These narrower skis weigh in at the featherweight level and are great for spring steeps, corn and go-far missions. Channel the goddess Nike and skin like the wind.
Testers’ Choice: DPS Wailer 112 RP2 Tour1
Tester Gregg Davis looks for what he calls “the lightest big skis I can find” in his preferred conditions—fluffy Wasatch pow. He wants the benefits of flotation without sacrificing speed on the up, and he has found the tool for the job.
Testers’ Choice: Dynastar Cham 97 2.0
“The 2.0 is much improved over the 1.0. They are effortless to initiate and incredibly fun turn to turn. This ski held an edge on the boilerplate just as well as it navigated the bony tough spots.”
Category Killers: Telemarker’s Choice
For those of a freeheel persuasion—these four skis were chosen by our testers as standouts in the telemark category.
Category Killers: Killer Value
New skis are fun but can be expensive. With your wallet in mind, we picked five value skis with a lower price tag. VOILÉ V6 $650 – voile.com SIZES: 163, 173, 183, 188 DIMENSIONS: 124/100/109 WEIGHT: 7 lbs. 6 oz. (183) “Possibly the best all-around touring ski on the market. Playful, dare I say loving. This ski, in either the […]
Testers’ Choice: Atomic Automatic 109
Tester Matt Kiedaisch likes tree lines in the woods of Vermont—but he enjoys letting his skis open up when he gets the chance. He says of his backcountry goals, “I don’t mind climbing, but it’s not why I’m out there. Solid performance on the ride down is what makes me happy.”
The Offseason: T-Bar Films Gears Up For Winter
“We’re gearing up for what is going to be a big 2015/2016 winter,” Tyler Wilkinson-Ray says in an interview in the October 2015 issue. He’s half the two-brother team behind Vermont-based T-Bar Films, known for producing “United We Ski” and “Vasu Sojitra: Out On A Limb.” While editing their latest film, Tyler shot and produced a short, capturing his motivation, inspiration and outlook for the upcoming winter.
Category Killers: Middle-weight boots
These backcountry-focused boots balance weight and power for a smooth climb up and stable ride down. Lightweight yet stable, they might not be a one-quiver boot but they come close.
Photo Gallery: Hokkaido’s Heli Debate
In “Hokkaido’s Heli Debate,” Whittaker investigates a brewing issue on Japan’s north island, where backcountry and helicopter skiers are squaring off over the shadowy trees and sunny bowls of Shiribetsu-dake (3,632 ft.). “Can there be enough for everyone?” Whittaker ponders.
Apogée: Celebrating JP Auclair and Andreas Fransson
Last year, Andreas Fransson and JP Auclair set out to film a project they called Apogée, which means the highest point in the development of something. The project was cut short, a year ago yesterday, when the both Fransson and Auclair died in an avalanche on Monte San Lorenzo on the Chilean/Argentine border. Exactly one year after their deaths, close friend Bjarne Salén, of Endless Flow Films, released a 15-minute cut of the film.
