Table of contents for 2024 Winter Gear Guide in Outside

UNISEX Stöckli Laser WRT Pro $1,449 OVERALL SCORE: 9.17/10 DIMENSIONS: 118-66-100 MM LENGTHS: 167, 172, 180 CM If this ski were college bound, it’d be an Ivy League contender. This high achiever earned near-perfect scores for hard-snow integrity, stability at speed, and responsiveness, with versatility and quickness not far behind. “This is an energetic, dependable, stiff ski with lots of pop that will hold on groomers, ice, or crud—no matter how hard you push it,” said one tester. The Laser WRT Pro’s construction comes directly from race skis, including wide metal edges and stiff racing sidewalls with full edge contact for direct power transfer. That World Cup, metal-enhanced, sandwich-sidewall layup elicited adjectives like “burly” and “bomber.” “It feels like it’s got six sheets of metal in it, and it needs…

UNISEX Nordica Enforcer 104 Free $850 OVERALL SCORE: 7.96/10 DIMENSIONS: 134.5-104-123.5 MM LENGTHS: 165, 172, 179, 186, 191 CM The Nordica Enforcer lineup is no stranger to the upper ranks of our test, and the Enforcer 104 Free carries on that tradition by claiming the top step on the unisex all-mountain wide podium for 2023–24. This perennial favorite earned top marks in the category by combining a wood core, carbon, and two sheets of metal sandwiched into Nordica’s Powder Rocker profile to create an assertive ski that is comfortable at full throttle in any conditions. The rocker allows the ski to enter turns easily, but it also gives you the freedom to smear and slash the exit. That profile, along with the stout core construction, helped the Enforcer 104 Free…

UNISEX Fischer RC4 Pro MV $1,100 FLEX: 140 LAST: 100 MM VOLUME: MEDIUM So often in the hard goods market, a brand will roll out a redesign that’s little more than a fresh decal. But with the RC4 Pro MV, Fischer tore up the foundation and started from scratch. This boot is a legitimate work of art, and it comes with a Sotheby’s-level price tag to prove it. Built to bring the brand’s heritage race last to the consumer market, the new RC4 Pro MV was developed from the ground up with a new mold to include the BOA H+i1 alpine lace system and a full ZipFit liner. This combination delivered the best fit we’ve ever found in a medium-volume boot: precise, comfortable, and extremely warm. We were grateful for…

BEST BEGINNER SKI Rossignol Evo XT 60 Positrack $270 (with Tour Step In binding) DIMENSIONS: 60-50-55 MM WEIGHT: 1,340 G PER 175 CM PAIR WITH PLATE AND BINDING The last day we tested the Evo XT 60 it was 35 degrees and almost raining, but there were a few inches of fresh, ungroomed snow at the trailhead. A beginner tester still kicked out a 7.5-minute-per-kilometer pace on this wood-core ski that’s built to tour but is still narrow enough to slide in a groomed nordic track. For skiers like her, this versatile, well-built ski is a game changer, maximizing fun without the usual two-glides-forward-one-kick-back frustration when learning. Its waxless, fish-scale base grips every snow condition we tried it in, from freshly fallen fluff to heavy sludge. Plus, an updated camber…

LIGHTEST Rab Latok 20 $155 You can take one of two approaches to winter: Bring a ton of layers and move slowly, or pack light and never stop. The Latok 20 facilitates the latter, combining a svelte top-loading packbag with a running-style vest to keep everything from a phone to a day’s worth of snacks at hand. Our tester appreciated the no-frills floor plan for quick-hit snowboard missions and technical climbing in the Alaskan backcountry—though he missed having an avalanche-tool pocket. The close-to-back fit meant the pack never wobbled or swayed, even on steep snowboard descents with 20 pounds on board. “Even smashing through alder thickets and scampering across frozen sections of riverbed, the load felt secure,” he reported. The Latok owes its outsize load-carrying capacity to broad, weight-distributing shoulder…

a. Arc’teryx Alpha Hybrid Pant $350 The Alpha Hybrid Pant has been revived since the original version, the Alpha Comp, was dropped from Arc’teryx’s lineup years ago. Like the Comp, these pants combine hard-shell Gore-Tex front and lower panels with soft-shell in the rear for an unmatched synthesis of weatherproofing, breathability, and movement. They also retain the Comp’s key crossover element: cuffs with a zipper that widen to accommodate ski boots or slim down to avoid crampon catches. The Alpha Hybrid comes with improved features like removable knee pads and a cinchable waist belt. (men’s XSR–2XLR; women’s 0R–16R) b. Arc’teryx Alpha Lightweight Parka $800 The Alpha Lightweight Parka, with its premium 850-fill power and Gore-Tex Infinium shell, is the best belay parka we have ever used. At only 475 grams,…

