Alpine Backcountry Skis

What Are Alpine Touring Skis?

Touring skis, also known as backcountry skis, integrate styles such as alpine, cross-country, telemark, randonnee, and backcountry. They bring together the best features from each style, potentially negating the need for multiple pairs. These skis are ideal for seasoned skiers who possess a comprehensive understanding of the unpredictable nature of the backcountry.

Ski touring involves ascending and descending the mountain without removing the skis. This is facilitated by the loose heel and wide base of ski touring skis, allowing exploration of powder snow in remote backcountry areas. Alpine touring skis are also perfectly suitable for skiing on the groomed runs at resorts if on-piste skiing is preferred.

Choosing the Right Touring Skis

As a general guide, touring skis should be lightweight, ranging from about 1100 g to 1800 g, with the length ideally within 5-10 cm of your height. Heavier models excel in downhill rides, offering more stability and speed, though they demand increased effort for upward climbs. Conversely, lighter models are advantageous for uphill-focused ski touring. The width at the waist varies based on touring preferences, generally lying between 82-105 mm for more versatile backcountry skiing.

Essential Gear for Ski Touring

Alpine ski touring requires specialised gear to navigate both ascents and descents effectively. The right equipment ensures an optimal backcountry skiing experience.

Key among the gear are the bindings. Touring bindings are designed to allow walking with skis fixed, enabling heel lift while maintaining toe fixation. You can discover alpine touring bindings in our Ski Bindings Selection.

Picking suitable ski boots is equally crucial. Boots should offer high flexibility and be relatively lightweight, to facilitate the lifting heel motion needed for walking strides. Our collection of Alpine Ski Boots features models tailored for backcountry skiing.

Additional essential equipment includes skins and ski poles. Skins, affixed to the base of skis, prevent backward sliding on inclines, offering a balanced mix of grip and glide. For ski poles, adjustable variants are advisable, allowing long poles for climbing and shorter ones for descent, or varied lengths for traversing terrain.

When adventuring in the wild, safety gear is indispensable. This includes a ski helmet and avalanche equipment. Browse our range of Ski Protection Gear to head into the backcountry with added confidence.