The explosion in popularity of backcountry snowboarding and splitboarding has brought with it a bewildering array of new outerwear and kit from brands promising unparalleled comfort and protection. From socks to soft shells its a bit of a maze trying to work out what will best fit your needs and given the price points on these uber technical threads its a decision that a lot of us agonise over before handing over the cash.
Unlike snowboards there is rarely an opportunity to demo this stuff on the mountain so we are always on the lookout for reviews from trusted sources who have had the chance to test it on our behalf. Will that beautiful Patagonia jacket be a better bet than the Haglofs shell when it comes to a big day of touring and what about the mid-layer?
Fortunately there are trusted sources out there and one of them is The Gemsstock . Andy Malton has created and runs one of the only UK websites dedicated to deep snow culture and can help you make an informed decision. From outerwear and travel reviews to new split and powderboards, boots, bindings, ABS packs and safety equipment – you’ll find it there. Andy is also a regular contributor of backcountry know-how articles for Whitelines and his site is proving to be a valuable resource for anyone interested in new equipment.
Alongside this he is also helpfully compiling a dedicated section to splitboard course providers which will let you see at what’s on offer out there on a single website.
Marvelous!
So get your snow dance on for winter 2016 and ,should it come off , then head on over to the Gemsstock site for the heads up on what you are gonna need for it.