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Make the most of the time and resources you invest in avalanche education. Hone your basic backcountry skiing skills and fitness level, and prep your brain for the information download before taking that introductory avalanche class.

A race boot can be many things, but first and foremost, they’re light and minimalist. Dynafit’s DNA is ready to play in the race and uphill fitness scene. But this svelte, beautifully designed boot might have a comfort range when speed objectives in the mountains are in play. Here’s a first look.

A New Year’s Resolution: celebrate your friends. A big ski traverse, as it should be, can pull you into the present. A Winds ski traverse did that for me. And upon reflection, despite being physically spent after each day, I know that time with my partners in the Winds was a mental and physical respite and a gift.

Thoughts on social media and the backcountry scene: Social media is entertainment, not connection. It can be great entertainment, whether a post is authentic or not. Social media is also an unnecessary, but powerful tool. No matter how you feel about it, that power is worth careful consideration.

We’re looking for basic information and reader input on ski boots, specifically, perceived range of motion (ROM) while skinning, climbing, and hiking. We’re working on a story about such nerdy concepts. Generally, we spend 90% of our backcountry touring time going uphill, so things like ROM matter.

Visualizing the backcountry as a Splitboarder takes a different perspective than a skier. Learning to splitboard and reading terrain has unique challenges — we’re here to minimize those challenges with helpful pointers on anticipating backcountry terrain and keeping the fun factor high.

Gift guide number two: Hopefully, these guides prompt us all to think of others and what they might like to receive as a gift. Also, it’s OK by us to show some self-gratitude and buy something for yourself. We have included replacement binding heel or toe units.

Prepare for the unexpected in the backcountry with systematic practice. Avalanche rescue skills are critical to being a competent partner, but are a reactive approach to safety. It is more important to take a proactive approach to managing your safety in the backcountry. Get educated, stay safe, and know how to effectively use your tools.

The synthetic fill puffy is a staple for those looking for some foul and cold weather insulation when moisture might compromise a down piece. Outdoor Research’s Superstrand LT Hoodie delivers a lightweight and compact punch for those on the go in the backcountry .

Moonlight skis Cruiser 120 offers plenty of width underfoot, and throughout the ski, for that matter, to make the most of powder skiing. And if you are going the distance, the ~1600g won’t tax you too much on the skintrack.

Black Diamond retools their lightweight technical tools with ice climbing capabilities in the new Venom LT axes and offers up a slick new shovel, the Transfer LT. Here’s our first look at this promising collection.

Vancouver-based G3 offers up a line of skins in their Minimist series with three builds on offer. We’ve got a review of the Universal (all-nylon), Glide (a 70/30 mohair/nylon mix), and Speed (100% mohair).

A cool opportunity is worth shouting about: so we are shouting with a digital “Hear ye, hear ye!” Backcountry Access and the American Avalanche Association have a sweet scholarship opportunity. The aim is to support female-identifying avalanche workers and their professional development.

Moment is located in Reno, Nevada, at the foothills of the Sierra on Bible Way. Which, when you consider the biblical devotion of some Moment evangelists, is an apt street for the ski maker. We’ll genuflect towards a specific ski-binding pairing in this review, the Wildcat Tour 108 and the Voyager X II binding.

A proper boot fit can be a tricky thing. And for some women’s feet, the quest for an ideal fitting backcountry touring boot can be frustrating. In this reposted piece from Lisa Dawson, we get some keen advice about her experience dialing in the fit.

In his book See You Tomorrow — The Disappearance of Snowboarder Marco Siffredi on Everest Jeremy Evans captures the spirit of a young adventurer living with purpose.

Totally Deep goes deep with meteorologist Joel Gratz, the founder of OpenSnow. Over the years, the site has expanded from offering forecasts for on-piste venues to localized predictions for off-the-grid locations. Gratz dishes on the meteorological scene and how he attempts to best serve the backcountry community.

In the new Patagonia AlpLoft Down Parka, we see a big puffy not overburdened with heft but, at the same time, not cursed with the weight-saving zeitgeist of the times. The jacket has a job to do: keep you warm and hold up. It does that. The build is near perfect in coupling durability, function, and a reasonable weight.

The Outdoor Research Helium AscentShell is a weatherproof hardshell with minimal bulk and weight for those who count paperclips and like to stay dry.

New to the Stateside scene of tents and packs, Samaya, an Annecy based company focuses on gear for the alpine. As skiers and boarders combine projects involving technical climbing and snow sliding descents, Samaya’s ULTRA35 pack is built for the mission. Here’s our first look.