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Our mission at SKI test is to click into and evaluate more than 100 pairs of skis in one week. It sounds fun (and it is), but it’s also grueling. Take last season’s test at Mt. Rose, Nevada, which took place in early March after a blizzard dumped feet of snow on Tahoe-area resorts: Over the course of four days, we skied around 180,000 vertical feet, spent 1,920 minutes in ski boots, and endured 700 minutes on chairlifts in freezing, gale-force winds.
Watch: Behind the Scenes of the 2024 SKI Test at Mt. Rose
Spending that much time in ski boots and exposed to the elements day after day calls for some hardy gear. While we focused on skis throughout the week, we also put a handful of accessories to the test. Here are some of our editors’ favorite pieces that stood up to the stormy conditions we encountered at SKI Test. Like our dads always said: There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.
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Black Diamond Impulse Gloves
SKI Test is not just hard on the feet and legs, it’s hard on the hands. Throughout the week, we’re constantly exposing our bare hands to the elements to type notes into our phones on chilly chair rides, handle incredibly sharp ski edges, and adjust ski bindings after every test run. The Black Diamond Impulse gloves, made with durable goat leather and a 100-percent waterproof yet breathable Gore-Tex insert, got the job done with aplomb.
I’m usually a mitten-wearer because my hands are always cold, but SKI Test calls for better dexterity. The Impulse offered that and plenty of warmth thanks to Primaloft insulation on the back of the hand (200 grams) and on the palm (80 grams). My favorite feature of the Impulse was the sleek neoprene cuff that slid seamlessly under my jacket.
For hot-blooded skiers, these gloves might prove too warm in temperatures above freezing, but for skiers like me who battle cold hands no matter the temps, the Impulse is a great glove that stands up to lots of wear and tear. —Jenny Wiegand, Outside Associate Gear Director
POC Obex Pure Helmet
$150 at Backcountry $150 at Amazon
The first time I wore the Obex Pure helmet, one thing immediately jumped out to me: Its incredible light weight. Stripped of the bells and whistles of some of POC’s other snow helmets, the Obex Pure serves up a clean and simple aesthetic at a friendlier price point. With four fixed vents at the forehead and crown to dump heat and removable black ear pads, what you see is what you get with the Obex Pure. Even the old-school clasp at the chin is simple and no-frills.
I wore a medium, which felt a bit roomy when I first buckled it, but the 360-fit system via a knob at the nape of the neck tightened it right up. After a few months of wear, the Obex Pure still looks shiny and new. While this model doesn’t come with MIPS, it still meets ski and snowboard helmet safety standards at a reasonable price ($150 versus the $200 Obex MIPS helmet). If what you’re looking for is a comfortable and lightweight helmet that gets the job done, the Obex Pure is a good option. —Samantha Berman, SKI Executive Editor
POC Nexal Goggles
$240 at Backcountry $240 at Amazon
I tested the Nexal Goggles with the Obex Pure helmet, and as expected, it’s a seamless fit. I liked the wide range of view and the breadth of coverage the goggles afforded thanks to the cheek protectors that extended a little lower on my face.
I used both the low-light and sunny-day lenses that came with the goggles and was impressed with the clarity and vision of both, although I found the lens-change system to be a little tricky. I thought I had successfully swapped the bright-light lens for the low-light one the morning before heading out into a stormy day at Steamboat, but it wasn’t until I felt air whistling through on my first descent that I realized it wasn’t on quite right. It didn’t give me any other issues after hastily adjusting it on the next lift ride, and certainly helped make a very flat-light ski day more enjoyable. —S.B.
Leki Guide Lite 2 Pole
The aluminum Leki Guide Lite 2 poles were ideal for dealing with unpredictable snow (i.e. breakable crust) at Mt. Rose. They’re durable yet lightweight thanks to the empty cavity inside of them—my arms were never fatigued from pole plant after pole plant to remain stable and upright in manky snow. They also come with a large basket that was ideal for the windblown powder we encountered.
Though technically a touring pole, the Guide Lite 2 is versatile enough for inbounds skiing and was the perfect pole for SKI Test because of its adjustable length. Most of us travel without ski bags to the test, which makes carting poles around a logistical challenge. The Guide Lite 2 poles, which can be collapsed down to around 38 inches, are easy to stash in a checked bag. —Kelly Klein, Outside Gear Editor
Gordini Ripton Sock
Most of our testers are in a performance-fit (read, tight-fitting) ski boot, which means they have to opt for a thin sock that punches above its weight in the warmth department. The Ripton, an ultralight sock made from a blend of merino wool, polypropylene, and nylon, is exactly the kind of sock we reach for.
One of the reasons I personally keep going back to the Gordini Ripton socks is that when they come out of the wash, they fit just the same as the first time I put them on (a benefit of a merino-synthetic blend). A lot of ski socks lose their luster after a few spins in the wash, but I’ve found the Riptons to be dependably soft and cushioned every single time. —Jamie Aranoff, SKI Digital Editor
Buff Polar Neckwear
You can’t beat the versatility and warmth of this neck gaiter. Featuring an extended, stretchy neck tube capped by an oh-so-soft fleece section, you can wear this Buff as a traditional gaiter, balaclava, or hat.
At first, the length of this neck tube seemed excessive, but the designed proved ideal at SKI Test: I wore this Buff doubled up to keep the oh-so-soft PrimaLoft Bio Fleece against my face to protect from windburn and chafing, and the fun patterned elastane fabric on the outside for style and function (I hate when fleece gets wet and frozen when it’s exposed to the elements). Bonus: this Buff is made from 97 percent recycled fabric. —J.W.
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