Chair lifts be damned
For a while, snowboarders had a harder time riding some of the biggest mountain lines. Relying on a snowmobile and then an often exhausting boot pack in, it was thought that a skier with a randonee set up was often best suited for off piste adventure. Then Jones Snowboard decided to develop a solution and [...]
Gets you where Quattro won't
In case Hublot’s sledge doesn’t strike your winter sport fancy, consider Audi’s Carbon Ski Concept a potential alternative. Created in collaboration with Head, Audi’s Munich based concept design team has developed a pair of skis built around a wood core sandwiched between aluminum and titanium and coated in carbon fiber. The result is a more [...]
Lux Luger
Usually, when materials like carbon fiber, steel, ash wood and hand-sewn leather come together you expect to hear them with the likes of Bentley or Rolls Royce. But in this case, they form the components of Hublot’s luxury luge. Only ten of these sledges have been made, built in collaboration between Hublot and Lausanne University [...]
Winter Warrior
East coast slopes demand a lot from winter gear and the need for solid performance on mixed-condition, a must. The Flagship by Jones Snowboards is a free rider’s dream. Like a pair of top-notch all-terrain tires, demanding terrain and conditions are chatter and deflection free. This is accomplished through a hybrid rocker/camber flex, wide-nose and [...]
Snow Launcher
Hopefully snow isn’t on the ground for all of you just yet, but it doesn’t hurt to anticipate the battles to come. Along those lines, Arctic Force Snow Trac Ball ($16) can give you Randy Johnson-like extension to hurl snow bombs 50% further than what your regular arm can muster. In other words those punks [...]
Pawtection
If your four-legged friend is the active type and has no intentions of slowing down despite the change in weather, picking up a pair of Bark’n Boots Polar Trex ($90) may save you a few trips to the vets. Brought to our attention by the outdoor fiends at Gear Junkie, these boots are engineered for [...]
Ski Bum Engineers
It is time to start thinking about your winter recreation gear and this year might be the year for new skis. Instead of walking into your local mega-outdoor-retailer, consider taking a custom approach and get fitted for a pair of Folsom custom skis ($1,200). As one of America’s first and only fully custom ski companies, [...]
Reusable Warmth
While an additional heat source may not be on your mind as we approach the first official day of summer, it’s never too soon to start planning for outdoor fall and winter activities. Wonder Warmers are a solid solution for instant, portable, and reusable warmers. We tried them out and found them to be perfect [...]
Don't Let Moisture Slow You Down
Pretty much any dude who has spent even one night outdoors knows of brands like North Face and Patagonia. They have a reputation for making high quality gear that many outdoor enthusiasts swear by (including several of Gear Patrol’s editors). Being the type of men who are always curious to discover new brands though, we [...]
The Essence of All-Mountain Style and Versatility
By Guest Writer and Outdoor Enthusiast Michael O’Brien The Dynastar Big Trouble ($454) is the perfect solution for the advanced level skier looking for planks that can do it all. The skis’ versatility is their number one strength, in addition to the twin-tipped design, larger than average widths and contours (124-92-114) allowing you to float [...]
The Flying Tomato's Personal Playground
Much like Tony Hawk’s name has become synonymous with the world of skate boarding, Shaun White defines the sport of snowboarding for many fans. This year’s Winter Olympics have given Shaun a grand stage, upon which took the gold medal in the Men’s Halfpipe event earlier this week. Astoundingly, it was a never-before-seen maneuver that [...]
Roan If You Want To, Roan Around The World
When it comes to staying warm in the winter, nothing beats goose down – end of discussion. So, with the weather in New England starting to resemble Hoth, we decided it was time to put a down jacket through its paces, Gear Patrol style. The object of our testing was the GoLite Roan Plateau Hoodie. [...]
Meet the Ski Goggles of the Future, Today
Anyone who has ever seen Robo Cop or Terminator 2 should have some ideas of the heads up display fantasy’s entertainment visionaries have teased audiences with for decades. Somewhat out of left field, well known goggle and optics company Zeal now seems to be on the verge of delivering on that crazy Sci-Fi notion with [...]
The Ultimate in Comfort and Control
By Gear Patrol Reader Michael O’Brien: As many skiers will agree, the most frustrating aspect when hitting the hill is finding a boot that offers a nice combination of comfort and warmth while enhancing performance. The Dalbello Krypton Cross I.D. with Silver Intuition Thermo Heat-Moldable Liners provides all in one. Throw in Superfeet premium insoles [...]
Keep Heat In and the Elements Out
By Guest Writer and Outdoor Enthusiast Sandy Bandu Patagonia is certainly renowned for their bombproof, outdoor performance gear, but their DAS Parka is nothing short of well-rounded perfection. If you are in the market for a lightweight, synthetic coat (truly a superior material to down, in most situations), this coat provides all the comforts that [...]
