A Quick Reminder about Brighton's Uphill Policy and Parking

Just a reminder to be courteous to ski patrollers, follow the rules, and park by the church when going to skin uphill at Brighton.  Please read the following link!:


http://jasondorais.blogspot.com/2013/12/uphill-skiing-policy-at-brighton.html

Thanks!  Enjoy the new snow.

Cutler Ridge and Ben Lomond

After a nice Christmas storm dropped a couple feet of snow on the local peaks, a little bit of backcountry skiing was in order.  The snow was deep and mostly untouched.  I took some pictures and video, but they don't do it justice.  Here's a little clip.  It's poorly made because it is my first attempt at using iMovie, but it's something.

I was skiing with my father-in-law who is learning to ski powder.  He's never really skied powder before, so he was looking pretty good for a first timer.

I apologize for the poor ski footage.  I was using a digital point-and-shoot held in my hand.  I didn't realize until I got home that most of the footage I got was of the sky and the top of the trees.

Lightweight Hardshells - Rab Stretch Neo Jacket

Rab Stretch Neos, Men's and Women's, in all their colors.

The next hardshell I would like to talk about is the Rab Stretch Neo Jacket.  I have heard so much hype about Neoshell over the last couple years that I was very excited to get my hands on this jacket.  After a little bit of use, I still think the Neoshell softshell application, though heavier, is the more versatile application compared to a hardshell .  But, when a hardshell is desired, Neoshell is up there with the very best of the waterproof/breathable membranes.  In my experience, it is more breathable than the other membranes that I've used, but it is not as warm (I assume because of its air-permeable nature).

Though I have used this jacket a little bit, I haven't used it enough to feel comfortable writing a full review based on my personal experience.  My goal here is to give others an idea of what the jacket has to offer for features and fit.  I will fill in my own personal experience later after I have used the jacket more.

Facts and Features:

• 50 denier stretch face fabric with Polartec Neoshell Membrane
• 2-way adjustable, helmet-compatible hood with wire brim
• Waterproof zippers
• 2 napoleon pockets
• 2 internal mesh zip pockets
• Adjustable cuffs and hem drawcord
• Trim cut with long sleeves (great for use under a climbing harness)
• Weighs 18oz

Pictures:

The Rab Stretch Neo Jacket in the color Spring.  This jacket is a medium.  The body is trim and the sleeves are long.  

There are two drawcords at the hem.  There is also a button at the bottom of the zipper holding the stormflap (behind the zipper) in place.

Velcro-adjustable cuffs.  When the sleeves aren't tight around my wrists, they hang down most of the way over my hand.  I really like the extra length when I'm climbing because there is no restriction when reaching high above my head.  They could be a little shorter, though.  The Rab Latok Alpine jacket has slightly shorter sleeves but also doesn't impede reach at all, even when reaching high

One of the large, napoleon chest pockets.  These pockets are waterproof (against rain, but not watertight, as in submersion).  Or in other words, these pockets are not mesh lined.  Other jackets have mesh-lined pockets that can double as vents.  These do not.  The upside is that items in these pockets are much less likely to get wet.  The downside is that wet items, like gloves, are less likely to dry while in these pockets than they would in a mesh-lined pocket.  There are mesh-lined pockets inside though that work for drying kit.  The other downside that I already mentioned is that they can't be used as vents.

This jacket has two internal mesh pockets.  These work well for drying wet items.  Rab even uses a water-resistant fabric on the side and bottom of these pockets to catch the water dripping off wet items from leaking onto the user.

The jacket has two large, thin fleece chin/face patches.  The green square with "Rab" written on it is a velcro hood strap.  I don't like them, but it's an option.  

The hood rolled up and held down with velcro strap.

The hood has 3 hood adjustments; these two in the front and one drawcord pull in the back.  The hood has these two bungee tubes that keep drawcords from hitting the wearer in the face in high winds.

This bungee pull is at the back of the hood.  It pulls the hood tight around the head.

The wire brim in the hood allows you to shape the hood however you want. 

I'm 6'2", 185 lbs or so.  This jacket is a size Medium.  This jacket is just roomy enough to fit a fleece jacket underneath.  The sleeves are long and the cut is just right that the hem stays put when reaching above the head.

The hood fits nicely and comfortably with and without a helmet.  Without a helmet in this photo.

With a helmet, arms down.

Arms up,  the hem moves an inch or so.  Not much compared to most other jackets.  This jacket fits nice and trim, with little bellowing when climbing in a harness.  There are no pit zips on this jacket.  Apparently the Neoshell is so breathable that they're not necessary.  Because of the cut of the arms that allows the hem to stay put with arms up, the material of the jacket hugs the armpit with the arms down. It really doesn't bother me unless I am wearing a bulkier layer underneath the shell.  In that case, the extra layers snug under the armpit can be a bit annoying.  It usually isn't an issue.

The Verdict

Having only used this jacket a few times (drytooling in wet snow and rain), I have limited experience with its performance.  The couple things I can say is that it breathes as well as any other hardshell I have used (including gore-tex proshell), maybe better.  It is also plenty waterproof, so far.  The Neoshell is not as warm as gore-tex, because it is not totally windproof (99.9% windproof).  The little bit of air that is allowed in helps breathability, but as it carries moisture out, it also carries heat out.

