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 baselayer. 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, but… Read More
Dr Ken Libbrecht is the world’s expert on snowflakes. From stunning snowflake images to the movie Frozen – his photos and knowledge of snowflakes have appeared around the world. Learn more about the man behing the snowflake books and the science behind snowflakes in this video – The Snowflake Mystery See more ski movies
The Best Backpacks Keep it Simple Backpack design is a funny thing. Designers are always looking for new ways to reinvent the wheel. When, in my opinion, the hallmark of a great backpack is simplicity. The newest Patagonia SnowDrifter 30L ski pack nails it with a clean, user-friendly and ski-ready design. It also happens to be made with 100% recycled… Read More
Light, Playful Powder Touring Machine – The 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 us… Read More
The 2022 Scarpa Maestrale AT Ski Boots Renowned for balancing uphill walkability and downhill ski performance, the Scarpa Maestrale ski boot is like the Toyota Tacoma of ski boots. It’s versatile, utilitarian and appeals to a wide range of skiers. You can find bigger, burlier boots. In fact, too many people overlook the Maestrale in favor of the stiffer Maestrale… 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 double meaning…. Read More
Lightweight and Powerful with a Wide-Ranging Walk Mode Alpine touring ski boots need to balance weight, power and durability with walkability, flex and comfort. Generally speaking, the more powerful the ski 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… 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
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 that it’s… 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, fit — the list goes on. How do you decide which goggles are best for you? Without getting too bogged down in the tech, we recommend narrowing down the lens shape that suits your budget… Read More
Go Light. Go Breathable. Go Far. You can backcountry ski in a fully waterproof, breathable hardshell ski jacket and pants, but I’m not sure why so many people do. Waterproof membrane shells like traditional two- and three-layer GORE-TEX — or any of the myriad of alternatives — are essential when skiing at the resort. However, they’re just not necessary for… Read More
Time for a Skin Reglue? Is your climbing skin glue a gooey mess? Do your skins leave sticky residue on your ski bases? Does your skin glue lose its effectiveness as the day goes on? Failing skin glue will put an early end to an otherwise great ski day. Whether your skins have seen too many uptracks, you’ve abused them… Read More
2021 Skier Gift Guide What are you going to get that hard-to-shop-for skier on your list? We’ve got you covered with skier gifts large, small and literary. Happy Norwegian – Mr. Grippy – $119 Waxing your skis is easy when you have a good setup. If your favorite skier likes to wax and tune (or aspires to), Mr. Grippy is… Read More
Outdoor Research Trailbreaker Ski Pants Review As the song goes, “You gotta get up to get down,” and skinning uphill tests more than just your legs. It tests your outerwear, too. Unlike a jacket that you can change as needed for the up and down, you’re gonna wear the same pants all day. As a result, backcountry ski pants need to… Read More
