The North Face Men's Pinehurst Jacket: Beneath its cool, urbain, urbane exterior, you'll find a host of bike-specific features including multiple reflective zones and a back pocket.

Left-
The North Face Men's Pinehurst Jacket: Pit zips to help regulate your body's temperature.
Right- The North Face Men's Venture Side Zip Pant: They're waterproof-breathable, so they'll keep you dry. They have full-length zippers, which mean you can take them off without removing your boots.

Left- Icebreaker Men's Long Sleeve Commute Zip Thru: The sublime merino will keep you dry and confortable. The silicone strip on the inside of the hem will keep the shirt in place.
Right- The Oakley Split Jacket sunglasses futuristic and agressive look will let motorists know you mean business when you take the lane.

Osprey Momentum 26: a backpack with a sundry of fantastic features.

Osprey Momentum 26: Shoulder straps tuck away for an unencumbered look. Best in class helmet attachment concept.

Osprey Momentum 26: Removable rain cover + One of the shoulder strap pockets has an elastic retractable cord for your key ring.

Check out our men's bike commute selection

Gauche- Icebreaker GT260 & 320 Quantum à capuchon Femme: le mérinos vous gardera au chaud et au sec.
Droite- Arcteryx Manteau Celeris Femme: Léger, mince, respirant et coupe-vent.

Oakley Miss Conduct Squared: L'élégance contemporaine vous permettra de bien voir ce qu'il y a sur la route.

The North Face Pantalon Arches Femme: Pantalons flexibles avec le bas des jambes qui s'attache afin d'en faire des capris. "Les pantalons les plus comfortables que j'ai portés de ma vie" s'est exprimé Margaux la mannequin.
The North Face Scend Femme: Souliers légers et confortables.

Cocotte Équipement Frida: Sac de messager mignon, mais coriace. Son attache ingénieuse permet de facilement enlever et de serrer le sac.

Consultez notre sélection de produits vélo-boulot femme

First Trip Through the Icefall

Sitting up in my sleeping bag I pull the buff from my mouth and I can see my breath. A quick look at the thermometer confirms my thoughts; the outside temperature is -24C. As I take another breath I start to cough. Quickly turning around I stuff my face into my pillow as I continue to cough so that I don’t wake up the entire base camp. A sip of water and a hard candy in my mouth helps to stop the coughing. This cough will be my constant companion during my entire climb.

My clothing is at the bottom of my sleeping bag, placed there last night to keep them warm. Wiggling around I manage to pull on all my layers of Icebreaker and soft shell pants while in my sleeping bag. Finally I can’t delay any longer and I unzip my sleeping bag, reaching for my boots that are in the vestibule of my tent. They are stiff and cold, and it is a struggle to put them on. Finally standing up and stomping my feet I manage to force them into my boots. Grabbing the backpack I packed the night before, along with my crampons and harness I head over to the dining tent for a bit of breakfast. I am alone in the dining tent, but there is hot water in the thermos left for me by the cook boy sometime during the night. Despite my nausea I mix up a small bowl of oatmeal and pour myself a cup of lemon tea and choke it down while waiting for my climbing partner to arrive.

It is now 5am. It has taken me 90 minutes to get up, get dressed, and eat a few mouthfuls of breakfast. At this elevation everything takes so much longer than it would at home where this same routine would take me less than 20 minutes. Finally ready I put on my crampons while stuffing a chocolate bar into my pocket and turning on my head lamp. We head over to the Puja altar where the juniper fire is smoking. It is lit as it always is whenever any member of our team is on the mountain to keep us safe. We follow the ritual of throwing a few grains of rice into the air, a request for safe passage on our journey.

Crossing a small stream we are careful to step onto the rocks to avoid getting our feet wet. With the headlamps illuminating a small circle in front of us we start up the icefall. The first hour is spent in total darkness, climbing up and down the lower part of the icefall. Finally the sun is starting to rise so we shut off our headlamps. It will be another 3 hours before the sun’s rays reach us and I am looking forward to its warmth. Stomping my feet and hitting my hands together do little to warm them up and every movement is difficult. I clip my carabineer onto the fixed ropes and move it along. At every anchor or knot in the rope I have to unclip the carabineer and reclip it; challenging with cold hands and thick gloves.