I think this is a great active hardshell.  I think it would be ideal as a climbing jacket for nasty conditions and as a great backcountry skiing jacket.  It could be a little chillier sitting on a ski lift in the wind, but dressing a little warmer would fix that.  One thing that I haven't mentioned much is the stretch.  The jacket has a fair amount of stretch and really allows for great movement while climbing, even with a close-fitting jacket.  It is definitely designed for active use.

A Little About Myself

I just realized this morning that I have been writing this blog for almost two months, but most people still don't know much about me.  I'm not sure if this will give me more credibility or less, but I still think that it is important for people to understand a little about me before they decide whether or not to trust my opinions.  So here we go. . .

I am 25 years old and have been active in the outdoors my whole life.  I rock climb, ice climb, mountain bike, road bike, trail run, canyoneer, ski, snowshoe, etc.  I am most passionate about rock, ice, and alpine climbing, but I use all of the other activities as training.

I have been rock climbing for about 13 years, ice climbing for 5 years, and combining the two for a couple years.

I've been mountain biking for 15 years, many of which include competitive racing.  I have been road biking for about 7 years, most of which have included competitive racing.

 I started skiing when I was 10, which soon became an addiction.  I bought a season pass to Snowbasin every winter through junior high and high school and averaged between 50 and 70 days of skiing per year.  My desire to ski more technical terrain and find better snow led me to the backcountry, and the majority of my skiing in the last five years has been backcountry or side-country skiing.

I don't claim to be a runner, but I have done a decent amount of running over the last 10 years. I originally started running competitively in school, but that has evolved to mostly trail running.  I ran a 28-mile trail race last year and really enjoyed it and considered getting more involved in ultra-marathons, but I realized that I enjoy climbing, biking, and skiing more than running, so I mainly run to stay in shape for the other activities.

I have also been a gear addict since I was about 8 and would order catalogs from all the main outdoor companies and compare all their products.  I got a job at a local outdoor retail store at 16 and worked their for a total of 5 years, with a 2-year break in the middle.  I didn't make any money while I was there; most everything that I made went straight toward gear.  I have worked at the Weber State University Outdoor Program for 4 years as a trip leader/guide, and in their rental shop for about a year.

I have taught mountaineering and backpacking courses at Weber State for 3-4 years and have led (not guided) climbing trips to places like the Tetons and Mt. Rainier and have guided some outings around Ogden.

I married my beautiful wife last year.  She is an avid backpacker, hiker, and road biker.  Last year, her first year of road biking, she decided to ride in the LOTOJA with me, which is a 206-mile race from Logan, Utah to Jackson, Wyoming.  Being her first race, she wasn't expecting much, but ended up taking 1st place in her age group.

I have never been a world-class anything, but I've always been pretty active in just about everything. The hardest climbing I have done is V7 bouldering, 5.13- sport, 5.11 trad, WI5 ice (WI5 ice feels fairly easy, but I've never had the chance to lead harder), M7 mixed.  I have spent a decent amount of time climbing in the Tetons and Wind Rivers, but the majority of my climbing has been in Ogden and Salt Lake.

While looking for gear, I have always found it helpful to read other people's opinions on a particular product, the good and the bad.  I find it especially helpful when that person has similar interests as I do.  I also find it helpful to see lots of pictures, including pictures of the person wearing/using the products.  These are all things that I have tried and will continue to try to incorporate in this blog.

I hope this information will help you understand a little more about my background and the focus of this blog and help you decide whether or not this will be a helpful resource for you.

Thank you to everybody that has started to follow this blog!  It definitely helps me stay motivated to write and share when I know others are benefitting from it.  Please feel free to share your opinions with me and let me know if there is anything in particular you would like to hear about or gear you would like to have reviewed.  I'll do my best, as money and time allows, to address those things.

Thanks again,

Greg, Gear:30

Ski Touring by Ben Lomond

I just got back from an afternoon of ski touring with a friend of mine from the Weber State Outdoor Program.  They have a great program going on.  Daniel, the Director, and I hiked and skied almost 6,000 vertical feet (3,000 up and 3,000 down) in the Cutler Basin area just below the north slope of Ben Lomond. 

For all those that live in Ogden and are interested in backcountry skiing, check out the Weber Outdoor Program.  They have very knowledgeable staff and they get out in the backcountry whenever there's a storm and conditions are safe.  This year has been rough because of the lack of snow, but there's enough snow where we went to skin all the way up and ski all the way down.  Didn't even do any damage to my skis!

The Outdoor Program is one of Ogden's best kept secrets.  The director and assistant director are AMGA certified mountain guides, avid bc skiers, incredible whitewater paddlers, and everything in between.  They run trips all throughout the year.  Some trips that have been run in the past are Mt Rainier Climbing, Middle Teton and Grand Teton climbing, backpacking, backcountry skiing (with overnight stays in Weber's own yurt), a trip to the Cirque of the Unclimbables to climb Lotus Flower Tower, they run multiple rafting trips each summer, etc.  They also have rental equipment for all of the activities mentioned above.

I had some video from the GoPro, but I am having a hard time getting them to upload.  I'll try to figure it out.  In the mean time, here are some pictures (taken with the GoPro).  These were taken at about 8100ft. 

Just to prove I was there.  I'm usually behind the camera.

Daniel with Ben Lomond (on the left) and Willard Peak (directly above Daniel) in the background.  Beautiful skiing if the snow and weather is better.