My Gear This Year 2012: Jackets in Review

Part two in this year's look at my gear and its upkeep will focus on the stuff that keeps my torso warm and dry. I'm lucky enough to get some outerwear almost every year. Some because I'm good at trivia, some because I can convince people that my word can be construed as marketing, some through connections and some just because I pay hard dollars for it. One thing is for sure, now is the time to go through you jacket pockets. This year I found a goggle bag and a dollar. Thank Terje I didn't find anything rotten like I have in the Snowdays jackets (banana peel). Now on to my closet...

L to R: Homeschool, Holden, Columbia (w/ liner),
Volcom, Billabong, Neff

First up, the Homeschool Snowboarding With Teeth jacket in Ever (green). Well isn't that clevergreen. Homeschool sent me a kit to review for this winter, their first year with outerwear on the market. I haven't worn it riding yet, so I can't say much, but it is 10k waterproof and a whopping 30k breathable. It's comfortable. The fabric is nice and flexible right out of the wrapper. Enough pockets, not too many. Good pant to jacket connection. Some conspicuous omissions: wrist gaiters. The hood barely covers my XL helmet. I'm intrigued by the Cocona fabric technology. You'll hear more about this as the season plays out.

Next is the 2010 Holden Harvieux. It's a sample. 10k water and 5k breathe. Yeah, I get that inside-out sweat feel sometimes. Not a storm jacket, but my opening day jacket this year and my most stylish coat. To me this means I feel like I 'should' wear it around town, but I usually don't. I only wear the jackets in that picture around town when it's really pouring. Except the Neff. I save those jackets and their DWR for snowboarding. A regular hoodie will get you by in Portland. Especially when you're used to colder places. Anyway, the Holden jacket is nice in that it has wrist gaiters, as every jacket should, but surprisingly few do. It keeps me dry, but its pow skirt is worthless unless you have a zipper that fits (I don't). A good number of useful pockets and then one with a fake button top, but real side-zip entry. I thought it was a fake pocket for months. The hood actually fits comfortably over my King-dome helmet for those extra stormy days. The liner is Cocona and the rest of the coat is recycled poly. As Holden says, it's eco-friendlier, which is a plus in my book. I still wouldn't pay retail for it at $260. It needs to come through better than that for that price. Then again, I'm not into fashion.

That gray and green piece (and the darker layer to its right) is the 2011 Columbia Powder Bowl Parka. Columbia sent it to me because they identified me as a passionate blogger. And they wanted to crack into the snowboard scene. I said about all I have to say about this coat in this post. One thing a friend of mine brought to my attention is that this jacket might be good for hunters who sit in one spot for long hours. This means it might also be good for snow filmers. Just not people who are constantly riding. That said, I do keep the layer in my bag at all times.

What you see next is the Volcom Gennerman. Gore-Tex Soft Shell. Bought it in '08ish on one of those deal-a-day sites. Best jacket I've ever had. Amazing water and sweat resistance. Same goes for durability. Perfect number of pockets, that being four. That might have been a little before the era of wrist gaiters, so it has that excuse for not having them. The pit-zips don't have mesh backing, so if you ever have to open the vents you risk snow entering the 'no snow zone.' It has the standard Volcom Zip-Tech pow skirt, but also clips that work with belt loops for a more universal appeal. I wonder why more companies don't do that. Some jackets just work and this is one of them. I'd have no problem paying retail for this.

The black and green stripes? That's a little Billabong number. Mark Frank Montoya handed it to me when I correctly answered the question: Who did the music for Nicolas Müller's part in Saturation? This was at the Optimistic? (2007) premiere. Here's the thing, I had never seen Saturation. Still haven't. Justin Hostynek was up on the mic giving clues and and shutting people down. It was getting awkward for a second. Then he said something like, 'He might even be here tonight.' And that was the give away. Scott Sullivan. I try to wear this jacket when I'm riding with a big group. It's easy to pick out. Nothing special. Middle of the road stuff. Touchscreen compatible mobile device pocket. Good pow dress (the snaps). Starting to need the spray-on waterproofing (I use Nikwax TX Direct). I might have sold it if it didn't fit so well. Kinda ho-hum, but it has gotten me through a few years now.

Finally, you can guess by the print that the tech hoody on the far right is the Neff. That was a late-season sale purchase. For a road trip where I didn't have a rain jacket or a warm coat. Guess that means I bought it in '09. Saved my bacon in a Mississippi downpour. Pair up the animals type weather. Me out in my Neff checking out the swamps. Looking for gators. Saw none. She sees the spring slopes and city streets only. Breathes like a Hefty bag. The vents are always open. The pow skirt zips off when you don't need it and has those snap closures that can fasten around belt loops when you do. Thumb loops, too. Good piece. Knows its role. I just wish it was more breathable.

