Gear reviews for backcountry skiing and splitboarding, tested from people who are out there pushing boundaries.
Backpacking is a bit of a funny world. It’s not really a sport, but the gear associated with it is very technical. There are some people who haven’t upgraded their year in decades, and others who buy a new setup each year. The advancements in gear go through plateaus and spurts. Recently, the Ultralight trend […]
Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight 60 Backpack Review Read More »
A couple years ago I heard the news that Yeti, the famous cooler and drinkware brand, bought out backpack maker Mystery Ranch, and was a bit confused. The synergy didn’t make sense. But that’s because I totally misread what the YETI brand really means. When it comes down to it, YETI is about durability, rigidity,
We Tested Yeti’s Skala Backpack In The Mountains: A Review Read More »
In the world of hardshell jackets, Gore-Tex is the gold standard. Let’s get that out of the way right now. But Gore-Tex is a material, and material only goes so far. What separates a good jacket from a bad one is function, style, and utility. And for a solid all-around jacket that is lightweight, packable,
Marmot Orion Gore-Tex Hardshell Jacket Review Read More »
A good helmet needs to be protective but not noticeable. Anon’s Merak does that better than any I’ve tested, period. Thankfully, it’s more strange to see someone skiing or snowboarding without a helmet these days on the slopes. While there are still some purists who refuse to wear one, the data is pretty clear that
Anon Merak Wavecel Ski and Snowboard Helmet Review Read More »
One of the great joys of snowboarding vs. skiing is having soft boots. Of course, there are many more reasons in this author’s humble opinion… but we can stick to the boots being a major differentiator these days. And having soft boots may not be the most efficient way to travel, but it sure wins
ThirtyTwo Jones MTB Lite Splitboard Boots Review Read More »
I miss the days where snowboarding videos were a sit-down event. And this is a criticism of how we consume all media, not just snowboarding—but I pine for the pre-smartphone era of consumption. The days of having a stack of VHS tapes (and then DVDs) on top of a TV set that was the go-to
Pro Standard Grillmount Review: The One Angle To Rule Them All Read More »
Ultraviolet Light is a silent threat in the mountains. We spent plenty of our time and money trying to research the best baselayers, jackets, and hardgoods to help us conquer the mountains, but our eyes often get overshadowed. Actually in this case, they often get undershadowed: the snow of the alpine environment reflects the UV
The Best Glacier Glasses For Ski Touring and Mountaineering Read More »
Choosing the right jacket for backcountry skiing or snowboarding is more than a fashion statement. Hopefully that’s the last thing on your mind. But when it comes down to it, a proper hardshell jacket can be a possible life-saver to keep you warm and dry in critical moments. Or at the very minimum it’ll keep
The Best Hardshell Jackets For Backcountry Skiing Or Splitboarding Read More »
The Arc’teryx Sabre jacket has become one of the world’s go-to gore-tex shells for resort skiing and snowboarding in the past few years. This year they have updated to using the new ePe fabric, which is free of the harmful PFAS “forever chemicals” that leech into our ecosystem. After testing the jacket for the past
Arc’Teryx Sabre Jacket Review: Is it Worth The Premium Pricetag? Read More »
ThirtyTwo T32M FASE Bindings: First Impressions Specs: Quick-release highback, double-beam heelcup, fast ankle strap Pro Models: Pat Fava (featured here), Scott Stevens, Chris Bradshaw Best For: All-mountain shredding Overall Feel: Responsive, yet durable, with super fast ankle strap adjustments I’ll get it out of the way now that I’m a fan of ThirtyTwo. Over the
ThirtyTwo T32M FASE Snowboard Bindings Review Read More »