Stories
WATCH 'DOLLAR SHORT' SKI FILM HERE + BTS CHAT TO CREATORS!
DOLLAR SHORT IS LIVE! Before we get into the making of, nitty gritty, BTS with the brain trust behind the picture, catch the full 12-minute flick featuring pillow lines, backcountry booters and bank robberies below!!! Boom! If that doesn't get you excited for winter, nothing will. Wondering how they came up with such a concept and what in fact goes into executing a project like this - all while Covid is knocking on the northern Hemi's doorstep? We were too. Below, hear from the creators Caleb Chicoine and Alex D'Agostino, directors and masterminds from Benshicreative as well as Le Bent team riders Parkin Costain and Jake Hopfinger. Jake Hopfinger presumably admiring his handiwork. Photo: Jonathan Finch Caleb Chicoine (director): Thinking about how this film came to fruition is pretty funny to reflect on. During the summer of 2019 Alex and I we’re both working as editors at TGR in Jackson Hole. We were fresh off releasing our first ski series “Before Tomorrow” the winter prior. That project was what really kicked off Benshi, but we felt like it was just a small taste of what we wanted to do and what the Benshi crew was capable of.We started a really strong relationship with Jake Hopfinger with Before Tomorrow and knew we wanted to all work together again the next winter, and on one of our last days shooting that project we linked up with Parkin Costain. We all hit it off instantly and started scheming the next film. All aboard the company car/metal steed. Photo: Jonathan Finch Since Alex and I were living in Jackson Hole, Jake was in Bozeman, and Parkin was in Whitefish, we would have daily facetime group calls to brainstorm film ideas. We knew we wanted to make something that wasn’t just action ski porn, and was able to integrate a story into a ski film without beating it over people's heads.Lots of bad ideas came out of these facetime sessions (mostly by me…). When we would talk about coming up with ideas, we played with the concept of creating a totally random scenario and saying “what would happen if... “ and seeing where that would take us. Jokingly as an example, someone (I don’t remember who) said “What if we robbed a bank”.We all laughed and thought that was a ridiculous idea and a funny joke. As we bounced around a bunch of other ideas over the next few weeks, we eventually circled back to this joke idea and just said “Screw it, what would happen if two skiers robbed a bank?” Haha... Two skiers walk into a 7/11, a bar, a bank... Photo: Jonathan Finch After that summer Alex and I moved back to Bozeman and we started to really pick this idea apart with the whole crew. We just kept playing off of the “what if” idea and let it roll, and eventually we came up with what you see in the film. I couldn’t be more grateful for this crew and all the hard work everyone dedicated to making this happen and for all of our sponsors. I feel like this is still just 5% of the way to where we want to take things as a crew and am psyched to get to work on the next one. Alex D'Agostino (director): As a kid growing up on the east coast I remember watching all the big ski films and thinking: Wow, I’m never going to be able to do things and go to the places these guys are going. Even though I now have been lucky enough to experience those once far off dreams, those childhood thoughts still resonate with me. Caleb and I wanted to make a film that touches on that idea. Sure nice sleds and big trucks are epic, but the true heart of skiing is just going out with your friends whenever and however you can. This film was a blast to make - it was hilarious making two pro skiers act for us all year. The Benshi crew is just getting started - we are incredibly excited for what’s next! Alex on the tools. Photo: Jonathan Finch Parkin Costain: What a season last year was! I was more eager than ever to be more involved in the ski industry. Just a few years ago I would have never guessed that goal would lead me to help create a short ski film as part of the Benshi Crew. I’ve continued to embrace my ever growing urge to never have a real job and last season was the logical next step in that direction. Parkin repping our lightweight balaclava for heavyweight pillow domination. Photo: Jonathan Finch While navigating the Covid ridden season, the crew and I were able to continue production all the way up until March when the whole world went into lockdown. Before this I was able to win the Kings and Queens of Corbet’s, score a segment with Warren Miller Entertainment and continue on with the everflowing good times with the Benshi crew. So much went down last season but by far the most gratifying and rewarding moments were spent with our tight knit team scouting and shredding lines in the backcountry. I couldn’t be more stoked on forming such a strong relationship with the team. Our minds are turning for the upcoming season and I can’t wait to show the world what we’re scheming. Parkin prepping to drop... Off what, we ain't sure. Photo: Jonathan Finch Jake Hopfinger: Ever seen two backcountry skiers rob a bank? We did - kinda… The fall before shooting this project was spent with many hours on the phone brainstorming concepts for a backcountry skiing short film with a strong narrative backbone. Something that would bring a fresh tone to ski industry media. “Dollar Short” is certainly something unique that I hope people will appreciate. Jake Hopfinger minding the gap. Photo: Jonathan Finch Being the second season with the Benshi Creative crew, I had some high expectations for my personal skiing. With such a strong crew, it allowed me to really focus on my task at hand: ski hard and stay healthy. Luckily that is how it played out, which made for one of the best seasons of my life. We are all really psyched with how “Dollar Short” turned out. We hope everyone will keep an eye on our crew for what’s to come in the future! Can we be in the next one boys? Looks like a bloody good time! Photo: Jonathan Finch
