Patagoniacs

Patagonia Wetsuits in their Online Catalog.

Patagonia just launched it's Full online catalog, dedicated to Surf. 

In this catalog you can see videos, and more info about the Patagonia Wetsuits (which I haven't tested yet, as I couldn't buy one in France). 

Nice Catalog, nice design. The pictures are great and they do not use paper. See more about this initiative on the Cleanest Line

 More about the EDF here

Customer experience ... and copycat. Or, how 2 good ideas are developed on 2 sides of the Atlantic ocean at the same time

If you have a bit of time I encourage you to visit http://www.hoalen.com. 

It's a brand I mentioned few years ago when they started. Since then they grew up ... 

When I was in New York City few weeks ago I visited the Holister shop. Holister is one of the brands derivated from Abercrombie. The stores, the sites, the clothes ... everything is strongly driven by a real marketing strategy to create a customer experience. 

When I visited http://www.hoalen.com/# I noticed several things: The music on the site (like the music in the Holister shop). And a "vintage" trend, also visible in Holister's fashion lines. 

Hoalen has a "real" surf/watermen positionning, while Holister is absolutely not acting in the surf business (I never saw Holister in a surf shop, or any ads in a surf magazine, still it's been a long time since I read a US surf magazine). They have ambassadors (like Patagonia), a blog (like Patagonia) ... Well, it looks like these guys are taking the best practices and apply them ...

Today I really wonder who's the egg, who's the chicken and who started first on this path ... 

I never tested Hoalen's clothes. I wonder if they are at the same level than Holister or Patagonia's one ... Will check that and will tell you. 

Buy it or not ? The Go Pro Camera.

Equation: 

Days of surf per year : Less than 100. 

Will to take nice pictures: 8/10

Possibility to take nice pictures from the shore with a big zoom : 5/10

Cost of a Go Pro Camera: 150-300 Euros. 

Goof Digital reflex camera: 500-1000 Euros

Zoom: 200-300 Euros 

Result with a Go Pro Camera: 

So, what do you think ? Should I buy a GoPro Camera ?

Alaia shape session in Cardiff

Crotte de zut ! Oups, excuse my French, but, stucked in Moscow, I realize how far I am from Cardiff, and the possibility to go to Patagonia's store and ask for an Alaia shape ...

More here

Surfart

Nice pictures there : MIACS 2009

This kind of art means something to me :-). 

 

Ice Climbing - The hottest coldest thing ever !

I spent some days in the French Alps, in Samoens and Chamonix and had a chance to practise Ice Climbing. After a one hour walk in the deep light powder snow (damned, I did not took my mountainering skis with me this time !!! ), with the guide, we arrived on some ice cascades in the Area of "la pointe de Salles".

The sun was shinning, but not for us :-) Effectively, when you practise ice climbing, you should not forget that it's all about ice, which means : cold zone ! 

Just imagine : put your hands and head in the congelator, holds the ice cubes, and at the same time, try to screw something. Well it will give you an idea of what it may be for your hands to climb on these beautiful ice cubes. 

Despite the cold aspect of this sport, it's a very nice feeling and you understand quickly that it isn't about strength, but about feelings with the ice. Where will you place your feet, your ice axe, your equipment, depending on the structure of the ice, on the noise it makes when you hit it, on the color. 

As I said, it's cold ! So, if you decide to test this sport, then takes your usual mountain equipment, plus, wear a down jacket over your storm shell, fleece, and underwear. Plus do not forget to have warm gloves, but which lets you screw, unscrew, hold, etc. And this is not an easy compromise to find. 

Also, always take a guide who knows the area, because, he will be able to tell you if the conditions are good or not. The accidents which happenned in January in the "cirque du fer a cheval", were partly due to the fact that the foen (a warm wind in this area), had an impact on the top part of the cascades. So if you want to reduce the risks it's better to take a local guide. If you go to Samoens, Sixt Fer A Cheval, you may contact Christophe Rezette. 

If you go climbing in Chamonix, you may contact Thomas Faucheur (thanks for the picture Thomas). 

Next week

Next week I should be there !

Hope I'll be able to try some Ice climbing in the nice spot of Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval. 

Still, I hope that if I do Ice Climbing I'll be luckier than the people who died few days ago there ... Read the article here. 

Looks that this season is risky ...

Ice and Rock

Bouldering in Fontainebleau is always a good moment, but I discovered something new last week-end : bouldering and ice!
The air temperature being negative, around -2 or -4, some rocks had a bit of ice in the most strategic places...
It changed a bit the steps I had to make to climb.

Next time, I'll try the dry tooling technique :)))

Patagonia wetsuits : Details and video

You always wanted to have a clear description of the new Patagonia wetsuits ?

Then click on this link and watch the video (be patient, it is worth it !).

Thanks to 70percent.org for the info !

 

Bosu, Thai Bo, Spinning

No, I am not trying to learn Chinese or Japanese slang. These are just the names of some sports I tried in a fitness club, because, yes, unfortunately, I have not find any other option to practice sport in Moscow.
It was a good surprise for me to go to these sessions. The common point is that you have ONLY girls at these lessons :-) But believe me, it isn't for sissy !
Spinning :
Take 10 to 15 people, put them in a small room on bicycles which looks like the latest anti-technology system created by some vicious torture specialist. Take a teacher (usually a good looking and smiling girl). And begin to ride your bicycle during 30 min, 45 or 1h15. It's unbelievable the things you can do on such simple bicycles. That's a very good training for the week-end rides on my brand new old cannondale ! For those looking for a good interval training session, definitely, it's the good thing to do.

Thai Bo :
It looks like Thai Boxing, it smells like Thai Boxing, but it is not Thai Boxing. It's only the training, the repetition of the moves. Speed, strength, rhythm, coordination. Great training, in between the interval training, the self defense training in the Army, and a fitness course. If you have not practice any "explosive" sports since several weeks or months, it'll be hard to get up the day after your first Thai Bo Training. Definitely good for speed, interval training, coordination.

Bosu :
Stands for "Both Side Up", it's a half ball on a platform. It's incredible the silly (but hard) things you can do on this. This is great for balance training, keeping the body straight. That's perfect for coordination, balance, breathing. Good training for sports like surf, snowboard, but also climbing.

I just need to had 2 hours of swimming per week on this program, and I'll be ready to attack the spring waves season in a perfect mood !