Hardshell

With the Alvier combo, Mammut has an outfit in its range that cuts a fine figure for both freeriding and ski touring. The material used is the new Gore CK-nit, which, unlike Gore-Tex, is not only more breathable, but also softer and "quieter".

The Bergans alpine and telemark collection is specially designed for skiing and alpine activities in terms of materials and style and advertises a feel-good all-round carefree winter package. It promises high breathability as well as wind and waterproofness, which is guaranteed by 3-layer Dermizax. I was able to test whether the collection delivers what it promises in outdoor use.

Penguin is a Swiss brand that produces functional winter clothing in a simple design for all weather conditions. As they are freeriders themselves, their own experience on the mountain flows directly into the products. For me, the hardshell combo proved to be a reliable companion with small deductions. As I have been doing more than 30 off-piste and touring days per season for many years, the wear and tear on the material is correspondingly high. I'm 1.81 m and 84 kg and a firm believer in the onion principle. I tested the 3-layer Trizar Shell jacket & dungarees from Penguin for you.

On ski tours (at least for me), the hardshell jacket spends almost the entire ascent either in or on my backpack. As I only wear it for the descent, I started looking around for a lightweight model without any frills and ended up with the Alpha FL from Arc'teryx. What was important to me was a robust, high-quality and relatively durable membrane, and the Alpha FL also uses Goretex Pro (in contrast to the Alpha SL, which is identical in terms of cut and details but slightly lighter, which uses Goretex Paclite), which promises long-lasting weather protection.

It is one thing above all: eye-catching. The Merino Guardian Shell jacket from Ortovox stands out with its bright colors. But what can the jacket do apart from being colorful?

The Soulquest BC GTX 3L Jacket is the top model from the Salomon jacket collection and should of course meet the highest demands for weather protection and robustness. In addition, the "Motion-Fit" cut with additional gussets should allow perfect freedom of movement. The jacket has now been able to show us what it can do in an endurance test...

Black Diamond now also produces winter sports clothing. The Vapor Point Shell jacket immediately wins "Gear of the Week" status, and not just because it is a lightweight for stormy times...

Everyone knows that the large Swiss brand with the extinct cousin of the elephant as its emblem is one of the leading manufacturers of mountain sports clothing. It has also been offering clothing specifically for freeriders for over 10 years (i.e. long before the big trend). At the same time, this clothing line is revised and improved every year. We have tested the top models from Mammut for you.

The Mammut Nirvana XCR jacket has been with me for 16 years now. I can't remember exactly, but it can't be much shorter than that. I've been on the other side of the globe with this jacket, on many oceans, hung in it on numerous rock faces and of course it has experienced almost all of the countless properties and aggregate states of snow.

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.

Although the Mammut Meron Jacket is one of the top models from the current Mammut collection made from Gore-Tex Pro, the jacket is quite simple and lightweight, as there are no frills. Of course, this does not mean that the jacket is not made to a very high standard and also looks quite stylish!

There are now various, mostly brightly colored clothing lines from a wide range of manufacturers on the market that are specially designed to meet the needs of freeriders. However, the Salomon Quest Motion Fit combination really stands out: special attention was paid to maximum freedom of movement in the cut and material. We have tested for you how the clothing performs in everyday freeriding and ski touring.