Whenever preparing to go in the backcountry Voile straps are a ski touring necessity and the first thing I throw in my bag.
Now you would think one is okay but in all actuality I bring 4 straps on every backcountry trip I go on. This post will focus on a few trips that Voile ski straps saved from what could have been disastrous situations and why you need them.
What is a Voile strap
Voile straps are a strap made of tough stretch polyurethane and a buckle at the end and it is used to repair gear, secure loads and bundle things together. A simple design put together 30 years back but has remained the same over the years. Chances are you have seen them all over the place and not even noticed.
Scott Mcallister, Kyle Miller, Seth Holton and Frankie Choltco-Devlin getting ready to do the Pickets Traverse and we all have Voile straps
The History of the Voile Strap
This is the brain child of Mark “Wally” Wariakois the creator of Voile. When he first created the company he was having issues with his skin glue not holding while testing gear. He came up with the genius idea of making a plastic strap with a connection like a belt buckle and the rest is history.
How to use a Voile strap
It’s quite simple just wrap it around whatever you are trying to secure. Put the tail end through the buckle and tighten it as strong as possible. You can stretch them as much as you can but I have never heard of one breaking in the backcountry. Once it is tight and secure you are good to get back on your ski tour.
A few reasons why Voile straps are a ski touring necessity
Have you ever had a skin failure in the backcountry while ski tour? Putting a voile strap under the heel of your board and the skin will stop slipping around.
Want to put you Splitboard or skis on your pack while bootpack up a couloir? Connecting both the tips of the skis with a Voile Strap will secure the load.
Ever have to bash through a forest with your skis on your pack? Connecting the board tips will make it so you only have one spot to worry about snagging you skis on a tree compared to two.
Accidentally burn your boot liners in a fire and have to climb 4000 feet to get back to the trailhead? I’ll explain this one later in the post.
Happy to have a Voile strap to keep my tips connected for our final ascent after riding the couloir directly above the board.
Why bring Four Straps into the Backcountry?
If you have ever experienced a skin failure while on a ski tour it can change the whole trip dynamics. I’ve been on so many trips where the skin glue is nonexistent by the second lap, but with two straps connected to the tip and two straps connected to the tail my skins weren’t going anywhere. Now I am a huge advocate of low angle skin tracks and with them not under the feet I still get to keep the most important thing on a pair of skins…..the glide.
If on a steep skin track a simple Voile strap under the foot will keep them locked down and you can head towards your next lap.
Voile straps save the day on night two of five on the Poets Traverse
A ski tour where Voile straps saved the day
A few years back I was on a solo 5 day ski traverse in Mount Rainier. At my last camping spot my skins were having issues so I left them out of the hole I had dug to sleep in, so the morning sun would regenerate the glue. The next morning I went to grab my skins only to find that one had blown away during the night. Here I was in the middle of nowhere with one final climb to get out and only one skin.
I pondered the situation for a little bit and came up with a plan. I would connect all four of my Voile straps to my skinless board and hopefully get enough traction to get out. While the board had no glide it worked beautifully and I was able to make my way around and get out. Without the Voile straps I would have been post holing to my waist but they saved the day.
Where is my skin and how am I going to get out of here
Another Epic Failure Where Voile Straps Saved the Day
My friend Scott Mcalister and I were on the last night of a 3 night trip to Mount Goode. We had set up a small fire and I left my boot lines a foot away from the fire and fell asleep. The next morning I woke up to find that they had disintegrated in the fire. Here I was about to climb 4000 feet with crampons and had no boot liners.
I pondered what to do for 30 minutes before deciding to wear all my socks, put my extra down coats in my boot and cinch it all down with a Voile strap. For the next four hours I carefully climbed up the mountain side steeping with my crampons on. With the Voile strap I was able to tighten my boots around the ankles and they felt snug and secure.
For my final descent down the opposite side of the mountain they made riding possible. This trip could have been a catastrophe but they saved me big time.
In Conclusion Why Voile Straps are one of the Most Important Pieces of Gear During a Backcountry Ski Trip
Simply put they are worth there weight in gold. I’ve used them on the hill and off the hill for endless amounts of reasons. From securing my board to a car rack to securing my boots to my feet. If there is one piece of “save my trip” gear it is the Voile straps. I used to joke when I was doing talks at Splitboard festivals that they could pay me in Voile Straps and I was partly joking. At a minimum two straps can save you from skin failure but 4 is the perfect number. It will be the best 28 dollars you ever spent on backcountry gear. So in conclusion Whenever preparing to go in the backcountry Voile straps are a ski touring necessity.
I trust Voile straps enough to anchor my Kayak and gear with it.
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