Outside 2023 Winter Gear Guide

Tradition dictates that when a storm cycle rolls in, it’s everybody for themselves. No time to lollygag at the top of a bootpack or the bottom of a lift when there are untracked stashes waiting. Producing gear guides has typically gone the same way. Twice a year, a flurry of exciting technical equipment arrives, and editorial teams across the industry scramble to get their hands on it, test it, and review it for the world. It’s an exhaustive—and exhausting—process. So the Outside Inc. gear team decided to test the theory that, maybe, powder days are best enjoyed with a few friends. This winter, the gear editors at Outside, Ski, Backpacker, Trail Runner, and Climbing—all siblings under the Outside Inc. umbrella—rode the storm of new snow sports, hiking, climbing, and running gear…

1. Lily Krass Category: Shells, Backcountry Skis and Boots Age: 27 Location: Jackson Hole, WY Lily Krass is a freelance ski journalist whose writing has been featured in Ski, Powder, Freeskier, Teton Gravity Research, and Ascent Backcountry Snow Journal. She spends winters backcountry skiing in Grand Teton National Park and riding lifts at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, with the occasional trip to the Alps (for the food, obviously). In addition to an all-consuming addiction to powder skiing mixed with heavy doses of type 2 fun, Krass takes snacking seriously. In her free time, she’s likely deep into a baking project in her tiny kitchen. She is the coauthor of Beyond Skid: A Cookbook For Ski Bums, a collection of dirtbag-friendly recipes inspired by life in a mountain town. 2. Sam Cox Category: All-Mountain Wide Skis Age: 42 Location:…

UNISEX Rossignol Experience 82 Ti $800 Overall Score: 8.66/10 Dimensions: 127-82-115 mm Lengths: 160, 168, 176, 184 cm The Experience 82 Ti, a carryover from last season, blew our testers away this year. “This is the ski!” said one. “Knocked it out of the park,” commented another. In the Experience 82 Ti, Rossignol has created a true frontside ski, utilizing two sheets of metal to establish stiffness while still delivering a lightweight, forgiving ride. Its blend of performance and playfulness allows for any and all speeds, permitting every skier to drive at their unique ability level. Intermediate cruisers can push their skills with the ski’s inherent desire for speed, while more advanced skiers can tap into its reactiveness and power. Our 2023 best in show in the frontside department is a ski with some serious carving…

UNISEX Blizzard Brahma 88 $700 Overall Score: 7.88/10 Dimensions: 128-88-110 mm Lengths: 165, 171, 177, 183, 189 cm The Brahma 88 has consistently been a top ski among our testers over the years, so it’s no surprise to see the Brahma 88 back on top in the frontside category. Sporting two sheets of metal, this ski is stable and damp when ripping GS turns on groomers and busting through crud. Meanwhile, its sidecut makes it versatile enough to crush short-swing turns. Beginners might be a little overpowered by this ski’s stiffness, but if you consider yourself a strong intermediate to advanced skier with a well-trained pair of legs, the Brahma 88 could be a perfect everyday option that lets you rip the whole mountain, from groomers to chunder. “I would love to ski this as a…

WOMEN’S Blizzard Sheeva 9 $650 Overall Score: 8.31/10 Dimensions: 124-92-114 mm Lengths: 148, 157, 164, 172 cm Looking for the Black Pearl 97? You won’t find it in these pages. Instead, allow us to introduce you to this year’s chart-topping women’s all-mountain ski: The more freeride-oriented Sheeva 9. Cut from the same cloth as Blizzard’s popular unisex Rustler line but with a lighter core, it features the same construction designed to focus more on performance off-trail than on groomers. And that’s exactly where the Sheeva 9 shines. Testers praised the ski’s ability to plow over and through variable snow conditions above all else. That said, it’s just as comfortable on groomers and hard snow, and its balance of skills and perfect mix of dependability and energy are what make it the category winner. Intermediates will find…

WOMEN’S Head Kore 91 W $800 Overall Score: 8.21/10 Dimensions: 130-91-113 mm Lengths: 149, 156, 163, 170 cm If we had to choose just one ski to universally recommend to women—no matter their ability or where they ski—the Kore 91 W might be it. Thanks to a lightweight caruba-poplar core and moderate tip and tail rocker, this ski is incredibly agile, energetic, and just so easy to swing around, making it the perfect playmate in moguls and glades. For a ski with no Titanal, the Kore 91 W also holds its own under expert pressure, and testers say it won’t let you down even when conditions get sketchy. One little shortcoming: It does have a speed limit, and because it doesn’t have metal in it, it’s not the most natural carver on hard snow. But as…