Snow Sports
Archive
It’s all about fit. Too loose and your head is a yolk inside an eggshell. Too tight and you’ll get migraines from all the pressure points. Most of today’s helmets have features that allow you to maximize fit.
Most goggles feature fog-resistant double lenses, but the cheap ones are built flat and bent into the frame, creating distortion, which can cause headaches. Invest in optically correct spherical lenses. Polarization? It cuts reflected light, but it can mask ice, too.
We tested out the best backcountry and alpine boots to help you find the best fit for your ski experience.
Dynafit-style tech bindings, like the Radical and the La Sportiva RT, are the only ones that offer a true free pivot, meaning there’s no hardware attached to your boot heel or sole. They have fewer moving parts, ice up less, and require 15 percent less energy from you than other bindings.
For a secure, three-closure fit, try the Infuse snowboard boots.
As backcountry skiing has boomed, so has splitboarding. In the past five years, participation has quadrupled, and companies from Black Diamond to Burton to K2 have tossed their hats into the ring with split-specific gear.
The nimble, lightweight Velvet Guru stands head and shoulders above the competition in a park setting.
Like riding in slippers, the Boa Coiler is one comfy boot.
Our testers raved about the great energy transfer that the DVa delivers.
When the results were tallied after our on-mountain evaluations, these were our female testers’ favorite planks.
Our Vermont-based test crew started with a field of more than 30 snowshoes and narrowed them down to these three favorites.
Go deeper with our favorite telemark and alpine touring bindings of the year.
After air bags saved lives in several high-profile slides last year, demand (and curiosity) has never been higher. In 2011, there were five manufacturers making air-bag packs. This winter there are at least 10, and an increasing number of cat- and heli-ski operations are outfitting their clients with them.
Your skis might be flashier, but your boots are the more critical piece of gear. You could roll the dice and buy online, but we highly recommend getting them the old-fashioned way: in person. The more knowledgeable the shop is, the better.
Cyclists, climbers, alpine skiers, and trail runners are all crossing over to nordic skate skiing for two simple reasons—it’s fun as hell, and it delivers a freakishly efficient full-body workout. First know this: skate skis aren’t alpine skis; you don’t choose them by length alone.
I want to keep biking deep into the fall—maybe even winter. What’s the most important piece of gear to stay warm?
We're not sure what inspired a couple of inventors to name their new ski bag the Douchebag. If it was just a ploy to get some attention then, well, it worked. But it wasn't the name that made us want to introduce you to it here…
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Scott Contessa Spark RC.
I’ve been reading about a lot of avalanche fatalities recently. What do I need to stay reasonably safe in avalanche country?
Outside picks the best gear for your alpine-touring setup, including the K2 WayBack skis.
I need a new ski pack for resort and backcountry skiing. I'm looking for something that can carry skis, water, and my gear on day trips out of bounds, but won't get in the way on chairlifts.
If you’re like me, you probably still have some holes (ahem, a lot of holes?) to fill on your holiday shopping list. Have no fear: There’s still time to score the season’s most coveted loot for little rippers, naughty or nice. Icebreaker Bodyfit Base Layers …
When I ski or engage in other outdoor winter sports, my hands get cold–really cold. Any suggestions for a fix?
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 gift guide, including the Lib Tech C2BTX snowboard.
It's starting to snow, and I'm anxious to get out and do some winter hiking. What's a good combination of snowshoes and winter boots?
Cross-country skiing is among the world's great human-powered modes of movement. Whether you ski classic or skate, here’s the gear you’ll need to get started.
Five years after retiring from the NFL, former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe is jumping on a rising trend and building his own line of bespoke skis
In the world of big mountain skiing, Dean Cummings is a legend. He was the captain of the US Freestyle Ski Team, has hundreds of first descents to his name, has been featured in dozens of ski films and shows, and for years was…
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Fischer RCS Carbonlite Skating Hole skis.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Black Diamond Custom boots
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Moving Comfort Rebound Racer Bra.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Nau 3/4 Length Cocoon jacket.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Jones Snowboards Mountain Twin.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Line Celebrity 100 skis.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Salomon F4.0 snowboard boots.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Pro-Tec B2 Snow helmet.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the K2 Rescue Shovel Plus.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Marker Duke bindings
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Arnette Mercenary goggles.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Arbor Swoon Board.
For this winter’s Buyer’s Guide our testers teamed up with Backcountry magazine to put the skis through the ringer, for a week, in waist-deep powder.
Outside Buyer’s Guide editor Sam Moulton takes Intern Dave and Patagonia’s waterproof Primo Down jacket to the carwash.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Tubbs Wilderness Snowshoe
Do a pair of expertly crafted custom skis pay out on the slopes, or is that extra money you spent just vanity underfoot?
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Tecnica Cochise Ski Boot
I'm heading into the backcountry this winter after years of in-bounds skiing, and I need a randonee set up. How much should I plan to spend? And will I notice a big difference between randonee boots and skis, and my race boots and all-mountain skis?
What's the best technical shell for skiing? I'm looking for a jacket that isn't bulky and provides versatility in more than one season.
The history of Frostline Kits isn't complicated, and if you knew how to work a sewing machine, the concept wasn't either. Started in 1966 by Dale Johnson, a former employee of Gerry Mountaineering Equipment, Frostline made sewing kits for those who didn't have the money to purchase camping…
Masked in a proprietary waterproofing nano-technology, the multi-sport V-Lite Thunder can handle any weather condition. $90…
A stiff, all-mountain board that's solid at high speeds..
Buyer’s Guide managing editor Alicia Carr picks some of her favorite new gear from the SIA snow show.
Buyer's Guide managing editor Alicia Carr hits up the Smith booth at SIA for a quick history lesson.
Buyer's Guide editor Sam Moulton presents the GOY award to Black Diamond for the Justice.
Fully customizable powder skis–add your own graphics and chose the flex based on your height and weight.
Buyer's Guide editor Sam Moulton presents the GOY award to Patagonia for the Reconnaissance.
Buyer’s Guide managing editor Alicia Carr reviews one of the coolest new boot innovations at the SIA snow show.
Johnathan Frederick of Bent Gate Mountaineering teams up with Searac Adventure Films to tell you how to shop for backcountry and alpine skis. seracfilms.com and bentgate.com…
Need new backcountry ski boots? Watch this video before you start shopping. seracfilms.com and bentgate.com…
Buyer’s Guide managing editor Alicia Carr picks her favorite gear from the SIA Snow Show.
It's easier than you think. And you'll save money. And have more fun. Seriously. seracfilms.com and bentgate.com…
Buyer’s Guide managing editor Ali Carr shares the Gear of the Year-winning snowboard.
A boot that performs nearly as well in-bounds as it does out-of-bounds.
A big mountain ski that blasts through powder but can still handle hard snow.
With reinforced edges, this twin tip is designed specifically for the park.
A super-sticky carving ski that penetrates even the hardest snow.
Sam Moulton is at Boulder Ski Deals for a rundown of the best alpine skis.
The most versatile jacket, and our Gear of the Year winner.
Our Gear of the Year winning board can handle any terrain.
Plush padding and female-friendly shaping deliver all-day comfort.
Our favorite all mountain ski, and winner of our 2009 Gear of the Year award.
