Salomon Quest 14 Boots
Salomon led the pack in creating a high-performance boot that let you unlock the heel so you could hike to places where the lifts don’t go. The updated Quest 14 also deserves a “most improved” award, thanks to its “firmer flex, better angles, and snugger fit.”
$600, rei.com
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Source: Ski
Blizzard Magnum 8.7 IQ Max Skis
These skis “basically turn themselves,” thanks to the snap provided by rods that run the length of the ski and connect to a hydraulic shock underfoot. With their narrow waist and solid construction, they provide “confident carving” for beginners but are “burly enough for experts.”
$1,200, skis.com
Source: Wired
POC Receptor Backcountry Helmet
The latest model in POC’s popular Receptor series is the first snow helmet that incorporates MIPS, “a fancy new technology” that mimics the way the brain uses cerebrospinal fluid to protect itself from an oblique or lateral blow to the head.
$250, backcountry.com
Source: ESPN.com
Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro C2BTX Horsepower
Lib Tech is a pioneer in creating snowboards whose hybrid profile—part “banana,” part camber—boosts performance virtually everywhere on the mountain. This pro model is “likely the most powerful hybrid available that still maintains super bounce and float” in powder.
$697, lib-tech.com
Source: Snowboard
Julbo Orbiter with Camel Lens
“Anti-fog coating and strategic vents” keep these “face-friendly” goggles from clouding up when you’re speeding down the mountain. Now they’re available with Julbo’s award-winning Camel lens, which “adapts to changing light and gets rid of vision-impairing glare.”
$200, julbousa.com
Source: Men’s Journal
Outdoor Research Sensor Gloves
Gloves designed to allow smart-phone use typically disappoint. “TouchTec” leather tips make these the best we’ve tried.
$65, outdoorresearch.com
Source: Backpacker
Kanpai 350 Titanium Bottle
The single-serving thermos to buy if cost is no object. Titanium makes it twice as light as Snow Peak’s stainless-steel model.
$160, snowpeak.com
Source: Gizmodo.com
