From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.
Stifel Lake Placid Finals, a Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup, to Bring Elite Ski Racing and Winter Festival Atmosphere to Lake Placid
FIS Cross-Country World Cup racing, fan experiences, athlete engagement, and live entertainment coming March 19–22
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — The Stifel Lake Placid Finals, a Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup, will offer more than world-class competition this March. The event will transform Lake Placid into a multi-day winter sports festival featuring themed race days, live entertainment, film screenings, interactive expo activations, and family-friendly programming.
In collaboration with the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), the 10th Mountain Division, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), the Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) has curated a dynamic schedule that celebrates Nordic skiing and outdoor winter-sport culture.
A central focus of the week will be spotlighting women and girls in sport, networking opportunities, and hands-on activities. Fans will also have unique opportunities to connect with athletes through meet-and-greets, alumni celebrations, and special legacy moments — including Sunday’s “Last Lap” ceremony honoring retiring World Cup athletes.
Together, these events are designed to foster engagement, connection, and shared celebration across the Lake Placid community and the global ski family.
One final celebration of Jessie Diggins (USA) amazing career. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Event & Community Programming
In addition to World Cup racing, the Stifel Lake Placid Finals will feature a range of community events, athlete appearances, and festival programming throughout the week. Activities include youth programming, athlete conversations, live music, demonstrations, and opportunities for fans to connect with past and present champions.
Programming details may evolve, and additional events may be added throughout the week. Visitors are encouraged to check the official event schedule for the most up-to-date information.
Thursday, March 19 – Community & Kickoff
Opening day features official training and festival programming at Mt Van Hoevenberg, along with an evening film screening at the Palace Theatre that kicks off the festivities in downtown Lake Placid.
Friday, March 20 – Theme: Past
Friday celebrates the legacy of Nordic skiing and Olympic history in Lake Placid. The venue opens with festival programming, including the NENSA Terrain Park and Expo with L.L. Bean, regional athlete recognition connected to the 2026 Winter Olympics, and Adirondack Birds of Prey demonstrations. Fans can also watch presentations from the 10th Mountain Division, enjoy live music, and attend athlete interviews and meet-and-greets throughout the day. A highlight of the afternoon is the “One More Lap” legacy ski, featuring international and U.S. Ski Team alumni, including Olympic legend Thomas Wassberg and American champion Bill Koch, before World Cup racing and awards ceremonies conclude the day.
Saturday, March 21 – Theme: Future
Saturday’s programming focuses on the next generation of Nordic skiing. Activities include the NENSA Terrain Park and Expo with L.L. Bean, athlete appearances, and fan engagement opportunities. The Women in Sports Heroic Panel highlights leadership and opportunities for girls and women in athletics, while fans can also attend athlete meet-and-greets and participate in interactive programming throughout the venue. Competition highlights include the freestyle sprint finals, followed by Crystal Globe presentations. Youth racing also takes center stage with the World Cup Future Stars Sprint. Additional programming includes Lollipoppers to Olympians: A Celebration of New England Skiing, a live recording of the Skirious Podcast featuring Ben Ogden and special guests at the Olympic Jumping Complex, and evening film screenings at the Palace Theatre.
Sunday, March 22 – Theme: Present
Championship Sunday features entertainment, athlete appearances, and the season-ending races of the World Cup Finals. Live music, a DJ set, and ceremonial elements, including the 10th Mountain Division Color Guard and flyover, set the stage for the final competition. The afternoon concludes with awards ceremonies and the “One Last Lap” ceremony honoring retiring World Cup athletes.
Gus Schumacher (USA) and Ben Ogden (USA), (l-r) celebrate their silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Tesero, Italy. (Photo: Vanzetta/NordicFocus)
Competition Schedule | FIS Cross-Country World Cup Finals
Mt Van Hoevenberg | March 19–22, 2026
World Cup official training and competition runs March 19–22 at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, where the world’s top U.S. and international cross-country skiers will compete for overall and discipline Crystal Globe honors. The weekend culminates on Sunday with championship racing, awards presentations, and the “One Last Lap” ceremony recognizing retiring athletes.
Full competition schedule:
Thursday, March 19, 2026:
11:00 – 1:00 pm | 10km Official Training
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Sprint Official Training
Saturday, March 21, 2026:
10:30 am | Women’s Sprint Qualification Free
10:30 am | Men’s Sprint Qualification Free
1:00 pm | Women’s Sprint Final Free
1:00 pm | Men’s Sprint Final Free
Sunday, March 22, 2026:
12:30 pm | Men’s 20km Mass Start Free
2:30 pm | Women’s 20km Mass Start Free
Jessie Diggins (USA) and the US Ski Team celebrate in Goms. (Photo: Authamayou/NordicFocus)
Broadcast Schedule
NBC will air the Sprint Finals live on Saturday, March 21, from 1–2 p.m. ET. CNBC will air coverage of the Men’s and Women’s 10km Interval Starts on Saturday, March 21, from 2–4 p.m. ET. NBC will also air the Women’s 20km Mass Start on Saturday, March 29, from 1–2 p.m. ET on tape delay.
Editor’s note: It’s here! For the second-straight year, we’re presenting another 12-day holiday gift guide, brought to you by the one and only “FBD”, our gear-review guru. Kicking the series off, recommendations for recovery gifts to keep you and your ski buddies on the trails and injury free.
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Day 2: Training Clothing
OK, we got after it pretty hard yesterday, so we’re going to take a piece of our own advice a chill a bit today. Just like it’s a mistake to rip out intervals every day (I’m looking at you, JUOM)…
Two-time Olympian, Duncan Douglas, a.k.a. Jacked Up Old Man, on the top of some cold, miserable, mountain somewhere, yelling at whomever took the photo that they should still be moving or else their heart rates were going to get too low and they would need to repeat the workout.
… it’s probably also a mistake to charge that hard on gear for 12 days. I think we’ll all go crazy if we hit every day as hard as we hit it yesterday, so we’re going to dial it back a bit today in our coverage of training clothing.
Don’t get me wrong, this topic is as near and dear to my cold heart as recovery is, but inherent in its very nature is a more subdued, less-scientific approach, so this should allow for the presentation of today’s offerings with minimal lecturing and wild pontification (please keep in mind, these are all very relative statements). There is most certainly some good science and technology behind clothing, in particular these days, but don’t worry, I’ll do my best to not cite any peer-reviewed studies. Today. This won’t be easy on any of us though, for who doesn’t love a good randomized, double-blind, peer reviewed research paper? Don’t fret though fellow data nerds, I have plenty more science up my sleeve down the road.
Part of what makes the ski community great is the, well, community. I was talking to Brian Gregg after his SuperTour win last Sunday and I told him that it was nice to see a good guy win. His response was excellent too, as he asked me, “Thanks FBD, but honestly, are there any guys out here who aren’t good guys that you wouldn’t want to see win?” This is such a good point and it goes to show you that even at the highest level in the sport, those fighting tool and nail for a chance to represent our country at the highest and most prestigious level of international competition, the Olympics, still have the utmost respect and admiration for their competitors. THIS is the nordic community. Brian’s comment got me thinking, too, have I ever met a nordic skier that I didn’t like? No, I really haven’t. It’s amazing, when you think about it. There are plenty of people who don’t like me, but that’s another story. Plus, I have a column and they don’t, so there. Go peddle your hate elsewhere, you hatey, hate mongers.
Following up on this thought (the positive one, not the FBD-hater dealie), I wanted to offer up this first product in the spirit of supporting our great community — a hat from a local shop that does so much for the nordic world, Freeheel and Wheel in West Yellowstone, Montana. They are in the awkward position of having thousands of very needy, nordic nerds descend into their shop for one week per year, yet they must balance this with what, let’s just say, is a bit more moderate traffic flow the rest of the year. Being scalable enough to accommodate these enormous fluctuations in activity speaks volume about the strength and flexibility of this shop. Sure, you can get a hat anywhere, but why not cruise up to the West Yellowstone Ski Festival next year for some of the best early-season skiing anywhere in the country and support this awesome local secret with the purchase of a beanie, wax, and some coffee. Local love. Pay it forward.
The wonderful owners of Freeheel and Wheel, Kelli and Melissa, showing off both their steez and their great shop.
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$30 – $99
Ah, warm hands — this is where the rubber meets the road, er, the tracks. This is the one thing that seems to befell sooooo many skiers, making this topic literally a year-round passion for me. I fly to Eagle Glacier, Europe and South America in the summers with bags full of gloves for testing. It is a labor of love and one that you, the loyal reader, gets to reap the rewards. Truth be told, I greatly enjoy this process as well, as nothing is more rewarding than helping someone find a comfortable glove after years of suffering and nothing is more priceless than the look on the customs official’s face when he asks why I have 15 sets of winter gloves in my bag in the summer. The discussion goes something like this: I tell him I have all of these gloves because I’m going to South America. We then stare at each other for 30 seconds of incredibly awkward silence while I wait to see if he can remember that the seasons are opposed in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, so “our” summer is “their” winter (quotes provided as I consider myself essentially a local Argentinian). Tensions rise as he gets increasingly nervous and annoyed from my smug and confident stare, because deep down he thinks he remembers hearing something about something called the equator, but he doesn’t really remember exact what he/she/it actually does. He does know enough to know that my answer is somehow relevant, he just has no idea how or why. I’ve seen this movie dozens of times now and it never ceases to amaze me. A word to the wise though, tread lightly here, as even though you may have the high moral ground and a superior understanding of basic Earth science, he has handcuffs and a gun. Let it drop and move on you way to begin slamming beers for the gut-wrenching 11-hour flight.
This geographical obtuseness is sadly not limited to surly customs agents who clearly were the last kids picked for teams at recess in elementary school, though. Unfortunately many people have no idea what happens outside their zip code. Travel people, travel. Or, in the very least, pay attention in junior high.
Let’s put aside under-educated and overly-dictatorial TSA and customs agents for now and return to our roots of supporting our community. Another key pillar, albeit at the opposite end of the spectrum from a small local shop, is Toko. Despite being one of the industry big boys, Toko probably has one of the best “boot on the ground” presence of any of the nordic soft goods companies. Lurking around the expo at the West Yellowstone Ski Festival, I personally witnessed the Toko team looking after athletes at ever level: they help support many U.S. Ski Team (USST) athletes, as well as non-USST athletes like Olympians Noah Hoffman and Brian and Caitlin Gregg (who each have national titles, have represented the US of A at the Olympics, have raced numerous World Cups in Team USA gear, and even have a World Championships medal between them), development teams, regional teams, high school teams, masters, you name it.
