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Written by The Editors
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Wednesday, 31 January 2007 |
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Page 1 of 7 Our team of seven testers share their personal experiences and apparel tips, and our editors match them up with prescriptions for their powder fever.
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Paul LaPerriere
British Columbia
Home: Courtenay, British ColumbiaAbode: “Finally, a house after eight years on and off in my van.”
Range: Vancouver Island/Coast Range
Tool of choice: Telemark
Age: 30
Weight: 165
Height: 5’ 7”
Work: Avalanche Awareness Course Instructor; Ski Guide; Wilderness Guide
Backcountry Days: 30 (typically, a lot more in a better season than last.)
Resort Days: 30
Cross-country days: 20
Ideal Group Size: 3
Favorite apres-ski event: Ping-pong sessions
Theme music: Led Zeppelin (the early years) and AC/DC
Big-Day Breakfast: Banana, berry smoothie and eggs over-easy, doused with Louisiana hot sauce.
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Last Season’s Best Day: “I was working in Alberta, teaching five military guys how to backcountry ski. One and a half feet of new snow had just fallen where we were at Westcastle, and the skiing was really great. The military guys are usually not the greatest skiers, but they were pretty keen when there was a lot of snow.”
Body Climate: “Overall, I’d have to say I sweat more than the average person, and it doesn’t take much to get me sweating. Typically, I like to start warm so I’ll throw on tons of layers in the morning. But before I know it, I’ve stripped down to a t-shirt. Once I’ve started moving, if I stop for too long I get chilled. Also, my hands and feet are often much colder when the rest of my body is warm.”
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Prescription:
Smartwool’s Vortex Crew (smartwool.com) layers well, dries quickly and its natural fibers keeps body odor at bay, while Helly Hansen’s Lifa Fly Pant (hellyhansen.com) provides great breathability and warmth downstairs. Paul can throw on Montbell’s UL Thermawrap Parka (montbell.com) when holding class in a snowpit, and keep his digits warm with
Black Diamond’s
Prodigy Glove(bdel.com)
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Smartwool’s Vortex Crew
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Helly Hansen’s Lifa Fly Pant
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Montbell’s UL Thermawrap Parka
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Black Diamond’s Prodigy Glove
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Mountain Climate: “When I leave the house in Courtney, it’s typically pretty warm (-5ºC). It’s usually much colder (-10ºC) when we get to the mountains in the early morning, so I’ll have thrown on more clothes during the drive. But the days warm up quickly here, so whatever new snow has fallen (and we usually get a lot of it) gets wet and sloppy. It’s too mild to find many dry powder days here.”
Prescription:
Patagonia’s simple Stretch Element Pants (patagonia.com) worn with The North Face’s Freethinker Jacket (thenorthface.com) create a storm-proof exterior that will keep Vancouver’s damp climate at a safe distance when Paul is studying the snowpack, skinning or skiing.
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Patagonia’s Stretch Element Pants
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North Face’s Freethinker Jacket
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