The Praxis MVP is a made-to-order ski. Our pair was made by—and for—Praxis' own Kevin O'Meara. It's a big-mountain comp ski built to play AND handle very high speeds. Two worlds collide.
If you’re going to use one climbing shoe for damn near everything, or you climb rock that necessitates both “sport” and “trad” techniques, the SCARPA Vapor V is top notch.
The Five Ten Team 5.10 is a great technical sport climbing and bouldering shoe that performs well on just about everything you can throw at it—especially if you have narrow feet.
Marshal Olson's primary goal in life is to find a ski boot that truly performs like a race boot with a walk mode. The new Tecnica Cochise Pro Light comes very close. It's a long story. You should read it.
Sometimes in life, you gotta boil stuff. The Jetboil Sol Ti is quick, easy, compact, and lightweight. It's also perhaps the best canister stove on the market.
The new Salomon Guardian 16 / Atomic Tracker 16 is an AT binding with excellent downhill performance. It's also good at going uphill, but there are a few tricks and quirks you should know about.
The fit and power transfer of the Giro Code are definitely worth the price tag, but durability might be a concern IF your rides typically involve much hiking/walking.
The strength of the Dynastar Cham 107 is in its versatility. It's a multi-tool that does a lot of things well rather than absolutely stand out in a specific condition or application.
The new Salomon Rocker2 115 is a big-mountain gun that shows some range—surprisingly easy and fun on groomers, yet still likely to satisfy the hard-charging crowd on any pow day.
For those looking for a solid all-mountain wheelset without dropping big bucks, the SUNringle Charger Pros are an attractive option. Just keep an eye on them at first.
The Down Skis Countdown 3 is a serious, damp big-mountain ski well suited to cut big, fast turns on a pow day, but capable of smearing and surfing turns when you ask.
A stiffer ski with positive camber through the tails, the Fischer Watea 106 is not super playful or really easy to ski—it's for going hard and fast, period. In other words, bring your A game.
Reviewer Kevin Bazar has a lot of gripes with kneepads. A lot. So calling the Lizard Skins Knee/Shin Combo Body Armor "good pads" is a ringing endorsement. We agree.
Kästle has gone in a new direction with their fully symmetrical XX110 West, and Colby West and Kästle both deserve a standing ovation for this pow / jib ski that can handle big-mountain lines.
The Specialized Rime mountain bike shoe was designed with more than just riding in mind, with a Vibram sole and stable foot platform for easier walking. All-mountain/enduro riders, take note.
The DPS Wailer 112RPC is the stiffer, wider, and more subtly rockered offspring of the popular Wailer 112RP. And while the "C" stands for charger, this apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. Check out BLISTER's exclusive first review.