In the end of the day, you can research resorts, you can watch gear reviews without ever leaving your sofa. I mean, why would you go to a ski show, 

Well, we've just been to Manchester, haven't we, for the Northern Snow Show, and it, there was loads of people there, there was loads of energy there. And I think having that connection with people is really important. It makes a massive difference, doesn't it?

Absolutely. But I guess in the end of the day, a show has to earn the visit

Definitely. And with the, London Snow Show coming up soon, it's gonna be really interesting to see how that goes, isn't it?

So hello, and welcome to the first edition of the season of the Whiteout Podcast. I'm Dom, publisher at In the Snow Magazine, and with me it is the very special, it's Rob Stewart. How are you, Rob?

Oh yeah, I'm good. Great, it's been a, long, hot summer, hasn't it?

Wow, indeed. 

looking forward to a even longer cold winter.

Oh, let's hope so. it has definitely been a warm one, hasn't it? And it's still warm out there now. It's October and it's still quite warm, isn't it?

Yeah, [00:01:00] but you know what? We'll talk a little bit about this edition of the podcast, our first of season six, right? there's some exciting things happening in the mountains. talking about snow.

Oh, it's what we just wanna talk about. as you say, we've just been to the Northern Snow Show in Manchester where we took the Whiteout on stage for a live podcast. It was good, wasn't it? it was busy up there. All the brands at the bottom of the ski slope and loads of stuff going on in Chill Fact- not Chill Fact anymore, the Snow Centre Manchester, I should say.

It was good, wasn't it?

it was great. And it was great to get up there, and thanks for anybody that tuned in, on the day to sit there listen to us go on about this winter season. which we're gonna do at the London Snow Show as well.

So if you are visiting the London Snow Show, make sure 1:00 PM Saturday and Sunday you're on that main stage, because we'll be there

this podcast to life

So that's Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th of October. So yeah

and we had some good questions from our audience members as well, asking us about things that, that they wanted to know about this winter past winters. good to do, and we'll be doing that again, as we said, in London.

That [00:02:00] was my favorite part, was having people sitting there actually asking you real questions about their season ahead and sharing where they're gonna be going. It's just something you can't get just by scrolling on a screen, having that live environment. Even here today, wouldn't it be so much nicer if we had an audience of people chucking their questions in at us?

we are gonna debate this a little bit later, in this show? We are gonna talk in a bit more detail about whether these snow shows are worth going to, right? People are listening to podcasts, they're going online, they're buying things online. Are snow shows still worth going to? I definitely thought the Northern Snow Show was worth going to. 

Absolutely. let's get into it, So the London Snow Show is back at Olympia on the 17th and 18th of October, as we said. And we're gonna be doing a live Whiteout Podcast on both days. There's loads going on there. We're also presenting a sort of question of snow with Chemmy Alcott there. I think it's gonna be a good show.

Is it the 50th year? is it 50 years at, not at Olympia, but 50 years of the London show?

of the SnowShow. 

and we're bigging ourselves up a little bit here, aren't we, But, [00:03:00]actually when you look at the list of people that are gonna be at this SnowShow, you just mentioned Chemmy Alcott there, but there's also Mia Brooks.

go and see Mia talking. And I remember many years ago, helping to give an award out to Mia when she was 12 years old at the SnowShow when it was back in Battersea. So Mia's there.

Charlotte Banks. And I gotta say the Ski Club of Great Britain are awarding Charlotte Banks and Hugh Nightingale the, very coveted Perry Award. That's P-E-R-Y. Look that up online because it, there's a, an incredible list of names that have won that award over the years, and they're gonna be, giving that award out to Charlotte and Hugh.

Obviously gold medalists at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games in the snowboard cross. Matt Weston. 

Yeah

Dave Ryding, of course, ski racer will be there as well. Eddie the Eagle, right? these people are gonna be there. You can go and meet these, 

to meet them. Roran Smith, of course, always there doing his coaching stuff. so he'll be there as well. and the newcomers, Molly Butler opening the [00:04:00]SnowShow this year.

Amazing

Molly, one of the up-and-coming ski racers. And Zach Carrick-Smith, one of the Carrick-Smith brothers, he's gonna be there as well.

