Ski tourers are a fortunate bunch these days, with an abundance of dedicated, quality gear for every touring need. And each year, the range of choice increases, designs are more refined, some grams are shaved, and another little niche is filled.

Here are some opinions from alpinetouring.com from the past few years.

Selecting the optimum touring ski is a completely subjective process, highly risible to some, but capable of filling hours of harmless entertainment nonetheless. It is perhaps a futile task, as I will never be able to test ride ride each model in a variety of lengths and through a variety of conditions, and in 6-10 months time a new crop of skis presents further choices and, hopefully, advancements. However, that being said, here's a list of the top skis in my mind for backcountry ripping for this winter, and as you may tell, lightness is paramount.

The contenders are...

PMGear Bro 183

183cm (125-100-115) r@32  1758g

Lovely, handmade skis with aspen core and carbon/fiberglass wrap. Stiff flex maybe an issue as are the twin tips producing a resort oriented ski. Next seasons carbon fat 183 looks even better.

DPS Wailer 112RP

178cm (141-112-128) r@16  1680g

Dimension and construction wise, the top choice available. Carbon lam over poplar core with the ability to rip small to long radius turns. Kicked-up tail is a pain for touring and prohibitively expensive but the future of touring skis.

Dynafit Stoke

182cm (130-106-120) r@23  1640g

Light wood core, rockered tip but wimpy tips and a preference for med-long radius turns makes an otherwise, excellent dimension/ weighted ski less than ideal.

Goode BC 106

177cm (125-106-113) r@24  1330g

Carbon core, king of light but soft and too narrow shovel. BC116 looks impressive but lacks a 180cm length. Needs either rockered tip or wider shovel, and stiffer forward flex to rule the bc.

Fat-ypus D-Sender

174cm (144-112-130) r@22  1588g

Stable, predictable, a little too stiff but solid poplar core construction. Hard to believe advertised weight and unfortunately twin tipped.

Black Diamond Drift

176cm (136-100-122) r@21  1558g

Carbon lam on paulownia core achieves desirable weight for wide dimensions but soft tip and large sidecut makes a 'hooky' ski that prefers powder and low speeds.

Scott PowdAir

183cm (134-100-123) r@20  1746g

Dedicated touring ski with carbon lam over wood core. Great dimensions, smooth, stable ride with decent lightweight. Gimmick holes at tip and tail for skin attachment should be removed but otherwise a one of the best offerings.

Atomic Charter

176cm (130-100-120) r@20  1843g

Great to see Atomic releasing a bc ski with wood core and slightly rockered tip. Feedback says fun and agile and ability to handle a variety of conditions. Weight could be lower but great start.

Reviewed: Apr 06

I must admit, I was always hesitant to purchase a pair of dynafit bindings, even though I was the 'light & fast' greatest advocate. Issues of durability and security instantly came to mind when previewing these 740gms contraptions. Plus, how could I justify the $500 required when I have had years of faithful service from my idiot-proof Fritschis? Revelation occurred on my second day of touring in the Rossland Range after I skied a flawless line through a series of 3-4 foot mushroom drops and a tight forest of immature spruce.

They didn't pre-release under duress, in fact, in 50 days of ski touring, they have yet to release (including 2 avalanches).

Its lightness underfoot is its greatest attribute (630gms per foot compared to Freerides) and this is immediately appreciated and will undoubtedly delight me for years to come. Combined with compatible touring boots, it produced a feeling much akin to 3-pin telemarking all those years ago.

Without doubt, the most noisome aspect of the Dynafit is the pin insertion procedure that is 'step in' of the toe. What can be a small comedy of errors on flat ground is next to impossible on steep, hard-packed snow. I hope this procedure becomes easier in time, but will always plant uncertainty about the strength or hold of its 2 front arms (The toe plugs in new 06 Dynafit boots have a tiny ridge which helps with insertion). The heel lift is adequate, although not as tall as the Freerides, and requires more time and endeavor to adjust (can't just whack them with a ski pole). They move swiftly uphill, plainly faster and with less effort than other brands, and when skiing, they had less play (a gorgeous stiffness), particularly laterally, where the sloppiness of the Freeride is so noticeable.

Their ability to hold me in, absolute retention, is both admirable and alarming.  To know that I can pull a lever on the toe piece that will eliminate release is a great feature, however, I find myself always using it, a habit I find hard breaking. In the back of my mind I know that release is critical on those rare occasions, particularly when ski touring.

Overall, I am so happy with the Dynafit that I now look with almost contemptuous glee at tourers on different bindings as they may as well have rocks in their packs. They ski well, and appear bomber enough for a serious ski touring binding, although I doubt they would last a month tearing it up on the lifts.

First Reviewed: Dec 05

Updated: Jan 07

I have now skied the Mega Ride for 2 full seasons and know every nuance of this boot. Even though Garmont have updated this model, the changes are all minor and deliver negligible performance gain. These boots are still far too soft (and low) for serious conditions - such as aggressive, quick skiing, challenging snow or steep, technical lines, either in the backcountry or particularly at a resort. The forward flex is too spongy, the buckle arrangement is inadequate at clamping the heel, and the low cuff height and poor forward lean mechanism, which all can aid walking, only add to the general unsupported and insecure feeling. When the skiing gets tough I seem to forever be fighting to get out of the back seat. However, there is still much to admire about the Garmont Mega Ride - most of which is encountered when touring/walking. The G-Fit liners are warm and deliver easy entry - although they do pack out remarkably fast and are prone to heel wear. The extension clips on each buckle are fantastic, the Vibram-like sole insulates well from the ground and provides a minor rocker to enhance normal walking.

Without doubt, the greatest characteristic of the M Ride is the medium volume shell, much narrower than other AT boot offerings, such as Scarpa, Dynafit and Lowa. These Garmonts fit medium width feet with aplomb (low volume feet still have sloppiness), and the toe box area is noticeably narrow. This, and perhaps the dynafit compatibility were the chief reasons for purchasing the Garmonts. The grey tongues that come standard are far too soft for hard, aggressive skiing but are a dream to walk in. Within the first week of arrival, I had already ripped the tongues off and replaced them with a pair of Raichle Flexon tongues. This stiffened the forward flex but also cramped me over my high instep. With a Dremel sander I sculptured the Flexon tongues so they would align better in the shell and was happy with the result. I was then offered some Dalbello Supersport white stiff tongues as an option and this fitted even closer to the shell, in fact, the similarities in shape suggest an analogous relationship between the two. With all the changing of tongues, I remolded the liner and eventually had a boot that was comfortable all day to hike in and offered a skiing performance that I have come to expect. I've since noticed that the G-Fit liners are a piece of shit (will switch to a firmer intuition soon), the lowest buckle does very little (newer model has switched orientation), the power strap is vital to a secure boot - but could be beefier, and the damn walk/ski lever on the Achilles is vexingly problematic (it will flick to whatever mode you're not doing right at that critical juncture). This has been readdressed in the 2006 model which I envy.

The Dalbello tongues cracked (both sides of both tongues) after 50+ days, obviously the fit wasn't so perfect, so I reverted back to the original grey tongues and now bemoan the soft ride. I would love to able to secure the boot in a more aggressive forward lean (20+°), and why Garmont haven't had the idea to include a choice of tongues is beyond me, but overall, the Mega Ride is still my choice for best AT boot on the market but there's still a long way to go.

Note: For the 07/08 winter, I've ditched the standard grey tongues that come with the M-Rides and replaced them with a sculptured Raichle Flexon tongue. They are noticeably stiffer to walk in, not too bad, however, and the ski is so superior that I encourage everyone I know to follow suit.

G3 Zenoxide

I've always been critical of G3, a company that favored telemarking over AT and released uninspiring product with often ridiculous graphics like the ill-fate 'Reverend', and questionable asymmetrical designs. However, it appears as though a moment of lucidity has befallen the folks at G3 with the release of some notable inclusions into the world of ski touring.

The Zenoxide is the best ski ever from G3, a versatile fattie that has gathered high praise in the latest ski tests. With obese dimensions of 136-105-124 for a touring ski and a barely acceptable weight of 3.6kg, the zenoxide is burly enough to be a resort ski but nimble enough to break trail. The relatively lighter weight of the 105mm waisted-ski (I can't understand how anyone tours all day on 4+kg skis) is achieved by a paulownia wood core, the wood of choice in such skis as from Dynafit and Karhu. They aren't the lightest kids on the block, but with the ability to rip short to long turns and a pension for the deep stuff, this ski would be a great choice for slackcountry tourers wanting a performance ride.

Reviewed: Feb 06

In search of the ultimate fatty.

I had the good fortune to test ride the majority of 2006/07 fats and super fats this year. It was during a 3-day demo event held at Big White B.C., put on for the larger ski retailers in the Province. Many lucky store managers and assistants were given VIP treatment allowing them to test ride any model of ski from almost every manufacturer. All familiar names were represented, as well as smaller brands including Movement, 4FRNT, Stockli and Scott - anyone who distributed in Canada.

The weather and to a lesser extent, snow at Big White was lousy, although I suspect that's often the case at Big White(out). I was on a much higher mission than everyone else, however, one which the mountain, nor the despondent ski reps could ever suppress - that was, to find the ultimate ski.

I attacked the demo spirit like a zealot, taking anything larger than 90mm in the waist for 1 or 2 runs then swapping for a completely new ride. Even though there was only a skiff of new snow, I discovered those cherished characteristics of what made a great ski and what was just ordinary, in my limited time. Sure I got strange, puzzled looks in the lift line with my super fat, swallow tails etc., that were twice the size of other skis, but the ultimate ski had to perform in any condition, not just the easy, deep stuff.

My favorite skis during the entire event were:

Volkl Mantra

The Mantra was a revelation underfoot, a superb ski that just excelled in the challenging (junk) conditions. It was snappy, playful, quick at fast turns and stable at speed. It felt similar to the Fischer Watea, in that its sweet spot was enormous, you could be forward or back and could still crank a turn at any moment. I was so amazed at these skis that I tested them on several occasions to see whether my critique was flawed and yet they still charged and still impressed. Volkl markets the Mantra as the updated Explosive, but they felt very different, far greater performance and steering rather than the ubiquitous, damp feel of the Explosiv. Would recommend to anyone as a (ungroomed) resort ski.

Stockli DP Stormrider

The Stockli Rep was a likeable guy who tempted me to try these shiny, metallic fatties around the end of one of the days. I had read reviews of the DP's which suggested a stiff, powerhouse ski that suited Euro muscling and high speeds. What I found was rather different and one of my favorite skis of the event. The Stormrider was a powerful ski that was also nimble, lively and forgiving and not the stiff machine that I had read to believe. It was quick on the groomers and turned effortlessly between short or long radius. I couldn't notice any difference between the gimmick tail plug - they were just an agile ski that I could easily be my one ski quiver for the Kootenays.

K2 Pontoon

I want a pair of Pontoons for this winter. No other ski made me giggle as much as these weird (water) skis. I skied them down groomed blue runs, wide spaced bumps and darted in and out of some mank in the trees - almost the opposite of their ideal conditions (powder & slab) but found instant appeal in the design. They are certainly a specialized ski and would probably come out of the ski locker about a dozen days a winter. And yet I am convinced that they would leave all other skis behind on those days of thick, deep snot, or heavy, breakable crust.

Finally, there wasn't a ski I disliked, all had some redeeming quality. And the new Volkl AC4 and AC3 were simply awesome in the firm conditions - the AC4 would be my hardpack ski of choice.

Head Monster 95 O.B. Review

After two years of looking, researching and testing, I finally purchased a new pair of touring skis to replace my thoroughly lifeless, yet comfortable pair of Olin Outer Limits. I began with a list of ten, then gradually whittled down to two or three, once I discovered the true weight of each prospective ski and how much they would cost. Although I had never skied them and finding a decent review was near impossible, the Head Monster 95 OB seemed to match perfectly with what I wanted in a touring ski, and finding a new pair on eBay for $299US sealed the deal.

Despite early season coverage, I mounted the Head's immediately with some Dynafit Comforts. Interestingly, the suggested mounting point appear 3-4 inches forward than standard practice, and after several re-checks, I decided to drill 5/8 inch back from suggested. There is no doubt, that the 180cm length is featherweight (1 - 1.5kg lighter than similar widths). They climbed with aplomb, the snow-repelling waxed tour top sheet is possibly the most sensible and effective feature I've experienced in years.

In truth, it has taken me several days to dial in the ski on descents. At first, the anorexic weight and deep sidecut felt nervous at speed and best floatation was achieved by shifting weight to the tails. However, after a few more powder runs, the twitchy feel dissipated and the ski came alive with delightful energy and composure. I have since taken them down steep, 2" deep windcrust, where they bounced smoothly down the fall-line and they carved effortlessly going warp-speed down the groomer on the way to another touring lap. Their stiff flex is an obvious bonus on tricky summit slopes but perhaps a disadvantage if all you are skiing is deep Kootenay pow. But overall, the ski feels lively underfoot, prefers short radius turning, surprisingly deft in wild snow, and crisp and confident on hardpack.

