Ski Kit
Editors’ Picks
Our team’s favorite gear for turning any day at the resort into an all-timer.
Reaching a consensus on ski gear can seem like an impossible task. Taking individual skiers’ style, skill level, and terrain preferences into account, as well as the conditions the products are designed to perform best in, results in a blizzard of variables that’s imposing to parse. And yet, when the Better Trail editors put our heads together to assess the market, some gear shone through the storm, time and again. Here are those products, hand-picked to provide advanced and expert resort skiers with the loadout that will maximize their fun—and form—on the slopes.
Blizzard Rustler 10 ($850)
Tecnica Mach1 MV 120 ($750)
Marker Griffon 13 ($300)
Patagonia Storm Shift ($499)
Patagonia Storm Shift ($399)
Smith 4D Mag ($348)
Smith Vantage 2 MIPS ($295)
Black Diamond Guide ($190)
Arc'teryx Atom ($280)
Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew ($115)
Le Bent Shred Targeted Cushion ($34)
Leki Spitfire 3D ($145)When we wax poetic about the versatility of all-mountain skis, we’re picturing the Rustler 10 (women's Sheeva 10) in our minds. It will allow you to zoom over hardpack, glide through powder, and maintain your form through just about everything else.
Like the Rustler 10, the Mach1 is at home in any terrain you’ll dip into. It deserves its celebrity status in the boot world, thanks to a stiff flex that’s true to its rating, a medium-volume last that blends comfort with precision, and stellar craftsmanship throughout.
Nobody wants to worry about popping out of their skis when they’re hanging it out there, and the Griffon 13 will prevent that from happening. The reliability and peace of mind you’ll get from this proven binding make it worth every penny.
The Storm Shift has wide-ranging appeal for resort skiers who put in a lot of days each season. This jacket is extremely comfortable, looks good, and has strong weatherproofing that's trustworthy in rough conditions.
Weather Protection
Warmth
Comfort
Breathability
Durability
Sustainability
So nice, we’re recommending it twice. The pants version of the Storm Shift jacket is a premium Gore-Tex pant for resort skiers, with a durable yet flexible shell fabric, a soft liner, large pockets, and a super-refined fit.
Weather Protection
Warmth
Comfort
Breathability
Durability
Sustainability
The 4D Mag has been the darling of the goggle world for a few years now, and it’s easy to see why. High-definition optics, an unparalleled field of view, and a full feature set make it pretty hard to beat—just make sure you can stomach the price.
Optical Quality
Field of View
Lens-Change System
Comfort
Ventilation
Sustainability
It’s rare that we’d call a nearly $300 helmet “worth it,” but it’s hard to argue that the updated Vantage 2 MIPS isn’t worth its price tag. It has just about everything you’d want in a well-rounded bucket, although you can find more value in a cheaper alternative if you don’t hit the hill that often.
Comfort
Warmth
Ventilation
Weight & Bulk
Durability
Sustainability
The Guide is one of our favorite ski gloves for facing winter head-on. The wool- and fleece-lined insulated liner is a cozy haven for your hands, and you get full Gore-Tex waterproof protection. The liner’s removable design also lets the glove dry quickly in between storm days.
Warmth
Waterproofing
Dexterity
Comfort
Durability
Sustainability
It’s hard to go wrong with the minimalist Atom for almost any ski outing. This versatile layer pairs high-end construction with plenty of breathability and mobility, although it’s expensive for a synthetic piece, and its weather resistance isn’t fantastic for standalone backcountry use.
Warmth
Comfort & Mobility
Breathability
Versatility
Durability
Sustainability
The Classic Thermal is an exceptionally warm, 100% merino base layer tailor-made for deep winter conditions. It's soft, cozy, and odor resistant, although you’ll have to treat it with care if you want it to last.
Le Bent did its homework with this sock, which is relatively thin to provide a trustworthy connection to your boots, while retaining enough cushion to keep your shins happy. The quality is immediately evident, and the Shred’s interesting blend of fibers makes it uber-comfy as well.
Can you call a fixed-length ski pole feature-packed? With the Spitfire 3D, the answer is definitely “yes.” It has a tacky, comfortable ergonomic grip, a wrist strap with a release mechanism, and multiple basket options.