All those amazing names, top of the bill is us on the Whiteout Podcast live at 1:00, on the Mountain Theatre both days. 

It's gonna be fun. I think it's gonna be great. There's plenty of tickets available. You can get down to the show, see all these people. So many stands and exhibits and destinations and gear to be had. I'm pretty excited, if I'm honest. Most years I get to the point where I think, "Really, do I need to do another ski show?"

I'm actually excited

Not far off.

I started going as a child back in the 1980s.

Did you?

I think '85 maybe was the first time I went to the,

So it could be your 40th year. Could be your 40th year then

You- you're like Peter Pan. You don't look old enough to be going for 40 years

Thank you, 

Yeah

I think we, I think we actually appreciate that more now, the fact that we can do these things, 'cause we know that, we just took them for granted.

Absolutely.

So what else have we got then, We've got some,

what about the [00:05:00] snow?

Yeah, let's have a quick chat about the snow because, we are now heading towards the middle of October, and things are suddenly starting to change in the Alps.

It's really good news. There's a weather front coming in. it's relatively cold. So today, which, today we're gonna see snow falling as low as 1,500 meters.

Okay

but above two- 2,000, above 2,500 meters, sig- significant snowfall. Up to 40 centimeters falling at that altitude.

Wow

And this is more on the western side of the Alps. So like places like Zermatt, the glacier there should see a really nice snowfall over the next couple of days.

that's exciting

Solden is gonna open, I think, in about a week's time, which is really good news 'cause obviously they've got the World Cup there on the 24th of October, and they need that to be snow than there is right now.

suddenly looking really positive.

So come on, would you book a ski trip in November? I don't mean book it. Would you go?

Oh, yeah. definitely. I've been skiing in November. You have to pick ... you can't go [00:06:00] everywhere. Obviously, it is pretty restricted. But if you're looking at s- somewhere like Zermatt or maybe Disalp or Hintertux and those kind of glacier resorts, yeah. if ... I think you probably, you wanna wait until you know what's happening. But I think it's done this so many times, hasn't it? We've been looking at the dryness. obviously we did have a lot... Take away the fact that we had a very warm summer, and take away the fact that we do see the glaciers disappearing in front of our eyes.

Imagine. 

it'd be nice quiet slopes, wouldn't it? And if you just imagine if you hit that right, it'd be it'd probably be pretty quiet. You could have a really good ski around. It'd be really good, wouldn't it? It'd just be almost like having a destination to yourself 

Yeah, and obviously Val Thorens is one of the first resorts, probably the first major resort to open up properly, non-glaciated resort. and that's gonna open up during November. so that last week of November in Val Thorens, actually have a whole week

Yeah

at the end of November. Good prices on accommodation. and clockwork, I can't [00:07:00] remember, I honestly can't remember off the top of my head a time when they've said, "Oh, actually we're not opening 'cause there's no snow."

No

there has been years where it's a bit like, it's not fully open and we've got some artificial snow and it snows and I often go at the very end of November to either Val Thorens Tignes. I go out with, Action Outdoors and we do a trip and we've always had snow conditions

Yeah. Yeah. all of the resorts have announced their opening dates. I wonder if they'll hit them. That'll be interesting to see, and it's just a case of keeping an eye. Think we got an Instagram post that went out the other day that's listing all the opening dates, the planned opening dates. So it'll be good to see, we'll be reporting what those snow conditions are like and what skiing looks like actually out on the hill.

That's what we want. We wanna see pictures of people out doing it

Yeah, I love it. I love it.

Are we done on that? Where's the snow?

I think we're done with snow.

So Ski Magazine's opinion piece, you seem to be getting yourself into a bit of a rant again. You know what you're like, you go off on [00:08:00] one. look, you do like a rant. and in Ski Magazine, the American magazine, they had this opinion piece, we love the Alps, but the skiing is a bit meh.

what's that supposed to mean? the writer says she's skied in the Alps over half a dozen times and argues that much of the lift-accessed area and skiing is pretty underwhelming unless you get a guide. really? Come on, let rip. Let's do it

Yeah. Samantha Berman actually wrote this article over a year ago now, but it just popped up on my feed very recently. They must have reposted it. Ski Magazine, it's an American ski magazine, and Samantha starts off by saying, I've been to the Alps half a dozen," oh, maybe over half a dozen times.

