Wildsnow, any good alternatives?

[blazes_boylan]

No doubt that Lou deserves major respect for all he's done over the years, and the thing with Lou or any such blog is ya gotta take the good and bear with the bad/curmudgeony. That said, like many of us I suppose, Lou does seem to take some very personally convenient (and at the same time contradictory) positions on things. I personally think Arc and Patagucc brought some much-needed attention to the issue of public lands in UT regardless of the underlying motivation, but appreciate hearing a different, devil's advocate viewpoint from someone who's been in this industry forever.

[Shredhead]

Used to be a starving artist, apparently blogging pays better.

[TAFKALVS]

Lou hasn't changed since the rec.skiing.backcountry days, he's pretty much always been the libertarian curmudgeon, of course with a healthy shot of NIMBY when it suits him. Seems nice enough otherwise.

Having skied and shared beers with Lou on multiple occasions, this is exactly who he is, and probably would 100% agree with you on the description.

Bottom half of this: https://www.wildsnow.com/21802/ispo-...al-air-travel/

It's true though. Attending 3 tradeshows is a huge resource drain and OR is too late normally in the softgoods product cycle to place orders with the factories in China anyways. So it becomes a big expensive marketing effort. I bet the big brands spend $500k at OR between booth expenses, wages, food, freebies, travel, lodging, etc.

Patagucci and Deadbird have a strong enough brand to skip the shows. I bet they have been looking for a reason to skip the shows for years - and this is a great opportunity to exit. It gives them have the ability to stroke the identity politics of their primary customers and cut a huge amount of costs. Win win.

[TahoeJ]

I've got a couple of friends at Patagucci... and after talking to them I can tell you that Lou is just wrong, plain and simple.

[Danno]

I don't find wildsnow all that useful or regularly enjoyable, though Lou definitely deserves mad props for all he's done.

One ski/snow blog worth reading, and plugging our own maggot/maggette, is https://14erskiers.com/blog/ Consistently good content, IMO, with a mix of gear info and trip stories.

[Tri-Ungulate]

Having skied and shared beers with Lou on multiple occasions, this is exactly who he is, and probably would 100% agree with you on the description.

I have no doubt he would agree. I've only met him once, at Straightchuter's wedding, after mildly feuding with him back in the USENET days and as I said, he seemed nice enough.

[djhutch]

At the risk of sending too many mags over to a very civil site and forum, I think Craig Dostie (now on Earn Your Turns) easily writes the most thorough and least bias reviews in the business and he has been doing it (starting with Couloir mag) way before Wildsnow.com. Problem is he only reviews something every month or so there is less output than Wildsnow; and (much more significant to mags) his bias, most of his readership bias, and my bias leans towards tele gear (gasp!). Still, it is nice to have an actual forum and not just Lou with a megaphone and a small text field for comments.

The main site: http://www.earnyourturns.com/
The forum: http://www.backcountrytalk.earnyourt...m/vb/forum.php

Adjustable poles forever!!

[LeeLau]

One ski/snow blog worth reading, and plugging our own maggot/maggette, is https://14erskiers.com/blog/ Consistently good content, IMO, with a mix of gear info and trip stories.

Agreed that 14er skiers has high quality

[media310]

Mad props to Lou for being the 1st but seems like he has jumped the shark in the last few years. He is against what he likes to call mechanized/industrial skiing but his pissed off about wilderness area's in Utah cause people can't 4x4 in them or when someone disturbs his stash with a snowmobile. He supports some ahole getting the backside of Telluride through the effed up, antiquated mining laws but as soon as some rich land baron in his back yard pulls a similar stunt he gets all fired up, "Not in my backyard" kinda thing. Now he's all pissed at Yvon for pulling out of OR over the Utah political establishments land policies. Seems really weird for a guy who's livelihood depends on people utilizing public lands.

Anyways, are there any good alternatives out there? Rather not help the guy generate any revenue through my clicks. Earn your turns site is great if you happen to catch it when they put up something new but having that same post up as your one and only post for a couple of years gets a little old.

Plus hearing about how his 100 gram ballet slippers attached to his 200 gram paper mache skis via 10 grams of scotch tape is a little on the heavy side gets kinda ridiculous.

so your upset that someone post whatever the fuck he wants on his personal blog? You do realize he has a "real" job too right? And does this out of passion.. And good for him calling out Yvon. Need more people to speak from the heart in this industry and not just be followers

[Danno]

Wildsnow is a commercial enterprise, and while Lou is entitled to post whatever he wants on it, the op is just as entitled to declare that he doesn't want to support that commercial enterprise, and ask for alternatives with similar content.

[dunfree]

Fine with that. I'm on kingpins and my boots weigh 1750 grams (the horror!!), so I'm somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. Point is, there's a wide range of options and needs and the snobby bullshit with regards to weight is tiring. Having said that, I'll never use a frame binding in the BC again but they're still great if you only have one setup for BC and resort.

More not your market than snobby. Lou's always been a bc guy, hence "wild snow".

I disagree with some of his crabby libertarian views, but I respect the effort he's put into content. Real, quantified (weight, release values, etc.) content.

[TahoeJ]

More not your market than snobby. Lou's always been a bc guy, hence "wild snow".