This is all well and good, but this would be a nice, though somewhat shallow, gesture if their products weren’t good, but they are good. Really good. A particular FBD favorite is the new Toko Thermo Race Glove. Full disclosure, the FBD was blessed with extraordinary foot-and-hand circulation and my problem (well, at least in terms body temperature regulation, I have dozens of other Great Dane-related problems that I’d rather not go into in this forum), is that I generally get too hot, not too cold. In our base layer review last year, the entire test team was amazed at how much less I wear on both training and race days than the rest of the team. The point here is that I don’t get cold very easily, so just the temperature range in which I wear these gloves will likely differ slightly for you.
With that caveat duly noted, even though these are technically “race” gloves, I personally find them perfect for training in all but the absolutely coldest conditions. They also have a very useful pad on the fingers that makes them touch-screen compatible, which is key when you take as many selfies as I do. I was a little slow off the line in the selfie game due to bad form, but thanks to extensive coaching from U.S. Ski Team Special Jumper Casey Larson, I have modified my stance, angle of approach, and overall bad attitude, so I am very pleased to report that my selfie game is now on point.
No apologies on my volume of posts or length of manuscripts either — I am a very sexy man who leads a fascinating life and I owe it to the people of Earth to share this journey in both excruciating detail and in extremely regular intervals (5.2/day to be precise, according to my expert staff of statisticians).
Now where was I? Oh yeah, gloves. These rock. Get’em. Be a good ‘Merican (Isn’t it ironic how much that contraction looks an awful lot like “Mexican,” especially considering the political outlook of the people most apt to use it? Food for thought) and go for the “Stars and Stripes” color-way, just like this dude, badass former U.S. Biathlete, Zach Hall. After all, it is an Olympic year. $49 on Tokous.com
Hunky Alaska Love Muffin Zach Hall showing everyone what’s up
I know, I know, I’m confusing everyone with my nomenclature and greatly flouting well-established conventions in the process, as I just finished talking about training in a product called a “Race Glove,” so if we’re wearing a race glove for training, where the hell should you be wearing training gloves/mittens? FBD, what are you doing to me?!?! How did this all get so confusing? Next, you’re going to tell me that it’s currently summer in Argentina, and we all know that is clearly impossible, as it’s HOT in the summer, dummy, and right now it is cold where I am sitting, ergo it must be cold everywhere in the world.
That very precent point aside, as noted earlier, the FBD “runs hot,” most likely due to a seething inner rage fueled by extensive time in domestic airports, East Coast traffic, and repeated, nonsensical texts from Josh Smullin. Thanks to a highly sophisticated understanding of the Krebs cycle, cellular metabolism and mammalian energy production, I have been able to channel this apoplectic fury into good instead of evil, and use my overall contempt of modern society to keep me warm in bad weather.
If people’s inability to not block the jetway off the airplane in their futile quest to find the enormous sign indicating the direction of baggage claim doesn’t drive you insane, you can probably have a normal reaction to cold and can just buy the same weight gloves as everyone else. If, however, the inattentiveness and complete disregard for the world around them of most people enables you to ski in your Speedo and forego most layers of insulation, have I got some suggestions for you.
Come to Alaska, hear the Speedo story.
Not to beleaguer this point, as my glove selection is spot on for me, but I’ve noticed over the years that a conversion factor is necessary for most people. You know, normal people. People who don’t sit alone in a cabin for two weeks and test gloves. And no, I am not kidding. I have issues. Two weeks. Two freakin’ weeks.
More specifically, I tend to scale 10-20 degrees colder than the “average” skier (i.e., what you’d wear on a 40-degree day, I’d wear on a 20-30 degree day). And before the haters out there get all huffy, I don’t view this as a positive or a negative, just the reality of the situation. I only bring it up to contextualize these recommendations and to optimize them for the unwashed masses. That’s you people.
So how does this all translate to you, the “normal” skier? For most people, in particular those whose fingers chill easily (not to be confused with Netflix and chill, which is something altogether completely different), I strongly recommend the Toko Toasty Mitten for average-to-cold training days. My hands would ignite if I wore these on any day over 10 degrees F, but for many skiers I talked to, they are the perfect choice for most winter days. Regardless of where you slot in on the cold tolerance index, we’re all out there on days that we think are “cold,” (whatever the hell that means to you) and these things are perfect for cold days. So get a pair for days that you perceive to be cold and please STFU about your Raynaud’s syndrome. You don’t have that — you just have crappy gloves and base layers (more on the latter shortly). $35 at Tokous.com
Speaking of spontaneous appendage combustion, the last offering in today’s installment of how to not lose your fingers to frostbite is the LL Bean Men’s Ultralight 850 Down Gloves. Unless you’ve lived in the desert your entire life and have blood with the viscosity of air, these gloves are WAY too hot for any sort of aerobic activity. Where they shine however is on your way to and fro the tracks. Even though that crafty Chinese hoax seems to be killing winter, it can still cold in the morning when you go to scrape your windshield, set up the biathlon range, or stand motionless on the race course giving splits. For all of these activities and more, you want this glove. It is warm, yet not so bulky that you can’t grab ahold of your disobedient Great Dane’s collar as he is running to knock over your neighbor coming home with delicious smelling pizza. (photo unavailable of the Great Dane pizza “incident,” as relations are currently a little frosty with that particular neighbor)
Save your relationship, and your fingers, and buy these now. $49.95 at L.L. Bean
Substantially Less Hunky Philly Hate-Muffin FBD trying to pretend that he knows what’s up
It has occurred to me over the years that perhaps another one of the reasons why I don’t get cold hands or feet is that I pay particular attention to my base layers. I give considerable thought before each sesh as to not only the projected temperature during the ski, but also factors like the sun, wind, and the prescribed intensity level of the scheduled workout. Doing intervals on a -2 C day when it’s sunny, with no wind and low humidity requires a very different set of choices than going easy on a +2 C day when it is windy and rainy.
Being the spoiled, gear prima donna that I am, I am in the envious position of having literally dozens of options when I’m at Fast Big Dog Racing HQ (FBDRHQ, or Faabidoorahick, as we say “around the shop) in Steamboat, but as anyone who follows me on Instagram knows, I am a man of the world and part of being pro is bring only what you need on trips and absolutely nothing more.
Since I am a wily veteran of the travel game and no-one is more pro than me (I’m looking at you, Taylor Fletcher), I can go minimalist with the best of them and the lynchpin of this entire concept is being able to select multipurpose garments that are functional over a very wide temperature range. For example, did you know that wind briefs can be repurposed as a buff, headband, or in a pinch, even a cold-weather mask? It’s true. I’ve seen Ollie Burruss execute the latter on several occasions and he went to Harvard, so he’s smart. But I’m getting off-topic. Focus FBD, focus.
One of my favorites base layers this year is this offering from Bjorn Daehlie, the Airnet, their new wool training top. It is Merino wool, so it is warm in a wide variety of temperatures, maintains its insulation properties well when it is wet, offers excellent wicking, and perhaps most importantly, resists odor magnificently, which is key on those long training camps. $79.95 on Backcountry.com
Clearly designed for pre- and apres-ski, this jacket is warm, light, comfortable and at $250, one helluva value.
Continuing today’s theme of “community,” it’s important to point out that this isn’t just a great jacket, but like Toko, L.L. Bean is a great company. They are an official supplier to the U.S. Ski Team, they have excellent products, and they do a great job supporting our athletes. If you are looking for a new puffy to strut your stuff around town on your way to and from the ski, shovel the driveway, or walk the stupid Great Dane, this is your jam, as not only do you get a great coat at a great price, but you’re also supporting a company that supports our community. Pay it forward. $249 at L.L. Bean
No heat in your remote, Ted Kaczynski style Montana cabin? No problem if you are rolling with the L.L. Bean puffy. The afternoon nap was never more luxurious.
Editor’s note: This year, we opted for a spin on the holiday gift guide. Rest assured, we tasked the right guy — our gear-review guru — with the job of compiling a 12-day list of gift ideas (in various price ranges) for all the nordies in your life.
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Day 10: More Clothing
On Day 8 you learned the rule, “If some is good, more is better,” so now that this has been established, Learn It, Know It, Live It. Good news, too, as we now have more clothing suggestions. And remember, more is ALWAYS better, whether we’re talking about training, sex, sleeping or gear. No exceptions. Ever.
Occam’s Razor states that oftentimes the simplest explanation is the best. The FBD gear corollary is that sometimes the simplest gear is the best: case in point, this slick L.L. Bean hat. While there is most certainly nothing ground-breaking about incorporating an LED light into a hat, I find myself grabbing this baby all of the time, whether it is for a late-night, dog-bathroom emergency, a quick jaunt to the mailbox after dark or any one of the other thousand activities that seem to rear their ugly head now that it gets dark around 2:00 p.m. Light, warm, useful and inexpensive, this hats checks all of those boxes and then some. Available at L.L. Bean.
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$30 – $100: Salomon Trail Runner Short Sleeve Tee, $45
Over the course of this very riveting series we have been getting you kitted out with the latest in greatest in summer hard goods, but what about soft goods? There’s never a bad time to give summer gear, even if you are someplace with single-digit temps currently. As you may recall from my detergent-torture testing, I put this summer training top through its paces, and then some, this past summer. Not only is it cool (as in, ‘not hot’,), but it’s also cool, as in “Fonzie cool” (look it up). On top of that, it’s ‘colorway’ is a FBD favorite, “Please Don’t Hit Me” neon green. Here it is in action, after not having been washed for 12 workouts. Certain sizes & colors on sale for $20 (+$7.95 shipping) at Amazon.
While we’ve talked a lot in this series about looking good on the tracks, we haven’t talked a whole lot about looking good off the tracks. I’m all about helping all of my disciples in all aspects of their lives, so I am very pleased to recommend one of my favorite flannel shirts for not just Apres, but “All-pres.” Before any of you mini-Gloria Steinem’s out there get all worked up, this is a unisex suggestion. The one night at the West Yellowstone Ski Festival I was able to sneak away from the ever-watchful eye of Coach Smullin for an adult beverage (in reality, it wasn’t all that hard to sneak away, as he joined me), we hit the one and only hot spot in West, the Holiday Inn (I am willing to bet big money that this is the first time in which this sentence was ever written) for the Buffs/Utes football game. Since these are also both big skiing schools, there was an assortment of very cute uber-frauleins (UFs) athletes, coaches and alumni from CU, UU, APU and a few other places with initials. Several of the ladies were rocking some variation of the “fakerjack” outfit and they all looked good. Quite good. So much so that every 30 seconds, some greasy wax tech was asking me to be introduced to someone that we were kicking it with in the mighty HI (again, who says that? Can you imagine intentionally going to a Holiday Inn? I was there and I still can’t believe it). The point here being that these are not just men’s shirts. And there is ONE Holiday Inn where cool people actually hang out, let’s not forget that part, as I still find this remarkable.