So let's say six or seven times she's suggesting. And that's the first thing I think, unfortunately, most people from this country that are, that call themselves skiers have been to the Alps a lot more than half a dozen times. And, you and I, Don, who've been going to the Alps for, a l- a long time. I've visited, I've done 10 ski seasons in the Alps, and I've, visited [00:09:00] countless hun- hundreds of times, over the years. and so I think our opinion, I'm just gonna say, Samantha, maybe... Look, I want, the first thing I'm gonna say is come skiing with us and we'll show you some good skiing in the Alps, okay?

'Cause clearly you've missed that a little bit over your half a dozen times that you've experienced, the Alps. and yeah, I think, look, the great Ski Magazine, right? So Ski Magazine's a fantastic magazine and, I think just going for a little bit of controversy here to try and get people talking about this, which is working 'cause we're talking about it,

yeah.

look, come on. the skiing is a kind of meh. seriously, the So you're basically writing off the entire Alps as being meh. So I think what she's saying is yeah, but look at the free ride skiing in places like Big Sky that's super accessible, or Jackson Hole, or places like that, that where in the States you can go in bounds terrain, you don't need a guide, and you can hit this incredible terrain you're not skiing off-piste.

and I [00:10:00] get that argument. I get it 'cause I've experienced that as well, and it is amazing. you have got this amazing terrain North America that the ski resort says, "Hey, that's within our boundary and you can go there."

Yeah, I have to say that 

Do you need a guide? that's a really interesting question. That's a really interesting question, and I think everybody covers their backs by saying, yes, always go off-piste with a guide. And I get that. and yes, I would also say always go off-piste with a guide or an instructor. It doesn't have to be a mountain guide, right?

let's just take the French Alps, for example, where there's tons of free ride terrain like the Three Valleys, in places like Val d'Isère and Tignes, in Chamonix, obviously. some of the- we're talking about some of the best free ride terrain in the world, and I'm sorry, that's more than gonna compete with, resorts in North America that we're talking about.

I guess there's an element of, when ... And a very keen North American skier, and I think there's something about skiing in North America that has that element of freedom associated with it. You don't [00:11:00] feel like you've got, that forget free ride for a minute, but thinking about the piste markers telling you where you can ski and everywhere else is deemed as Death Valley sort of thing.

You can't go anywhere outside of those, piste markers. Whereas when you're skiing in North America, you do have that very free feeling of being able to mix, in inverted commas, free ride, but it's still within boundary and you're still protected, you're still, cared for, if you like.

And it does have that very wide, expansive free ride feeling for every level of skier. Every level of skier can go between the trees, hit the bumps, the side hits a little bit, and still feel like it's, controlled and patrolled, And guess

that's her angle

Yeah, no, get that and I agree. however, that doesn't mean the skiing is 

That's it then. She's right.

look at amazing piste skiing honestly, what you have to do, and this is a really interesting part between... 'Cause we are seeing a lot of Americans, coming over to Europe now to [00:12:00] ski as well, to experience something that's a bit different to North America. And I guess it's really interesting to for them to understand the differences between where they're used to skiing in America what you can do, in, the Alps to to also experience this incredible terrain that's around. yes, it isn't, it is marked on piste, and then soon as you leave those piste markers, you are technically off-piste, right? doesn't mean that you can't go off-piste, and it doesn't mean you can't go off-piste with a guide. But obviously have to know where you're going. you have to make sure that where you're gonna be going is safe. we were always told never to, just follow tracks in the snow, if you don't know where you're going, and of course that's very sensible advice. And it is a good idea to get Fra- in the French Alps, for example, any fully qualified instructor is allowed to take people across all sorts of off-piste terrain away from the pistes, okay? There are clear rules. the French Alps, for example, you're not, ski instructor even at that [00:13:00] highest level who can take people piste cannot take people off-piste on glaciated terrain, okay? So that's very clear. But we, I don't know the percentages of off-piste compared to glaciated terrain in most ski resorts in the Alps, but there's, vast amounts of glaciated terrain the Alps where people can take people off-piste. and is very easy to see stuff between the pistes and things like that.

gotta respect that not in a controlled area.

we can empathize with what she's saying in terms of that, that look and feel of, skiing in North America and how it feels very expansive. And I do understand that maybe if she skied in America for 20 years and then she's come to the Alps once or twice, which I think she's probably, I don't know, maybe at the most half a dozen times, that she might feel it's got a very different feel to it.

