Featured Image: Courtesy of Mons Royale
Welcome to a special Buyer’s Guide feature from FREESKIER. Here’s a close-up look at the best backcountry tools of the year. Click here to explore the entire 2021 FREESKIER Buyer’s Guide.
Leki Spitfire Vario 3D
Leki’s ultimate freeride pole receives a complete overhaul this year, including a 270-degree trigger release strap meant to keep you safe in case of an avalanche or a big tumble. It also comes standard with durable aluminum tips and two baskets for piste or pow.
Backcountry Access Dozer 1T Avalanche Shovel
Updating the hugely popular B1-EXT shovel, the new Dozer 1T now has an ovo-concave shaft for lighter carrying and more ergonomic digging. You’ll also be thankful for its sturdy blade designed to cut through thick debris.
Pomoca Free Pro 2.0
Made with a 70-percent mohair, 30-percent nylon blend, these specialist skins are designed to be fast, light and glide effortlessly on the up. They’re also insanely packable and have excellent, hassle-free glue. We recommend the Free Pro 2.0 on missions where speed and ease-of-use matters.
G3 Minimist Glide
Now with PFOA-free water repellency, one of the most innovative skins on the market is better than ever. The Minimist Glide is G3’s lightest, most packable offering engineered to prevent snow creep, which elongates the lifespan of your skins so they’ll last seasons to-come.
Black Diamond Carbon Quickdraw 240 Probe
Black Diamond’s lightest probe utilizes a neat Cordlock system that keeps it together without its stuff sack, making for easier and faster rescues. The 240-cm length is perfect for recreational skiers in non-glaciated backcountry terrain.
Black Diamond Guide BT Avalanche Beacon
The Guide BT transmitter is a top-of-the-line tool for guides and skiers in big groups and complex terrain. Valuable Bluetooth connectivity also allows you to customize settings via your phone for a search experience that’s tailored to your specific needs.
Ortovox Diract Voice Transceiver
Ortovox’s Diract Voice beacon would be noteworthy for its ultra-slim build alone, but it’s the new tech that we’re most excited about. The Diract Voice transceiver is the first beacon on the market to guide you through avalanche debris via voice commands. Less thinking, quicker searching.
