Alpine Backcountry Skis

Understanding Alpine Touring Skis

Backcountry skis, also known as touring skis, integrate aspects from various styles such as alpine, cross-country, telemark, randonnee, and backcountry. They bring together the advantages of each, often making one pair sufficient to meet your diverse skiing requirements. These skis cater to experienced skiers who are familiar with the unpredictable nature of the backcountry.

Ski touring revolves around the ability to move up and descend the mountain without removing your skis. With a loose heel and a wide base, ski touring skis are engineered to explore the untouched powder snow in backcountry terrains. Moreover, if resort skiing is on your agenda, alpine touring skis function equally well on groomed slopes.

Selecting Touring Skis

Generally, touring skis are lightweight, ranging from about 1100 g to 1800 g, and should be adjusted to approximately 5-10 cm shorter or longer than your height. While heavier skis provide increased stability and speed when descending, they demand more effort on uphill sections. Alternatively, lighter skis are optimized for uphill-focused touring. The waist width varies based on your touring style, but typically ranges from 82-105 mm for versatile backcountry skis.

Essential Ski Touring Gear

Engaging in alpine ski touring necessitates specialized gear to efficiently navigate the mountain terrain. Proper equipment ensures an enhanced backcountry skiing experience.

Bindings are a crucial component of touring gear. Touring-specific bindings facilitate walking with skis on by allowing heel movement while keeping the toe fixed. Check out the alpine touring bindings available in our Ski Bindings Selection.

It is imperative to select the right ski boots. Because lifting the heel is essential for forward walking motions, boots that are both flexible and relatively lightweight are advantageous. Explore our collection of Alpine Ski Boots to find touring boots well-suited for backcountry skiing.

Additional essential touring equipment includes skins and ski poles. Skins, which attach to the ski bases, stop you from sliding backward during ascents. High-quality climbing skins offer a balanced mix of grip and glide and secure attachment. For ski poles, adjustable options are advisable, allowing a longer pole for ascents and a shorter one for descents, or varied lengths for traversing.

Given the backcountry’s wild surroundings, safety gear, including a ski helmet and avalanche equipment, is essential. Browse our assortment of Ski Protection Gear to venture into the backcountry with confidence.