There are few things in skiing quite like FREESKIER’s annual Ski Test—heck, we might even go as far as saying it’s the best damn week of the year. Every season, we invite a cohort of the best skiers we know to get a sneak preview of the finest, fresh-off-the-press planks that will be featured in our annual Buyer’s Guide. Nearly 30 brands, big and small, fill the racks with skis featuring new technologies and constructions, and our team of riders rate, review and rank the gear to help you—the avid skier—sift through the madness to find your newest favorite skis.
This season, we’re on-site at one of the most renowned ski destinations in the world, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Known for its steep, demanding terrain, legendary snowfall and diehard locals who prioritize skiing over everything else, we couldn’t be in a better place to test the latest and greatest new product from some of the best brands in the biz.
Beyond the skiing, though, FREESKIER’s annual Ski Test is about bringing together amazing people to celebrate the weird and wonderful sport we love so much. Après parties, high fives and good vibes round out the week as we experience the culture of this snow sliding experience. And none of this would be possible without the support from our partners… our resort host Jackson Hole, The Ski Monster, a crew of experienced gear testers with one of the best online and brick-and-mortar gear shops around, Leki, who decked out our entire testing crew with fresh ski poles and Stillhouse Whiskey, a Colorado-based distiller cooking up belly-warming spirits that are keeping the party going late into the evenings.
Now, we want to give you a peek behind the scenes at FREESKIER’s annual Ski Test with a photo gallery from the entire week. Stay tuned online for complete coverage and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; check out the hashtag #FREESKIERFEST for more; and be sure to subscribe to the print-version of the magazine to see the complete results from the 20th annual FREESKIER Ski Test land on your doorstep in the fall.
DAY THREE — March 10th, 2022
PHOTOGRAPHERS — Keegan Rice and Stephen Shelesky
It isn’t easy to follow up a day that includes two feet of fresh snow and a concert that would make Mick Jager himself proud. But leave it to this crew to out do themselves. With clear blue skies overhead, our testers braved sub zero temperatures and went to find the pockets of snow that weren’t gobbled up the day before. It was time to dig into our largest category; 100-110 mm planks. These versatile work horse skis were the ideal choice now that Jackson Hole Mountain Resort was covered with a refreshed, soft base. We feasted on a few tasty bars crafted by the fine people of Kates Real Food, threw on some ample layers, and lathered on the sunscreen as the lifts began to spin. With photographers Keegan Rice and Stephen Shelesky ripping around the hill, our testers put on a show and dove into some of next years greatest skis. Resident hype man and Faction marketing guru Henrik Lampert kept the crew happy with an abundance of music and fresh dance moves, making it easy to rip from dusk till dawn. Even though the temps hardly stretched into the double digits for the majority of the day, it was still another day in paradise with good snow and better people. With a third straight bell to bell performance signed, sealed, and delivered, we popped onto the shuttle bus and headed back to town, ready to wrap things up on our fourth and final day of FREESKIER Fest 2022.