Looking up at the icefall in the early morning light I see the chaotic surface up close. The Khumbu glacier moves down the mountain at an estimated 3-4 feet per day, and this movement forms big blocks of ice called seracs as well as large chasms called crevasses that must be navigated to get up the mountain. The icefall doctors are responsible for finding and maintaining the route through the icefall and I am amazed at their skill. Seeing the maze of the icefall up close, and I begin to understand the enormous challenge faced by the ice doctors to set a safe route.

Two hours after leaving base camp we reach the first aluminum ladder. These are placed across the wider crevasses to get through the ice fall. I reach down, grab the ropes and ensure that my carabineer safety is attached to the rope and take a big breath. I envision the ladder that I practiced on in my back yard and place my foot on the first rung telling myself ‘I can do this’. Without looking any farther than my feet I continue across. Every step feels precarious because my foot is too small to have it secured on two rungs at the same time. I have to balance on one rung at a time before taking the next step. The first ladder crossing is short and I am happy to be across. It wasn’t too difficult, but there are another 29 to go before reaching camp one, and some crossings will have up to three ladders tied together!

We continue weaving our way through the jumbled mess of seracs – ice blocks and crevasses, jumping across the narrower ones, climbing up and down as quickly as we can until we reach a relatively safe spot and stop for a quick sip of water and a bite of chocolate. Since the icefall is continuously moving seracs can fall at any time and new crevasses can open up. After a quick 10 minute stop we continue up. This next section is the most dangerous to cross as there are now snow bridges, a bridge of snow that covers the crevasses, and these can let go at any time. The seracs are also larger now; the size of a large house or small apartment building, and the largest one is leaning over precariously.

After 4 hours of continuous movement the rays of the sun finally reach us and my fingers and toes are finally coming back to life. As we cross under the prayer flags I place my foot on the final rung of the last ladder I look around in awe. I can’t believe I am finally here; the Western Cwm, also known as the Valley of Silence. It is difficult to fully appreciate the expanse and beauty until it is seen in person. To my left is the West buttress of Everest, in front of me is Lhotse and the Lhotse face and to the right is Nuptse. I have tackled the first obstacle in my quest for the summit.

Sitting down I take a sip of water. I have been moving for 5 ½ hours and have only drank 500 mls of water and eaten a few pieces of chocolate. It isn’t long before I realize that it’s warm, really warm. I take off my down jacket, my inner jacket, and my two layers of ice breaker leaving me with only a thin shirt. Down to one layer and I’m still hot. The heat is radiating off the snow and is being kept in by the three large mountains around us. The ambient temperature can be as high as 34C and sunburns are an ever present challenge so I slather my face with sunscreen and keep my buff on to cover as much skin as I possibly can. Trying to cool off I reach down for a bit of snow to place on my neck.

After spending only a few minutes at camp one to drop our load we head back down to basecamp. It takes us three hours to get back down, as I am moving slowly due to fatigue, dehydration, and the heat. When we reach our camp I am elated. We return to the Puja, passing on the left as tradition dictates, thankful that we were granted safe passage. My first of five trips into the icefall has been successful. If I can stay healthy and strong for the next 3-4 weeks and if the weather co-operates, the chance of a summit bid will happen in mid-May. For now I will eat and rest for the next three days at base camp before heading back into the icefall to continue on my acclimatization schedule. I should sleep well tonight.

-Lucille de Beaudrap

You can view Lucille's blog My Friend Lucille, here

The North Face Manteau Pinehurst Homme: Une allure moderne et urbaine cache une panoplie de caractéristiques axées vers le vélo comme une poche arrière avec glissière et de multiples éléments réfléchissants.