How We Built the Editors’ Picks Ski Kit
When our crackerjack team of editors sought to choose the best resort skiing gear, we landed on one major quality every product should have in common: uncompromising performance for advanced and expert skiers, no matter the terrain or the conditions. All of the gear in this kit excels across a variety of snow types, terrain, and weather patterns. The hard goods reward solid form and ambitious skiing with feedback that will help you tick off any line you set your eye on, rather than wondering if you have the right tools for the job.
Meanwhile, our apparel will keep you warm, dry, and ready for the next lap even if the weather is telling you to head inside. We also made our picks with an eye for value, of course (skiing is an expensive hobby, and we don’t like overpaying for gear), but generally, the higher upsides of the gear in this kit mean you’ll be shelling out more than for the stuff in our beginner and intermediate kits. Believe us, though: This gear is worth it.
Skis
You might have a garage full of skis that match every type of snow known to man, but there’s something to be said for owning one that you can take to the resort every day knowing you can rip on it no matter what you find at the top of the chairlift. In our view, that perfectly describes the Blizzard Rustler 10. This ski is a veritable one-stop shop for providing edgeability and feel for getting trenched on hardpack, float and quick turn initiation in powder, and enough oomph for busting through everything else.
At 102 millimeters underfoot and with a relatively wide 133.5-millimeter shovel (in its 174-centimeter length), the Rustler 10 will work well as a daily driver for skiers based in the West, where it can stay on top of soft snow in most everything short of bottomless powder while still remaining agile enough to have plenty of fun between storms. East Coast skiers will appreciate the all-mountain silhouette for the precision it will grant them on groomers—this isn’t a boat of a ski that doesn’t like being put on edge. (That said, skiers who stick primarily to groomers will be happier with the more svelte, 96-millimeter-wide Rustler 9).
Plus, rather than choosing a full-metal behemoth that you have to drive hard all the time, like Nordica’s Enforcer 99 and Volkl’s M7 Mantra, we like that the Rustler 10’s beech/poplar/paulownia core with a partial titanal layer carves out a versatile performance niche that’s fairly light and playful, but won’t chatter you off the mountain when you hit unfriendly snow. This is a true quiver of one for skiers who don’t mind playing favorites.
Boots
Perhaps even more so than with a ski, it’s key that advanced and expert skiers pick a boot that they won’t overpower. That’s the calling card of the Tecnica Mach1 MV 120, which exhibits the combination of a stiff yet predictable flex, smooth power transfer, plenty of precision, and a high comfort level to boot. (Okay, no more gear puns from here on out, we promise.) The Mach 1 is powerful enough for you to mash your shins into it on hardpack without overflexing the boot (a 130-flex version is available for you serious chargers), as well as provide a stable, trustworthy feel in the steeps. We’ve also found that it’s damp enough to handle any surprises you might encounter in off-piste chop.
However, the Mach1 won’t make your foot suffer in the name of performance. (Or rather, it shouldn’t. Always go see your local bootfitter before you buy, and check out our guide to correctly sizing your ski boots.) We’re highlighting the medium-volume (“MV”) version of the boot, which has a 100-millimeter last that strikes a skier-friendly balance between responsiveness and roominess. If that doesn’t work for your foot, you can get the Mach1 in a low-volume (“LV”), 98-millimeter width, or go the other direction and choose the 103-millimeter-wide (“HV”) model.
Whichever one you pick, know that the supportive and structured liner provides more comfort than you’d expect from a boot of this nature. Plus, Tecnica’s C.A.S. (Custom Adaptive Shape) system makes a bootfitter’s job even easier if they need to do a little work to make the shell or liner fit just right. If it fits, just about any skier worth their salt will enjoy dropping in with boot, us included.
Binding
Bindings aren’t the sexiest piece of ski gear, but we’ve seen enough premature releases to know that reliability, safety, and peace of mind go a long way towards helping you tick off that chute you’ve been eyeing. Marker is a binding brand with a sterling reputation for quality, and its decades of design experience are evident in the Griffon 13. The release values of this binding—as its name indicates, it goes up to a DIN of 13—should be enough for most experienced skiers to push their limits. Folks who are heavy or who spend a lot of their time scoping out cliffs to air off might want something a tad bit burlier (the Marker Jester 16 should scratch that itch), but for the majority of the advanced and expert skiers out there, the Griffon is all you need.
In addition to its safety bona fides and a confidence-inspiring “ca-thunk” step-in, this binding is also multi-norm certified, meaning it’s compatible with boots that have either traditional alpine (flat), GripWalk, or touring soles. The Griffon will allow you to pick any boot you want without worrying about whether you can use it with this binding, and we’re always big fans of gear that takes some of the guesswork out of things. Plus, with all of the colors the Griffon comes in, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a ski topsheet (and boot, if you’re the monochrome type) that it doesn't go well with.
