Splitboard

For years, the Salomon Malamute was (and still is) a good answer to the question of a solid, reliable freeride boot. Salomon had made a name for itself in the freeride community alongside Burton's Driver X and Deeluxe.

Simon Graf, splitboarder from the very beginning, is launching three self-developed shapes this season with his newly founded label mr.splitboards: All MNT, High MNT and Powder MNT. He draws on over 20 years of experience in the industry. Wait - splitboards already existed 20 years ago? Yes, but the beginnings were adventurous! In this interview, Simon talks about his drive and we find out more about the history of splitboarding.

In terms of snowboarding, ISPO is stagnating at a low level as far as the number of stands is concerned. It hasn't actually become completely insignificant, but young brands are often at ISPO once, but then give it a miss and only go to the industry meetings such as rock on snow or Shops 1st Try. That's why we were at the Shops 1st Try in Alpbachtal again this year in addition to ISPO, to capture as much news as possible in the splitboard and snowboard sector for you.

After about 50 touring days, the 4-piece splitboard has proven itself completely. 4-piece? Yes, during the ascent you carry the two centre sections on your backpack and therefore have two narrow ascent skis on your feet. Such concepts have existed for more than 15 years, and since 2014/15 Salomon has ventured into the 4-piece splitboard market with the Premiere. For me, it's my first 4-piece and there's no way around it on long tours ...

Amplid is adding the Tour Operator to its splitboard range this season. The board should be able to accompany us in any conditions, do its job winter after winter and also come at a fair price. Last winter, we tested for you whether it lives up to Amplid's promises. First things first: the board rides amazingly.

On paper, the ARVA R24 promises everything you would expect from an avalanche backpack: Safety, light weight, carrying comfort and enough storage space for a day tour including a snack (Znüni = Schwyzerdütsch for a snack after breakfast and before lunch). Of course, it must also be possible to attach the snowboard or skis and there should also be room for an ice axe.

"ISPO is not dead, yet," I wrote last year. This is still true, but the patient is already in intensive care. More and more brands are starting to present their products outside of ISPO, which was also discussed here last year. The snowboard industry was once again a pioneer, as this trend now also seems to have arrived in the ski sector, as our ski article makes clear.

"The Freeride Split was developed to tackle any kind of snow and terrain you might find in the backcountry," says the manufacturer Furberg about its Freeride Split, now in its third generation. We took a look at the current version of the splitboard to see whether it also performs well in the test.

After Deeluxe, Burton or Fitwell have had specific splitboard snowboard boots on offer for some time, K2 has now also been offering a boot with a Vibram sole and rear sole edge for two years with the Aspect. There have been minor changes for this season, but they don't fundamentally change the boot. Find out how it performed in over twenty days of use on-piste, off-piste and in the touring area in our test.

A travelogue in diary form by our reporter Irian, who traveled to Georgia as a snowboard guide. Somewhere between potholes, powder, the warm hospitality and the spectacular landscape, he fell in love with the country:

The Arcane Split from the French board brand Borealis, which has been on the snowboard market since 2013, was named "Big Mountain Splitboard of the year 2018" by Splitboard Magazine. Not only the award, but above all the performance-oriented yet eco-friendly design made me curious about the Arcane Split and the improvements that the splitboard world has seen in recent years.

The Jones Stormchaser Split is currently only available in a relatively short length and is therefore particularly interesting for smaller, lighter riders who are looking for a wide, maneuverable board. The shape of the nose is a matter of taste and takes some getting used to on the ascent.