And I think it's the same for us. when you've skied in the Alps for 20 odd years and you turn up to North America and you think, wow, that's a big area that you can ski, and no one's telling me that I can't go here or there. [00:14:00] Literally, there is one boundary rope right the way around the top, and actually I can do anything else, which is a very exciting prospect.

So I guess I can see both sides of the fence. I would never say, come on this podcast and say the Alps is a bit meh. the Alps, people travel from all over the world to come and ski in the Alps. They got people coming from Japan and New Zealand and Canada and North America to see the Alps.

It's rugged, isn't it? It's rugged. It's full on. very cool

I guess it's that headline that's ugh. It's

Yeah

on. that, that's what it's meant to do, right? It's meant to get us talking. So I'm just gonna give a quick bit of advice to Samantha and any American skiers that are looking to come over to the Alps, okay?

Because there are differences. Like in America, if you hire a guide, it can be very costly. And obviously mountain guides the French Alps or Switzerland or Austria or Italy are also, they're, are not cheap, right? But if you have a group then that can work out well, price-wise.

also ski schools, that have group lessons that take people specifically off-piste all of the time,

that's different to, North America because in North America you won't get normal ski schools, and I [00:15:00] believe this is the case, you won't get normal ski schools taking their clients backcountry skiing, right? Okay. Which is ... So there's this little bit of disconnect between what is what does that mean? What is off-piste? What is backcountry? but in the Alps you can go to a, just a group lesson if you're an individual, and that's not gonna cost an absolute fortune, and experience all this terrain, if you're a good enough skier to do that of course.

Yeah

and, and difference. And maybe Samantha and some of the Americans don't realize that you can actually do that. there's, you could go to Ski Club of Great Britain and join, one of their, group, off-piste courses for example experience that, and you don't have to take out a private mountain guide.

And I think the key difference between North America the Alps as well. You can join these kind of groups and experience all this terrain, group environment which is obviously more controlled and safer, and people know where they're going. and then you can learn a little bit about the terrain.

And once you learn that terrain, there's no reason why you can't go off-piste without a guide, okay? [00:16:00] Now that's another altogether and a debate, it comes down to, the dangers of avalanches and all of that sort of stuff. But of course, once you understand the terrain and you know where you're going and you're a good, skier, and you can deal with that terrain, yes, you can.

You are allowed to go off-piste without a guide, right? As long as you've got the right

Of course, yeah. Yeah

there are no rules to say you can't go off-piste without a guide.

I think we just need to say, Samantha, hit us up at the White Podcast. We'll take you skagging in Europe, and we'll show you not

That would be great.

meh.

Anyway, I didn't really rant, did I? But it was a good 

I think you've ranted enough, 

think you were on about a 65% rant.

Okay.

Yeah. I measured you to see what, percentage of Rob rant you were at. I think 65% is pretty good. Anyway, onto ski shows. So

Yeah

imagine neither of us work in the industry.

Would you buy a ticket? Would you travel for the day? it's a commitment for you, isn't it? What is it, two and a half hours into [00:17:00] London

yeah, three hours into London for

Three hours. So would you spend three hours traveling up to the ski show? big into skiing. You are big into skiing, but you're not in the industry.

Would you do it

Yeah, 100%, because I used to do that when I was not working in the ski industry. I started working in the ski industry as an 18-year-old, but when I was 16 and 17, I for sure was, like, on that train

In the,

London

in those days though, we're talking about shows that lasted 10 days long. Princess Diana, I heard Princess Diana opened one of the ski shows. bloody hell. I know.

how good does it get? So in those days they were a spectacle, weren't they? So what about today? how about today?

Yeah, there's different reasons, isn't there, for going to a show. And I think if you... think there still is that element of people that do ski seasons and they ha- they say, "Hey, let's meet up at the Snow Show," because it's a great place to meet, we can have a few drinks, and it is a social thing, and I think that still exists today.

