Lawinensicherheit

Anyone who thinks that innovations in winter only take place amongst electrical airbag systems will be proven wrong by Mammut: weighing in at 1.5 kg (including cartridge), this airbag backpack is one of the lightest on the market and impresses with its modern, minimalistic design.

I packed my thick backpack, the giant ice hockey bag and the two-metre-long ski bag onto the Flixbus, hugged my flatmates once again and the big bus sets off. From above, I could see my friends trying in vain to make out which of the darkened windows I had sat down behind. So that was it for Heidelberg, off to the mountains!

risk'n'fun KIDS is specially designed for children and teenagers. Here, young skiers and snowboarders learn safety and avalanche knowledge directly on the mountain. Accompanied by trained mountain guides, they receive practical training in using beacons, probes and shovels and learn how to read the terrain correctly. At the same time, the focus is on having fun freeriding together.

"Under the magnifying glass" is a series of articles by Lydia and Linus. We are both at the SLF in Davos this winter, where we are studying snow from a scientific perspective. As we regularly take a close look at the snow in the area anyway - both during our field work and at our weekends - we'll be taking you with us from time to time this winter. We explain our snow profiles, what the individual observations actually mean and pick up on various snow science topics that arise from the current profiles. Today: How the weather conditions at the start of the season can help shape the rest of the winter season - and how the weather in recent weeks has changed the snowpack.

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!

Every year, the snow often comes faster than you think - and the last avalanche safety training usually a lies whole year in the past. Here's a friendly reminder: it doesn't always have to be an organized course. It's often enough or at least a good start to get to grips with your equipment again and do a bit of digging with friends.

On 17th November 2025, the Tour de CCAMM stopped in Chur, the first stop in a series of events with which the WSL research program CCAMM (Climate Change Impacts on Alpine Mass Movements) is transferring its key findings into practice. Since 2018, CCAMM has been investigating how climate change affects gravitational natural hazards in the Alps: from snow and avalanches, debris flows and rock movements to cascading processes, protective forests and social impacts.

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.

Into Altai with French pro snowboarder Victor Daviet: yurts, camels, deep snow, and a Super-8 camera. A conversation about snowboarding, risk management, simplicity, and the kind of adventure that stays with you long after the trip ends.

As my colleagues predicted last week, all that's left for me this week is the meteorological start of winter and tough, snow-unfriendly weather conditions. For the time being, we'll have to make do with what's left of the first snow of the season and what the snow cannons are still producing.

A small pair of binoculars in your backpack may seem like unnecessary burden at first. But anyone who is out and about in open terrain knows that good decisions often start with a better view. Whether it's about assessing distant slopes, observing other skiers or simply quietly observing the romance of the summit. Handy mini binoculars can do surprisingly much and weigh almost nothing.

The alpine fair (Alpinmesse)with the alpine forum (Alpinforum), Europe's leading mountain sports trade fair and conference, will take place in Innsbruck from November 22nd to 23rd, 2025. This annual event brings together experts, mountain sports enthusiasts, major organizations and brand manufacturers. Two days full of mountain sports and PowderGuide will also be there.