Read more
WHAT'S COOKING WITH LUCY BARTHOLOMEW? - Q&A
What does an ultrarunner do when only allowed outside for 1 hour of exercise per day? That’s barely enough time to get a light warm-up in, let alone delete a few dozen kilometres of trail! But Lucy Bartholomew put this not-so hypothetical to the test these last few months under a Victorian Covid lockdown. What did she discover? Well, when life gives Lucy lemons, she makes lemonade! …and a bunch of other tasty treats, all of which can be found in her brand-new cookbook! Wait what?! Lucy in the kitchen of the athlete house before the Western States 100mile run, 2019. Photo: Max Romey/Salomon Running Hey Luc! It’s been a wild few months since we last caught up for a chat. How have you been managing life in Victoria with all the restrictions due to Covid? Hello! Time seems to be going slowly yet also speedy this year! Lockdown life feels like déjà vu but it’s not all that bad with my dad and puppy as company, small projects to keep me entertained and training it feels like rise, run, rinse, refuel, repeat is my days and i have enjoyed the simplicity of that. Have you found that you’ve been able to adapt your routine considering the amount of time you normally spend on the trail? I have, and at first I tried to fight it and didn’t like being ‘stuck’ somewhere and told what I can and can’t do but once I embraced it, it has added a new flavour to training and another surge of motivation which is really cool. The change in pace seems to have paid off with you being able to focus energy on your awesome new cookbook. Congratulations on the release! Did the extra time at home help you add the title ‘author’ to your already impressive CV? Thank you! Yes! This cookbook has been 4-5 years in the making as I have always had a bank of recipes and been asked so many times to put them all together but with the less training and lots of time in one place and with a kitchen I made it my focus. I was very lucky to have it keeping me busy (and full!) There are too many delicious plates to pick from in here and it’s hard not to drool on my notepad as I write this question… I’m sure you find it just as hard to pick, but do you have any favourites or regular go-to recipes? I feel quite the same but for me the simple recipes of smoothie bowls and granola have always been in my life and made me smile. What I like most about the recipes in the book is that one recipe can turn into 3-4 others with leftovers. That was something I really wanted was to give life to recipes time and time again. Our crew is always inspired by the efforts you put into healthy living and eating. What would you say your motivations are to maintain a healthy diet? I know that I feel best when i eat well and for sure it affects my training and lifestyle I try to lead as an athlete. It doesn’t really feel like effort to me and I think when people see the recipes, they start to understand that it really can be quite simple! A cross-section of the healthy delicacies you can expect to find in Lucy's book. Did this help inspire you to share your delicious creations with the world? Certainly. I feel very lucky to have spare time in my day to slice my apples finely and fan them around the edge of my smoothie bowl but I wanted to share that that’s not the important thing and you can share the same meals simple, sustainably and also quite cheaply! We’re loving the new cookbook and it’s stepped up the game from our ‘dummies guide to cooking’. Where can one pick up the new book? At the moment is available as an ebook on my website here: https://www.lucybartholomew.com/store/Sustain-Cookbook-eBook-p239835029 The plan is to try and have some hard copies for Christmas but there is no guarantees! As the life’s become more localised and events have been cancelled or postponed, have you any new goals you’re working towards? Any more new titles you’ll be adding to your resume? (Don’t feel you need to answer this if you don’t want to) This time has definitely opened my eyes to learning more and expanding more on the things that make me passionate. I want to work more on the environment and spreading understanding and awareness of this! I also have some fun projects that will capture my home land of Australia rather than just pinning to get on metal bird so quickly. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to catch up and share your journey over the past few months. Can’t wait to catch you out on the trails once the boarders open back up! (just add a closing statement here if you like) Thanks team. It’s been quite the ride but I know that it’s just getting started and controlling the things you can control is what I chose to focus on- like what you eat! Lucy getting out of the kitchen for her allotted exercise. With meals and trails like hers you'll also be feeling excellent. Photo: Lucy Bartholomew Download Lucy's E-Book HERE Check out the collaborative designed Le Lucy sock HERE
Read more
An Ode To Baselayers - Not A Basic Piece Of The Layering Pie
