Every season the ski gods bless us with more new goodies than you can shake a stick at and this year is no exception. Touring boots are better than ever, more lightweight tech bindings keep hitting the market, and as always there are new skis to test drive. Here are some of the highlights of […]
Hot New Backcountry Gear for 2019/2020 Read More »
I needed a new go-to touring pack this year for day trips and ended up going with the 32 liter version of the Mammut Spindrift. I have a smaller pack for quick trips (the Ortovox Trace 25 – review upcoming), but on colder days with lots of extra layers to pack or on longer journeys
Mammut Spindrift 32 Ski Touring Pack Review Read More »
Avalanche Airbags are all the rage these days and with good reason. The chances of surviving a slide with an airbag is way higher than without. This article will give readers a bit of background on avalanche airbag packs and then look at the best avalanche airbag packs in 2019. There are options for many
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In our roundup of the Best Tech Touring Bindings in 2019 we mentioned a new tech binding: the Fritschi Xenic 10. Fritschi was well known for years as the manufacturers of the ubiquitous Freeride frame touring bindings. But recently they’ve made waves with the Tecton and Vipec Evo touring bindings, which are hybrid tech bindings
Fritschi Xenic 10 Touring Bindings: Overview and First Impressions Read More »
Looking for some new carpets to get you up the skin track? Well you’re in the right place. There are more options than ever for climbing skins in 2019, and this guide will help you separate the good from the bad and choose the right skins for your adventures. Skins are a critical piece of
Best Climbing Skins for Backcountry Skiing in 2019 Read More »
With Black Friday coming up later this week – one of the best times of year to get discounts – I thought I would put together a wish list of some of the best deals to be found on backcountry gear. Whether you’re searching for new skis, boots, or a new transceiver you’ll find discounts
Best Black Friday Deals on Backcountry Gear Read More »
This is part 2 of our 3 part series on the best bindings for backcountry skiing in the 2019/2020 season. Part 1 of our best alpine touring bindings series looked at 50/50 resort/touring bindings and this looks at the best tech bindings (also known as pin bindings). Part 3 will take a quick look at
The Best Alpine Touring Bindings in 2019: Part 2 – Tech (Pin) Bindings Read More »
Although there aren’t any game-changers like the Salomon/Atomic Shift this season, we’re still in what might be the best era ever in terms of choices for touring bindings. It’s a bit overwhelming, but we’ll try and narrow it down based on the type of skiing you do and what you need in a binding. This
The Best Alpine Touring Bindings in 2019: Part 1 – 50/50 Bindings Read More »
This past season I had the pleasure of testing the Cooper Jacket and the Smythe Bib Pants from Flylow. After hearing rave reviews of Flylow from friends (the Baker bibs seemed to be the most talked about) I knew I had to get my hands on something from this small company in the Pacific Northwest.
Flylow Cooper Jacket and Smythe Bib Pants Review Read More »
Ski season is over or very close to it for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, but don’t be too sad. We can still live vicariously through others’ adventures on YouTube, and The Fifty project might be the coolest series out there right now if you like backcountry or big mountain skiing. Cody Townsend
Cody Townsend’s “The Fifty” Project Read More »