The Skialper buyer's guide

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Skialper Buyer's guide logo
Matter of the soulOur intro
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Featured articles
Tour
Intro

Tour: skis, boots & bindings

Take it easy

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Light
Intro

Light skis, boots, and bindings

The myriad meanings of an adjective.

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Free
Intro

Free skis, boots & bindings

New developments in the world of Free skis, boots, and bindings.

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Intro

Skis, boots, and bindings made for women.

Knowledge, awareness, empowerment

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Race
Intro

Race Skis, boots, and bindings

Evolve to survive

Read more
Intro

Boards, boots, and bindings for splitboarding

Materials are evolving, which is increasing the opportunities for pushing the boundaries of mountaineering splitboarding. It’s no longer just about easy tours, a few jumps and a beer. Thanks to innovative new setups and growing knowledge within the community, long ascents and steep terrain no longer intimidate.

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Intro

Skimo bindings

They’re probably the element of your setup that’s evolved the most and seen the most crossover between disciplines. Which is why in general lighter bindings have adapted to make allowances for the trend for opting for wider skis, with hybrid drilling patterns and a greater selection of ski brakes. But the aspect that requires most scrutiny is the height difference between the front and rear pins.

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Intro

Skimo poles

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Intro

Pelli di foca

It's not all about grip

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Intro

Safety, a culture of doubt

Beyond the basic definition, there’s nothing as variable as snow conditions and the human psyche when under emotional stress. That's why, after purchasing the right self-rescue kit and airbag backpack, it’s paramount you do your research, train, scrutinize your decisions and, if necessary, opt for plan B. And, at least for now, don’t rely on artificial intelligence. 

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Intro

Products for mountaineers

The word ski mountaineering encompasses skiing and alpinism. The calling to head high, to reach summits, ridges and the most spectacular vantage points, and then don your skis, often inevitably requires you to use mountaineering equipment. In order to make the right choice, you need to understand how it works and know how to use it.

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Explore other styles

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.

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Selected by the editorial team

