Whether taking a chairlift bump, firing up the snowmobile or hitting a skintrack, those who free tour prioritize an aggressive, tough (if heavy) kit for a dominant descent. Inspired by big mountain competitions and freeride style, free touring gear focuses on sturdier materials for downhill-focused performance.
2022 Backcountry Editors’ Choice Awards
Our testers worked all winter in their home ranges to try gear in narrow couloirs, open pow fields and tight trees. Though they didn’t get to hang out at Powder Mountain, Utah, like they usually do, they did learn their gear even better, bringing you tried-and-true Editors’ Choice picks.
Gearbox: The Finer Points of La Sportiva’s Skorpius CR
There’s an old K2 Telemark poster of a skier doing an inverted grab with the tagline: “Take something hard, make it harder, then make it look easy.” Surely that poster wasn’t on the minds of La Sportiva’s designers when developing the new Skorpius CR. But the boot pulls off complex engineering with such simple and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Black Crows Camox Freebird Skis
“Best for someone who wants a monogamous relationship with their skis,” one tester quipped of the Black Crows Camox Freebird’s loyalty-inspiring performance that’s now secured this 96 mm-underfoot ski an Editors’ Choice Award two years running. “Best for big days when you know you’re going to be going through variable terrain,” one tester said. Slight […]
Voilé Hyper v6 Skis
Last season, Voilé injected their skis with a special sauce that elevated the line to another level. The new recipe goes by the name Hyper, a fitting moniker given the energy dividends these lightened skis now offer. In the case of the Hyper V6, that’s a 15-percent weight savings—more than enough to take another lap. […]
Julbo Cyrius Goggles
“I love the style of these goggles,” The Tech: Julbo’s new Cyrius goggle debuts a frameless style featuring a cylindrical lens, which curves horizontally and runs flat from top to bottom. The shape is intended for a modern look and wide-open field of vision that’s made crisp and clear by Julbo’s best-in-class photochromic Zebra lenses. […]
