The only thing identifying Fjell’s lightweight, directional MT1542s model is a “^” and coordinates for Ålesund, Norway, the home of their showroom—that’s it. This muted marketing left testers unsure of what they were riding, but they were damn sure that they liked it. “This deck feels at home in steep and aggressive terrain, and will […]
Dynafit Mercury Pro Pants
“great for skinning with buckles fully open.” The Tech: The Mercury Pro pants are designed to be as smooth as their elemental name implies. The softshell bottoms are comprised of stretchy nylon, and if the weather turns, a wind- and DWR treatment is intended to bead away moisture and chill. The Talk: While Dynafit’s sizing […]
Spark R&D Arc Splitboard Bindings
“I trust these in the backcountry more than anything else” The Tech: With proprietary pucks, a skeletal baseplate and mid-flexing Rip ‘n’ Flip Highbacks, the Arc continues to be the overall binding of choice for our testers. Lighter, ribbed Pillow Line straps and convenient Whammy Bar risers are the main draws for those still touring […]
Telos DST Ultralight Splitboard
“By far the most stable and responsive board in its weight class,” one test veteran said. “The first ultralight board I want to take off the scale and actually ride.” “all-mountain dominator—I felt like I took the red pill and leveled into The Matrix.” Experienced testers tend to be more vigilant with ultralight decks: featherweight […]
Black Diamond Equipment Vision Down Parka
“The insulation makes it a luxury layer for alpine touring in colder climates, like Wyoming and Montana, and it doubles as a very comfortable frontcountry jacket.” The Tech: Black Diamond’s Vision is as tough as it is soft, thanks to an innovative fabric comprised of liquid-crystal polymer—the same durable material used in BD’s climbing harnesses—designed […]
Fischer Hannibal 106 Skis
A ski good enough to pass even a guide’s level of scrutiny? Fischer seems to have done it with their new Hannibal 106. “I wasn’t expecting much from these, but whoa!” said one Jackson-based ski guide and tester. “Light, yet incredibly drivable and pretty darn stable in that cruddy, variable stuff.” That stability comes from […]
Patagonia Snowdrifter Jacket
“exquisite articulation and dreamy man-bod flattery.” The Tech: Patagonia’s new SnowDrifter jacket (and matching bibs) are made from the brand’s proprietary DWR-treated H2No three-layer fabric that’s designed for top-of-the line weatherproofing at a lower price point. A helmet-compatible hood aims to protect against chilly breezes and two bigger torso pockets with one smaller chest pocket—as […]
Julbo Cyrius Goggles
“I love the style of these goggles,” The Tech: Julbo’s new Cyrius goggle debuts a frameless style featuring a cylindrical lens, which curves horizontally and runs flat from top to bottom. The shape is intended for a modern look and wide-open field of vision that’s made crisp and clear by Julbo’s best-in-class photochromic Zebra lenses. […]
Voilé HyperDrifter Skis
“Like a five-calorie cocktail with 30-percent ABV,” The Tech: Voilé’s Drifter earned our Editors’ Choice Award a decade ago, back when rocker and carbon construction were more experimental than commonplace. The Salt Lake brand got it then and still does today, updating the Drifter’s heavily rockered shape and overhauling the core and layup to keep […]
La Sportiva Skorpius CR Boots
“Delivers an impressive amount of power for a two-buckle boot,” The Tech: La Sportiva positions their new Skorpius as a price-point skimo boot or a hyperlight touring option. It captures all the skin-friendly bells and whistles, like a lightweight, carbon-reinforced Grilamid cuff and shell, easy-to-engage mode change and a tongueless design that enables 68 degrees […]