Picture this: you've scored first chair of the day and there's 45cm of blower pow on the ground. Your chair crests the ridge-line and you feel an icy cold blast of deep Antarctic wind. You tuck your chin a little deeper into your face mask; you know what storm skiing is all about and your layering game is as refined as they come, the product of years of hard earned lessons and cotton filled mistakes. You skate a couple steps and ski toward the next chair as you steal a glance to your left; all those suckers inside, you know what they got wrong? Their thermals. Getting your base layers wrong can be one of the most uncomfortable, and even most dangerous mistakes you can make in the mountains. If you're not prepared for what the weather will be doing, then you’re not prepared for anything. So with all manner of options on the market, what makes the perfect set of thermal underwear? LÉ BENT are unique in this space as we offer a unique merino and bamboo blend that allows us to offer a silky soft hand feel that keeps our customers coming back for more and keeps you on the chair or skin track when others can’t hack it. How do we do it? Well, we ask ourselves some key questions and set our goals on delivering the most comfortable, durable and performance-orientated answers possible... What Material Is Best? When deciding on the perfect set of men’s, women’s or kid’s base layers you have two options: synthetic or natural. Synthetic base layers are generally spun with a variant of thermoplastic polymers that will work to keep you warm, but who wants to wrap themselves in plastic, right? And often they tend to stink before the day is out. Natural thermal fibres have traditionally been spun with merino wool. If it’s good enough to keep a sheep warm, then it’s good enough for humans. So, what’s the catch? Scratch. While merino wools are the perfect insulator, they’re not the perfect fabric to have pressed against your skin for twelve hours a day. So the question arises: what’s the perfect fibre? Honed over years of research and development and a collaboration with Australia's peak scientific body (CSIRO), we unpacked on a simple idea to combine the benefits and sustainability of bamboo rayon fibre with the warmth and durability of merino. The result? The highest quality, comfort and performance you can expect from any other material. An on skin layer and a layer of skins. Our 200gm Le Base Lightweight Crew Top. On paper, it’s an unlikely romance - merino and bamboo. Although the latter is technically a grass, and therefore beloved by the former… What makes the two materials so compatible is their differences. Individually rayon from bamboo and merino wool are world-class materials, but combined, they form a bespoke yarn that redefines what we thought was possible in a fabric. As the thermal will be the closest to your skin, the advanced wicking properties of the merino and bamboo blend ensure that moisture is worked quickly through your layers, keeping you both warm and dry with no odour build up or stink. The bamboo ensures the fabric feels nice and soft on the skin with no irritation, no itch. How easy is it to get your choice of material wrong? Earlier on in the article we alluded to some hard-earned lessons in the layering game. We thought we’d highlight them here so you can learn the easy way - if you haven’t already made the same mistakes we and many other snow-goers once made. Cotton: trite as it is to say, but cotton is not at home in the mountains. Layers keep one warm by trapping warm air next to the skin. While cotton does this to some capacity, when it gets wet, those air pockets become water pockets and cotton will stay soggy - or frozen, depending on where you find yourself - until you head back inside. A fun fact for the skin trail... cotton can absorb around 20 times its own weight in water. Synthetics: While not as abhorrent in the mountains as cotton, synthetics - of which there are many - aren’t an ideal substitute either. While better at wicking moisture, synthetics aren't as successful as merino at suppressing odours. Some manufacturers might attempt to solve this with an anti-microbial coating, but these tend to fall well short of mother nature's solution in the lanolin wax within merino. au naturel. No cotton or synthetics in sight on these base layers. What Fabric Weight Do I Need? The final consideration is weight. As you’ll be aware, varying conditions call for varying levels of insulation, and getting it right starts at the base. That is, the base of your layering, and the base of the mountain. Lightweight to midweight, Le Bent offer two options: a 200gm or 260gm variant – 200 for milder conditions – think Australian winters, or spring skiing overseas – and 260 for when it’s really blowing from the Arctic – think mid-winter in the Rockies, Europe or Japan. Of course these suggestions are subject to personal preference and the level of exertion you expect to be doing in your base layers. For those on the skin track all day, we suggest opting for the lighter 200gm blend, whereas if you’re riding cold chairlifts all day you might want a little more insurance and insulation. The right fit? No matter what weight you choose, you’ll barely notice it’s there thanks to our semi performance fit. We believe thermals should fit like a glove, not necessarily squeeze the life out of you by being skin tight. Our fit is designed specifically for activity and insulation in the mountains. It just so happens that it also looks at ease on an après deck. Cheers to a day made better with the right layers! At Le Bent we call it our Signature Blend and the quality of finish is immediately noticeable. It’s a unique combination of Mother Nature’s finest attributes – the growth, sustainability and softness of bamboo combined with merino, the finest natural insulator known to mankind. It’s not rocket science, it’s simply the result of years of research and design, innovation and a deep-rooted love of the mountains. No matter if you’re a skier, snowboarder, man, woman or child, Le Bent has a perfect set of men’s women’s and kid’s base layers for you. Let us take care of comfort, so you can focus on having a good time. Le blend benefits: NO ITCH Naturally smoother and rounder fibres for itch-free comfort. IDEAL TEMP Warm in the cold and cool in the heat. DRY Naturally moves sweat away from the skin leaving you feeling drier for longer. NO STINK Helps control odour producing bacteria. UV 50+ Keeps you covered from the sun's harmful rays.
