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Ben Jepson

Climber // Alpine Skier // Telemark Skier // Backpacker // Mountain Biker

Ben Jepson: #508 of 98,736 More Information

19 Reviews:

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  • Stomping Grounds:

    The Northwest, primarily Northern Idaho.
  • Bio:

    I was born and raised playing in the mountains, and have made it a life goal to never stop. I like skiing powder more than any other activity, but I am also an avid climber, mountain biker, and backpacker.

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The North Face El Gordo Duffel - 2260-3905cu in

6 days ago

Being that it's made of nylon and it doesn't say anything about a coating or treatment, I'd lean towards it not being waterproof. And just for clarification, the Base Camp isn't actually water "proof", it's just pretty dang water "resistant". A serious dunking would probably get your stuff wet even in the Base Camp.

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K2 Pontoon Alpine Ski

November 19, 2009

Go longer, Shane McConkey himself recommended that with a rockered ski you add ten centimeters to your normal ski length. There it is, straight from the man.

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Roxy Mumbo Jumbo Ski - Women's

November 19, 2009

It was also recommended by the late Shane McConkey that you size up at least 10 centimeters when going from a normal ski to one with rise/rocker, so 176 should be perfect for you.

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Definitely a Jib Flick

VAS Entertainment Poor Boyz - Everyday is Saturday Ski DVD

VAS Entertainment Poor Boyz - Everyday is Saturday Ski DVD

Rating for this product: 3 November 18, 2009

This movie has a lot of rails, a lot of jumps, and a lot more rails. Awesome skiing, all of the riders raised the bar considerably with this film, but... it lacks any really substantial mountains like you might find in an MSP or TGR. Watch it, but don't buy it unless you're pretty stoked on handrails.

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Just Buy Them

Yakima SKS Lock Cores - 12 pack

Yakima SKS Lock Cores - 12 pack

Rating for this product: 5 November 18, 2009

Stop wondering if it's really worth the money and just buy them. I bought twelve and it is so nice to be able to walk away from my car with complete confidence that when i come back, my whole rack system will be there. And if I want to take it apart, the same key works with all of the components, from my towers to my ski racks and back again. Think about the amount of money you have invested in your racks, plus the amount you have invested in the gear that is held by those racks, and $110 for twelve cores starts to sound like a mighty good deal.

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Easy to Use

Yakima King Cobra Bike Mount

Yakima King Cobra Bike Mount

Rating for this product: 5 November 18, 2009

I own three of these racks and they currently sit on top of an '09 Subaru Impreza. These racks are simple to assemble and simple to use. I regularly haul around three downhill bikes or a couple of fixed gear bikes with 700c wheels and it is easy to adjust the rack to fit either size. The trays accomodate a pretty large wheel base, my Kona Stinky about maxes it out but it's one of the longer bikes that I've encountered. There is a bit of sway with these racks when they have heavier bikes and the road is windy or bumpy, but I've never had one let loose. The only issue I've had is that the fifth door on my Subaru would hit the back of the middle tray every time I opened it. I cut it down a half an inch and now it's great!

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This Bottle Holds Fuel, and does it well.

MSR Fuel Bottles

MSR Fuel Bottles

Rating for this product: 5 November 18, 2009

I've been really happy with this fuel bottle, it does everything that a fuel bottle should do, and didn't break the bank. There was one occasion on a backcountry ski trip when this bottle was kicking around the bottom of my pack and I could smell a little bit of white gas. Lesson learned, keep it on the outside or be positive that it's upright and you're good to go!

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This Bag Packs Your Junk

The North Face Base Camp Duffel Bag - 250 - 9070cu in

The North Face Base Camp Duffel Bag - 250 - 9070cu in

Rating for this product: 5 November 18, 2009

I bought an extra large size right before a trip to Moab Utah and used all 9070 cubic inches of space. Just to give you an idea of how big this bag is, I had a sleeping bag, pad, tent, clothes, cookware/stove, outerwear, my climbing gear (including a rope) my half shell mountain bike helmet and also my full face mountain bike helmet, a frisbee, and a slackline. The bag didn't even flinch under the load, and the zippers stayed solid even when they were under a bit of tension. This bag is going to be pretty heavy when full, but if you can wrestle it up, it carries with the backpack straps pretty well, though not for long distances. Buy one and take a sweet-action trip!

