It's been a while...

Over three months since the last entry, so here's a bit about everything, to sum up the spring that simply flew by.

Winter was pretty much perfect for various outdoor activities. Fatbiking obviously took a large share of hours spent outside, but it was a good season also for kite skiing (and skiing in general), and luckily got some ice climbing done as well here and there, although a planned trip to Rjukan did not come true.

Long dark hours help to immerse oneself in books, and I enjoyed several interesting and entertaining publications, of which climbers and alike should enjoy at least Psychovertical by Andy Kirkpatrick and Kiss or Kill: Confession of a Serial Climber by Mark Twight. Anyone (fluent in Finnish) wanting to learn how to use Adobe Lightroom 4 more effectively, should definitely take a look at Pekka Potka's latest edition - this book has been a great help to me for more efficient photo management.

As a nice culmination of the already good skiing season, I drove to Åre with the family before Easter, to enjoy good piste and sidetrack off piste skiing. I've visited the place twice before (years ago) and it was great to go back - Åre (and especially Duved/Tegefjäll region) is great for families, and offers varied terrain and slopes, and easily accessible off piste skiing. We stayed in Solhyllan, which provides direct access to the slopes.

Once the spring arrived, it was time to pull out the packraft and start the season with some paddling and bird watching around beautiful Porkkala, and on flooding rivers and rapids. Looking forward to a good packrafting season again, possibly even some great trip up north, if all goes well.

My Fatback also completed a full year of service, no issues were revealed in the thorough spring service I did just a week back. Surly Endomorph was retired for the summer, replaced with a more knobby Knard on the back. Based on the kilometers gained so far, it appears to be a nice tire for summer use. I had an intention to try out a tubeless setup of some sort, but eventually decided to continue running the bike with tubes for the time being, switching over from regular Q-Tubes to Super Lights. Q-Tubes have been working great with no punctures, can easily recommend them - hopefully the Super Lights will hold up just as well.

Looking forward, aside of packrafting and cycling, I hope to do more rock climbing this season. Since I took a break from it years ago, I've wanted to start all over and get back to shape, but so far it hasn't worked out all too well. But again this summer (at the 10-year anniversary of my dynamic rope, now officially retired from service) I am trying to hold the repeating promise to take time for it - Kicked it off by creating a profile in 27 Crags and researching nearby crags for upcoming visits. I believe Kakarsberget will be my main playground due to easy access even by bike, but hopefully also able to find time to visit some of the other (familiar and new) crags at least in Finland. Based on the first climbs (or struggles I might say) last week there's a lot of work ahead...

When size matters

Learning rock climbing in Hyttyskallio
back in 1998

If your physical dimensions exceed those of considered typical when it comes to sizing of outdoor clothing, or are otherwise interested in the topic of having right sized garments for your outdoor endeavors, you might find this post of some use.

Being all arms and legs (body height 195 cm with inseam of 99 cm and arm span of 203 cm (ape index 1.04)) it is challenging to find fitting clothes in general, and the selection of outdoor garments even more limited - especially since my body type rules out the XL+ section altogether (usually wear large or medium if really lucky), from which I could have a better chance of finding something with sufficient sleeve or inseam length.

Discovering new options to fill the gaps in the outdoor wardrobe has been about online inquiries (outdoor forums and customer service departments of retailers and manufacturers), browsing reviews, reading data sheets and of course trying out a wide range garments available locally. Unfortunately limited local selection dictates that some gear must always be procured online, and through some mishaps and disappointments I've learned to do my homework well. Below some discoveries I've made, to give an idea where maybe to look at.

Norrøna has become one of my favorite brands as they have a wide range of clothing with good, snug fit and sufficient sleeve length in most of their garments. Lofoten Pro Jacket was a small dream come through with it's very generous sleeve length and great fit and function, and for example my Lyngen Down 750 (from 2011) belay jacket is mixing down and Primaloft to form a very functional and warm product. Also clothing from Falketind range should have a good sleeve length (based on the flex1 soft shell I have). Unfortunately they do not currently offer a long inseam versions of their pants or bibs, but had some plans to introduce such in the future (had a talk with sales rep in Oslo candy brand store a year back, on the way to Rjukan).

Haglöfs also has generally a good fit with relatively long sleeves in shirts and jackets. They also have a long inseam versions of some of their pants, and at least the one's I've tried (such as Rugged Mountain Pants) have been sufficient(ish) even for me in their long versions. I currently have only the Endo Jacket, which is a functional but minimalistic Active Shell jacket I've used for various foul weather activities for over a year now. Partially due to inclusion of thumb loops, it has sufficient sleeve length even for cycling, which is a nice bonus.