Read more
BEHIND THE SCENES OF #LESENDDOWNUNDER WITH CODY TOWNSEND
This time last year we were getting ready to welcome Cody Townsend and Elyse Saugstad on the tarmac at Sydney Airport. Since we're a far cry away from that happening this year, we thought we'd look back on what ended up being one of the best weeks of snow Australia has seen in years. Particularly our day riding with the resident groms of Thredbo resort. Why rider's of such esteem as Cody Townsend (2019 Powder Poll male skier of the year) and Elyse Saugstad (2019 Powder Poll female skier of the year (second place)) would grace the Australian alps was a question on a lot of peoples minds. Well, we invited - or rather goaded - Cody and Elyse to come down under and sample some 'real skiing'. The 'best mountains in the world' we said, and they took the bait. Cody Townsend finding a home among the gum trees out the back of Thredbo Resort. While best mountains in the world may have been a stretch, they sure got the best powder of anywhere in the world during their week here. Photo: Matt Wiseman Cody dipping his toe into his signature Le Send sock, the catalyst for his trip down under. Photo: Jake McBride From skinning over sheet ice up to the top of Kozi on the first day of #lesenddownunder to 120cm falling in the next three days, the duo sampled all Australia had to offer, and then some, while putting the world's first backcountry sock - the Le Send - through its final round of product testing. "I figured it would be a bit like the East Coast, US." said Cody. "Small mountains, a little bit of snow here and there. But we don't see many photos of Australian skiing in the US , so I didn't really know. We showed up, and were like 'yeah, smaller mountains, not that much snow...' And then, when we got so much snow, I was blown away by how fun the mountain was. There's little terrain hits everywhere. We ended up skiing with the Thredbo Mountain Academy kids, and blasting off every little thing in sight. I was like, "this is honestly more fun than some of the places I've skied back East because of the terrain and playful features. It was a blast." Thredbo Mountain Academy meeting Cody and Elyse. Photo: Matt Wiseman Scoping out some hits. Safe to say froth levels were through the roof and one of the biggest culprits was Cody himself. Photo: Matt Wiseman Post pole whack, pre team send. Photo: Jake McBride Cody and Elyse gave a Q&A and talked about the perks and perils of pro skiing after the Mountain Academy kids showed them the ins and outs of Thredbo. A hot topic was avalanche safety in Oz and upskilling in the mountains. Photo: Matt Wiseman After shredding with the groms all day, Cody then sat down with longtime Thredbo local and editor of Chillfactor Magazine Reggae Elliss to talk all things skiing, socks and what he thought of the terrain down under. When asked by Reggae how he had come to join the Le Bent bandwagon, he said, "It was funny, I got an email out of the blue from Simon (Le Bent co-founder) and I've gotten tonnes of emails from small companies... It's hard for them to ask and it's hard for me because product doesn't pay my bills. But I liked something about what they were doing. So I said hey, I will join the team if you make this particular sock. "I've got this idea for the sock. I've had it in my head for a number of years and no one will make it." I had been telling people, telling other companies, please make this ski touring specific sock. So Le Bent did. I was in." Since then, Le Bent's been working on a second generation Le Send sock with Cody. Elyse has also officially joined the program and has a women's specific Le Send sock set to hit stores and the skin track later this year... so keep your eyes peeled. You can catch the full interview between Cody and Reggae below! To read it in print head to https://www.chillfactor.com Chillfactor Podcast · Cody Townsend Podcast
Read more
ONE WORD: PANCAKES
Ok, time to try something different. We usually find ourselves in conversation with our community about feats in the outdoors or high in the hills, but when pro team member Lucy Bartholomew told us we could give mum something more than just socks for Mother’s Day we jumped at the idea! Although it comes without question that socks always become the staple gift, don’t you think it’s nice to add a little something special?… especially if it comes in the form of our favourite dish of all time. Now, the term ‘cooking’ comes very loosely to us. It's a means to fend off hangry rants more so than a tasty platter, and when put into practice, we find ourselves laying claim to the word ‘gourmet’ any time our camp kitchen experiments take on more than 3 ingredients. But one thing we do know is that we can seek out the source of a good smelling dish from a mile-off and when Lucy told us she’d been more productive during her lockdown than an office octopus, we had to refrain from eating every delicious, healthy raw ingredient before it was combined. We caught up for a chat and even included her secret recipe so you can cook up a storm while in this Covid shituation (nope, that wasn’t a misspell). Hey Lucy, great to catch up for virtual hangs. How have you been going with the crazy times of late? I’ve been good! It’s been strange to really slow down and halt some selects go life but also jump into the fast lane with some projects I’ve been wanting to do for a while and getting a good groove on some high training. Ebb and flow though-some days are easier than others. Where were you before all this went down and where have you been hiding out? I was lucky to have some early year missions to New Zealand for the Tarawera 100km and