The Skialper buyer's guide

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Our team of experts has tested, measured and rated more than 400 products for you. Subscribe to access our ratings and unlock all the search filters: find your perfect gear.

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Not sure where to start?

If you’re new to the world of skimo or freeride and don’t know where to start with your ski setup, take our quiz to find out which gear is best for you. Answer honestly!

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2 minutes

Probably The most accurate ski test out there.

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Featured articles

Light

Spoiler

La Sportiva Kilo

We tested in preview the brand new La Sportiva Light skimo boot

Free

Spoiler

Atomic Bent Chetler 120

The Bent Chetler family gets a refresh: discover the new 120 model, developed for deep powder

Tour

Spoiler

Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro

After years without modifications, Tecnica has finally unveiled the new generation of their Zero G Pro, the long-awaited upgrade to one of the market’s top-selling boot

Tour

Spoiler

Atomic Backland 102

The Atomic new ski designed for light freetouring

Tour

Spoiler

Ski Trab Neve 104

The widest-ever Ski Trab has been unveiled, the natural evolution of the choices made two seasons ago with the creation of the Neve with a 93 mm waist

Tour

Spoiler

DPS Carbon Pagoda Tour CFL 94

The historic Pagoda range — the Salt Lake City-based manufacturer’s most touring-oriented lineup — has been completely renewed for the 2024/25 season

Tour

Spoiler

Majesty Superpatrol Carbon

Polish manufacturer introduces a new carbon line for technical touring

Light

Spoiler

Ski Trab Ortles Next 90

An easier, more playful iteration of the Ortles 90, courtesy of the torsion reinforcement wrap in basalt and glass fiber

Free

Spoiler

Atomic Backland 101 W

Atomic completely revamps the Backland FR line, updating all products for light freetoruing

Spoiler

Ortovox Avabag Litric Tour 28S

Released two years ago, it’s been hailed as a real revolution in terms of efficiency, and has been extensively tested

Instruction

Boot lab: flex test

Skialper's flex test of ski touring and freeride ski boots

Instruction

Our awards

A few words on our revamped awards

Intro

It’s not just about grip

Everything you need to know about skins

Intro

How women's skis, boots and bindings are changing

The future is here

Race

Intro

How race skis, boots and bindings are changing

Getting ready for the Olympics

Tour

Intro

The heart of the skimo world

How touring skis, boots and bindings are changing

Ski mountaineering

Race

Performance and lightness

Light

The ways of lightness

Tour

The heart of the skimo world

Free

Freedom of thought

Made for women

The future is here

Not sure where to start? Take our quiz to see which ski gear is best for you.

Find out now

What's missing in your setup?

