We are excited to hand out this coveted hardware to the best stuff we put to the test this winter—and keep using every day.
Joshua Berman, Aaron Bible, Eugene Buchanan, Chris Kassar, Radha Marcum, Cameron Martindell, Ariella Nardizzi, Tracy Ross, Ryan Michelle Scavo, Doug Schnitzspahn
It’s that time of year again when we distribute the Peak Gear Awards to the very best winter equipment we put to the test in the field and on the snow. We believe in the integrity of the results since we determine the winners by asking our top contributors—who, we are proud to admit, spend far more time skiing, riding, and exploring the wild than “working”—to name the best gear they banged up on the hill, the trail, at home, and in the backcountry.
Nordica
Unleashed 108
$800; nordica.com
Why it Won: The aggressive design in this ski shines in deep snow and big terrain, thanks to blast-from-the-past traditional camber and a thinner wood/carbon core that gives it a playful pop while dampening vibrations. An early rise tip and tail maximize flotation in the pow. Note: the “Ice” graphic (pictured left) indicates the stiff version, while the “Tree” version is a bit softer.
Where We Took It: Fresh powder in Steamboat; spring corn cruisers and East Wall couloirs at Arapahoe Basin
Tvla
The Align[Mat] Cork
$108; tvlashop.com
Why it Won: Not only does this beautiful yoga mat give you artfully rendered guidelines to help you stay aligned while you practice, the cork surface is grippy and soft. That means you can use it without a mat towel (even if you sweat buckets) and get a better feel for the surface. It will make you want to go to yoga class.
Where We Took It: Studios in Boulder; retreats in Steamboat and Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Blizzard
Sheeva 10 Hilaree Nelson Special Edition
$850; blizzard-tecnica.com
Why it Won: Blizzard did something to help us when it created a limited run of Sheeva 10s with artwork that honors Hilaree Nelson, who died in an avalanche in the Himalayas in 2022, by honoring the she-wolf in all of us. The art—a howling grown wolf and younger wolves in a pastel colored mountain landscape—was created by Blizzard-Tecnica athlete Malia Reeves and links to a poetic telling of Nelson’s life in a book by Kimberly Beekman.
Where We Took It: Nelson always inspired us to go faster and harder. But when we take these skis out, we’ll also take a moment to recognize the good fortune of being alive. We have tested other Sheevas at Winter Park, Copper and Eldora.
BioLite
HeadLamp 800Pro
$75; bioliteenergy.com
Why it Won: This headlamp—designed for mountain athletes, explorers, guides, and trail runners—proved extremely useful for those of us hitting the trails during winter’s shorter daylight hours. It’s smart features include the ability to connect to an external power source for Pass-Thru Plus charging for uninterrupted operation.
Where We Took It: Dark, early morning hikes in Boulder’s Flatirons and Indian Peaks
Backcountry Access
Stash Pro 32
$220; backcountryaccess.com
Why It Won: This is the Shangri-La of backcountry ski packs—perfect size, perfect feature sets, not too heavy— that will keep you highly organized with little effort and is made to hold shovel, probe, and even a BCA radio. The sleek design gives you everything you need, nothing you don’t. And, the pack is comfy to wear and sits really well/carries solid loads well.
Where We Took It: Rocky Mountain National Park; Monarch Pass; Vail Pass; the top of Mt. Elbert and the Box Creek Couloirs; Teton Pass, Wyoming; Whistler, British Columbia
Fischer
One and Two Boots
$70–$180; fischersports.com
Why It Won: Kids can actually put on these starter boots all by themselves. The shell of the boot is designed to reduce weight by eliminating material where it is not needed. This makes the boots lighter while still providing the necessary stability to support proper ski technique development.
Where We Took It: Eldora Mountain Resort, Copper Mountain, Steamboat
Chuck Rack
Chuck Bucket 1.0
$499; chuckrack.com
Why It Won: Simplicity and functionality. We found this to be the absolute easiest rack for loading and unloading skis and boards from our vehicles—especially bigger rigs and camper vans—and it’s easy to convert into a six-bike rack.