I still hear from [00:18:00] seasonaires that have, coming back and say, "Oh yeah, we'll meet at the Snow Show on the Saturday." 

And 

there's a Saturday at the Snow Show which is quite social.

I think

it is a social thing. And I think also,

All the talks that are going on. there's how many stages at the S- There's at least three different stages at the Snow Show in London, talks, back-to-back talks going on all of the time, right? and those talks are, it, it's really interesting, and you can go and talk to the people that are doing those talks afterwards as well, and have proper interactions with them, and ask questions. that's not something you can do online. people, we're doing a podcast now. Hopefully of people are listening to. But, they can't come back. They can't... That's what I like about podcasts, actually. we can just blab along, can't we? And no one actually a- no one actually comes, but, we can just talk as much as we want.

But it's very interesting. I had a conversation yesterday with the printer of the magazine, and this is relevant. I know it sounds irrelevant, but ... And he said, "Oh, how does the magazine look?" I said, "It looks great, but let's face it, everything can look great on a 32-inch iMac [00:19:00] screen. What- the only way I'm gonna really know whether it looks great is when it's in my hand."

And I think that's the same. you, everything, every destination, every piece of hardware, every jacket, every helmet, every goggle can look incredible on a screen because you've got that lovely polished glaze that makes everything look incredible. But arriving at the ski show and seeing things for real is the real world.

IRL, Rob, IRL. you have to turn up to a show to experience and talk to people who live in the destination, who live and breathe it, or they, they've been involved with the production of a jacket or a ski or the development of a goggle or whatever it may be. I just think that sort of stuff, it, for me, it can't be replicated.

It cannot be replicated online. And I think even more so now with the amount of, I don't know about you, but when I'm looking at my phone, is that true? Is that for real? Does that, is that really the case? I'm not sure. more and more every day, I'm unsure as to whether something is actually genuinely the case, and I disbelieve [00:20:00] more and more content than I'm reading online

Yeah. No, I agree with all of that. and, it's also, it's a very interesting point that it goes back to trust. Everything goes back to trust, and that's why I think today those personal connections with people are so important. we might use AI a lot in our lives, we might be online a lot in our lives, but, we don't actually always know what's real and what isn't real.

and having those conversations. there's ski resorts coming over from America to this show. gonna be there for those two days, and these are the people that live and work in those ski resorts in America. they're making a massive effort to come

And Japan and Norway.

and the Alps.

Yeah.

there's a French village. Now,

the Me Alps.

here about whether we should be going to snow shows or not, and obviously we are naturally fans of the snow show. And I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna say some of the things that obviously I guess people are looking at and scratching their heads a little bit, and it's like, I gotta get the train.

It's gonna take me two hours to get to London. [00:21:00] That's a bit of a hassle." over the weekend it's gonna cost... for me, if I wanna go both days, that's 30 quid, to get a ticket. Although, just gonna say look around, 'cause there's some pretty good deals to get tickets out there,

Yeah

they're making it easy to access the snow show.

You get a free m- free magazine on the way in

things else going on, Can I be bothered these days?" Whereas before, like the only time you could actually get that information, or you could see what was a new ski boot coming out, or you could get a deal on a holiday, was to go to the snow show.

It's just different, isn't it?

to last for 10

it is a commitment. It is a commitment to go. You do get a free magazine on the way in through the door. That's a pretty nice thing, and a couple of goodies in the bag. You get plenty of people giving away stuff as you walk around the show. You get a free T-shirt and a hat, and you get to go on a game.

There's lots going. There is plenty going on. There's loads of great advice. You get to meet Olympic athletes. I have to say [00:22:00] that there have been shows in the past that I think have fallen short of delivering for a ski show visitor that's traveled two or three hours. I think there has been shows that have fallen apart.

But you know what? I think there's been quite a turnaround. I know it's only been one year back at Olympia. This is the second year back at Olympia. I do think it's turned a corner, and I do think it had the vibe last year with the apres band playing, and lots of activities going on. if there was one thing you were gonna bring back, would you bring?

other thing that's back this year is the fashion show, which I think is a massive return, and that's gonna be super exciting to see. But if there's one thing that you would bring back, what...

such a big thing in the day, and I do remember, the CNA fashion show.

there you go. Yeah.

