Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, March 11th, 2024
Categories: Gear • Reviews
Tags: Goggles • Yoziss
I just received some new SG73 snow goggles from Yoziss for review. I used them this past Saturday and Sunday during some sunny bluebird weather, which also included some high winds.
The goggles come with two magnetic lenses, one for bright light and one for low light. The lenses are easily swapped, by just pulling them off. No latches, unlike my Smith 4D Mag goggles. I’ll post a short video demoing the magnetic lenses soon. Since it was so sunny this weekend I used the bright light lenses. The lenses performed great. They reduced the glare and brightness and kept my eyes comfortable, even in very bright light.
I’m also very happy with the fit and comfort of these. They seal well and the thick padding is comfortable on my face. They’re also sharp looking. I dig the colors of the lenses.
So far I’m thrilled with my new goggles. I can’t believe how reasonable the price is. They’re under $70. My comparable Smith goggles were 4-5x that price!
Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, June 27th, 2022
Categories: Misc • Reviews
In for review is Pickle Juice. Why pickle juice? It can help prevent muscle craps.
I love pickles, but that didn’t make it much easier to try my first shot of Pickle Juice. I took it right before a very, very hot and dry mountain bike ride in which I know I lost a lot of fluids. No cramps!
Subsequent shots went down much easier and it seems like I’m feeling the benefits each time. I’ve only tried a few but I’m going to keep at it and see how the results are when I’m done with about a dozen of them.
My gloves have been super worn and I’ve desperately needed new ones. Stopped by a couple of bike shops and found the selection to be very limited, and very overpriced. So naturally my next stop was Amazon, where I found these Moreok gloves, one pair at about $7.00 and the other at $15.
It’s so hot here right now that I’m using two pairs of gloves per ride. One pair I use on the sweaty climb. The second pair I use on the downhill to insure I have a clean and solid grip.
So far the gloves are well worth the money and have more padding than my previous gloves. We’ll see how long they last. Stay tuned for a possible follow-up report on that.
I picked up these Atomic Bent Chetler 100’s last spring when we thought the COVID lockdown would be two weeks. TWO WEEKS.
Specs
Designed by legendary skier Chris Benchettler, the Bent Chetler 100 is a versatile, all-around ski suitable for a wide variety of ski conditions.
Length tested: 172. Other lengths available are 164, 180, 188.
The dual rocker technology is distributed as follows: Front rocker 20%, camber 70%, and tail rocker 10%.
The ski features HRZN Tech in the tip and tail for increased surface area and float. The Light Woodcore, directional shape, and Powder Rocker make carving, slashing, and even sliding (when necessary) a breeze.
The turning radius of the 172’s is 18, while the 164’s are at 16.4. The 180’s 19.5 and the 188’s 21.
My Experience
I only had a couple of chances to ski the 100’s last spring before the resorts shut down due to COVID. The resorts are back open now for the 2020-2021 season and I’ve been riding the Bent Chetler 100’s exclusively.
When I first tried the 100’s, I was not used to them at all. I was coming from the perspective of much wider and much longer skis. Now I’ve got the feel for the 100’s and I’m really digging them. I’ve managed to experience quite a variance of conditions from light powder to groomers to ice. The skis are playful and easy to ski, but strong enough to take on more aggressive skiing and terrain.
In powder they float well for being relatively narrow. I’m typically on 108’s and 116’s underfoot. Here’s a little pow video.
While they don’t necessarily ride on top of super light pow, they have enough float to get the job done.
Some of the most fun I’ve had skiing the Bent’s is making quick, short turns in tight places:
Final Thoughts
The Bent Chetler 100’s are a great one-ski-fits-all solution, or a great all-mountain addition to a skier’s quiver. The ski is reasonably priced at around $600 (without bindings).
It only took me 30 years to upgrade mountain bikes. My old Scott Pro from 1990 served me well, but I badly needed an upgrade. Here was my list of requirements:
Full suspension (front and rear shocks)
Seat dropper
29 inch wheels
Hydraulic disc breaks
Modern geometry
Good looking
Around $2k price range
Medium frame size
Shopping was a little difficult because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some shops were not open or were only open by appointment or special hours. Some shops didn’t have inventory that met my requirements. After visiting 4-5 shops I got a little bummed out and bagged the search. Then after a few days I took it back up again and found a Scott bike and a Specialized StumpJumper in my size and with my requirements at one shop. I test rode both. The Scott felt cheap and didn’t ride very well. The StumpJumper rode very smooth and “felt” like the one. I pulled the trigger right there and have been thrilled with the choice so far.
The bike is a 12-speed (photo below). I didn’t have enough knowledge about the gearing options and manufacturer to have a “requirement.” I’m happy so far with this 12-speed setup. It climbs well. I just wish I had a gear or two more for higher speeds, but this is a mountain bike, not a road bike.
The rear shock (below) is fantastic. After riding a hard tail and hard fork I’ve felt every bump for 1000’s of miles. Nice to have some absorption now and the shocks are a must when riding bumpy and rocky trails.
