Elisa Bessega

Photographer

A new member of our photography team, she's spent the last few years following the national and international outdoor scene. For the Buyer's Guide she works on the Women's test category

umeshoku

Originally from Padua and now based in Trento, Elisa is the newest member of the Buyer's Guide photography team. In her day job she's a photographer and filmmaker, but only when she's not trotting the globe adventuring on skis, on foot, or on her bike. For the 2025 edition she worked on the Women's category.

Intro

Bindings: a thousand flavors

Choosing the binding that best suits your needs can prove tricky, as it is a mechanically complex component of the setup

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Made for women: skis and boots

Strong women

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Ski poles: they’re in control

They’re an excellent investment. The least expensive piece of kit, but one that has an outsized influence on technique, both on the way up, and especially on the way down

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Skins, one and done or multiple transitions?

The average alpine touring outing involves much more skinning up the mountain than skiing down, making climbing skins one of the most important parts of any setup. These long, thin strips of fabric can make all the difference when you’re out on the mountain

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Test center

Where the snow is always present

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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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Skimo poles

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Skis, boots, and bindings made for women.

Knowledge, awareness, empowerment