Free Shipping on Orders over $49.00
Looking for Some Guidance? Talk to a Skier: (877) 812-6710
Advanced Search
“Gear For Skiers, By Skiers”
My Cart
Menu
Black Sunday! Take 20% off Sitewide.
Top 5 Friday November 27, 2020 Lead Image

Top Five Fridays: November 27, 2020

Ski Industry News

This week in skiing, the news took a turn for the regular as we were blessed with a cycle that felt almost normal for this time of year. We’ll start, as per usual in November, with a recap of the latest FIS World Cup Ski Racing. From there we’ll briefly check in on the latest Covid-19 news by focusing on a pair of stories coming out of Colorado, before turning our attention to two University of Utah scientists who think they know how to make powder. Finally we’ll round out this week with an amusing story from the New York Times that deals with ski patrollers, facial hair, and sacrifice. Find out all the stories you need to know from this week in skiing in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

Top Five Fridays: November 20, 2020

This week’s ski news brings a bit of a mixed bag, as we cover some exciting, worrisome, and downright interesting news. For starters, we’ll preview this weekend’s upcoming races in Levi, Finland, where Mikaela Shiffirn is set to return to competition after exactly 300 days away. From there, we have the unfortunate task of keeping you up to date with the latest in ski resort operating procedures, as well as how the pandemic is affecting ski town economies. Finally, we’ll round things out with the story of Cimarron Ski Resort in Colorado, where the final seven memberships were just sold within a matter of weeks, with a price tag of $3 million a piece. Find out all you need to know from the world of skiing in this week’s Top 5 Fridays!

How to Choose a Complete Alpine Ski Package

If you’re a follower of Chairlift Chat, then you’ve undoubtedly seen our annual ski comparison guides. While we always love putting those together as they give us a chance to explore all of the details of this season’s latest skis, we also realize that for a lot of skiers, the price tag is what matters most. For that reason, SkiEssentials is proud to offer affordable ski packages featuring brand new skis, boots, bindings, and poles. If a budget-friendly ski option sounds like the right lane for you, check out this guide on How to Choose a Complete Alpine Ski Package!

Top Five Fridays: November 13, 2020

This week in ski news, we do our best to strike a balance between the discussions we need to have, and the ones we want to have. In terms of necessary discussions, we’ll keep you up to date with the latest preseason preparations across the nation with a triple set of stories highlighting the season ahead. We’ll also update you on a strict policy impacting vacationers heading to Colorado’s Summit County. Then, we’ll share two stories that we want to talk about: a lawsuit that questions whether or not backcountry zones can be considered trade secrets, and some exciting news from Saddleback Resort in Maine. Find out all the news you need to know in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

2021 SKI COMPARISONS: MEN'S MID 90 MM ALL MOUNTAIN SKI GUIDE

This week in our ongoing ski comparison series, we take a closer look at 2021 Men’s All Mountain skis in the mid 90mm waist range. Arguably the most popular category of men’s skis, the options in this segment are also some of the most versatile, making excellent daily drivers for a wide range of ski conditions. For some, the skis in this category could also be candidates for a one-ski quiver as their width makes them capable of high performance on both groomers and in softer snow. If this sounds like your type of ski, check out to see how they compare!

Top Five Fridays: November 6, 2020

This week in ski news, we’re feeling what some might call the preseason-jitters, although this time around they feel quite unlike any other year. With the start of the ski season already underway in some places, and set to start within weeks across wide swaths of North America, headlines this week focused on what Covid-19 could mean for the season ahead. We’ll share a number of stories centered around this theme, as well as updates from the FIS World Cup and Freeride World Tour, both of which announced schedule adjustments this week. Find out what you need to know and catch our favorite ski edits from this week in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

2021 SKI COMPARISONS: WOMEN'S 90 MM ALL MOUNTAIN SKI GUIDE

Now that we've discussed a bulk of the 2021 men's ski options, we're excited to finally be ready to swing over the women's side of the sport. To kick things off for the ladies, we're covering on of the most sought after ski segments: Women's All Mountain skis in the ~90mm waist range. From soft and playful to super super serious, there's a lot of variety in this category of skis, so if you think you're in the market we definitely recommend checking out this comparison of 2021 ~90mm Women's All ountain Skis!

How to Choose Your First Touring Setup

Between significant advances in product technology, increased access to backcountry terrain, and an ongoing global pandemic, there’s quite literally never been a better time to get into backcountry skiing. But where do you start? We’ll be honest, the world of backcountry ski gear can be a bit confusing at first, even for the most experienced resort skiers. Fortunately, once you have your head around some basic concepts, it’s really quite simple. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some of the features that make alpine touring gear unique, while pointing out some key considerations you should make when buying your first backcountry ski setup. If you’ve got the interest but lack the knowledge, we encourage you to take a look at this guide for first time tourers!