Jacket and Pants
If you’ve reached this point in your ski career, both experience- and skill-wise, we’re going to assume that you like to get as many laps in as possible. To do so, you’ll need outerwear that can stave off the elements so you don’t retreat into the lodge, soaked and chilled, when you’re skiing in a storm. However, prices can quickly skyrocket in ski apparel, with large discrepancies even between products that perform fairly similarly—you have to make sure you don’t blow your budget all in one place.
That’s why the Patagonia Storm Shift Jacket and Storm Shift Pants are so impressive in our eyes. Both shells feature 2-layer Gore-Tex and are fully seam-sealed, but neither crosses the $500 mark—for comparison, shells from Arc’teryx and Norrøna cost upwards of $700. Sure, you can argue that equivalent products from the latter two companies have 3-layer designs (which are usually more durable than 2-layer membranes) and are more breathable, but for the purposes of this kit we’re sticking to downhilling in the resort for the vast majority of laps. The Storm Shift’s 150-denier polyester face fabric is extremely tough, and the addition of a fleece liner on the jacket’s torso and a taffeta one in the pants means you won’t just be protected from precipitation and wind in all of their forms—you’ll be cozier than you would in an unlined shell, too.
Insulation
Versatility is the name of the game here, and while no single midlayer will do the trick for any and all conditions, Arc’teryx’s classic Atom comes darn close. We prefer synthetic insulation or fleece for ski days—these polyester materials breathe better than down and will continue keeping you warm when wet—and erring on the lighter end of the spectrum will reduce the risk of overheating. The Atom blends both, with 60-gram synthetic at the front and back and fleece panels on each side. The fleece is stretchy and gives the jacket excellent range of motion, and the whole look and feel is the kind of high-end we’ve come to expect from the brand.
If you already have a closet full of insulated jackets, you may be able to skip over this part of the kit. A lot of fleeces and puffies can keep you warm and comfy on the slopes, and we often swap between options based on the day’s temps and expected exertion. That said, the Arc’teryx Atom is a jacket you can easily transition into everyday wear, so you’re not investing in a single-use item. One final thing to keep in mind is jacket style. We prefer a full-zip non-hooded design for easy on and off and to keep bulk to a minimum around our neck and head. No one wants an extra hood flopping around and collecting snow on a pow day.
Base Layer
Humans have been using wool as insulation for centuries, so you might say that the Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew is a classic in the literal sense. Even simple constructions like this base layer—it’s made from 100% merino, no fancy blends here—have a place in the modern world, though, and that place is on our bodies during the coldest days spent riding lifts. You won’t want to wear this top in weather that’s above freezing—a lighter-weight alternative like the Ortovox 185 Rock n' Wool is a better bet in those situations—but layering for a warm day is much easier than on a cold one, so this is our pick.
Because we expect this kit’s target audience to ski long and often, another welcome quality of merino is that it resists odor much better than synthetic fabrics (for more, see our Merino Wool vs. Synthetic Base Layers article). Just because you charge hard enough for people to think you live in the resort parking lot doesn’t mean you should smell like it. You’ll thank us when your fellow chairlift riders aren’t shying away from you—and when you’re staying warmer than they are, because you took our advice and bought this top.
Gloves
As with our jacket and pant picks, the Black Diamond Guide Glove has a similar blend of warmth, protection, and durability. Whereas the Storm Shift presents fantastic value at a less-than-premium price, though, this glove sits near the very top of its class (others include the $180 Swany X-Cell and $230 Hestra Army Leather Gore-Tex). It features a waterproof Gore-Tex insert on its removable, insulated liner, all of which sits beneath a leather-and-synthetic build that’s as tough as nails. If some precipitation does manage to sneak in through the cuff, or you get sweaty—this is one toasty glove, with 170-gram insulation in the liner and boiled wool on the back of the hand—you can remove the liner between laps or ski days for a quicker dry time. (A removable liner also makes the Guide available for warm-weather skiing, although it’s not nearly as comfortable without all that fluff.)