Having more than one jacket is key. You can switch things up and not wear the same jacket back to back, over and over. This increases the durability more than you can imagine. Now, I know not everyone is lucky enough to have six jackets, but when you see that I only paid for two of them, well maybe I've given you some ideas as to how to get cheap or free jackets for yourself. Of course, most involve luck. Some involve buying used, buying in the springtime or finding sample sales. Get some Gore-Tex Soft Shell if you can. That fabric is perfect. Keep an eye out for Homeschool Snowboarding, though. They could be a hometown sleeper.

Check out my other "My Gear This Year 2012" reviews: Boards and Pants. 

My Gear This Year 2012: Boards in Review

Going into every year is a good time to take a look at your boards and think about your needs (usually wants) for the coming season. I have a few boards and a few wants. Let's take a look, shall we?

First, old faithful. The 7 iron. The trusty, if rusty. She's always there for me and can do almost everything I ask. My 2001 Option Kevin Sansalone 158.5.

Man's best friend

This is my first non-Wal-Mart board. I had no idea what I was doing when I bought this board. Riding or buying. CCS was happy to take my money, all the same. Its default stance is set back three inches with a long nose and short tail. And I grew up riding 500' vertical Midwest hills. Now, it has broken in just right. It still has a medium flex and is cambered, which I like. Now, I also live closer to the mountains it was meant for.

As I said, this board handles it all. Hardpack at resorts. All but the deepest of pow. Trees. Banked slaloms. Jumps. Speeeed. No jibs, though, homey don't play that. I will continue to ride it until the base builds and covers up some of the lurking stumps and treetops. Then it will be my pow board.

So far, I haven't done much damage to the board at all. No core shots. The edges are fine. I did break a quarter-size chunk out of the topsheet, but I 'repaired' it with a sharpie, so it looks more normal. I'm thinking about P-Texing it, but it's small enough, that I don't think it matters.

Canadian board, Canadian quarter

I am seriously entertaining the notion of splitting this board. I absolutely will split some board in the next year. Getting out there on a splitboard is just the next logical step. It's either split the Sansalone or this one:

Full House

I have on good authority that this is a Never Summer SL 164 prototype. I believe 2004. A friend of mine won it and three other beat up boards in a poker game for a $15 bet. When I told him I was visiting the Never Summer factory, he just gave it to me.

What can I say about this board? I've never actually ridden it. I has a blown out edge and a large core shot in the base. I've been using it to practice my P-Tex work and I'm thinking of splitting it. 

Git yer tetanus shots.

You should see the other board.

Next up is a 2009 Stepchild Corporate 155 that I got for doing some work with Snowboarder Magazine. 

Dig that graphic.

This is another early-season, thin-coverage board. Weird thing is, I've never really damaged my 'early season' boards, while my main board has two core shots. More on that later. I can't complain much about this board, other than it's too small. It's fun for springtime cruising. It handles pow and trees OK. It's got that camber pop. It doubles as my girlfriend's pow board. Being directional, this board can really lay down a nosepress - pow or park.

This brings us to the end. My everyday driver. Nothing fancy, but a real blue-collar board. My 2010 Never Summer SL-R 158.

Don't know what SFD means? Better axe somebody!

The 'new' board. Jack of all trades, master at none. Closer to twin than the Option. It also has a little rocker between the bindings and camber outside. This makes it float OK in powder, but not like the Option. This also aides butters and slightly detracts from pop. Dampness is where this board shines and that's important in the Northwest. That and stability were two big selling points for this board. See, I spend most of my time on the ground. I'm not fooling anyone otherwise. Might as well get a board that can handle it. I maybe should have gone with the 161, but other than that, this board is perfect for me. That and I got it at the end of the year for 40% off. Miserly instincts die hard.

Middle left and lower right

Here's the bummer, a season and a half in and I've put two core shots in it. Not that rad when you consider how NS prides themselves on their bases. One was my fault, I tail tapped a rock. The other, I have no idea, but it looks like it almost took my edge out with it. A little P-Tex kleenex wipe and she's good as new. Let that be a lesson not to ride your good board when the conditions are a little thin.

Anyway, that's how the gear is looking this season. A couple boards, mostly all-rounders. Hardly a full quiver, but I'm not complaining too loud. In a perfect world, the Stepchild would be my girl's pow ride, the SL prototype would be P-Tex practice only, the Sansalone would be the early-season board, I would ride the SL-R 75% of the time and I would have a deep pow stick and a splitboard (possibly the same board). As it is, I'm ripping, saving and plotting. Anybody got a split Charlie Slasher or a Whale?

Check out my other "My Gear This Year" reviews: Jackets and Pants.

