Max Elias

The avalanche transceiver has been at the heart of the French brand ARVA, which has specialised in winter safety equipment for over 30 years. The NEO BT PRO is the new high-performance avalanche transceiver and boasts a wealth of functions and a very large search strip width for successful and fast avalanche rescue.

Skiing, especially in combination with ski touring, can be a sweat-inducing sport. After a long day on the mountain, the long-awaited boot change from ski boots to more comfortable and dry street boots takes place. It is not uncommon for the path to the nearest shoe-drying heat source to be several hours away by train or car and who doesn't know it: the appetising smell that resembles a mixture of Appenzeller cheese and a well-stocked après-ski bar.

In addition to the classic avalanche equipment, a good selection of first aid material is also essential and should not be missing in any backpack. In my opinion, one very important product is missing from the standard first aid kits: the aluminium padding splint. Because honestly, what am I supposed to do with all those plasters if I need to treat a fracture in the outdoors?

The gold and silver-coloured rescue blanket has a Christmassy look. And just like the Christ Child, it comes from heaven.... Well, almost.

In a small factory in the centre of beautiful Freiburg im Breisgau, Frederic Andes produces fine skis and snowboards in small series by hand and with great attention to detail. Valhalla Ski's core business is lightweight, wide powder skis. These are available in different widths with three lengths each and in different core options, from super light to light. What all boards have in common is the demand for the most sustainable production possible and the greatest possible durability.

When Nordic philologists hear the term Valhalla, they think of the resting place of fallen warriors from Scandinavian mythology. PowderGuide users are more likely to think of the legendary movie sequence from the ski movies of the same name, in which a mountain full of naked skiers and snowboarders presents itself.