The North Face sizing varies across their huge range, but there are some items (random soft shells and fleece shirts/jackets) that have a very good fit with sufficient sleeve length. This is also currently my go-to brand for soft shell pants as they offer a true long inseam versions for some of the models (up to 35-36 inches) - Apex Icefall Pant and Apex Climbing Pant (discontinued) are both very functional form-fitting soft shells. Arc'teryx also has a long inseam versions of some of their pants, but they have too wide cut for my liking, and jackets generally have too short sleeves. Their underwear range in merino wool is a good fit though (and have also endured well).

Some more recent findings include a nice long sleeved Ortovox Merino 240 shirt (perfect for winter fun) and Patagonia Capilene EW Zip-Neck Hoodie which just might be the best shirt/hoodie I've ever owned. Urheiluareena in Tampere offers modifications for their range of clothing, with a reasonable price (paid some 20 EUR for a leg extension on soft shell bibs for cycling couple of years ago), and have for example good winter booties for cycling (up to European size 51). And of course there are tailored solutions such as Design Your Own Jacket service from PHD in UK (although havent't tried this service myself).

While in search of appropriately sized gear, I've used gimmicks such as unpicking (and re-stitching) the folded seams to release an extra length of fabric (some brands such as Halti and Fjällräven offer some of their pants without these folds, to be able to cut and sew them in wanted length upon purchase - handy!), focusing on jackets and shirts with thumb loops (as it usually means longer sleeves), and resorting to professionals such as authorized Gore-Tex Service Center (the one in Finland is located in Närpiö - fast, affordable and knowledgeable service, highly recommended) for more drastic operations (extensions on hard shells, etc.).

In case you have also struggled with sizing and discovered something usable to match your specific needs, I would be interested hearing from you!

Kite skiing

With solid ice covering the sea nearby, coated with some 15 centimeters of powder snow, it was time to open the kiting season this week. Starting in the morning before work and chasing sun at dusk, it has been possible to enjoy the gracious winds blowing through Espoonlahti bay at odd hours, and crisscross the ice on (telemark) skis.

Going out with a 10 square meter Ozone Access XT foil kite, modest 5-6 m/s winds were sufficient for nice cruising speed on skis. I met also few other snowkiters, equipped with (leading edge) inflatable kites, which can be used year around (floats in water), but are somewhat different to set up and use, compared to foil kites. As I have no interest in summer kiting at this moment, I am better off with a large foil kite that allows fast setup (up in the air in minutes) and minimal bulk, and can be used in a wide range of conditions. With the kite I use a seat harness for comfort, and always carry a short ice screw and a carabiner to park the kite safely when needed (and normally ice claws as well, just in case).

Snowkiting has been gaining popularity in good pace at least in Finland, and courses are arranged regularly. Starting with a course is highly recommended, as you get to try different kites to assess what to buy yourself, and most importantly learn how to fly a kite safely. For example Waiting for Viima and Kitetirri are worth checking if you want to get started - Kitetirri is also arranging a snowkiteweekend in Sieravuori in February, which is a good opportunity to get started (or get better) and meet other snowkiters.

While zigzaggin on ice, I shot some footage with the new GoPro Hero3 (attached to helmet and using the chest harness), here's a quick edit (no adjustments made to the raw video) for some rider's point of view:

Hero3 unboxing

Finally received the long awaited shipment from Oulu, well overdue as I've been eager to get my hands on to the new GoPro Hero3 since it was launched back in October, but only available in Finland recently (White and Silver were stocked pretty quickly, but these Black Editions were on pre-order until the end of the year).

With the cameras came also 32 Gb SD cards (upgraded from 16 Gb complementary cards) and spare third party batteries. Cameras were ordered for a mountain biking club I am helping to run, replacing the Hero's used earlier, and there's a selection of accessories already in use (Tripod Mount, Chest Mount Harness, Handlebar/Seatpost Pole Mount, etc.). These cameras were originally supposed to be the Black Adventure Editions, but importer was not able (for the time being) to make these available, so what I got lacks the Vented Helmet Strap Mount and Head Strap Mount (both of which are available separately).

I won't bother copying the specs here (although they are pretty impressive), but instead some quick observations based on my experience with the previous models, while unboxing the camera.

Holding the camera for the first time, it's immediately apparent how much smaller and lighter it is, compared to previous versions, with or without the waterproof case. Although Hero2 was a good upgrade from Hero in terms of software, it still had the same bulky form factor which Hero3 now plays down significantly. The new lens frame looks good, and the indented flat lens is not likely to be as susceptible to scratches as the old convex lens, not to mention better underwater performance and making it easier to use filters.

