We last chatted with Board-certified pedorthist Bob Egeland just before the 2018 Gear Test Week at Powder Mountain to hear about the ABCs of bootfitting. In our conversation, he elaborated on the three key steps to a good AT boot fit: A) The proper shell size; B) Stabilizing the foot with some sort of foot bed; and C) Dealing with all of the padding, poking, punching and grinding.
2018 Testers’ Choice: Dana Allen’s picks
“I’ll generally go for a ‘compromise’ boot that’s fairly light but can still handle bigger boards.”
2018 Testers’ Choice: Gavin Cooper’s picks
“I rock a two-buckle boot. lightweight skis, bindings with no brakes and 70/30 mohair skins. I look for the right combo to ski 10,000 vertical feet, travel 25 miles or just enjoy the tree skiing behind my house.”
2018 Testers’ Choice: Becca Cooper’s Picks
Testing skis for the Backcountry Magazine Gear Guide can be a grueling endeavor—with hours upon hours of hot powder laps, edge-to-edge action on groomers, the occasional crud-busting run, and of course, flip cup practice—and our testers for the 2018 Gear Guide found it all at Powder Mountain,
2018 Testers’ Choice: Matteo Campbell’s picks
“I’m typically looking to get up to get down—I don’t mind the extra suffering on the way up at all. Usually i’m not out for a long enough trek that the weight is an issue, and I kinda like the added workout.”
2018 Testers’ Choice: Cat Ambrose’s Picks
Testing skis for the Backcountry Magazine Gear Guide can be a grueling endeavor—with hours upon hours of hot powder laps, edge-to-edge action on groomers, the occasional crud-busting run, and of course, flip cup practice—and our testers for the 2018 Gear Guide found it all at Powder Mountain, Utah. Skis, boots and bindings are all put through the ringer to find the standouts, with each ski tested eight times, three for boots and bindings. To get a sense of who’s putting in the work, we introduce Testers’ Choice profiles and picks, so you can be sure you’re getting the info right from the source.
Board Test Week wraps up in Colorado
Sitting in the Monarch Cat Skiing yurt, seven testers laced up boots and turned on beacons when first-year tester Alex Spectorsky spoke up. “So, how’s the snow?” he asked the Monarch guides.
Board Test Week’s Peaks and Valleys
Despite the early wake up after three full days of testing boards, rumors of snowfall and significant amounts of cold-brew coffee fueled Monday morning’s stoke on the fourth day of Board Test Week. Twelve testers piled 18 splitboards into the sides of a decked-out snowcat before hopping in for the ride to meet up with […]
Gallery: Gear Test Week 2018
A few short weeks ago, more than 40 testers converged on the sunny slopes of Powder Mountain, Utah for Gear Test Week 2018. Along for the ride was photographer Matt Kiedaisch, who documented each day, from the sometimes bleary mornings to raucous nights and the many turns in between.
How Romp Skis crafted the ultimate one-quiver backcountry tool
At 2018 Gear Test Week, 40 testers put more than 200 pairs of skis, 70 pairs of boots and every pair of backcountry bindings through the ringer. But one particular product stood above all the rest—and it doesn’t come as a pair, at least on the descent.