À gauche The North Face Manteau Pinehurst homme et ses glissières aux aisselles afin de mieux contrôller la température de son corps.
À droite, les pantalons The North Face Venture Side Zip homme, imper-respirants avec les glissières pleines longueures permettant d'enlever les pantalons sans enlever ses bottes.
Les Merrell Refuge Pro Waterproof homme sont idéales en temps de pluie puisqu'elles sont imperméables.

À gauche, le cardigan Icebreaker Commute à manche longue et à glissière: le mérinos saura vous garder au sec et confortable. La bande de silicone aux rebords de taille sauront garder le cardigan à sa place.
À droite, les lunettes Oakley Split Jacket ont une apparence futuro-agressive qui laisseront savoir aux motoristes fainéants que c'est vous le maître de la route.

Le sac à dos Osprey Momentum 26 est truffé de caractéristiques techniques.

Les bretelles de l'Osprey Momentum 26 se cachent pour une allure plus appropriée pour le bureau. Il est aussi doté d'un ingénieux système pour fixer votre casque.

L'Osprey Momentum 26 est muni d'un couvre-sac imperméable amovible. Une des poches sur les bretelles recelle un cordon élastique pour y attacher ses clefs.

Consultez notre sélection de produits vélo-boulot homme

Left- Icebreaker Women's GT260 & 320 Quantum Hood: The merino keeps you dry and comfortable.
Right- Arcteryx Women's Celeris Jacket: Light, thin, breathable and highly wind resistant.

Oakley Women's Miss Conduct Squared: Sharp style will shield you from the elements.

The North Face Women's Arches Pant: Pant legs button up to form a capri and have your pants avoid the dirty chain. "The most comfortable pants I've ever worn" said Margaux the model.
The North Face Women's Scend: Light and comfortable.

Cocotte Equipment Frida: Cute yet tough messenger bag offers convenient messenger-specific attachment for easy on/off and going through its contents.

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Check out our women's bike commute selection.

The video shows how Icebreaker merino pretty much fully biodegraded after nine months. In comparison, polyester knit fabrics did not degrade at all during the course of the nine-month trial period. If you're worried about your environmental footprint, and we all should be, this makes merino rather attractive, especially considering it is a natural fiber to begin with. Speaking of which, are you wondering how Icebreaker merino apparel is made? Just click here.

I can only question the utility of this test in that who in their right mind would throw out a merino shirt? As someone how is very good a losing things, I know that's besides the point, I just felt the need to share my love of merino : )

Who doesn't like a good discount now and then? You'll be happy to note that our Sale of the Titans is back. Needless to say, the savings are...titanic. How else would you describe up to 50% off the best brands?

They always say that, eh? Best brands this, best brands that. Well, hold on to your seatbelt (please don't be reading this while driving), imma tell you what I mean by the best brands. Here they are, in no particular order: Arc'teryx, The North Face, Icebreaker, Mammut, Mountain HardWear, Merrell, Patagonia, Bogs, Burton, Gregory, Osprey and Black Diamond. Not too shabby.

Bon, c'est qui qui n'aime pas les ventes? Soyez heureux alors parce qu'on en a fait une grosse. Titanesque même. Oh que oui, jusqu'à 50% sur les meilleures marques. Mais quelles sont ces meilleures marques? Eh bien, en aucun ordre particulier, c'est Arc'teryx, The North Face, Patagonia, Icebreaker, Mammut, Mountain HardWear, Merrell, Bogs, Burton, Osprey, Gregory, Black Diamond. Pas pire, hein?

Who doesn't like a good discount now and then? You'll be happy to note that our Sale of the Titans is back. Needless to say, the savings are...titanic. How else would you describe up to 50% off the best brands?

They always say that, eh? Best brands this, best brands that. Well, hold on to your seatbelt (please don't be reading this while driving), imma tell you what I mean by the best brands. Here they are, in no particular order: Arc'teryx, The North Face, Icebreaker, Mammut, Mountain HardWear, Merrell, Patagonia, Bogs, Burton, Gregory, Osprey and Black Diamond. Not too shabby.

