Category Archives: Gear

Lots of quick random stuff in this post but first a few notes on whats to come on the Blahg. I have three SIA posts left Rome, Nitro/L1, and finally a post about three companies to be on the lookout for in the future. Also I have a half dozen board reviews a couple interviews in the works and finally Ive thought about my next give away. All of that should hopefully come in March with a few surprises and contest coverage as the contest season gets into full swing. So once again thanks for reading and stay tuned for all the above content. Now for the randoms post…

Celtek is a family ( literally)….

I was at the grocery store the other day and saw this FJCruiser in the parking lot…..

So I thought “I guess Erik is in here some where I have to say hello if I see him” We got our items checked out and never saw Mule but no worries I figured I’d see him at some other point. As we are walking to my car theres a lady walking in front of us and its her that walks up to the FJ. Im like hey are you BJ and Mules mom?  Shes says yeah and we talk for a few secs about Celtek and  the site. Shes super stoked haha. Not only was mom rocking the Celtek logo on the door she also had a full hood die cut she also had the Doman monster on the back window. Dont you wish your mom was as cool?

Electric 2.5′s ….

Earlier in the season on a big storm day I rolled up to Brighton and realized that I forgot my goggles. It was dumping so going without was not an option. Reluctantly I went into the shop and ended up buying a pair of Electric 2.5′s. New for this season the 2.5′s are a bit smaller than the EG2′s  I have been rocking the EG 1.5′s for the last two seasons and was very pleased with their fit and performance so I bit the bullet and paid $60 more than I could get them with Milos discount because there was no way in hell I was going back down that canyon for my goggles.  It took me awhile to get the 2.5′s adjusted to fit comfortably on my face but once I did I liked them. I dont think they have as good of a vision field as my 1.5′s but I’ll get used to them over time. The best/worst thing about the 2.5 is the lens. I have the amber lens with the mirror coating. These are for sure the darkest amber lenses Ive ever seen. Even after having the goggles on for hours I can still see a noticeable amber tint on the terrain.  While that is great for bright days it definitely doesnt allow you to get by at night with them. Its a minor thing to think about if you were looking to purchase them but overall these are a great goggle.

EG 2.5's

686/New Balance 2012 790 Boot….

OK lets start out with a disclaimer.. boots reviews are pointless. Everyone has a different foot and my comfy boot is your foot nightmare. The best way to buy a boot is to go into your local shop with no pre-dispositions and tell your shop kid what your are looking for in flex and lacing and let the kid bring out  lots of boots for you to try on. Dont be dead set on a particular brand. One of the best boots Ive ever had was from a company I would have never tried out if my shop kid hadnt made me put them on. Look all you see are the tips of your toes anyway so dont get hung up on brand names and just find the one that feels best on you…

686/NewBalance 790's for 2011/2012

With that being said if you are someone whose tried the 790′s from 686/NewBalance  and they fit you well and you are looking for some impressions on the product let me help you out. The 790 is 686′s park flex boot with a 6 rating on their stiffness scale and a traditional lacing system. The liner has a standard pull tight lacing system and as an added touch the 790 has a velcro strap added mid way up the top portion of the boot. Personally I thought these were a tad too stiff for a park boot but remember Im the guy that rides jibs boards  on two foot pow days. I just like really soft boards, bindings, and of course boots as well. That doesnt mean the 790′s were a bad boot. In fact quite the opposite, I rather liked them despite being a bit stiffer than what Im used to. They were super comfy for me, in fact I was able to put in 5 hours riding  and never really had any discomfort. Thats a big deal for a brand new boot with stock insoles.  The thing I liked most about the 790′s was  a few little touches that 686 put into the boot. First the liner has velcro anchors  in the heel as well as around the cuff of the liner. I liked the velcro to secure the liner, in fact Ive been doing it DIY in my boots for about 6 seasons. Another thing that I liked on the boot was the double stitched leather area over the toe where you would set your board as you are riding up the lift. Little things like these touches show me 686 is paying attention to the details and really trying to put out a great product. As I said the boots never felt uncomfortable in the 5 hours I was laced up in them and at the end of day 1 they were already starting to break in well.  If you have ever had a pair of boots that takes weeks to break in you know its maddening. So feeling it conform to how and where I flex on day one was a great thing and a good sign. All in all I dont think these would be my day to day boot but  could see them being a great choice for me on days where we hike  some steeper back country terrain and I would like a little bit better response  than what I get from my very mushy park boot. Normally I dont have extra sets of boots for such purposes but feeling the comfort level on these 790′s I want to keep them around for sure.

Brighton’s RFID park picture system…

There as been quite a bit of bad press recently about Vails RFID system on its ability to track personal information as you are on their mountain and what they may or not do with it. Recently Brighton also installed some RFID technology but at Brighton the  R in RFID stands for RAD. See unlike some of the high end hoity toity resorts Brighton knows its all about having fun and their Park Sponsor “The Truth” wants you to have fun too.

Brightons RFID doesnt track movements or days on the hill or vertical feet or anything like that. The RFID at Brighton is used to activate automatic cameras within the terrain park. That way you can have some great pictures of your self getting in some great jibs.

Grab an RFID tag, put it on, get rad, have proof of said radness

Heres how the process works…

Come find some of the Truth workers in the lower section of rails on the Majestic park. They will give you a small badge with an RFID chip in it and a number printed on the outside. When you hit selected jibs the RFID chip in your badge will activate the camera and also relay your badge number to it. Later that night you can log into the site, browse your pictures, and share the ones you like. Simple, non-invasive, fun. YEAH BRIGHTON!

Abisinthe’s Youtube Channel…

If you are savvy enough to be following Absinthe on Twitter you already know this information. If you dont  well here it is… Absinthe has been heavily loading old footage of premieres, Flipside episodes, teasers, and all sorts of out takes onto its Youtube page. It is definitely worth checking out for tons of great stuff you may have missed over the last decade.

Campus Rail Jam in SLC…

Last but not least the Campus Rail Jam Tour hit SLC last Thursday and I went up to get a few pics as well as show some support for some local riders.  Niche Snowboards rider Erika Vikander won the womens title and Brighton Park Crew Member Everest Arnold took the glory in the mens division. It was fun to go up there to support my friends and to also shout out “its not switch its backwards” at the top of my lungs everytime the announcer  said a skier was dropping in switch. Check out the official page for more information about the Campus Rail Jam here and also enjoy a few pics…

Erika Vikander took home the womens title.. box jam Method

The Brighton Park crew has a long line of heavy hitters on its roster.. Jake Welch, Cam Pierce, Ted Borland, Brandon Hobush ... is mens winner Everest Arnold the next big name to come from the crew? Sw 50/50

Well heres the news none of you up and comers wanted to hear ... theres another Hobush .. Christian Hobush shows his mad style here...