TOP GEAR WITH...
Alex Chapman
In the first of our new Top Gear series, where some of the world’s best ski instructors and mountain guides reveal their best-loved and most wanted items of winter kit, Alex Chapman, instructor and director of TipTop Ski Coaching in Les Deux Alps, shares her top gear picks for the coming winter.
MY MOUNTAIN MUST-HAVES
TIPTOP BUFF £12
A buff is ideal for keeping your neck warm, putting on your head at lunch time if you’re too hot, pulling up over your mouth and nose on lifts to act as a makeshift mask… I usually have two buffs on so I can be extra warm and extra versatile!
HESTRA MITTENS, WITH INNER GLOVES £90
I’m a cold person so I definitely have to have mittens but I love an inner glove so I can video my clients without losing my hands!! These HESTRA Patrol Mitts have hard-wearing goat leather in the palms, the insulated polyester liner is easy to remove and clean, and the neoprene wrist cuff keeps out the cold.
MAMMUT BARRYVOX TRANSCEIVER £349
I don’t go out without my Mammut Barryvox transceiver – it’s an essential piece of kit for enjoying the off-piste and powder and should be worn even if you’re just jumping into a little bit of pow to the side of the piste. I believe Mammut transceivers are the best - my husband is a pisteur and they’re issued with the same ones, which is good enough for me! It’s a good idea to own your own transceiver so you can practice with it and get used to your machine, as they all work slightly differently.
MY LUST LIST
ORTOVOX ABS BAG £610
I always carry my Ortovox Free Rider 22 ABS bag when skiing off-piste; first and foremost for my safety. Although I never take risks off-piste, avalanche safety isn’t an exact science, so accidents can happen and an airbag could well save my life. I regularly ski off-piste and see my airbag as part of the equipment required to do this. I wouldn’t go without my transceiver or shovel or probe and therefore I wouldn’t go without my airbag - they come as a package! I have found my existing Ortovox pack very comfortable and would like to upgrade it to this season’s newer, lighter version.
DYNASTAR M-LINE SKIS £537
This winter, I’m lusting after the Dynastar M-PRO skis. They’re part of the brand’s new M-Line portfolio, which features four different freeride skis ranging from 90-105mm underfoot. I have chosen the M-PRO skis, with a 99m waist, as they are the most versatile in the range for me - great both on- and off-piste – and thus perfect for full a day of teaching with a mix of clients. Featuring a hybrid core construction, the M-PRO combines the lightness of poplar wood and the contact feel of polyurethane, while a light-weight titanium insert delivers power.
PGHM-CONNECTED RADIO
My final buy for the coming season is a radio that connects directly with the PGHM (Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne or French mountain rescue). This is now an essential piece of kit for skiing a bit further afield off-piste but don’t worry: it’s not something you need to buy but rather something you need to make sure your guide or instructor has with them! I have two Hytera PD565 DMR radios . The one I carry is connected to the Grand Reseau des Alpes, which allows me to connect directly with the PGHM or mountain rescue here in Les Deux Alpes.