What to Pack for Backcountry Skiing
By Connor Chilcott
IFMGA Mountain Guide
So, you want to leave the lift lines behind and venture into the Backcountry? Here I will outline a guide to the gear that is needed to safely and comfortably pursue untouched powder lines. This blog is focused on ski-specific gear. If you are a snowboarder and want to get into split boarding, stay tuned because we will be releasing a split board blog post soon.
Connor Chilcott during a time when goggles are very much needed.
Avalanche Safety and Rescue Equipment
Avalanches are a top concern for anyone venturing into the backcountry — even if you try to stick to safe terrain, there can always be variables outside of your control. The responsible move for you and everyone in your party is to carry at least these three essentials for avalanche safety: Beacon, shovel, and probe.
Beyond those three pieces of personal gear, you or others in your party should also have the following equipment: first aid kit, ski/binding repair kit, emergency tarp, satellite communication device, and navigational tools. See my separate article Essential Avalanche Safety and Rescue Equipment for in-depth information about all of this gear.
And of course, just carrying these items won’t do you any good until you know how use them effectively in an emergency. That’s why taking an avalanche safety course should be another to-do near the top of your checklist. To learn more, you can also read my article Why Take an Avalanche Course and check out the range of avalanche courses that Valhalla Mountain Guides offers.
With the safety and rescue gear covered, now I’ll talk about the main equipment that you need to move about and function efficiently in the backcountry. This includes your skis and boots of course, but also several other pieces of gear that you should not leave home without. The quality and condition of your gear is important for ensuring ease of use, comfort, and also safety in the backcountry. I’ll explain more details about that in each of the sections below.
Note that this page does not cover the topic of clothes or layering for backcountry, but I have another blog article about that on the way soon, so stay tuned.
Backpack
A good backcountry ski-specific backpack is a great thing to have. The difference is, these backpacks will have a separate compartment to hold your avalanche safety gear. Not only does this let you access it more easily, it also keeps the inside of your pack dry if you use your shovel or probe in the snow. Everyone gets very obsessed with lightweight backpacks. I find that having a little bit heavier pack that carries everything well, fits well, and skis well is the ticket. Do not underestimate how heavy your backpack can get with skis on it. I also really like having a way to access the inside of the backpack from a zipper rather than just the main closure. My favorite is the zippered back panel. This allows you to access the entire inside of your pack even when your skis are attached to the backpack.
I don’t often use an airbag pack due to weight and cost. However, it is never a bad idea to have one. Statistically they are shown to decrease the chance of being fully buried in an avalanche. An important note is that they do not protect against trauma — the leading cause of avalanche-related fatalities. Airbags are a tool, but they should not be a reason to increase your risk tolerance.
Notes on Backpacks:
Avalanche tool compartment
A way to attach the skis to the backpack. It is nice to have the options of both A-frame and diagonal carry.
30-40L is a great all-around backcountry ski pack. It allows you to do an overnight and isn't too tight for fitting all your gear.
Example of a Backpack
Backcountry Skis
Which skis should I get? I often get this question when people are thinking about their first set up. The truth is I cannot tell you which skis will work best for you. There are so many variables involved, and so many skis excel at certain applications. There truly is no one ski quiver. I will describe here what I look for in a ski that will do everything well but nothing the best. As you progress through your backcountry ski career you will end up with multiple pairs of skis.
When it comes down to it, you want to think about weight vs. downhill performance. Honestly the lighter the ski, the worse it will ski is a good general rule. However, if you are planning to do huge days in the backcountry, a lightweight ski is the only way to go. In my opinion the ski that gets the closest to a 1 ski quiver will be between 98-107 underfoot. I find that this width skis powder well enough but can still ski firm snow well enough, and also does decently in variable conditions.
If you are skiing steeps, you want something more stiff with little tail rocker. But for all-around conditions, a nice playful ski with a small amount of tail rocker and a nice flex is the ticket. Below I compare a few models; price is always a consideration. Pretty much all ski models go on sale at the end of the season or in the summertime. That is the best time to buy!
This style of ski is my go-to everyday driver.
It skis most conditions very well
The ski itself is very easy to ski. This is a great option for folks who are not as confident on the descents.
171cm is 1470g, which is still quite light for how well it skis.
Expensive price point because they are made in the USA. Lifetime warranty and very durable.
This is a great ski mountaineering + steep skiing ski.
Stiff and light but still skis most conditions well due to its 95 width.
Excels on the ascent and in steep firm conditions.
172 cm is 1,220g so very lightweight for being a downhill-oriented ski.
Climbing Skins
Skins are what we attach to the bottom of our skis for the uphill. They have adhesive on the bottom that sticks to the skis. When you get to the top of your run and remove the skins they don’t leave (or shouldn’t leave) any residue. On the other side is either Nylon or Mohair. This allows the skin to grip the snow as you ascend. When you buy skins you must trim them to the size of your ski. If you have a 100 underfoot ski you want to get a 105-120 skin and cut it so that just your edge is showing.
When deciding between skins there are only a few things to think about.
Full Nylon: Heavier but more durable
Full Mohair: Very light, not durable
Blend of Nylon/Mohair: Mid weight, mid durability.
My go-to is a blend of Nylon and Mohair. This gives me the durability I need to use them often. It also makes them quite a bit lighter which is honestly a big weight savings on your legs.
