We have to admit we're intrigued by these clear boards from Makboard. We're curious how they ride, because they definitely stand out on the slopes. And the fact that they're made of a 100% recyclable polycarbonate is a bonus too. They claim to be the only 100% recyclable boards on the market.
Surfer, Bob Candler, spent 15 years trying to perfect a board that gave him the same feeling of surfing, finally settling on Bayer Makrolon as the material to form the boards. Makrolon is used in jet fighter canopies, bulletproof windows, and other high performance applications where strength and durability are important. The fact that it's it's formed into a single piece, means you don't have to worry about blown edges or delaminating. Two holes in the back of the board are meant to channel snow to reduce drag, increase speed, and make the board more stable than traditional boards. And you don't have to worry about bindings, since they're compatible with traditional ones. Boards are available in one size, 157 cm, for $300 on the Makboard site.
If this site someday becomes as great as HikeArizona.com or MountainProject.com, I'll be the first to applaud them. I don't know a ton about EMS since they don't have a presence out West, but cheers to them for giving this a shot. MntnLife.com, intended to be a user-powered database for hiking, paddling and snowsports beta, has been up for about two weeks now and has a fair amount of trail data.
Not to be the pessimist, but I think they'd be better off specializing in one niche instead of trying to be a national database covering three sports. Ideally, it would be as up-to-date and useful as the info on MountainProject, without the creepy guys who spend eight hours a day on the forums.
Alpinist is reporting some nice climbs by Alex Huber over in Europe this summer:
Alexander Huber recently completed three bold accomplishments in Europe: a 400-meter free solo—climbing unroped both up and down—of the Swiss Route (5.10c) on the Grand Capucin, and two new ground-up 5.14a routes in the Tyrolean Alps.
The Grand Capucin is one of the most technically demanding peaks to summit in the French Alps. Ropeless, Huber ascended and descended the Swiss Route, which involves 300 vertical meters of rock climbing, up to 5.10c, and 100 vertical meters of couloirs. Huber’s downclimb has few precedents, and some have noted the significance of this accomplishment with regard to Paul Preuss's purist claim during the Mauerhakenstreit that all climbs should be downclimbed via the same route taken to ascend.
How bummed are you that the only cool gear North Face makes is shipped off to Japan for their fashion focused, Purple Label. The 2008 Fall line includes faux lizard skin wallets and messenger bags, camo jackets, labels that read North Face Berkeley Calif. Doesn't get better than that. Except maybe the North Face NSE line, also only available in Japan. Strange one never finds this stuff stateside. Because, you know, they have such a steller rep for technical gear here. It's not like we wouldn't take them seriously as a gear company. Because, you know, we really do. Take them seriously.
O.K. so just went you thought fixie culture couldn't become more of a caricature, along come the French to put the proverbial spoke in the coffin. This green and pink fixie Hindenburg is just one example of the atrocities you'll likely find in the latest store to open for Parisian fixie hipsters, Cyclope. Hey, just kidding our Gaelic brothers. If it wasn't for them, we'd still be a British colony. And any new bike on the road, is a good bike. Even if it looks like it came out of a side show carnival. Definitely a bike the Bike Snob NYC would ride, though. No doubt about that.
As we've written before, when you basically dominate the shoe industry, you have the luxury of playing around in "niche" markets like snowboarding, bmx, equestrian, and of course, hiking. Here is Nike's latest entry into the hiking category, the hot as "Magma" shoes. Due out some time this fall, this boot has the old school (John Muir old school) look with brown suede uppers and red laces. We expect to see Tom decked out on these the week after they release.
I'd argue that my entire thrift store T-shirt collection is "recycled," but let's hand it to the folks at Patagonia for coming out with some technical shells, the Shelter Stone for men and women, that are recyclable. They've been recycling your nasty old baselayers for three years now, but nylon's a little different, as this much smarter post at TreeHugger explains. Someday, these jackets could be a climbing rope, or toothbrush bristles.
Does a snowboard boot with only one lace take 1/2 the time to tie than a regular two lace boot? For that matter, does a boot with no laces tie itself? These are the questions we ponder this morning, the day after Labor Day. The product description claims just this:
With the Single Lace technology (innovative and exclusive fastening system), the boot is twice as quick to put on. Its comfortable and technical multi-area shin tongue is responsive for optimum power transmission.
The boot volume is also significantly smaller since the inner boot has been fixed to the outer boot, which means if you've had trouble fitting your size 12 feet on a board, you're in luck with this slim profile boot. The boot is 2 sizes shorter than a comparable traditional boot; it opens wide to let your foot out smoothly and dry quickly. Retails for $142 at Decathalon.
The Australian company Seat to Summit has been quietly building up an impressive line of backpacking/camping gear. Perhaps more well know for their award winning dry bags, their line of kitchen gear -- everything from a portable kitchen sink to collapsible dinnerware -- is equally impressive. Watch Ryan Secrest walk through the line of kitchen gear including the water carriers, collapsible plates/cups, cutlery, and of course, the kitchen sink.
Does a snowboard boot with only one lace take 1/2 the time to tie than a regular two lace boot? For that matter, does a boot with no laces tie itself? These are the questions we ponder this morning, the day after Labor Day. The product description claims just this:
