Good for Trail When the weather waffled between freezing rain and slushy snow, this top-shelf technical jacket hit its stride. It’s a hybrid—a 750-fill down sweater wrapped in an eVent hard shell—that never wet out, even in a deluge, but breathed well enough for alpine treks and…

Good for Resort The uninsulated, waterproof-breathable Odin was developed with input from four ski patrols across North America and Europe, then field-tested in Antarctica by ski mountaineer Chris Davenport. You can tell. Its shoulders and waist—where your pack rubs—are reinforced with Kevlar and TPU panels, there’s a…

With reinforcements at the palm and fingers, ample insulation, a removable liner, and Xtrafit technology (see Scott, left), these are the perfect mountaineering gloves. Of course, I loved skiing in them in frigid temps, too. marmot.com…

I’m also partial to ASICS’s Favorite Long-Sleeve shirt, which, despite being long-sleeved, is thin and cool enough to wear during summer speed work. asics.com…

Travel-Day Dream Mister Rogers was no dummy. A slip-on is a good thing—especially if you’re hoping for an easeful passage through airport security. The upgrade here is that the Standard is ultralight, with a super-cush footbed and soft canvas upper. sanuk.com…

Any guide will tell you: Keep your feet warm and dry. Merino wool naturally fends off water, keeps swamp foot away, and (as we were pleased to find) fights stink. point6.com…

Cycling shorts are key for pain-free pedaling. These moisture-wicking, nylon-polyester-Lycra bottoms won’t ride up your legs (even free of gripper elastic), and the waistband lies flat without pinching. shebeest.com…

Because they have winter in Southern California, too. On your foot, it looks like any flip-flop, but the faux shearling adds more warmth than you’d expect. In other words, buy it for the novelty if you wish, but don’t be surprised when you wear it around the house and…

Puff Daddy We were impressed by how well the Mission’s pit zips regulated temperature on a mild midwinter trip to British Columbia, but there was plenty of stuffing (500-fill down) for the most frigid test days, too. So if single-digit readings are commonplace at your home resort, check out this…

MAMMUT‘s hybrid plastic, fabric, and leather MAMOOK THERMO BOOTS have built-in gaiters to keep out the cold stuff.

If the temps dip into the teens, throw on a fleece-lined POLAR REVERSIBLE BUFF, an odor-resistant, two-layer tube that can be worn 12 ways.

THE NORTH FACE‘s slim-fitting APEX CLIMATEBLOCK FULL ZIP JACKET, is all wind- and slushproof panels except the stretchy sides and forearms.

High-Performance Softboard Not long ago, the words “soft surfboard” would’ve drawn jeers from core surfers. Now comes the ultralight Y-Quad, a truly high-performance softboard designed by Tom Morey, inventor of the boogie board. The semihard slick-skin deck and bottom suggest a glassed board, but the soft rails and boxy tail…

Designing a one-boat quiver is always a compromise, but the Rx (a.k.a the Prescription) is no horse by committee. It can both play and run downriver, because it combines a flat freestyle hull—for spinning on a wave—with a progressive rocker and relaxed chines behind the hips, where eddy lines…

CREEK SPECIALIST The Habitat incorporates the trademark roominess of Wave Sport’s previous creekboats, but its new hull design is carvier, more forgiving, and not as flat-bottomed (read: you won’t crush your spine boofing). At just over eight feet, it was fast enough to cut across eddy lines on the Colorado,…

MOST VERSATILE The Avocet LV slices through ocean whitecaps as well as it holds a fast, true line on a glassy lake. This British-hulled boat—low-profile, high foredeck—has great secondary stability, which will build confidence in beginners learning to tour. But you won’t outgrow it, either. With fore, aft, and day…

Designed by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard’s son, Fletcher, the quad-fin Quark is one of the lightest, greenest, most durable boards we’ve seen yet. Its fishlike characteristics include a nearly 20-inch width, high flotation, and mild swallowtail that make even the mushiest surf entertaining. Meanwhile, the Quark has mucho acceleration…

Fitness King Paddling to get a workout? This lightweight performance touring kayak absolutely flies when you put your head down and hammer. “It sprang from stop to go like a racehorse,” reported one tester after zipping across Lake Champlain and back. The Cat 5's deck is arced high to accommodate…

