The Line Sir Francis Bacon is a really good ski for just about everything, from groomers to hand drags. And you know what's really fun? Being on a ski that's good at just about everything.
"No all-mountain ski will shine in every discipline, but the degree to which the 108 does so well in each area—even some real jibbing—and can transition from one to the other so smoothly and easily—is really remarkable."
The Arc'teryx Venta SV offers the highest degree of wind resistance and warmth within Arc'teryx's lineup of softshells. It's also versatile. And stylish. In fact, there's little this jacket can't handle.
Consider this a Must Read: Marshal Olson's review of the Lange XT contains an important discussion about boot materials that everyone who skis ought to understand.
The Jones Flagship snowboard requires a lot of attention and input from the rider, but is quick to reward such actions, especially if you're looking for a stable board with no apparent speed limit.
If you're considering making the jump to carbon, the Reynolds All Mountain Carbon Wheelset offers the performance benefits of carbon with less sticker shock than other carbon wheels.
If you haven't looked at a clutch derailleur, you should. Reviewer Kevin Bazar breaks down the pros and cons of two solid choices, the Shimano XT and the SRAM X9.
The Atomic Redster Pro 130 is no joke. It is powerful and precise, and if skiing to you is about high speeds and high edge angles, you ought to check these out.
Jason Hutchins' time on the 182cm Black Diamond Zealot left him "nothing but impressed." If you're a lighter skier looking for a versatile ski (that doubles as a very good backcountry tool), take a look.
We've looked at the Blizzard Cochise before, but this is different: here's a review from Blizzard athlete Rob Dickinson, a smart comp skier with podium finishes on the Cochise. It's not our usual M.O., but we'll explain.