Just Friday

You have been bombarded by ads to buy Buy BUY EVERYTHING this Friday. Black Friday. So called because of the traffic it generates. I challenge you to do the opposite. Instead, buy nothing. Avoid that traffic. Avoid the light year-lines around your local big-box stores. Avoid the gas station. Avoid the grocery store by eating some of those leftovers. You don't need to be a hermit, but you don't need the hassle either. For what? So you can stand in line for hours and watch the two old ladies in front of you, who were sharing pictures of their grandchildren earlier, come to blows over $300 TVs while you leave the store with a bunch of stuff you didn't know you needed in the first place? It's not worth it.

Instead, relax. Do you have the day off work? Relaxation should come easier. Get outside and take a walk. Down to the corner, around the block, around town. Find some fresh air away from the Black Friday horde. Maybe walk around in your snowboard boots. They could use some breaking in. Sit down with a book. Maybe something you've been trying to make time for. Watch an old snowboard movie or another movie that you haven't watched in sooo long. Call the friends and family you didn't talk to on Thanksgiving. Tell them why you're thankful for them. Give thanks to snowboarding. 'Friend' Thanks Snowboarding on Facebook and follow Thanks_Project on Twitter. Stretch. Exercise. The snow is coming. Be ready. Shredding will make you happier than any doodad you can buy anyway.

Funnest Edit This Season

I don't usually like to watch early-season rail edits, but this stuff is solid gold hilarious. Only from Isenseven.

Knee-Deep at Meadows... On Opening Day!

Not only that, sunny skies! Free hot cocoa and coffee!! Free cookies!!! FREE BEER!!1 OK, no free beer, but the rest is legit. Best opening day at Mt. Hood Meadows ever. The fresh tracks lasted far longer than my legs. All that hiking, biking, running and gym time this summer proved worthless. In two runs, my back leg was yelping like a confused poodle. This prompted the following binding setup: 

Yeah, that deep. Runs that were normally groomers swallowed men whole. I think I found the lost city of Atlantis under the new Stadium Express lift. Of course this is the first snow of the season, so stumps, rocks and Christmas tree tops are still exposed, just waiting to snag the unsuspecting rider. Your humble author got his among some trees under Shooting Star.

Waking up the morning after opening day should be a little painful, though, shouldn't it? A five month layoff letting all the important muscles atrophy, then getting out there, at altitude, trying to pick up where you left off..? Pain. Pass me the ice pack, fish oil and turmeric. No Advil here, I'm going natural. Carlson fish oil, one tablespoon per day (that's three teaspoons, genius). Natural anti-inflammatory. It's good for the skin, hair, heart and brain, too. Makes you do methods like Lando. Talk to your medical professional about it. Or maybe just eat more fish. Or, you know, give your money to big pharma and maintain the status quo. How's that for a rant? Fair to midland? I'll try harder next time.

Much of my time was spent wandering - either on board or foot - and checking out all the new things at Meadows this year. The new lift was the most prominent and nicer than I thought it would be. The new snowcats are doing their thing behind the scenes. Some of the little things that grabbed my attention were bottle filling stations on the drinking fountains and a new plastic cutlery dispenser.

The things they do in the name of environmentalism. Meanwhile, the automatic toilet flushes twice before I even sit down. Figure that one out.

Any day with that much powder is a good day. Especially when you can end it with a pint in the lodge instead of with a splint in the aid hut. My stoke is fully restored. Here's to a great season!

Winter on Mt. Hood!

Tomorrow, 11/18, Timberline is opening some lower-mountain lifts, Bruno and Pucci. Not to be outdone, Meadows is opening their doors for the season Saturday.

That's right, time to stop dreaming about it and start getting everything together to shred the rad. A little bad news, though, Meadows is only guaranteeing two lifts for Saturday, Buttercup and Easy Rider and something tells me the park won't be ready on Easy Rider... This means that the gnar might be a little more gnar than you're used to. Bring the rock board, etc. More snow is in the forecast, though, so there's still a chance for a larger opening. Check the Meadows conditions page on Friday afternoon for the full plan.

Snowboarding on Mt. Hood. Just in time. My board doesn't need any more wax. Does yours?

DIY Splitboard Workshop

Wednesday night (11/16), Castle Boardshop in Portland is hosting a BYO Splitboard class. Show up at 7:30pm and learn how to split your stick while enjoying refreshments and discounts on all your backcountry needs. Backcountry access was never this fun and easy!

Last Nut Sagging

Many of you know by now, but if I only get to one new person, it's worth it. My friend Kevin is down to his last nut. Cancer plucked the other from him like a tasty grape. I hope to never have to make an analogy like that again. Anyway, the medical bills are mounting. Enter good friend Scott E Wittlake:

Long story short, you can own Scotty's original artwork (as featured on one of his Lib Tech pro model boards). Just e-mail him @scottEwittlake@gmail.com and bid it up. All proceeds go to Kevin's medical bills.

For more ways to donate check out the limited edition Airblaster t-shirt here and the donation page here. Also, check out Kev's Cancer on Facebook. Drop a buck, protect a nut and help support the Portland shred scene.

Not This Year

I'm still going, I just won't be racing.