Selected by the editorial team

The best products tested and awarded by our team

151 Skis

See all

SMART

tested

Skis

Free

Faction

Agent 3

Width Center: 106 mm

Weight: 1.750 g

SMART

tested

Skis

Tour

Salomon

MTN 96 Carbon

Width Center: 96 mm

Weight: 1.380 g

PRO

tested

Skis

Tour

Black Crows

Navis Freebird

Width Center: 102 mm

Weight: 1.800 g

PEOPLE

tested

Skis

Light

Wayback 89 W

Width Center: 89 mm

Weight: 1.150 g

PRO

tested

Skis

Tour

Nordica

Santa Ana 88

Width Center: 88 mm

Weight: 1.715 g

PEOPLE

tested

Skis

Free

Zag

Slap 104

Width Center: 104 mm

Weight: 1.940 g

PRO

tested

Skis

Free

Scott

Pure Pro 109Ti

Width Center: 109 mm

Weight: 2.000 g

preview

Skis

Tour

Blizzard

Zero G 95 W

Width Center: 95 mm

Weight: 1.260 g

See remaining

78 Boots

See all

PEOPLE

tested

Boots

Race

Scarpa

Alien 1.0

Buckles: 2

Weight: 785 g

OF THE YEAR

tested

Boots

Race

La Sportiva

Stratos VI

Buckles: 2

Weight: 530 g

SMART

tested

Boots

Tour

Scott

Cosmos Pro

Buckles: 3

Weight: 1.380 g

PRO

tested

Boots

Tour

Scarpa

4-Quattro XT

Buckles: 4

Weight: 1.500 g

SMART

tested

Boots

Tour

Dynafit

Radical Pro W

Buckles: 3

Weight: 1.270 g

PEOPLE

tested

Boots

Light

Scarpa

F1 GT W

Buckles: 2

Weight: 1.075 g

OF THE YEAR

tested

Boots

Tour

Scarpa

Gea RS

Buckles: 3

Weight: 1.300 g

PEOPLE

tested

Boots

Free

Mindbender 130 Boa

Buckles: 3

Weight: 1.745 g

See remaining

48 Bindings

See all

preview

Bindings

Tour

Dynafit

Speed Radical

Type: full pin

Weight: 340 g

tested

Bindings

Free

Plum

Karibou 12 Stopper

Type: full pin

Weight: 565 g

preview

Bindings

Tour

ATK Bindings

Kuluar 12 Brake

Type: full pin

Weight: 250 g

tested

Bindings

Light

ATK Bindings

Haute Route 10 Plus

Type: full pin

Weight: 165 g

preview

Bindings

Tour

Salomon

MTN Summit 12 BR

Type: full pin

Weight: 400 g

tested

Bindings

Light

Plum

Oazo 8

Type: full pin

Weight: 205 g

tested

Bindings

Tour

Dynafit

Blacklight

Type: full pin

Weight: 280 g

preview

Bindings

Light

Dynafit

Superlite 150

Type: full pin

Weight: 150 g

See remaining

39 Poles

See all

Poles

Ski Trab

Ortles Alu

Type: telescopic

Weight: N/A g

Poles

Tour

Ski Trab

Maestro.2

Type: fixed length

Weight: N/A g

Poles

Race

Ski Trab

Gara World Cup QC

Type: fixed length

Weight: N/A g

Poles

Free

Scott

Pure Adjust SRS

Type: telescopic

Weight: N/A g

Poles

Tour

Scott

Aluguide

Type: telescopic

Weight: N/A g

Poles

Tour

Scott

Proguide C SRS

Type: telescopic

Weight: N/A g

Poles

Tour

Leki

Haute Route 2

Type: telescopic

Weight: N/A g

OF THE YEAR

Poles

Free

Komperdell

Fatso Carbon Team Vario

Type: telescopic

Weight: N/A g

See remaining

20 Skins

See all

Skins

Race

Contour

Race

Material: mohair

Dry weight: 110 g

Skins

Tour

Contour

Hybrid Pure

Material: mohair

Dry weight: 268 g

OF THE YEAR

Skins

Race

Light

Pomoca

Race

Material: mohair

Dry weight: 100 g

Skins

Free

Kohla

Freeride Air

Material: mohair, nylon

Dry weight: 194 g

OF THE YEAR

Skins

Tour

Contour

Hybrid Mix

Material: mohair, nylon

Dry weight: 256 g

OF THE YEAR

Skins

Tour

Light

Pomoca

Climb Pro S-Glide

Material: mohair, nylon

Dry weight: 226 g

Skins

Free

Tour

Montana

Montamix Adrenaline Fusiontec

Material: mohair, nylon

Dry weight: 224 g

Skins

Race

Colltex

Race Crystal

Material: mohair

Dry weight: 112 g

See remaining

Last but not least...

Avalanche Transceivers

Shovels

Probes

Inside the brands

ATK Bindings

Just a stone's throw from the home of Ferrari, lies the birthplace of hi-tech bindings that have revolutionized modern ski mountaineering

Learn more

All you need to know

Explore our featured articles

Race

Intro

How race skis, boots and bindings are changing

Getting ready for the Olympics

Race

Intro

Skis: weight still matters

Performance first

Race

Intro

Race boots

More weight does not always mean better skiability

Race

Intro

Bindings: built around the brake

Absolute minimalism

Meet them all

Alpine guides, ski instructors, elite athletes. Heaps of skill and expertise. Add their immense passion into the mix, and you've got a dream team of testers.

Team

Meet them all

Daniele

Molineris

Alice

Russolo

Tour

coordinator

Tommaso

Cardelli

Alpine guide

tester

Sisa

Vottero

Ski instructor

Light

tester

Simon

Bellabouvier

Ski instructor

tester

Silvia

Moser

Ski instructor

Light

tester

Philipp

Reiter

former athlete/photographer

Free

coordinator

Niccolò

Zarattini

Ski instructor and alpine guide in training

The Skialper buyer's guide

Access all features

Not sure where to start?

Featured articles

La Sportiva Kilo

Atomic Bent Chetler 120

Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro

Atomic Backland 102

Ski Trab Neve 104

DPS Carbon Pagoda Tour CFL 94

Majesty Superpatrol Carbon

Ski Trab Ortles Next 90

Atomic Backland 101 W

Ortovox Avabag Litric Tour 28S

Boot lab: flex test

Our awards

It’s not just about grip

How women's skis, boots and bindings are changing

How race skis, boots and bindings are changing

The heart of the skimo world

Explore other styles

Ski mountaineering

What's missing in your setup?

Selected by the editorial team

Last but not least...

Inside the brands

Meet them all