;)
InTheSnow Review the BEST NEW GEAR 22/23 season
Our experts have been reviewing the annual deluge of new gear with the tough task of narrowing the choice down to the most innovative products, original ideas and of course the very best quality. The verdicts are now in so please enjoy this season’s best in class …be it skis, boots, poles, helmets, goggles, jackets, gloves, bags or even those all-important thermal undies…
ELAN VOYAGER FUSION X FOLDING SKI PACKAGE | £1,450
BUY NOW
Yes, it’s a folding ski! Originating from a folding ski designed for the military, these have been tried and tested to the max and have now been designed for the equally demanding all-mountain skier. These folding skis come complete with a set of poles and a wheelie luggage bag for easy storage and transportation. A clever locking system means the skis fold in half and lock out in seconds ready for you to hit the slopes. Whether you’re struggling for space at home, you haven’t got much luggage space in your Porsche or your private jet, or you want an effortless travelling experience to the slopes, these are an absolute must.
Atomic CTD Helmet with Shocksensor | £329.95
BUY NOW
A smart-tech enabled helmet inspired by Atomics World Cup athletes, giving you some of the best safety protection on the market. A hard outer shell (carbon loaded versions also available) and AMID shock-absorbing foam gives you 30% higher protection than the FIS racing standards required. Uniquely now incorporating Shocksense – a smart sensor built into the helmet links to your smartphone to give you an accurate assessment of your helmet’s condition if you’ve had a crash, or dropped your helmet! The Shocksense also transmits an SOS alert to emergency contacts if it senses a hard impact. When you’re skiing flat out, make sure your helmet truly protects you.
Contour Start-up Touring Adapter | £89.95
BUY NOW
A clever adapter that converts a standard binding into a touring binding to allow children to start venturing into the exciting world of ski touring. The adapter clips into an alpine binding and allows your heel to lift up to freely walk up hill. Now you can take your kids on backcountry adventures at a very economical price.
The North Face Thermoball V Womens Traction Mule | £54.95
BUY NOW
No more worrying about heating bills with these ultra-warm sleeping bags for your feet!
The traction edition includes a rubber sole allowing you to explore your surroundings and stay warm and dry. One of the most comfortable and warm lounging-around slippers we’ve used, whether for everyday use at home or in your chalet. Super lightweight for travelling and feeling like your walking on clouds of feathers.
FW Root Pillow Women’s Fleece | £159.95
BUY NOW
This is a wonderful marriage of the popular sherpa fleece styles of yesteryear colliding with the demands of the modern outdoor women. Sherpa fleece gives you the ultimate in warmth and snuggle down comfort, all the features a sporty jet setter would want and you can even convert this into a pillow for your next spontaneous adventure.
Faction Prodigy 0X Women’s skis | £278.95
BUY NOW
A great ski to intro you into the world of freeskiing. Faction’s prodigy series of skis are a superb option for those of you wanting an all-mountain freestyle inspired ski, the kind of ski that allows you to play all over the mountain in all conditions. The 0X is specifically designed for lighter or less aggressive riders. Whether you’re a younger rider or a lighter ripper, you’ll love the feel of this ski, and of course the neon unicorn will sell it to any young lady!
Oakley Arc 5 Pro Helmet | £509.95
BUY NOW
Oakley’s no-compromise safety and impressive design talent has now reached the world of ski racing! Designed and developed with reigning overall World Champion Aleksander Kilde, the ARC5 PRO was created to be the ultimate FIS-certified alpine ski helmet. A super strong M-Forge composite shell gives you ultimate impact protection combined with a lightweight feel. Add in MIPS impact protection, a tooless quick-attach slalom chinguard, emergency removal ear-pads, a carrying case to keep it protected and an unbelievable iridescent colour-changing paint finish – it looks like Oakley has raised the bar in FIS racing protection.
Head Boot Carry On | £44.95
BUY NOW
Fed up with trying to get your luggage under the weight limit on airlines? Worried about losing your super comfortably crafted new ski boots? This is like a briefcase for your ski boots; small, compact and lightweight. Fits any baggage carry-on size limits. Complete with rucksack straps and a small document pocket, this will be your new airline travelling companion.
Elan Ripstick 106 Skis | £659.95
BUY NOW
The ultimate fun freeride ski for any terrain. With their lively poppy and responsive heart, these will be a fun ski to play in the powder or pop some little side hits. Take them back on piste, ramp up their speed and feel the edge hold grip superbly through the turn, but if you want to skid to play or scrub off some speed, then they’ll do that too. A great ski to play on and off-piste all season long.
skibartlett.com/ski-equipment-c1/skis-c3/elan-ripstick-106-ski-2023-p24266
K2 Sprout Junior Pole | £29.95
BUY NOW
Now you don’t need to worry when your children “sprout” as these ski poles can grow with them. Going from a tiny 75cm up to a hearty 105cm, these poles with super-cool graphics will last your children all the way through to their teens.