Upgrades
After my first ride, I had a flat tire. We have these nasty, nasty thorns here in Utah. So after some research I decided to go “tubeless.” This is a process where they remove the tube and treat the rim with some tape, then fill the tire with air and sealant. Since then I’ve had no flats at all. Going tubeless was the right decision for sure.
I also upgraded the pedals. My feet kept slipping off of the stock pedals. The new pedals cost about $80, so that may factor into the purchase if considering this bike.
Total upgrades: $140.00.
On The Trail
I’m not the world’s foremost expert in mountain biking. That said, I’m quite happy with how the StumpJumper performs in varying terrain. I’ve taken it through mud, sand, rocks, gravel, pavement, slick rock, bark, pebbles, and just about any mix of terrain one could think of. The only area that the bike doesn’t perform well is in sand, which is not unexpected. The tires are pretty fat, but not fatties.
I find the bike climbs very well and I almost never need to use the lowest gears.
Downhill biking is a blast with the 29 inch tires and full suspension. I love catching air and knowing that I can land softly without too much of a kick.
Final Thoughts
I’m just scratching the surface on my StumpJumper, and the whole mountain biking experience. I’m thrilled with the performance, durability and style and looking forward to many years of riding enjoyment.
Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, January 17th, 2020
Categories: Apparel • Gear • Reviews
Tags: Arcade
I’m keen on what gear ski pros use because I want to use the best gear I can for myself. After all, skiing isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Gear can make the difference between enjoying a great run or suffering badly.
Arcade and Cody Townsend
Over the last year or so I’ve become a big Cody Townsend fan. If you don’t know who he is, I highly recommend checking out his YouTube channel and The Fifty Project, where he is skiing the 50 most iconic lines in North America. Cody started up a belt company for skiers, ski mountaineers, hikers and the like. He saw a need and a niche that wasn’t being filled and Arcade Belts was born.
Getting in Shape
I’ve since acquired a total of SIX arcade belts and love them all. I have numerous reasons why I have these belts in play, one being their flexibility. You see, since winter of 2018-19 I made a decision to ski a lot more, both downhill and backcountry. I knew I’d need to be in better physical condition, so in 2019 I made a big effort to “move more and eat less.” It worked! I lost nearly 40 pounds and several inches off the waist. The problem with that is that none of my apparel fit anymore. Good problem to have I suppose. Belts needed.
In Action
The Arcade Belts flexibility and adjustability has allowed me to milk some more use out of some of my old ski pants. Plus, the flexibility of the belts has really helped me with my movement and comfort while skiing. The belts move with me, and stretch when they need to. If I’m taking a jump, bending down low to absorb bumps, or simply bending over to buckle my boots, my belt doesn’t choke me out.
I’m also using Arcade Belts on my pants and shorts, not just my ski pants. I’ve got a lot of pants/shorts which would simply fall right off my body without my Arcades. Plus they look great!
Style
Not only are Arcade Belts super functional, they’re very stylish. There are dozens of different styles, designs and colors to choose from. With my arsenal of Arcade Belts I’ve got a good match for most outfits I wear, but I’m surely not done. I need more.
Final Thoughts
Hats off to Arcade Belts. They’re a great belt for outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, camping, climbing and so on and can go straight from the mountains to a night on the town.
Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, December 13th, 2019
Categories: Gear • Reviews
Tags: Armada • Powder
I was fully engulfed in ski mania last spring. I picked up tons of new gear, including the Armada ARV 116 UL Zero skis. Unfortunately in the spring there were never conditions which warranted gaming the the JJ’s. I did take them up for a day of spring skiing just because I was so excited to have them, but sticky slush groomed runs were far from off-trail big mountain deep powder.
About the ARV 116 JJ UL Zero
The JJ’s feature an “AR Freestyle Rocker.” These are light, big mountain freestyle skis rockered tips and tails combined with a positive camber underfoot and an ultra-light core.
This design shines in powder and unpredictable conditions. They ride on top of the power or even thick muck. Riding on top makes the ski so much easier to control.
The flex of the ski is somewhat stiff in the tips, and a little more stiff in the waist.
Bevels on the tip and tail help the skier transition in deep snow. The tips are like boat hulls!
Dimensions
Size (cm)
165
175
185
192
Tip Width (mm)
139
139
139
Waist Width (mm)
116
116
116
Tail Width (mm)
135
135
135
Turning Radius (m)
17
18
19
In Action
I’ve now had a few more sessions with the JJ’s this winter, and experienced some great powder days. Last weekend as absolutely thrilling with about 10-14 inches of fresh pow. The JJ’s performed tremendously.
It didn’t take me long to get used to the JJ’s. I felt like I was floating on the clouds. I had fantastic feel and control, and the skis never EVER ducked under the powder. They were always floating on top. It made skiing pow so easy and effortless.
In the video above you can see the Armada JJ’s in action. Note how smoothly the move through the powder and choppy conditions. They always float.
Conclusion
I’m thrilled with my JJ 116’s. They make powder even more fun, which I didn’t think was possible. I can’t wait for the next big storm. In fact, the next storm is coming over the next few days. 48 inches possible. My JJ’s and I are ready to roll.