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Great Bag, but know your Temp Ratings

Marmot EcoPro Sleeping Bag: 15 Degree Synthetic

Marmot EcoPro Sleeping Bag: 15 Degree Synthetic

Rating for this product: 5 November 18, 2009

I used this bag on a few backpacking trips this summer and use it as my couch surfing bag when I travel. It is really well designed, with a lot of little features in the head area that make sleeping more comfortable and keep the cold out. The little pocket and the glow in the dark zipper pull are also nice features that you may not find on other bags. There have been complaints that this bag isn't actually comfortable at 15 degrees. If you do some research on the Marmot site about this bag

http://marmot.com/spring_2009/equipment/sleeping_bags/synthetic/ecopro_15_reg
/info/details

you will come across what the rating numbers actually mean. The 15 doesn't mean that this bag will perform excellently at 15 degrees. The temperature ratings that Marmot gives for this bag are as follows.

Comfort: 29.3F / -1.5C
Lower Limit: 18.3F / -7.6C
Extreme: -13.9F / -25.5C

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Handle with Care

Backcountry.com Goat Klean Kanteen - 27 oz

Backcountry.com Goat Klean Kanteen - 27 oz

Rating for this product: 4 November 18, 2009

Ok ok, yes the cap has some issues. When you over-tighten the cap on this bottle the black plastic does have the tendency to separate from the metal part of the cap. It's easy enough to pop back into place, and the seal is quality so you don't actually have to tighten the cap down as hard as you might think would be necessary. Like any gear this bottle has a few quirks but, like any gear, if you handle it with some respect and don't just force it around, it'll probably do what it was intended to do. I use my bottle every day and after I got to know it, it's solid and keeps my hydrated.

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Q-Towers on my '09 Subaru Impreza

Yakima Q Towers - set of 4

Yakima Q Towers - set of 4

Rating for this product: 5 November 17, 2009

I recently outfitted my '09 Subaru Impreza five door with Q-Towers and so far they have worked flawlessly. Yakima makes it pretty easy for you, included with my towers were very specific directions and measurements to ensure that my racks were mounted in the correct place on the roof according to Subaru's recommendations. Yakima even included a small measuring tape to make the job easier. I did find that it took to people to latch the Q-Towers down, not because it was hard, but both sides have to be latch simultaneously. I routinely carry three downhill bikes and totally trust that my Q-Towers will stay put.

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Befriend an Outlaw

Smith Outlaw Sunglasses

Smith Outlaw Sunglasses

Rating for this product: 5 November 17, 2009

Love them. Comfortable for long periods and fit very securely. The fit is true to Smith sizing, and Smith sizing is true to most people, so if you have a medium sized head, chances are pretty good that they'll fit you nicely. They're nice and compact but still have that stylie square look.

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Good, but not 'play on repeat' good

VAS Entertainment Re: Session Ski DVD

VAS Entertainment Re: Session Ski DVD

Rating for this product: 3 November 17, 2009

TGR has been pumping out consistently awesome ski flicks for a lot of years, and this one has some high points. Tanner Hall and Sage Cattabriga-Alosa put down killer segments, although the song in Sage's segment made a whole room full of college students want to tear their hair out. As a whole though, I felt a little let down after watching this movie, it didn't have the magic and the soul that TGR has had in the past.

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Positively Positive

Metolius Mini Jug Hold Set - 5 Pack

Metolius Mini Jug Hold Set - 5 Pack

Rating for this product: 5 November 17, 2009

I got a couple of the holds from this set in a bulk set that I bought and they are wonderful. Very positive and very finger friendly. They have become a go-to hold on my home bouldering wall because they are so nice to grab on to. Ideal placement would be on a steeply angled wall, but these holds also will be a doable challenge when used as roof holds.

