A peek into Gear Test Week.
Wherever your home mountain lies, we’re of the firm belief that the season is what you make of it. Having the right gear certainly helps, too. That’s why the 2027 Gear Guide is designed to be the best possible resource for skiers and riders looking to build, expand or replace their setups, or simply curious about the current gear lineup. Informed by over 30 years of experience independently testing and covering gear, the 2027 Gear Guide is packed with thorough research, unbiased feedback and digestible reviews.
And it all starts with Gear Test Week at Utah’s Powder Mountain.
◢ HOW DO WE TEST?
It depends on the gear. Hardgoods are the primary focus of Gear Test Week. Each ski, split, boot and binding is tested by roughly seven testers, each of whom takes the product out for at least three lift-access runs and/or a tour. Powder Mountain offers a rich variety of terrain and minimal lift lines which foster quick, diverse laps best for discerning skiability. Easy-to-access, tourable sidecountry allows our testers to get out on short tours for uphill testing. Apparel and accessories go home with individuals and receive a minimum of four weeks on the skintrack.
◢ Why do we test what we test?
In early January, we invite any brand making gear applicable to backcountry skiing and riding to submit their products to our annual Gear Test Week. To cover our costs, brands must pay a handling fee for each model of gear submitted. They may submit as many sizes as they’d like at no extra cost, but the fee does not guarantee coverage. While we work to have as many brands and products included as possible, what we test is a reflection of what brands choose to submit.
◢ How do you become a tester?
Gear Test Week is not for the faint of heart. We ski hard, play hard and take our forms seriously. We aim to select testers who reflect our audience—diverse touring preferences and home mountains, various ski/snowboard backgrounds and abilities, a balance of genders and a range of ages.
◢ How do we select gear?
After testers get out on skis, boots and splitboards, they score the product out of seven on a digital form, then they do an in-depth review on paper. This gives us editors an understanding of how each model performed. All other gear selections—bindings, apparel and accessories—are based on tester feedback. An item that performs well in its intended category is a Gear Guide Select. A product that performs well beyond its intended category earns an Editors’ Choice (EC).
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