A Nordic ski racer, Holly Howard picked up telemark skiing in college. She recently added an AT setup into the mix. Holly favors low-angle powder and trees, and enjoys making smooth, graceful telemark turns. Her pick of the test? The G3 Empress 115.
Testers’ Choice: DPS Lotus 120
Elliot Dale’s spirit animal is a mountain goat. Why? Because mountain goats don’t ride chairlifts. Elliot, a second-year tester, tours for all his turns, skiing 30 backcountry days annually and prefers steep powder and trees. His pick of the test? The DPS Lotus 120.
Tried & New: Black Diamond Glidelite Mohair Mix STS Skins
If you’re the engine of your bc rig, then your skins are the driveshaft: they’re not sexy—at all—and they’re hidden under the prettier bits, but you ain’t going anywhere without ’em. And Black Diamond’s Mohair Mix is my go-to pair.
Testers’ Choice: Dynastar Cham 107 W’s
Becca started her ski-testing career back in 2003 when the Gear Test Week lodging was at an Alpaca Farm in Vermont. She has met Glen Plake twice, drank tea at Warren Miller’s house and winked at Scot Schmidt. Her pick of the test? The Dynastar Cham 107 W’s.
Testers’ Choice: Atomic Charter
Road Dust, a 10-year tester, started racing at age 13, telemark raced at the national level during college and is now back on AT gear. He practices law, but dreams of a long-term vacation and is busy planning his revenge on fellow ski tester Shaggy. His pick of the test? The Atomic Charter
Tried & New: MontBell U.L. Super Spiral Down Hugger 0
A good cold-weather sleeping bag should compress to the size of a cantaloupe; it should be true to its temperature rating; easy to get in and out of and cinch well enough to keep cold out and warmth in. Beyond that, a sleeping bag is pretty simple. MontBell, however, would beg to differ.
Small is Beautiful: The Rise of the Micro Ski Brand
Niche ski brands are growing fast, and now might be the best time to jump on board with these small-batch companies. Here are five reviews of skis from tiny brands you may have never heard of.
Testers’ Choice: Atomic Automatic
Henry Yu | 5’10”, 170 lbs. Breckenridge, CO Henry, a second-year tester, spent 10 years patrolling at Breckenridge. But last winter, he had a rude awakening, moving to Chicago for med school, and only skied 15 days. Now, instead of skiing, he’s training for the hotdog-eating world record. His pick of the test? The […]
Say Whaa?: Semi-SFW Gear Test Outtakes
The fact that we even allow these people to test skis for us is ridiculous, bordering on criminal. It’s a realization borne of reading this selection of sick tester comments, pulled from a selection of even sicker tester comments that we’re probably legally barred from sharing with you (sick meaning disgusting, not sick meaning cool, […]
Testers’ Choice: Scott Cruis’Air
Crista Seier has been telemarking for nine years, but recently invested in her first AT setup. Still, she says she loves dropping knees in “perfect powder on wide-open slopes.” She’s been testing with
