With far-flung travel off the table, I learned how to enjoy the meandering flexibility of a road trip
A kit to keep you protected in the mountains
Outer-layer technology has reached new heights
Editor's Letter
Making our annual Winter Buyer’s Guide is roughly an eight-month process. We start testing gear in late January and go to press in September, just as the temps begin to drop and workplace banter turns to which ski passes everyone has sprung for. Flipping through page layouts and seeing all the season’s most exciting new products in one place always gets me looking ahead to what I’m most excited about for the coming winter.
This year, it’s heading out the door for mid-week dawn patrols at Ski Santa Fe, our local hill. At 5:45 A.M. on a cold morning, everything gets reduced to habit. I slide into the base layers I laid out the night before, followed by the shell pants and jacket perpetually hanging on a hook by the door. I spread peanut butter on toast, steep a thermos of tea, and pour warm water into a bottle. I grab my pack, which is ready to go with mitts, helmet, goggles, and a headlamp—I always put my touring kit right back in as soon as it’s done drying. The only thing I have to think about is what midlayer to wear—heavier or lighter—and what kind of music to put on the radio for the 40-minute drive up to the resort. Often, this is the calmest part of my day.
At its very best, gear makes outdoor pursuits simpler. Perfect products are the ones you don’t have to think about, so you can focus on getting into the mountains or onto the trails and back home again, safely. This is true across the board, from the most basic goggles (check out the Glade Challenger here) to the most cutting-edge skis (click here to read about the Salomon QST Blank).
Unfortunately, real-world function is one of the few things you can’t surmise from spec sheets alone. That’s where Outside’s testing comes in. Our writers spend months in the field checking out hundreds of products that all boast fancy features, novel materials, and innovative sustainable manufacturing. The purpose of our review process is to get beyond all of those bullet points, to study the way each item fits, moves, feels, and performs, and to identify the pieces that we want to keep using again and again—without thinking twice. —Ariella Gintzler
Ski and Snowboard
Punch your ticket to all-mountain adventures
Lenses and frames built for superior vision
Noteworthy rigs for everything from pow to hardpack
These shred-slippers mean business
Gear up to test your speed limit
Skimo tech meets four-buckle power
Kit upgrades for the climb and the descent
Level up your glide
Go where the groomer hasn’t
There were so many good boards this year that it was hard to pick just a few for print. Here are the others our testers loved.
Testers like eight boots, but we only had room for six. Here’s an all-around boot and a women’s powder-chasing boot that almost made the cut.
With far-flung travel off the table, I learned how to enjoy the meandering flexibility of a road trip
We’ve got your next car-based ski vacation dialed, complete with worthy detours and the best powder stashes
We only have room for two pairs in our print issue, but there are many more skis worthy of your attention
How do we decide which snowboards earn coveted slots in our Winter Buyer’s Guide? Take a virtual tram lap with a few of our Utah testers.
Layers
Outer-layer technology has reached new heights
These bottoms will amaze you
No matter the temperature, these tops and bottoms kept us comfortable
Threads that keep your body temp just right
Warm fingers are worth celebrating
Stellar gear for hard chores
These vests, fleeces, shells, and puffies came up just short of print inclusion—but they’re still worth your attention
We only have space for six pants in the print magazine, but there are plenty more worthy pairs you should know about
Essentials
Lids that let you push your limits
These haulers can handle any winter mission
A kit to keep you protected in the mountains
Make cold, snowy sites feel like home
Tough, multifunctional accessories for any itinerary
Step up your game with this hardy equipment
Climbing equipment that has your back
This snow rocket was built for fun
Let the rippers’ rumpus start
Only the very best makes it into print. But there are some pretty great runners-up you should know about, too.
In a lineup of touring packs, this boot bag and small daypack didn't make the cut, but they're still well worth your attention
A knife, rangefinder, jacket, and other pieces that are worth checking out
Fitness
This year’s fastest kicks for every kind of terrain
This kit will get you out the door even on cold days
A kit for lacing up all winter long
Boots for ice, snow, and steeps
Make like a hare in any conditions
Rigs we want to pedal all year long
With this gear, twice the ice is just as nice
The apparel and accessories we loved for exercising at home
Gym-bag highlights for all sweat hounds
Trick out your own training space
All your exercise data, simplified
We only have space for seven shoes in our print magazine, but there are a few others you should know about, too
Even the runner-up hikers from this year’s test are pretty great
We still love these runner-up apparel pieces and accessories
There are five wearables in our print magazine, but several more worth checking out
Après
Optics are better than ever
Cozy, stylish apparel for post-ski festivities
Timeless after-ski essentials you’ll be reaching for all season long
Sleek timepieces for every kind of adventure
Turn the parking lot into your party HQ
Bring the festivities to your living room or backyard
These layers herald a bold, new, sleeveless future
Step into a good time