The best products tested and awarded by our team
149 Skis
PEOPLE
tested 2025
Skis
Light
Made for women
K2
Wayback 89 W
Width Center: 89 mm
Weight: 1.150 g
SMART
tested 2025
Skis
Free
Faction
Agent 3
Width Center: 106 mm
Weight: 1.750 g
tested 2025
Skis
Free
Black Crows
Draco Freebird
Width Center: 110 mm
Weight: 2.050 g
tested 2025
Skis
Free
Armada
Locator 104
Width Center: 104 mm
Weight: 1.425 g
tested 2025
Skis
Free
K2
Mindbender 106C
Width Center: 106 mm
Weight: 2.089 g
tested 2025
Skis
Free
Salomon
QST Echo 106
Width Center: 106 mm
Weight: 1.760 g
tested 2025
Skis
Free
Dynafit
Tigard 114
Width Center: 113 mm
Weight: 1.870 g
SMART
tested 2025
Skis
Tour
Salomon
MTN 96 Carbon
Width Center: 96 mm
Weight: 1.380 g
tested 2025
Skis
Tour
Scott
Pure Tour 100
Width Center: 98 mm
Weight: 1.480 g
tested 2025
Skis
Tour
Blizzard
Zero G 95
Width Center: 95 mm
Weight: 1.260 g
77 Boots
preview 2025
Boots
Free
Made for women
Roxa
R3 115 W TI I.R.
Buckles: 3
Weight: 1.400 g
tested 2025
Boots
Tour
Made for women
La Sportiva
Vanguard Woman
Buckles: 3
Weight: 1.325 g
tested 2025
Boots
Tour
Made for women
Scarpa
4-Quattro XT WMN
Buckles: 4
Weight: 1.345 g
tested 2025
Boots
Tour
Made for women
Nordica
Unlimited LT 115 W Dyn
Buckles: 4
Weight: 1.390 g
tested 2025
Boots
Race
Made for women
Scarpa
Alien 1.0 WMN
Buckles: 2
Weight: 735 g
tested 2025
Boots
Free
Dynafit
Tigard 130
Buckles: 4
Weight: 1.550 g
tested 2025
Boots
Free
Tecnica
Cochise 130 DYN GW
Buckles: 4
Weight: 1.899 g
tested 2025
Boots
Light
Roxa
RX Scout
Buckles: 2
Weight: 1.290 g
tested 2025
Boots
Free
Atomic
Hawk Ultra XTD 130 Boa GW
Buckles: 3
Weight: 1.831 g
tested 2025
Boots
Light
Atomic
Backland Carbon
Buckles: 2
Weight: 1.162 g
45 Bindings
tested 2025
Bindings
Free
Marker
Kingpin 13
Type: Hybrid pin
Weight: 715 g
tested 2025
Bindings
Light
Tour
Plum
Pika Stopper
Type: full pin
Weight: 265 g
tested 2025
Bindings
Free
Plum
Karibou 14 Stopper
Type: full pin
Weight: 565 g
BINDING OF THE YEAR TOUR
tested 2025
Bindings
Light
ATK Bindings
RT 11 Evo
Type: full pin
Weight: 295 g
tested 2025
Bindings
Tour
Salomon
MTN Pure
Type: full pin
Weight: 295 g
preview 2025
Bindings
Light
Plum
R170
Type: full pin
Weight: 170 g
tested 2025
Bindings
Free
ATK Bindings
Freeraider 14 SL
Type: full pin
Weight: 355 g
preview 2025
Bindings
Race
ATK Bindings
Trofeo Brake
Type: full pin
Weight: 145 g
preview 2025
Bindings
Light
ATK Bindings
Trofeo 10 Plus
Type: full pin
Weight: 170 g
INNOVATION
tested 2025
Bindings
Free
Ski Trab
TR1
Type: Hybrid pin
Weight: 685 g
37 Poles
2025
Poles
Race
Ski Trab
Gara World Cup
Type: fixed length
Weight: 211 g
2025
Poles
Tour
Cober
Adventure Carbon
Type: fixed length
Weight: 175 g
2025
Poles
Free
Cober
XL Piggie
Type: fixed length
Weight: 230 g
2025
Poles
Free
Cober
Pow Bro
Type: telescopic
Weight: 245 g
POLE OF THE YEAR TOUR
2025
Poles
Tour
Leki
Bernina Lite 2
Type: telescopic
Weight: 251 g
2025
Poles
Tour
Leki
Guide Lite 2
Type: telescopic
Weight: 263 g
2025
Poles
Tour
Leki
Sherpa FX Carbon
Type: telescopic
Weight: 272 g
2025
Poles
Tour
Grivel
Condor Evo Ski Vario
Type: telescopic
Weight: 495245 g
2025
Poles
Free
Kang
Bamboo All-mountain
Type: fixed length
Weight: 285 g
2025
Poles
Light
Ski Trab
Gara
Type: fixed length
Weight: 210 g
21 Skins
2025
Skins
Tour
Pomoca
Tour Pro Expedition
Material: N/A
Dry weight: 222 g
2025
Skins
Light
Tour
Pomoca
Tour Pro Cold
Material: mohair
Dry weight: 282 g
SKINS OF THE YEAR TOUR
2025
Skins
Tour
Light
Pomoca
Tour Pro
Material: mohair, nylon
Dry weight: 276 g
2025
Skins
Race
Pomoca
Race Pro Sprint
Material: mohair
Dry weight: 90 g
2025
Skins
Tour
Light
Montana
Montasprint Adrenaline
Material: mohair
Dry weight: 279 g
2025
Skins
Free
Tour
Montana
Montamix Adrenaline Fusiontec
Material: mohair, nylon
Dry weight: 304 g
2025
Skins
Free
Tour
Pomoca
Free Explore
Material: nylon
Dry weight: 267 g
2025
Skins
Race
Montana
Montarace Super Glide
Material: mohair
Dry weight: 134 g
SKINS OF THE YEAR RACE
2025
Skins
Race
Pomoca
Race Pro
Material: mohair
Dry weight: 112 g
2025
Skins
Free
Tour
Pomoca
Free Pro
Material: mohair
Dry weight: 226 g

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
2025
Instruction
Instruction Booklet

Everything you need to know about the Skialper Buyer's Guide. A handy reference you can access anytime you like, to better understand what we do and why we do it.

2025
Race
Light
Tour
Free
Instruction
A breakdown of the categories

How we have classified skis and boots

2025
Instruction
Our awards

A few words on our revamped awards

2025
Instruction
Boot lab: Boots under the microscope

The laboratory analysis of flex, walkability, and thermal insulation of ski mountaineering boots

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.
Free
tester
Edoardo
Longo
Ski instructor and coach
Giovanni
Danieli
Photographer
editorial board
coordinator
Michele
Guarneri
Editorial team
Race
tester
Robert
Antonioli
Professional athlete
Federico
Ravassard
Photographer
Free
Tour
Light
tester
Silvia
Moser
Ski instructor
editorial board
coordinator
Claudio
Primavesi
Editor in chief of Skialper
Split All Mountain
Split Powder
tester
Gianluigi
'Gigi' Lozzi
Snowboard instructor