As a quick aside, in case you were wondering about Smullin and I going out “on a school night,” not only was it a Saturday night with no official team training the next morning, but for the record, Josh and each only had 2.5 beers. That’s right faithful readers, Josh Smullin and I split a beer. #NewLevelNordicNerd
If by some stroke of fate you’ve made it this far into this shirt review that has yet to mention the shirt itself, thanks for hanging in there with me on the metaphorical victory lap. Lots of people make flannel shirts, but Filson are some of my favorite: this review is literally being typed in a tried and true old soldier that has seen its fair share of action, well, in as much as you can consider sitting at a keyboard typing, “action.” To make sure that their quality hasn’t gone to hell, I checked out two new models and every indication is that the current crop is a good as those from yesteryear. I like these shirts so much in fact that I’m going to recommend two different models. The Alaskan Guide shirt is a great all-around offering, with the thicker one better for athletes who chill easily and the Lightweight model preferable for those who hate being too warm (like me).
FBD Pro Tip: These shirts are listed as having “Alaska sizing,” whatever the hell that means. Since you are undoubtedly asking yourself, “What the hell does that mean?”, here is my theory on this: Poet Carl Sandburg called Chicago, “The City of Broad Shoulders,” but the last time I was in Chicago, I had a steak and four martinis in the restaurant of my luxury hotel. The last time I was in Alaska, I skied 6 -8 hours/day in 0.1° C weather, slept on a glacier for a week, then spent another week in a cabin in Talkeetna that had no running water.
And this is nothing special for AK — you get laughed out of the room if you brought this up at a party up there thinking it was something rugged — everyone I know from AK is tough as hell and would consider this an “easy week”. When I reported on Eagle Glacier last year, I unearthed several hysterical stories about what has transpired in The Last Frontier, my favorite of which being Andy Newell’s story about Rob Whitney’s midnight sleep screams: apparently Rob would wake up in the middle of the night yelling at the top of his lungs, “We need to get off the glacier, we’re all going to die!!!!” I had dinner with Rob and his lovely, also tough-as-nails wife Holly Brooks this past summer and when the story came up, Rob calmly said, “Well, that wasn’t as bad as the time I started sleepwalking and held a knife to one of my (male) teammate’s throats.” That’s right, only in Alaska (and maybe Philly) can you wake up with one of your friends holding a knife at your throat while sleeping on a glacier and training 50 hours/week. You’ve just gotta be tough to survive that. I’m not quite sure on all of the underlying physiology at work here, but it stands to reason that if you have to regularly wrestle a giant, naked, Rob Whitney off you (yes, he was naked during this whole sordid incident) while he’s brandishing a knife, if you don’t die, you’re going to develop some pretty big shoulders.
Where am I going with all of this? The shirts run big. So order one up now, do those push-ups (or call up Rob to inquire about his availability for some naked, midnight knife wresting) get it broken in just the right amount to not have that loser, “fresh out da box” look and who knows, maybe even you will have some rap with the hot UF’s next year at the Holiday Inn. Doubtful, but maybe. Available at Filson.com.
Finally, here’s another FBD pro tip: don’t let anyone see you splitting a beer, anywhere, ever. Smullin and I might as well been wearing burkas at a Trump rally after that little misstep. Sharing a beer with another dude in a bar in Montana goes over like a fart in church.
Being the high-performance director for USA Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping, I am fortune enough to be issued all of the team gear and this piece is a team favorite: light, warm and extremely packable, this versatile piece can be stuffed into your backpack or briefcase and deployed as need as a pillow, blanket, sensory depravation tank, bad-ass fort (think killing time on long layovers in European airports) and here’s a crazy one, even as a jacket. Available at L.L. Bean.
Instead of blankets, think L.L. Bean jacket. Instead of the living room of your parents’ house, think Munich International airport. Instead of ironing boards, think Bryan and Taylor Fletcher.
Let’s face it, skiing can be cold. But watching skiing (in person, not on TV) can be crazy cold. If you are a good person, parent, teammate or coach, chances are you’ll find yourself out standing in the middle of some field somewhere cold (not to be confused with being outstanding in your field). When you’re on one of those bone-chilling skis, you can simply ramp up the intensity to warm yourself up, but spectating, well, you’re essentially on a gradual descent into hell (well, a frozen version of hell). The solution, which is easier said than done, is to not get cold in the first place. This jacket is the single best way to achieve temperature nirvana, as noted in our gear review last year (Please note my Labradoresque ‘head out the window’ testing). This beast won our Puffy Coat Review last season for good reason. By one now and never worry about being cold again. Available at Arcteryx.com.
Finally, here is an important public service message: the left lane of an expressway is a passing line people, not a driving lane, a PASSING lane. For anyone who may have questions on this ridiculously simple concept (and in most states, law), here is an excellent tutorial.
Marit Bjørgen of Norway (l) gets in some early season hill climbing with the stroller in preparation for the 2016 NYC Stroll-a-thon. (Photo: SportoweFakty)
Ready. Set. Stroll. When 7,000 contestants charging carriages hit the streets of New York City (NYC) this year at the 2016 NYC Stroll-a-thon, a few nordic names may find a new race niche that has nothing to do with snow. Especially if the U.S. Ski Team’s Kikkan Randall and Norway’s Marit Bjørgen steer a stroller the same way they ski.
After side-stepping the 2015/2016 World Cup season, Bjørgen and Randall will release nine months of curbed competitive edge at the debut marathon event — presented by the New York Road Runners organization — which promises competitors 26.2 miles of the steepest inclines and most tactical turns in stroller racing.
U.S. skier Kikkan Randall sets early season squats as preparation for the NYC Stroll-a-thon taking place this May. (Photo: Kikkan Randall/Twitter)
Open only to parents who can cover the course with their child in a carriage (*see more detailed rules and regulations below) the NYC Stroll-a-thon is scheduled to take place May 2, 2016 — though Randall admits her April due date will be cutting it close.
“I’m as strong as I’ve ever been,” Randall said in a phone interview.
“My main concern is switching to the spring training cycle, which for me includes a 50-percent increase in stroller hours and a sizable volume jump for Bean,” she explained, confirming recent rumors that she and husband Jeff Ellis have made the decision to name their child ‘El Bean’ — Bean for short — a decision primed by one of Randall’s sponsors, L.L. Bean, which offered to pay for the child’s college education if Randall and Ellis could find a way to christen the child after the company.
With a three-month head start of stroller steering on Randall, Bjørgen will no doubt prove a force to be reckoned with at this year’s NYC Stroll-a-thon.
But Bjørgen is not the only nordic skier who is well practiced in the art of carving the streets with their child and carriage.
Norwegian nordic superstar, Øystein Pettersen, better known as “The Sausage,” has also confirmed his entry in the event. He and his son, who was born this July 2015, have spent much of this winter ski season meditating their moves for the marathon course.
“It will be tough challenge, for sure” Pettersen wrote on Twitter. “But baby boy and I are ready to bring the burn.”
Also competing in the event is French biathlete Marie Dorin Habert, coming off two individual gold medals at 2016 IBU World Championships, and the U.S. Paralympics Nordic Development Coach, BethAnn Chamberlain.
French biathlete Marie Dorin Habert getting training for the upcoming NYC Stroll-a-thon. (Photo: DauphieNordique)
Selecting the Right Stroller
The NYC Stroll-a-thon, which follows the same a point-to-point course for the NYC running marathon, tests racer’s stamina and steering skills, making savvy stroller selection critical for participants looking to win.
Bjørgen will sport the lightweight Kolcraft Cloud 2015 stroller, which features an adjustable canopy, shock absorbing front swivel wheels, and foam padded handles. Weighing in at only 11.4 pounds and earning an average rating of 4.3 stars, this model remains one of the best hill climbers in the industry.
However, the Cloud’s strongest selling point is also its weakness. Without much weight in the front, the Cloud makes wieldy turns, which heightens the chance of blowing a crucial course curve.
Yet, Bjørgen finds herself more well-suited for technical steering, preferring to gamble with race technique tactics than lost time on an incline.
Randall will run Bjørgen’s rival carriage, the BOB Sport Utility Stroller. The fixed front wheel and treaded tires necessitate more aggressive driving, but Randall prefers the stroller stability and top of the line suspension system for Bean.
Pettersen on the other hand will opt for the industry’s heaviest hitter, the ŠKODA stroller, an ATV-style stroller designed by a Czech automotive company. At two meters tall with complete high suspension and brake systems, it’s no surprise Pettersen will choose ŠKODA.
*Rules, Regulations and Registration:
A few of the most unique rules that apply to the 2016 NYC Stroll-a-thon are summarized below.
Children must be legitimate: competitors may not enter carriages carrying children that are not their own.
Contestant’s child must be in good health upon crossing the finish line; vitals will be checked.
Weight added to the stroller in order to enhance downhill speed is not permitted.
To register or learn more about the 2016 NYC Stroll-a-thon, click here
FasterSkier editor Alex Kochon is signed up for the inaugural event but she isn’t expecting to contend with the elites. “My 10-month-old puts me at a severe weight disadvantage, especially on the uphills,” Kochon said. “I love the little guy and all, but we can’t compete with those newborns.”
LTD Gear Review: Ultimate Puffies (All photos by FBD)
Since amazingly I haven’t been fired by FasterSkier (yet), LTD is back with our undoubtedly eagerly awaited second installment of puffy coat reviews. In the first review, we tackled “lifestyle” puffies. These are the Swiss Army Knives of your closest — they do it all. You can wear them to and from the tracks, warm up in them for races, impress the ladies in the coffee shop Après-ski or wear them out to dinner, and Holly Beattie won bronze in the relay at World being warm and stylish the entire time.
This is the review of their big brothers. While the lifestyle puffies may be the Sugar Ray Leonards of your wardrobe, pound for pound the kings of the closet, these are the heavyweight prize fighters: the Mike Tysons, Evander Holyfields, the Muhammad Alis — big, bad and heavy. This isn’t your ‘go-to’ jacket for most days; this is what you pull out when you’re getting ready to slug it out for several hours out in the cold. We call these the “ultimate puffies.”
As you all should know by now, nothing is more important than looking good. Learn it. Know it. Live it. Now, having said that, you’re likely asking yourself, “Self, those ultimate puffies make you look like you’re heading off on an Everest expedition. How can I possibly look good in one of those monstrosities?” Great question, self, I am proud of you. You have been paying attention.
Now please listen (read), very, very carefully here, as this is the ONE instance in which I am willing to grant you special dispensation on the fashion front in the name of function. These jackets are utilitarian. They are work horses. They have a very important job to do — they were put on Earth to keep your whiny, needy, nordic ass warm when it is downright nasty, so here and only here, we are we going to make allowances in style in the name of not catching pneumonia.
You all know the scene — we’ve all been there — it is below zero and it’s race day, but you’re a team player, so you’re out there cheering on teammates/children/parents or friends, working the wax table for hours on end, or maybe you are even on-course, giving it your all in these brutal conditions.
