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.
Tip Rise Meets Camber and Control If you’re not familiar with Ogso skis, it’s time to get acquainted. Based in Chamonix, France, Ogso Mountain Essentials is a rising new ski brand that makes a range of very fun and versatile touring skis – read more about Ogso and our review of the Ogso Schwarztor ski, which we awarded a quiver-of-one label…. Read More
Ultralight Insulated Jacket – Patagonia Micro Puff Down vs Synthetic Insulation A puffy or insulated jacket is essential gear for backcountry skiing. Ask a skier if they prefer down or synthetic, and you’ll find less consensus. While synthetic insulation is more durable, stays warm when wet and is better suited to the repeated stuffing and re-stuffing that a puffy experiences… Read More
Fresh Ground Coffee, Anywhere! Coffee, the magical fuel of many an adventure and a daily ritual for many of us. And who can deny that fresh ground beans are the best way to make the best cup of coffee? The art of making coffee in the backcountry and on road trips takes many forms. Regardless of how you make your… Read More
GORE SHAKEDRY GORE set the standard to which waterproof, breathable outerwear is measured, and their latest innovation, GORE SHAKEDRY™, takes everything GORE-TEX is known for to a higher level of performance – waterproofness, breathability and lightweight construction. SHAKEDRY’s distinct design uses a GORE-TEX membrane as the face fabric and a 100% polyamide fabric as a backer. What does that mean?… Read More
Osprey Soelden 32 Backcountry Ski Pack Skins. Shovel. Probe. Layers. Goggles. Food. Water. Check. Packing for a ski tour isn’t rocket science, but dialing in your ski pack for easy access to the gear you want — when you want it — takes practice and a pack with thoughtful organization. The Osprey Soelden 32 backcountry ski pack balances a quick-access… 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 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 issues are a screwdriver of one sort or another, pliers and… Read More
Light is Right with the Black Diamond Cirque 30 Ski Pack I’ve long subscribed to the less-is-more philosophy when weighing design options and choosing a ski touring pack. The fewer zippers, buckles and accessory pockets, the better, in my opinion. The Black Diamond Cirque 30 ski pack fits the less-is-more profile to a tee. Alpine Climb Inspired For skiers who… Read More
Deuter Fox 30 Backpack for kids My kids are reaching the age where backcountry adventure is evolving from a tag-along activity to one where they share enthusiasm. They have reached the critical stage of needing functional backpacks as opposed to a glorified book bag. Enter the Deuter Fox 30 backpack for kids. The Fox 30 is a scaled-down version of… Read More
Hut Trip Packing List Eat. Sleep. Ski. Repeat. Few experiences capture this mantra, like a week-long backcountry hut trip. Waking up with the first climb just steps away from the front door is good living. And few places serve up the experience better than one of the many huts and lodges that make up the Backcountry Lodges of British Columbia… Read More
Outdoor Research Face Mask Review Welcome to the new norm – face mask required. There’s no need to debate or explain. The bottom line is that face mask wearing is going to be with us for the foreseeable future. Lots of great outdoor brands have jumped on face mask production, we thought we’d see what a nice commercially made face… Read More
Camelbak Chase Hydration Vest Review One of the big limiting factors when setting out on an extended adventure ride is water-carrying capacity. It takes a lot of water to stay hydrated on a 100+ mile ride. The obvious solution is a hydration pack. But when traveling light is your goal, most hydration packs are overkill. The Camelbak Chase hydration vest… Read More
Club Ride Mountain Surf MTB Shorts – Adventure Ride Ready Adventure pedaling season here in the Pacific Northwest runs nearly year-round. Come late March, big miles and long hours in the saddle are the norm. Big miles require quality bike shorts. Bib shorts are the style of choice for most roadies and endurance riders, but coming from the mountain bike… Read More
Wacaco Nanopresso – Portable Espresso Maker Strong coffee and adventure go hand in hand. When traveling and backcountry trips require packing your own coffee making supplies, you can go as basic as a cone filter or upgrade to the popular Aeropress. Both methods offer a solid approach to brewing a stout cup of coffee with its own merits. For those who… Read More
DPS Lotus 124 2.0 – Alchemist Edition For the most part, backcountry ski waist widths have settled into the 100-115mm zone the last couple of seasons. You can confidently grab a pair of skis with a waist in the low hundreds for just about any day of touring. Between rocker, sidecut and lightweight core materials, these skis are agile, light,… Read More
G3 Minimist Climbing Skins I’m a minimalist by nature. Less is more has proven to be a solid motto for most things backcountry skiing. Well, maybe not when it comes to the width of my skis, but today’s wide skis help fuel the less is more mantra, because if you’re gonna slide around on 110-130mm underfoot, you better lighten your… Read More