Strafe Men’s Cham Jacket $589 With its name a nod to the legendary French freeride mecca, it’s no surprise that this shell was one of our favorites for long days above tree line. The three-layer design constructed with ultralight and breathable Schoeller Aerobrane fabric boasted a ton of air permeability and an impressively soft and supple handfeel. We never took this jacket off during long climbs thanks to the occasional deployment of pit zips. “Spent plenty of time roughing up this jacket on rock scrambles as well as around crampons and ice axes, and was impressed with how well this light jacket held up,” said one tester. It tucked away neatly in our packs, and well-placed chest pockets stashed a phone and gummy bears on one side and skins on…

Rab Men’s Conduit Crew $75 Despite the wide range of tester expectations, sports, and geography, the Conduit was a unanimous tester favorite thanks to its extreme comfort and wide usable temperature range. After months spent skiing at Sugarbush and mountain biking around Burlington, Vermont, one tester’s notes on the Conduit were simple. “Rab just seems to have the best materials.” Testers uniformly agreed that there must be some alchemy in the 92 percent recycled polyester, eight percent elastane weave that manifested in a lightly gridded fleece backer. It received top marks all along the temperature range. Testers called it “comfortable” in temps around the single digits when worn under a few layers during a snowstorm in Central Oregon; but it also did the trick when worn on its own on…

WOMEN’S Elan Wildcat 86 C Black Edition $1,150 (with bindings) OVERALL SCORE: 9.31/10 DIMENSIONS: 127-86-113 MM LENGTHS: 152, 158, 164, 170 CM A frontside friend with benefits, this ski earned the highest marks of all frontside skis for almost every trait, including near-perfect tens for carving and responsiveness. The Black Edition adds a higher level of performance to the Wildcat line, and testers appreciated its combination of characteristics that allow for aggressive skiing—without needing Mikaela Shiffrin’s thighs or precision. “I was blown away by this ski’s versatility for different abilities as well as its stability on hardpack and ice,” commented one tester, a New England native who tested the Elan at Sun Valley, Idaho. It might be a trope to say that you need only think “turn” and the ski…

UNISEX Salomon QST Blank $800 OVERALL SCORE: 8.27/10 DIMENSIONS: 138-112-127 MM LENGTHS: 178, 186, 194 CM Except for new graphics, nothing has changed about the highly popular Salomon QST Blank for the 2023–24 season, and that includes how much skiers of all stripes love it. Proof: For the third year in a row, this unisex ski won the highest scores in the powder ski category from both male and female testers. What we love most about this ski is how quick and playful it is. The QST Blank features a full poplar wood core and no metal, which keeps it feeling relatively light underfoot (2,220 grams per ski) and makes it extraordinarily nimble. For a pow ski, it also has a more moderate waist width at 112 millimeters, a healthy…

MEN’S Lib Tech Apex Golden Orca $1,299 TYPE: BACKCOUNTRY FREESTYLE/ALL-MOUNTAIN SIZES: 153, 157, 161 CM FLEX: 7/10 Travis Rice’s ever-popular Orca series has surely peaked with the debut of this year’s supercharged Apex Golden Orca. It’s equal parts fun and ferocious—one of those rare shapes that encourages advanced boarders to ride faster and go bigger. Though much of the Apex Golden Orca’s all-mountain acumen comes from a shape it shares with the standard Golden Orca, this pricier board is lighter, more responsive, and more aggressive thanks to Lib Tech’s most advanced construction. Evolutionary enhancements include a lightweight yet snappy core crafted from aspen, paulownia, balsa, and recycled plastic bottles. A laminate layup of unidirectional carbon, carbon mesh, and magnesium techno fiber bands delivers spring-loaded power and surprisingly quick edge-to-edge action.…

You went to a professional bootfitter, you chatted with them about your skiing goals, and you got your foot measured to find the right shell size. You wound up purchasing the best possible boot for your foot shape and skiing ability. Congratulations! Your boot journey has really just begun. Chances are, even the best possible boot for your foot still won’t fit perfectly right out of the box. It will take some breaking in, but it might take even more than that. If the shoe just doesn’t quite fit, here are a few after-market modifications to get the most out of your new boots. 1. Custom Footbeds This is the most important modification you can make to your boots. Whether you buy a custom or trim-to-fit insole, what matters is…

MOST COMFORTABLE Feathered Friends Widgeon ES -10 $889 The Widgeon cocooned our testers in so much silky warmth that they could have happily hibernated all day. The newest iteration from Feathered Friends has three additional ounces of responsibly sourced 900-fill goose down and a second sidewall for even distribution, sandwiched between gossamer layers of 10-denier Pertex nylon made from PFC-free recycled yarns. An additional nylon panel over the top of the bag, slicked with a laminated nanofiber membrane, did wonders to keep moisture out while cowboy camping: Despite waking up to a thick layer of hoar frost, testers stayed dry as the morning sun rose. And even in relatively balmy temps between 15 and 28 degrees, breathability was never an issue. 3.1 lbs (regular) MOST VERSATILE NEMO Sonic Down Mummy…

BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK a. Cascade Mountain Tech Alptrek Peak Snowshoe Kit+ $80 Our winter athletes uniformly found that these lightweight composite snowshoes kept them afloat and stable on icy slopes better than several more expensive pairs in test. A tooth-lined 16-inch edge and seven toe spikes meant that one tester in Oregon’s Wallowa-Whitman National Forest was able to “charge up a hill of death” without ever making switchbacks. The kit includes aluminum poles with extended grips, a quick-lock system, and large snow baskets—not bad for a budget setup. BEST GRIP b. Retrospec Drifter Plus $100 The 70-plus steel teeth that span the length of the Drifter Plus, paired with seven steel toe crampons, provided one tester plenty of grip along the Sypes Canyon Trail near Bozeman. He appreciated…

Mammut Women’s Haldigrat HS Hooded Jacket $629 “This jacket is everything you need and nothing you don’t,” said a tester from Vermont. With a freeride cut, light and durable Bluesign-certified recycled fabric, and tasteful color hits, this jacket kept testers going back out for more. “I love the Haldigrat’s slightly longer length and how it meshes so well with the matching bib pants,” another tester said. “The light weight made it a great choice for warmer weather adventures, but because it’s so flexible and has a lot of good stretch, it’s easy to stack warm layers underneath for added protection against the cold.” The high neck was superb at blocking wind on the coldest days. And we loved the Lycra cuffs that weren’t too tight but still kept the snow…

BEST DO-EVERYTHING PANTS Ortovox Men’s Ravine 3L Pants $520 Ortovox’s Ravine Pant is a departure from the brand’s tight, uphill-oriented pieces. Known for pairing merino wool with waterproof layers, Ortovox continues the tradition in the Ravine with a three-layer waterproof-breathable membrane that resulted in impressive breathability without sacrificing weight and packability. “I appreciated the thin design when it came to temp regulating on the up and how light and mobile they felt to skin in,” said one tester. Two large thigh pockets fit a beacon as well as snacks and a pair of gloves. Testers found the combo of the Ravine’s light construction and protection to work on everything from storm days to balmy spring temps. 1 lb (S–XXL) BEST FOR DEEP DAYS Orage Men’s MTN-X Grade Light 3L Bibs…

Salomon Brigade MIPS $200 In an age when some products are overcomplicated and over-designed, the Salomon Brigade MIPS helmet won testers over with its understated minimalism. “My favorite helmet of the test. It’s fairly simple and not feature-rich but it’s comfortable, good looking, and it performed well,” said one tester. Others praised its sleek, low-profile build. “It’s not a flashy, ‘Hey, look at me!’ helmet,” one tester exclaimed. “It’s more like an ‘I’m dialed and don’t need to show off,’ helmet.” Rather than the usual attached plastic clip on the back to hold your goggles in place, which tends to break or fall off, Salomon uses an integrated rubber strap that’s not going anywhere. The chin buckle is old-school but easy to use. The Brigade comes in a MIPS and…