Top Five Fridays: October 30, 2020

Well, after being blessed with a reprieve from coronavirus headlines last week, we find ourselves right back in the thick of things as recent outbreaks in Europe have resulted in a number of headlines tying the pandemic to the ski industry. For starters, current reigning FIS Men’s Champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has tested positive for Covid-19 after participating in the opening weekend of races in Soelden. Additionally, if that news wasn’t bad enough, further restrictions on ski resorts in Europe have the future of this year’s tour in question. We’ll tell all you about that, as well update you on the latest in regards to international staffing issues at North American ski resorts. Fortunately, we end this week on a high note as a number of ski resorts have officially opened for the season. Find out what you need to know in this week’s Top 5 Friday!

2021 SKI COMPARISONS: MEN'S MID 80MM ALL MOUNTAIN SKI GUIDE

For installment #5 of our ongoing ski comparison series, we’re focusing on men’s all mountain skis in the mid-80mm waist range. While the skis in this category typically don’t receive the attention that their narrower, purely frontside counterparts, or slightly wider freeride oriented siblings do, they do feature the widest range of both applications and price points. Ranging from $399 to $1,250, and targeting everyone from intermediate skiers to particularly advanced skiers, this is likely the easiest category to chose the wrong ski in. To help ensure that you make the choice that’s best for you, we encourage you to check out our full comparison of 2021 Men’s Mid-80 MM All Mountain Skis!

Top Five Fridays: October 23, 2020

This week in ski news, we touch on a range of topics while somehow managing to avoid mentioning Covid-19 almost entirely! For starters, we’ll recap the first FIS races of the season which featured a pair of unlikely gold medalists. From there we’ll bring you up to speed on the latest from the world of Eric Pollard, where big changes are afoot. Finally, we’ll share a story from CO where an avalanche incident has resulted in criminal charges, as well as a story that highlights a pair of initiatives that further prove the outdoor industry is a global leader for positive change. Find out all you need to know from this week in skiing in this edition of Top 5 Fridays!

2021 SKI COMPARISONS: MEN'S FRONTSIDE SKI GUIDE

In the fourth episode of our ongoing series comparing 2021 skis, we dive into a recap of 2021 Men’s Frontside skis. Narrow, stable, and built to carve, this category of ski isn’t for everyone, but those who dream of corduroy are going to love this comparison guide. In this category, skis vary widely in the skill level they’re most appropriate for, meaning it’s entirely possible that skiers shopping for a frontside ski could be significantly underwhelmed or overwhelmed by their purchase if they don’t know what they’re getting into. For example, an intermediate skier would find love the 2021 Volkl Deacon 79, while ex ski racers or beer league champions would strongly prefer the 2021 Rossignol Hero Athlete GS. If you’re looking into a 2021 Men’s Frontside ski, check out this guide to help ensure you’re buying the right ski for you!

Top Five Fridays: October 16, 2020

This week’s ski news brings some definite highlights, and some even more definitive lowlights. Starting on a high note, we’re excited to share the news that the 2020-2021 FIS World Cup Tour is officially set to get under way in Soelden, Austria this weekend! Unfortunately though, Mikaela Shiffrin will not be taking the course. We’ll tell you why, while also sharing the latest guidelines from Colorado’s government regarding ski area operations, news of a devastating ski factory fire, and an update from Europe, where last season’s snow is being used to open multiple resorts this month. Find out the ski news you need to know in this week’s Top 5 Fridays!

2021 SKI COMPARISONS: MEN'S MID 100 MM FREERIDE SKI GUIDE

As you likely know by now, one of our core beliefs at SkiEssentials is that there really aren’t any bad skis anymore, some skis are just better suited to an individual’s particular style and ability. As such, when it comes to buying skis, the trick isn’t to buy the “best” ski, it’s to sort through your options to discover which one is best for you. In the third installment of our 2021 ski comparisons, we’ll take a look at Men’s Freeride skis in the Mid 100mm category. From skis with attitude such as the Stöckli Stormrider 105, to more playful twin tips like the 2021 Line Sir Francis Bacon, this article looks to walk you through this year’s options, ultimately helping you narrow down your options. Click through to check out all the details!

2021 SKI COMPARISONS: MEN'S 100 MM ALL MOUNTAIN SKI GUIDE

Next up in this year’s ski comparison guide series are the Men’s ~100mm All Mountain Skis. Being one of the most popular categories of skis available, there’s quite a bit of variation amongst this group of skis, from those with freestyle tendencies like the 2021 Line Blend or the 2021 Atomic Bent Chetler 100, to the more serious minded Kastle MX98. Of course with so many great options available in such a wide range of styles, it can be hard to figure out which ski is right for you. As it so happens, that’s exactly why we wrote this article. Click through to find out which 2021 Men’s 100mm All Mountain ski is best suites your style!