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THOMAS ARMENTO
Skier // Camper/Hiker
THOMAS ARMENTO:
#23
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Backcountry.com Vendor Rep
38 Reviews:
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185 Yes |
11 No
1 Questions:
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0 Yes |
0 No
26 Answers:
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3 Yes |
0 No
12 Photos:
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2 Yes |
1 No
1 Comments:
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0 Gearlists:
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Stomping Grounds:
Denver, CO -
Bio:
Not up to writing a bio, but Humphrey Bogart had it right when he said, "The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."
Okay, I lied. I grew up on the least coast in the Armpit of America and was on skis before I could walk. Twenty-five years later, someone slapped me in the face and said to move the hell out west. So I listened and figured Denver would be a cool place to drop off my bags and hang around for a while.
For more about me and what I like to do, check out my ski blog at www.52weeksindenver.com for detailed backcountry and resort trip reports as well as an abundance of non-skiing crap to keep you entertained through those late and lonely nights where you've just polished off another container of Ben and Jerry's.
Rankings 
- #2 of 1,353 - Winter Accessories
- #2 of 3,585 - Alpine Skiing
- #2 of 871 - Alpine Fat Skis
- #3 of 219 - Audio Accessories
- #3 of 691 - Big Mountain Freeride Skis
- #4 of 491 - Alpine Touring Boots
- #4 of 591 - Women's Accessories
- #4 of 1,207 - Men's Ski Pants
- #5 of 1,388 - Goggles
- #5 of 2,562 - Men's Pants
- #5 of 1,065 - Avalanche Safety
- #5 of 983 - Alpine Touring
- #7 of 847 - Goggles
- #7 of 620 - Overnight Backpacks (2000 - 2999 cu in)
- #8 of 1,029 - Ski Gloves
- #9 of 591 - Alpine Touring Bindings
- #12 of 824 - Men's Accessories
- #12 of 1,926 - Snowboard Accessories
- #13 of 6,596 - Men's Jackets
- #13 of 2,125 - Gloves
- #18 of 1,331 - Helmets
- #18 of 697 - Men's Midweight Long Underwear - Tops
- #19 of 2,771 - Men's Fleece Jackets
- #20 of 1,064 - Winter Packs
- #34 of 1,547 - Men's Ski Jackets
- #36 of 1,801 - Telemark Skiing
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190cm Bibby Pro | Tail Rocker (decambered)
Moment Bibby Pro Model Ski
September 27, 2009
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190cm Bibby Pro | Tip Rocker (decambered)
Moment Bibby Pro Model Ski
September 27, 2009
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190cm Bibby Pro | Rocker Profile (relaxed)
Moment Bibby Pro Model Ski
September 27, 2009
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Spectrum 23
The North Face Spectrum 23 Tent 2-Person 3-Season
June 17, 2009
Photo taken in Rocky Mountain National Park
Helpful Votes: 1 Yes | 1 No
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Moment Tahoe
Moment Tahoe Alpine Ski
April 16, 2009
Photo taken atop James Peak in Colorado.
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White frame / Orange Lens
POC Iris Bug Goggle
February 16, 2009
Not only great for flat light, but comes out pretty good in photos.
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Middle of ski to tail
Moment Comi-Kazi Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
This shows how much camber there is underfoot (not a lot) and the profile towards the tail.
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Tip Rocker
Moment Comi-Kazi Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
This shows how much tip rocker there is on the Comi-Kazi which I measured to be 54cm.
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Front Profile
Moment Comi-Kazi Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
This is a front profile shot of the Comi-Kazi.
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Tip and Tail Profile
Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
This is a tip and tail profile shot of the 190cm Ruby. Please note that the 180cm and 188cm versions have a much more twinned tail.
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Camber
Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
This shows the amount of camber on the 190cm Ruby.
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1 Comment
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Front Profile
Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
This is a front profile shot of the 190cm Ruby.
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Moment Bibby Pro Model Ski
October 22, 2009
Suggested mount on the 190 Bibby is -5cm from chord center. I'm 220 lbs and have mine mounted at -7cm with Dukes (because of the negative ramp angle and larger size). I have no problems here at all, but could see -6 being a bit more suitable. But for someone sub-200 lbs that wants more switch capabilities, I would go with -5.