Examples of Skins
Bindings
Backcountry ski bindings are a great place to save weight and still have a similar ski ability. The same principles apply with bindings though, you can go too light and sacrifice performance. I recommend having an adjustable DIN and adjustable plate to fit various boots. Brakes are a great place to save weight. You can go without ski brakes and use leashes instead. This has its benefits and drawbacks. If you are using leashes, I recommend attaching them to your boots then clipping them to your skis. That way on the ascent when your toes are locked you don’t need to worry about clipping the leash to the skis every time. If you go no brakes you just have to pay attention. If you do purchase skis with brakes, make sure you get a larger width than your ski width. Below I compare a few models of bindings:
This is the standard type of binding you will see on most people’s skis. It is a great all-around binding and you can’t go wrong with it.
Can buy with brakes or without
520g with brakes
340g without brakes
Has a small range of adjustability to accommodate different boot sizes.
This is a great lightweight binding, but does have some drawbacks. If you are looking for lightweight bindings this is a great choice.
150g without brakes
No adjustability — can only use the same BSL boots
Still ski very well
The heel riser is a bit more difficult to flip up and down
Has a flat mode, a lot of bindings at this weight do not let you skin flat.
Backcountry Ski Boots
A backcountry ski boot is a boot that has tech toe inserts. This allows you to click into the pins at the front of your binding. These boots differ from resort boots as they will have a walk mode. This allows the boot to flex really well when walking and skinning. When you engage the ski mode of the boot it should feel similar to your resort boot. Finding the right backcountry ski boot is the most crucial part of enjoying the backcountry. By far the most important factor to your boot selection is how it fits your foot. It is very beneficial to see a local boot outfitter and try on a few brands and types of boots. For myself I have a very narrow low volume foot, so I have to use boots that have a low volume and lower “last” rating. Once you have found the correct brand and fit for your foot, then you can begin to think about flex.
The flex rating or stiffness of the boot feels different than resort boots. For instance a 130 flex backcountry boot will still not be as stiff as a 130 flex resort boot. Choosing your flex has to do with how aggressive of a skier you are and your weight. For instance I am 140 lb and an aggressive skier. A 130 flex boot is to stiff for me and I cannot properly flex this boot. I find a backcountry boot at 120 flex is most of the time the best for me. Don’t let the expert skier’s ski stiff boots mentality get in the way. Make sure to think about your weight. Often we are not ripping huge gs turns in the backcountry as we would in the resort. So often we do not need that high flex rating.
The weight of the boot is always a consideration. A light weight boot will feel soft and won’t ski as well but will have a high degree of Cuff Rotation (How well it walks). To heavy a boot will often not walk or skin well and will have a lower cuff rotation. Just like skis something in the middle is the ticket for everyday backcountry riding. Below I will compare a few mid weight ski boots:
A perfect all around boot.
1250g
120 flex
101 Last width
70 degree cuff rotation
Another great all around boot
1290g
120 flex
99 Last Width
60 Degree Cuff Rotation
Ski Poles
It is great to have ski specific ski poles. Trekking poles are not recommended as they will break during the pole plant process. I personally like have fixed length ski poles. They are less likely to break or malfunction. I have not found a time when I need to have a collapsible pole while touring. Also the added security of a fixed length pole when making hop turns in consequential terrain is comforting. I have seen collapsible poles shorten on a stiff pole plant, this can cause a fall. I do like to have a longer foam handle so that I can adjust where I am gripping the pole.
Below are some examples of fixed length poles with extended grips:
Ski Crampons
Ski crampons attach to the bindings on your skis. They have spikes that stick down in the snow. They are crucial for spring skiing and allows you to skin on frozen services. Each brand of binding will have a ski crampon that fits it. You need to make sure the ski crampon you are purchasing will work with your binding. Also you need to make sure the width of the ski crampon is larger than the width of your ski.
Example:
Helmet
When in the backcountry I use a dual certified ski/climbing helmet. A resort helmet will work but are often very heavy and bulky. A climbing specific helmet does not have the ski certification, and is less reliable in a high velocity crash. Below I will list a few examples of Ski/ climbing rated helmets:
Triple Certification: Bike, Ski, Climb
300g
Dual Ski/Climb certification
195g
Sunglasses
Having large volume glacier or polarized sunglasses is crucial in the backcountry. You cannot skin uphill in googles as they will fog up. Often on nice days I am skiing downhill in my sunglasses as well. That is why I like larger frame sunglasses that can act similar to googles. Reactive lenses are nice as you will see more contrast in the snow going in and out of the trees. But expensive and not necessary.
Examples of good backcountry ski glasses:
Goggles
Goggles are mostly for the downhill. The only exception is in high wind or storm conditions. Whenever I am in the mountains and it is forecasted to be windy I always bring my goggles. If I am skiing pow and I might get some fresh snow to the face I will wear my goggles. They often live in my pack so I am usually leaning toward a lighter weight goggle. Reactive lenses are nice but not necessary. I do like having 2 lenses one for low light conditions and one for UV protection. If you have goggles you use at the resort, those will work great.
Example of lightweight goggles:
Miscellaneous items
These additional items are easy to include and will go a long way for keeping you more comfortable and ready for anything in the backcountry. I recommend bringing these every time:
Sunscreen
Lipbalm
Headlamp
Water Bottles or Thermos
Try out a lightweight thermos in the backcountry. I am much more inclined to hydrate if I am drinking warm liquid.
Example of a lightweight thermos:
