{"id":10195,"count":7,"description":"Backcountry skis are designed for non-lift access skiing. Specifically, not at a ski resort or ski area but in the backcountry. They are also known as Alpine Touring or AT skis although those terms imply a specific style of ski binding, the popular AT binding. Backcountry skis could also have what\u2019s called a Telemark binding mounted on them.\r\n\r\nNevertheless, these skis are continually pushing the boundaries of up and downhill performance with new designs, materials and construction. Unlike traditional Alpine skis where weight is not an issue and performance dominates, backcountry skis are constantly concerned with being light weight so that the uphill efficiency is not significantly compromised. Backcountry skis range from five to nine pounds (per pair) in weight. Any skis above nine pounds are just heavier than is necessary. Exceptions may include if you just have to have a certain pair of skis with you and it\u2019s worth the effort to haul that extra weight up the hill. Odds are you are in your early 20\u2019s or some sort of masochist. The reality is, just about any kind of binding can be put on any kind of ski.\r\n\r\nBecause of this constant drive to reduce weight several materials are fairly common in backcountry ski construction, namely carbon and polownia wood as both offer up impressive structural qualities while not weighing much. The reduction of ski mass is also an easy way to reduce weight and both G3\u2019s FINDr and Volkl\u2019s 100Eight skis integrate a center ridge down the ski with substantially less material near the edges. G3 calls this FLYRIDE PLUS construction while Volkl has termed it their 3D.Ridge construction. While these similar design philosophies are effective at reducing weight it\u2019s Black Diamond\u2019s Helio 105 skis that are actually the lightest skis tested by nearly half a pound.\r\n\r\nThe holy grail of backcountry skis is the perfect combination of light weight and high performance. While there are far lighter skis on the market than the ones highlighted here, they run the risk of sacrificing performance, something that becomes quite evident on icy or hard packed conditions. While this type of snow is not typical for backcountry skiing, it is encountered and will immediately let you know that the ski is suited more for the climb up than the ski down.\r\n\r\nThe optimum balance for a backcountry ski is one which can be light, yet stable while still being versatile enough to conquer mountains and crush resort laps.","link":"https:\/\/gearinstitute.com\/ski-snow\/skis\/backcountry-skis\/","name":"Backcountry Skis","slug":"backcountry-skis","taxonomy":"category","parent":3288,"meta":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Best Backcountry Skis | Reviews and Buying Advice | Gear Institute<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our experts extensively field-tested the best Backcountry Skis of the year and rated the best based on transparent, objective criteria. 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