Figger_Eight

I've seen that happen to a few of their older packs. Send it back (or take it to a retailer that deals with them) and Osprey will take care of it - and probably reinforce the other side as well.

Free Dwayner!

John Long's "Climbing Anchors" and "More Climbing Anchors" (Falcon Press) are a great start.

It was there...you just had to walk a little further to find it

R.I.P.

Because the second half of the ski season is yet to come

wow...how sad

Atomic TM-X's w/ Linkens Salomon Supermountains (Alpine) All ya'll with 4 or more skis need a support group!

suck.

No kidding...I would think a mudslide would happen before an avalanche. Bummer - I hope he's okay.

"Headstrong" and stubborn are two very different things

Thai Tom Kaosamai in Fremont is good too. Orappin on Queen Anne is still my favorite though.

Stuart

Geez...someone sounds like an eVENT rep A good way to check breathability of a fabric is to seal your lips around the fabric and try to suck air through. (insert crude joke here). It's MUCH easier through Epic the eVENT or Dryloft. Yes...it's less water-resistant than eVENT, but if it's been raining for 6 hours - why are you wearing a down jacket?

Yeah. Bungie cords should be outlawed. Tie your shit down with real ropes. And wash your nuts while you're at it. And remember...the ladies aren't exempt from smelly crotch syndrome either.

What is your factual basis for believing they are the "weakest binding"? No doubt. Just how is it you figure dynafit is the weakest binding. I knew some of you wouldn't like that one Since the toe and the heel pieces aren't one unit, a softer flexing ski or a big impact can pre-release a boot - not to mention lower din settings than a Freeride or Naxo.

Tennis balls in the DRYER - not in the washing machine.

I guess that makes sense to match the heaviest, burliest AT boot with the lightest, weakest binding.

The Epic shell is MORE breathable than any laminate (Event or Dryloft). The fibers themselves are encapsulated with silicone, eliminating the need to glue an additional membrane to the facing fabric. You now have one layer of material vs. three layers (including glue). When dealing with breathability issues with heavy down parkas the discussion is only relevant with respect to the parka drying out from an external heat source (the sun)...not drying out from your body heat. In order for vapor to escape there needs to be a temperature gradiant present to drive the vapor through the outer fabric. If the heat from your body reaches the outer fabric...well the parka isn't doing a real good job of insulating you from the cold. The only time you're going to be wearing the parka is when you're standing around...not climbing - so sweating shouldn't be that big of a consideration.

What do you call a broken boomerang...? A stick.

Whether it's 12k or 14k, you could still get spanked pretty hard in the winter on any of the volcanoes. I would be comfortable taking a Volant up in the winter, but a Frontpoint certainly wouldn't be overkill. Fill weight is one of a few factors when determining the warmth of a jacket. You can get a 650 fill jacket to be as warm as an 800 fill, but it'll be a bit heavier.

Nope. I'll be there mid-February as well though.

I second the Bridgestones. I switched from the Firestones on my Taco to these and have been pretty happy with them.

If you're pretty competent with your heels locked down, switching to tele is not going to be that bad. With modern gear, parallel turns are pretty easy to fall back on in the manky stuff.