God.

if they'll bring that back this year

wanted to go and see that, And I remember my first ski suit was a CNA

Oh

suit at the age of, I think, 14

Let's get a picture of that on the YouTube because, people can watch this on YouTube. We can see you 

yeah,

your [00:23:00] ski suit, 

I might have one of those actually. And, was bloody awful ' cause when it snowed, you got quite wet. technology has improved quite a lot. Nothing against CNA. Everything was in those days not quite where it is now.

Maybe this year it'll be the,

yeah, I loved,

fashion show. Maybe this year it'll be the Lidl fashion show

Yeah, maybe it will. And,

or the fashion show

coming back, which I think is, really good. So they're bringing the fashion show back. I think a lot of people, of people might say, we wanna see skiers. we wanna see the big air. We wanna see those freestylers doing flips."

And building a jump is, for two days tough thing to do. maybe that will come back one day. I think that will be

for people live action, like that. If you're gonna go there for a day, There's plenty of talks on which are really interesting. including ours at 1:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Just saying. people are going there to get information, aren't they? We see that. We saw that last year, and I agree, Olympia's, it feels like we're back home,

Totally

but people are going talk about ski holidays [00:24:00] with, with destinations or tour operators. People are going to look at some of the equipment that's coming back and getting a good deal on some ski clothing, and looking at the new skis that's, side of things. would I go?

So you come back to your original Would I go if I was a keen skier? I would. would 'cause I do like those kind of events, and I do like the interaction with people like meeting up people I know. And even if you weren't in the industry, you could meet a friend and and talk about skiing for an afternoon and have a couple of beers.

Yeah.

A- and you know what? E- even as not a keen skier, if, what, when we say keen skier, what you mean is I go, 100 times a season. If I was just going once every year or once every even couple of years, I would say to my mate, "Look, it's in the perfect bit of London. You've got great bars and a few beers being given away, some great music.

You can get to chat some destinations." Ski gear's just generally cool anyway, isn't it? Looking at jackets and helmets, and all that's just very cool. 

I'd be ... If I worked in London, I'd be walking down the road with a pair of Bollé goggles on and a [00:25:00] nice new, helmet. So I just think that it's a day out.

It's definitely a day out. go up there, have some fun. if you're not what I would call a massive keen skier, and you're just someone that goes maybe every couple of years, I just think it's just a good, fun thing to do, unless you wanna just be a hermit and sit and look at your phone all day

Yeah. I think we agree on all of that. listeners or viewers, if you're viewing this on YouTube, we are not being paid by The SnowShow to say

No.

And we don't run the show.

But obviously for us, different. We are in the industry. we will catch up with loads of people, that we know.

We are doing a talk on the stage, and all of those kind of things, so of course we're looking forward to it.

Yeah, exactly

do think it genuinely offers something. It's the only snow show... it's not the only snow show we've got. We've got the Northern SnowShow obviously in Manchester, which is a different kind of vibe at the snow center in Manchester. But, it's the only sort of big commercial dedicated winter sports event that, for consumers, that we have in the UK. It's two days, if you're a skier and you can get to London [00:26:00] relatively easily, then for me it is a no-brainer to do

Yeah.

you're gonna learn a lot, you're gonna see a lot. hopefully come away going, "Yeah, that was a really worthwhile day out."

Yeah, exactly

find a ticket code online if, 

At In the Snow. Look at inthesnow.com. We've got tickets. We've got tickets.

Yeah.

So moving on from that into gear, This week we're not gonna be covering specific pieces of gear, but what we can do is talk about what can you get. when you're looking at ski gear, helmets and goggles and all that sort of stuff, it's thinking about what you can get when you're actually in person looking at gear, whether that be in a store or at a ski shop.

thinking about the fit of something, the weight of it, what type of controls it's got, the construction of something. Useful questions, things that you can talk to brand experts about. there's nothing like, for me, picking up a new helmet or a pair of goggles. Why is it a pair? I don't understand that.

Two eyes.

Oh, I know what you mean. Yeah.

or a ski jacket. testing the zipper and, checking the powder skirt. Does that work for me? Is it, are the [00:27:00] wrist gauges a bit tight? You can't beat that, can you?

no, you can't. And not the best person for buying things online, actually. I do like to go and feel something and see something. And, rarely buy clothes online, to be honest. I can see that. 

really should be wearing clothes today. it's terrible.

