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The time has come. The Oracle says "all systems go", squeezes into the skintight clothing of an attractive pit crew member, as found in motor racing, and waves the green flag, officially heralding the start of the Christmas race.

This edition of Videos of the Week has it all! From a FLINTA Skimix tape to the stylish Keesh crew from Finland to breathtaking ski touring adventures in the polar regions - December delivers everything your heart desires. So many films and many of them definitely a must-see. Ready for the best?

The name PLUM, derived from the French "plume" (feather), is a symbol of innovative quality. This is because Plum focuses on simplicity, durability and lightness in its bindings.

It's finally that time again. Christmas time, PowderAlert time. And not just one but two holidays are coming up, because Ullr has finally woken up from hibernation. At the beginning of December, it looked like there would be a real second PowderAlert, but two days before the Alert was due to take place, it was swiftly cancelled and instead of the expected 70-100cm, we got 20-30cm. The oracle was quite surprised at the accuracy of today's crystal ball. That's why PowderAlerts always come just before the snowfall, because nothing is worse than snow that doesn't fall but has been hyped up in advance. Now the time has come, because first there will be a little warm-up until Friday evening and then the second Alert will come on Saturday with a really big bag of fresh snow, then also in the EAST!

Before we head towards the Christmas snow, let's take a look at the large-scale pressure patterns that spin over the world's oceans and control our weather: The polar vortex currently has two distinct cold poles. One lies over eastern Siberia and the North Pacific. The other extends roughly from Newfoundland via Greenland to the Barents Sea and is responsible for a strong westerly current over the Atlantic, which has been bringing us "new weather" every few days for a while now.

We at PowderGuide have a long-standing partnership with the binding specialists from Fritschi in Switzerland. Fritschi is (and has always been) an important player on the touring binding market, which is why we are always happy to test the new products from the Kandertal. For the current season, Fritschi has significantly revised its range, which is why we are testing the latest generation of the Tecton.

Explore the Big 5 of Engelberg and win a night including breakfast in a three-star hotel of your choice and availability as well as ski passes for two days for you and a companion.

Mammut released its new Barryvox in October 2024. To get to know the device and celebrate the launch, Mammut invited selected journalists to Engelberg. We spent two days with safety training, discussions with the scene and questions around the new Barryvox S2.

December has it all! This week makes skiers' and snowboarders' hearts beat faster. The long-awaited film projects of many riders finally appear online. Let yourself be carried away by a spell of style and fun.

Namuk has long since made a name for itself beyond Switzerland's borders as an innovative and sustainable company when it comes to outdoor clothing for children. To avoid additional waste, Namuk is launching a collection made from fabric remnants left over from production. In this test report, we have the honour of taking a closer look at the unique and limited edition upcycled items.

In many places, the Alps are a winter wonderland. Nevertheless, we have a mixed assessment of the start of the season. There has been some nice precipitation, but none of it has been heavy. The snow conditions across the Alps are neither bad nor good for mid-December. The prospects for new snow are similar. I therefore describe the situation with the beautiful Spanish proverb: ni fu ni fa.