Chairlift Chat

Ski touring has seen an absolute explosion in interest in recent years, resulting in an equivalent amount of growth of equipment development within the category. Just two years ago Salomon changed the game with the introduction of their Shift binding which gave skiers the ability to use the same binding for downhill days at the resort, as well as uphill skiing on touring days. Now, Marker looks to give skiers a second option with the Duke PT, a binding in which the entire toe piece can be swapped to provide an unparalleled downhill experience from a touring binding. There's plenty to learn about this exciting and unique new binding, so we encourage you to check out our review of the Marker Duke PT Touring Binding as soon as you have the chance!

With mountains everywhere closed this week, and uphill skiing the only way for many skiers to take advantage of the snow, we figured we'd switch gears and review a piece of equipment that's often overlooked: the ski sock. While the world of ski socks is a world of great parity, we recently discovered a diamond in the rough in the Le Bent x Cody Townsend "Le Send" pro model sock. Packed with features that enhance Cody's tour-centric approach to skiing (Search YouTube for "The FIFTY"), the Le Send sock is the perfect choice for those looking to milk this season for every last possible turn. Click through to learn more in this full review!

If you've been getting the sense that there's a ton of new skis making their debut for the 2020-2021 ski season, then you're absolutely right. Dynastar is following that trend as well with the introduction of their new M-LINE skis. Divided into four categories (M-FREE, M-PRO, M-TOUR, and M-VERTICAL), this exciting update brings a slew of new construction techniques and approaches to four different categories of ski. We'll explore most of these skis in depth in the weeks and months ahead, but for now let's start by taking a closer look at one of our favorites: the 2021 Dynastar M-Pro 99. Built as a fun-forward, all mountain ripper, the M-Pro 99 had us stoked from the moment we pointed it down hill. To learn all about this exciting new ski, check out our full ski review, right here!

Wondering what Salomon has up their sleeves for the 2020-2021 season? Well, as it turns out, they've got an entire new series of skis coming out called the "Stance." As you may have noticed, there's been a growing trend of all mountain "freeride" skis over the last handful of years, with popular models like the Volk Mantra, Blizzard Bonafide, and Nordica Enforcer taking over the slopes. Now, Salomon is getting in on the fun with their Stance series- a lineup of 5 skis (3 men's, 2 women's) that take some of their signature construction techniques to an all mountain freeride ski. After giving these skis a few days on the hill, we're eager to share with you our thoughts in this review of the all new 2021 Salomon Stance 96. Spoiler alert: we loved them.

New from Fischer for the 2021 season, is a hot pink edition of their popular Ranger 102 FR skis! While that's possibly the most important fact to keep in mind as you read this review, we'll also revisit some of the construction techniques and considerations used by Fischer to make their Ranger 102 FR one of the most beloved, versatile skis amongst a range of freeride and freestyle skis. Click through to learn more in this comprehensive ski review!

For 2021, Rossignol has taken the bold step of doing away with their popular 7 Series, and instead replacing it with the newly expanded, refocused BLACKOPS line. Taking from a range of concepts and construction techniques found across the Rossignol line, the new Black Ops series is a totally reimagined lineup of freeride skis. While at first we were nervous that the greatness of last year's Black Ops 98 and 118 skis would be lost in the mix, we quickly realized that the new BLACKOPS skis are an impressive improvement on an already fantastic ski. We'll start our exploration of this new line with a full review of the 2021 Rossignol Sender Ti Skis. Enjoy!

This week in the world of ski news, we find ourselves exploring the theme of "where people ski." At Aspen Snowmass, that discussion centers around their current skier-visit statistics which shows an increased use of the Ikon Pass, and a decreased use of local passes. We'll take a look at that story, as well as Denver's Ruby Hill Rail Yard which provides an opportunity for free skiing, as well as the PowderBee, a new search drone being developed for avalanche rescues. Plus, we'll update you with the latest from the FIS World Cup in this week's edition of Top 5 Fridays!