I am certainly happy with my purchase as the weight saving is so apparent and intoxicating that I am willing to sacrifice a damper, more powerful/stable ride for the gram savings climb, which consumes the greater part of a tourer's day. I imagine that they will develop an appetite for powder, when the light, honeycomb foam core inevitably breaks down but the simple pleasure in knowing that I'm lifting half the weight of some of my buddies touring set-up is enough to cloud any further judgment.

Hilleberg Nammatj2

For the first time in over a decade, I used a new tent. Owning 3, perfectly adequate snow tents, I could never justify the expense of purchasing another to save a few hundred grams. My brother, however, who isn't burdened by such financial restraints, desired something warmer and drier than his beloved Megamid but also lighter than my rugged SD Tiros (3.6kg). After pouring over endless spec sheets posted on the net, he bought a Hilleberg Nammatj 2, which we used during a snowy week in the Northern Selkirks.

The Swedish company Hilleberg is somewhat legendary amongst tent aficionados. and have proven designs for harsh environments. I tested the Nammatj 2 in sheltered but snowy conditions that almost reached biblical proportions. The Nammatj kept me warm and dry with ample space for two 6 foot long guys, despite the standard 130cm wide footprint (helped by near vert sidewalls). The single entrance vestibule is probably what seals the deal for most people, offering large storage and cooking space. The 2.8kg weight is achieved by using only 2 poles, which are bomber 10mm DAC aluminum. Fly material is light denier polyester (Kerlon) which is standard nowadays, however, Hilleberg are believers in silicon impregnation (3 layers) as opposed to polyurethane coatings of most others. Even with the recommended ventilation system utilized, significant condensation was experienced which was disappointing but not a surprise. As the photo above illustrates, we still used the Megamid, as a cook/eating tent to fit 4 guys together and another group of 2 slept in a Bibler Eldorado (2.2kg but no vestibule).

Overall, I was happy with Nammatj, I enjoyed the blood red colored mornings, and felt comfortable all night with generous space at either end. The guy rope system was well designed and suitable with ski/pole anchors and set up/dismantle times were fast and easy.

Marker Duke  (2.5kg)

I've waited over 20 years for this binding. Finally a binding that can be skied with precision and confidence on the hill and climbs fine in the local backcountry. Lacks vertical toe height adjustment but otherwise very beguiling.

Garmont Axon  (4.15kg)

Like the Duke (above), fills a niche that has been so painfully and obviously absent that I wonder what manufacturers do with their time. Its stiff, tough and Dynafit compatible - a first. The Mega Rides and Spirit 4 are great for most tours but not when the terrain becomes steep and technical or when there's warp speed involved.

Head Monster iM 95 OB  (2.9kg)

I applaud Head for releasing an AT specific ski with great dimensions (130-94-119) and feather-light weight. Unlike most of the monster line, the OB isn't made for hard charging resort skiing, but rather medium radius at medium speed turns, which is typical in the backcountry.

K2 Coomba  (4.2kg)

K2 have created a remarkable ski with powder slaying on its mind. A soft flex, ample girth (135-102-119) and flat tail combine to produce a backcountry beast and a fine all-mountain vehicle. Pair with a Marker Duke for the ultimate front-country tool.

Ortovox S1 Avie Scanner  (240g)

The world's first sensor-controlled avalanche scanner is revolutionary in its ability to show position and distance to buried victims. Although its not as simple to use or as foolproof as the BCA Tracker 2 (now due late '08), the S1 uses powerful processors to provide visual clues of multiple burials in  2-D, 4 quadrant format. It is the future of avalanche beacon technology.

Voile Insane (3.1kg)

The best ski Voile has ever produced is a delight in soft snow and would make a commendable touring ski. For such wide dimensions (138-103-128), the Insane is notably light and lively underfoot.

G3 Alpinist Skins (632g)

The new Alpinist Skins from G3 receives a bronze award for trying a new tip connection, a stray outside the box. While I prefer the greater plush (grip) of Ascension skins, the G3 are easy to manage, provide excellent glide and a full strip of glue (much preferred over glue free strips), even if they aren't that light.

Dalbello Virus Tour

Its fantastic to see another boot manufacturer entering the world of touring, in this case, the Italian Dalbello, with 3 models. The Virus Tour is their stiffest Dynafit compatible version, at   3770gms its 350gms heavier than the Garmont Radium, but offers better walking functionality and a similar, medium-stiff flex. I do prefer a tongue design over overlap (Radium) as they are easier to enter when super cold and their ability to alter flex with different tongue stiffness. I look forward to test driving a pair.

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