We at 黑料吃瓜网听have been skinning up the local ski area near our headquarters in听Santa Fe, New Mexico, since October. (Thank you, Godzilla El Ni帽o!) Now听there鈥檚听enough coverage听(and a stable enough snowpack) to head out of bounds, where having the right kit is key. For a general overview听of our favorite backcountry skis and jackets, check out the 2016 Winter Buyer鈥檚 Guide. For everything else, check out the following list with all our top new听gear picks, including everything we鈥檒l be skiing听in, wearing, and carrying this winter.听
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Black Diamond Link 105 ($850)
Black Diamond proved with the 听that carbon isn鈥檛 a necessary ingredient for building a lightweight, high-performance听backcountry ski. These boards, made with a paulownia wood core and prepreg fiberglass layup, aren鈥檛 the lightest on the market (7.3 pounds for the 180 centimeter), but we鈥檝e used them for full-day outings and never felt slow on the ups. These听skis make up for the extra weight听with superb听dampness,听thanks in large part to a layer of rubber in the sidewalls,听that鈥檒l boost your confidence when you鈥檙e听trying to stay safe on a 50-degree pitch. Match them with and .听
Line Sick Day Tourist ($800)
Line is known for making听park skis 补苍诲听big-mountain, multidirectional planks听for people like Eric Pollard,听who likes to butter off 20-foot cliffs. In other words, Line is听not well known in the touring category. That changes with the . These skis are plenty light (7.3 pounds for the 186 centimeter), so you can use them on big tours, but we like them because, like all Line skis, they ride like a Cadillac,听thanks听to their burly sidewall construction. They鈥檒l slay pow as well as the next ski, but we particularly love these boards for mixed conditions when we need something听that will charge through anything. Match them with and .听
DPS Wailer 106 Tour1 ($1,050)
The Wailer 106 Tour1 skis are a special . With听Tour1 construction,听which features things like cap construction and a balsa core wrapped with aerospace-grade carbon,听these skis are ultralight听(6.3 pounds for the 178 centimeter) yet surprisingly strong, which makes them particularly well suited for long tours in any terrain. With a little more girth than the Wailer 99 Tour1听but less massive听than the 112 Tour1, the 106听hits a听sweet spot and could听become your one-quiver, big-day, backcountry ski. Match them听with 补苍诲听.听
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Dynafit Khion Carbon ($900)
Dynafit鈥檚 Vulcan boot is our go-to for skiing steep, no-fall runs like the , but it鈥檚 more boot that you鈥檒l likely听need when the terrain is less intense. That鈥檚 why we were glad to see Dynafit release the , which is a bit flexier听but still provides plenty of power transfer. It also tours well and will feel familiar to people who are used to traditional alpine boots,听thanks to its four-buckle construction.
Arc鈥檛eryx Procline Carbon ($1,000)
These boots don鈥檛 launch until next fall, but we got our hands on a demo pair this month and were blown away by the performance on the ups and downs. The big story here is that Arc鈥檛eryx designed a boot that flexes not only back听to听front听but also side听to听side (23听degrees in听and 12听degrees out)听in tour mode. This lets users听flex their听ankles on uneven skin track or mixed terrain, boosting听traction and control. When you鈥檙e ready to head down, the boot is stiff enough to handle most听backcountry skis.听
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Black Diamond Razor Ski Poles ($125)
These poles match an aluminum upper with a carbon lower, creating a that can take an absolute beating in the backcountry. The locking mechanism that lets you extend the pole is easy to use.听There鈥檚 also a听low-profile grip for when you want to hold the pole below the handle while switchbacking up a climb.
Soul Poles听($100 to听$200)
All shafts are made from sustainable bamboo. The grips and baskets are made from recycled听plastics, and the straps a crafted from a recycled PET plastic weave. They hold up great in the backcountry because bamboo is lightweight yet ultradurable.