MAMMUT‘s super-comfortable TOGIR SLIDE HARNESS has loops designed specifically for ice screws and tools. A lightweight dry rope (i.e., one that’s treated and won’t suck up water)…

Protect your noggin with this first-ever women-specific (read: ponytail-compatible) ten-ounce helmet. Ten vents release steam on hot days and the removable foam is washable when it starts to stink. petzl.com…

1. Atlas’s signature Spring-Loaded Suspension helps underfoot crampons bite into hard snow and ice for maximum traction. Offset rows of aggressive teeth have exceptional lateral stability and grip to keep you from sliding sideways while traversing. During a heinous descent of Vermont’s exposed Sunset Ridge Trail—a mix of rock,…

Why It RulesAs a custom shop, Feathered Friends tailors each of its bags exactly to your specifications, meaning you get your choice of fabrics, color, and even zipper location. I picked the Pertex Quantum interior for breathability and the Epic exterior for water resistance—the combo tipped the scales at just…

Zeal Optics’ Maestro nails it with its new ZB-13 sepia polarized polycarbonate lenses. The amber tint amps up depth perception, intensifies contrast, sharpens edges, and performs masterfully in so many light conditions that you’d think they were photochromic (the kind that adjust to brightness). But the lenses don’t change—they’re…

Rudy Project hits the sweet spot where sportsworthiness becomes fashion and vice versa. This frameless wonder fends off 70-mile-an-hour winds as effectively as ski goggles, but it’ll also turn heads in Santa Barbara. Add dreamy optics and negligible weight and the result is a Gear of the Year award. 1.

The Miox is the first significant advance in backcountry water purification in years. Dip the unit into a pond to fill its thimble-size reservoir. A built-in table-salt compartment creates a brine solution, which the device—it’s slightly larger than a fat highlighting pen—then zaps with a small electrical charge. Dump the…

Not counting genetic mutants like ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes—who could probably jog a century in flip-flops—the rest of us need trail runners that can go from dirt to rock to road and do it gracefully. The Vasque Blur accomplishes that trick and then some. The hybrid gave us quick toe-offs…

Why It’s CoolHere’s a sound argument for topping off your gear closet with an affordable, ultralight bag for warm-weather overnights. The Phantom takes up less room in a backpack than some fleece jackets and weighs less than a bag of gorp. » The zip is three-quarter-length (to trim weight) and…

1. It’s partly recycled, yes. But the Verde won this year’s award because of how it performed in the field. It’s all about the fill: The Verde’s insulation (Climashield Green) is “continuous filament,” meaning it won’t clump or shift—and create cold spots—as old-school synthetics do. 2. The insulation…

Why It’s CoolThough this stove is sweet enough at rest—when folded up, it’s so small it fits into the hollow beneath its own fuel canister—the Crux unfurled is engineering elegance: The burner head rotates on a ball-and-socket joint and locks into place with a reassuring snap. Small pot-support arms swivel…

1. The C905 is the only camera phone we’ve ever felt deserved the name. Its 8.1-megapixel camera features autofocus, a xenon flash, image stabilization, instant Web uploads, a sliding lens cover, and face-detection technology. We printed eight-by-tens that compared favorably with prints from a beginner DSLR. There’s even a…

The Seedhouse is one of the year’s standouts in a smart class of tents: They’re technically big enough for three but so light they should rightfully be considered two-person shelters. Consider: It’s six feet wide at the hips and nearly four feet tall—and still has double-wall protection that kept…

If comfort is more important to you than weight, go ahead and buy a three-person tent for yourself and your mate. But consider this first: New pole connectors, like plastic hubs and sockets, have made tent walls more vertical, which creates more usable space in a two-person model without…

SOLID PERFORMERThis one doesn’t exactly scream “sexy beast,” but SD has always prioritized the basics—manifest here in details such as anti-snag seams. The best thing about the three-pound-four-ounce Arrow Rock is that “toasty” (it’s rated to 15 degrees) isn’t spinspeak for “cramped.” On a nippy late-summer outing in North Cascades…