I said, "I can see that. You really should be wearing clothes today. It's awful."

Yes. no, actually wearing a brand-new... I only put it on yesterday for the first time, a brand-new Snowfunnel. Just a little shout-out Snowfunnel, 'cause they're a great brand, British brand, and they make these lovely merino wool ski jumpers. And this one's got a bit of a sort of Austrian-y kind of feel to it.

went out last night just for a couple of beers, only two, with my wife because there's an October beer thing going on, Oktoberfest thing. And I put the Austrian-style jumper on, and I'm still wearing it now.

Very nice. Is it black or navy?

Pardon?

is that black or navy

It's very [00:28:00] dark. I'd say it's a very dark gray.

Oh, is it?

black.

Yeah,

still in surf mode, so I've got my Woodys from Portrush, surf jumper, but I will be moving into ski gear as we move into the podcast, that's for sure.

gear

the important thing is I was looking at I'm gonna get myself a new ski boot this season. I'm gonna get the Salomon, S/Pro Alpha C BOA, right? A 130 flex. and it's a new boot from Salomon. It's got BOA on the cuff, not on the foot, which is quite interesting.

So BOA's traditionally been put on that foot

foot. What Salomon have done with this boot is actually said, actually people really people, like me, the buckle, over the foot. They like that buckle control. But actually the BOA around the calf, it's really gonna give you that nice micro adjustment around, calf. And that sounds great to me. I haven't tried these boots yet, but for me that makes a lot of sense. And, I was looking online. Obviously you can... I'm gonna go to Ellis Brigham to get them fitted, right? [00:29:00]important part. I'm not gonna buy them online and then hope for the best with the size.

I'm gonna go to that store and spend two hours in there getting properly fitted with that ski boot, because that is the really crucial part,

Yeah

and Ellis Brigham sell them online on the website, so

Of course, yeah.

if that's what you wanna do. But still would absolutely recommend going into the store and getting fitted. then, sometimes the person in that store might say to you, "Hey, look, I know you want the Salomon S/Pro Alpha C BOA. Great boot that it is, but actually we've just measured your feet and we think that this boot might be a little bit more suited to you." And, and that is the way works because every boot manufacturer does have slightly different, like some are wider than others, some are narrower.

it's really important. Now Salomon happen to fit my feet. Lange happen to fit my feet really well, and Salomon happen to fit my feet really well. know that I'm gonna test this boot [00:30:00] anyway. know Salomon fits me. So I'm pretty confident and I'm gonna say to the shop, no, I'm sorry, I'm not listening to your advice. I want that boot please." And they'll go, "Okay, that's fine." or they might say, yeah, it fits your perfectly." But they might say, we don't think it's the best boot for you, but okay, if that's what you want, we're not gonna argue." Right?

we invite our listeners to let us know any gear that they wanna talk about for this season that they want us to review or take a look at. We've got lots of helmets and goggles and jackets and pants and all sorts of stuff that we're gonna be looking at this season, which will be pretty exciting.

And you'll be able to see them on the YouTube channel as well, if you wanna watch like that. we've got a new part to the, podcast this season, It's our final part of the season. We thought that it'd be fun inviting seasonnaires to write to us and tell us about some of their crazy confessions, the Seasonnaire Confessions.

which better confession to start with, than maybe you? You've been a seasonnaire multiple times, haven't you?

out of the 100, confessions that probably could give you, what one do you want? [00:31:00] obviously, so doing a ski season, I suppose it, has that, things happen, don't they? They, because it, because of the way that,

You're beating about the bush, Give us your confession

Oh gosh.

so many things have happened. All right. okay, here's just, it's just a funny... I don't know if it's a... it's not really a confession 'cause it's, not a secret. just gonna tell a little story about, Mardi Gras. It's a big holiday event in Switzerland, and everybody goes out partying.

