Martin Svejkovsky

The last summit of this year's Freeride Testival Tour had everything a freerider's heart could desire. Bright blue skies, fresh snow and cold temperatures made for a worthy end to the Testival season. And of course there were once again great prizes to be won in the snow depth prediction game!

Tiemo Rolshoven is 21 years old and has been competing for Germany on the Freeride World Tour since last season. He is known for big tricks, but also shows consistently good skiing in extremely technical terrain. In a brief interview at the first FIS Freeride World Championships in Ordino-Arcalis, he told us how he got into freeriding and how he would characterize himself as a skier.

Simon from the Innsbruck-based ski manufacturer SPURart is working on the production of a recyclable ski as part of an innovation and research project. In an interview, he told us about the background, challenges and successes of this ambitious project. Following the interview, we were able to test the factory and get a first impression. But read for yourself:

Bergstolz's big ski test has been taking place every winter for years now - at the end of March 2025, we found the best freeride conditions in Hochfügen, Zillertal. At the end of the season, Ms. Holle meant good once again. Dozens of skiers tested freeride skis from over 25 brands in four different categories. We took a closer look at a few models from the large selection and summarized our impressions in this article.

Some T-shirts look cool in everyday life and some work as a base layer for sports. And then there are those that simply always fit - whether you're climbing, cycling or in the city, the Penguin Merino Stretch T-shirt cuts a fine figure everywhere. Thanks to the two fabric weights, you are well equipped in all seasons.

Freeride history was written in Ordino Arcalís on February 3rd, 2026. 65 riders from 17 nations met for the FIS Freeride World Championship for the first time. According to the locals, the region is currently experiencing its best winter in over ten years - it would be hard to imagine better timing. Although persistent fog initially caused delays, the patient wait was rewarded. As the sky cleared, the snow-covered, playful and rocky "Basser Negre" face opened up and was ready for great moments. The legendary face enjoys cult status in the FWT scene. Iconic runs have been carved into the snow here before and the first Freeride World Championships also added a few new chapters to the story.

For many people, merino wool underwear, also known as a base layer, is the foundation of a warm and breathable ski outfit. The finely crimped merino fibers form many insulating air pockets and at the same time absorb water vapor, which they release to the outside. However, as the test of the "Merino Seamless Longsleeve Shirt" and the "Merino Seamless ¾ Leggings" from PowderGuide partner company Penguin showed, this is not the only practical feature of this stylish two-piece.

PowderGuide has been reporting on a "Gear of the Week" almost every week for over 10 years now. From ski suits to skin wax, ski boots, sunglasses and safety halves, almost everything has been included, but one thing has probably been forgotten and that is not at all unimportant for us freeriders. That's why this week is all about our favorite element: snow!

Once again, the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety organized the Alpine Forum as part of the Innsbruck Alpine Trade Fair. Every year, numerous experts report to an interested specialist audience on a highly topical and hotly debated subject. The trend towards more and more mountain rescue missions in summer and winter, the increasing pressure to perform, the professionalization of alpinism and the winter topics of avalanches, falls and cold led to this year's key question: "Mountaineering - only healthy?". This question was explored in four different thematic blocks. We at PowderGuide were able to take part in the exciting presentations, the sometimes heated debates and the impressive field reports and would like to report on our personal highlights below.

We from PowderGuide were at the TouringPreview 2025 in Hochfügen - an exclusive event where specialist retailers and experts can discover the latest freetouring and freeride highlights for the 2025/26 season. In a relaxed atmosphere, we tested skis, bindings, avalanche equipment and more, gaining exciting insights into the innovations of the coming winter.

The Scott Re-Source is part of the sustainable Re-Source product line from Scott. This means that, depending on the weight, more than 50% of the ski touring boot is made from sustainable materials. The strap is made from 100% recycled material, the shell is made from 90% bio-based upper material and the liner is also partially recycled. Scott says it combines sustainability, versatility and lightness and promises nothing less than "one of the best ski touring boots on the market".

Martin is a member of POW and from time to time publishes articles on PowderGuide that deal with sustainability issues. After dealing with the contradiction between structural problem solving and the individual responsibility of skiers last winter, he is now focussing on the concept of the economy for the common good. Can this vision of a sustainable economy change our approach to nature and mountain sports forever and, above all, how does it actually work?