A comparison between a freeride ski and a Black Forest gateau may seem unusual at first glance, as they are two fundamentally different things: a piece of sports equipment and a culinary product. Nevertheless, some metaphorical parallels can be drawn here: Both skis and cakes are made by industrious craftsmen with expertise and attention to detail - craftsmanship and tradition. They represent a combination of traditional materials and modern production techniques. - Enjoyment and experience: skiing in open terrain offers an intense and eventful skiing experience. Enjoying a Black Forest gateau is at least as sensual an experience, where flavors and textures merge.

The legendary PowderGuide snow depth prediction game will be at the Freeride Testival stops four times this winter - and each time you can win great prizes. PowderGuide will be present at all stops to hand out the prizes directly. At the third stop in Warth/Schröcken from March 7 to 8, 2026, you can take home unique prizes from Head, Fritschi, Black Diamond, Contour and Forest Skis worth over 2,000 euros!

March ushers in spring - and to match, here's my favorite short film by Finn Bilous, which has just been released. We also go snow camping in the Swiss Alps and Manu Bernard presents his unique style of season recap in pure, simple art. The full review of the Nines is online with breathtaking footage and we get exciting insights into the development of a new Armada snowboard.

The PowderGram is our interpretation of a classic meteogram, with a focus on variables that are particularly relevant for freeriders and ski tourers. In the following, we will introduce you to the concept and all elements of the PowderGram. We are optimistic that this will convince even the last doubters of the PowderGram.

Lightweight down jackets with high fill power have long been part of the standard equipment of ambitious winter mountaineers, ski tourers and outdoor enthusiasts, but they are also an everyday item for Big Finance: Patagucci sends its regards. At least I received several compliments on the first day for the great color selection, even though I wasn't sure how the color (purple) would suit me. You can find out how the new Penguin insulation jacket performs in winter conditions in the following test.

Let's go. Malte and Niko set off from Innsbruck towards the Caucasus. By what means? By public transport! The next few weeks will show whether this is possible and how much skiing will be done along the way. One thing is certain; the motivation is high. Over the last few weeks, the project has been eagerly anticipated.

The sun means well with us - perhaps a little too well. A small high-altitude low caused a few blemishes on Tuesday and Wednesday, then high pressure took over and the meteorological start of spring began with an omega situation. For us, this means big temperature differences between day and night, firn windows in the morning - and a watchful eye on the avalanche situation in the afternoon.

Winter sports are running out of time, but the ski industry is not running out of ideas. Right after ProWinter in Bolzano, the Ski Industry Climate Summit 2026 brought brands, researchers, recyclers and NGOs to the same table to discuss what real climate action looks like beyond glossy sustainability claims. From modular skis designed to be taken apart, to recycled high-performance materials, one message stood out: the biggest lever might be the least glamorous—making skis last longer, proving it with data, and building the systems that keep products in use instead of in storage.