On the positive side goes also the new latch, which seems more robust and does not come flying off every time you open the case. I do have some doubts about the locking mechanism and the small plastic tab on the case, let's see how it holds up in cold and over time.

Hero3 uses micro SD cards instead of the normal sized cards used in the earlier models. While this is likely due to the drastic size reduction, not being necessarily able to swap cards from your digital camera (or use the ones you might have purchased for previous versions of Hero) is a pity. Aside of this, I don't really like the fact that SD slot (and the connectors) is now under a hatch, since it comes off from the body - dropping and losing this plastic tab is not going to be difficult, will most likely just leave it at home to begin with.

GoPro has also addressed the difficulties removing the battery from the case in previous versions, and added a tab into the battery to pull from. Similar to above, I would have rather have the door attached to the camera.

Wi-Fi remote is one of the most wanted features for me, as it is going to be great (similar to what VIO POV HD that I've used has, but a lot more advanced) to be able to switch the camera on and off, take footage and control all the settings, without needing to touch the camera unit itself. Taking the remote into use required a software update on the camera out of the box, but process overall was pretty quick (after first having to switch from Chrome to Safari and installing a Java update) and remote paired up with the camera in seconds.

Remote is almost as large as the camera itself (without the case), but with full control through large glove-friendly buttons and built-in battery, size is easily justified. Remote has slots for a strap to attach it with, but no strap is included in the sales package - odd omission. Another small grief is using a proprietary connector for the charging cable, instead of using the same mini-USB plug as the camera (and plenty of other gadgets you might already have).

All in all, the scale is definitely on the positive side when it comes to form factor and build quality, and I have no doubt that image quality is anything less than stunning, especially for such a portable little unit. While I still feel the thumb knobs with loose nuts and bolts, and plastic quality overall could (should) be improved, GoPro does have a solid offering and continues to raise the bar in many ways in this arena, and keeps on improving a lot on every round.

If you have any experience already with Hero3, feel free to share some thoughts through the comments. Similarly if you're interested in these cameras - I've used both Hero and Hero2 (and array of accessories) quite a lot with various outdoor activities year around, happy to give some insight if needed.

No resolution

What a pity that winter recently regressed into a slushy and slippery mess just around the year-end, but conveniently I've also been recovering and relapsing with a persistent flu since xmas time - no harm, no foul, I guess (surely no play either).

Luckily I had some books on hold to dive into during the odd days of vacation, work and trying to get better. Arctic Cycle: Two Wheels, Ice and Fire, Three Journeys to Patagonia and Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book just to mention a few, also finished reading a great bikepacking book about a Journey to the Centre of the Earth, available as a PDF online.

While new year has begun with lots of plans and a clear target to have at least as much fun outdoors as last year, yet a quick recap of 2012 highlights with pictures to follow.

January - February

Visiting a friend hard at work in Kirchberg (Austria), exploring off piste opportunities, lift-assisted and more. Got lucky with the weather, as it was over a week since the last (large) snowfall, but due to low temperatures (around -20°C) and the fact that there aren't too many people skiing off piste in the area, there was plenty of virgin powder to enjoy during the trip.

Ice climbing season was relatively quiet, only random visits to local ice falls. I had plans to visit Rjukan again after a very nice trip last year, but unfortunately could not fit it in - trying to make it up this year. 

I took a course in kite skiing back in 2007 and did it for couple of years, and for some reason stopped thereafter. Last winter (having witnessed few excellent winters for kiting on the sea) I decided to jump back in when I ran across a very good deal on brand new Ozone Access XT (10m², 2011), successor of the kite I had earlier (Access), with Mystic Force Shield harness. Kite skiing is sweet when everything clicks (powder snow and steady moderate wind), but unfortunately many times it's either too much or too little wind, or you are simply stuck with no ice and poor snow conditions. I didn't have much opportunities to get out during the daylight in weekdays, and when tied to weekends with many other things to do, the odds of getting it all right when you are out there are not high. But I didn't, and won't, let that discourage me, looking forward to find those sweet spots in time and space also this winter - living only few hundred meters away from the sea surely helps.

March - May

While I have ridden mountain bikes since 1997, and have assembled and upgraded few bikes and always serviced them myself, Fatback was the first bike I built from the scratch, including the assembly of the wheels which, with some help from Mr. Brandt, turned out to be not quite as difficult as expected (although the regular wheel truing stand had some challenges to accommodate the 70 mm wheels to begin with). I also switched to grip shifters after 12 years of triggers out of curiosity and for simplicity (my first mtb had Sachs (now SRAM) grip shifters, didn't really like them at the time), and was surprised how quickly I adjusted, wouldn't change back to triggers.