a trip to the Himalayas for a camp and exploring so I certainly got to exhaust my body and excite my mind before life hit the brakes. Pursuing greener pastures before the downtime. Pic: @andrew_fawcett We’re seeing plenty of stories coming out of how folks have been picking up new habits while staying at home. What have you found yourself up to? Something I’ve been really wanting to do was write a cook book. It’s been a fun project and definitely kept me busy, and full! Can’t say I have learnt a tik tok dance routine, but I am learning what goes into a book- and I have a lot of admiration for them all now! As one of the world’s most decorated women’s ultra-marathon runners, diet and intake would be at the top of the list outside of the training programs you’re on. How do you manage this? I chose to follow a plant-based diet which makes me feel, perform and recover at my best. I really just try to be intuitive and smart about what I eat, when I eat and why I eat foods. I always try to include a rainbow of colours, I have no problem on portion sizes and drinking plenty of water along the way too. Isolation?... or happy place? Pic: @andrew_fawcett Our mouths are watering at the thought of the wondrous creations we’re sure you’ve been working on. What’s are your favourites? If I was to be stuck on an island with one food it would be oats. I use them a lot in waffles, pancakes, cookies, smoothie bowls, bliss balls... I think they make up the most of my mass. I can’t go past a stack of pancakes or waffles where you can go wild on the toppings and it feels so abundant and delicious. Any trips to the kitchen for us generally involve a bowl of Frosted Flakes or a pack of Mi Goreng and we recently learned what the difference between a spork and a spade is. Do you have any tips for the first-time chef? Just like anything new; start small, gain confidence. Take it step by step. Enjoy the process and don’t focus too much on the outcome. My dad is a great example who used to burn water but now has turned into quite the cook when I’m away (when I come back, suddenly he loses the talent). Ok, we’re all set to don the apron and give this a whirl. How else can we learn about these delicious and healthy recipes you’re creating? I’m hoping to release this cook by the middle of 2020 (we’re nearly there) so that will be the easiest and best presented way to follow along with the recipes. Otherwise my Instagram feed and stories is usually either running or eating! Well Lucy, we’re so damn pleased to get the time to hang out and get an insight into what you’ve been up to. We really hope to see you in person soon, whether it be on the trail or in the kitchen. Thanks for keeping us company! Mother’s Day Pancakes 3 cups oat flour** (makes 8 small pancakes - don’t forget your dad, siblings and yourself too) 1cup almond milk 2tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon Bunch of fresh Strawberries, sliced + your toppings! Here with: yoghurt, more strawberries, walnuts, coconut, tahini! **If you need to make oat flour. It’s easy. Blitz 3cups or raw rolled oats in a blender on high for 1min until a fine consistency! Done! Step 1. In a bowl mix together all ingredients until well combined. If it’s a little thick add some extra almond milk or water splash by splash Step 2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Place spoonful of the mixture into the pan in your ideal size Step 3. Place a few slices of the fresh strawberries into the mixture Step 4. Let cool for 2-3 min and then flip Step 5. Let cook for another 2-3min Step 6. Place on a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture Step 7. Stack your pancakes and go wild on your favourite toppings! Step 8. Become the favourite child. - Bon Appétit! - Lucy
Read more
LE BENT WELCOMES DARCY KELLER TO THE FAMILY
DARCY KELLER – WELCOME INTERVIEW Darcy Keller has been on the scene for a while now, starring in some of the best independent snowboarding webisodes in the biz. It’s no mean feat to throw down such impressive lines and produce the footage to match on a relative shoe string budget in the far reaches of British Columbia, so naturally we wanted to be involved. Darcy’s our first snowboard addition to the Le Bent CA Team, and about as core as they come, so we sat down with Darcy from Donald to pick his brains and see what he has cooking. LB: Hey Darcy, thanks for chatting with us, how’ve you been man? No sweat. Thanks for bringing me on board! I’ve been really good. I’m just coming off a really good winter season here at home in BC. We had what seemed like endless snowfall and I felt strong and healthy all winter. LB: Is BC where you're hunkering down right now? Yeah, I’m just at home in Donald, BC, which is roughly 25 kms outside of Golden to the North West. I usually spend a lot of time around the house at this time of year, generally just waiting for sunny days, so this hasn’t been all that different from my normal. LB: Heck of a season in BC where you call home these days, not to mention the more than abrupt ending to the snow season in light of Covid-19. What had you been up to before the pandemic came and rained on everyone’s pow parade? This year I had an opportunity to film with a bigger budget project than I had been in the past. My friend Dustin Craven is arguably one of the best pillow riders in the world and last fall he asked me to be a part of the production that he was putting together. We spent January through I guess half of March back and forth between my place in Donald here and his place in Revelstoke. Our main focus was riding pillows and natural terrain. Definitely a bummer that our season was cut short but