Or perhaps you are sitting for what seems like an eternity with 70,000 of your closest friends at some seemingly pointless spectator event as a part of the soul-crushing office job that you hate, watching overpaid millionaire mercenaries give each other closed head injuries while horribly inebriated indigenous personnel scream obscenities at players they worshiped as recently as a week ago. This bizarre fleeting devotion is even more puzzling due to the fact that essentially none of these steroid-abusing, sexual-assault purveyors are actually from the city they are purported to be representing and they garner god-like status despite their often glaringly illegal and immoral acts. Drown dogs with your bare hands? Beat defenseless women unconscious? KILL other humans? No problem, we love you as long as your ball skills are solid. Where was I going with this? Oh yes, those stadiums can be quite cold, so you need a warm coat.
So, since no one loves you like we do here at FasterSkier, we went out and got ourselves cold so you don’t have to.
The Process:
We covered this in excruciating detail in the first review, so in the name of brevity I’m going to skip all of the gory details this time around since all of the same terms and conditions exist in this review as well. If you’re a stickler for details or just love to read my beautifully crafted prose, give yourself a treat and dive back in to the last installment and bask in the awesomeness that is my detailed description of testing protocols, disclosure statements, and conflicts of interest.
Selection Criteria:
I am going to repeat the description of how each particular jacket was selected though, as not only is is very important, but I want to take as many steps as prudent to avoid any angry mail. The companies picked the jackets, not us, so if you have an axe to grind, write them, not me. Or the executives at FasterSkier, as near as I can tell, all of those people seem quite lonely and most certainly need more to do.
I would also like to emphasize how carefully and extensively every single piece was tested. I love gear. My team loves gear. There is no place all of us would rather be than outside doing cool stuff, so this is a responsibility we take very, very seriously. So while we did beat the crap out of these jackets, we did so due to our commitment to you the reader, the skier, the parent, the coach, the person standing out there in the cold for hours. Jackets are expensive, so we did our best to ensure that when you’re ready to pull the trigger on a new “Muhammad Ali,” we know we’ve done our best to give you the intellectual ammo to make the best possible purchase for your specific needs.
The Reviews:
Arc’teryx
Since no one takes manufacturers’ claims of “windproof” as skeptically as our team, FBD is shown here doing his best Labrador Retriever imitation, heading up Rabbit Ears Pass in Colorado at 60 mph in sub-zero temps wearing an Arc’teryx Men’s Ceres Down Jacket.
In this “ultimate puffy” category, Arc’teryx sadly only sent us one jacket, a men’s Ceres. I say “sadly,” because this coat is amazing. Once again “The Bird” (they used that on the phone with me, so I therefore feel authorized to throw this out, plus it makes me sound like I know what I’m talking about and I like that) absolutely killed it. Essentially every (male) tester agreed that this was the warmest jacket in the test and it handled every challenge we threw at it with style and grace.
Warm? Check. Durable? Check. Stylish? Check. What’s not to love? Well, the only downside to this heavyweight champ is that all of these features come at a cost, as this was the most expensive jacket testing, but damn is it nice.
As was the case in the “lifestyle puffies,” the fit is a bit generous, so if you’re a 6’6”, 118-pound IT technician or web programmer, this may not be the coat for you. If you’re a big, strapping man like the FBD, you’ll grab this every time there’s a sub-zero wind chill and the coaching zone you’ve been assigned to cover at the World Cup is the farthest one humanly possible from the nice warm wax cabin.
Strengths: Very warm. Shell has a perfect mix of durability and flexibility.
Weaknesses: May necessitate a second mortgage. Fit might be a bit loose on the ectomorphs out there in the studio audience.
Buy it if: You’ll pay any amount of money to be warm while you’re sitting in the Eagles stadium watching angry, drunken, shirtless guys from Philadelphia throw beer at angry, drunken shirtless guys from New York, wondering how you life went so wrong. Or if you attend races anywhere in New England or Montana. Or Greenland. Who knows if there are actually nordic races in Greenland, but it seems like if there are, they’d be really, really cold.
Patagonia
Patagonia Women’s Fitz Roy Down Parka
While maybe not quite as warm as the Arc’teryx, the offerings from Patagonia were quite close. They provide the test team a men’s and women’s Fitz Roy. In short, everyone loved these jackets. Both of the puffies were puffy, but not too puffy (all of my English professors just committed suicide after reading that sentence, sorry Mrs. Dixon et al.).
One of my favorite comments from our testing log was, “I love this jacket, is it so soft and warm it feels like I’m wearing a sleeping bag that moves with me perfectly.” I agree with this assessment, as the jacket really does feel that soft and unrestricting. Is it too soft? Well, thankfully the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club cross-country ski team has essentially boundless energy and a near-total immunity to cold, so we repeated our patented “Penguin Slide” testing protocol and I’ll say this, none of the Patagonia garments had the slightest snag or tear, despite repeated runs down the very steep face of Howelsen Hill (as a point of reference, there are ski jumps are about 30 meters from our slide test area, so that should give you some idea of the steepness of the slope).
So is this a guarantee that these coats will never rip? Of course not, but what it is intended to do is provide some assurance that if you’re standing in your favorite local outdoor retailer thinking, “Man, the material on this coat looks thin,” it is, but it is durable. Very durable.
Patagonia Men’s Fitz Roy Down Jacket (Patagonia.com)
We’ve now been testing these jackets daily for over two months without a single problem. If you’re working on monster trucks or an offshore oil derrick, could you damage it? Maybe. But if you are doing any of those things, you’re probably not reading this review and you’re most likely firmly in the Carhartt camp anyway, so stop wasting my time with all of these stupid questions.
Strengths: Warmest coat for its weight, very compressible hence very packable, also very soft and flexible. Cool colors, nice style for both fraüleins and bros.
Weaknesses: MAY tear more easily than some of the other coats, but this is just a theory, so no angry letters, Patagonia, and again, we tested this extensively and had no problems.
Buy it if: You want a very versatile, warm puffy and you don’t work on monster trucks or offshore oil rigs.
L.L. Bean
L.L. Bean Wind Challenger Down Jacket
As they did for the last review, L.L. Bean provided us another official model of the jacket they are supplying to the U.S. Ski Team this year, the Wind Challenger. The FBD testing crew was almost as divided as the Bloods and Crips in the L.L. Bean vs. Patagonia debate (as much as this metaphor could ever possibly fit a bunch of mountain-town nordic ski coaches), as the approaches of these two brands are almost polar opposite.
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club nordic coach Josh Smullin (second from l) rocking the L.L. Bean Wind Challenger jacket on a cold walk back from breakfast at training camp with some SSWSC rock stars.
Patagonia’s garments are warm, light, colorful, fashion-forward and very soft. L.L. Bean took the opposite tact and developed jackets that are also very warm, but much thicker, subdued and beefy. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as heavy = durable, and understated is a plus for people who don’t want to “pop” when they hit the town.
I love any sort of attention and generally live my life by the philosophy of “there’s no such thing as bad publicity,” but if flying under radar is your M.O., this coat is for you.
It’s a great coat and it feels like it can take a beating, a concept for which we are all quite fond.
L.L. Bean Women’s Wind Challenger Down Jacket (LLBean.com)
Strengths: Heavier outer layer likely more abrasion resistant. Official supplier to the U.S. Ski Team. Not too flashy.
Weaknesses: The hand on this coat is not nearly as soft or pliable as the others, in particular the Patagonia. Not super colorful. Not quite as packable, which is important when Grover says you can only bring one bag to Europe for your four-month trip.
Buy it if: You channel your inner Andy Newell on your ski every day, you own a non-declawed cat, or you are thinking of buying a monster truck and/or are applying for oil rig work.
(Ed note: our team of researchers is currently investigating whether monster trucks are allowed on oil rigs).
Big Agnes
Big Agnes Men’s Dunkley Belay Jacket
Big Agnes sent their apologies, but not a women’s coat, which is a shame as the men’s coat, the Dunkley Belay Jacket is excellent. It was the only jacket in the test with synthetic insulation (for women’s synthetic-jacket options, click here), and the down vs. synthetic is a debate that has ravaged mankind since the dawn of time.
Big Agnes Men’s Dunkley Belay Jacket (BigAgnes.com)
Much has been written on both sides, so I won’t bore all of you with the details again here, but the executive summary is that this coat out-performs all of the others in the wet. I just happen to personally own last year’s model and like it a lot, but I had two serious issues with the zipper, one of which required an exchange. Big Agnes was very gracious about this, but even the replacement garment wasn’t perfect. Unfortunately our test garment also had a bit of a finicky zipper, which was real drag (no pun intended) when trying to put the coat on with cold hands after a race.
Strengths: Stacked up to the “downies” when dry. Warmest coat when wet. Perfect buy for people who recreate the ALS Challenge all winter and athletes who bathe their pets outside regardless of conditions. Or anyone who owns a Labrador Retriever, an animal that somehow manages to magically attract cold, wet conditions year-round, particularly in your car.
Weaknesses: Least packable of all of the coats. Zipper issues seem more common than they should be, in particular for a coat in this price range.
Buy it if: You work at a winter car wash or ski places where the dreaded snow/rain transition is all-too-frequent.
Bjørn Daehlie
Bjørn Daehlie Women’s Shelter Jacket
The friendly folks at BD flipped the script on us on this one and sent a women’s ultimate puffy, the Shelter Jacket, but not a men’s, so this review is for women, by women. The garment sent was also the same version used by the U.S. Ski Team last year, so it’s got plenty of street cred.
This jacket was one of the best “all-arounders” for the ladies. It is warm, stylish and feels durable. One of our testers was an elite skier and subsequently received her fair share of team jackets and this was one of her favorites. Despite being from Alaska, she is surprisingly prone to getting cold, so she could be found busting out some of her AK coaching knowledge in this beauty even when out on skiing.
I don’t think I’d actually do a workout in it, but it has nice mobility which means it is perfect to wear out to coach or any other start/stop activity. It is also ideal if you ski like one of our other testers Josh Smullin, in that in an effort to inflate your training hours, you take frequent breaks mid-workout for water and to make long phone calls. If you meet any of these criteria, BOOM, this jacket is for you.
Strengths: Great all-around coat for women. Good weight. Good warmth. Great mobility. Great style. Extremely economical. Best value in entire test.
Weaknesses: People will ask you if you’re Josh Smullin (never a good thing) or if you lie a lot in your training log. Coaches may attempt to activate the “auto-stop” feature on your heart rate monitor.
Buy it if: You think your genealogy somehow traces back to Norwegian superstar Bjørn Daehlie, you’re a fan of this very stylish, iconic nordic brand, or you’re currently a little light on your yearly training hours.
Bonus track
L.L. Bean’s Women’s Baxter State Parka. Not exactly a puffy, but we’ll review it anyway.
