Welcome to 2019 everyone! To kick the year off, we're going to start with an overview of Mons Royale, a brand that we're extremely excited to be offering here on SkiEssentials.com! Hailing from New Zealand, Mons Royale was born out of the desire to create merino wool base layers that are as stylish and fashion forward as they are functional. Ever since its inception in 2009, Mons Royale has swiftly taken the ski and snowboard worlds by storm with their line of exceptional winter layers. Find out more about the brand right here, in our first brand highlight of 2019!

Over the last couple of months, we've been bringing you a series of article comparing skis within specific categories. As skiers with a genuine interest in helping other skiers find the best ski for them, one of our favorite and most frequently asked questions is, "what's the difference between ___ and ___?" It's a valid question as it can often be hard to decipher the nuances between similar skis. This week, we take a closer look at the Women's 100mm category and dive into some of the differences amongst this group of skis. Click through and you'll be an expert in no time!

It's no secret, skiing in the backcountry can be an amazing experience. Unfortunately, it can also be precarious if you treat it like another day at the resort. The fact of the matter is, when you're in the backcountry, it's just you and the raw elements of nature. While this dynamic can prove consequential, it's also simple to mitigate your risk with just a handful of simple tactics. If you're relatively new to the world of backcountry skiing, check out these 6 tips for having a good time and staying safe!

Introducing: the fourth installment of our "What Skis Should I Buy? 2019 Edition" series! Having already covered a number of frontside and all mountain skis, we figured we'd switch things up a bit this time, and cover one of our favorite categories: Men's Freeride skis. Why is this category one of our favorites, you ask? Well, because it really puts on full display the idea that "there's the perfect ski for everyone", and there isn't one ski that's the absolute best. Click through to see what we mean, as we recap 15 skis from the playful Armada AV 106, to the very serious Volkl Confession!