everyone is in the same position. I feel like we’ll still have an enjoyable movie to watch. It’ll be coming out in the fall. We’re calling it Oh Boy. I hope that people like it. I feel like I had one of the best winters of my life, regardless of missing out on potentially a month of filming time due to this pandemic. Darcy atop a pretty juicy looking pillow line. Pic cred: Dustin Craven LB: Epic! We'll be stinging to watch some pillow shredding after so long in lockdown. Will we predominantly find you in the backcountry then? What sort of terrain really tickles your fancy out there? I prefer the backcountry yeah. Come to think of it, I think I clocked less than 5 ski hill days this year. I like riding pillows a lot, anything natural really. Just more time strapped in and actually boarding. I feel like we only built a couple jumps this winter. In my opinion if it takes more than 20 minutes to set up for a shot it takes too much time away from the riding. LB: For sure! Are you a split board or sled guy then? Word on the street is you put more than a few days per year on the latter… I’m not opposed to either, but I genuinely love sledding and I sled a lot, quite often upwards of 80 days a winter. That said, I sled to snowboard. I always take my snowboard when I go out and very seldom do I go and not end up riding. It does happen sometimes, you get skunked on your objective or plans, or sometimes it is so deep out there you end up sledding all day just to put the trails in so you can then snowboard the following day. I understand that there’s a big battle between sled access versus touring access. I’ve had lots of people give me a hard time about how much time and how many days I spend on the sled regarding my carbon footprint and all. I try to justify it by not flying anywhere. I don’t go on exotic trips anywhere, nor do I have any plans or interest in it. I’ve also only spent 2 days ever heli skiing. Maybe sledding isn’t sustainable. But for now thats what I do and it seems like my best option to do what I want to accomplish in the back country. I would love to purchase an electric sled some day but the technology is just not there yet for them to be reliable and/or have the range that we need to access where we want to go. The view from the steeds. Pic cred: Darcy LB: Is snowboarding a full-time thing for you then or do you supplement all the shredding with some, dare we say, ‘real’ work during the off-season? In the winter snowboarding has always been my full-time passion and commitment. I’ve always worked in the summer, sometimes as little as a few months, sometimes I’ll do six months. I usually quit work no later than December 1st. I operate heavy equipment. Lately I’ve been doing highway construction in the summers. I was fortunate enough to work for a guy when I was younger who gave me a chance to learn how to run all different kinds of machines. I prefer excavators but I’m proficient in dozers, skid steers, graders…almost anything you’d see on a highway or mining job. LB: Right on. We can't imagine the excitement come December 1st! Since getting into some, what Le Bent products have you particularly enjoyed? I’ve been really impressed with everything I’ve received so far! If I had to narrow it down to one item though I’d have to say I like how soft Le Balaclava is on my face. LB: So, what can we – and the folks reading along – expect next from you? I personally don’t know what any of us can expect at the moment… I wish I had a better answer for you. I do know that you’ll be able to see our work from this winter in Oh Boy coming out online next fall. Hopefully by then the world will be back on it’s feet and we can potentially get after making a follow up video. Pillows, pillows and more pillows. Pic cred: Timmy Nelson ABOUT DARCY KELLER Age: Let's say old enough to have experience, young enough to give'r hell. Hometown: Grew up in Battleford, Saskatchewan. Now call Donald, BC home. Home Resort: The backcountry of the Purcell and Selkirk Mountain ranges. Nationality: Canadian Sponsors: Le Bent, Nitro, Country Eyewear, RudeBoys Shop Favourite Le Bent gear: Le Balaclava 200 Lightweight Follow Darcy here: Instagram
Read more
RIDER PROFILE – EMMA PATTERSON – GOING FULL SEND ON THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR
EMMA PATTERSON - INTERVIEW Emma Patterson emerged onto our radar when she won the 2019 ISFA FWQ North American Championship in Kirkwood, after dominating events in Revelstoke, Crested Butte, Taos Ski Valley and Kirkwood. Her next stop was of course the Freeride World Tour, the pinnacle of competitive freeride skiing and a dream of hers since she began jumping of rocks with skis strapped to her feet at the age of four. Now at just 23 years of age and with a season competing on the FWT under her belt, we caught up with Emma to review what was both a tumultuous season for her – as well as everyone else on the tour in light of Covid-19. Emma pointing em straight on the FWT. Pic cred: Freeride World Tour LB: Hey Emma, thanks for taking the time to speak with us – although if you’re anything like us with all the lockdown craziness happening – time inside is not in short supply! Absolutely! Glad to talk with you all. It’s a good time to stay connected… from a distance of course. :) LB: So where in the world are you right now? I’m currently with my family in my hometown of Taos, New Mexico. I was lucky enough to get back from Europe before things got too crazy, but I’ve been in self-quarantine now for two weeks. We live on farm here, so we’ve been preparing to plant as soon as the weather warms up. I’m also a competitive ultramarathon runner, so running in circles around our property has been key to maintaining a sort of sanity. Even with all of my spring races being cancelled and ski season coming to an abrupt halt I think it’s super important to keep moving, even if it’s only 15 minutes of stretching on my living room floor. Reading and music have been some key activities too, all while daydreaming of creamy powder days! LB: It must be a shock to have gone from constant travel throughout the season to such a sudden standstill! How did you find all the international FWT travel? Absolutely! It’s been tough going from scrambling all over the world for two months with a big crew of people to a complete stand-still in 24 hours. I’ve travelled a ton prior to the tour, but it was completely different travelling for it. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to do it with, though. This season was nothing less than radical, despite it being so short. LB: It was your first year on the FWT – coming off the back of a stellar qualifying year – what did you expect going into the world tour? Honestly, I was simply happy to have made it as far as I did. I was afraid going into Hakuba, Japan (the first stop) that my skiing wouldn’t be up to par with everyone. I definitely perform better when I don’t have any expectations of myself, so I decided I would go ski a line I was really excited for. The one expectation I had for the season was to just be me: ski the way I ski, ski what I want to ski, and smile the entire time. LB: How did those expectations compare to the real deal? Expectations were exceeded, by a lot. I did exactly what I wanted to do: I looked at each face and found the areas that looked most exciting to me. Choosing different lines down those faces was a dream come true. Unfortunately, I got unlucky in three of four of my runs. This season I fell approximately three times… all during my comp runs. Funny, right? I really wouldn’t have changed a thing. My lines were insanely fun, and I really did smile the entire time apart from a few moments of bumming post-crash(es). Emma inspecting one of her favourite faces in Kicking Horse, BC. Pic cred: Jeremy Bernard/FWT LB: You’d previously told us, despite the crashes, that you wouldn’t change a thing in hindsight and we love that ‘go big or go home’ attitude. Your tomahawk at the first stop in Hakuba is one for the books, talk us through that. Hakuba was the first stop, and my first time ever visually inspecting a face. During inspection day, I planned a very chill run with three small hits. I was planning on skiing it fast and showing my racer background. I had my line the night before, slept on it, and woke up on comp day with that plan and on a mission to complete it. I rode up on the gondola by myself that morning and played some of my favourite music. Headspace plays a huge role in performance for me, so my morning chill time is quite important. That morning was magical. First light was a cool yellow, lighting up all of Hakuba Valley and its majestic peaks. The first snowboarder dropped, and he entered the zone we called “the horseshoe.” I turned to my dad and said “that looks insanely fun. I’m doing that.” He pulled out my binoculars, I looked at my entrance and exit for approximately two minutes, and began my hike to the start gate. I wasn’t super nervous by any means, but I was really excited to go ski that line. Clicking into my skis, putting my GoPro on my helmet, and making sure the right song was playing, I took a deep breath and one more look at the peaks surrounding and the dreamy face I was about to ski. I came out of the start feeling really good, then I hit some nasty snow and got a little nervous. I slowed down for a second, and then remembered the bottom section and told myself to just get there. The snow was beautiful. Flying through it like a dream, I got to the blind section and pointed ‘em. I saw my landing, and stomped it. I took a deep breath, stoked on what I had done, and went to take a turn… nope. Snow snakes were on the prowl. I was able to keep my arms in to protect my neck, thank goodness. That was definitely the nastiest tommy I’ve ever had. I think crashing was out of my hands, unless I had been a few inches to the left or right of where I was. Really, I wouldn’t change a thing. That was FUN! This is what Emma calls FUN... it's also a pretty good metaphor for what happened to the 2020 ski season in light of Covid19. LB: Did you have a favourite venue / mountain / country to compete in on the tour? And moreover, a favourite line you put down? Every competition was different. Hakuba didn’t have the best snow conditions, but I hadn’t been to Japan yet. Seeing the culture was absolutely one for the books. Kicking Horse, British Columbia has been one of my favourite mountains since I first competed there on the Freeride World Qualifiers. The best part about being there was shredding hard every day on some of my favourite terrain with some of my favourite people! Andorra was one of the coolest countries, too. The trails there were absolutely breathtaking (literally – quite steep!!). The snow was far from great during our first four days there, so we got after the trail adventures instead. Some storms hit for our last two days there, and dang we made some fun turns. The competition conditions were all-time. Being a little person and going first in the field wasn’t to my advantage, though. I literally disappeared in all of the snow on one of my landings. It would’ve been awesome had I not been competing! Fieberbrunn was, too, simply unreal. The Austrian Alps will always have my heart. The venue, Wildseeloder, was hands down the best venue all season. Beautiful