Gear Reviews

EMS Men’s Helix Bib Pants Review

David Lottmann Clothing Reviews, Gear Reviews
EMS Men's Helix Bib Pants
EMS Men’s Helix Bib Pants

It’s hard to find a bib that is good for everything in winter. For ice climbing I want the range of motion soft shell pants give me. For winter mountaineering on Mount Washington I want the bombproof windproof-ness of a hard shell. For back-country skiing I want both mobility and bombproof protection, plus a fit that works over bulkier ski boots. EMS has  almost hit the bulls-eye with these bib pants!

EMS School Guide and North Conway Office Manager Keith Moon testing the bibs while traversing Big Chief in Steven's Pass, Cascades
EMS School Guide and North Conway Office Manager Keith Moon testing the bibs while traversing Big Chief in Steven’s Pass, Cascades

Fit: I’m 5′ 9″, 178lbs, with a 34 inch waist so according to the size chart I am a medium in these. The first time I tried them on they felt a little snug. However after over a half dozen ski tours and a couple Mount Washington ascents I’ve found the Polartec NeoShell fabric really does stretch unlike the traditional hard-shell bibs I have worn. They’re less baggy than my older EMS System III 20k bibs, and I feel much less boxy and more technical.

Breath-ability: While I don’t fully understand the claim “Uses convection rather than diffusion to promote more efficient moisture vapor transport”, I can report these breath extremely well. So well that while skinning uphill for 2 hours in regular winter conditions I have yet to take advantage of the full side zips to let any steam escape. Granted, it’s has been a bit unseasonably cold the last few trips, but I notice no moisture getting trapped under these at the end of the day.

Windproofness: I wore these for my coldest wind chill ever ascent of Mount Washington  just a week ago. How cold? Try -65 degrees!

066

With nothing but heavy weight long underwear (EMS Power Stretch Pants) and some thermal boxer briefs underneath they kept me comfortable during a rather long ascent in wicked conditions.

Features: Full length waterproof side zippers make these go on and off easy, but I especially like the built-in internal gaiter that easy fits and snaps secure over my ski boot. Other faves are the small chest pocket the holds my iPhone and the zippered hand pockets that can fit my avalanche beacon.

Improvement: The only thing keeping these from getting a perfect score for me is I need a thigh cargo pocket big enough to hold an AIARE Field Book (7in x 4.5in) for quick access during a ski tour. If a thigh pocket doesn’t work with the side zippers then the chest pocket could be deepened to accommodate the field book that more and more back-country skiers will be carrying.

Bottom Line: These are an excellent technical bib at a great price! I’ll rate them based on primary use…

Ice Climbing 7/10

Mountaineering 9/10

Back-country Skiing 8/10

Eastern Mountain Sports Wintergreen Backpack Review

David Lottmann Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews, Uncategorized , , , ,
EMS Wintergreen, Big Chief Mountain, Cascades, Washington
EMS Wintergreen, Big Chief Mountain, Cascades, Washington

When I first saw the new EMS Wintergreen Backpack I assumed it was designed specifically for back-country skiing given some of it’s features specific to the sport like a dedicated avalanche gear pocket and excellent ski/board carrying options. After teaching 2 avalanche courses with it and some field testing in the Cascades I have discovered it is truly more of a winter “jack of all trades” pack as EMS has referred to it.

Color: As I mentioned in my review of the EMS Prez Backpack color is important for winter use, and EMS did well with this bright red technical looking color. While the photo above from a couple weeks ago in the Cascades was about as nice weather as I have ever toured in I often find myself skiing in thick New England whiteout conditions, and visibility is key!

Features: I love the dedicated avalanche gear pocket that holds my shovel and probe, however I do have a preference for an externally accessible probe sleeve that doesn’t require accessing a zipper to gain access to. My previous back-country ski pack had a velcro sleeve along the side that made accessing my probe super convenient.

The insulated shoulder sleeve for a hydration system is a nice bonus for those who want to use bladders in the winter (I stick to water-bottles and thermos during mid-winter conditions). Glove friendly buckles throughout indicate this pack was definitely put together for cold weather use!

Fleece lined goggle pocket– This is a new luxury I look for in all my ski packs. Not only does it store my expensive goggles safely but they are super accessible so when it’s time to pull skins and shred the gnar I don’t spend any time looking for my goggles… or helmet because of a slick helmet carry system. This stow-able helmet carry system is great, though most trips I have found room in the pack for my helmet, on more involved trips it will be a great boon to be able to securely attach my helmet on the outside so easily.