Rossignol Alltrack Pro 80 womens Ski Boots | £274.95
BUY NOW
Whether you’re skiing in resort, hitting powder laps or exploring the backcountry, the Alltrack range gives you great all-mountain performance with added comfort. Its built-in walk mode allows you to release the upper cuff for effortless walking and ski touring.
Elan Ripstick Tour 104 – Glen Plake edition | £719.95
BUY NOW
It’s about time the world-famous freeskiing legend Glen Plake finally had his own signature ski. Punk-style graphics reminiscent of his signature hair style and the dayglow “Blizzard of Ahhh’s” era that we know him from so well makes this ski stand out in the crowd with its lightweight construction for touring up to those epic lines and carbon power and agility for the freeride ski down. You know how Glen skis, so you can imagine there’s no compromise on performance. Blending standout looks with standout performance, we’re sure this is going to have legendary status in ski history along with the legend himself!
Atomic Redster Boot Blanket | £59.95
BUY NOW
If you suffer from cold feet, or snow creeping in through the overlap of your boot, then these are a must. Warm neoprene creates an insulating blanket for your ski boots. Light, packs small, don’t leave home without it!
Blizzard Hustle 10 Ski | £599.95
BUY NOW
An excellent all-mountain fun freeride-inspired ski for touring and all-mountain skiing. With a very accessible feel whether you’re venturing into more off-piste adventures, or hard charging pistes and powder stashes, The Hustle covers a huge range of ability levels and is superb value for money for the way this ski performs. Whether you combine these with a touring binding to access some freeride powder stashes, or a piste binding to create a superb all-mountain do-everything ski, you will not be disappointed
Lange XT3 80 Wide Junior Hybrid Touring Boot | £234.95
BUY NOW
Finally a junior ski touring boot compatible with lighter-weight tech touring ski bindings, which means more freedom of movement and a lighter skin up. Being a shrunk-down version of the adult’s XT3 touring ski boots, these are loaded with all the features you could want for all-mountain downhill skiing and ski touring. Now you can take your children with you on those exciting backcountry adventures.
K2 Dreamweaver Junior Ski including binding | £244.95
BUY NOW
Just because you’re small doesn’t mean you don’t have big dreams. Maybe it’s hitting every jump in sight, playing in the park, or charging down the pistes with the boys. The Dreamweaver will grow with you from a lower-level skier to a hard-charging ripper. Light, fun and easy skiing.
K2 Poacher Junior Ski including binding | £244.95
BUY NOW
Poppy and playful for fun all-mountain freestyle skiing with a shape to carve down every piste and wide enough to play in a little bit of powder, an ideal ski for intermediate to advanced-level fun-hearted skiers.
Mons Royale Icon T-shirt | £74.95
BUY NOW
Exerting yourself on those boot hikes and tours or just not needing the warmth doesn’t mean you don’t need a tech base layer. Made from merino wool, the Icon T is designed to regulate temperature, wick sweat away from your skin and not retain smell – making it a whole lot nicer both for yourself and those around you! Also makes a comfortable wear it every day travelling piece.
Armada, Declivity 92 Ti | £559.99 | ellis-brigham.com
BUY NOW
Looking for an all-mountain bundle of fun for your piste and powder missions? The 92mm underfoot Declivity 92 Ti carves smooth lines on piste and powers through the choppy stuff with ease. The Caruba wood core is backed up by Titanal banding producing a powerful, responsive ride suited to advanced and expert skiers.
Sweet Protection, Ignitor | £209.99 | sweetprotection.com
BUY NOW
Athlete inspired, race heritage helmet from Sweet Protection, this high-end model comes with new tech like “variable elasticity plastic” that’s harder in some areas and softer in others. This protects where needed but flexes more in other areas, creating extra comfort. The two-layer MIPS insert has been used in the race helmets, but you can now enjoy it too.
Mons Royale, Cascade LS Men’s | £109.99 | absolute-snow.co.uk
BUY NOW
This Merino-built base layer is designed to keep you warm on colder days while maintaining comfort at higher activity levels. The mix of nylon and elastane helps the wool keep its shape and prolongs the garments life too. The six-colour options mean you’ll have a different top for every day of the ski week to show off back in the bar at the end of a powder day.
Mons Royale, Cascade Mock Neck Women’s |£119.99 | skibartlett.com
BUY NOW
Funky designs combine with high-performance Merino wool fabric that’s woven in with nylon and elastane for extra movement and durability. Mons Royale once again takes base layers to the next level with warmth and style in the Cascade Mock Neck top and with the built-in thumb loops, your wrists stay warm even when you jump for joy.
Amundsen, 5 Mila | £89.99 | ecoski.co.uk
BUY NOW
Useful as a mid-later on colder days or outer for high-intensity workouts, Oslo-based Amundsen makes stylish and functional clothing for the outdoors, and the 5 Mila is one of its standout tops. The Merino wool blend is breathable, lightweight and temperature regulating, but its looks are just as impressive too.
