Switchback Travel | Outdoor Gear, Photography & Adventure

Ski Gear Guides

We pick the best ski gear for the 2019-2020 season, from new all-mountain skis and goggles to the coziest jackets and baselayers

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The Best Ski Helmets

From teched out and ventilated to simple budget options that still get the job done, we break down the best ski helmets on the market

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Among Giants: The Alaska Range

A human-powered journey by land and water through Denali National Park

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Best All-Mountain Snowboards

From groomer-friendly models to leading freestyle and powder designs, we pick this year's top all-mountain snowboards

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Free Range Equipment

A young backpack designer from Bend, Oregon uses his small business to support artists, host pop-up events, and create community

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The Best Hardshell Jackets

For the ultimate protection in harsh alpine conditions, we break down the top hardshell jackets on the market

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Review: Patagonia Macro Puff

We take Patagonia’s new lofty synthetic jacket into the North Cascades

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An Alpine State of Mind

We chat with top adventure photographer and ski mountaineer Jason Hummel

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The Best Ski Resorts in Colorado

From challenging, expert-level terrain to gentle groomers, below we break down Colorado's top ski resorts

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Review: Smith I/O Mag

We put Smith’s premium snow goggles to the test throughout a variable winter in the Pacific Northwest

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Ski Gear Guides
See Our Picks
The Best Ski Helmets
See Our Top Picks
Among Giants: The Alaska Range
See The Article
Best All-Mountain Snowboards
See The Picks
Free Range Equipment
See The Article
The Best Hardshell Jackets
See Our Top Picks

Colorado is one of the most iconic ski destinations in the Unites States. Every year, millions of skiers flock to the slopes to bask in the epic mountain terrain, abundant snowfall, and claimed 300+ days of sunshine (we haven’t counted, but that seems...

Among Giants: Climbing and Packrafting the Alaska Range

“No!” I groan, a wince breaking across my face. I’m in the middle of a swiftly flowing river, but my raft sits immobile as water rushes past me on both sides...

Bikepacking Mongolia’s Khangai Mountains

“Do you think that rain is coming our way?” We pedal under the bright sun, constantly glancing nervously over our shoulders as if being chased by a predator...

A Guide to Peru's Ausangate Trek

Peru’s Ausangate Trek is epic, and we aren’t throwing that term around lightly. The region is loaded with glacier-capped peaks that reach over 20,000 feet in elevation, yet despite good infrastructure...

A Guide to the Grand Canyon’s Escalante Route

Adventure in the Grand Canyon is most often associated with rafting the Colorado River. But while there’s much to be seen from the canyon floor, the vast and undulating walls of The Big Ditch hold...

On Location: El Chaltén

We wake at 6am to the faint jingle of Lorna’s watch muffled by her sleeping bag. My body creaks as I pull my sore arms from my sides, grab my headlamp, and light the JetBoil that I had carefully placed outside our tent the night before...

Trekking Mongolia's Altai Mountains

Don’t undo your bootlaces until you have seen the river. As we sit in dusty, windswept Ulgii, one of Mongolia’s westernmost cities, and await our delayed flight back to the capital city of Ulaanbaatar...

New Zealand's Ball Pass Crossing

I wake at the crack of dawn. Only the faint outline of Aoraki/Mount Cook is visible from my bunk, but its sheer volume is enough to pull me from my sleeping bag. I eagerly nudge Brian awake and we tiptoe outside...

10 Great Day Hikes from Seattle

From the peaks of the Cascades, across the coastal rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula, to towering volcanoes like Mt. Rainier, hiking Washington’s diverse landscapes...

Best Ski Resorts in Colorado

Among Giants: Climbing and Packrafting the Alaska Range

“No!” I groan, a wince breaking across my face. I’m in the middle of a swiftly flowing river, but my raft sits immobile as water rushes past me on both sides...