adambroderick

Tried and Trew in the Pacific North-wet, the Cosmic is functional, fly, and feather-light. Weighing in at 23-ounces and sporting 20,000-mm waterproofing, this hard shell spits in the face of oncoming storms. It's tough enough to survive brushes with branches and being dragged along rocks. It is unusually warm for a hard shell, yet breathes exceptionally as body temperatures rise. It is one of the more technical and backcountry-friendly hard shells out there. And it's pretty freaking stylish.

Chamonix ski guide Asmus Norreslet says the Verglas 3L jacket from Helly Hansen is "a perfect workhorse for us guides." It only weighs 610 grams, and will survive 25,000 millimeters of water pressure before leaking.

You’ve probably seen this helmet on the hill. The Variant, Smith's best-selling and award-winning helmet, utilizes an adjustable Boa dial that expands and contracts to fit even the most block-headed bros on the slopes. Its nearly universal fit and lightweight design are two reasons this helmet is a popular choice for the safety conscious.

Cold Smoke Splitboards has recently come out of the southwestern Colorado woodwork to provide those of us with limited budgets a way to get off the lifts and into the backcountry. By splitting the boards already in their customers’ quivers, they save us money. By stocking products from Spark R&D and Voile, they save us time bundling and waiting for shipments from multiple locations. And by promising a rapid turnaround and guaranteeing our satisfaction, they save us peace of mind so we can focus on what’s really important: exploring the backcountry.

Imagine a house constructed of steel and stone, but with a padded interior made of memory-foam. That's what you get with the Burton SLX: superior comfort surrounded by a stable and supportive S4 outer shell — built from the same material found in bullet-proof vests. The liner flexes and forms ideally, and the outer shell won't budge any more than necessary. Burton did us a solid here. Just ask Mr. Haakonsen — it's no wonder these are his go-to sole-supporters.