Like a cross between Inspector Gadget and a mountain goat, these guys are all about letting the tech do the talking. No ones going to argue with your backcountry knowledge if you have a hunting knife, two ice axes, 50 yards of rope and enough supplies for three days hanging off your off-piste/batman utility belt are they?
Even if they’ve never been further than twenty metres off piste, you already know the type; the ones who complain about ‘park rats’ and won’t leave the house for less than 50cm of fresh, despite the fact that the weight of their gear causes them to immediately sink to the bottom of the snow pack. At least they can tell you what kind of snow crystals have formed down there though…
Look to the pros:
Xavier de le Rue, Jeremy Jones, Sascha Hamm
Do say:
Nice crampons!
Don’t say:
Did you bring a piste map?
Get the look:
As well as packing more metal accessories on your waist than Method Man has around his neck, you’ll want to make sure you have all the latest in North Face survival wear. Essentially you’re aiming for snowboard jacket equivalent of one of those sleeping bags with arms and legs, plus the biggest back pack possible to fit in all those extra bits of kit.
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