One of the many things that makes this job fun is watching companies blatantly ignore my ridiculously simple instructions. People don’t send stuff they are supposed to send. People do sent stuff they’re not supposed to send. No one sends stuff on time and everyone yells at me when the reviews are late and weird. What I’m saying is I’m the victim here.
Having said that, business is a full-contact sport — I get that. I have an alter ego that is out fighting a good fight in the corporate world right now and no one understands better than I that corporate goals may not always mesh with my goofy editorial goals. Perhaps even more importantly, as noted in the lifestyle puffy review, no one hates rules more than the FBD, so when L.L. Bean sent two jackets that seemed to defy all categories, the Baxter State Parka, I appreciated the gesture. The question became however, “What the hell do we do with these things?” So since Bean was aggressive, clever and innovative enough to send a special category of jackets, who am I to stifle this creative energy? So here’s a very special bonus review.
What are these mysterious category-defying garments? Well, that depends on when you grew up. There was a time when these pieces were called “snorkel jackets” and “back in the day,” you ruled the playground if you had one. I still remember poor Mark Woods having to sit on the playground in third grade in Michigan in mid-winter without any jacket or shirt to prove his worthiness for inclusion into the “Snorkel Club.” (Mark later passed away with complications from pneumonia and will be missed greatly. Very sad story.) Well, apparently, what’s old is what’s new again and these babies are making a comeback.
This styling on these “snorkels” is a bit controversial, but generally well received. One young, hip female reviewer absolutely loved this jacket and rocked it hard on a team trip in Aspen. In perhaps the quote of the year, she noted, “I’m not a trophy wife, but I’m dressed like I could be and I kinda like that.” And that’s saying a lot in Aspen.
On the other side of the coin, probably our most conservative male coach also loved this jacket and regularly wore it around town, having never looked better.
A fishing vest, no proof that it’s on steroids
Strengths/Weaknesses: Fabric feels like it can stop a bullet. Hood features synthetic-fur trim and makes you a dead ringer for Kenny when fully deployed. More pockets than a fishing vest on steroids. Coat weighs more than me, folds to approximate size of my Great Dane. Will likely survive a nuclear blast.
Buy it if: You rock Ray-Ban aviators in the winter, you drive a Range Rover to races, or you live alone in a backwoods cabin and trap your own food all winter. Or you fear an assassination attempt.
***
Conclusion:
We’re at that time of year when it can be very cold at many nordic venues and we’ve already covered that it’s really no fun to be cold. Since all of you over-trained nordic nerds out there already have compromised immune systems from the white blood cell-suppressing combination of a high-training volume, never going easy (as hey, there’s no way I’m letting THAT guy pass me up this hill on a training day) and getting up at 4:30 am to watch the live coverage of the World Cup, you deserve to treat yourself to a nice, warm puffy to throw on after the Land of Lakes Loppet so you can finally lick that nasty cold that’s been dogging you for months. Don’t forget, the Birkie is just around the corner and you need to be healthy if you are going to dominate wave 5.
Up Next:
Base layers and/or wind briefs (Yup, we are going THERE), or maybe the world’s coolest training monitoring system, or maybe something else. Or maybe nothing else, as I’m convinced that these columns are slowly killing me. And my Great Dane almost started a fire in my house the other day, so it seems as though I now attempt to cheat death on a daily basis and someday this just has to catch up to me.
On a completely unrelated note, if anyone is interested in adopting a Great Dane “puppy,” please contact me offline: low miles, one owner, never been crashed.
About the Author: Jon Schafer, known in U.S. nordic circles as Fast Big Dog, is a cultural anomaly: part man, part myth. He spent the better part of a month hitchhiking from Costa Rica to Alaska, carrying his skis the entire time, with only his quick wit and love of tequila to keep him going. … He skis, he rides, he writes and he paddles.
Welcome to FasterSkier’s newest series, “Living The Dream” (alternate working title is, “Why are we doing intervals again today?”). LTD will be a somewhat regular feature offering nordic skiers of all levels insight into many of the elements that make our sport great: I’ll be offering up advice/recommendations/observations/reviews on gear, training, travel and “other stuff TBD” as I generally don’t like rules, restrictions or guidelines (not to mention authority, deadlines, or good grammar). I’m coming off the line hot, too, with the inaugural column being a gear review of puffy coats — after all, what skier doesn’t like a good puffy coat?
Selection Criteria
Fast Big Dog’s dog
Picking the right puffy coat is a lot like picking the right skis, dog or spouse (listed in order of importance). This process is personal and unique, with different traits being important to different people and several factors impacting the ultimate decision.
(As a quick aside on topic number two, if your significant other happens to talk you into the acquisition of a Great Dane puppy, be prepared for months of house breaking, a general indifference toward acknowledging their name — the dog, not the significant other — and a voracious appetite for light bulbs. You’ve been warned.)
So as we prepare to embark on this wonderful journey together to outfit you, the reader, in just the right jacket, let’s lay down some ground rules:
Nothing is more important than looking good. Never forget this. Ever.
If you’re one of those dudes who wears race suit bottoms into the coffee shop or grocery store after a workout, you should probably stop reading now — there is nothing we can do for you here. Oh, and stop doing that. Stop it right now.
If you’re an athlete, coach, parent or generally interested bystander who is looking for the “ultimate puffy” — the warmest jacket know to man for hours of standing around the race course in sub-zero temps — have no fear, we have you covered for this, too, (no pun intended) in next month’s column.
This first review is for a category I deemed “lifestyle puffies,” coats that are all about being warm but also looking good. If you’re looking for one winter coat, this is it. If you’re one of those skiers that has two light beers at a wedding and is bombed, then proceeds to tear up the dance floor for two hours with your one move, the only tool you own is a Leatherman or you’ve always secretly admired Batman’s utility belt, well this is your lucky day, as today we are going to get you in your perfect “all-in-one” jacket.
The last rule is also the first rule, when in doubt, always refer to rule #1.
The Process
For the test jackets, I reached out to all of the usual suspects, most of whom were kind enough to provide both men’s and women’s jackets. This was greatly appreciated, as I believe that many reviewers come up small in their analysis as it is often a dude reviewing products for both men and women and from what I can remember from my high-school biology class, there are some important anatomical differences between men and women, although many of the specifics escape me at this time.
To help combat my complete and utter lack of understanding of the fairer sex, I recruited a crackerjack team of female coaches/skiers/bad asses to provide their perspective on each garment. In addition, to keep these reviews as balanced and bias-free as possible, I also asked a few other male nordic coaches to help me with the testing. This entire testing team ranged in age from early twenties to an undetermined amount over-50 and collectively has well over 100 years of experience nordic skiing. Was this a double-blind, prospective, longitudinal peer-reviewed study? No. But I did my best to bring in perspectives from both sexes and several ages to provide as balanced and complete of an analysis as possible and reasonable for a winter-jacket review.
Since I pretend to be a scientist when I’m off duty from FasterSkier, I can’t help but throw in a staple of every good scientific paper or presentation: a disclosure statement. I’m a Steamboat boy from way back, as are a few of the other coaches, though certainly not all. One of the companies, Big Agnes, is based in Steamboat. I am also involved with the U.S. Ski Team and unless you’ve been living in a cave (in which case this review will be perfect for you, as caves can be quite cold and drafty) you likely know that L.L. Bean is the new official gear supplier to the U.S. Ski Team. In addition, I’ve either been on teams or been personally sponsored by Arc’teryx and Mountain Hardware in several different pursuits and activities. Several of my good friends are sponsored by Swix, Salomon and L.L. Bean. So in short, almost the entire review team has or had relationships with almost all of the companies. Having said this, I think everyone did an excellent job of evaluating the coats based on their merit — we all love skiing and we all love gear. The old adage, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear” rings true to all of us every day so we did our best to provide honest, accurate recommendations with the hope that each and every one of you reading this can be as comfortable as possible out there doing the sport we all love.
On the other side of this disclosure, it is also very important to point out that these are straight-up legit reviews: I know firsthand that other “outside” magazines and web sites require companies to pay money to be considered for reviews, which is appalling in my opinion, as this crosses the line from review into gloried advertisement. I can assure you that this was not the case here — companies were not asked to provide any remuneration whatsoever, nor were we pressured or offered enticements in any way from any of the companies.
Finally, almost all of the coats in this review are in the “good to excellent” range, but what made this process very interesting is just how different many of them were out in the field. One of our main objectives is to therefore describe the circumstances in which each piece will perform optimally and help guide skiers to the jacket that will best meet their needs.
Criteria
In terms of how each particular jacket was picked from the vast array of options, I provided identical selection criteria to each company and asked them to send the product that they felt best met these standards. Representatives from the companies picked the products, so if you’re an over the top fan boy for a particular brand and your “go-to” coat wasn’t picked, email the company, not me.
My entire team did their best to assess as many of the more objective factors (warmth, bulk, fit, etc.) as possible, as well as the more subjective factors (style, use scenarios, etc). We tested all of the jackets in a wide variety of different conditions and environments, from the very usual (loading skis and scraping van windows) to the more unusual:
Based on several meetings and just the right amount of beer, we then came together to create consensus on which coats performed the best in all of the scenarios and based on this meta-analysis, I faithfully and thoughtfully scribed the following review.
The Reviews:
Arc’teryx
Arc’teryx women’s Atom LT Hoody (All photos: FBD)
For this category of the lifestyle puffy, Arc’teryx sent us a men’s Koda parka and the women’s Atom LT Hoody. Arc’teryx sent different models for men and women due to the fact that they do not make a women’s Koda jacket, but they believe these two models to be very comparable, so for the purposes of this review, we are using the two somewhat interchangeably. I am comfortable with this generalization, but please keep this in mind if you read this and want to go running off to the Internets to make the ultimate X-mas gift purchase — don’t yell at me when you can’t find a women’s Koda.
West Yellowstone’s weather Thanksgiving week 2015.
The Koda parka was the warmest of all of the men’s lifestyle puffies, with the women’s Atom LT Hoody in a virtual tie for the top spot in the warmness category as well. Each of them are very, very good coats. Buy this for yourself and you’ll be stoked. Buy it for someone else and you’ll be a hero for years to come. Coming back from breakfast in West Yellowstone, Mont., a few weeks ago, the weather looked like this (see photo at left), and the jacket performed admirably.
The outer layer feels very abrasion-resistant and it held up well for nine intensive days of skiing and coaching in West Yellowstone. If that doesn’t sound like very rigorous testing, you’ve never seen me load and unload wax tables from the team van.
A few of our more fashion-conscious reviewers (both male and female) found both the coloring and styling a little flat and “looked as though it could be going on a mountaineering expedition.” Perhaps since I’ve been on a number of mountaineering expeditions I found this a strength, not a weakness, but it is a fair point. So if you’re looking to ride your fixie home from the tracks to stop and drink PBR with your hipster friends and their ironic facial hair, this may not be the jacket for you. If you are low-key, subtle and have some $$$ to spend (at $449 for the men’s version, this was the most-expensive jacket reviewed in this category), this is the coat for you.
