2015 Gear - Backcountry Essentials
Total Heliski CEO Hayley exploring the back country, which is close to our hearts.
Backcountry, the most talked about category in snow sports is also close to our hearts at Total Heliski. Our company was born from the search for adventure away from busy groomed runs of ski resorts. Whether by helicopter drop onto virgin snow, or earning your turns via hiking and skinning to ride terrain, you’ll need to be equipped with the essentials.
It’s liberating for skiers and boarders, to now have access to reasonably priced equipment, versatile clothing and safety devices. These three things combined, allow them to access backcountry adventure that previously was only available to but a few.
(Essentials courtesy of our British Retail partner- Ellis Brigham):
1) Solid Backcountry Outerwear: A GORE-TEX shell using the best mountaineering garments as a starting point then adding skier-specific features to deliver a lean and mean package with uncompromising performance.
2) Fat Skis with Touring Bindings: Rockered at tip and/ or tail to maximise floatation in deep powder. A binding with a Hike and Ride system to provide a powerful downhill response as well as uphill walking convenience is also a must.
3) Safety Airbag: We can not stress the importance of making sure you are with an expert guide, carrying transceivers, shovels and probes but increasingly we are now blessed to be able to carry an airbag. Once, very expensive, there is now an ever growing choice of airbag packs available.
