Last year, Scarpa took that tried-and-tested Alien and reformed it for improved downhill capacity with the Alien RS. It retains many of the original Alien’s touring-focused attributes, including a scant weight of 3.9 lbs.—making it the lightest boot at our 2019 Gear Test Week. But other updates mean it can better handle descents and mid-fat skis.
Going the Distance: Six travel and camping essentials
Multiday traverses, winter-camping trips and travels to far-flung destinations might sometimes seem like adventures you only experience vicariously through Instagram and Facebook. But there’s plenty of gear available today that makes ambitious pushes into the mountains more accessible. To push you toward that skintrack walkabout or remote vacation, check out these camping and travel selections that can help get you out there and back safely and smoothly.
The Friendly Frankenboot: With their new Hoji Pro Tour, Dynafit builds a more accommodating monster
If pro skier Eric Hjorleifson’s first Dynafit boot, the Vulcan, went by the nickname Frankenboot, his newest model, the Hoji Pro Tour, falls more in the image of the hairy, blue Monsters Inc. character Sulley—big, strong and hardworking, but with a friendlier side. Dynafit’s Vulcan, launched in 2012, earned its sobriquet from Hjorleifson’s work cobbling together parts […]
Gearbox: With their Procline and X-Alp boots, Arc’teryx and Salomon rethink walk-mode mobility
Certain technologies have a way of interrupting the status quo. Such disrupters are often so simple that consumers wonder why nothing like it existed earlier. They change the way we work and play, often solving a problem we never knew existed.
Gearbox: An Editors’ Choice powder setup
For many, sliding through endless, untouched slopes of powder is the ultimate motivation behind ski touring. It’s what fills our autumn dreams and validates any amount of sweat, distance or effort. And when it comes to consistent, smooth conditions, almost any setup will do, whether it’s heavy, narrow, planky or stiff. But if powder skiing is the Holy Grail, shouldn’t a setup for the pursuit enhance the experience to its fullest potential?
Gearbox: Four poles that balance avy safety and skinning comfort
Small as they are, pole straps can be a divisive piece of gear. Anti-strap advocates know that they’re overwhelmingly dangerous as anchors in avalanches or tree wells and as shoulder-separating leashes while skiing trees. But straps can be helpful on long approaches and while tethering poles to packs on certain climbs. Thankfully, a few companies have developed quick-release systems that allow you to have your straps and remove them, too.
Gearbox: An Editors’ Choice steep-skiing setup
Creating the ideal steep-skiing setup isn’t an easy feat. The gear, after all, must offer specialized and polarized traits to handle the ascent and descent with equal aplomb. Skis and boots shouldn’t fold under duress, instead holding up to variable and often firm conditions. Conversely, stable and confidence-inspiring gear must be light enough for big days and long pushes.
Gearbox: An Editors’ Choice all-mountain setup
For some people, having a dedicated tool for every job is the ultimate dream. And many of today’s skis, boots and bindings are so specialized that there are hyper-focused options to maximize every type of snow, terrain or pursuit.
Gearbox: Three avalanche airbags shrink systems to increase space
This year, the race is for space, with new units boasting sleek, compact designs that maximize usable volume for storing more necessities.
