As a Teton County (Wyoming) Search and Rescue member and powerhouse of a skier, second-year tester Galen Parke has one trait he looks for in a touring ski: reliability.
2022 Editors’ Choice Awards: Snowboards, Boots & Bindings
Used to be that you strapped a plate on your resort bindings and used your resort boots for backcountry snowboarding, but now we have lightweight touring-specific gear that performs well on the up and the down. Our splitboard testers celebrated that fact by highlighting their favorite boards, boots and bindings.
2022 Editors’ Choice: Apparel
Our testers have always pushed apparel in harsh conditions, and last season was no exception. After all, the folks who make the cut as BCM testers aren’t scared of skinning in sleet, heavy snow and blistering sun—sometimes all on the same day. Here, you’ll find the cream of the crop of jackets, pants, puffies and midlayers.
2022 Tester Profile: Chris Cloyd
As a fitness junkie who’s also an ace in the terrain park, Chris Cloyd wants a board that will take him far into the mountains and jib like a solid.
2022 Tester Profile: Jason Layh
Over his 12+ year tenure, Jason Layh has served as a ski tech, tester and now as our Tahoe test coordinator. He’s infamous for recording his thoughts on each piece of gear on his phone and listening back to the audio while writing his reviews. Needless to say, Jason is the pinnacle of tester pro status.
2022 Tester Profile: Marla “Cookie” Bailey
Marla “Cookie” Bailey has had a few perfect days in the mountains, but she’s still on the hunt for the perfect ski.
2022 Tester Profile: Hannah Van Wetter
Hannah Van Wetter likes breakfast sandwiches, big lines and long days on the skintrack. She also likes a ski with enough underfoot to make the descent a good time.
2022 Editors’ Choice: Ski Bindings & Accessories
Our testers were choosier when it came to bindings, skis and poles than when it came to skis, but if you’re following their advice, that might make your life easier.
2022 Tester Profile: Darrin MacLeod
The MacLeods are Gear Test Week staples. With seven years of experience under their belts, they kept the spirit of our Utah test alive, even though they were in their home mountains in Vermont.
2022 Tester Profile: Whitney Gilliam
Meet Whitney Gilliam, our tester from Crested Butte, Colorado, who lives for multi-day traverses but won’t say not to pow shots, either.
