A funny thing happens after enough transitions in a day of touring. Whether it’s out of laziness or efficiency, you begin to cut corners—not changing layers, keeping skins where they’re most handy, finding a happy medium with boot tightness to eliminate fiddling.
With the new Recon skis, Black Diamond doubles down on their Helio Line
Black Diamond released their carbon Helio skis in 2016 and, since then, the award-winning line has undergone changes to become lighter and stronger.
2020 Testers’ Choice: Meg Schultz’s Picks
The 17 inches of powder that fell on Powder Mountain, Utah this past March didn’t distract testers at the 2020 Gear Test Week from logging hours on this coming season’s newest skis, splitboards and boots to find the standouts across crud, corduroy and deep blower fresh. From bell to bell, each tester buckled down to […]
2020 Testers’ Choice: Kris Thomas’s Picks
The 17 inches of powder that fell on Powder Mountain, Utah this past March didn’t distract testers at the 2020 Gear Test Week from logging hours on this coming season’s newest skis, splitboards and boots to find the standouts across crud, corduroy and deep blower fresh. From bell to bell, each tester buckled down to […]
2020 Testers’ Choice: Betsy Manero’s Picks
The 17 inches of powder that fell on Powder Mountain, Utah this past March didn’t distract testers at the 2020 Gear Test Week from logging hours on this coming season’s newest skis, splitboards and boots to find the standouts across crud, corduroy and deep blower fresh.
Hagan Boost 99 Skis
“For the weight, the Hagan Boost surprised me with its stable, predictable ride,” one tester said, praising the well-rounded prowess of Hagan’s new midfat. “These skis hold an edge well, have a shovel to keep you up in the pow and are light enough to go all day.” “A light, wispy ski that can carve […]
2020 Gear Guide: Splitboard Accessories
To get you ready for your cold weather pursuits, we’ve complied some of our favorite new accessories to streamline your splitboarding experience.
2020 Gear Guide: Skinning Gear Part II
Beacon, shovel, probe—it’s the basic backcountry checklist. But there’s more to a comfortable day on the skintrack than those three essentials— here is our second installment of skinning gear to keep you moving in the right direction. Want tester feedback on these products? Subscribe now or pre-order in our online store to get a copy of Backcountry Magazine’s 2020 Gear Guide […]
Black Diamond Equipment Helio 95 Skis
Black Diamond overhauled their Helio line of touring-specific skis last season and the widest model, the Helio 116, earned an Editors’ Choice Award for its best-in-class weight-to-width ratio. This season, BD takes a victory lap, with top honors falling on a ski that blew away the mid-90 mm competition—on both the uptrack and the descent. […]
Völkl Mantra V.Werks Skis
With their Mantra V.Werks, Völkl didn’t just create a ski for the masses; they’ve provided the masses with a chance to ski better. “The platform underfoot is stiff and snappy, giving unrelenting edge hold,” one tester observed. “It’s like a one-size-fits all ski,” one Montana-based tester said of the mid-fat Mantra. “Even the Jerriest of […]