Bon, c'est qui qui n'aime pas les ventes? Soyez heureux alors parce qu'on en a fait une grosse. Titanesque même. Oh que oui, jusqu'à 50% sur les meilleures marques. Mais quelles sont ces meilleures marques? Eh bien, en aucun ordre particulier, c'est Arc'teryx, The North Face, Patagonia, Icebreaker, Mammut, Mountain HardWear, Merrell, Bogs, Burton, Osprey, Gregory, Black Diamond. Pas pire, hein?

Woo! These flying-person videos always get me going. Well, I must say that it was first the backcountry skiing that revved me up. I've really got to get my backcountry on. What better way to have fun while getting fit as a fiddle? But I've got to get real comfortable with that before I try the second part. Wow, that would really be conquering my limits. I've jumped out of a plane and it was incredible. Although I must admit the moments before were terrifying. I figure the BASE jumping would be more of a rush since you're closer to the ground, for more effect.

Anyways, good on Icebreaker and its premium wool for sponsoring this.

What did you think of the video?

-Juan Altitude

	Arc'teryx Phase AR Crew Ls pour homme et femme Parfaite couche de base pour gérer l'humidité efficacement quand j'alterne les ascensions de sommets et les longues descentes. Je profite donc du savoir-faire légendaire d'Arc'teryx en ce qui a trait au tissage. Celui-ci est conçu exprès pour expulser ma sueur, me gardant confortablement au sec. J'aime sa coupe ajustée à tous les niveaux. Utile quand on le porte directement sur la peau. J'aime moins le fait que la fibre synthétique prenne les odeurs après une journée complète d'utilisation vs le mérinos, qui gère mieux cet aspect. À éviter lors d'une randonnée de plusieurs jours avec des amis.
	Icebreaker Leggings BodyFit 200 avec braguette pour homme et Bodyfit 200 pour femme Si je pouvais porter seulement ce legging dans mon quotidien sans me faire juger, je le ferais. L'ajustement parfait autant aux chevilles qu'à la taille combiné avec la douceur de la laine mérinos et l'épaisseur intermédiaire (200) d'Icebreaker me force presque à choisir ces combines pour toutes mes activités hivernales.
	Icebreaker bas Skier+ Mid pour homme et femme « Des bas c'est des bas » me dites-vous? Non. Ces bas sont une œuvre d'art dont l'épaisseur, la texture et la résistance varient d'une partie à l'autre pour fournir l'isolation, la gestion de sueur et le cousinage souhaités. Vous ne comprenez pas encore l'avantage du mérinos vs le coton? Je suggère de commencer par une paire de bas comme ceux-ci. Ils ne sont pas trop chers et on sent rapidement la différence. Je me permets de rappeler qu'il y a plusieurs épaisseurs de ce modèle : plus vous avez chaud et suez facilement des pieds, plus mince sera votre bas.
	Arc'teryx Delta SV Jacket Attention à la maison : ne portez jamais cette laine polaire sous un manteau s'il le thermostat indique plus de -15°C en revanche, elle sera votre meilleure amie si vous avez un besoin urgent de vous réchauffer. J'ai celle-ci depuis 3 ans et son pelage est encore doux comme un lapin (mâle, chasseur et un peu âgé quand même). Des versions du Delta moins isolantes existent aussi avec le AR (All Round) et le LT (Light) vs SV (Severe). Une bonne alternative au Delta SV serait les vestes Monkey Man et Monkey Woman de Mountain Hardwear