Comfort: The compression molded back panel and shoulder straps are exactly what I look for in winter packs. Despite a stiff frame the pack moved well with me while dropping 40+ degree runs off of Cowboy Mountain in Washington State and was even more comfortable skinning up to Big Chief. The waist belt is nicely padded and comfortable and has one zippered pouch on the left hip (I would like it on both as that is where I stuff candy/energy gels for easy access).

Size: The size of this pack hints at it’s more general “Jack of All Trades” design. At 32 Liters (1950 cu. in) it is big enough for full day mountaineering trips, lightweight overnights, family snowshoeing, etc. For a dedicated back-country ski pack it’s a little on the big side. I would love to see a smaller and lighter version, maybe 26-28 liters and under 3lbs. This pack weights 3lbs 6oz, which is a bit heavy for a day pack.  It’s perfect for a day of ski guiding since I carry an extra layer, a bivy sack, sam splint, and group size first aid kit when guiding. It’s a bit large/heavy for a more relaxed day of touring side country.

Convenience: Side zipper access! A huge positive for me on top-loading packs, it was a surprise to find this on a panel loader that opens up as wide as this pack does. Regardless the addition of a side zipper that accesses the main compartment makes quick stops for water or warmer gloves a snap. On the other side of the pack there is a zippered side pocket that is a bit interesting. While the product description says it can hold a probe I could not find one that would fit in it. It does hold a thermos or water-bottle easily, or my climbing skins when I don’t want to put wet skins back into my pack, but to be honest since this is a panel loader I would scrap both the side zipper and zippered pocket which would probably get this pack below 3lbs.

Bottom line: This pack is great for winter hiking in the White Mountains, general mountaineering (not technical ice climbing), snowshoeing, and back country skiing. But remember “Jack of All Trades” is not King of any. I’d like to see this pack stay in the line as an winter excellent all-arounder, and see a more streamlined dedicated back-country ski/ride specific pack come out over the next year or two.

Eastern Mountain Sports Prez Backpack Review

David Lottmann Backpack Reviews, Gear Reviews, Uncategorized

Prez Pack3

It’s been a few years since Eastern Mountain Sports produced a backpack I would use for guiding ice, mountaineering, and back-county skiing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The EMS Arete & Pillar packs from 2006 were the last technical packs EMS made that met my needs, and the last few years I have pretty much stuck to my Wild Things Guide Pack for ice climbing and a Backcountry Access Alp 40 for mountaineering and back-country skiing. Despite contributing to the design of this pack during a meeting with Product Managers last year I had some trepidation after hearing I would get to test the pack, starting with a photo shoot on the summit of Mount Washington, and then through-out the winter guiding season.

My first look at the pack was during a staff meeting a couple weeks ago. As we passed it around the room most guides nodded in approval as they explored it’s various features. While I originally intended to submit a video review of the pack EMS Marketing has already produced a great video showing many of the pack’s features. Check it out here!

Instead of hitting on every feature of the pack I’ll just point out some of my favorites;

1) First off, the color. While color may only be cosmetic to some, being highly visible in the white out conditions we spend so much time in on Mount Washington is key. This bright yellow is a welcome change from the more muted colors of previous similar styles.

With visibility like this bright colors aren't as important, but how often is it this nice on the summit cone of Washington?
On a day like this bright colors aren’t as important, but how often is it this nice on the summit cone of Washington?

2) Comfort. The compression molded back panel is exactly what I like in a winter pack. While meshy ventilated packs are great in the summer I find they accumulate way to much frozen H20 in the snowy months. With the lightweight plastic frame inside and removable bivy pad you can load this up with 30+ lbs of climbing gear and not feel carabiner’s and ice screws digging into your back on the approach. There is a removable aluminum stay, which I left in, but I did remove this weird “coat hanger” metal piece that seemed unnecessary. Removing it improved the ability to look straight up while helmeted. This piece is visible at on the table at .26 to .28 in the video.

Prez Pack2

3) Convenience. This pack is loaded with convenience. The “loopless” ice axe attachments accept my mountaineering straight axe as easily as my more radical ice climbing tools with ease. So much better than ice axe loop attachments I hope this design change continues to appear on any packs designed for winter use. The crampon pouch is another favorite. While I used to endorse the more minimalist strap on approach this pouch is well thought out. Drain holes for melting snow, quick buckle tightening system with a handy release pull… I’ve noticed using a pouch is not only faster than the strap on method but provides a bit more confidence that my crampons will still be where I put them after 1000 feet of glissading. A built in bivy pad, removable top pocket, quality fabric… everything I like to see in a serious alpine pack… I am quite stoked to put this pack through the ringer this winter and if you’re in need of a new winter pack I’d suggest you take a look at this one. I’m hoping it, or something equivalent, stays in the EMS line indefinitely!

Check it out in your local EMS, or see the pack on EMS.com here!