From a pure coziness perspective, the Guide’s rugged exterior belies its plush innards. The insulation, wool, and fleece lining feel fantastic, and there’s enough of everything that single-digit temperatures won’t get in the way of your slope time (as with all ski gloves and mittens, this comfort level will vary based on if you run hot or cold). At $190, this glove isn’t cheap, but we’d argue that never having frozen fingers is priceless. Now, if only Black Diamond would heed our prayers for a wrist leash…
Helmet
This is one of the few gear categories in which we subscribe to the mantra that more is (usually) better. There’s little point to skimping on head protection, and when you’re wearing a ski helmet all day you might as well be comfortable, right? The new Smith Vantage 2 MIPS answers that question in the affirmative, melding plenty of safety tech with a build that has tons of ventilation and a Goldilocks amount of padding.
The helmet—which is the evolution of Smith’s original Vantage, a longtime crowd favorite—has both MIPS, the ubiquitous angled-impact mitigation technology, as well as Koroyd. Koroyd is a honeycomb-shaped material that crumples to absorb energy from a crash (instead of your skull taking the brunt of the impact), and unlike its previous iteration, the Smith Vantage 2 is fully wrapped in the stuff, located right under the helmet’s shell. The updated version also has an impressive, airflow-friendly 40 vents, 28 of which are closeable via two sliders. You can also adjust the Vantage 2’s fit with a Boa 360 fit system, and we’re pleased to see that Smith finally added a magnetic buckle. There’s really nothing that this helmet lacks.
Goggles
You can say the same about the 4D Mag, which is also made by Smith and also comes jam-packed with technology meant to give the wearer the best on-snow experience possible. Chief among its features is a lens shape that curves at the bottom, below where other lenses meet the frame, and allows you to look down—at your zippers, at your pockets, at the cliff drop waiting to be hucked—without craning your neck. It’s an innovative design (now also found in the less-premium Smith Preview) that gives the 4D Mag the biggest field of view on the market, which is key when you’re going fast and need great peripheral vision.
The 4D Mag’s lens is of the ChromaPop variety, one of our favorite lens techs for its high-definition optics and vibrant colors. Smith’s magnet-and-tab lens-swap system is also in effect, making changing your lens extremely easy (if you haven’t opted for the photochromic lens that Smith sells the 4D Mag with at its highest price tier). Add in triple-layer foam, a hard-sided carrying case, and a Gogglesoc protector for quick lunch breaks and après, and it’s easy to see why we’re recommending you spend more than $300 on eyewear.
Poles
When it comes to features—seeing a theme here yet?—the Leki Spitfire 3D is more than your average (read: simple) pole. Rather than the bare-bones models we’ve recommended in our beginner and intermediate skier kits, it has a few key traits that make a difference when you’re zooming around, perhaps in tight and consequential terrain. The Spitfire’s wrist strap has a safety release mechanism that allows it to detach from your hand when it’s torqued too much—perhaps you snagged it on a tree while skiing in a glade, or your arm twisted behind you during a crash. This is a neat safety feature that’s rare in poles, and one of the reasons the Spitfire costs so much.
It’s made from aluminum, but its 16-millimeter diameter is a bit thinner than the 18-millimeter poles we’ve tabbed for beginner and intermediate skiers. While this lowers swing weight (anything to improve performance, right?), it also makes the pole a little less durable than those cheaper models. But you’re a veteran of the slopes at this point, and that includes knowing how to take care of your gear.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, there’s a mind-boggling amount of great ski gear out there. If some of our picks aren’t quite your speed, here are some other high performers to choose from.
- Skis: Rossignol Sender Soul 102
- Boots: K2 Cortex 130 Zonal Boa
- Bindings: Look Pivot 2.0 13 GW
- Jacket: Arc’teryx Sabre
- Pants: Stio Environ
- Goggles: Anon M5 MFI
- Helmet: POC Obex MIPS
- Gloves: Swany X-Cell
- Base layer: Smartwool Intraknit Thermal Merino
Is the Editors’ Picks Ski Kit for You?
The gear that we’ve chosen for this kit is for anyone who’s reached a high level of skiing proficiency and wants (needs, to be honest) gear that can keep up. If you challenge yourself in technical terrain across the mountain, thrive at speeds that have you on the lookout for ski patrol (while you’re in control and respecting other skiers, of course), and want your gear to keep you warm, dry, and protected whatever may come, this kit is for you.
If you’re trying to save a bit of cash or need some gear that’s a little less demanding, head on over to our Beginner Ski Kit and Intermediate Ski Kit. Finally, if you feel the unmarked slopes of the backcountry beckoning, take a gander at our kits designed for ski tourers and crossover resort and backcountry use.
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