snow conditions, steep chutes, and some dang fun airs! LB: Although we’re sad we won’t be able to watch you send again on the FWT next season, it was awesome to watch you tackle some of the burlier lines and drops and give it your all. What’s next as far as competing goes, is the goal to get back on tour? I am definitely bummed to have gotten so unlucky as far as crashing goes. I’d like to get back on tour eventually, but right now I’m finishing up my Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah. As far as skiing goes this winter, I’ll be putting together some filming projects and tackling some bigger lines across the states that have been dreams of mine for years! Stay tuned for those! Something tells us we haven't seen the last of Emma on the FWT. Here she is doing some sluff management down the face in Fieberbrunn. Pic cred: Jeremy Bernard/FWT LB: Until then, how are you keeping occupied? We’re guessing like everywhere else your home mountain, Taos Ski Valley, has shut up shop as part of lockdown procedures? Yep, ski season has come to an abrupt stop here in Taos. It’s been extremely tempting to go touring, but I think it’s imperative to keep medical services for those in need right now. I’ve been laying low at home and running a ton on neighbourhood roads and trails. Honestly, I’ve been reminiscing on this season for two weeks straight… just like we all have! LB: We’ve been wearing our ski socks around the house to keep the dream alive… Have you got a favourite piece of le bent kit? Oh yeah! I’ve basically been living in my women’s Le Base 200 bottoms with a sweater and my Le Lucy Trail socks. They’ve been awesome for running, too. I hate taking them off, but I promise I’ve been washing them… just reluctantly. :P LB: Ha ha! We've been known to sleep in le baselayers from time to time so definitely know the feeling! Thanks for chatting with us and once again congratulations on such an epic season of sending! Thanks to you guys! I really couldn’t be more stoked to have had such a rad season on Tour, and I can’t wait for what next season will bring. For now, it’s time for reflection. I know we’re all go-getters, but slowing down is healthy and now is the best opportunity for some true R&R. Enjoy it, breath, and bake some banana bread! :) ABOUT EMMA PATTERSON Age: 23 Hometown: Taos, New Mexico, USA Home Resort: Taos Ski Valley, USA Nationality: USA Sponsors: Le Bent, Salomon, Flylow Gear, Douchebags, Taos Ski Valley Favourite Le Bent gear: Le Lucy Ultra Light Trailrunning Sock Follow Emma here: Instagram
Read more
LE BENT SKIER ISAAC FREELAND IS 2020 FREERIDE WORLD TOUR MEN’S CHAMPION!
Freeride World Tour rookie and Le Bent athlete Isaac Freeland took the tour by storm this season with consistent runs, strong line selection and a bag of tricks that saw him end up on top of the men’s ski field with one final event remaining in Verbier, Switzerland. While a decision was made to conclude the tour early and the Bec des Rosse face would not be skied on account of Covid-19 and burgeoning government lockdowns, a silver lining was our boy Isaac walked away with the world championship and rookie of the year title! As much as everyone would have loved to see the guys and gals throw down in Verbier – Isaac included – congratulations are in order! Isaac bagged an 11th at the first event in Kicking Horse, BC, before really kicking into gear with a 5th in Hakuba, Japan, followed up by back to back 2nd place finishes in Fieberbrunn, Austria and Ordino Alcalís, Andorra. Check out the 2020 recap and some of Isaac’s sends below. If you find yourself with some free time these coming weeks – you can rewatch all the events at Freerideworldtour.com. Isaac (middle) before the Kicking Horse event in BC. Isaac's wearing our Heather Gray Lightweight Balaclava. Pic cred: FWT/Dom Daher Isaac mid run/mid air at Kicking Horse. Pic cred: FWT/Dom Daher Isaac wasn’t the only team rider on the circuit this year. Skier Andrew Pollard, off the back of winning the 2019 rookie of the year award rounded out the Men’s podium in 3rd. Andrew Pollard sending one at Kicking Horse where he grabbed 3rd. Pic cred: FWT/Dom Daher Congratulations also to snowboarder Blake Hamm who finished 7th overall with a 3rd place result in Ordino Alcalís, Andorra, and to Emma Patterson who competed in the ski women’s event for the first time. See below for the full statement from the Freeride World Tour on the decision to cancel the final event. Statement From FWT: Following the current situation concerning COVID-19, the Grande Finale of the Freeride World Tour 2020 and all Qualifier and Junior events have been cancelled. Due to COVID-19 and the new measures put in place by the Swiss government today, we are sorry to announce the cancellation of the 2020 Verbier Xtreme, as well as all Junior and Qualifier events. The situation surrounding COVID-19 is evolving rapidly, and the priority of the Freeride World Tour before everything else is to insure the health and safety of its fans, athletes, team and their peers. The World Champions will be discerned from the current 2020 season rankings which will remain as they currently stand. We would like to thank all of the athletes, fans, and staff for this incredible season.
Read more
WILL BERMAN TAKES TO THE STREETS FOR 18/19 SEASON EDIT
Will Berman is Le Bent’s resident street skiing wizard. A dislocated shoulder mid-way through the 18/19 season didn’t stop Will from putting together full parts in both Level 1's 'Romance' and Faction Skis 'The Collective' from which this footage comes. The filming took Will from Minnesota to the streets of Finland. Check out Le Berman’s work below!
Read more