	Patagonia Pantalon Backcountry Guide pour homme et femme Ces pantalons sont parfaits pour le ski hors pistes puisqu'ils sont extensibles, plus résistants au niveau des genoux et des fesses, possèdent des guêtres intégrées et des bretelles qui les garderont en place même si je décidais de skier dans un mètre de poudreuse. Parfait pour le ski d'aventure. Par contre, le simple petit fini brossé risque de nécessiter le port d'un pantalon plus isolant, comme les Arc'teryx Rho AR, dans le cas où je devrais monter la piste à pied.
	Oakley O Frame Snow J'aime ces lunettes parce que : 1. L'air ne passe pas nulle part. 2. Elles s'imbriquent parfaitement avec mon casque sans laisser de points froids. 3. parce que la lentille jaune m'aide à voir quand il neige ou quand il fait nuit (les deux situations dans lesquelles je suis le plus susceptible de skier). J'aurais peut-être besoin d'une lentille foncée pour les journées ensoleillées mas je n'ai jamais le temps magasiner.
	The North Face Manteau Shekter pour homme Ce manteau est ma pièce coup de cœur de l'année. Il est beau et a tout ce que je recherche dans un manteau de ski : il est imperméable (parfait pour notre hiver en dents de scie), extensible et juste assez isolé. Son isolation en synthétique et ses efficaces trappes à air sous les bras et omoplates optimise son efficacité lorsqu'utilisé pour des activités plus aérobiques. Après de longues années de progression, j'ai l'impression que The North Face a enfin créé un grand classique de ski plutôt que de nous proposer des adaptations de manteaux d'expédition. D'ailleurs, le Shekter a des frères et soeurs de la même trempe dans la ligne HN24 : le Svante pour homme et les Diedre et Greta pour femme. Ce n'est pas pour rien qu'ils habillent toute l'équipe américaine de ski acrobatique.
	Gants Beta AR d'Ac'teryx (très comparables aux nouveaux Zenta AR pour homme et femme) J'avais déjà testé ces gants dans la chronique suivante qui ont changé de nom cette année. Certains petits détails ont aussi changé, mais ce n'est rien pour écrire à sa mère. En bref, les gants Beta AR ou Zenta AR sont très bien isolés, résistants, permettent de garder une impressionnante dextérité et s'ajustent rapidement et facilement. Ils sont beaucoup plus chers que d'autres gants de leur catégorie, mais ce sont les meilleurs pour le skieur dans nos hivers québécois à mon avis. Si je planifie de faire du ski d'aventure ou simplement dans un endroit moins froid, je vais opter pour des gants moins isolés ou des gants trois en un, comme le gant Venta SV d'Arc'teryx.
	Burton [Ak] 23L Pack Je viens de me procurer ce sac. De prime à bord, il semble confortable et construit avec les excellentes normes de qualités Burton. On peut porter des skis ou une planche à neige avec et on peut y mettre l'essentiel pour ne journée de ski hors-piste (lunch, petit vêtement d'appoint, sac d'hydratation, pelle, sonde, etc.) La ceinture de taille est un peu simpliste vs d'autres modèles du même genre, mais je ne crois pas que cela ait une grande importance puisque sa fonction n'est pas de supporter le poids sur les hanches, mais plutôt de stabiliser le sac sur le dos.

