The Fritschi Freeride binding is a classic frame bindings that allows the backcountry skier to use their resort or backcountry boots. While tech bindings are lighter, the Fritschis are stronger and more versatile.
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The Black Diamond Carbon Whippet Ski Pole is an invaluable tool for ski and splitboard touring in steep terrain with firm snow. The whippet allows for the axe to be easily removed and re-attached in the field, providing safety, security and flexibility. However, due to a likelihood of catastrophic rivet failure, buy this product at your own risk.
The Jetboil Flash Stove is lightweight, efficient and easy to use. While not the best in cold and windy conditions, nor able to simmer, the Flash provides a reliable option for backpackers looking primarily to boil water quickly.
The Jetboil MiniMo Stove will be the best integrated canister stove for the majority of backpackers. It is well designed, easy to use, and efficient. It can suffer in strong winds but its overall feature set is superior to most competitors.
The Osprey Packs Aether is a workhorse with a thoughtful design. The pack easily carries a heavy load, while providing plenty of bells and whistles. While it is slightly heavier than others, the higher volume versions of the pack make up for it with high performance. There are better low volume packs available.
The Big Agnes Fly Creek Tents are shockingly lightweight. They are well designed and backed by top notch Big Agnes customer service. There are certainly more durable and roomier backpacking tents available, but if treated with care, Fly Creek tents can withstand the test of time and the feather weight more than makes up for the fragile materials.
The Western Mountaineering Antelope MF Sleeping Bag is stellar. It is extremely warm and lightweight. It is weather resistant, durable, and boasts the best zipper of any sleeping bag on the market. Well worth the high price tag.
The G3 Ion 10 & 12 Binding is a mid-weight tech binding that has a robust and reliable feature set. It’s biggest strength is the ease with which the toe piece can be stepped into. The Ion strikes a very nice balance between weight and performance.
The Dynafit ST Radical Binding is reliable and equipped with robust safety features. Unlike many tech bindings, the ST Radical meets industry standards for release values. For those seeking a reliable and secure touring binding, this is an excellent choice.
The Arc’teryx Bora AR 50L, 63L Backpack is simple yet highly functional. It is durable, highly weather resistant, and innovative in its hip belt weight distribution. The high price tag keeps many casual users away, but if you can afford it, the pack should last you a lifetime.