I was looking for a new softshell for touring this year and ended up with the Mammut Ultimate V Tour SO. Yes, the name is a bit of a mouthful. What I was specifically looking for was a jacket that I could wear over a base layer while hiking. Something that was windproof (or close to it), had a generous hood and breathed really well. I’ve been really stoked with this jacket – it hits all of those goals exceedingly…
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 new backcountry gear for the 2019/2020 season. Dynafit Hoji Free MSRP: $899.95Weight: 1550 grams (sz 27)Last width: 102 mm Buy Now: Backcountry.com, evo.com, REI.com, Dynafit.com…
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 32 liters provides more space. The Spindrift 32 is quite light, but it is not a minimalist pack. If you’re looking for a race pack…
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 different uses, so read on to find out which one makes sense for you. What is an Avalanche Airbag? We’ll go over the basics here,…
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 that ski extremely well. The Xenic 10 is Fritschi’s first foray into the lightweight pin binding arena and one thing they definitely nailed is the…
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 gear for backcountry skiing and having them fail can really ruin your day so get a good pair and take care of them. What Makes…
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 on pretty much everything. Avalanche Safety Bundles on Sale Evo.com has some great deals on beacon, shovel, and probe bundles. They have options from the Mammut…
It feels like just yesterday we were enjoying long, sunny days and drinks on patios, but now the days are getting shorter and definitely getting colder. You may even have seen some snow fly already depending on where you live. This weather is started to get us excited for the upcoming ski season and all of the epic snow adventures we hope to have. But before heading out to the mountains, there are a few things you should do and…
It’s that time of year again! Snow is starting to fly, but there isn’t quiiiiite enough to go skiing yet. It’s still getting us all excited. Luckily there is plenty of early season stoke to go around with all the new ski movies for 2019 coming out. Here are some of the best ski movie trailers for 2019 from the usual suspects to get you even more pumped for the upcoming season. The Collective By: The Faction Collective In past…
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 frame bindings. As I mentioned in Part 1, we’re in what might be the best era ever in terms of choices for touring bindings. It’s…