Salomon Quest 100 W Boot (2012-13)
Salomon's three-buckle 100-flex women’s alpine ski boot designed for going both uphill and downhill.
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Atomic Tracker 110 W Boot (2012-13)
Atomic's high performance alpine boot with some touring ability.
Scarpa Maestrale RS (2012-13)
This year, Scarpa upgraded the Maestrale and made it bad ass. The flex is notably stiffer, but the boot didn’t gain any significant weight. It can hold its own in bounds, but it really shines in the backcountry.
Dynafit Vulcan (2012-13)
The Vulcan is a fully capable AT boot that can tour and ski any and all backcountry conditions. The price is no joke, but the Vulcan is a boot that has more everyday-user appeal than Dynafit’s popular TLT 5 but can still charge with the best.
Lange XT 130 (2012-13)
The Lange XT 130 can drive any ski at the resort, but will have no problem bootpacking or skinning just outside the gates. The flex might not be quite 130, but it’s the consistency that shines more than the stiffness. Long tours? Not it’s forte.
Dalbello 2/8 (2012-13)
The 2/8 is Dalbello’s new workhorse has virtues best realized charging around a resort and nearby sidecoutry, though the lack of tech fittings puts it at a distinct disadvantage as a backcountry boot.
Garmont Cosmos (2012-13)
The Garmont Cosmos is a very comfortable alpine touring boot, with welcoming fit and a forgiving on-snow feel. It’s ideal for longer backcountry days and more technical ski mountaineering objectives, though it lags in power.
Crispi Skr!!m (2012-13)
The Skr!!m is a fully functioning AT boot that is best suited for chasing powder deep in the backcountry. The modest stiffness is similar to the Cosmos, with which it shares the highly lauded and comparable day-long comfort.
Tecnica Cochise Pro Light (2012-13)
The Cochise Pro Light is a hybrid of Freeride and touring DNA. The overlap cuff design provides a consistent, predictable flex, and the interchangeable tech soles and AFD give it versatility and sole longevity.
Scott S4 904-4
Think big flies on big water. We found the Scott S4 felt most at home fishing wide rivers from a drift boat or while wading, tossing big dry flies to rising trout, or dragging big, weighted nymphs through the depths for bottom-feeding fish. It’s less ideal when going delicate with small dries or tiny nymphs.
Sage One 590-4
One of the most accurate lightweight rods we’ve used. The Sage One 590-4 is especially well-suited to casting dry flies in challenging conditions, since the accuracy and power allow you to place small flies delicately on target.
Redington Link 590-4
Though its performance is just a half-step behind some of the other rods in this class, the Redington Link is a fine fast-action rod at an incredible price.