Till Mangesius

Some beginners may be asking themselves: Do I really need new boots in addition to a spliboard, bindings, poles and skins to start touring? The answer to this question is clear: No! But what if the boots are already a few years old and a new purchase is due anyway, is it worth buying special (soft) boots, even if normal days in the resort are on the list alongside ski tours? Here too, the answer is clear: Yes!

Ski straps, perhaps better known among snowboarders as voile straps, are now with me and my board every day. Not only on tours, but also in the ski resort, they have already saved me one or two days of riding. If a strap tears on the binding or you have an icy traverse ahead of you on a tour, it's a lot less unpleasant with ski straps.

Compared to a snowboard, the visual differences are barely noticeable and the basic requirement of connecting rider and board are the same. However, there are big differences between the manufacturers when it comes to the "how". The following is an overview of the various manufacturers and models, expressly without a purchase recommendation, as everyone has different requirements for the equipment they use.