Where We Took It: Eldora Mountain Resort, Copper Mountain, Monarch Mountain
Tecnica
Zero G Tour
Scout W
$799; blizzard-tecnica.com
Why It Won: Versatility. These boots perform the way we need them to on the downhill at a resort and just as well on a lightweight, backcountry trip. Thanks to a four-buckle design, the cuff locks securely into place—for the confidence to ski anything on the mountain—and the liner’s light, breathable membrane is the most comfortable we have ever fit to our picky feet.
Where We Took It: Downhill days across Colorado’s ski resorts, backcountry hut trips at Vail Pass, skinning around Brainard Lake, and tours in the Sawatch Range
Arc’teryx
RHO Merino Wool
LS Crew
$120; arcteryx.com
Why It Won: We forgot we were wearing it and still stayed warm all day long. Light and plush on the skin, this fine merino baselayer is our best friend in the winter no matter if we are riding the lifts, touring the backcountry, hiking, or chilling out by the fire at home.
Where We Took It: Wolf Creek Ski Area—for big powder days, clear bluebird days, and everything in between
Dynafit
Tigard GTX Pro Jacket
$700; dynafit.com
Why It Won: While we rightfully think of Dynafit as a hardgoods expert, this shell proves that the brand also understands the needs of skiers when it comes to apparel too. No shell worth its weight really “breathes,” but we admit that the Gore fabric here doesn’t sweat us out on numerous trips up the skin track with competitive friends and it still handled a wintry mix of conditions on the way down.
Where We Took It: Uphill and downhill at Eldora Mountain Resort, backcountry at Caribou and Berthoud Pass
Atomic
Bent 100
$725; atomic.com
Why It Won: This ski is ready to party. At 100mm underfoot, it rips groomers like a thinner stick. Get it off-piste and it makes you feel like a ski flick star in the deep stuff. Best of all, it has the guts to crush cruddy, difficult snow. And, of course, we love the Chris Benchetler artwork.
Where We Took It: Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado; Park City and Snowbird, Utah; Whistler, British Columbia
FlyLow
Moxie Bib
$430; flylowgear.com
Why It Won: It’s the first bib we have tried that does everything and goes everywhere. Waterproof, but also breathable with enough venting for the uphill, it sports a plethora of smart details like a beacon pocket that will actually fit your transceiver. It has everything you need, nothing you don’t.
Where We Took It: Skiing 14ers in Colorado; night skiing on lifts in Wisconsin; Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Teton Pass, Wyoming; Monarch Mountain, Colorado
Sweet Protection
Connor Rig Reflect
$220; sweetprotection.com
Why It Won: These wide goggles gave us the best range of vision we have ever experienced from a goggle. In fact, we did not realize just how much other goggles were limiting our sight and awareness while skiing trees until we started wearing these babies.
Where We Took It: Vail and Eldora Mountain Resort, Colorado; Park City, Utah
TinCup x Colorado Avalanche Bottle
$34; shop.tincupwhiskey.com
Why It Won: This limited-edition bottle celebrates our favorite NHL team in these parts and we enjoy a sip watching the game or recounting our stories of glory after a ski day. But what we really like is that TinCup is partnering with Zamboni and Uber to provide free, safe rides for fans after Avs games in December as part of National Impaired Driver Prevention Month (use the code TINCUP).
Where We Took It: Après in the parking lot and back home
Tobe
Ekta LE
$799; tobeouterwear.com
Why It Won: Designed with snowmobilers in mind, this Swedish one-piece snowsuit made us change our minds about the style. It keeps out the elements but still looks sharp and offered up a nice range of motion when we rode our snowboards down—and hopped back on the machines back up to do it all again.
Where We Took It: Snowmobiling on Vail Pass, riding on windy days at Eldora Mountain Resort.