Nike Ultrafly $250 The Ultrafly borrows the successful energy-saving, speed-enhancing tech from Nike’s speedster Alphafly and Vaporfly road shoes, with some smart tweaks to make it excel on trails. A super-responsive midsole of Pebax ZoomX foam (the same foam found in Nike’s road supershoes) is encased in a textile wrap, which slightly limits its squishy tippiness and harnesses its energy, creating a controlled rebound effect. Sandwiched within the foam sits a carbon-fiber plate that’s shorter than the road version and shaped like a two-pronged fork, allowing the Ultrafly to flex with varying terrain while providing side-to-side stability. The combination of foam and plate made every step as plush as it was lively and had testers raving that these shoes “feel super dynamic” and are “flat-out fun to run in.” For…

WOMEN’S Blizzard Sheeva 9 $750 OVERALL SCORE: 8.47/10 DIMENSIONS: 129-96-118.5 MM LENGTHS: 150, 156, 162, 168, 174 CM Last year, the Sheeva 9 won the women’s all-mountain category. This year, it repeats that feat while boasting a complete redesign that hones its strengths and eliminates its weaknesses. “Favorite ski of the day,” was the testers’ refrain. To improve the Sheeva 9, Blizzard might have taken a few of the best attributes of the trench-ready, fall-line-loving, but sometimes punishing Black Pearl 97 and infused them into this freeride-y, forgiving model. The result is a versatile all-rounder that’s smoother and easier, but also so grippy on edge that it impressed even the East Coasters: “Amazing all over the mountain,” said one tester, a Sugarbush and Jay Peak, Vermont, skier. “I would grab…

Salomon QST Echo 106 $800 DIMENSIONS: 139-106-126 MM LENGTHS: 157, 165, 173, 181, 189 CM WEIGHT: 1,760 G PER SKI Known for their energy, playfulness, and solid feel in variable conditions, the QST skis have an uncanny ability to please pros like Cody Townsend as well as us mere mortals. While plenty of folks have been mounting touring bindings on the QST skis, what was missing from this lineup was a dedicated backcountry ski. That’s where the brand-new QST Echo 106 comes in. This model shares the shape and profile of the all-mountain QST 106, but with a lightened-up construction (Salomon shaved off 200 grams per ski) that’s spry on the skin track while maintaining an impressively quiet feel through variable snow in the backcountry. Salomon ditched the Titanal with…

Rome Katana bindings $400 If you like to tweak your bindings as much as you tweak your grabs, peep the Rome Katana. This high-performance binding is ultra-adjustable thanks to Rome’s modifiable ankle strap mounting hardware that enables riders to swap between eight ankle strap positions per side, yielding a total of 64 possible configurations. Raising the ankle strap provides more rapid-fire responsiveness, while lowering the strap position translates to increased range of motion and a surfier ride. Additional adjustability comes courtesy of composite highbacks that pivot and cant for a more ergonomic, fine-tuned fit. If you’re swapping one pair of bindings between multiple boards in your quiver, or like to cruise one day and bomb everything in sight the next, the Katana allows you to make the most of your…

UNISEX Dynafit Tigard 130 $899 FLEX: 130 LAST: 101 MM VOLUME: MEDIUM WEIGHT: 1,590 G PER BOOT Let’s get this out of the way at the top: Dynafit’s Tigard 130 is the most impressive hybrid boot we’ve ever tried. In a category defined by compromise, this offering seems to operate in a different plane of reality. The Tigard 130 is the hardest-skiing boot with a walk mode we’ve ever had the pleasure of stepping into; it’s also the best walking boot we’ve ever been able to put into an alpine binding. We tested this boot in Vail, Colorado, and the Eastern Sierra of California, both inbounds and out, and were taken with its remarkable range of motion and light weight. During quick hits to the East Vail Chutes, the Tigard…

BEST ALL-AROUND Merrell MTL Thermo Rogue 4 $260 The Thermo Rogue 4 is a unicorn in this category, striking the often elusive balance between a comfortable hiker and a winter-worthy boot. Its tall, lightweight ballistic mesh and Gore-Tex membrane provided plenty of ankle support and a comfy, blister-free fit right out of the box. Those hiking chops are boosted by a meaty, Vibram Arctic Grip outsole with five millimeter, terraced lugs lined with tiny teeth that bite into icy, sloppy trails. During snowy treks in zero-degree weather, the Thermo Rogue 4 provided just the right amount of warmth thanks to 200-gram PrimaLoft Gold Eco Series synthetic insulation and Solarcore aerogel for the insole and over the toe. One tester wore these boots in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where…

