A midsummer night’s snow pr0n

Dreaming of pow turns while sweating in your house and packing? What a coincidence, so am I. Hopefully this short flick of Tim Carlson and Darian Draper playing snowboards together will help you as it helped me. Vid courtesy of Funner Films, so be sure to check them out so that Jeremy Dubs can keep doing his thing.

First Look: Mountain Hardwear Koa 55 pack

In an odd stroke of timing I was talking about wanting to try the Mountain Hardwear Koa 55 early last week. It really seems like a good mix of light (though not ultralight by any stretch) and feature filled. Fast forward to Friday and I discovered MH was doing their semi-annual warehouse sale, which also allows mere mortals such as myself to shop their employee store. As I’m a dedicated blogger I decided I should sacrifice some of my hard earned money to buy some new gear to review (read as: it was blowing 35+ at the coast so surfing/kayaking didn’t sound like much fun) for everyone.

So, as I’m in the process of packing/moving and won’t be able to take the pack out for at least two weeks I wanted to post some pics up for anyone else considering the pack. Seems like there was a bit of hype surrounding this pack in all the buyer’s guides this year, but I haven’t been able to find much in the way of real-world images or reviews.

Mountain Hardwear Koa 55

Mountain Hardwear Koa 55

Main pocket on Koa 55, with rolltop (think: drybag) closure

Main pocket on Koa 55, with rolltop (think: drybag) closure

Small external pocket with key loop

Small external pocket with key loop

Side access (on both sides) to main pocket

Side access (on both sides) to main pocket

Stowaway mesh helmet carrier

Stowaway mesh helmet carrier

Bottom access to pack.  Yes, there are a lot of zippers on the pack.

Bottom access to pack. Yes, there are a lot of zippers on the pack.

Mesh backpanel.  Most stoked for this as my old Gregory is WARM

Mesh backpanel. Most stoked for this as my old Gregory is WARM

A friendly little LNT reminder

A friendly little LNT reminder

That’s all for now. As always, if there’s a question about the product, or an angle you want photographed, lemme know. I apologize for the pics being a bit blown out, don’t have the time to edit the levels/curves on ‘em.

If you can’t find it locally, the Mountain Hardwear Koa 55 is available online at all the usual suspects. The widget below should enable you to quickly see who has it and at what price. As always I recommend you try and shop at your local outdoor equipment retailer. If you don’t support them first you’ll have nobody to blame but yourself if there comes a time where you can’t go look/feel equipment locally before buying.

Reviews and first looks coming ‘soon’:
Mountain Hardwear Koa 55 pack (duh)
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 bag – complete, click to read
Perception Search 15 (sit-on-top kayak)

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, especially those taking an active role in their child’s life to install a sense of personal responsibility (rare these days) , respect for others, and especially a respect, love and appreciation of the outdoors and the planet on which we live. If the current generation of kids aren’t taught to see past the excess consumption and wastefulness that is shown so often to their demo by way of MTV and other influential media sources there won’t be too many more generations on this spinning ball of soil and water.

Dad (far left), hours after St. Helens erupted, running evac/S&R

Dad (far left), hours after St. Helens erupted, running evac/S&R

Sooo…about that lifetime warranty (aka First Ascent becomes Last Descent?)

Was that my lifetime or yours Eddie Bauer?

And yes, I realize that Chapter 11 is far different than closing up shop, but it’d be hard to believe any potential acquirer will be spending the money to build a new brand (First Ascent) in lieu of just rolling with the marginalized, made in China mall garb and leveraging any economies of scale they can by combining manufacturing/distribution, layoffs and centralize HQs, etc.

FWIW, I’d love to see Eddie Bauer refocus and restructure and become the company my grandpa talks about fondly, but like leaded gas and handshakes being the sign of a man’s word I think those days are long gone.

Influences v2.0

Influences 2.0 has been released, please upgrade your Influences 1.0 now.

Dolphins surfing...saw this at OB last week, so sick

Dolphins surfing...saw this at OB last week, so sick

Pelicans surfing - btw, click for full-size image, the Alex Weinstein-esque wave + the pelicans eye are amazing

Pelicans 'surfing' - btw, click for full-size image, the Alex Weinstein-esque wave + the pelicans eye are amazing

Vintage bikes

Vintage bikes

Border crossings and goofy friends

Border crossings and goofy friends

Single fins

Single fins

Going left in baja

...and dropping in

In Portland this week

No real updates to be had for y’all. If any readers are around ping me though, we can meet for a beer.

Beer > Water

This is something my friends and I have known FOREVER, and it’s obvious based on how we pack (how many people do you know bring a case of Coors Light 7 miles into the Tuolumne backcountry?), but beer helps you rehydrate quicker than water.

Click here for a few prior rehydration suggestions courtesy of yours truly.  Beer Friday FTW!

Yosemite bear drank my Coors

Yosemite bear drank my Coors

(btw, I will get refocused on the bc/snowboard scene this fall, but right now there’s not a lot of info on new stuff nor have I had the free time to get out there)

Good thing it wasn’t a big item

Was tracking something I ordered from FedEx this morning.  Looks like it was delivered and signed for…

F. Rontdoor?

F. Rontdoor?

At least it wasn’t a couple $K worth of stuff this time.  I was on a roadtrip once and they left a couple $K worth of engine stuff on my front porch (I live in little Tijuana) even though it was signature required.  Solid work by the FedEx team once again.

Relocation!

My last work day in the Bay area will be the 26th of June.  Relocation to Portland coming sometime in early July (yes, I know the skiing is weak sauce, but the drive to my beloved Crystal will be less then the current drive is to Tahoe).  STOKED!

Any PDX readers wanting to grab a beer when I’m in town, first one is on me

*EDIT*

Posting this vid for A.

New Ride RFL boot

Ride is reclaiming their ‘OG status as the leader in lightweight boot design’ with the announcement of their new RFL (Really Freaking Light) boot, a freestyle boot that weighs in ‘below 800 grams’.

Das boot

Das boot

Marketing hype bulletpoints

• NEW! Liner: Intuition™ Dream Liner w/ Mobile Foam combined w/ Aegis™ Antimicrobial Coating

• Liner Fit: Liner w/ Cored Ankle Pockets, Thermo-Formable Internal & External J Bars

• NEW! Under Foot Support: Waffle Footbed

• NEW! Sole: Blown Light Meta w/ Gelpod light Impact Heel & Ice Picks

• NEW! Liner Lacing: Lock Down™ Speed Lace w/ Transition Wrap Harness™

• Shell Lacing: Traditional Lacing w/ 2 To 1 Internal Deep Draw

• Details: Lightweight Technical Construction, Micro Articulating Cuff, 3D Formed Tongue, Direct inject binding rub protection in the heel, high abrasion textile outer.

What the world needs, REALLY needs, is a RFSLYS (Really F*cking Super Light Yet Stiff) boot for splitting and/or the heavyweight crowd. Maybe throw in a helium filled sole for extended airs? Better yet, hydrogen filled soles, flint tipped shoelaces, and straw footbeds for starting an emergency fire in the BC in case you get stranded. Yes, that’s it. Ride? Burton? Anybody?