Johannes Wolf

You need all kinds of equipment for ski touring and freeriding, and often the first thing you think of is skis, ski touring boots and skins. But you shouldn't neglect the ski poles either, as these also contribute to a successful ski tour. That's why our Gear of the Week this time is the "Traverse Pro" poles from Black Diamond.

Most freeriders will be familiar with Corvatsch, as the Engadinsnow Freeride Contest, a stop on the Freeride World Qualifier Tour, has been held here for several years. In addition to numerous steep descents on the north and west sides, there are also much easier tours with descents of more than 1000m. One of these is the descent towards Pontresina, whose north/east slopes offer enjoyable turns.

As in previous years, sustainability was an important topic in the clothing segment. Almost every manufacturer has now realized this. There were no major technical highlights, but there were still one or two interesting products. Generally speaking, it can be said that things are becoming a little more colorful again, albeit with more classic colors.

This year's winter left a lot to be desired at the beginning, but shortly afterwards Ullr took pity on us and gifted us with snowfall beyond good and evil from the end of December. The perfect time to test a big mountain freeride ski that is even suitable for ski touring in larger amounts of fresh snow. The Boundary Pro 107 by Black Diamond is said to be perfect for precisely this type of use.

What kind of jackets do you actually use when you're ski touring or mountaineering? A hardshell jacket is often too warm on the ascent and only a first layer is often too cold. Let's see what the answer from LaSportiva is!

There were also some new products in the clothing sector. However, as was the case last year, these were rather small, but we don't want to withhold a few technical highlights from you. There are few changes in terms of design, with the color tones mostly kept rather dark. Bright colors are also a rarity this year.

Headlamps are now a dime a dozen - from small emergency lamps to powerful headlamps, the market offers all kinds of variations.

The cold wind and waves whip the cold sea water into our faces. Everything rocks wildly. Suddenly there's a bang! The fire extinguisher has flown out of its holder! This time one of the many waves has hit us directly. In the cabin, even seemingly fixed objects are now being flung from side to side.

The small family ski resort of Axamer Lizum became famous above all for the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Games, but most freeriders and ski tourers are now also familiar with it - and not just because of the Freeride Qualifier event, which has been taking place in the impressive setting of the Kalkkögel for several years now.

Last week in Obertauern we had the opportunity to test some new skis and bindings from Atomic, including the Shift MNC 13, which won Atomic a Gold Award in the Ski Touring Bindings category at this year's ISPO.

The trend in recent years for all manufacturers to advertise ecological production is declining in comparison. However, there are still a few highlights, such as a new type of "Prima Loft" insulation, which uses plant down from the kapok tree. Many manufacturers now use the body mapping principle in their base layers.

The small Swiss company PENGUIN has been promoting ski and snowboard clothing with a focus on functionality and robustness for several years. The Swiss company's motto is: by freeriders for freeriders. For this reason, particular emphasis is placed on ensuring that the clothing can withstand the rigors of daily freeride adventures.