“Predictable, stable, fast, fun and capable.” The Tech: Black Diamond introduces three new Recon skis this year, a price-point line to replace the Route series that mirrors the Helio models with slightly weightier constructions—fiberglass-enhanced poplar rather than carbon-enhanced balsa/flax. That layup translated to a dampened, more stable ride that shone best in the 88-mm width […]

“Great float for a 106, stable and refuses to deflect at speed despite its light nature,” The Tech: Eco consciousness lies at the heart of Meier Skis’ mission, and the Prospector 106 is no exception. Literally at its core: 100-percent Colorado-sourced aspen and beetle-kill pine that Meier chose for its playfulness on the descent. They […]

“Some people might not like taking the tongue out to tour, but once you do, you’ll see the light—amazing range of motion,” The Tech: New this year, the Lupo Pro HD—sporting Dalbello’s cabrio design—strives to improve on downhill chargeability with a lower polyurethane raceboot shell and a carbon-infused polyamide rear cuff designed for more lightweight […]

“These are the most shreddable touring bindings of all time,” As with Marker’s Kingpin, the Shift’s backend is comprised of an alpine-like heel, inspired by Salomon and Atomic’s STH platform but with a single heel riser (and no flat tour mode). The intrigue lies in the toe, which deploys pin-equipped wings for tech-binding-style climbing—read: unencumbered […]

“Take it anywhere and be prepared to be satisfied, but not ecstatic.” The Tech: $900 for a split, pucks, skins and hardware? Bob Barker might as well be whispering seductively in your ear. The Marauder follows a simple, proven formula: a blunt, elongated nose tapering to a squat, square tail, plus a camber-dominant profile and […]

“The two different materials are put in all the right places; the jacket breathes incredibly well and is comfortable, worn as a midlayer or stand alone on cold days moving uphill.” The Tech: The Kor Strata, new this year, is designed for go-to emergency warmth, boasting hyper-stuffable PrimaLoft Gold insulation combined with a Pertex Quantum […]

“Vans-slip-on comfort while touring” The Tech: The Aspect dynasty continues with a fourth consecutive Editors’ Choice Award. Testers were amped on the inner Boa lacing system, which cinches the Intuition SpaceHeater liner, as well as on the trustworthiness of traditional laces and a Velcro strap across the tongue. The Talk: The Vibram Mountaineer Outsole’s “chunky […]

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 […]

“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 […]

“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 […]