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Keep Shopping

Montrail Zealot Climbing Shoe

Montrail Zealot Climbing Shoe

Rating for this product: 2 November 17, 2009

"stretch mesh and synthetic leather to hug your foot like a glove and give you a feel one step from bare feet" True that. My friend had these shoes and I put them on once. I wouldn't want to have to put them on again. The slipper/velcro hybrid idea might work but in this instance I don't think it did. These shoes don't have enough stretch like a true slipper would to make entry easy enough, instead entry is a chore, and the tightness of the slipper/velcro design didn't really seem to boost the performance compared to the many true velcro shoes I've owned. There are a lot of great climbing shoes to choose from, I'd recommend that you keep shopping.

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The Right Fit

Giro Encore 2 Helmet

Giro Encore 2 Helmet

Rating for this product: 5 November 17, 2009

I recently returned several helmets because they did not fit correctly and in my current location I'm not able to try them on in a shop. I was more than stoked when my Giro Encore 2 came today and there were three different thicknesses of pads included. Nothing like the ability to fine tune the fit of one of your most important pieces of snow riding gear. Two thumbs up.

Helpful Votes: 2 Yes | 0 No

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Nice but needs Refinements

Bern Baker Hard Hat Helmet w/Knit Liner

Bern Baker Hard Hat Helmet w/Knit Liner

Rating for this product: 3 November 17, 2009

First off, size up. Bern sizing doesn't just run on the small side, it sprints to the small side. A Giro Medium will fit comparable to a Bern large. A few other small issues, my goggle clip had a bad habit of getting rotated and falling out, Bern actually recommended that I use a little bit of duct tape to make it more securely fastened to the helmet. It worked, but really guys? Also, the snaps that hold the knit liner in aren't very sturdy, you have to baby them or they will tear right out of the liner. One huge plus to this helmet is it actually fits inside a hood flawlessly. If it came with some removable pads of different thicknesses like other ski helmets do (Giro Encore 2)for refining the fit, I think I'd buy another.

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The go-to Harness

Black Diamond Primrose AL Harness - Women's

Black Diamond Primrose AL Harness - Women's

Rating for this product: 4 November 17, 2009

I've never worn this harness myself, but I work at a climbing gym and this is the go-to harness for the ladies. We have the whole array of sizes at the gym and the sizing does tend to be on the small side, like others have mentioned. After that is sorted out though I've never heard any complaints. Even some of the smaller framed guys will turn a blind eye to the lavender color and opt for this harness instead of a BD Momentum. Buy it if you're a weekender or just getting into the sport.

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Good boots in adverse conditions

Asolo FSN 95 GTX Hiking Boot - Men's

Asolo FSN 95 GTX Hiking Boot - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 November 17, 2009

I just took these boots on a late fall hike into some hot springs. Ten miles, four inches of snow on the ground, muddy sections, creek crossings, and one river crossing over slippery wet rocks. My feet stayed dry and warm and I had no issues with traction. Definitely a good boot for me, but like any boot I would highly recommend that you try them on before you lay down your money. My dad had them before me and had to give them up because they consistently irritated the back/outside of his ankle even after they were broken in. A more cushy and long-lasting footbed would have warranted five stars, mine seems to be in need of some new insoles.

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Boil and get on with life.

MSR WhisperLite International Multi-Fuel Stove

MSR WhisperLite International Multi-Fuel Stove

Rating for this product: 5 November 17, 2009

If you have a thing for spending your backcountry evenings hovering over your stove simmering up something delicious and exotic, you probably shouldn't buy this stove. If you would rather boil the hell out of your freeze dried pasta so you can go climb a mountain while the sun sets, buy this stove and get it done.

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Macro Incut Edges

Metolius Macro Hold Set - 2 Pack

Metolius Macro Hold Set - 2 Pack

Rating for this product: 5 June 20, 2009

I bought the incut edges to add some sizable holds to my home wall. My wall is steep and steeper and these big ones make great handholds and are big enough to get both hands on comfortably. I was lacking roof holds and used the larger one to fill a gap on the steepest section. It is pretty slopey on the roof but its a great challenge for more advanced climbers. Highly recommend these holds to any level of climber due to their versatility.

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