THREE-SEASON ULTRALIGHT Go hard all day and sleep like the dead all night? We liked this bag for both pursuits. It’s light and compressible, thanks to a three-quarter-length zipper, a tapered design, and lofty 750-fill down. The narrow, efficient cut makes it one of the warmest two-pound bags we’ve seen,…

LIGHT AND VERSATILE Consider the Talon an experiment in reduction: Every detail has been whittled down to bare essentials, making it a great warm-weather ultralight. But it's no one-trick pony. Thanks to a stiff aluminum/composite suspension, smart external lashing options, and a large stretch-woven shove-it pocket, one tester was able…

Need to make sure you’re still on route—or wondering if that rustling is a bear? Hit the boost button and the Myo XP throws a focused, ultrabright beam of light over 300 feet. Smart feature: Diffusing the beam on any of its four settings requires the flip of a…

BUILT TO LAST The Woodpecker, from Swiss company Exped, is meticulously crafted—just what you’d expect from a nation of legendary watchmakers. (Of course, its heavy-duty zipper is the only moving part.) A well-placed, down-filled chin guard keeps your face from brushing against frosty zippers. Glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls prevent late-night fumbling.

It’s what’s on the inside that matters most, and because the Boreal 20 is stuffed with some of the loftiest, most compressible synthetic insulation around, it’s remarkably warm and cushy for its weight. Bonus: The ergonomically tailored foot area and hood are designed specifically for women’s bodies. 20°, 2.7…

Need a three-season and a summer-weight bag but can’t afford both? Sidestep the decision with the Chasseral. If conditions are too warm, simply zip off the topsheet, which folds into its own stash pocket, creating a ready-made camping-size pillow. And although the Chasseral is the roomiest bag here, it…

Durable and Well-Priced With beefy draft tubes around the hood and along the full-length zipper, glow-in-the dark zipper pulls, and 600-fill goose down, the 15-degree Hotlum is built to the same general specs as fancier (and more expensive) bags in the North Face’s line. The only difference is that the…

Fast Clip Not only is this pocket-size, water-resistant flashlight impressively bright (25 lumens), but its included alligator-style clip accessory lets you attach the light to just about anything. 1.6 oz; nagear.com…

You can winterize any inflatable sleeping pad with an inexpensive (if bulky) closed-cell foam mat like THERM-A-REST’S Z LITE PAD.

BIGFOOT WITH BIG TEETH Whoever was wearing these snowshoes spent most of the time breaking trail. In deep snow, the Lacrosse offered the best flotation of any shoe here, and its aggressive claws also kept testers feeling secure on ice. The optional Pilot II binding (far superior to the baseline…

OVERACHIEVER We had to keep looking down to remind ourselves that this is a 152. The Drift blasted through crud that typically slows up similarly sized boards, plus its rubber sidewalls damped chatter. And it’s fast. The Drift kept up with the big boys—some 159s, even a 162. In the…

At a pound less than Karhu's in-bounds version, the Jak BC is a featherweight climber made with carbon components and the new environmentally friendly Greenlight Core, which is made of sustainably harvested Chinese wood. 124/90/113, 7.1 lbs; karhu.com   Bonus: Lots of pop for such a light ski.   Bummer:…

Thanks to a DIN of 16, an innovative toe-height adjustment, and a beefy plate underfoot, the new Duke outperforms all other AT bindings on the descent. Or, as one tester put it, “The playing field has totally changed.” 5.6 lbs; markerusa.com   Bonus: There's nearly zero ramp angle, so you…

This day tripper has a wraparound binding so easy to put on, you can do it with bulky gloves or cold hands. The women-specific shape is tapered, with upturned toes and tails to make your stride more natural. 3.6 lbs; tubbssnowshoes.com. Pair them with: ULU CROW RABBIT…

SCARE-THE-TOURISTS FAST Good for All Mountain “It feels like a World Cup race ski and a powder ski had a love child,” said one tester. Part of the completely revamped line of skis from Blizzard, the Magnum 8.7 features the company’s Powerframe construction—essentially stacking more of…

The Tartan’s ergonomic grips are the most comfortable of any here, and the aircraft-grade aluminum should stand up to years of abuse. scottusa.com…

Good for Big Mountain This year's Ravyn received a facelift (new graphics) but otherwise returns unchanged. It remains relatively light for its footprint but still impressed testers with its damp feel and edge-to-edge prowess. “The harder the Ravyn is pushed, the easier it is to ski,” said one tester.

