Gift ideas for the skiers on your holiday list ‘Tis the season. We’ve compiled some of our favorite skier gift ideas to help seed your holiday shopping plan with fresh ideas. Black Hole Gear Tote Bag – $69+ A tote bag, you say? Don’t laugh; totes are awesome for hauling gear to and from the car on day trips. The… Read More
Backcountry Ski Gloves Backcountry skiing is a lesson in temperature regulation. You must dress lightly enough to climb uphill without overheating and heavily enough to descend without getting cold. It’s all about layering and de-layering to match your effort. And your hands are no exception. It’s the rare day that you can wear the same gloves to climb up and… Read More
Go-To Midlayer for Backcountry Skiing Five or six years ago, Outdoor Research made a lightweight fleece midlayer called the Deviator Hoodie. They only made it for a couple of seasons. If you were lucky enough to own the original Deviator Hoodie, you know how great it was as a ski touring midlayer. For those unfamiliar, it was essentially a fleece… Read More
Breaking trail, traversing a ridge, transitioning for a descent — backcountry skiing is all about being on the move. Energy output, temperature and weather conditions constantly change, and you need to stay comfortable through it all. That’s why we praise versatile, breathable jackets — like the new Arc’teryx Proton Hybrid Hoody. The Proton Hybrid Hoody balances light insulation with weather… Read More
For those old enough to remember the 90s, it’s hard to believe that fanny packs have returned. Sure, they’re called hip or waist packs now, and they’ve evolved on the features front. Nonetheless, I’ve been slow to embrace the waist pack trend until recently. Turns out they’re pretty functional for mountain biking and adventure rides. Hydration Waist Packs for Mountain Biking… Read More
Pack Light. Go Far. It’s the rare day that look at a fellow backcountry skier’s pack and think, “Wow, that pack looks light and efficient.” More often than not, I wonder why a pack looks so big or full. Packing light, or packing smart as I like to think of it, is about more than just having the lightest weight… Read More
Breathability vs Weather Protection When evaluating waterproof, breathable ski jackets and pants, the question is rarely how waterproof they are; rather, it’s whether they are actually breathable enough to keep you comfortable while working hard on the skin track. Breathability, however, is a somewhat relative term. We all heat up and sweat at different rates, and some breathable membranes are… Read More
I’ve worn a lot of different ski jackets over the years—waterproof, breathable shells from the biggest names in outdoor technical apparel—Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Outdoor Research, Norrøna, Dynafit, Black Diamond, Helly Hansen, Stio, etc. For the most part, they’ve all done a great job keeping me dry and protected in stormy weather, but very few have fit the way I wanted them… Read More
It’s that time again. Here’s our annual guide to cool gifts for skiers on your holiday list. Skier Gifts $100+ Give-r 4-Season Leather Gloves $119 We are big advocates of leather ski gloves, and it’s hard to beat the simplicity, durability and price of Give’r Gloves. They’ve got several glove and mitten options, but if you just want one pair… Read More
Easy On, Easy Off — Hybrid Climbing Skins Most of us have struggled at one time or another while attempting to pull apart climbing skins stuck glue-to-glue. Sure, they eventually pull apart. But it’s no fun to struggle with them. That’s where the BCA Hybrid Climbing Skins come into the picture. The word hybrid in the name has a double… Read More
Happy Norwegian Ski Waxing and Tuning Stand If you don’t wax your own skis, it’s time to start. Thanks to the creative folks at Happy Norwegian, ski waxing at home and on the go is easier than ever. Mr Grippy is a portable ski waxing and tuning stand for home and travel use. It works almost anywhere. Works With All… Read More
Sharing the Stoke – Backcountry Skiing with Kids “I can’t go any further,” my six-year-old son exclaims with the added drama of excruciatingly slow forward shuffles on the skin track. “Let’s regroup and take a break at the larch tree just ahead,” I offer encouragingly as I look over my shoulder to gauge the whereabouts of my wife and daughter… Read More
How to Store Climbing Skins, Skis and Avalanche Beacon for the Summer When it comes to storing your climbings skins and backcountry ski gear for the summer, a few easy steps will make sure your backcountry equipment is ready to roll when the snow flies in the fall. How to Store Climbing Skins – Summer Gear Sorage Tips Proper summer… Read More
Leather Ski Gloves Can Do It All Put your skins on. Take your skins off. Buckle your boots. Loosen your boots. Adjust your bindings. Open your pack. Eat a snack. Take a photo. A typical day in the backcountry asks a lot of our gloved hands – far more than a day at the resort. Backcountry ski gloves must be… Read More
What are the Best Ski Goggles? What makes one ski goggle better than another? It’s a combination of factors, including lens shape, optical quality, venting, tint and, of course, fit. How do you decide which goggles are best for you? Without getting too bogged down in the tech, we recommend narrowing down goggles by fit (small/medium/large), lens shape and style… Read More
