Archive | Gear Reviews

Check out Off-Piste Magazine’s expert ski gear reviews, including backcountry skis, AT ski boots, tech bindings, avalanche beacons, avalanche shovels, ski jackets, backcountry ski pants, ski packs, headlamps, AT ski boots, crampons, climbing skins and more. We use the gear we write up, and the reviews here represent the best of the gear we’ve tested.

marker kingpin review

Marker Kingpin Binding – Review

2015 has been the year of the tech binding. The G3 ION, the Fritschi Vipec and the Marker Kingpin have all hit the market. Marker is the first big player to offer a significantly new take on the traditional pin-tech style heel attachment. The Marker Kingpin is essentially a hybrid binding featuring a tech toe and an alpine heel connection. The Kingpin’s… Read More

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g3 ion ski crampon

G3 ION Ski Crampon

G3 ION Ski Crampon I’ve been using the G3 ION tech binding this season in the backcountry and at the ski hill with great results. Given our less-than-stellar winter, I found I was in need of the ski crampon for the ION for a few adventures. Although the ski crampon functions much like any other AT binding crampon, the G3… Read More

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fritschi vipec 12

Fritschi Vipec 12 Binding Review

The Fritschi Vipec 12, having weathered a few initial glitches last season, hit the market in 2015 refined and I’ve spent the past couple months logging hours on the current model in the backcountry and at the ski resort. The bottom line is that Fritschi has set themselves up as a viable player in the tech-binding market and the Vipec offers… Read More

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ski test tuning

2016 Backcountry Skis – Ski Testing Part II

2016 backcountry skis – Ski testing part II In keeping with the first ski testing post’s focus on 2016 backcountry skis with 90-99 mm waists, here are a few thoughts on skis with waist widths in the 90’s. Generally speaking, for West Coast backcountry skiers, a mid-90’s waist on a backcountry ski is considered on the narrow side and remains a quiver… Read More

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paranormal skis

Paranormal Skis – Smithers, BC

I spent the day testing a pair of handcrafted Paranormal Skis in Smithers, BC up at the local ski hill, Hudson Bay Mountain. James at Paranormal has been designing and building skis for about four years in his self-built workshop. His passion for the design/build process is as impressive as the equipment he has created in his shop. From his ski… Read More

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binding inserts

Binding Freedom Inserts

Binding Inserts There are a couple of solutions available for skiers looking to swap between two sets of bindings on a single pair of skis or use one set of bindings on two pairs of skis, Binding Freedom and Quiver Killers. I recently installed a set of Binding Freedom inserts to accommodate Marker Tours and Dynafit Radicals on a set… Read More

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waterproof snowmobile bag

Waterproof Snowmobile Bag – Giant Loop Torngat Tunnel Bag

Along the Highway 20 corridor in the North Cascades, snowmobiles provide valuable access to backcountry skiing and having a solid set-up to keep your gear dry and attached to your sled is paramount. Giant Loop from Bend, Oregon makes a  great waterproof snowmobile bag that suits backcountry skiers well. A quality gear set-up prevents the miles-long yardsale of gear and helps mitigate some of… Read More

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dynafit patrol jacket

Dynafit Patrol Jacket – Review

The Dynafit Patrol Jacket is a lightweight, minimalist shell designed for all-weather touring using Gore-Tex Active 3-layer fabric. As a longtime softshell jacket convert, it’s the rare day that I seek the protection of a waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex type shell. So, when the Dynafit Patrol Jacket arrived at the office, I wasn’t convinced of its utility. Nonetheless, it was noticeably light. In fact,… Read More

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Avalanche beacons search image

Avalanche Beacon Testing

We’ve been practicing with an assortment of current model avalanche beacons for an upcoming article in the print magazine. The bulk of our testing has focused on mid-level beacons aimed at solid recreational users like the BCA Tracker 3, Barryvox Element, Ortovox 3+ and Pieps DSP Sport. All of these avalanche beacons feature three-antenna technology and a signal marking function (suppression… Read More

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dynafit vulvan pant

Dynafit Vulcan Pant

The Dynafit Vulcan Pant arrived here at the office this fall. It’s a new softshell backcountry ski pant and part of a broader line of clothing that Dynafit launched in the US this year. While I haven’t had them on snow too much yet, I have put them through the paces this fall. I’m a firm believer in softshell pants for… Read More

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Buried by Ken Wylie

Buried by Ken Wylie – Book Review

Here’s the review of the new book Buried by Ken Wylie that appeared in the October issue. Buried by Ken Wylie Rocky Mountain Books – $25 January 2003 was a deadly month in British Columbia’s Selkirk Mountains. A total of 14 backcountry skiers and boarders died in the range that month in two separate avalanche accidents. The first incident took… Read More

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2017 editors' choice ski reviews

2015 Ski Reviews – Off-Piste Magazine

Our 2015 backcountry ski review is a fixture in the first issue of the season (due out Oct 15) but, to help fuel some winter dreams, we thought we’d share some of the details about a few favorites skis from testing. These are our official Editors’ Choice boards.  Subscribe now to get the October issue with our full reviews and lots… Read More

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scarps freedom sl

Scarpa Freedom SL Review

I’ve run the Scarpa Freedom SL for a full season of testing now, and it continues to live up to its first impressions as an incredibly lightweight and touring friendly alpine ski boot. I do not see it as a dedicated touring boot for a devoted backcountry skier but rather as the best of the crossover boots that provide alpine… Read More

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marker kingpin review

Marker King Pin AT Binding

The King Pin, Marker’s new tech-style AT binding is making waves across the internet this week. And for good reason, it sounds pretty cool. The tech toe is similar to the growing crop of tech binding options, but it’s the heel unit that looks to set the King Pin apart. It’s got a full TUV Din certificate for one. Second, it’s… Read More

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airbag packs

Avalanche Airbag Packs – What’s New

When avalanche airbag packs first began hitting the North American market, they were expensive, heavy and somewhat awkward in design compared to non-airbag packs. Airbag pack design, however, has evolved quickly the past couple of seasons and, though they are still spendy compared to a traditional ski pack, fit, design and pack options have come a long way. As evidenced… Read More

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