Good for All Mountain Testers praised the Push for its terrain-soaking dampness and remarkable out-of-the-box fit. Credit the snowboard-boot-like Boa liner (a nexus of metal wires you ratchet down tightly). “The best off-the-shelf fit and feel of any boot liner out there,” one tester noted. It's a bit softer…

BUILT FOR SPEED A teardrop shape and snappy return make these lightweight shoes a good pick for midwinter running or aerobic hikers. An extra toe claw delivers more power during quick-stepping toe-offs, and the easy-ratcheting binding feels stable in running shoes or low-profile boots. The frame is a magnesium alloy,…

By using different materials in different parts of the binding, EVA padding in the baseplate and gel-infused ankle straps, the United pulls off a nifty trick: It’s soft enough to take the sting out of flat landings but stiff enough to feel solid on firm snow at high speeds.

Good for Telemark While not a women-specific boot per se, the NTN-compatible TX is now available in women's sizes, providing testers with their first look at this sleek boot-and-binding system. Across the board, the results were clear: NTN provided our women the most arcing power they'd ever experienced. Bonus:…

The pounds you carry on your feet tax your body more than the pounds you carry on your back. That’s why our testers were such big fans of the Backcountry. At under three pounds a pair, they’re the lightest 30-inch snowshoes we’ve ever seen. To achieve such a low…

Good for Resort The first alpine boot made from sustainable (and recyclable) materials, the Renu has a shell made with a castor-oil-based plastic, a cork insole, and a bamboo-fiber liner. Experts will want something stiffer, but it’s plenty firm enough for intermediate to advanced skiers.

TELEMARK Good for All Mountain With the same footprint as Doug Coombs's original namesake ski, the new Coomback features a low-rise rockered tip for better flotation. “Nimble, agile, lightweight, and able to handle heavy pow with ease,” said one Alta-based tester. With tip and tail holes for K2's new…

ALPINE TOURING Good for Touring The Virus Tour, designed by extreme-skiing pioneer Glen Plake, impressed testers with a split, hinged tongue that allows seemingly limitless articulation for skinning or scrambling. “Incredible range of motion,” said one tester. We also love its smooth, if somewhat soft, flex. A thermomoldable EVA…

Big Mountain The Freeride has been the go-to AT binding for years. Why? It’s an all-around performance-driven binding that accepts alpine and AT boots. Switching between ski and walk mode, as well as adjusting the heel riser, happens with the flick of a pole. Taking a cue from its little…

Each size of this all-mountain twin is adorned with a different dude, like John Lennon, Albert Einstein, or Martin Luther King Jr. But all the dudes ride the same: Thanks to a robust poplar-and-beech core, it’s the stiffest and most carve-ready board here. Like the Rossignol One Magtek, it’s…

Like the original, only better. The leather uppers are now seam-sealed and waterproof. When combined with the nine-millimeter-thick felted-wool inner boots—rated to 40 below zero—this is a pair of kicks worthy of ice fishing in Minnesota. 5.2 lbs; sorel.com…

STREET-LEGAL ROCKET The Enforcer wowed us with its off-the-chart stability at high speed and penchant for tearing through piles of crud with nary a twitch. Credit its wood-core, vertical-sidewall, metal-reinforced construction and monster sidecut. The downside? The Enforcer can take its toll on lighter skiers. “It’s not a lazy-afternoon ski,”…

Why They’re CoolRockered Vibram soles endorse an effortless, natural walking motion. Why don’t more companies use ’em? » On a trek through Arizona’s White Mountains, the shallow, omnidirectional lugs gave me solid traction over dirt and needles, and excellent grip on smooth rock. » The polyurethane midsole is a step…

Designed by Nordica’s big-mountain and park athletes, the brand-new Ace of Spades has an upright stance designed to give you a solid, well-balanced platform for skiing switch and landing big airs. And should you land in the backseat, extra room around the big toe helps disperse some of the…

Like the Energise, this pack’s air-cooled suspension prevents sweaty-back syndrome. Stretch-woven side pockets didn’t rip when caught on branches, and zipper finger loops made gloved entries a cinch. 2.6 lbs, 1,500 cu in; www.ospreypacks.com Crowd pleaser:It’s available in five different capacities.

