Winter Buyer's Guide
Archive
Apparel that looks its best after you’ve put it through your worst
AT gear keeps getting better and better at handling the down.
Backcountry boots are stiffer and more powerful than ever.
All the best skiers I know are women. We need gear that can keep up.
Watch to see our editors’ four favorite items from the Winter Buyer’s Guide.
Boots don’t have to be torture devices. Here’s what to look for when buying your next pair—plus seven of our favorites.
Superior setups for heading beyond the ropes.
The race is on to create the perfect beyond-the-ropes setup.
The season’s best trainers keep you moving through nasty weather
For all your fast-and-light pursuits. (Black Diamond) Black Diamond Helio Best For: Going fast and light. The Test: Even if it remains stashed in your pack all day, a lightweight shell to shed squalls and seal in critical warmth should be part of every backcountry adventurer’s kit. And the Helio…
From trailhead to summit, boots to keep your feet warm and dry. (Under Armour) Under Armour Clackamas 200 Best For: Deep Snow If you tramp through half a foot of fresh every morning to get to your car, take note. The 10.5-inch-tall Clackamas rises above the snow, while its water-resistant rubber-and-canvas…
Run cold? You'll want one of these insulated beasts. (Adidas) Adidas Terrex Climaheat Techrock Best For: Instant warmth. The Test: Heading into the backcountry? Pack a big puffy to snuggle into during rest breaks, while on belay, or as emergency insulation. With 800-fill goose down wrapped in Pertex fabric, the 1.1-pound Techrock…
Groundbreaking designs and updated classics for every wrist. (Tissot) Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar Here’s something new under the sun: the first solar-powered touchscreen watch. The Expert Solar’s spare, Euro-cool design and titanium case conceal a wealth of useful digital gadgetry behind its analog face, like an altimeter, a weather monitor, and…
No snow in the forecast? That's no excuse to be lazy.
Riding in winter doesn't have to be painful. (Rapha) Rapha Pro Team Thermal Aerosuit Think of this one-piece as a nordic skin suit for cyclists. It’s incredibly warm, courtesy of the windproof, water-resistant, waffle-weave fleece on the front. But you won’t overheat: the fabric’s lighter in back to let cool air in. Price $440…
Over the river and through the woods. (Fimbulvetr) Fimbulvetr Hikr Best For: Deep Snow Breaking trail in winter is just about the most difficult workout you can do. But that Herculean endeavor is made a bit easier with a platform like the Norwegian Hikr strapped to your foot. The lightweight plastic…
Winter-training heroes require apparel with oomph.
The ski world is going all in on high-tech safety gear, packing more features into smaller packages.
Underwear just keeps getting better. (Icebreaker) Icebreaker Helix Long-Sleeve Zip Jacket If you need a do-it-all midlayer this winter, go with the Helix. Despite the svelte profile, it’s warmer than any other top on this page, thanks to its wool insulation and wind-blocking poly exterior. That face fabric also shrugs off…
Don't let the snow stop you. (CurrexSole) CurrexSole RunPro Insoles If you’re training year-round, you’ve got to take extra care of your feet. RunPro insoles are built from an EVA composite that’s cushy yet responsive, and they come in high, medium, or low arch. Price $50 Buy…
Best-in-class picks to match your style. (Amplid) Amplid LoveLife Best For: Aggressive Riders Amplid got the memo that not all women crave soft flex and graphics that look like Disney-princess wallpaper. Despite the unfortunate name, expert testers endorsed the LoveLife for its tip-to-tail stiffness, created by a low-density poplar core and a…
Performance snacks get a natural makeover. (AlpineAire) AlpineAire Guacamole Thanks to the geniuses at Alpine-Aire, guac is no longer a luxury reserved for glamping with a well-stocked cooler—it’s a trail-ready hors d’oeuvre you’ve earned after hiking miles in the backcountry. Just add water to the 1.4-ounce package, filled with freeze-dried avocado, onion, and serrano…
Fear not these fashion-forward frames. The best sporty-shades makers are showing new style.
Your paws deserve the best. (Outdoor Research) Outdoor Research Capstone Heated Why spend five bills on electric gloves? To play longer when the mercury drops. A heating surface covers 70 percent of the Capstone (twice the area of most other models), and the lithium-ion batteries deliver up to eight hours…
World Cup skinny-ski gear for your local skate track
Four snowshoes to help you rise above the powder, summit fast, and blaze snowy trails
Eight tools to maintain fitness during the cold, dark winter days
Smarter, lighter, better-looking wearables to track your data
6 boards to keep you carving hardpack or powder, from dawn to dusk
From groomers to glades, bumps to short-swing turns in the fall line, these frontside skis do everything you need
From traveling light to going fast and steep, these 8 pairs of planks will help you carve pow all winter long
Flex, lasts, and liners matter. But above all, buy the one that feels good.
Looking for the funnest terrain in North America? Go here.
Three boldly versatile boards for managing the most variable conditions
Buying new skis this year? Lucky you. We tested the latest designs, and these came out on top—so shop wisely.
A behind-the-scenes look at the toughest job at ϳԹ: taking to the slopes of Utah to try out all the latest skis. Someone's gotta do it.
Three tips from expert bootfitter Ari Goosen.
Riders looking for a big-mountain twin tip will love the Venture Skylar
With a tight 14.3-meter turn radius, a powerful system-style binding, and Head’s World Cup race construction, this Austrian setup should have tossed us Yanks around by our Cinnabons.