Featured Image – Gabe Rovick
Some days skiing are just better than others. February 28, 2024, was one of those days. After a heavy storm descended onto Vail Valley and the surrounding peaks, we awoke to find heaps of fresh snow loaded in various aspects around the mountain. Halfway through week two of the FREESKIER Gear Lab, and we’ve got ourselves a powder day; hot damn! We gathered our crew and climbed aboard Vail’s historic Gondola One for early ups. Blue skies and an empty mountain greeted us as the excitement grew.
Taking full advantage of the conditions, we decided to test skis around 110mm underfoot and above, as well as a few of next year’s outerwear kits. We grabbed a few jackets and bibs from Picture Organic, Rab, Armada, Salomon and Rossignol. Each outfit performed exceptionally well in the variable temps, as we had single-digit temps in the morning followed by a temperature rise in the afternoon. Our testers found these kits to be breathable, with plenty of room to move on the ground and in the air. Be sure to keep an eye out for our FREESKIER outerwear Deep Dives for more specifics on each brand.
As for what planks we had on the ground, it was an eclectic arsenal with some familiar faces as well as a few brand-new, never-before-seen models for 24/25. Our lineup of skis included:
Armada ARW 106
Volkl Revolt 114
Dynastar M Free 108
Rossignol Sender Free 110
Salomon QST X
Elan Playmaker 111
Blizzard Rustler 11
Nordica Unleashed 114
While you could just take our word when it comes to how good the day was, we luckily had photographer Gabe Rovick along to document the fun. Big air and deep snow, it’s all here. Check out our favorite shots below.
Photographer: Gabe Rovick
Location: Vail, Colorado
Stay tuned for updates from the 2024 FREESKIER Gear Lab. We’ll be continuing to test the best of next year’s boots, outerwear and skis in the heart of the Rocky Mountains here at Vail, Colorado.