Nah, I've appreciated some of his reviews in the past. Point is, if you're going to review a product, review it for its intended use - that's all. But whatever, there was already a whole other thread about this.

[dunfree]

Nah, I've appreciated some of his reviews in the past. Point is, if you're going to review a product, review it for its intended use - that's all. But whatever, there was already a whole other thread about this.

I care about my use, not whatever the fuck it's intended use is, or whatever the fuck advertisement is being sold for it, or whatever ego's need to be stroked.

[LeeLau]

I disagree with some of his crabby libertarian views, but I respect the effort he's put into content. Real, quantified (weight, release values, etc.) content.

Exactly - whenever i need some sort of objective quantified measurement I look to wildsnow. Take what Lou and his contributors say with a grain of salt and your own filter for your own needs. That goes for any reviews by any site.

No-one has mentioned blister? Their soft good reviews in particular are good

[TahoeJ]

I care about my use, not whatever the fuck it's intended use is, or whatever the fuck advertisement is being sold for it, or whatever ego's need to be stroked.

Not sure why you're so angry - you seem to be projecting. But by all means buy a slalom ski and review how much it sucks in powder. Or something, not even sure what you're really talking about.

[dunfree]

Not sure why you're so angry - you seem to be projecting. But by all means buy a slalom ski and review how much it sucks in powder. Or something, not even sure what you're really talking about.

If I buy a food thermometer is it ok to review it as an avalanche thermometer?

[Skidog]

At the risk of sending too many mags over to a very civil site and forum, I think Craig Dostie (now on Earn Your Turns) easily writes the most thorough and least bias reviews in the business and he has been doing it (starting with Couloir mag) way before Wildsnow.com. Problem is he only reviews something every month or so there is less output than Wildsnow; and (much more significant to mags) his bias, most of his readership bias, and my bias leans towards tele gear (gasp!). Still, it is nice to have an actual forum and not just Lou with a megaphone and a small text field for comments.

The main site: http://www.earnyourturns.com/
The forum: http://www.backcountrytalk.earnyourt...m/vb/forum.php

Adjustable poles forever!!

Have shared a few turns with Dostie....good guy...

[3PinGrin]

If I buy a food thermometer is it ok to review it as an avalanche thermometer?

According to you, apparently. Color me confused???

Craig's reviews on Earnyouturns are top notch. Lou's reviews seem much more biased to me. I peruse Wildsnow more for specific data (weights, ski construction, etc.) and technical tips on mounts etc.

[dunfree]

According to you, apparently. Color me confused???

At least some of the "avalanche" theremometers are just food thermometers in a different package. If you don't care about paying $10 more for nothing, have at it. The point was I'm interested in measuring the snow pack well and cheaply. Whatever does that best, no matter what it is, works. I'm interested in skiing something well, whatever works, works, and I don't care about labels. If someone comes with a FIS winning Slalom ski that also skis powder well.... yes please!

[3PinGrin]

At least some of the "avalanche" theremometers are just food thermometers in a different package. If you don't care about paying $10 more for nothing, have at it.

I have seen the same construction/manufacturer, but different scales. At least for analog. Not saying you are wrong but I agree with TahoeJ, you seem angry.

[dunfree]

I have seen the same construction/manufacturer, but different scales. At least for analog. Not saying you are wrong but I agree with TahoeJ, you seem angry.

Analog you weren't looking hard enough, they are out there. Taylor digital, press a button, it's the right scale. The BC ski industry is too small for many goods to be actually custom.

I'm mostly fed up with yuppies who need their ego fed by reviews and are angry when someone doesn't, as TahoeJ is in this thread. So you aren't a "real BC" skier. Who gives a shit?

[ElToroPequeño]

Exactly - whenever i need some sort of objective quantified measurement I look to wildsnow. Take what Lou and his contributors say with a grain of salt and your own filter for your own needs. That goes for any reviews by any site.

No-one has mentioned blister? Their soft good reviews in particular are good

+1 on Blister. although you have to pay up for membership to view some comparison/deep dive reviews

[neck beard]

Wildsnow has a very narrow perspective. It has been evident in his writing for years, and excusable. Most people have a narrow perspective. What he does not seem to realize is that there are a lot of people in communities and demographics who have barely even heard of wildsnowdotcom, who are doing as much - or much more - ski touring than his cohort and on gear that he thinks is too heavy for his cohort. He has a strong opinion, but is wrong based on evidence. Tech bindings with brakes + 1.8kg 110mm-120mm skis + Maestrale RS or Mercuries = a popular and productive set up for many people who backcountry ski for a living.

And the war on 2 piece poles: he once tried to predict that ski photographers would stay away from 2 piece pole skiers because they would not look aesthetic in photos. In the meantime, backcountry skiers around the world who have never heard of him nor the people getting photographed continue to use what ever gear they feel like using, like 2 piece poles. Because they are practical.

He brings a lot of personality to his writing. It is a double edged sword.

[skiitsbetter]

wait. people actually buy backcountry-specific poles?

[muted]

And good for him calling out Yvon. Need more people to speak from the heart in this industry and not just be followers

I and many other people hear have spoken from our hearts about your spamming and your bullshit blog, but you don't seem to like that so much.