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Moment Bibby Pro Model Ski
October 7, 2009
Hey Ian,
The Bibby is a fairly forgiving ski. Could be a combination of the rockered tail and one that is a softer flex than the rest of the ski, but I've found that they will not overpower you nor will they be punishing if your form is off.
Regarding powder, the large shovel up front combined with tip rocker will take all the work off your legs. While the 190 Bibby handles deep snow very well, the 186 length has zero camber making flotation easier to attain without having to work harder for it.
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
June 12, 2009
The 180 Ruby will be a great choice for trees, bumps, and bowls. Depending on how aggressive of a skier you are, you might feel the length short in open terrain while carrying speed. But for everything else, they will be a nice fit. And at a weight of 8.5 lbs, you might considering using this as a touring setup. Very lively ski that's for sure.
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Scarpa Typhoon Alpine Touring Boot
February 16, 2009
The Typhoon has about the same flex as the Falcon (maybe even just a hair stiffer, but not by much).
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No
Moment Comi Alpine Ski
February 16, 2009
You can take them around the mountain but they aren't going to be a whole lot of fun on groomers or hardpack. With their huge waist and fairly small sidecut, it is going to be difficult to put them on edge. They would work well for sidecountry touring and are not rockered. They have traditional camber and sidecut.If you have the legs, you shouldn't have trouble piloting the Comi in all conditions. With the effective edge at 150cm, I've found that they are pretty quick for the size and you can make turns of all shapes on them. Sure, they're not the greatest when snow is super firm, but you'll be in the park for those days. They weigh about 10lbs which isn't really light for a backcountry ski, but should be alright for short sidecountry hits.08/09 Comi's are not rockered but the 09/10 model will have tip rocker.
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Marmot La Grave Softshell Jacket - Men's
February 16, 2009
I can't speak of the Edge, but I haven't had any issues with the hood. My helmet has a visor so I'm okay without the hood skiing, but it has been a blessing while skinning up in harsh conditions.
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
January 27, 2009
I haven't been on the Katana, but from what I've read, the 190 Ruby should be pretty similar in flex. While the Katana has metal in it, the Ruby has an aspen wood core with full length pine stringers. The 192 M1 is much stiffer, but the 190 Ruby is more playful in soft snow without losing much performance in firm conditions.
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Moment M1 Alpine Ski
January 20, 2009
I think it is stiffer than all those. More like an old dynastar legend pro. I raced and it is definitely as stiff as my gs boards. But like i said the rockered tip makes it super easy to plow through anything.It's not a powder ski but its a very good all around big lines ski. I also have the ruby 190 and it has little more forgive and is fatter but i like the m1 rockered for going fast, stomping huge hits, and big mountain sketchy riding. If you cant ski with he big dogs don't get them. The M1 is one of the stiffer stock skis you can buy right now. I haven't skied the B-Squads/Phantoms, but from what I've heard, the M1 is right up there in stiffness. Maybe just a tad softer than the 194 Squad. Definitely much stiffer than the Gotoma.
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
January 20, 2009
190 Ruby is most similar to a newer version of the Gotoma. Definitely softer than the B-Squad/Phantom. Can't compare it to the Ant.
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POC Iris Bug Goggle
January 14, 2009
You can purchase pink and yellow replacement lens here for $20:http://www.race-werks.com/product.php?prod_num=13669200
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POC Lobes Goggle
January 6, 2009
Changing lens on the Lobes is super easy and takes maybe 15 seconds. Just disengage the lens from the brackets holding it in place and pop it out. Don't worry if it bends a little ... it won't snap.
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Moment Comi-Kazi Alpine Ski
December 22, 2008
10.95 lbs per pair (direct from Moment)
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Moment Bibby Pro Model Alpine Ski
December 17, 2008
It would probably be pretty damn heavy for serious AT skiing ie: long touring trips or things of that nature. But for short jaunts around your local hill you could mount them with something like the marker duke and probably be ok. These are by no means touring skis thoughThe Bibby Pros weigh 9.7 lbs which is on the heavier scale of touring skis. It all depends how short/long your tours are. If you're looking for quick 30-60 minute laps, then you should have no trouble. But if you want to do tours over an hour, you might find the weight cumbersome.
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DAKINE Heli Pro 16L Backpack - 1000cu in
December 17, 2008
The diagonal strap was big enough for skis of mine that were 127-96-118 in dimensions. I imagine it will be big enough for the extra 4mm that your skis have in the tail.