Backcountry Jackets
Voormi Fall Line Jacket ($400)
We tested听and fell in love with听the preproduction . The听full-production sample is听even better. It uses the company鈥檚 Core Construction technology, which weaves wool through a waterproof sheet, creating a wind- and snow-shielding outer听layer. The new version is lighter听and features some nice style elements, making it an ideal backcountry piece that also looks great at the bar.
Patagonia Reconnaissance Jacket ($400)
We rarely need a full听waterproof shell in New Mexico because our snow is cold and dry. That鈥檚 why the ,听which uses a DWR-coated softshell material on the chest and back,听is a go-to. That softshell material dumps tons of heat on the skin track but keeps us warm and dry on the way down. If big, wet flakes start to fly, a fully waterproof material on the shoulders, hood, and arms keeps out most of the听extra moisture.
Stio Snotel Jacket ($355)
Made from Toray Dermizax EV 3L fabric, has some stretch, which is nice when you鈥檙e in ski boots scrambling听up and over rocks to get to your favorite line. It鈥檚 just as waterproof and breathable as most other jackets on this list, but it packs down better鈥攖o about the size of a grapefruit鈥攚hich is nice when you鈥檙e听conserving听space in a pack.
Mammut Alvier HS Hooded Jacket ($650)
The underarm zippers on 听split the sleeves open and allow you to roll them up,听basically听turning the jacket into a vest when you鈥檙e huffing up something steep. Once you鈥檙e up top and winds are whipping at 50 miles per hour听along the ridge, the three-layer jacket,听with Gore-Tex听C-Knit backer technology,听keeps even the heaviest Sierra cement at bay.听
Backcountry Pants
Trew Roam 3/4听Bib ($420)
With miles听of built-in articulation and airy Dermizax NX fabric, 听is听ideal for long, technical, high-exertion days on the skin track. Thick, sturdy bibs keep the pants from shifting around, lots of zippers act as extra vents, and there鈥檚 an easy-access beacon pocket on the right thigh.
Black Diamond Mission Pro Ski Pants ($440)听
Made from Gore-Tex Pro, are as burly as they听get and will put up with ski edges, rock scrambles, and tree branches for years. The beacon pocket is the best we鈥檝e seen, with a built-in听reinforced听harness that will keep your device protected even in a slide. There are also boot-access zippers that let you adjust your buckles without pulling up the听pant cuffs.听
The Best听Insulation for the Backcountry
Cotopaxi Altiplano Vest ($130)
Polartec鈥檚 breathable Alpha insulation works great in a jacket but even better in a vest. The听听vents your core even when you鈥檙e sweating, letting听excess heat escape off听your arms. Layer it under a shell on the way down for听an extra layer of protection on the most听brutal days.
Big Agnes Meaden Jacket ($380)听
You should always carry a spare听puffy for lunch breaks, assessing avalanche pits, or those really cold days on top of the ridge. The 听has 850-fill power听with water-resistant DownTek 补苍诲听vertical baffles that create a snugger, more body-hugging fit. It also packs down well when not in use.
Patagonia R1 Fleece Hoody ($160)听
The Polartec Power Grid fabric used in Patagonia鈥檚 famous R1 has a high warmth-to-weight ratio, making this one of the coziest base layers听ever made. Plus,听听includes a听Polygiene听treatment to quash odors.
Safety Gear for the Backcountry
Osprey Kode 32 Pack ($150)听
An airbag pack is useful in high-consequence terrain, but the system adds听extra weight. For regular听tours in low-angle areas, the 听is a solid option: It鈥檚 big enough for everything you need鈥攆ood, extra layers, and safety tools.听It carries well 补苍诲听has a clever听diagonal ski carry,听which we prefer because it鈥檚 quicker to attach than an A-frame carry.听
BCA Tracker3 Avalanche Beacon ($335)听
This beacon was included in our听Buyer鈥檚 Guide, but we wanted to mention it again here because it鈥檚 so simple to use. is also svelte, 补苍诲听like most top-level beacons, it鈥檚 built so you can search for multiple burials simultaneously. Tip: for a basic primer on how to use your safety gear, check out .