Étant donné qu'un second avis ne nuit jamais, je vous suggère l'article de Mark, mon frère anglophone

Where and when?

Both shops will have a Boxing Day sales event, but their opening hours will be different. Here are their respective coordinates and opening hours.

Altitude-sports.com Montréal
4140 St-Denis
Montréal, QC
H2W 1W9
T 514 847-1515
store@altitude-sports.com

Altitude-sports.com Mont-Tremblant

Promenades Tremblant, 2555 Rue Latreille, Suite 203 (Rue de l'Aulnaie),
Mont-Tremblant, QC
J8E 0E5
T 819 425-5111
tremblant@altitude-sports.com

What discount can I expect?

Rebates will be the same in the stores as what you'll find online; up to 50% off on amazing brands such as The North Face, Arc'teryx, Icebreaker, Merrell, Quartz-Nature, Mammut, Mountain Hardwear, Moon Boot,  Outdoor Research and many more. Please note that the Mont-Tremblant store only carries Arc'teryx, The North Face, Icebreaker, Merrell and Oakley.

On top of the web discounts, each store will have many exclusive offers for those who will have taken the time to visit.

How can I pay?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Interac and cash will be accepted.

General purchasing terms: physical stores vs the web

The same discounts will be applied at both our stores, December 26-27th only. Limited time offer and valid until stocks run out. No price adjustments will be made with regards to Boxing Day sales for products bought before December 20th on the web and December 25th in stores. Cannot be combined with any other promotion and/or rebate code. Boxing Day discounted sales are final, non reimbursable and non exchangeable. No merchandise returns will be accepted in store during these two days because of extraordinary circumstances. Store inventory is different than what you see online.

Will discounted Pre-Boxing products be further reduced for Boxing Day?

No! As you can tell, the discounts are already quite generous. If you like the product we encourage to get it right away. They will not be marked down further. The Boxing Day sale will apply to different products.

See you soon and Merry Christmas! : )

Où et quand?

Les deux boutiques auront un Boxing Day mais les heures d'ouverture seront différentes. Voici donc les coordonnées et heures d'ouverture pour chaque magasin.

Altitude-sports.com Montréal
4140 St-Denis
Montréal, QC
H2W 1W9
T 514 847-1515
store@altitude-sports.com

Altitude-sports.com Mont-Tremblant

Promenades Tremblant, 2555 Rue Latreille, Suite 203 (Rue de l'Aulnaie),
Mont-Tremblant, QC
J8E 0E5
T 819 425-5111
tremblant@altitude-sports.com

Quels seront les rabais?

Les rabais seront les mêmes en boutique qu'en ligne; jusqu'à 50% de rabais sur les plus grandes marques comme The North Face, Arc'teryx, Icebreaker, Merrell, Quartz-Nature, Mammut, Mountain Hardwear, Moon Boot,  Outdoor Research et bien d'autres. Veuillez noter que le magasin de Mont-Tremblant tient seulement les marques Arc'teryx, The North Face, Icebreaker, Merrell et Oakley.

En plus des rabais web, chaque magasin ira de plusieurs exclusivités pour les gens qui se seront déplacés.

Quels sont les modes de paiement acceptés?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Interac et argent comptant.

Conditions générales d'achat en boutiques vs sur le web

Les mêmes rabais s’appliquent dans nos magasins le 26 et 27 décembre seulement. Offre d’une durée limitée et valide jusqu’à épuisement des stocks. Aucun ajustement de prix basé sur les soldes du Boxing Day ne sera accordé pour les produits achetés avant le 20 décembre 2011 sur le web et le 25 décembre en magasin. Non jumelable à aucune autre promotion et/ou code rabais. Les ventes à rabais en magasin sont finales, non remboursables et non échangeables. Aucun retour de marchandise ne sera accepté en magasin pendant ces deux journées à cause de l’achalandage extraordinaire. Les inventaires des magasins diffèrent des inventaires web.

Est-ce que les produits en rabais sur le Pré-Boxing Day seront encore plus réduits au Boxing Day?

Non! Les rabais sont déjà assez généreux. N'hésitez donc pas à acheter maintenant si le produit vous plaît vraiment. Les produits mis à rabais lors du Boxing Day seront différents.

À bientôt!

1. Arc’teryx Zenta AR Glove

Last year Arc’teryx revolutionized the construction of gloves. This year they have perfected it. 200 grams of Primaloft make this a warm glove to be reckoned with. The lavish leather palm and finger tips create unsurpassed tactility as well as durability. However to add breathability and comfort to the glove they went with a nice softshell fabric for the back of the hand. Perfect length for skiing or any snowsport where keeping the snow out is a pre-requisite. Did I mention it is full Gore-Tex?