The fit on the men’s jacket is a little more generous than most of the others tested: the FBD is a large, powerful man, so this also was a plus, not a minus, but if you are a little more diminutive, you may find the jacket a little too loose. Interestingly enough, the women’s version seemed to have the opposite fit: two of the reviewers are on the shorter side and found the sizing to be perfect for them, but noted that it may not be ideal for very tall women or those with longer torsos. Overall, this is a very, warm, subdued but sophisticated jacket that looks like it will hold up well to years of serious use.
Strengths: Warm, comfortable, fleece-lined pockets, “quiet style” and durable zippers and outer layer.
Weaknesses: A bit spendy, a few younger reviewers thought the style was a little plain, fit might be too roomy for smaller male frames.
Buy it if: Performance is your top consideration and money is less of an issue, you want to be warm and stylishly understated.
Patagonia
Patagonia Nano-Air Hoody
The fine folks in Ventura, Calif., provided us with a Nano-Air Hoody. The selection of this particular garment surprised us all a bit, as you can’t swing a smoked-up lift op around a mountain town without hitting someone rocking a Patagonia Down Sweater or Nano Puff (this reviewer has one of each), so we fully expected to be sent one of these models. We were not. What was sent however, quickly became of the favorites of the entire team.
Even though this review is focused on jackets to wear to and from skiing, the Nano-Air is so soft, stretchable and lightweight that you can wear it nordic skiing, as well as on the ride to and fro. Two of us also tested it on a killer back-country alpine ski and found it to perform flawlessly, but please note, we were skinning up the hill and working hard on the way down slaying deep powder (yeah, I know, first-world problems…) so we were not only moving the entire time, but also doing so with reasonable intensity.
In all of these use-cases, the coat was basically perfect. Would you ever want to wear it for lift-serviced terrain? Probably not until the mercury tops 30 or so. For spring-party skiing, it’d probably be awesome, but we had a powder day in Steamboat recently and the temp at the top of the mountain was a balmy -2 degrees and I didn’t even consider grabbing this jacket when I left the house.
Overall, this is a killer piece for around town on sunny winter days and it will surely crush it in the spring, fall and cool summer nights in the mountains. Probably one of the best summary comments from the testing feedback forms was, “I love this jacket. It feels more like a hoodie than a jacket and I think I could do all sorts of activities in it or just wear it around as long as it wasn’t super cold.”
Strengths: Incredibly warm for its weight, stretchable, stylish and extremely versatile. Can be worn to the tracks and straight to coffee afterwards or even on the town as a nice hoody. Also a great layering piece.
Weaknesses: Still not as warm as a few of the heavier coats. Probably not the best choice if you live someplace very cold and are looking for a one-coat solution for all of your winter needs.
Buy it if: You are a direct descendant of Nanook of the North, you normally only wear a T-shirt outside all winter, you can thermoregulate like a lizard or you want an incredibly versatile stand-alone or layering piece that will kick ass and take names all year ‘round.
L.L. Bean
L.L. Bean Ultralight 850 Down Hooded Jacket
The newest supplier to the U.S. Ski Team did not disappoint with their offering. The jacket sent to us was the Ultralight 850 Down Hooded Jacket, which is part of the official kit for the U.S. Ski Team and it was rapidly apparent why this is the case: the coat was light, warm and functional. Our version was blue with a contrasting yellow liner that one very fashion-forward female review said made me look “less repulsive than usual.” (Bless you Greta).
L.L. Bean women’s Ultralight 850 Down Hooded Jacket (LL Bean.com)
This jacket also features fleece lined pockets which were a huge hit with the entire coaching staff. Anyone who has spent hours in the cold loading and unloading skis, fiddling with bindings, straps, van keys, video cameras and the myriad of other things that seems to always require removing your gloves, is going to love this feature.
Strengths: A good, solid, all-around coat. Very light and packable. The fact that they support the U.S. Ski Team is also a plus.
Weaknesses: Another coat that is not super flashy. Again, for me, this is a strength, not a weakness, but this is probably not the best choice is you want to go clubbing in New York City, Berlin, or Oslo. Pretty much square in the middle on the warmth/weight ratio scale.
Buy it if: You want to help a company supporting the U.S. Ski Team, you are cost-conscious and you want a very versatile puffy that’ll look good around town and in your race bag at the Birkie. Or if you’re a person who forgets their gloves often.
Big Agnes
Big Agnes Women’s Shovelhead Hooded Jacket
This one is a little tricky, as Big Agnes did not send an entry for the best men’s lifestyle puffy. They did send a women’s coat, the Women’s Shovelhead Hooded Jacket, so while I have no data to report on the men’s side, I can pass along our female reviewers comments.
Big Agnes men’s Shovelhead Hooded Jacket (BigAgnes.com)
Overall, this was a popular coat. All of the women found it to be very warm yet not too bulky or cumbersome. It was more form fitting than the other jackets in this category, which most found to be a plus, though a few female reviewers did note that larger-chested women may not find this cut as comfortable.
Strengths: Best warmth/weight ratio of any women’s jacket. Very packable. Retains warmth well when wet. Very wind resistant. Good for skiers who are always cold.
Weaknesses: May not be good for certain female body types
Buy it if: You are a woman who wants a very lightweight yet warm jacket and your body type fits in the criteria outlined above.
Swix
Swix Romsdal 2.0
This iconic name in nordic skiing provided exactly what we thought they would — a solid, reliable garment, the Swix Romsdal 2.0. It looks very “Nordic,” which is to be expected given the lineage of the brand. Given the audience of this periodical, I’m guessing this will also be a positive in most instances.
The look of this jacket is a bit of the tale of two cities (maybe all Twin Cities residents should therefore go buy one of these immediately), as the men’s version is styled very traditionally, but the women’s coat seems to have just the right amount of flash for all of the female reviewers. Our women’s test jacket was pink with a white band across the upper back and a few snowflakes placed strategically in the banding, which everyone loved. One guest reviewer (a former elite skier and current nordic-store employee) noted, “Oh yeah, we KILL IT with this jacket in the shop. It is one of our best sellers.”
Strengths: Styling of the women’s model seems to be spot-on, not only based on the universal approval of our team of female testers, but also on anecdotal reports of sales. Very economical. Great value.
Weaknesses: Neither the men’s or women’s jacket was incredibly warm, though neither was terrible. The two-tone color on the men’s model looks somewhat traditional and certainly can’t be described as “fashion-forward,” but it that’s not your jam anyway, you’ll be fine.
Buy it if: You’re the type of person with wax stickers on your car. You ski daily. You are a cool mountain-town mom (MTM) or a single dude looking to find a hot, single MTM. Great custom team jacket.
Mountain Hardwear
Mountain Hardwear’s Ghost Whisperer
We received a men’s Ghost Whisperer from Mountain Hardware(again, only a men’s) and this was another one of the coats that made this very elaborate process fun. I’ve owned Mountain Hardwear soft goods for years and have always been impressed with their very pragmatic approach. Their products work well and while they may not have been at the leading edge of the fashion curve, the gear did its job and did it well. So when I opened up the box, I was a bit surprised as this was clearly the most aggressive styling I have ever seen in one of their coats. Fascinated by this apparent change in direction, I set off to the tracks to annoy innocent skiers with my seemingly endless and odd stream of coat questions.
The results of this highly unofficial but yet very unscientific trail/airport/coffee-shop survey? This coat slays it with the “in” crowd. It is very shiny and the color was definitely different but I have to admit, I really like it. To be clear, would I have picked this out for myself if I was alone at my favorite local outdoor retailer? Probably not, at least not right away, but would I go buy one now? Yes.
Mountain Hardwear has stuck to their roots and produced a fantastic jacket that is very warm for its size, portable and a great piece for both athletic and casual use. I guess what sealed the deal for me was when a group of female skiers said, “Oh yeah, that look is so hot right now,” and since I consider myself the Steamboat version of Hansel, this coat now seems like a must-have.
Strengths: Very light, best warmth/weight ratio for all of the men’s coats, fastest down the hill in penguin slides, “so hot right now”
Weaknesses: Style may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Outer layer feels like it could be prone to tears, but having said that, despite repeated penguin slides, none of us had any issues with rips, tears or snags. Plus, is it worth it to have a coat that might rip a bit easier but looks awesome? I hope you know the answer to that question by now. If not, please revisit Rule #1.
Buy it if: Style IS your jam, you don’t like being cold, you understand and appreciate >50% of these references.
Bjorn Daehlie
Bjorn Daehlie Easy Jacket
Another iconic nordic brand that we were delighted to review. This was another case in which we only received a men’s coat, the Easy Jacket, so please factor in accordingly the fact that we were only reviewing a men’s jacket. This jacket also took a page out of the independent-thinker handbook, as this was another garment that didn’t necessarily fit the criteria outlined, but we loved it nonetheless.
This is not really a “wear-around-town jacket,” but having said that, it was great at its core mission: nordic skiing. This particular coat was the most breathable and flexible of the entire group, so it was by far the best jacket in which to nordic ski. Now, you may be saying to yourself, “Self, I thought the goal of this review was to find the best jacket to wear TO ski, not to ski IN,” and you’d be correct, but, we did like this coat a lot for nordic skiing.
It is very non-constrictive and perfect for athletes who chill easily or for us normal people on VERY cold days. Would I buy it? Yes, but probably not for around town. It’s a great jacket to have in the quiver for cold skis and still be able to wear in the grocery store without being asked to leave. This of course, begs the question that if you need to wear this jacket skiing, aren’t you therefore predisposed to being cold and would thusly want an even warmer jacket to wear off the tracks? Wow, look at you with the good questions… Fair point though, so if this is all ringing very true to you, you had better plan on buying this and one of the “ultimate puffies” that will be reviewed next month and you’ll be good to go.
Strengths: Very light, flexible and perfectly suited for nordic skiing
Weaknesses: Least warm of all of the jackets, you’ll be “that guy” in the grocery store still rocking his nordic stuff. Speaking of which, didn’t we clearly tell you earlier in this article to stop doing that?
Buy it if: You want a coat you can ski in, you have a Nordic World Cup fantasy team, the first thing you read every morning is Noah Hoffman’s blog and you’re going to ignore me and wear your tights around town for three hours after your ski anyway. This is your look. Own it.
Hopefully this information will help you make an even more informed decision on your next trip to the gear store, which if you are like me, is a regular occurrence — especially this time of year. Don’t forget either, you’ve probably been out training a lot this year (yes, yes, not as much as you’d like, you’ve been SO busy at work, this time of year is crazy, etc.) but still, think about all of those around you that support you in your pursuit of this ridiculous hobby.
