Here it is, the best gear for this winter—the 2017 Editors’ Choice Awards. Last March, 80 of our most trusted testers rode and ripped around Utah’s Powder Mountain and Crested Butte, Colo., testing more than 300 skis, splitboards, boots and bindings from which we picked these standouts for your quiver.
Want to see in-depth tester feedback on these products? Check out the 2017 Gear Guide, packed with reviews of all the Editors’ Choice winners, plus more than 100 other must-have skis, splitboards, boots and bindings.
Backcountry September 20162017 Gear Guide
More than 100 skis, splitboards, boots and bindings reviewed, rated and recommended.
Jones Women's Solution Split
$899 - jonessnowboards.com | LENGTHS: 148, 152, 156 | WEIGHT: 6.2 lbs. (152)
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="Bottom Line: A board that encompasses the entire all-mountain to big-mountain spectrum." cite="—The Editors" parallax="off" direction="left"]
K2 Split Bean
$850 - k2snowboarding.com | LENGTH: 144 | WEIGHT: 7.3 lbs.
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="Bottom Line: A quiver board that will get ridden more than the daily driver." cite="—The Editors" parallax="off" direction="left"]
Lib-Tech T. Rice Gold Member Firepower Split
$970 - lib-tech.com | LENGTHS: 159, 163 | WEIGHT: 7.3 lbs. (163)
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="Bottom Line: An all-mountain beast that can spin and butter while still navigating spines like a chiropractor." cite="—The Editors" parallax="off" direction="left"]
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Never Summer Aura
$850 - neversummer.com | LENGTHS: 151, 154 | WEIGHT: 6 lbs. (151)
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="Bottom Line: A mid-stiff, all-mountain crusher that's as stable as it is stoke-worthy." cite="—The Editors" parallax="off" direction="left"]
Venture Storm
$899 - venturesnowboards.com | LENGTHS: 157, 161, 162, 166, 171 | WEIGHT: 7.4 lbs. (157)
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="Bottom Line: The highest-rated freeride stick tested." cite="—The Editors" parallax="off" direction="left"]
Weston Backwoods
$899 - westonsnowboards.com | LENGTHS: 152, 157, 163 | WEIGHT: 7.3 lbs. (157)
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="Bottom Line: A confidence-inspiring board that hides all-mountain capabilities beneath a pow-hungry shape." cite="—The Editors" parallax="off" direction="left"]
K2 Aspect
$480 - k2snowboarding.com | SIZES: 7-13 | WEIGHT/PAIR: 5.4 lbs.
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="Mountaineer-worthy grip." cite="—The Testers" parallax="off" direction="left"]
Spark R&D Surge
$415 - sparkrandd.com | SIZES: Men's S-L, Women's XS/S, M/L | WEIGHT: 3.4 lbs. (med.)
[aesop_quote type="pull" background="#282828" text="#ffffff" width="90%" align="left" size="2" quote="The most user-friendly performance split binding known to man" cite="—The Testers" parallax="off" direction="left"]
Pick up a copy of the 2017 Backcountry Gear Guide today
LOVE the Weston Backwoods board. That board kills it in the back bowls . The construction, materials, flex and design are pure genius. Kudos to Weston’s Barry Clark for creating and putting such a sick board on the market!
The Backwoods is by far the sickest board I tested out this year! thought the “pow” shape would be “too much” for everyday split tours, but the camber and stiffness, not top mention weight make this a one-board split quiver. Def investing in this when it comes out!!