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.
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PFC-Free GORE-TEX GORE-TEX has been setting the standard for waterproof, breathable outerwear for more than 30 years. Now, they’re shaping the future of waterproof, breathable outerwear, and it’s PFC-free. The GORE-TEX fabrics we all know feature a combination of materials laminated to a thin membrane called ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) — read more about the different types of GORE-TEX. PTFE is… Read More
We’ve skied just about every generation of the Scarpa Maestrale Ski Boots — and its predecessor, the Spirit Three. In 2023, we likened the Maestrale to the Toyota Tacoma of alpine touring ski boots — a utilitarian backcountry ski boot that gets more capable with every generation. The new 2025 Maestrale turns up the performance with a lighter, stiffer, and… Read More
The Best Home Ski Waxing and Tuning Bench Solutions If you plan to do your own ski maintenance, a solid ski waxing and tuning bench is a must. Between keeping my skis ready to roll, setting up test gear and working on friends’ gear, my ski bench sees a lot of use. So much use that I got creative to… Read More
A Backcountry Ski Jacket for the Ascent and Descent I’m a longtime advocate of ditching a full-on waterproof, breathable hardshell ski jacket in favor of a more breathable softshell ski jacket. Nonetheless, I always keep a waterproof shell in my pack for windy ridge tops and stormy weather. The Black Diamond Dawn Patrol Hybrid Ski Sell walks the line between… Read More
Pack-Friendly Ski Goggle Case Goggles are essential gear for most backcountry ski tours, but packing them is not so simple. Big hard cases are just that, big and bulky. And a simple goggle bag offers limited protection when goggle are in your backpack. Our favorite low-profile ski goggle case for ski touring use is the Niner from Tailgate Industries in Bend,… 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
The Best Backcountry Skiing Mid-Layer Five or six years ago, Outdoor Research made a lightweight fleece mid-layer 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 mid-layer. For those unfamiliar, it was essentially a fleece… Read More
Three Leatherman Multi-Tools with Bit Drivers My backcountry repair kit is on the thin side when compared to many skiers, but I always carry a ski multi-tool in my pack – read more about backcountry repair kits. In my experience, the highest-use tools for addressing boot, binding and unforeseen backcountry ski gear issues are a screwdriver of one sort or… Read More
How Light is Right for a Bikepacking Tent? My first bikepacking tent was an REI Half Dome—a roomy two-person tent with two doors and a bomber build that handles rainy nights and gusty thunderstorms with ease. But at 4.75 pounds, it’s not exactly an ultralight tent. Nonetheless, I packed it for several multi-day bikepacking trips, including the Oregon Outback, and… Read More
A Light, Portable Water Filter for Bikepacking and Adventure Riding Water is a necessity on any ride. Whether you’re on a multi-day bikepacking trip or an epic one-day ride, carrying a small water filter means you are always ready to fill your bottles when there is water nearby. Lightweight, portable water filters are lighter and easier to use than ever…. Read More
I’ve long avoided freeze-dried meals when camping. Instead, I’ve managed with simple camping meals like pasta with pesto. But bikepacking offers limited storage space, and one of the best tips for packing light is to use freeze-dried camping meals. But how do they taste? Dehydrated Versus Freeze-Dried A question that came up while researching lightweight camping meals was: What’s the… Read More
Performance sunglasses can easily cost more than $200. And I’ll admit to being a bit of a sunglasses snob who likes quality optics. But do you really need to spend that kind of money to get great cycling and skiing sunglasses? Thanks to Tifosi Optics, the answer is no; you don’t need to spend $200. You don’t even need to… 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 Arc’teryx Proton Hybrid Hoody The Proton Hybrid Hoody balances light insulation with weather resistance,… Read More
Crazy Light Down jackets are inherently lightweight. But the latest jacket on test redefines what a lightweight down jacket can be. The Crazy Levity Jacket offers a 950-fill insulation rating and weighs in at a scant 7oz / 200g (men’s medium). That’s like the weight of a minimalist windbreaker. It feels downright crazy when you first hold it or put… Read More
GORE-TEX 101 GORE-TEX is synonymous with reliable storm protection. Gore pioneered the waterproof, breathable membrane technology that dominates the outerwear we all use, but understanding all of the Gore options takes some research. How much do you know about the different types of GORE-TEX? Read on to learn the details about 2L GORE-TEX, 3L GORE-TEX, 2.5L GORE-TEX and Infinium constructions,… Read More