While I was enjoying the newly found joy of cycling through the snow, I was also eagerly waiting for the paddling season to open, as I had just scratched the very surface of packrafting before the winter had arrived. Winter threw some nice surprises before making room for spring, and some of the planned paddles early April were switched into fresh pow(d)er biking through the woods overnight - no complaints!

Spring floods offered some nice early-season exploration in the backyard rivers, and first trials of loading heavy cargo and transporting bike on the packraft.

Sirppujokilasku (small local event near Uusikaupunki to open season by paddling down the river and running few rapids on the way, even with somewhat questionable watercrafts) was the first of several trips during the season with friends on a canoe or kayak, me mostly trying to keep up (or scouting rapids) while paddling down random rivers in Finland.

June - October

Summer and autumn were obviously packed with fatbiking and packrafting (which sometimes consisted more of bushwhacking than paddling), both of which quickly proved to be worthy of the investment, and nicely extended the usual repertoire of activities to choose from. While both were (and still are) quite marginal hobbies even globally, I also started started this blog (aside of simply wanting to write down something every now and then) to raise the awareness and spread the stoke so to speak - maybe also to show that perhaps there isn't always need to travel far to find something worth a small exploration.

I was also happy to get out with the family to hike, on daytrips and overnighters. It did help a bit to get a slightly larger accommodation option for a family of three, instead of fitting us all into my very toit BD Lighthouse, as before. Only regret that I have is that summer included no rock or alpine climbing, it simply has not been possible to allocate time for that.

November - December

Closing the paddling season with another trip to Keravanjoki it was great to enter winter again to continue cycling, get back on the skis and dig out axes and crampons. And to simply enjoy the ambience of snow-covered nature.

Pogies

Anyone cycling through the winter is likely no stranger to cold extremities, and while nothing like the screaming barfies familiar from ice climbing, it hardly raises the spirit. To cope with sub -10°C temperatures I've usually added layers and worn thicker gloves and mittens, to the point of losing all dexterity. To regain the control of my hands, I started to look into pogies which have proven themselves over and again for winter motorsports, and have also been gaining popularity among cyclists.

There is no shortage of options when it comes to pogies. You can find them from motorcycle and quad/snowmobile stores, various general stores, and of course online. Bar Mitts and Dogwood Designs products are examples of well-designed pogies built for cyclists, but there are also several others. As spotted at Fillarifoorumi, my neighborhood general store Biltema also has a pair - labeled for motor vehicles, but well suited for bicycles also. Being a no-name product loyal to store's pricing scheme, these pogies are dirt cheap (€13.99 a pair), and based on the initial experience the build quality appears to be very good, offering excellent value.

As these come in one size only, they are rather large all around, and the first dry fitting brought up some simple improvement ideas. Although they do work as intended out of the box, I chose to tighten up the cuff diagonally (up to few centimeters) to have a closer fit around the lower arms and moved the velcro to allow it to close around an oversized handlebar. Replacing the flimsy cord with a reflective parachute cord and double-stitching few crucial seams finished the modifications (though I might add a piece of reflective fabric still on each).

Temperature was around -12 °C when I got to try these pogies for the first time. I wore a pair of thin liner gloves underneath and during a 2-hour ride had total comfort - even tried riding with bare hands for some time, and it was ok (neoprene grips are great). After the modifications there are no big openings anywhere, pogies fit the handlebar snuggly and stay in place, and cuffs close around the lower arms comfortably. Looking forward to test the limits of these once the temperature drops somewhere below -20 °C, assuming they won't disappoint me.

Bottom line, if you ride through the winter, get pogies. Any of the available models will for sure increase your digit survival rate and in addition to being really warm, they also make fiddling with camera and other gear a breeze, compared to the layered lobster/mitten setup you would normally use.

Solvalla icefall

Today, on my way from work at dusk, I took a short detour and went to climb the roadside icefall in Solvalla (Nuuksio),which I've scanned several times while passing by. Heading to hike in the national park, to ski in Espoo Chamonix (Swinghill), or to climb ice in Romvuori, I never had taken the time to stop and give it a go.

Although there are spots and lengths of ice here and there across the rock face, there's only one line long enough and with sufficient amount of ice to not allow any damage to the climbing holds on the route(s) underneath. As I was alone, I rigged up a self-belay from a tree above, and enjoyed nice views to the lake from the top.

Icefall is perhaps 12 meters tall, close to vertical on most parts. About 55 meters of rope was just enough for a self-belay setup from a tree on the top of the cliff. I had a few runs before dark settled in and had to pack out. Ice was in good condition and not too brittle, with some signs of previous climbs (could hear a trickle of water underneath near the top). Also weather was spot on, around -5 °C with powder snow all around - worth the trip definitely!