Most of us skiers and riders have enough equipment to ride comfortably for the next couple seasons at least, we ride our cherished snow gear util it crumbles. Instead of the typical ‘ski and boards’ to buy next year ad, this list intends to elevate the potential of your next ski season. With the right gear and training, you can be chasing big mountain lines too, not just lift lines.
BCA Tracker 2 Beacon: Avalanche beacons are rather expensive and only used sparingly, but the BCA Tracker 2 is a reliable, moderately priced beacon to pick up this offseason. If your are skiing or riding without an avalanche transceiver it is easily the most wise investment you can make for your safety and to ease the anxiety of your loved ones. Whether you travel backcountry or not, increasingly ski areas inbounds require or promote the usage of avalanche transceivers. Following the recent recall of Ortovox avalanche beacons,it might just be time for a replacement or your first ever transceiver.
Kinco Gloves: No skier and rider has too many pairs of gloves; they get wet, separated and lost each season on the slopes. Investing in a inexpensive pair of Kinco gloves will help you gain local points and also not make you come in early when its cold. Possibly the best $20 you will spend on yourself skiing or snowboarding, remember to snow seal the gloves before you take them into wet conditions. Â Â
Mountain Collective Season Pass: The ultimate pass for linking destination ski resorts; why not get the Mountain Collective before it’s gone? Featuring some bucket list locations like; Jackson Hole, Revelstoke and Niseko, the pass is a great opportunity for the nomadic skier. Giving you the opportunity to ski in multiple states and countries, getting the versatile Mountain Collective pass will allow you to chase better snow when conditions at home are poor. Couple a season pass with avalanche gear and training; than you can also explore beyond the resort boundaries at some backcountry access gates.  Â
AIARE Class: A perfect opportunity to chum it with up fellow snow bums, taking an introductory avalanche course is an awesome experience and valuable learning tool. The Level 1 AIARE course will teach you the fundamentals of snow science and give hands-on lessons in avalanche rescue over it’s 3 day length. With the information and time spent taking the course you will feel a whole lot more confident exploring new zones and tackling difficult terrain.
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