And in Verbier everyone does fancy dress,

Nice

And the whole town dresses up, and you go out doing fancy dress stuff. And, went out on Mardi Gras had a brilliant time. I'm talking a few years back now. I was in my 20s the time. I was working as a ski instructor in Verbier and off I went for the night out. Anyway, being a single guy in my 20s, I, found myself in the morning in a chalet that wasn't my own home. [00:32:00] Just... The

Okay

was I'd slightly overslept,

and I was still dressed,

Oh,

in, your Mardi Gras outfit? Oh, as you do.

And I went, "Oh, damn. I've gotta be at work in 20 minutes, where am I?

Oh, I'm the wrong side of town. I've gotta get back to my place, into my ski clothing, and get my ski boots, and run down to the lift station to meet my clients." And I don't like being late. I am, I'm always on time. So I jump out of bed, put my robe on, my Luke Skywalker robe, lightsaber. I run out of the chalet in the snow, freezing cold, but who cares? And there was a bus. Thank God for that. I got on the bus. And if Verbier, I was right down somewhere in the bottom of the town, and the bus went to Medran, which is the lift station, which I eventually had to get to. However, it didn't go to my chalet.

I had to change buses [00:33:00] at Medran. time I got there, all my clients and the entire ski school were standing at Medran

Lovely. Just as you got off the bus.

in my Luke Skywalker costume and lightsaber.

I love it. I'm gonna teach you to ski, my friend.

I was. Waving the ski school manager and the clients. Said, "I'll be, only be 10 minutes." Oh my goodness. 

it was embarrassing. It was embarrassing at the

I want to hear from anyone who has been instructed by Luke Skywalker, in the last couple of decades. that must be a one-off story, I do like that. I love the thought of standing there waiting for my instructor turning up, 'cause you're always a bit... It's always a bit of jeopardy, isn't it?

Are you gonna get someone who looks like they know what they're at, or are they gonna look like they, they should be fire for the day?

to see Luke Skywalker turn up would've been... I suppose it could've been Yoda

it, yes, you saying that I could have pulled that off, Tom? clear- [00:34:00]clearly I think, thought that for the night looking like Luke Skywalker was gonna be a better option than looking like Yoda, and clearly it worked out quite well for me

Could be on your lesson saying, knees bent they should be

Oh, that, I don't think I actually ended up in that chalet ever again.

Oh, don't you?

moved on from that one.

we look forward to hearing more season air confessions. We have got some good stuff already in the bag for the season, from posh wine being poured into cheap wine bottles, through to various changing of beds between, chalet staff and, other chalet staff, let's say. but that's more to come throughout this season.

We've got some some very cool stories. Some that I think both of us raised our eyebrow and thought, "That cannot possibly be true." but in fact, they are actually true stories. So that's pretty exciting to come. That's it for this episode, follow the White Podcast wherever you listen, and watch the full conversation on YouTube if you want to.

You can even see where we're sitting in our new little podcast setup. I like it. I could put my glass on. We could be like the Two Ronnies at the end of this, We could say it's good night from him, and it's good night from... Is [00:35:00] it, is that how it goes? It's good night from you, and it's good night from him

Yes. And think it does. I, it's been many years since I've seen the two Ronnies, but I, we could be I don't know, the... What are we? we're, we're Dom and Rob. Yeah, we're just throwing rump. We're just throwing rump

like that. I don't know. Something like that.

Well, that's it from the White Out Podcast. Make sure you follow along. Go on

Sorry. Yeah, just been great. First episode of the season. We're warming up,

up. But this is the episode 94, right? Episode 94, season six. we've got lots more episodes to come, this season. We're gonna be out on the snow, of course. We're gonna take the we're gonna take the white out to the snow a little bit this season. And we've got a few other little extra interesting announcements to make as we go as well.

Yeah.

Yeah, we've got some good stuff coming in the podcast. We've got some great people coming on the show. We've got, both of us out on snow this season, which is gonna be exciting. And, we've obviously got the video version as well, so you can go and watch this on YouTube, and I think you can watch it on video in Apple or in Spotify or [00:36:00] something.

But that's gonna be pretty exciting as well. So yep, there we go, Good for another episode. And, make sure you follow along. Leave us a review. That's super important. We need as many reviews as we can get. That's always really handy. And next time I see you, we will be at Olympia.

Yeah.

See you in a couple of weeks.

Cheers, Dom.

Cheers. Bye-bye.

Bye