Yall got any tips for boot packing?

water

no cotton

shell outerwear with good waterproofing and breath-ability (probably most important)

good layering

music

extra goggles (sweat + goggles=fog)

Sunglasses

Maybe ski straps if youre gonna shoulder the skis to keep them together

extra gloves or shell mits ( my hands usually get cold hiking from lack of blood flow, especially if im carrying skis on my shoulder)

I cant think of really anything else, backcountry stuff if your goin out of bounds, shovel, beacon probe partner.
 
I wear a backpack designed to carry skis when I bootpack something. It's really nice to carry skis on my back instead of in my hand/on shoulder. Obviously I don't bother when the hike is short but sometimes we're doing mixed hiking with a mix of skins/ice axe + crampons/rappelling, so hands-free ski carrying is key.
 
13541538:Dirty.Harry. said:
I wear a backpack designed to carry skis when I bootpack something. It's really nice to carry skis on my back instead of in my hand/on shoulder. Obviously I don't bother when the hike is short but sometimes we're doing mixed hiking with a mix of skins/ice axe + crampons/rappelling, so hands-free ski carrying is key.
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yeah...I have the dakine heli pack
 
13541698:SFBv420.0 said:
stay outta the damn skin track till ya figure out why them guys aint bootin
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I would be getting an AT setup, but unfortunately I can't afford it :(

I will do my best to keep the skin track the sink track.
 
Make good steps and SMALL steps.

Also, take off the helmet/beanie unless it's blowin hard. You'll sweat less with the extra body heat lost from your exposed head.
 
Boot packing sucks so much sometimes

take off your helmet/goggles, you don't need them and they'll just make you sweat worse

I usually take off my shell/hoody and just hike in a baselayer, but ymmv

get a comfortable backpack to hold your skis, throwing them over your shoulder is no fun

move out of the way if people are on your ass, the only thing worse than boot packing is having some gaper slowing you down

spray some sort of no stick on the bottom of your boots to help stop snow from building up on them
 
If the bootpack isn't bulletproof (and you keep post-holing), try kicking your toe in just a couple inches deeper than the established foot print. This will give you a better chance of the snow supporting your weight, by ensuring that you have as much surface area as possible on the snow.

This is especially important if you have a bigger foot and are heavier than the average person.

Also focus on the bootpack and try not to look up too often (unless of course you're in complex terrain). This will help prevent mis-steps (huge waste of energy) and maybe reduce the dread of the immense distance you have to go.
 
Bootpacking sucks.

I know you are poor, but there is a shit load of used gear out there... have you though of selling drugs? or your body? .. just for a short period of time? .. seriously, that's how much boot packing sucks... better to give a few BJ's to some old dudes in the alley for one night, than to have every day in the BC suck balls.

Even consider a used pair of skins and some alpine trekkers. Trekkers are cheap, and if you ask nice enough some dirty hippy will give you his punched out skins.
 
stop drinking/smoking weed for a couple pay checks and get yourself some skins and touring binders.
 
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