BCA B-1 Ext Avalanche Shovel ($50)
There鈥檚 nothing special about the , and that鈥檚 why we like it. Made from lightweight aluminum, the handle comes off for storage in your bag and extends to 28.75 inches with the shovel attached, giving you plenty of leverage for digging. When it鈥檚 not in our bag, the shovel lives in our car in case we get stuck.
Black Diamond Quickdraw Tour 240 Probe ($60)
Snowpack in New Mexico never gets as deep as what you might see in the Pacific Northwest, so we can get away with carrying shorter probes (240 centimeters听as opposed to 300 centimeters). The is durable, lightweight (11 ounces), and easy to deploy.
Ortovox Gemini Single Bivi Sack ($75)
We hope you never use , but you should always carry it in case you鈥檙e caught out in the backcountry overnight. The sack, made from waterproof nylon with a reflective lining, weighs only half a pound and doesn鈥檛 take up much space in your pack, but it will keep you warm 补苍诲听dry鈥攁nd alive鈥攊f you spend a night outside.听
Accessories for the Backcountry
Truck M1 Glove ($30)
When you're skinning,听you鈥檙e constantly using your hands to adjust boots, take skins on and off, and mess with a听pack. That鈥檚 why we like the听. They鈥檙e thin enough to offer plenty of听dexterity,听but they鈥檙e still听bomber with full goat-leather construction听and plenty warm for all but the most bone-chilling days.
Topo Designs X Giro Edit Helmet ($180)
This collab features the well-vented, low-profile, easy-to-adjust helmet from Giro, plus styling and color choices from Topo Designs. Match the helmet with the collab, and you鈥檙e really set.听
Smith X Owner Operator I/O 7 Goggle ($200)
The Smith I/O 7听vents well, fits great, and has听a super-simple lens-change system. The strap on this听听was designed by Owner Operator and gives the goggles听a vintage听1970s ski look.听
Merino Wool Buff ($32)
We often wear a over our head and under a trucker cap on the way up to protect our ears and neck from the sun. On super-cold days, we pull a Buff over our nose and mouth to prevent frostbite on the way down. The merino wool version is听our favorite because it鈥檚 warm and doesn鈥檛 freeze as you breathe through it.听
Howler Brothers听Mesh-Back Trucker Hat (From $27)
You鈥檒l get sunburned real quick if you鈥檙e skinning on a bluebird day without a hat. We like trucker hats in particular because they vent out the back.听听offers a huge selection with fun听logos and graphics.
Brooks-Range Mountaineering Ski Binding Tool ($10)
Sometimes you need to adjust your bindings in the field, but you don鈥檛 want to carry a screwdriver. This 听comes with a series of bits that听allow you to wrench on any binding on the market.
Voil茅 Strap 20-Inch听($5)
You need several of these in your backcountry bag because they鈥檙e useful if things go wrong. Use them to hold a skin on your ski when听snow interferes with the glue听or to keep a听ski boot in place when听a听binding breaks.
Duct Tape ($11)听
Don鈥檛 bring an entire roll. Instead, pull off about听five feet and create a 听that you can use to patch a hole in your jacket.
Exotac Firesleeve ($15)
We always carry a听听in case we get stuck in the backcountry overnight and need to build a fire.
Goal Zero Venture 30 Recharger ($100)
The lives in our pack for all 鈥渦h-oh鈥澨齧oments. If we get stuck and our phone听is running low on juice, this will recharge the batteries a couple times. Just听don鈥檛 forget to bring the charging cord.
REI First-Aid Kit (From $25)
REI creates that come with everything听you need鈥攊ncluding听triple-antibiotic ointment,听bandages, ibuprofen,听and moleskin鈥攖o treat minor injuries. We like to throw in a few听hand warmers and a pocket knife, just in case.听
Suunto听Traverse Watch ($450)
We wear because it shows听topographic maps听and routes听that you can follow听using听both GPS and GLONASS satellite navigation systems. 听It also creates a breadcrumb听path that will lead you back to your car if you get lost.