Let’s just say that even if you are all set gear-wise (which is doubtful, but for the purposes of the last part of this discussion we’ll accept this premise), maybe you should take all of this newfound brain knowledge and use it for good instead of evil and hook up that someone special with one of the best presents you could ever hope to find under the tree, Menorah, or Festivus pole — a kick-ass “lifestyle” puffy.
Everyone loves a good puffy and remember, there is nothing more important than looking good.
Welcome to FasterSkier’s Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it’s time to go hunting for the perfect presents for the cross-country skiers in your life. Lucky for you, we’re going to make it easier. Scroll through, get some ideas and simply get ready to open your wallet. At least we’ve done the research for you.
We’ve broken up our gift guide into four budgetary segments: Under $25, $25-$75, $75-$200, and $200-and-over. Happy shopping!
There are several options to choose from that will take you to France, Italy and Sweden, but go all-out Norwegian with the “Troll-løypa” – an all-inclusive 200-kilometer journey on meticulously groomed trails from the Rondane Mountains to Lillehammer, Norway. Check out the many options at The Telemark Ski Company
From +25 to -25 this jacket is perfect for most activities, or for layering! Get it here
Indoor training is way better with a SkiErg. Build power and strength during the offseason so you’ll be ready to crush it on the trails. Get one here
The gold standard of ski poles will leave your friend or family member smiling big and skiing fast. Available at GearWest
Sure, they’ve got the Thule ski box on top, but no room for the wax kit, food, and extra gear. Turn a regular SUV into the ultimate ski-trip machine! Available at ProlineRacks.com
The perfect running shoe for winter while trekking over muddy or snowy terrain! Available at GearWest
This iron is the best of the best. Perfect for people who wax a lot or have a taste for the best equipment! Get yours here
Engineers at CXC have been working around the clock using state-of-the-art equipment to develop the first skier-portable snow machine. Using all natural elements, no GMO’s, and zero-carbon emissions, The Snö Maker blows a thin strip of snow right in front of each ski. The secret? Liquid hydrogen. Read more about this exciting new product!
Welcome to FasterSkier’s Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it’s time to go hunting for the perfect presents for the cross-country skiers in your life. Lucky for you, we’re going to make it easier. Scroll through, get some ideas and simply get ready to open your wallet. At least we’ve done the research for you.
We’ve broken up our gift guide into four budgetary segments: Under $25, $25-$75, $75-$200 and $200-and-over. Happy shopping!
Perfect hat for watching races in the cold, or otherwise keeping warm fashionably! Choose your color here
Get your gear to the chalet in style with one of these bags! Browse them here
Choose from 5 different cheese boxes for the cheese lover in your life! Choose one here
Perfect pack for small hikes or adventures! Find it here
Looking for an alternative to your typical gel packs? UnTapped harnesses the power of maple syrup for a natural, healthy endurance food. Easily portable, too! Purchase by the packet or by the box here
Strong, durable bag for carrying anything from wax gear to construction tools for that next volunteering job at the trails! Available at Carhartt.com
Refresh scratched-up lenses without spending hundreds of dollars to replace sunglasses while also minimizing your carbon footprint. Find your match here
Perfect for moonlight skis or snowshoeing, camping and finding things in the dark, and so much more! You can’t miss with this (and kids love them, too!). Find one here
A glove built for the extreme cold, so you can keep those hands nice and warm (and patriotic)! Get a pair in your size
From left to right: U.S. Nordic Ski Team members Andy Newell and Kikkan Randall, and U.S. Nordic Combined’s Bryan Fletcher during the 2015-16 L.L. Bean and Craft U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team uniform unveiling at the Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah. (Photo: USSA)
PARK CITY, UT (Oct. 19, 2015) – Over the past decade the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team have taken pride in their dramatic growth to become highly competitive teams in the sport. Monday, that pride was evident as athletes donned brand new uniforms in anticipation of the upcoming World Cup season from first-year partners L.L.Bean and CRAFT Sportswear.
Over two dozen athletes and coaches gathered at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association’s Center of Excellence training facility in Park City as leaders from L.L.Bean and CRAFT unveiled the 2015-16 uniform kits for the athletes, handing out full sets of winter training wear, warmup clothing, outerwear and competition suits.
It’s the first year of the unique uniform partnership with L.L.Bean, a leading outdoor equipment and apparel designer and merchant, and CRAFT Sportswear North America, renowned for its cutting edge technology in world-class competition and training wear. L.L.Bean is providing insulated outerwear and rainwear, as well as casual products and competition hats. CRAFT has developed customized World Cup and Olympic race suits and performance jackets and pants. The Team has been working out this summer in training wear from both companies.
One of the innovative elements of the partnership has been the close working relationship between the teams’ world class Olympic athletes and L.L.Bean and CRAFT, allowing the athletes to be a part of the performance design process.
“I’ve really been looking forward to the uniform unveiling,” said World Champion Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK). “L.L.Bean and CRAFT have spent a lot of time working with us to design and provide us with products that we need to perform on the World Cup. It’s so exciting to be kicking off this season with the enthusiasm of two great companies.”
“The team has been fired up for today’s official unveiling of our new L.L.Bean and CRAFT uniforms,” said top-ranked cross country sprinter Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT). “This is the first time we’ve been able to work so closely in the design and functionality of our gear, so there is a lot of team pride involved in our uniforming this year.”
“The clothing presentation from L.L.Bean and CRAFT is a great way to kick off the season” said U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team member Bryan Fletcher. “Having all the athletes from both cross country and nordic combined there to discover the new gear for the first time is exciting and really makes the season feel like it’s upon us.”
L.L.Bean provided over 25 different uniform pieces for the athletes, including base layers, custom-made insulated pants, winter training gear and team-branded outerwear.
The centerpiece of CRAFT’s 13-piece competition wear set is the racing suits from its Podium Collection, featuring innovative design and thermal regulation properties resulting from extensive research and development. One of the most important elements is CRAFT’s Moving Wing Technology TM, a wing-like design across the back that helps not only helps regulate the athletes’ core body temperature, but also allows skiers to move more freely and unleash their power into the ski track.
“Clothing is a major factor in our sport today,” said Head Cross Country Coach Chris Grover. “It’s a unique balance of comfort and performance, which is especially important given the high level of athleticism required to win and the extreme, variable weather conditions we face both in training and competition.”
Much of the L.L.Bean and CRAFT gear that the athletes will wear this season will also be available to the public.
“It’s going to be really special that the entire U.S. ski community will have access to all of the same great products being used by the national team,” said Randall. “Fans will now be able to show their support by sporting their new U.S. Ski Team L.L.Bean and CRAFT Sportswear gear.”
The cross country team is in the midst of its final dryland camp in Park City before heading to its opening World Cup Nov. 27-29 in Ruka, Finland. The nordic combined team just returned from a training camp in Slovenia and opens its World Cup tour Nov. 28-29 in Ruka.
HIGHLIGHTS
Over two dozen proud athletes and coaches from the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team were on hand for the unveiling of the 2015-16 team uniforms on Monday, Oct. 19 at the team’s Center of Excellence training center in Park City, UT.
The team welcomed leaders from its uniforming partners L.L.Bean and CRAFT Sportswear.
As a part of the unique partnership, team athletes played a key role in the development of the performance gear from both companies.
Fans of the U.S. Ski Team will be able to purchase much of the same gear from L.L.Bean and CRAFT. U.S. SKI TEAM UNIFORMING
Highlighted L.L.Bean U.S. Ski Team Uniform Products
Wind Challenger Down Jacket
Insulated Pant (custom made for U.S. Ski Team)
Polypro Base Layer
Ultralight 850 Down Sweater Jacket & Vest
Bean’s Sweater Fleece Pullover
Women’s Trail Tech Quarter-Zip
Men’s Crosswinds Training Tee
Men’s Wool Tek FZ CRAFT Sportswear U.S. Ski Team Uniform Products
Podium Collection line:
Active Extreme Baselayers
Active Extreme Windstopper Baselayers
Active Comfort Baselayers
Podium Race Suits
Podium Jacket and Pants
High Function Vests and Pants
Hydration Drink Belt QUOTES
Kikkan Randall, U.S. Cross Country Ski Team
I’ve really been looking forward to the uniform unveiling. L.L.Bean and CRAFT have spent a lot of time working with us to design and provide us with products that we need to perform on the World Cup. It’s so exciting to be kicking off this season with the enthusiasm of two great companies.
It’s going to be really special that the entire U.S. ski community will have access to many of the same great products being used by the national team. Fans will now be able to show their support by sporting their new U.S. Ski Team L.L.Bean and CRAFT gear.
Andy Newell, U.S. Cross Country Ski Team
The team has been fired up for the official unveiling of our new L.L.Bean and CRAFT uniforms. This is the first time we’ve been able to work so closely in the design and functionality of our gear so there is a lot of team pride involved in our uniforming this year.
For me personally, I couldn’t be more proud to be representing L.L.Bean, a brand that has been a staple in the New England skiing community since my youth skiing days. The whole team is stoked to be partnering with these two companies – L.L. Bean for its wide variety of outerwear and CRAFT for its World Cup and Olympic-proven baselayers, race suits and training outerwear. We’ve all worked together to come up with a kit that will look cool and help display our team pride.
Bryan Fletcher, U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team
Both L.L.Bean and CRAFT have long-standing records of making great products – our teams can trust this reputation! We can go into the season confident that our gear will be functional for our specific needs, fit well and withstand all that mother nature can throw at us. Personally, I am really excited for the new partnership with L.L. Bean and CRAFT.
The clothing presentation from L.L.Bean and CRAFT is a great way to kick off the season. Having all the athletes from both cross country and nordic combined there to discover the new gear for the first time is exciting and really makes the season feel like it’s upon us.
About L.L.Bean, Inc. L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading multichannel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. Still family owned, Shawn Gorman, great grandson of Leon Leonwood Bean, was named Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2013. While its business has grown over the years, L.L.Bean continues to uphold the values of its founder, including his dedication to quality, customer service and a love of the outdoors. L.L.Bean products are rigorously tested, guaranteed to last and always shipped free. In the past five years, L.L.Bean has donated over $6 million toward conservation and land stewardship. The 220,000 sq. ft. L.L.Bean retail store campus in Freeport, ME, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and welcomes more than 3 million visitors every year. L.L.Bean can be found worldwide at www.llbean.com, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram.
