A Kyrgyzstan Snowboarding Adventure Part 2

By / March 27th, 2015 / There are currently 0 comments

Safe

Safety Equipment

  1. Ortovox avalanche transceiver (with new batteries and spares). Mines becoming a little dated now so I will update when the new lines come out next year. A good resource I found is beaconreviews.com.
  2. BCA metal shovel – better without the ripples in the bottom so the snow doesn’t stick. Plastic ones aren’t great when going into ice so I’d go metal every time.
  3. Black diamond 260 probe.
  4. Deuter ABS on top 30 litre pack. The pack itself was decent and one of the better ones out there. We talked a lot about the avalanche packs and our consensus was no one has it quite right yet.  The pack is comfortable but a little on the heavier side.  A 35 litre would have been better to stop the side ABS Velcro opening as much.  Pockets were pretty well thought out. With any ABS bag you only have one or 1 or 2 pulls.  I didn’t tour with a spare, but that’s a decision you make with your kit weighing up risk.
  5. Black diamond compactor touring poles (3 part collapsible) – Such a great product and they are great with their customer service in my experience. Spit poles are essential for us split boarders.
  6. First Aid Kit
  7. Bivvy bag
  8. Safety whistle – Attached to my jacket
  9. Compass
  10. Leatherman (with mini saw)
  11. Firelighter
  12. 1/4 roll of duct tape – comes in handy when you least expect it
  13. Blister kit

 

 

Some of the kit used by Andy

Some of the kit used by Andy

Travel and Sleeping

  1. Burton wheelie bag – had this for a while and they do well with being thrown around by the airports baggage teams.
  2. TNF duffel bag 80L
  3. Arc’teryx 50L carrier duffel. The airlines are still hit and miss with airbags despite the laws stating that they are allowed. I opted for a safer option and I kept my airbag in my luggage and used this as carry on. This bag has fast become my favourite bit of travel kit.  Once I arrived I rolled it up and packed it in my board bag and carried the airbag.  For future trips I will try to lose the Duffel and just go with this.
  4. Fjallraven polar -20. I needed a zero degree bag (Fahrenheit).  It’s a little heavier and bulkier than some other brands but quality of sleep was important to me and as I kept my weight down with my other kit, this was kind of a treat to allow a better night’s sleep (it even has a fury hood).
  5. Power bar enough for 2 x charges. I took all my photos on my phone and this was more than adequate.
  6. Travel towel
  7. 2 x changes of clothes (I used cotton trousers and a hoodie plus wool jumper)
  8. Merino underwear – 4 pairs minimum would have been fine. I over-packed with the socks and underwear which all adds to the weight.
  9. TNF yurt shoes. These were great but I must admit to having some boot envy to some of the other guys there.  Boots definitely look a more comfy option.
  10. Black diamond head torch – worked great with long battery life
  11. Travel locks – I had a combination of combo locks and keys. The little keys become a pain in the arse so I’d go with all combo locks next time.
  12. Travel wash bag with hook for toiletries. Great for keeping it out of the way of your other kit
  13. Travel shoes – Gore-Tex light weight shoes would have been better.
AWSplit

Some Amazing Backcountry

 

 

 

What I learnt most of all from this trip.

 

  1. Kyrgyzstan was an amazing experience with some super fun riding. Thanks to 40 Tribes for making it such an enjoyable trip.
  2. Pack all your snowboarding, safety and riding kit in your board bag. My travel bag was delayed and having all my kit in my bag allowed me to ride. I felt so fortunate that my board bag was packed this way as I would have lost a few days riding.  I’m also thankful to the kind generosity of my fellow travellers allowed me to borrow a few bits I didn’t have until my bag arrived.
  3. Touring with a water bottle close by saves lots of stopping when you are touring (thanks Michel). Take in water frequently
  4. Keep your electronic devices 50cm away from your transceiver.
  5. If you’re struggling with your breathing at altitude slow your pace down and breathe with each step.
  6. Look after your skin. Fold your skins on themselves and put them in your jacket when riding to help with the friction.
  7. When you get tired, estimate the number of kick turns to the top and count down keeping a good rhythm.
  8. Trimming your skins 5mm off my edges for extra bite is a useful idea.
  9. As a physio, I would recommend stretching your plantar flexors and hip flexors as a useful long-term exercise due to the sustained position during touring, if you tour regularly.

 

turns earned are always sweeter

turns earned are always sweeter

 

 

Comments are closed here.