Db Snow Pro Vest 8L with Safeback SBX $699 While the purpose of avalanche airbags is to keep users on top of the snow, the Snow Pro vest aims to keep athletes from asphyxiating when buried—the cause of 75 percent of avalanche deaths. The vest’s lithium battery-powered electric fan—the SBX control unit—provides breathing assistance by pumping clean, oxygenated air through mesh tubes from the back of the vest to the victim’s air pocket around their face, all while pushing out exhaled carbon dioxide—no mouthpiece required. This process is supposed to extend the survival window from 15 minutes to up to 90 minutes in temperatures as cold as minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit. The SBX unit is activated by pulling on a T-shaped handle, similar to airbag packs. Our Jackson-based tester put…

RefrigiWear Extreme Soft-shell Bib Overalls (0795) $229–$244 I’ve tried countless bibs—down-filled and otherwise—and these softshell bibs with synthetic insulation and a reflective twill lining are by far the warmest. They’re comfort-rated to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit and hold warmth even when they get damp. I particularly like the side zips on the legs, which offer quick ventilation, and the high bib that keeps my torso so warm I can often get by without a parka. (S–5XL) Non-Stop Dogwear Long Distance Jacket $89 The synthetic insulation packs up a little bulky, but at 320 grams, this dog coat is still lightweight, even when I’m carrying a dozen in my sled. The biggest selling point: The water-resistant ripstop shell sheds ice better than any other dog coat I’ve tried; if one gets…

Stio Men’s Figment Bibs $479 The first time wearing bib pants usually involves a few stops to make adjustments. Not the Figment. Adjusting the fit required just a quick tighten or release of the Velcro tabs on the suspenders and a pull on the waist belt. Done! Whether sitting, carving, or picking his way down the steeps off of Whistler’s Peak Chair, one B.C.-based tester never noticed the pants again. “They felt like a custom fit,” he said. Articulation in the knees, gusseting in the crotch, and stretchy shoulder straps that stayed put played a big role in ensuring everything sat as it should. Beyond fit, the proprietary weatherproof-breathable membrane was impenetrable, even sitting in a chairlift puddle for a 20-minute ride. The pocket layout was equally dialed for resort…

BEST FOR RESORT SKIING IN ALL CONDITIONS a. La Sportiva Men’s Bristen Thermal JKT $189 This fleece was our go-to insulator for resort skiing, racking up dozens of days from B.C.’s Whistler to Wildcat, New Hampshire. It was the perfect lofty layer to slip underneath a waterproof shell on a stormy day, warm even when damp from falling snow or bell-to-bell riding. (Thanks also to the silver-chloride coating that kept odors in check throughout a weeklong powder cycle.) Stretchy grid fleece panels along the sides and under the arms made for a dynamic fit and extra breathability when shouldering skis to access powder stashes on bootpacks. Kudos for the recycled fiber content. Wear patches on the shoulders and elbows mean this fleece doesn’t shy away from hard use. 1.2 lbs…

We’re about to slide into November, which means that ski season is almost here. With it comes SKI’s annual Resort Guide, including the results of our 2024 Reader Resort Survey. This time-honored, reader-led package is as robust and info-packed as ever, with our list of the annual Top 50 Resorts in North America, informative resort reviews, Top 10 lists, and tons of reader comments ranging from accurate to absurd. Scan the QR code on this page to see the full rankings and all of the related coverage so you can make the most informed travel plans for the coming season. Survey Respondents by Ski Experience Top 10: West 1. Powder Mountain, Utah 2. Snowbasin Resort, Utah 3. Sun Valley, Idaho 4. Aspen Snowmass, Colo. 5. Taos Ski Valley, N.M. 6.…

Tracksmith Bislett Pants $198 Sometimes the greatest isn’t the latest. Lead tester Scott Douglas bought the Bisletts when they first came out in 2014, and they’ve been his main winter running bottoms since. “I’ve tried dozens of other pants and tights since then—including the latest and greatest—but none are better,” he says. The only real difference between the OG version and the current Bisletts is a thicker drawstring in the newer offering. So, kudos to Tracksmith for not pointlessly tinkering with an already superb product. What’s so great about the Bisletts? Douglas considers them do-it-all winter running bottoms. They combine the performance of a tight with the comfort (and modesty) of pants. He’s found that they have just the right amount of looseness and stretch throughout to move with him…