Leki, Airfoil 3D | £105 | ellis-brigham.com
BUY NOW
Ski pole specialist Leki has upgraded its trigger system to allow for 220 degrees of release, meaning more protection in the event of a fall. The Airfoil version is more aerodynamic and helps to dampen vibrations. Lightweight and strong, these poles look great and surely that alone will make you a better skier?
ORTOVOX, AVA Litric Tour 30 | £1,025 | Ortovox.com
BUY NOW
High-tech airbag from ORTOVOX with a new system charged like a mobile phone meaning no more gas canisters and flight issues. Two deployments per charge is possible, meaning double safety in the event of a second avalanche issue. This 30-litre version is perfect for ski tours and off-piste adventures.
Maier Sports, Narvik | £229.95 | maier-sports.com
BUY NOW
Strong, light and waterproof freeride and ski touring shell pants from the company that promises a perfect fit. The 20,000 mTEX fabric ensures protection against the elements while offering high breathability and the fabric is recycled PES yarn, hugely ticking any eco-friendly boxes.
Dragon, RVX OTG MAG ” £190 | absolute-snow.co.uk
BUY NOW
The first magnetic lens goggles from Dragon that can also fit over glasses. They have the brand’s classic styling and come with LumaLens® Optimised Colour technology for enhanced vision. A top choice if you want to see clearly in all weather conditions and change lenses quickly.
K2, Dispatch Pro | £675 | glisshop.co.uk
BUY NOW
Brand-new free tour ski boot with 60-degree range of motion for freeride skiers looking to access terrain when touring uphill. The Pro 130 flex version suits expert, aggressive skiers that need full support and responsive control on big mountain terrain.
Artilect, M-Sundown 250 | £180 | artilect.studio
BUY NOW
Versatile Merino wool sweater that can be worn on the slopes under a shell jacket or around town on après-ski bar crawls. Apparently the Nuyarn Merino fabric is five times faster at drying, but also highly durable and full of warmth. You’ll never know the sun has even gone down.
Level, Off-Piste Leather | £155 | snowandrock.com
BUY NOW
Originally a snowboard brand, Level now make gloves used by top-level alpine skiing athletes, and this leather off-piste model is a durable and warm friend for your fingers on the coldest powder days. Also comes as a trigger finger version.
Superfeet, Winter Insole Unisex | £50 | superfeet.com
BUY NOW
Ski boot insoles aren’t optional extras, they are essential for comfort, performance and, in this case, warmth too. Two versions of this new insole include a thicker (for comfort) and thinner (for performance) option, and they are suitable for ski and snowboard boots.
SQI, Foret Jacket | £245 | wearesqi.com
BUY NOW
SQI is a new fashion brand that makes winter jackets for around town that work well on the slopes too. The Women’s Foret is an insulated, waterproof ski jacket with a fake fur hood in a pullover half-zip style. Ideal for skiers that take fashion seriously.
Volkl, Flair 75 | £580 with bindings | skibartlett.com
This women’s specific ski is designed for on-piste performance and skiers that like to carve turns on groomed slopes and suit intermediate to advanced riders. The tip and tail rocker make turn initiation super easy, and the wood core with steel layer produces a stable ski that can handle higher speeds.
Evoc, Line Pro 30 | £230 | evocsports.com
BUY NOW
Freeride skiers looking for a touring backpack might find the LITESHIELD PLUS protection technology built into the Evoc Line Pro 30 helpful, especially if you have a crash. Designed to carry skis yet open fully without removing them, it’s packed full of features including insulated sleeves for your hydration needs.
Black Crows, Mirus Cor | £720 | black-crows.com
BUY NOW
The Mirus Cor doesn’t just turn brilliantly, it turns heads too. The funky-looking piste-freestyle hybrid ski with the fish tail that does nothing except look cool is underneath it all a super-high-performance fun machine that carves up the whole mountain with ease.
Helly Hansen, Alpha 3.0 | £440 | hellyhansen.com
BUY NOW
The best-seller from Helly Hansen and for a reason. You get all the features you’d expect from the Norwegian outdoor behemoth for a sensible price, including four-way stretch, pro-grade membrane, H2 Flow venting and it’s highly waterproof and breathable too.
Ultimate Direction All Mountain Pack 30L | $164.95 | ultimate direction.com
BUY NOW
The 30L All Mountain Pack allows users to store essentials up front for quick access, as well as other gear in its rear bag. The Pack also has several features that make it a safe choice for backcountry skiing and mountaineering including ice axe loops and a convertible external lashing system. Additional feature include, easy cinch lid system for securing all gear inside the bag, optional attachment points for ski carry diagonal or A-frame, sliding rail sternum straps, removable and height-adjustable T-hook waist belt for heavier loads and includes All Season Kit: ski hook & loop and bungee compression system.
