Just wanted to post a quick note on the BCA Alpine Trekkers. I picked up a pair of these on CL a couple of years back to get a taste of life beyond the ropes and they held massive appeal because they can xfer between sets of skis. After half a tube of Gorilla Glue, two zip ties, some well placed duct tape and TWO long ass hikes in beautiful snow to get back to the resort I have formed the following opinions:
PROS:
- Even though I picked em up used on CL - BCA was amazing about replacing broken parts (Yes – in addition to the aforementioned “creative engineering solutions”)
- They were very inexpensive. Getting equipped for backcountry skiing/splitboarding can seem like a daunting financial hurdle, especially if it turns out not to be your cup of tea.
CONS:
- They are awkward as shit! Like climbing on high heels.
- I can honestly say that at least 50% of the time I took these out for little slackcountry missions something managed to break on them…seriously! I have pondered whether this was due to buying them used, but there were parts that BCA replaced on these that managed to break.
CONCLUSION:
I truly believe that these are dangerous. I have been fortunate to not be too far from the resort when these have broken – but I would never recommend putting yourself in a situation where you must rely on this product. Please think twice if you are considering this product and always travel with a partner when tackling the backcountry.
P.S. - I don’t mean for this to be a knock on BCA by any means. As I mentioned, the customer service is outstanding and I have had no issues with any of their other products.
PROS:
- Even though I picked em up used on CL - BCA was amazing about replacing broken parts (Yes – in addition to the aforementioned “creative engineering solutions”)
- They were very inexpensive. Getting equipped for backcountry skiing/splitboarding can seem like a daunting financial hurdle, especially if it turns out not to be your cup of tea.
CONS:
- They are awkward as shit! Like climbing on high heels.
- I can honestly say that at least 50% of the time I took these out for little slackcountry missions something managed to break on them…seriously! I have pondered whether this was due to buying them used, but there were parts that BCA replaced on these that managed to break.
CONCLUSION:
I truly believe that these are dangerous. I have been fortunate to not be too far from the resort when these have broken – but I would never recommend putting yourself in a situation where you must rely on this product. Please think twice if you are considering this product and always travel with a partner when tackling the backcountry.
P.S. - I don’t mean for this to be a knock on BCA by any means. As I mentioned, the customer service is outstanding and I have had no issues with any of their other products.
