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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.

DPS took its deeply rockered Lotus 120—which sports a long pintail, tapered tip, and just a smidge of sidecut underfoot—and added a convex base to the shovel of the ski. That’s right, the base is actually spoon shaped in the front third.

The Annex 108 doesn’t really have a weak spot. The wood core and metal construction make chatter a nonissue.

Rossignol’s honeycombed tip and tail shed mass where it’s vital—away from your body. As a result, it’s effortless to throw the Soul 7 sideways in the trees or whenever you need to scrub speed.

In the market for ski goggles? Here's what to look for this season.

Snow is coming (and already here if you're in Colorado). Time to get my ski gear in shape?

Giro’s Combyn helmet is made from the same material used to protect football players’ noggins.

For its redesigned Super 7, Rossignol found the perfect balance of rocker (upturned tip and tail), camber (underfoot for edge hold), and taper (for easy turn entry and exit).

A closer look at how air bags increase your chances of surviving a deadly slide

Government shutdown be damned, an all-star team of ski and snowboard bigwigs converged in D.C. this week to support Obama's climate plan.

Think you can squeeze in another season with that old lid? Read this first.

The remarkably well-priced Theory features damping wood-core construction, powerful vertical side walls, and energetic carbon fiber stringers.

Thanks to the new factory, built with Laakso’s pre-preg expertise, all of Black Diamond’s 2013-14 skis are lighter but higher performance than existing models.

Patagonia's Black Hole Snow Roller is a sleek, simple, durable ski bag

A ski binding optimized for uphill and downhill performance

What are the best backcountry skis for tearing up East Coast powder?

Helly’s Flow System turbocharged mechanical venting is anatomically body mapped not only for warming but also for cooling

Tired of waiting for the industry to start offering appropriately-sized splitboards and other backcountry items, Ali Carr Troxell is turning to Wagner Custom for the perfect made-to-order gear

Ready to hit the hills? If your gear needs an update—this winter or next—consider these pieces from POC.

Ali Carr Troxell tests Helly Hansen’s new, innovative way to keep you warm out on the slopes

Seven years after the release of the original, Gregory has re-launched the Targhee system with upgrades that include a new suspension built specifically for this pack

This new line is made specifically so you don't have to fumble around in your pack while out on a run

What’s it like to be a woman in the male-dominated outdoor industry? Donna Carpenter, Burton’s president and co-founder, is doing something to prove that diversity in the workplace equals success.

I need a pair of good-quality ski goggles to protect my eyes, but I don’t know where to start. Help me out!

Seen frequently on the freestyle circuit in the '70s, The Ski is getting an update, with 3Dimension Sidecut technology and a full-length wood core

Ali Carr Troxell visits the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, a noted Maya archeological site. Read about her trip here and then check out her list of 10 must-have pieces of gear for a perfect Belizean expedition.

Never worry about slicing that down jacket open again

F(n)’s Ultralight Backcountry Snowboard Backpack and Ultralight Ski Backpack are feather-light, ultra-durable, and full of features

This year marks not only the 50th anniversary of the first American ascent of Everest, but also the 25th anniversary of the first female ascent up the tallest mountain in the world. We sat down with the female summit record holder to discuss what it’s like to be a female climber in a man’s world, what her gear must-haves are, and what’s next.

From the Lucy Perfect Booty Pants to the Helly Hansen Panorama Jacket, �����ԹϺ��� contributing editor and The �����ԹϺ���ss columnist Ali Carr Troxell picks her 10 favorite pieces of women's gear from OR

We cornered the founder of Burton Snowboards at Outdoor Retailer's Winter Market to talk about his company's latest developments, where he likes to ride most, and avalanche safety

Pants are fine, but if your goal is waist-deep powder, a good pair of bibs like FlyLow’s Bakers ($330) are what you need.

The �����ԹϺ���ss columnist Ali Carr Troxell caught up with Burton snowboarder Kimmy Fasani to learn about the new all-mountain board she developed

From the L.L. Bean Signature Cowlneck to the Lole Amy Cardigan, �����ԹϺ��� contributing editor and The �����ԹϺ���ss columnist Ali Carr Troxell picks her 10 favorite sweaters for the current snow season

I’m looking forward to spring skiing—and to staying comfortable without a heavy jacket. What do you recommend for those days when a hardshell is overkill?

Here are some options for setting yourself up for your best performance on snow this season

From a skibob to a teleboard, �����ԹϺ��� presents a definitive compendium of the snow-sliding tools and toys that will take your breath away. Safety not guaranteed.

In the first installment of her new The �����ԹϺ���ss column, Ali Carr Troxell, who has over 16 year of snowboarding under her belt, reveals her favorite jackets for the current snow season.

I'm looking to invest in some body armor for the slopes this winter. What should I get?

Redesigned in 2012, the Arbor Poparazzi is a directional-shaped, women’s specific snowboard with a rockered profile meant for everything from powder to park laps

And four options for a piece of gear that could save your life

One of the hardest parts of leaving the mountain is stowing a pair of soggy boots for the airplane. What’s the best option?

Because nothing is better than a new pair of skis.

I can’t seem to find a warm hat I like. They get sweaty when I’m playing hard, then freeze my noggin when I’m standing still.