2. Icebreaker LS Pursuit Zip

Tired of hearing about Merino wool? Too bad, it is the best stuff on earth. What could be better you ask? What if they add 3% Lycra to add that extra stretch you oh so pray for when in the crux of an ice climbing pitch you have to do a high-step. No problemo with their GT line because that Lycra helps you move even more freely. Zip neck lets you regulate your temperature more easily, and the thumb loops keep the sleeves where they should be. Now if only I could get a six-pack so I could wear this in public…

3. Oakley Crowbar (Hot Pink). For women (or adventurous men)

Style and class isn’t just reserved for first class passengers. Get a pair of these babies and you will be riding high next time you hit the slopes. They are super comfortable with or without a helmet, and most importantly are a great size- goggles seem to be on steroids these days. It fits over the face perfectly, and does not gobble it up like some bigger models. But most important it comes with the beautiful VR50 Pink Iridium lens. The iridium coating blocks glare and heightens the contrast on the hill. No more flat light sneaking up on you.

4. The North Face Base Camp Gear Box

The base camp duffel line has been around for years. The fabric is tough and waterproof (seems are not sealed so don’t go scuba diving with it please). Recently The North Face started delving into ski products and thus have come up with this prize jewel for skiers. Put your ski boots in there, with accessories and throw it in the trunk- no more concerns. Throw it on your back with the handy shoulder straps or clip it to its buddy (http://www.altitude-sports.com/eng/products/gear-and-equipment/backpacks/travel-packs/base-camp-ski-roller?avcj). Are 3 handles enough for you?

5. The North Face Shekter Jacket

As I kid I always dreamed of being trapped in the world of Tron (the original, not the Legacy)! Those cool electro suits and Bauer hockey helmets subtlety converted into futuristic headwear- what a world they battled in. Well my dreams were realized this season with the addition of the Shekter Jacket. With it’s crazy design and neon green trim anyone can pretend to be in the ultimate Frisbee/jai alai battle to the death. All the usual stuff The North Face brings to the table: fully waterproof, seam-sealed, beautiful softshell fabric. 80 grams of insulation in the core and 60 in the sleeves- definitely for the racer in you, so ski hard on those cold days.

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Max Altitude

The North Face Men’s Free Thinker

This jacket hasn’t changed in years, and I say this not as a criticism. Burly to all heck, a skier’s cut, and best of all comes in WHITE. For men! I know what I am asking for this holiday.

Arc’teryx Men’s Beta FL

Sure I have a penchant for this Canadian brand, but this jacket uses Gore’s new membrane Active Shell. More breathable and lighter- what more could you want? How about the Citron colour it comes in? I’ll have 3, thanks.

The North Face Women’s Mountain Light Triclimate Jacket

One price, two jackets. Gore-Tex hardshell protects a removable down jacket. Practical, versitle and hardcore. Sure it is in black- Jonny Cash wore black. Do you dislike Jonny Cash?

Icebreaker Women’s Oasis V Speed Crew

Sure I love merino wool. You know what I love more than merino wool? Cool motifs. This Icebreaker top has both.

Burton’s Clutch Glove

This glove is warm, tight-fitting and covered in that delicious membrane Gore-Tex. Small enough to wear throughout winter, but insulated enough to wear while skiing/riding. And the cuff, my lord, the cuff: fits nicely under any jacket.

Buy them, try them, thank me later.

Mark Altitude

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Max' Top 5 New Ski/Snowboard Gear for 2011/2012

5) Arc’teryx Men's Rush Jacket

The Rush is newest arrival in the ski and snowboard line by prestigious Canadian company, Arc'teryx. This snowsport-specific waterproof-breathable shell combines suppleness, an athletic and pre-articulated cut, quality fabrication, extreme durability and any other attribute you'll be looking for. Most of all though, it has style; after all, Arc'teryx has been a pionneer in the colours it uses and since its beginning. That still remains true to this day.

Price: 599,99$

4)Icebreaker Women'S Real Fleece 260 Cascade Hood

Icebreaker revolutionnized athletic clothing a couple of years ago by popularizing merino from New Zealand. More and more people are turning to merino wool for its softness, its excellence against odour and it good moisture management. Until now, the only texture available was that of a fine knit. Although much appreciated, many longed for the feeling of a good old hoody. The best of both worlds is now available thanks to the Real Fleece line which offers an unctuous and infinitely soft interior, all in merino. Fret not gentlemen, it is also available for you.

