I like to think that, when it comes to gear, there are a few basic, agreed-upon pieces. Bring the avalanche safety gear and know how to use it. Have a splitboard or skis with functional bindings and skins, and occasionally wax the ski base, especially in spring. Boots, they are key, too. Hey, because we are open-minded, let’s include a POW surfer as a viable snow sliding tool, too.
Without these items, you’re unlikely to be touring. Could you tour sans clothing? Sure. But brisk temps will take their toll. Surely, the list of items could and should expand.
Ok, here’s a task: look around pretty much any touring group, and you’ll note a diverse array of gear and colorways. Five members in your group, and it’s usually five different packs, jackets, pants, and on and on. I’ve chuckled these past few years with the onset of designs and designers claiming they’ve nailed it, say with a pack design—that they’ve bent the space-time continuum to their will, and behold, the core market shall kneel at thy feet while wearing said pack.
It doesn’t work that way. Some pieces of gear work exceptionally well for some tourists, but not all tourists. I’ve been thinking of this notion for a few months after listening to some minimalist dogma from some fellow ski tourists. Which got me thinking about the essentials, like the absolute essentials we need for big-smile touring.
