Gear haulers slim down and grow up (Courtesy Ortovox) Ortovox Haute Route 40 ($190) The best packs sit comfortably on your back without a lot of organizational maneuvering beforehand. That’s the Haute Route in a nutshell. Named for the classic ski tour in France and Switzerland, it handles a heavy load without feeling bulky, lopsided, or misshapen. The 40-liter capacity was plenty for carting overnight gear on a hut trip—including the requisite bottle of Scotch. Gear enters the main compartment through the top or (our preference) a zippered back panel. “The rear entry and light-colored interior made it easy

Give your beat-up equipment some TLC (Courtesy Swix) Swix World Cup Ski Vise ($180) Turn any deck railing into a waxing support with this three-piece set. The jawed center bracket holds the ski’s binding, while rubberized clamps secure the tip and tail. Grooves secure the ski at a 60- or 90-degree angle for edge work. Buy Now (Courtesy DryGuy) DryGuy Force Dry DX Boot Dryer ($80) Damp boots can ruin your day before it’s begun. Behold the Force Dry DX, which pumps air through four vertical plastic tubes. Slide your boots over the tubes, set the timer, and wake

Whether for Instagram or the mantelpiece, these shooters capture your escapades best (Courtesy Panasonic) Panasonic Lumix GX9 ($1,000) The Lumix GX9’s compact size belies its capabilities. With a 20.3-megapixel sensor, it’s small enough to fit in your pants pocket without the lens attached, but it captures way more detail than a smartphone, allowing you to make 11-by-14 or even 16-by-20 wall prints. Plus, Panasonic offers a broad array of lenses, so you can shoot with everything from a 200-millimeter zoom to a 15-millimeter wide-angle. Buy Now (Courtesy Google) Google Pixel 2 ($650) The most convenient camera is the one

If you’re determined to camp in winter, you’re going to need some sturdy gear (Courtesy Black Diamond) Black Diamond GlideLite 147 Skis ($469) Don’t try using these for downhilling. The GlideLites have bindings that work with most winter hiking boots, combining the convenience of snowshoeing with the efficiency of cross-country planks. Buy Now (Courtesy Sierra Designs) Sierra Designs Mountain Guide Tarp ($350) Redesigned for 2018, this shelter has ample room to sleep four and hold all their gear. Guy lines self-equalize to maintain tension and keep the tarp erect. Buy Now (Courtesy Klymit) Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL

Frozen dome? Try one of these. (Courtesy Icebreaker) Icebreaker Chase Beanie ($25) Don’t let falling temperatures keep you from getting your sweat on. Thin merino wool, like the kind used in Icebreaker’s Chase beanie, is ideal for arduous winter activities, wicking moisture to help you stay dry and warm. Bonus: it doesn’t trap stink. Buy Now (Courtesy Carhartt) Carhartt Ear-Flap Cap ($25) This hat is for people who live life headfirst. Whether you need to check under the hood when the wind’s blowing hard or schlep to the subway in a blizzard, the insulated polyester flaps shield your ears

Hot pockets—nuking not required (unless we’re talking about snow) (Courtesy Oyuki) Oyuki Haika ($150) This Japanese import has two features we always look for in a touring glove: a removable liner, and external seams on the fingers for maximum dexterity. The Haika’s liner is made from highly breathable Lycra and has durable goatskin leather in the palm. A  suppler goatskin makes up the glove’s shell, with comfy tricot inside. Buy Now (Courtesy The North Face) The North Face Etip Grip ($55) This light single-layer glove is perfect for cool-weather cycling, nordic skiing, or simply having in your pack when

A little prep goes a long way toward getting yourself un-screwed (Courtesy Maxtrax) Maxtrax MKII Recovery Board ($300) You’ve excavated your car after a huge storm, but now you’re spinning out. Slide the Maxtrax under a tire and punch it. Teeth on the bottom bite into slick surfaces, giving you traction to get moving. Buy Now (Courtesy Coast) Coast G20 Inspection Beam Penlight ($14) Useful for lighting up nooks and crannies, the G20 is compact and throws a beam 72 feet. Carry a few spare AAAs for backup juice. Buy Now (Courtesy Camelbak) CamelBak ChuteMag Insulated Bottle ($40) Water

Gear that’s got your back, should things go sideways (Courtesy BCA) BCA Float 32 Avalanche Airbag 2.0 Pack ($550) The Float 2.0 sticks with traditional scuba-like compressed-air technology—though the cartridge is now 30 percent smaller—to lift a skier to the surface in a slide. Plenty of pockets and a helmet holder make this a workhorse of an avy pack. Buy Now (Courtesy BCA) BCA BC Link 2.0 Radio ($180) The BC Link 2.0 takes a consumer-band FRS radio (no FCC license required), wraps it in sturdy weather sealing, and adds a lapel microphone with all the controls on it

Show the other players who’s best at pulling on plastic (Courtesy Ridge) Ridge Merino Journey T-shirt ($50) Merino: you know it, you love it, and it stifles BO, so your belayer doesn’t have to suffer. Buy Now PrAna Summit Pants ($89) The flat, stretchy waistband on the Summit is ultra-comfortable, and the fit is flattering, flaring down the leg for better range of motion. As a bonus, these double as yoga pants. Buy Now (Courtesy La Sportiva) La Sportiva Futura Shoes ($185) The Futura has been our favorite climbing shoe for a while now. The only thing that