I’m no Apolo Ohno, but I have been curious about speed skating ever since I saw people doing it on a local river last winter. I have never seen speed skating equipment in stores. Do the skates cost an arm and a leg?

Ski more powder, score cheap lift tickets, and avoid avalanches

This year our two new categories of winter gear, air-bag-equipped packs and fat-tired mountain bikes, also proved to be the most popular around �����ԹϺ���'s headquarters. The packs didn't surprise me, as we have a pretty good crew of backcountry skiers here. And after an avalanche killed three people in…

Not sure which snowboard is right for you? Match your terrain of choice with one of our tester-approved boards.

The Scarpa Maestrale RS is an upgraded four-buckle Alpine Touring Boot with a self-proclaimed 120 flex for all things backcountry

Choosing the right bindings is just as important to your snowboard experience as your board and boots. We've selected three of our favorite bindings to help you find what's right for you.

We put 70 jackets through the wringer—running, skinning, skiing, and hiking. After nitpicking over pocket placement, breathability, and ever other detail under the sun, we settled on these six.

Frigid temperatures, biting wind, blowing snow—if you’re well outfitted, it doesn’t really matter.

Got Gaiters? Our favorites are still Outdoor Research's light, packable, breathable Verglas.

Whether you’re at the resort or deep in the backcountry, if your boots don’t fit properly you’re miserable. Not sure about size or which brand fit you best? Consult a fitter. To narrow your choices, match the boot to the binding you’re pairing it with.

You now have two choices when it comes to telemark bindings: 75mm (traditional duckbill) and the newer NTN. The former is favored for its simplicity, lower cost, and greater variety of boot choices, but NTN is vastly more powerful and releasable, and it’s better-suited to driving today’s fattest skis.

It’s all about fit. Too loose and your head is a yolk inside an eggshell. Too tight and you’ll get migraines from all the pressure points. Most of today’s helmets have features that allow you to maximize fit.

Most goggles feature fog-resistant double lenses, but the cheap ones are built flat and bent into the frame, creating distortion, which can cause headaches. Invest in optically correct spherical lenses. Polarization? It cuts reflected light, but it can mask ice, too.

We tested out the best backcountry and alpine boots to help you find the best fit for your ski experience.

Dynafit-style tech bindings, like the Radical and the La Sportiva RT, are the only ones that offer a true free pivot, meaning there’s no hardware attached to your boot heel or sole. They have fewer moving parts, ice up less, and require 15 percent less energy from you than other bindings.

For a secure, three-closure fit, try the Infuse snowboard boots.

As backcountry skiing has boomed, so has splitboarding. In the past five years, participation has quadrupled, and companies from Black Diamond to Burton to K2 have tossed their hats into the ring with split-specific gear.

The nimble, lightweight Velvet Guru stands head and shoulders above the competition in a park setting.

Like riding in slippers, the Boa Coiler is one comfy boot.

Our testers raved about the great energy transfer that the DVa delivers.

When the results were tallied after our on-mountain evaluations, these were our female testers’ favorite planks.

Our Vermont-based test crew started with a field of more than 30 snowshoes and narrowed them down to these three favorites.

Go deeper with our favorite telemark and alpine touring bindings of the year.

After air bags saved lives in several high-profile slides last year, demand (and curiosity) has never been higher. In 2011, there were five manufacturers making air-bag packs. This winter there are at least 10, and an increasing number of cat- and heli-ski operations are outfitting their clients with them.

Your skis might be flashier, but your boots are the more critical piece of gear. You could roll the dice and buy online, but we highly recommend getting them the old-fashioned way: in person. The more knowledgeable the shop is, the better.

Cyclists, climbers, alpine skiers, and trail runners are all crossing over to nordic skate skiing for two simple reasons—it’s fun as hell, and it delivers a freakishly efficient full-body workout. First know this: skate skis aren’t alpine skis; you don’t choose them by length 
alone.

I want to keep biking deep into the fall—maybe even winter. What’s the most important piece of gear to stay warm?

We're not sure what inspired a couple of inventors to name their new ski bag the Douchebag. If it was just a ploy to get some attention then, well, it worked. But it wasn't the name that made us want to introduce you to it here…

�����ԹϺ��� reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Scott Contessa Spark RC.

I’ve been reading about a lot of avalanche fatalities recently. What do I need to stay reasonably safe in avalanche country?

�����ԹϺ��� picks the best gear for your alpine-touring setup, including the K2 WayBack skis.

I need a new ski pack for resort and backcountry skiing. I'm looking for something that can carry skis, water, and my gear on day trips out of bounds, but won't get in the way on chairlifts.

If you’re like me, you probably still have some holes (ahem, a lot of holes?) to fill on your holiday shopping list. Have no fear: There’s still time to score the season’s most coveted loot for little rippers, naughty or nice.  Icebreaker Bodyfit Base Layers   …

When I ski or engage in other outdoor winter sports, my hands get cold–really cold. Any suggestions for a fix?

�����ԹϺ��� reviews the best gear in the 2012 gift guide, including the Lib Tech C2BTX snowboard.

She can shred like nobody's business. Here's what to get her.