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POC Lobes Goggle
December 14, 2008
Based on the offerings here on Backcountry.com, your best choice for poor light would be with the pink lens, while the black lens will work best for bright sunny days. My pair has green lens which do work more most light conditions, but find that performance in poorly light days to be subpar.
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POC Lobes Goggle
December 8, 2008
Ski-Depot.com has them. Depending on color, they can be had for $75-85.http://www.ski-depot.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTG
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
December 1, 2008
Yep, I own the 190 Ruby and currently have Marker Dukes on them. I've done a few 2,000+ foot tours so far and don't have any complaints regarding ski weight on the uphill climb. I'm hoping to get some backcountry time in this week and should have a better assessment of powder performance after this weekend.
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Orage Thrilla Jacket - Men's
December 1, 2008
How warm is this jacket and would it be suitable for temps as low as 0F (or -20 Celsius)?
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 30, 2008
At your size and without knowing more about your style, I would suggest the Bibby Pro or the 188 Ruby if you plan on skiing powder exclusively. The Bibby Pro has a decent amount of tip rocker (and tail rocker) which the Ruby lacks and it's stiffer. The Ruby would be softer and almost a pound lighter which might be something to consider.
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POC Lobes Goggle
November 29, 2008
I'm pretty sure the Lobes will work with most helmets. They were compatible with the Smith Holt as well as the Giro MX.
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Moment Tahoe Alpine Ski
November 29, 2008
I measured the effective edge as the distance between the contact point at the tips to the contact point at the tails (skis relaxed and facing each other base-to-base). The ruler was place straight across the edges. If you normally measure while the skis are de-cambered, then subtract a cm or two from my readings.
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 29, 2008
I would avoid using the M1 for touring and sidecountry trips. It is strictly a firm snow ski, and it's most certainly NOT a powder ski since they are far too stiff for any kind of float (they also weigh close to 10 lbs which would be too heavy for most for touring). If you want a SOFT powder-specific ski, go with the 188. If you want something more versatile and stiffer, go with the 190.For skin attachment, I use 140mm BD Ascension skins. I know it's overkill, but they were previously used for another ski. On the plus side, this particular size came with an adjustable loop which is plenty big to fit over the wide square tips. Your other option is using G3 Alpinist skins which are fairly easy to attach at the tip.
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Marmot Randonnee Glove
November 28, 2008
All I know is that these are the best ski gloves I have ever used. I am a ski instructor that needs to be out in all kinds of weather, and my hands stay warm and dry in these gloves. My advise - BUY THEM!I used to use these gloves before buying the Hestra Heli gloves. In my opinion, the Hestras are equal in warmth, but slightly better in dryness. I can't report on durability yet, but I imagine the Hestras will win that category as well.
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
Exact weight on the 190 Ruby is 9.20 lbs. For the 188 it is 9.0 lbs, and for the 180 it is 8.50 lbs.I checked out the whole lineup of moment skis up in Tahoe a couple of weeks ago and was impressed. They all are a little on the stiffer side but they had good smooth flexes to them and super light. Plus handmade in Reno. I have Bibby's picked out as my next pair of skis.
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
ouch, yea. You may want to consider another ski or another way to attach skins (straps). This is a hell of a big ski to tour on. Are you touring..or just doing some side country?I am using 140mm BD Ascension nylon skins on my. Normally, you get 2 differently sized tip attachments with BD: one that is a standard size loop and another that allows you to enlarge the loop. I enlarged the loop and it fits perfectly over the wide square tip. G3 Alpinist skins should also work perfectly.
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Moment Ruby Alpine Ski
November 28, 2008
The 190 Ruby absolutely kills it on the groomers. I've had no trouble handling a mix of hardpack conditions at high speed. In fact, I've yet to find a speed limit on them.
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Scarpa Typhoon Alpine Touring Boot
November 28, 2008
The Typhoon comes with a boot board in it, which allows people to customize the volume by leaving the board in, or pulling it out. With the board in, the Typhoon's narrower and lower volume than average, and with it out, it's probably average to slightly above average in terms of width and volume. Plus, the Intuition thermo liner allows you tailor the volume more, once you've done what you need to do with the boot board.As for the last measurement, it is 100mm. And the Typhoon has a general comfortable fit although it might be too voluminous for narrow feet.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No
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