Welcome to the home of the backcountry skiing blog from Off-Piste Magazine. Here we post backcountry ski gear reviews, feature stories and avalanche safety advice, plus ski news, events and more.
Ever feel like your waterproof jacket looks like it’s getting wet? Well, that’s because it is likely getting wet — on the outside anyway. Here’s why: Your jacket’s DWR (durable water-repellent) finish is worn out. All waterproof, breathable jackets (and pants) include a DWR coating, even when they feature a waterproof, breathable membrane like GORE-TEX.First, it’s essential to understand that… 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
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
Winter 2022-23 Ski Season Forecast It’s that time of year! Time to start dreaming about winter. And what better way to fuel your backcountry powder skiing dreams than to obsess about long range weather forecasts, La Niña vs. El Niño and the latest temperature trends in the equatorial Pacific that directly influence the big picture weather through the El Niño… Read More
Mountain Bike Movie Trailers 2022 Get out that chain lube. Tune up those deraileurs. Air up those tires. Grab your helmet and get on your bike . . . As summer heats up, it’s full speed ahead for bike season. Here are a couple mountain bike movie trailers to motivate ya to grab that bike. Biketown: A Story of Mountain… Read More
Headlamps for Backcountry Skiing Have you ever tried to finish a ski tour in the dark or found yourself chasing daylight through the woods? Darkness takes on new meaning in the forest far from trailhead or home without a headlamp to light the way. Ounce for ounce, a few pieces of gear can get you out of a jam with… Read More
Made for Big Days Traditional backcountry ski packs get less attention in this age of avalanche airbag packs. Airbags certainly have their place, but so do regular ski packs. For example, the Gregory Targhee FT 35. It’s a ski pack that’s ready for big loads, overnight trips and technical objectives. Targhee Pack Design The Targhee FT 35 is a traditional top… Read More
Artilect Boulder – Next Generation Merino Baselayers Your layering system is only as effective as its foundation. So, it pays to wear a good base layer. Breathable, sweat-wicking and quick-drying baselayers are the key to staying warm, dry and comfortable when backcountry skiing. I’ve tried countless baselayer materials over the years — synthetics, merino, blends. Synthetics breathe and wick well,… Read More
Lightweight and Powerful with an Excellent Walk Mode Alpine touring ski boots must balance weight, power and durability with walkability, flex and comfort. Generally speaking, the more downhill-focused the boot, the less walk-friendly and heavier the design. The new La Sportiva Vanguard ski boots break that trend by being lighter and more powerful than similar boots while setting a new… Read More
Light, Playful Powder Touring Machine – The DPS Pagoda Tour 112 RP In the words of DPS, “The best untracked snow is worth walking for.” And that’s the motivation behind the new DPS Pagoda Tour skis, including the Pagoda Tour 112 RP. Following in the playful powder tracks of their lightweight Tour 1 skis, the design wizards at DPS bring… Read More
Essential Backcountry Equipment — Climbing Skins Climbing skins don’t get nearly as much attention as skis, boots and bindings when building out a backcountry ski kit. Nonetheless, skins are essential equipment for backcountry skiing and deserve some real consideration. The big questions when looking for skins are: What’s the best plush — nylon, mohair or a blend? What’s the glue reputation?… 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
Featherweight Tech Binding DPS adds to their touring binding lineup this season with the DPS R10 tech binding. It’s a lightweight yet descent-minded AT binding that weighs in at a featherweight 260 grams (9 ounces) each. It’s a binding for all-day tours and quick skin track laps alike. The R10’s weight and appearance might lead you to assume it’s another… Read More
Made in Utah – The New DPS Pagoda Tour DPS Skis set a high bar for dedicated backcountry ski performance when they launched their Tour 1 ski construction in 2015. The Tour 1 skis married their proven profiles with a lightweight paulownia wood and carbon laminated core. The result is some of the lightest skis in their width class. They… Read More
Using Terrain to Your Advantage – Seven Terrain Tricks Safe backcountry skiing starts with a big picture perspective (plus reading and understanding the local avalanche conditions report). Experienced skiers often reference terrain as trumping hazard. In fact, “The snowpack is the problem, and the terrain is the solution,” is an old ski guide’s adage that informs a lot of backcountry decision-making…. Read More
