Volker Lehmann

Elan has relaunched its iconic Ripstick freeride series for the 2024/25 season. At its core is a “lightweight big mountain ski” with new carbon deck technology. Carbon tubes and transverse carbon inserts are built into a Tubelite wood core. This setup is designed to deliver strong rebound and high torsional rigidity. The result is intuitive handling and a smooth, confident ride. The new Ripstick line is available in six different widths and lengths. We had the chance to test the widest model—108 mm underfoot in a 189 cm length—as well as a 182 cm version for a short time. Read on to see how they performed throughout the winter!

The invitation to the pre-season camp fluttered into our inbox at the beginning of November in late summer temperatures and we immediately began to look forward to the upcoming winter. This anticipation increased even more when the detailed program arrived a week before the camp - coupled with the certainty that the conditions around Engelberg would be promising. I already attended the Big Mountain Camp last year. And if the pre-season camp is similarly well organised and adventurous, it could be the ideal refresher for the upcoming winter season.

Today's GotW introduces the well-known but sometimes forgotten sewing machine. An important function of a sewing machine in the outdoor sector is to repair items of clothing and equipment in order to extend the life of your favourite items or even redefine their intended use.

After we were able to test the "The Freeride" of the small ski manufacturer NORSE in 192cm last year and presented the construction of the ski in more detail, we were excited to see the second ski in the still small product line. "The Enduro": a ski that bears its area of use in its name and has been recognised as a true all-rounder in various ski magazines.

The outdoor clothing market is highly competitive and there are countless companies that want a slice of the (ever-growing) pie. Openwear is a small start-up company that has taken a slightly different path to the big players in the industry.

The small Swiss clothing brand PENGUIN is breaking new ground in the development of its insulation jackets. With the innovative and functional SuperStrech material from Pinneco and the clear and simple design - as you would expect from Penguin - the jacket is the ideal companion on cold days.

According to a survey, 40% of all clothes in my closet are never or rarely worn. When I look in my wardrobe, my non-wear rate is probably even higher. In everyday life, I wear two pairs of pants, have two or three favorite sweaters and I wear a handful of shirts, alternating between them depending on the day of the week. When it comes to skiing, it doesn't get any better. You have your favorite ski underwear, your favorite ski socks - which are worn throughout the season and are only washed when others complain about the smell.

Product cycles are getting shorter and shorter in our consumer society. While by the fourth generation of the VW Golf at the latest, I no longer knew whether I was looking at a 4 or 5 Series Golf, Suunto had the Ambit in its range for years. But within a few years, we have reached the third generation here too. We have tested for you what the latest generation of the Suunto family can do and how the watch has developed since the last test.

Flylow won the APEX Award from Polartec® in 2013 with the LabCoat. With this technical jacket, the young American label promises guaranteed waterproofness combined with high breathability. Made for all-round use in the mountains, the jacket has a simple design and a high-quality finish.

New to the Flylow collection this year is the Compound Pant. The top model consists of a three-layer Neoshell membrane from Polartec. This promises waterproofness, 99.9% windproofness and significantly better breathability than comparable materials. I was looking for a pair of pants for all kinds of activities on two boards. Whether for telemarking, freeriding or touring - a pair of pants for everything that is durable, robust and yet comfortable to wear.

Who doesn't dream of one of the legendary boat-and-ski trips through the Norwegian fjords: going on ski tours directly from the sea and exploring the fascinating wilderness of the Norwegian mountains?

This year, Teton Gravity Research presents "The Dream Factory", a film that shows the development of freeriding in Alaska from then until today. The film depicts the first beginnings of heliskiing in Alaska and the protagonists who have made this place what it is today: the dream of all freeriders. You can see big mountain skiing at its best in Alaska with small detours to Pemberton (BC) and Jackson Hole (WY) that are well worth seeing.