2016 Editors’ Choice Awards: Bindings

Announcing the 2016 Editors’ Choice Awards, selected from more than 400 skis, splitboards, bindings and boots tested at Powder Mountain, Utah and Crested Butte, Colo. For more than 100 additional gear reviews, plus in-depth tester feedback on each of these Editors’ Choice winners, check out the 2016 Gear Guide. And if you subscribe now, you’ll be entered to win more […]

2016 Editors’ Choice Awards: Skis 95-99mm

Announcing the 2016 Editors’ Choice Awards, selected from more than 400 skis, splitboards, bindings and boots tested at Powder Mountain, Utah and Crested Butte, Colo. For more than 100 additional gear reviews, plus in-depth tester feedback on each of these Editors’ Choice winners, check out the 2016 Gear Guide. And if you subscribe now, you’ll be entered to win more […]

2016 Editors’ Choice Awards: Skis 101-118mm

Announcing the 2016 Editors’ Choice Awards, selected from more than 400 skis, splitboards, bindings and boots tested at Powder Mountain, Utah and Crested Butte, Colo. For more than 100 additional gear reviews, plus in-depth tester feedback on each of these Editors’ Choice winners, check out the 2016 Gear Guide. Buy Backcountry Magazine September 2015 – 2016 Gear […]

In The Shop: Tuning Essentials

Any skier or rider worth a fraction of his or her weight in edge filings and wax scrapings needs a few decent shop tools. After all, skiing variable OB conditions and constantly applying and removing skins can be hell on your bases, edges and bindings. And your “hook up” at the shop would honestly prefer cash to beer. Here’s a selection of our favorite tuning, mounting and shop gear that has come across our workbench.

Black Diamond Issues Voluntary JetForce Airbag Recall

Announced today, Black Diamond has issued a voluntary recall of all first-generation JetForce avalanche airbags backpacks. Black Diamond is encouraging all JetForce owners to visit jetforcerecall.com for information regarding returning packs for a required firmware update. According to Black Diamond, in a limited number of cases, the JetForce packs sold by BD, Pieps and POC […]

Avatech to Offer SP2 Probe, Web and Mobile Updates

Avatech, the maker of avalanche safety tools, plans to offer an updated Smartprobe this winter, alongside updates to their Avanet web platform. The Park City, Utah-based startup of MIT whiz kids launched their brand last fall with a smartprobe, dubbed the SP1, and their Avanet observation-sharing website.

2016 Gear Test Week: The Round Up

After a week in Powder Mountain, the 50 gear testers and Backcountry staff have dispersed back to their respective mountain towns. Like the Annual Board Test, the Gear Test was a huge success; the squad tested 200 skis and 50 boots, as well as a range of tele and AT bindings, all while enjoying the surprise […]

Board Test: Day 1 Update

With the rapid escalation of splitboarding’s popularity, combined with technological advances in the winter sports industry, the selection process that goes into building a backcountry snowboarding setup is more tedious than ever. Boards are lighter. New bindings and touring hardware increase the speed of transitions from tour mode to ride mode, and vice versa. The […]

Gear Preview: 2015 Outdoor Retailer Highlights (Part 2)

The trade-show floor of Salt Lake City, Utah’s Salt Palace is a proverbial candy store, a seemingly endless display of shiny, bright and new ski and snowboard gear to come. And there’s good news for backcountry skiers and riders at the candy store, with continued focus on lighter gear designed to keep up, increased bc-designed offerings by big brands and a whole host of nuanced accessories that might make earning turns easier.

Gear Preview: 2015 Outdoor Retailer Highlights (Part 1)

The trade-show floor of Salt Lake City, Utah’s Salt Palace is a proverbial candy store, a seemingly endless display of shiny, bright and new ski and snowboard gear to come. And there’s good news for backcountry skiers and riders at the candy store, with continued focus on lighter gear designed to keep up, increased bc-designed offerings by big brands and a whole host of nuanced accessories that might make earning turns easier.

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