Yes, the graphics are a bit much, but testers couldn’t get over how stable this reverse-camber park rat was. “I went for any lip I saw,” one tester said. “It was so responsive.” Credit the true twin shape and its shallow sidecut, which also made arcing in and out…

When the going gets tough, the tough tighten up their Enigmas. Like an up-armored light hiker, the Enigma has the body of a sneaker and a Vibram sole shaped for cruising, but it plows through mixed terrain like a Hummer. Rigid support won’t wilt under a heavy pack, and…

Ultimate Power Need more leverage on your reverse-camber or mixed-camber board? Rome Snowboards is bringing it to you via a system of interchangeable canting beds in its new 390 Boss binding. Picture a wedge with the thickest part under the outside of your foot—when you push against it, you can…

ONE TOUGH CUSTOMERThe Breeze Low keeps its cool in warm weather with ultrabreathable nylon mesh, deployed here on both side panels and tongue. But the Breeze is no featherweight: Bands of leather cradle the scuff-prone mesh, shielding it from abrasion, and a plastic armor plate below the midsole guards against…

  Break poles like Bode breaks rules? BD’s strongest carbon-fiber pole has a lower Kevlar wrap to further protect them against your skis’ edges. Plus oversize baskets stayed afloat even in powder. Heading into the backcountry? Also available in a collapsible version, with an aluminum upper shaft, as the Carbon…

SPEED DEMON Can a running-oriented hydration pack double as a daypack? Yes, if it's designed as well as this one. During trail runs in the mountains above Santa Fe, the Riff's compression straps, foam back panel, and perfectly sculpted harness made for a stable, slosh-free ride. Yet on hikes the…

THE PLAYER Instead of carrying your iPod in your jacket, stow it safely in the padded compartment of this 1,281-cubic-inch pack. The controls and phone jack mount on the ergonomic shoulder straps, and you can work the buttons with gloves on. Tunes or no, the Audex has ample room for…

GREAT ANKLE SUPPORT In a world of Honda Elements and Subaru Outbacks, the Ranger is a Ford Bronco: old-school and well-built but certainly not flashy. The crux of this classically designed boot is the collar. Leather strips on the outer surface offer stiff resistance to ankle rolls, while the inner…

Hard on your gear??If the answer is yes, the Deva is your friend. The rubberized bottom and 210-denier ripstop nylon were the burliest of the packs we tested. While the top com­partment of this massive bag transforms into an over-the-shoulder daypack in seconds, the waist belt’s ratch­eting system isn’t…

Made from recycled plastic bottles, this backpack keeps your surf stuff organized with thoughtful features like a seam-sealed wetsuit pocket, tarp-lined surf-wax keeper, and insulated cooler pocket. dakine.com…

With flat lace loops that don’t interfere with cinching snowshoe bindings, ample insulation, and a waterproof-breathable membrane, the Lynx can handle the wet and cold as well as any boot here. And with its trim and understated style, it blends nicely for urban use. 3.1 lbs;…

Simple and Smart Although they’re best known for making school bags, JanSport also has a long track record making technical performance packs—like the 2,074-cubic-inch Salish. From long day hikes to more gear-intensive scrambles to local crags, it consistently received high marks as a comfy, versatile pack. An externally accessed hydration…

This is the warmest boot we tested this year (rated to 60 below zero). The key is a removable, quick-dry felt liner, with an inner heat-reflective layer that also helps draws moisture out of the boot, plus the mid-calf height keeps the snow out with the pull of a…

Good for Trails Even when the weather was truly heinous, the Razor helped us get in our runs. Wrapped in a waterproof, highly breathable eVent bootie that extends above the ankle, this unique shoe kept our feet warm and completely dry. The Vibram outsole proved adequate on…

Why They’re CoolLet the marathoners worry about shoe mechanics—here’s a fat-foot Cadillac for the rest of us. » Reebok’s top-of-the-line cushioning road shoes padded my peds like a down pillow. But it was the perforated heel that sold me. The innocuous-looking row of holes along the outer heel reduced skidding…