The Ski Strap
Outdoors-people tend to be… gear-conscious, let’s call it. We’ve had many discussions in the Åsnes Academy about what’s essential in the wilds and what isn’t. Many of these things are up for debate. One thing that categorically must go, all year round, is the mighty ski strap.
It can splint broken ski poles, repair a broken binding, keep you attached to a ski when the binding’s altogether gone, stabilise or splint broken bones, and attach just about anything to just about anything else. It can even be used as a tourniquet.
This ski strap is so ingenious and versatile that we believe it to have a central place in our lives as outdoor enthusiasts. You always have at least two with you, and that’s enough to fix basically anything. They’re incredibly strong and weigh next to nothing, so you might as well pack a bunch. If you’re standing on the mountain with a broken binding or a broken ski pole, these are completely invaluable!
Skin Wax
DON’T FORGET THE SKIN WAX
We truly cannot count the number of guided trips we’ve saved with the aid of skin wax. Everyone loathes icy skins and skis. Everyone hates bad glide. The best antidote is plain old skin wax. You can crayon it on to skins and on to skis. Sticky bases begone.
Pomoca’s version is a two-for-one wax for both cold and mild weather. Use the red side when it’s warm and the blue side when it’s cold. It also comes with a handy ice scraper. A classic for the slopes. This stick’s brilliant to have in your pocket on a tour.
The Mat
Even if you’re only on a short day-tour, bring a light sleeping pad. Just in case. If you sprain your ankle or or something else happens making it difficult to get back as you’d planned.
Being able to lie down on a surface buys you a lot of time waiting for help. It can stop you getting dangerously cold. You can also use it for stabilising or splinting breaks. But most often you’ll just sit on it when you have lunch. Once you’ve gone out with a mat, you’ll never forget it.
Mitten-Friendly Zips
Civilisation would probably collapse if it weren’t for zips – but why no one makes a zip you can actually use with mittens on, no one really knows. But fear not. There is a solution.
Cut off the ugly tags that usually hang off the zip and replace them with some 3mm parachute cord, static rope or something. Cut 14–16cm long lengths so that you can make three loops on each. Attach one to each zip slider – tent doors, awnings, jackets, trousers, packs.
The Norwegian Rope Trick
Speaking of using cord to do awesome things, you can repair, fix, or generally solve eanything with a bit of rope. You never know when you need a drying line, to attach something extra-securely to the pack, repair the pulk cover or something else that can be solved with rope. A couple of coils of 4–5m rope in 3mm and 6mm are excellent.
Tent Brush
Another “how did I live before…?” object. Something to brush away pine needles, snow or basically anything else. Especially useful if you share a tent with a dog or a hiking companion who insists on coming in all snowy.
Sports Tape
Many swear by gaffa tape (aka “duct tape”). True connoisseurs, however, never leave home without sports tape!
A roll doesn’t take up much space, but if you’re extra cunning, you can wrap a few metres on a ski pole. Treat chafing instantly. Do a spot repair on the spot. This is the way.
Warming Hydro-Flask
Filling up a sports bottle with warm water before getting into your sleeping bag at night is something you should definitely try!
Luxury – absolutely. A very underrated trick for sleeping well at night. But as a bonus you have liquid water for the morning.
Not having to melt snow early in the morning for something to drink or eat is also an underrated luxury. Get straight to the coffee and breakfast.
Quite honestly, this is the best thing on this list.
Relieving Pee-Flask
This is why you should bring two hydro-flasks. Have you considered the awesome luxury of being able to stay indoors when there’s a storm outside and temperatures of -25°? Be quiet, bladder. Maybe remember to label the bottle so you don’t make a mistake at breakfast.
Gear Bags
Packing all your gear in gear-bags is a great way to keep the pulk tidy. The best system’s usually the one you prefer. The hack? Pack things that belong together in the same bag then.
A bag for dry woollen baselayers and a change of clothes in the tent. A bag for dirty laundry. A bag for tent essentials: just write “tent” on the bag with a marker.
When the weather’s really bad, it’s nice to just pick out the bags you need in the tent, throw them in, and quickly get into the warm.
Pencil and Waterproof Notebook
Pens and markers are pretty useless in wet and sub-zero conditions. So allow us to introduce this miraculous invention called “the pencil”. Mechanical pencils are brilliant. You can bring plenty of extra lead. One pencil’s enough for a lifetime.
A notepad is also absolutely pretty marvellous in combination with a pencil. You can write a diary, write down avalanche observations, draw snow profiles and enjoy yourself in the tent in the evening, regardless of the weather.
