one sweet headwear outfit. The sneaky Amstel Light simply crept into the shot last-minute. We’re not exactly sure how that got there.
Smith is also unveiling the next generation of interchangeable lens goggles, the Smith I/O 7. If you thought it was easy to swap the lenses on the original I/O, you ain’t seen nothing yet. This video walks you through the process of changing Smith I/O 7 lenses:
Helly Hansen has expanded their clothing line by 25% for 2014/2015! Their Lifa collection features 100% polypropylene fabric that breathes incredibly well on the inside, and it’s coming in two versions: Lifa Flow has a merino wool/polypro blend, and Lifa Active has a polyester/polypro blend. Their new C.I.S. piece is a 3-in-1 jacket with a with a removable inner-liner, and is compatible with all Helly Hansen C.I.S. pieces. HH is also dropping the Mission Stoke Jacket for next year, featuring H2 Flow along the back (circular spaces trap heat better and ventilate faster) and a new stretchy fabric in front that is ideal for freeriders. And an update to an already popular jacket, the Odin Insulator Shirt is now a reversible ski jacket and has a zipper rather than last year’s button-up front.
Here’s a short video preview of the Helly Hansen Supreme Jacket, a top-ranked piece for 2014/2015 with PrimaLoft Gold insulation: a blend of down and synthetic, giving you get the best of both worlds. Also, a four-way stretch liner and exterior go hand-in-hand when you need maximum mobility. Four-way stretch in solely the inner or outer doesn’t help much, but having it in both layers makes a world of a difference. Please excuse the poor color contrast in the video…our hand-held recorder was acting up.
There are several new styles of CamelBak water bottles dropping this fall, including a new coffee mug called the CamelBak Forge, which is is supposedly excellent for adventurers of all sorts. The CamelBak Podium Chillinsulated sports bottle (best for warmer months) gets a makeover for next year with a larger mouth piece to increase flow, and the CamelBak Eddy .75 (3/4-liter) is still expected to be their best-seller for the gym/office/car crowd. Live in the city but want fresh water to mimic your weekend getaways in the mountains? The CamelBak Groove Bottle with a built-in two-way filter works better than Brita filters to remove the funky chlorine/metal taste. All CamelBak reservoirs are dishwasher-safe and their glass and plastic bottles come standard with a lifetime warranty.
CamelBak kid’s packs like the Kicker, the CamelBak Skier (like a mini-Mule, a top-seller), the Scout pack (hiking pack with 50-oz reservoir) and the CamelBak Trail Blazer (15-liter backpack) haven’t changed much except for color options. Neither have CamelBak winter packs for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and winter hiking. The CamelBak Gamblr is ideal for sidecountry skiing since it’s sleek and slim enough to fit under a jacket yet also holds three liters of water so you don’t have to keep stopping to fill up at the lodge.
The CamelBak Scorpion has external helmet loops, space for storage and a 2-liter reservoir. CamelBak Zoid hydration packs are minimalist with only two pockets, but at $65 they’re the #1 seller in their class. The CamelBak Snowblast isn’t changing anything but color since it’s already so well designed, but now will come in Black, Dark Olive and Brindle. The CamelBak Bootleggerinsulated hydration pack is sleek and stylish, meant to hold 1.5 liters of water with a low-profile perfect for donning under a jacket and riding chair lifts.
Tahoe Mountain Sports, in partnership with Diamond Peak Ski Resort and Dynafit, are proud to announce the 2014 Backcountry Experience. This guided backcountry tour will explore terrain in Diamond Peak’s Golden Eagle Bowl. Open to intermediate and advanced skiers and riders, the Backcountry Experience Series is designed to provide a safe and welcoming introduction to backcountry skiing and boarding.
Never used backcountry equipment before? This is your opportunity to try out Dynafit touring gear before purchasing. Want to learn about avalanche hazards and techniques for avoiding them? Interested in learning the most efficient uphill skinning methods? Or, perhaps you simply want to meet new people and enjoy unskied terrain in a fun, controlled environment. A Backcountry Experience tour in Diamond Peak’s secluded Eagle Bowl is a great way to earn your turns and experience Diamond Peak in a whole new way.
Feb 22, 2014 Tour: 9am-1pm – $90
*$90 tour package includes a partial-day lift ticket, full Dynafit backcountry ski equipment rental and professional guiding services.
Any changes made due to winter weather will be announced within 24 hours of tour departure.
Your guide, Brennan Lagasse, has been skiing since he was two and has spent many years traveling and guiding ski expeditions world-wide. Brennan has training in Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Travel, along with Wilderness First Responder and AIARE Level I & II certifications.
Diamond Peak Ski Resort is located in Incline Village, Nevada on the scenic north shore of Lake Tahoe with amazing views of world famous Lake Tahoe. Diamond Peak offers skiers and boarders 30 runs and a 1,840-foot vertical drop with beginner to advanced terrain. Connect with Diamond Peak on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, visit www.diamondpeak.com or call (775) 832-1177.
