What to take on VBCF tours
The following gear is mandatory:
Skiiers: Skis with touring bindings and skins for climbing slopes
Exception for 2023 due to low snow at Hotham: Tele Skis + Skins (Must have skins. Pattern alone is not sufficient)
Snowboarders: Splitboard setup and skins for climbing slopes
Exception for 2023 due to low snow at Hotham: Snowboard + Snowshoes
Helmet with adjustable ventilation. Check your goggles fit it.
Poles 3 piece
Avalanche kit – avalanche transceiver, snow shovel and avalanche probe
Batteries in transceiver above 50% power
Backpack – 20-30 litres is a good size for day trips. A tool compartment for probe and shovel, goggle pocket and ski attachments are very handy.
Clothing – outer waterproof shell layer (jacket and pants) and multiple inner layers to regulate warmth. No cotton.
Gloves – warm pair for cold conditions and lighter pair for warmer conditions
Googles – magnetic interchangeable lenses are very handy
Sunscreen and lip balm
Water bottle or bladder – drink tubes should be insulated to prevent freezing
Food – lunch and high energy snacks
Mobile phone – keep the battery charged
The following gear is highly recommended but not mandatory in gear check at safety briefing:
Ski or splitboard crampons are very handy to have
Poles with self arrest grip(s) if steep slopes will be skied
Headlamp – suitable for skiing at night
Ski straps – good for securing skis on packs, can be used for emergency repairs
Sunglasses – snow rated ideally
Whistle – pea-less and loud
Navigation equipment – map, compass, GPS
First aid kit – lightweight
A small powerbank is good to have too if you can carry the extra weight
Gear hire
Tirol Sports at Hotham have the following limited BC gear for hire as well as a range of backcountry equipment for sale:
Avi backpacks x 4
Splitboards x 4
Touring Skis x 4
https://www.tirolsports.com.au/
Bumps Elsternwick offers backcountry gear rental.
Touring skis from DPS, Blizzard, K2, Dynafit and Salomon. They are all mounted with a mixture of Market Kingpins, Barons and Tours, Dynafit Radical 2 and G3.
We offer a complete Avalanche pack with includes BCA Tracker 3, shovel and probe.
Out of Bounds rents out avalanche safety gear.
We can do Backpack 50L, 35L and 25L with all Mammut Avi gear.
Discount code for VBCF folks - code in festival registration confirmation email
$72/day for ALL the kit with an 50L or 35L after discount code applied
$60/day for ALL the kit with an 25L after discount code applied
Pickup from Melbourne warehouse in Dingley Village on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday before the festival weekend. Return anytime the following week.
Ring 03 9068 8205 for more details
PENDING STAY TUNED - Mammut may have a rep coming to festival so packs might be able to be picked up from Hotham.