Arctic Bedding
Arctic Bedding’s a solution that many swear by on trips with a pulk. It’s simply a solution for storing a ready-made “bed” in the form of a sleeping mat and bag as well as other tent essentials. The concept was developed for South Pole expeditions by Sjur Mørdre. Its purpose to hold everything you take on a tour into the cold that needs to be brought into the tent every day. Move it all in one go: one pack into the tent, one pack out – nothing loose.
The cover’s shaped like a mattress with a longitudinal three-way zip on three sides. Inside there’s room for one or more inflated or unrolled surfaces up to 67cm wide. On top, there’s space for a fully unrolled sleeping bag, extra clothes and cooking equipment. Everything you need’s ready: up with the tent, in with the bedding. When the zip’s opened, the top can be folded out to the side to provide a larger area with a dry surface if the tent’s groundsheet’s damp or if you’re sleeping directly on the snow. Bed, cooking utensils and a dry change of clothes are right where you need them.
Saves time and ensures that things don’t get lost in the storm.
When you’re on the move, the cover’s placed on top of the pulk and secured with elastic cargo straps.
Bivvy Bag
Nor so much a hack, this one, more “cheap and easy life insurance”. A bivvy bag’s mandatory for winter tours, providing much-needed wind and weather protection when you need it. If you’re in trouble and you’re can’t dig in to the snow, this is a pretty important thing to have. Among other things, it can be used to transport the injured in. But most importantly, it provides protection – a lot of extra warmth when it’s raging outside, for example.
What is a bivvy bag?
A bivvy bag (bivouac bag/ windsack) is a large bag that can hold one or more people, preferably made from a thin, light synthetic material to make it very packable and light. The bag’s windproof and water-repellent.
If you’re bying one, think about getting one as simple and light as possible. Features such as windows and zips aren’t necessary. The simpler the better.
First Aid Kit
“Not a hack”, you say? Well, yes and no. First, you should have a first aid kit, for obvious reasons which don’t need spelling out. Second, many of the things in the first aid kit can used for repairs and ad hoc solutions. Sports tape. Scissors. So it’s worth giving it some a wee bit of attention.
Here’s a list of the essentials in a first aid kit. And some tips on first aid in general. Are you sufficiently prepared if an accident should occur?
Repair Kit
Bringing a repair kit is a good idea even if you’re not on an expedition. It’s all about being prepared for the inevitable and unexpected. The point of the kit is to be able to make temporary, improvised repairs and solutions just to get you home. We’re not talking long-term and permanent repairs you’ll need a bench and tools for. Just some awesome bits and bobs.
Stormsure Glue
We have yet to find any glue more versatile than Stormsure glue. It hardens even in water, becomes super strong, it’s elastic, and 100% airtight if you use it right. With this glue you can fix the soles of your boots, glue wetsuits, patch tents, patch sleeping mats and so much more. It’s the best.
The beauty of this glue is that it can also withstand extreme cold and heat without freezing. Excellent characteristics for a field-repair glue. The only downside is that it needs a bit of curing time – but we can live with that as long as it actually works!
The Pulk-Bungee
The bungee from Biltema: cheap and very practical. When you need to pack a pulk, strap something to the rucksack, to the car or just fix something like a pulk’s harness, these are absolutely brilliant. They’re strong, elastic and work for a lot of obscure things. If you’re on tour with a pulk, these are an absolute must! Also work as a rope in an emergency. We’ll stop here.
Building a winter windbreak for you tent
To build a windbreak from snow, or not to build a windbreak from snow? This question comes up a lot. Here’s our advice – with a tip for those who’d rather not make the effort…
Dressing for adventure: what to wear in the wild
Norwegian grandmothers have it right: always wear wool against the skin. Beginning with wool as the first layer, the three-layer principle applies. Step this way for a guide to wrapping up warm in the wild.
Photography on tour
Capturing moments of magic with a camera can add an extra dimension to the tour experience. With a little system and some simple steps, you can become an even better photographer. Here are some tips how.
Which cross-country skis? And how long?
Choosing new cross-country BC skis is can be bewildering. We compare length, width, profile. We weigh ourselves and check again. We ask advice on forums. We change our minds repeatedly. So before you pull the trigger, set your mind at rest by reading this overview. If you’re still unsure, you can talk to the expert in your local specialist shop or contact Åsnes’s customer service – we answer questions the whole time and we can usually help!
Preparing for Åsnes Expedition Amundsen
Dreaming of an adventure in the winter mountains? Or a lover of endurance races? Maybe Åsnes Expedition Amundsen is for you. But you’ll need to be ready.
Five tips for hitting the slopes with skins!
Five rules for skinning up a mountain safely and enjoyably. A truly competent, experienced ski guide would probably say there should be about twenty. We’re sticking to five get this true wisdom to stick! Consider these rules the basic pillars of laying down ski tracks right – a checklist of things to remember the next time you point your skis to the peak.