Price : 219,99$

3) Oakley Airbrake

Who else but Oakley would manage to innovate the world of goggles? With is new Airbrake series and its SwitchLock™ system, Oakley allows you to easily and quickly change your lens. You will thusly be able to go from a snowy morning to a bright afternoon all the while keeping your vision optimal. In fact, the goggles comes with two different lenses. Speaking of optimal lenses, you won't need to twist your goggles to insert a new lens. That avoids visual distortions caused by a badly installed lens. Anyways, they must be pretty decent if Shaun White wears them.

Price: 259,99$

2) Burton Gondy Men's Leather Gloves

Over the years, I've developped an almost unhealthy love for gloves. I like sliding my hands in these puppies. So sensual. So technical.  The Gondy by Burton are only exacerbating my passion. Loaded with important details such as strong leather, a GORE-TEX® waterproof-breathable layer and a highly respected 3M™ Thinsulate™ insulation. Not only that, but these gloves have a special feature. While wearing them, you can still use your touch-screen phone or mp3 player. Keep your hands warm while changing your tunes or uploading a pic of your buddies shredding. The new TouchTec® feature allows you to pet the screen as if your hand was naked.  And, will you look at that, it's another product worn by Shaun White. Ladies, we have not forgotten you, here are the Burton Venda:

Price : 109,99$

1) Black Diamond Cayenne Gloves

By now you know that I love gloves. You should also know that Black Diamond has been making excellent gloves for many years now. Black Diamond is the type of company that seriously tests its products before putting them on the market. Their bulletproof reputation has been forged by many decades of hard work and being born in the mountaineering and climbing world where mistakes easily turn deadly. This means you can be confident in the quality of the Cayenne, superb heated gloves. They'll give you 10h of autonomy and 3 levels of heating, depending on what Mother Nature throws at you.

Price: 399,99$

Je tiens aussi à vous faire noter que le Real Fleece d’Icebreaker est extrêmement chaud. C’est vraiment impressionnant, même quasiment trop chaud, si c’était possible.

Notons aussi que puisque le Real Fleece du Icebreaker Cascade Hood Panther et Icebreaker Sierra Hood est fait de mérinos, vous serez assurément confortable grâce à sa respirabilité légendaire. Et qui dit respirabilité, dit désirabilité. Ça aide vraiment à créer un environnement agréable autour de son corps. De plus, le mérinos est un chef de file dans la gestion des odeurs, sans parler qu’il sèche rapidement.

En dehors de ça, le Cascade Panther et le Sierra sont d’excellents choix si ce n’est parce qu’ils ont une allure sportive mais sophistiquée. Le capuchon ne fait qu’ajouter une polyvalence appréciée.

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Top 6 produits à apporter en rando d’hiver

Altitudipedia – Couches de base

It should also be noted that the Icebreaker Women’s RF Cascade Hood Panther and Icebreaker Men’s RF Sierra Hood are extremely warm. Almost to the point of being too hot, if there is such a thing.

And of course, because Real Fleece is made of merino, you know you’ll be made comfortable thanks to its amazing breathability. It really does help create a pleasant environment around your body. Speaking of which, merino is fantastic for shedding odours and it dries quickly.

Beyond those elements, the Panther and Sierra are great since they’ve got sporty yet sophisticated looks. Not only that, but the hoody adds some much appreciated versatility.

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Icebreaker Circuit Jersey Review

Snowshoeing Tips by Jessica

This was not a race for people trying to get in shape. You had to already be in that physical frame if you wanted to make it. People were in great form. But so was Icebreaker's Ramotaur. Half man, half ram, all soft.

He managed to have fun with kids, old and young alike.

Icebreaker's Ramotaur also took in some of the race. You can see him here at the finish line. You can also appreciate the level of fitness of the athletes.

All in all it was a great day for everyone. The athletes tested their limits and others enjoyed soaking in the atmosphere.