About CRAFT Sportswear CRAFT Sportswear is a Swedish brand specializing in clothing for endurance sports where performance and comfort are crucial for a good result. Founded in 1973, CRAFT Sportswear is a product of sweat and pain, of wind and rain, of falling and rising, and the euphoria experienced when pushing endurance limits. Whether at the Olympics or at home, in the woods or in the streets, CRAFT always aims for optimal performance. Craft specializes in clothing for endurance sports where performance and comfort are crucial for a good result. Working closely with elite athletes and constantly developing new materials and technical solutions, Craft offers cutting-edge training and competition apparel. Learn more about CRAFT Sportswear at www.craftsports.us, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
L.L. Bean and Craft announced a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Cross Country and Nordic Combined teams on Tuesday, March 31. (Courtesy photo)
L.L.Bean and CRAFT to design and develop
new technical and active outerwear for the
U.S. Cross Country and Nordic Combined Ski Teams
FREEPORT, ME. and BEVERLY, MA (March 31, 2015) — L.L.Bean, a leading outdoor equipment and apparel designer and merchant and CRAFT Sportswear North America, renowned for its cutting edge technology in world class competition and training wear, today announced a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team.
(Photo: L.L. Bean/Craft)
As official supplier to the U.S. Ski Team, L.L.Bean will provide insulated outerwear and rainwear, as well as casual products and hats. CRAFT will develop customized World Cup and Olympic race suits and performance jackets and pants. Both companies will share responsibility for summer training products and base layers.
“We are absolutely thrilled and honored to be an official sponsor of the U.S. Ski Team,” says Eric Schenker, CEO of CRAFT Sportswear North America. “It fires me up to think that Team USA will now join Sweden and other top national teams in representing the CRAFT Sportswear brand on the World Cup and Olympic stage. This confirms that we are producing the world’s most technical and functional apparel and will continue to grow and reinforce this by working closely with these amazing athletes and L.L.Bean.”
The U.S Nordic Ski Team has historically posted strong performances on World Cup and World Championship circuits. Caitlin Gregg and Jessie Diggins took home silver and bronze medals in the 10K freestyle at this year’s FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Falun, Sweden. Nordic combined skier Bryan Fletcher scored a personal best at Falun 2015, finishing fifth in the large hill event. Several of the athletes have multiple World Cup podiums, World Championship medals and Olympic medals, including Olympic Champion Billy Demong and 13-time World Cup winner Kikkan Randall.
(Photo: L.L. Bean/Craft)
L.L.Bean has been partnering with Randall, the most decorated cross country skier in U.S. history, for the past two years. “At the urging of Kikkan, the U.S. Ski Team reached out to L.L.Bean to further this partnership with the entire team,” said Steve Fuller, L.L.Bean Chief Marketing Officer. “This is great recognition of our quality outdoor products as well as our mission to get more kids and families outdoors and active.”
“It’s been great working with L.L.Bean and their development team,” said Randall. “They’ve been really responsive to feedback on products from athletes. Product performance and design is an important aspect of our sport, so we’re lucky to have such great products available through L.L.Bean.”
“When given the chance to partner on this sponsorship with L.L.Bean, the decision was easy,” Schenker said. “CRAFT and L.L.Bean have worked together for over a decade and this will only strengthen that bond. Cross country skiing is in the DNA of our brands and together we will be able to support the athletes with the best possible products from every category.”
The partnership between L.L.Bean, CRAFT and the U.S. Ski Team will continue through the 2018 Olympic season.
The combination of the two iconic companies is ideal for the cross country team,” said U.S. Ski Team head cross country coach Chris Grover. “An important part of the athletes’ success on the track depends on the performance of their uniform. With L.L.Bean and CRAFT, we get the experience, the know-how, and the high-end performance that we need to make sure the athletes can ski to their potential. We have big goals in place for Pyeongchang 2018 and L.L.Bean and CRAFT will be important partners in helping us achieve those goals.”
L.L. Bean and Craft announced a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Cross Country and Nordic Combined teams on Tuesday, March 31. (Courtesy photo)
About L.L.Bean, Inc.
L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading multi-channel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe. While its business has grown substantially, the company remains committed to the same honest principles upon which it was built – a focus on the customer, continuous product improvement and innovation, respect for people, preservation of the natural environment and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. L.L.Bean products are rigorously tested, guaranteed to last and always shipped free. The 220,000 sq. ft. Flagship campus of stores in Freeport, Maine is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and welcomes more than three million visitors each year. L.L.Bean can be found worldwide at llbean.com. Join L.L.Bean on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
About CRAFT
CRAFT is the pioneer of functional apparel for serious athletes. Since 1977 CRAFT has devoted itself to developing innovative clothing built to withstand extreme weather in all conditions. CRAFT works closely with its many sponsored athletes and national teams, and focuses on designing the highest performance gear. The brand’s foundation is its authentic understanding and love for the sporting culture, reflected in its strong involvement in cross-country skiing, biking, running and alpine skiing. Constantly working on optimizing construction technologies and innovative materials, CRAFT sportswear is the ideal training and competition gear for all activities year-round. For more information on CRAFT in North America, visit www.craftsports.us.
About U.S. Ski Team
The U.S. Ski Team, as part of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), develops and maintains teams of world-class athletes for national and international competition, including the Olympic Winter Games. The U.S. Ski Team selects teams in all sports for major events such as the Olympics and World Championships as well as annual teams in many Olympic disciplines. The U.S. Ski Team coordinates nationwide development and elite programs for all competitive skiing sports while maintaining a strong adherence to core values. For more information, visit http://usskiteam.com/nordic
L.L. Bean's CMO Steve Fuller (r) presenting Maine Winter Sports Center President Andy Shepard (l) with an engraved canoe paddle commemorating the company's donation to MWSC's Healthy Hometowns program on Tuesday morning in Freeport, Maine. Photo: L.L. Bean.
On Tuesday morning at its headquarters in Freeport, Maine, L.L. Bean presented Maine Winter Sports Center with a $1 million commitment to its Healthy Hometowns program. The gift is part of the outdoor company’s 100th anniversary celebration, which also included a $1 million grant to the National Parks Foundation and $500,000 that has already gone towards the creation of new athletic fields in Freeport.
The goal of all three gifts is to make enjoyment of the outdoors more accessible to everyone. With its donation to MWSC, it focuses that goal on Maine youth. The gift will be paid out annually to MWSC in $200,000 increments over the next five years, and will allow what was once a ski-oriented program that existed primarily in northern Maine’s Aroostook County to expand to the entire state, be active in all four seasons, and offer access to a multitude of outdoor sports.
“We wanted to do something for the state of Maine, and the theme of this 100th anniversary is getting more kids outside,” said Steve Fuller, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We know Andy [Shepard, MWSC President], and we like what they’re doing in northern Maine. Anyone who has spent a little time with those folks knows they’re doing very cool things.”
L.L. Bean has given away comparably sized donations in the past, but they are relatively few in number. This grant will rank up among the highest the company has ever given, said Fuller.
Shepard, who worked in product development at L.L. Bean before leading MWCS, expressed enthusiasm for the coming partnership between the company and his organization.
“L.L. Bean is respected around the globe for their 100-year commitment to their customers and the state of Maine,” he said. “They probably have one of the strongest brand reputations in the world, and for Maine Winter Sports Center to be associated with that now is an extreme honor.”
The Healthy Hometowns Ski Program began 13 years ago with the inception of MWSC. It represents the community development component of an organization that also has a competitive ski program and owns several ski areas throughout northern and western Maine.
Healthy Hometowns operates on a model of educating volunteer organizations across the state to be able to sustain their own outdoor programs, with the aim that that empowerment translates into leadership in other areas within the community from both its ambassadors and its youth participants. The program has received awards in recognition of its efforts from both the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and the International Ski Federation.
As of this year, Healthy Hometowns had reached 106 communities throughout Maine. With L.L. Bean’s donation, the hope is to quadruple that reach.
“Four years ago we started the process of developing outing clubs instead of just ski clubs,” said Shepard. “We had outdoor leadership programs, and canoe and kayak trips in the spring, summer, and fall. But really our limitation was: we didn’t have any gear. We had to find communities that could round up gear from friends and family.”
“Now, the outreach can be more strategic, larger scale, and accessible to every kid in the state of Maine.”
The partnership between L.L. Bean and MWSC to push for an increase in the accessibility of outdoor sports for Maine youth is in response to the state childhood obesity rate, which has worsened along with the nationwide rate in recent years.
“Maine’s a great place, but the health statistics aren’t great,” said Fuller. “This project goes towards something that is near and dear to the entire state.”
Shepard expanded on that notion: by introducing kids to an active lifestyle, you not only create a healthier population — you prepare those kids for success later in life.
MWSC’s competitive program and its race venues throughout Maine play a role in that overall vision alongside Healthy Hometowns.
“The competitive program assumes that when you have thousands of kids on skis or mountain biking, inevitably those kids will want to see who’s fastest,” said Shepard. “We believe in a commitment to excellence, setting high goals, going about accomplishing those goals, and holding yourself accountable for the results.
“Those are the same attributes required for success in life, and that’s what we’re trying to prepare these kids for.”
Mary Anne Levins of Rutland, Vermont has been awarded the 2010 L.L. Bean Outdoor Hero award for her phenomenal dedication and devotion to youth Nordic skiing in New England. Created in 2007, the award was established by L.L.Bean to recognize individuals working towards the preservation and promotion of outdoor recreation.
Each year, a committee selects six recipients from a pool of submissions. “Out of this year’s many nominations, one name rose to the top of the list,” said Steve Fuller, L.L.Bean’s chief marketing officer, speaking of Levins’ candidacy. “We’re looking for people who inspire us with their commitment to the outdoors”–a commitment embodied by Levins’ years of service to the New England Nordic community.
In addition to the honor of the award, Levins was presented with a tote, a $500 gift certificate to L.L.Bean and a $5,000 check to the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA).
Levins with L.L.Bean staff at the award ceremony. Photo: Abby WeismanA paintball biathlete lines up her shot
Levins has been the Chair of the New England Bill Koch League Committee since 2004, initiated and still directs the Mountain Top Bill Koch League Club in Rutland, Vermont, and organizes the Mountain Top/Tippman Paintball Biathlon, which is the largest paintball biathlon in the country. Levins’ understanding that fun and games are at the root of any successful ski program has brought vigor and passionate involvement to all of the programs in which she is involved. Thanks to Levins, the Mountain Top Bill Koch League holds numerous exciting events like backcountry ski tours and a New Year’s bonfire each winter, keeping youth and families enthused about and in love with the sport.
One of the fundamental ideas promoted by L.L.Bean is that outdoor recreation begins simply with participation and becomes a cornerstone to a healthy lifestyle. Levins’ work with the Bill Koch League and with NENSA have, above all, enabled and encouraged countless children to enter into the world of Nordic skiing and to enjoy spending time outdoors. As one grateful parent noted in Levins’ nomination, “Mary Anne reminds us that success is not based on the finish place, but on the experiences and joy that are had.”
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![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2012/04/IMG_1520.jpg" "L.L. Bean's CMO Steve Fuller (r) presentsorating the company's donation to MWSC's Healthy Hometowns programMaine Winter Sports Center President Andy Shepard (l) with an engraved canoe paddle commemorating the company's donation to MWSC's Healthy Hometowns program on Tuesday morning in Freeport, Maine.")
