Anybody here suffering from a severe case of CWS - Carving Withdrawal Syndrome..?
Especially a case that Backcountry AT equipment just can't address...
After too many days of social isolation, looking up at our beautiful mountain with good snow conditions and several forays on really good, but still inadequate AT great, desperation became the mother of invention - I figured out a simple, easy, readily available way to skin up mountain in alpine/race equipment.
My method only involves using four booster straps and two backcountry elastic straps (and of course and full alpine gear and climbing skins; any width and length will work), but I'm sure this could be done creatively with other type of elastic straps/cords. Basically it's just very similar to creating old 'Bear Trap' ski binding utilizing your toe piece as pivot point and your heel piece as lifter. Connect two boosters together, loop around front of toe of binding and lock down to ski just behind toe friction plate with elastic AT strap. Lock brakes up in retracted position. Put toe of boot in binding, then position booster strap around heel of boot just above lug. Tighten to desired tension and you're good to go to skin up mountain and SHRED. Make sure to keep upper buckles undone and power straps lose to make uphill stride easier.
Attached pictures and video should be self explanatory, but if you have any questions please let me know. And please share any ideas and beneficially modifications you develop. And especially please share pix and vids of you out there 'getting your carve on' and successfully combatting CWS.
Be safe, be well, and be isolated...!
Video showing setup:
And video showing it in use:
Especially a case that Backcountry AT equipment just can't address...
After too many days of social isolation, looking up at our beautiful mountain with good snow conditions and several forays on really good, but still inadequate AT great, desperation became the mother of invention - I figured out a simple, easy, readily available way to skin up mountain in alpine/race equipment.
My method only involves using four booster straps and two backcountry elastic straps (and of course and full alpine gear and climbing skins; any width and length will work), but I'm sure this could be done creatively with other type of elastic straps/cords. Basically it's just very similar to creating old 'Bear Trap' ski binding utilizing your toe piece as pivot point and your heel piece as lifter. Connect two boosters together, loop around front of toe of binding and lock down to ski just behind toe friction plate with elastic AT strap. Lock brakes up in retracted position. Put toe of boot in binding, then position booster strap around heel of boot just above lug. Tighten to desired tension and you're good to go to skin up mountain and SHRED. Make sure to keep upper buckles undone and power straps lose to make uphill stride easier.
Attached pictures and video should be self explanatory, but if you have any questions please let me know. And please share any ideas and beneficially modifications you develop. And especially please share pix and vids of you out there 'getting your carve on' and successfully combatting CWS.
Be safe, be well, and be isolated...!
Video showing setup:
And video showing it in use: