ENDORPHIN | a ski film by Manon Loschi

Brand overview and significance

Anon is Burton Snowboards’ dedicated optics and protection brand, created in 2001 to give the Burton team and everyday riders a line of goggles and helmets as progressive as their boards and bindings. Originally launched under the name Anon Optics, the brand was built around the idea of “anonymous” style that puts performance and a clean aesthetic ahead of loud branding. From that foundation, Anon has grown into a global player in snow goggles, helmets and face protection for both snowboarders and skiers, with distribution wherever Burton has a footprint.

Based out of Burlington, Vermont alongside Burton’s headquarters, Anon mixes rider-driven design with in-house engineering. The brand is best known for three pillars: Magna-Tech magnetic lens-change systems, MFI (Magnetic Facemask Integration) that snaps masks to goggles, and modern high-contrast optics (Perceive lenses, and previously Sonar by ZEISS in many models). On the helmet side, Anon integrates advanced impact technologies such as WaveCel and MIPS with BOA fit systems, building protection that sits comfortably and interfaces cleanly with its goggles.

Within the skipowd.tv ecosystem, Anon occupies the “tech-forward yet rider-oriented” lane. You see the logo on snowboarders lapping park, on freeskiers filming POV in storm conditions, and on families cruising groomers at big destinations like Whistler-Blackcomb. The combination of quick lens changes, face-mask integration and strong helmet tech has made Anon a go-to choice for riders who want practical innovation they can feel on every run.

Product lines and key technologies

Anon’s product range revolves around three core categories: goggles, helmets and MFI face protection, with a smaller selection of sunglasses and softgoods rounding things out. Goggles are organized largely into the “M Series” and related women’s-specific counterparts. At the top of the line, models like the M4 and M5 offer toric or cylindrical lenses with huge fields of view, Magna-Tech magnetic lens-change systems and Perceive optics. Mid-range models such as the M3, M2, Sync and Nesa bring similar technology into slightly more compact packages, while WM1, WM3 and other women’s designs tailor fit and styling without dropping performance.

Magna-Tech is one of Anon’s signature features. Instead of clips or rails, the lens attaches to the frame using an array of powerful magnets, creating a secure seal that you can still peel off and swap in seconds, even with gloves on. On many models, goggles ship with a second lens so riders can quickly change from bright-sun coverage to a storm lens when the weather flips. Perceive lens technology, introduced across the modern range, uses carefully tuned tints to boost contrast and terrain definition in different light bands, backed by hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings plus strong anti-fog treatments to minimize smudges and condensation.

Helmets are built around a modular technology menu. Lines such as the Oslo WaveCel and other Anon helmets combine in-mold or hybrid shell constructions with impact systems like WaveCel or MIPS. WaveCel adds a collapsible, cell-like liner between shell and head to manage rotational and linear forces, while MIPS uses a low-friction layer to allow slight movement between helmet and head during an oblique impact. Many models add BOA dials for micro-adjustable fit, passive and active venting systems and fleece or audio-compatible ear pads. MFI balaclavas, hoods and facemasks then complete the system, using hidden magnets to snap directly to the lower edge of compatible goggles for gapless coverage.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

The “ride feel” of Anon is about what you see, what you don’t feel and how quickly you can adapt. On snow, Perceive lenses give a crisp, high-contrast view that makes ruts, wind lips and micro-transitions easier to read, especially in flat light. Toric lenses on top-end models such as the M4 balance vertical and horizontal curvature to offer a natural, wide field of view with minimal distortion, while classic cylindrical options keep a low-profile look with excellent peripheral vision. When light changes, Magna-Tech lens swaps mean you can pull into a lift line, pop the lens off, drop a new one on and be ready to drop again in seconds.

For riders who spend long days in cold, wet conditions, MFI is one of the biggest quality-of-life upgrades. Magnets along the lower frame of the goggle and in compatible face masks or hoods let you snap your mask into place without stuffing fabric under the frame or fighting with fog-prone tucks. On storm days in trees, windy traverses or chairlift rides in sub-zero temps, that secure seal keeps warm air in and drafts out while helping the goggle’s venting and anti-fog system do its job.

Anon’s helmets are tuned for the same all-conditions use. WaveCel or MIPS-equipped lids with BOA fit systems feel snug and stable whether you are carving early-morning corduroy, dropping sidecountry cliffs or taking repeated hits in the park. Vent layouts strike a balance between warmth and breathability, letting you stay comfortable on long gondola rides and hot bootpacks alike. Overall, Anon is pitched at riders who want a clean, somewhat understated look with very functional tech: park riders who change lenses often, freeriders who live in bad weather, and committed resort skiers and snowboarders who want a set-and-forget helmet–goggle combo for every day of the season.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Anon’s credibility has always been intertwined with Burton’s team. From the beginning, the brand was created to meet the demands of Burton’s top riders, and that continues today with a roster that includes high-level freestyle and freeride snowboarders. Coverage from snowboard media highlights Anon team riders such as Bode Merrill, jib legend Jeremy Jones and Belgian contest rider Seppe Smits, among others, which means the goggles and helmets show up everywhere from urban rail missions to World Snowboard Tour events.

Because Burton is deeply embedded in the Olympic and X Games scene, Anon products are often seen in those environments as well, even when the focus is on boards or outerwear. Reviewers from independent gear outlets and magazines regularly include Anon models in “best goggle” and “best helmet” roundups, praising the ease of Magna-Tech lens swaps, the comfort of MFI face protection and the optical quality of Perceive lenses. Toric M4 setups, in particular, are often singled out as smartly designed top-tier goggles with one of the most intuitive lens-change systems available.

Among riders and shop staff, Anon has a reputation for blending snowboard-led style with genuinely functional innovations. It is seen as especially strong for people who ride a lot in variable conditions, who value integration between helmet, goggle and facemask, and who like their gear to feel refined without being overly flashy or logo-heavy. That positioning has helped the brand cross over from pure snowboard culture into freeskiing, where many skiers appreciate the same combination of clear vision, fast adjustments and solid protection.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Anon’s geographic story is tied directly to Burton’s. Design, product management and much of the brand’s creative work happen in and around Burlington, Vermont, with testing grounds in the Eastern US, the Rockies and major global destinations. Riders and staff log days in Vermont resorts, in the bigger Western ranges and across Europe and Japan, putting goggles and helmets through maritime storms, dry continental cold and every kind of mixed-precipitation day in between.

On the hill, Anon is common in North American freestyle hubs and big resorts where Burton already has strong roots. You’ll see MFI hoods and Magna-Tech goggles on film crews and content creators lapping the parks and freeride terrain at places like Whistler-Blackcomb, Vail, Mammoth, Laax or Avoriaz, as well as in countless regional hills where local riders build rail setups and side hits all season long. In Europe, the brand has grown a solid presence in the Alps through retailers and Burton flagships, and in Japan it has become a natural choice for riders chasing storms in Hokkaidō or the Nagano region.

For the skipowd.tv audience, that global spread matters because it reflects how content is made today. The same Anon M4 goggle that a rider uses for a street shoot on the East Coast might show up in a BC pillow line or a Japanese tree run later in the season. The brand’s hubs are less about one factory town and more about a traveling network of parks, streets and freeride zones where the gear is constantly being ridden, filmed and refined.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

On the construction side, Anon goggles use impact-resistant, injection-moulded lenses paired with flexible yet robust frames. The Magna-Tech magnet arrays are embedded to keep a strong lens-to-frame seal even during slams, while still being easy to separate by hand. Perceive lenses incorporate multi-layer mirror and contrast-boosting tech with durable anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings, and vents are positioned to manage airflow without creating cold spots on the face. Many models are OTG-compatible, shaped to sit over prescription glasses without pinching.

Anon helmets combine lightweight shell designs (in-mold or hybrid) with EPS foam liners and, on select models, WaveCel or MIPS systems to better manage complex, real-world impacts. BOA fit systems offer micro-adjustment around the head, while removable ear pads and liners make it easier to adapt warmth and hygiene over multiple seasons. The brand’s hardware is built for day-in, day-out resort use: it is designed to handle repeated on-and-off cycles, travel, minor knocks in lift lines and occasional heavy crashes without quickly degrading in function.

When it comes to sustainability, Anon benefits from being part of the broader Burton group, which has ambitious climate and materials targets and holds B Corp certification. Burton has committed to science-based emissions reductions, expanded use of preferred and recycled materials, and packaging that is recyclable or compostable, along with programs focused on durability and repair to keep products in use longer. Those group-level initiatives influence how Anon products are designed, sourced and shipped. For riders, that means choosing Anon is not just about performance tech; it is also about supporting a brand family that is steadily tightening its environmental and social standards across everything from factories to packaging.

How to choose within the lineup

Choosing Anon goggles starts with face shape, helmet pairing and how often you ride in changing conditions. If you value maximum field of view and want the most advanced feature mix, the M4 and M5 families are the logical place to look. Toric-lens versions give the widest, most natural view, while cylindrical variants keep a more classic, lower-profile look. Riders who prefer a slightly smaller frame or a lower price point can look at M3, M2 or Sync models, and women who want a refined fit in shorter frame sizes often gravitate toward WM1 or WM3.

For lenses, think in terms of light categories rather than just color. Perceive tints are offered for bright sun, mixed conditions and low light; having at least two lenses that cover opposite ends of that spectrum makes the most of Magna-Tech. If you often ride in storms, prioritise a lighter, contrast-heavy lens for cloudy or snowy days and reserve a darker mirror for bluebird. If you frequently wear a mask or balaclava, make sure your chosen goggle features MFI and decide whether you want a simple facemask or a full hood for deep winter.

Helmet choice depends on whether you prioritize maximum impact tech, weight or simplicity. Riders who want top-tier protection and ride a lot in consequential terrain may lean toward WaveCel or MIPS-equipped models with BOA fit systems and good vent control. Park and resort riders who spend more time on groomers and rails might opt for slightly simpler shells that are lighter on the head but still certified and well-ventilated. Always check the helmet–goggle interface: pairing Anon helmets and goggles is usually the easiest route to a gap-free, comfortable fit, especially if you plan to use MFI masks.

Why riders care

Riders care about Anon because it turns genuinely useful ideas into everyday tools without overcomplicating the experience on snow. Magna-Tech lens changes, MFI face protection and WaveCel or MIPS helmets are not just spec-sheet buzzwords; they show up in the form of clearer vision in bad light, quicker transitions when the weather changes and warmer, safer laps when the wind is howling across the ridge. For busy resort days, storm-chasing road trips and late-season park laps, that practicality can make the difference between cutting the day short and staying out for “just one more run.”

For the skipowd.tv community, Anon sits at the intersection of snowboard heritage and all-mountain reality. It comes from the same Burlington culture that helped shape modern snowboarding, yet its products are used just as much by skiers who value sharp optics and smart integration. Whether you are filming in the park, threading trees on a whiteout day or teaching friends on their first turns, an Anon setup is designed to disappear into the background while doing three vital jobs: keep your head protected, keep your face warm and keep the snow in front of you as clear and readable as possible.

Brand overview and significance

GORE-TEX is not a ski brand in the traditional sense of making skis or boots. Instead, it is the world’s best-known waterproof and breathable fabric technology, developed by W. L. Gore & Associates and used by many of the outerwear brands that skiers trust most. Since the late 1970s, jackets, pants, gloves and even boots “made with GORE-TEX” have helped define what modern technical ski apparel feels like on the mountain. For resort skiers, backcountry riders and professional guides alike, GORE-TEX membranes are often the benchmark that other waterproof fabrics are compared against.

The core idea is simple: keep liquid water out while letting sweat vapour escape. In practice, that balance is difficult to achieve, especially in cold, stormy conditions that involve wet snow, strong wind and constant movement. GORE-TEX membranes are engineered to block snow and wind at the microscopic level while remaining breathable enough for skintracks, park laps and long traverses. That performance, combined with the brand’s long-running “GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY” promise, has given GORE-TEX an outsized role in ski culture despite being an ingredient rather than a standalone apparel label.

Today, GORE-TEX is embedded across the ski landscape: freeride shells from brands like Peak Performance, storm-ready kits from Quiksilver, technical mountaineering pieces from Mammut, and many other partners in Europe, North America and Japan. For skiers browsing racks or webshops, the small GORE-TEX logo on a sleeve or cuff has become shorthand for a certain level of weather protection and durability that justifies long seasons of use.

Product lines and key technologies

At the heart of GORE-TEX apparel is a thin, microporous membrane originally made from expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). This material contains billions of tiny pores per square centimetre—small enough to stop liquid water droplets but large enough for water vapour from sweat to pass through. The membrane is bonded to face and backer fabrics to create multi-layer laminates, then finished with a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment and fully taped seams. The result is a fabric system that is waterproof, windproof and breathable when built correctly into a garment.

Over time, the brand has developed several distinct product families. Classic GORE-TEX fabrics are designed for all-round weather protection in ski and outdoor use and are available in two-layer and three-layer constructions. GORE-TEX Pro is the more robust, professional-grade option, aimed at mountain guides, ski patrollers and riders who spend a high number of days in harsh terrain; it prioritises maximum durability, abrasion resistance and long-term waterproofness. GORE-TEX Active focuses on high-output activities, trimming weight and maximising breathability for touring, ski mountaineering and mixed aerobic use. GORE-TEX Infinium, by contrast, sits in a comfort and weather-resistant space; many Infinium products are windproof and highly breathable but not fully waterproof, making them better as midlayers, softshells or everyday pieces.

The brand is also transitioning its consumer fabrics toward a new expanded polyethylene (ePE) membrane platform and partnering with mills to use DWR finishes that avoid fluorinated compounds of environmental concern. On the ski shop floor, most of these technical details show up on hangtags: labels such as “GORE-TEX Pro 3L” or “GORE-TEX Active” give practical clues about the balance between ruggedness, weight and breathability. For deeper dives into the technology story, skiers can explore the official GORE-TEX website at gore-tex.com and its snowsports pages at gore-tex.com/activity/skiing-and-snowboarding.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

On snow, the “ride feel” of GORE-TEX is about comfort and predictability rather than a single dramatic trait. In heavy, wet storms at coastal resorts or places with maritime snowpacks, a well-built GORE-TEX shell tends to stay dry on the inside even as outer fabric darkens with moisture. That is valuable for skiers who ride chairlifts all day in sideways snow, lap exposed ridgelines or film in storm cycles, because it reduces chilling from wet midlayers and cuts wind to nearly zero.

For all-mountain resort skiers, a two-layer GORE-TEX jacket with light synthetic insulation offers a straightforward solution: it keeps wind and precipitation out while providing enough warmth for lift days in the Rockies, the Alps or Scandinavia. Freeride and big-mountain skiers often step into three-layer GORE-TEX or GORE-TEX Pro shells, which feel lighter, less bulky and more responsive when moving aggressively in variable snow. The fabrics are typically quiet enough for filming and soft enough to move with the body, yet crisp enough to slide along rock, ice and dense snow without snagging easily.

Ski tourers and ski mountaineers gravitate toward pieces that use GORE-TEX Active or lighter GORE-TEX Pro laminates. The goal here is to manage sweat on long climbs while staying protected when weather turns mid-route. In places like Laax, Whistler-Blackcomb or the high Alps, it is common to see touring packs loaded with a GORE-TEX shell for summit pushes even when the skintrack starts in calm conditions lower down. Park and slopestyle riders, meanwhile, tend to favour slightly looser, more durable GORE-TEX two-layer kits that combine storm protection with enough freedom of movement for rails and jumps.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Because GORE-TEX is a fabric technology rather than a consumer-facing ski apparel brand, its presence in competition is mostly indirect. Athletes appear under the banners of their outerwear sponsors, but many of those sponsors quietly build their jackets and pants around GORE-TEX membranes. World Cup racers warming up at the start, Freeride World Tour competitors waiting on exposed ridgelines, and backcountry film crews chasing lines for days at a time all commonly rely on GORE-TEX-based shells from their chosen brands.

Beyond pure competition, the GORE-TEX name shows up in ski mountaineering, guiding and expedition contexts. Mountain guides, avalanche professionals and patrollers in North America and Europe often adopt GORE-TEX Pro shells because of their repeatable waterproofness and rugged construction. The brand has long-standing relationships with partner labels that dress national teams, rescue organisations and alpine clubs, allowing the technology to be tested under some of the harshest weather and usage patterns in snow sports.

Among skiers, the reputation of GORE-TEX is built less on marketing claims and more on accumulated experience. Many riders can recall specific storm days where a GORE-TEX jacket kept them dry long after cheaper shells had wetted out, or multi-year periods where a pair of GORE-TEX pants survived hundreds of lift rides, tree scrapes and boot buckles. That history has created a sense of default trust: when a skier cannot afford to gamble on their outerwear, choosing a GORE-TEX kit is often the conservative, low-risk decision.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

W. L. Gore & Associates was founded in the United States and maintains research, development and testing sites in both North America and Europe. GORE-TEX fabrics are validated in specialised labs that simulate driving rain, wind and abrasion, but they are also refined through field testing with partner brands, guides and athletes across major mountain regions. That includes the Alps, the Scandinavian ranges, the Pyrenees, the North American Rockies and the storm-prone Pacific Northwest.

For skiers, this global spread matters because GORE-TEX garments are tuned for very different climates and snowpacks. Pieces designed with Central European resorts in mind might emphasise lift-accessed storms, icy chairlift rides and mixed rain-snow events at lower elevations. Kits aimed at the Canadian Coast Mountains or Japan might double down on continuous, heavy snowfall and wetter maritime snow. Touring-focused collections for drier continental climates tend to prioritise lighter face fabrics, high breathability and long side vents, trusting colder temperatures to help manage moisture in the snowpack itself.

On the hill, that variety translates into GORE-TEX shells and pants appearing across every kind of venue, from beginner-friendly local hills to destination resorts and remote heli-ski lodges. It is rare to walk through a base area on a storm day without seeing multiple different brands all carrying the same small GORE-TEX diamond logo somewhere on the sleeve, leg or glove cuff.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Most ski outerwear made with GORE-TEX uses either a two-layer or three-layer construction. Two-layer garments bond the membrane to an outer fabric but leave a separate hanging liner inside; this approach is common in insulated jackets and pants because it creates space for synthetic or down fill. Three-layer pieces bond the membrane between a rugged face fabric and a protective backer, creating a single, thinner laminate that is lighter and more packable. For skiers, the key differences show up in feel and durability: three-layer shells are usually more abrasion-resistant and less prone to soaking up water, while two-layer pieces can feel softer and warmer but may be heavier.

Durability is one of the reasons GORE-TEX has stayed so prominent in ski outerwear. High-denier face fabrics, robust seam tape and carefully designed patterns help garments withstand years of chairlift edges, pack straps and tree branches. Many partner brands pair this intrinsic toughness with repair services or patch kits, extending the usable life of a jacket or pant beyond what most generic waterproof-breathable fabrics can handle.

At the same time, the chemistry behind traditional fluoropolymer-based membranes and DWR treatments has raised environmental concerns, especially around certain persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In response, GORE-TEX has been shifting its consumer fabrics away from specific problematic compounds and toward new membrane chemistries such as ePE, paired with DWR finishes that avoid fluorinated substances of concern. For skiers who care about impact, it is worth checking product descriptions for PFC-free water repellents, recycled face fabrics and bluesign or similar certifications. While GORE-TEX is not the only route to lower-impact outerwear, its scale means that incremental improvements can ripple across a large portion of the ski apparel market.

How to choose within the lineup

Choosing between different GORE-TEX options starts with an honest look at where and how you ski. If most of your days are lift-served at a local hill with moderate snowfall, a two-layer GORE-TEX jacket with light insulation and a matching pair of pants will easily handle storms, wind and chopped snow while keeping your layering system simple. Riders who spend serious time in wet coastal climates or who rack up 40 to 60 days per season might prefer uninsulated three-layer GORE-TEX or GORE-TEX Pro shells; these let you tune warmth with midlayers while maintaining high storm protection and robustness.

Backcountry skiers and ski mountaineers should pay close attention to fabric weight and venting. Garments using lighter GORE-TEX Pro or GORE-TEX Active laminates, with long pit zips or thigh vents, will manage heat more effectively on skintracks while still acting as a reliable barrier when the weather turns. Features such as helmet-compatible hoods, harness- and backpack-friendly pocket layouts, and reinforced cuffs matter more once you start spending long days in complex terrain.

Budget is another factor. GORE-TEX Pro is typically the most expensive option but delivers the longest potential lifespan under hard use. Standard GORE-TEX two-layer shells sit in the middle of the price range and are often the best value for everyday skiers. GORE-TEX Infinium products, while not fully waterproof, can be excellent complements for dry cold days, travel and layering around the resort. Whatever you choose, reading hangtags and product pages carefully will make the differences in technology and intent much clearer.

Why riders care

Riders care about GORE-TEX because it reduces uncertainty on the mountain. When you step into a GORE-TEX shell, you can reasonably expect it to keep you dry through prolonged storms, block wind on exposed ridges and survive seasons of abrasion without sudden failure. That reliability lets skiers focus on line choice, progression and safety rather than wondering whether their jacket will soak through on the next lift ride.

Beyond pure performance, GORE-TEX has become part of the shared language of skiing. Friends recommending gear, shop staff talking through options and athletes describing their setups all routinely refer to “GORE-TEX shells” as a category in itself. Even as new waterproof technologies and alternative membranes appear, the GORE-TEX name remains a reference point for what storm-ready outerwear should do. For skipowd.tv viewers comparing kits across different videos and sponsors, understanding GORE-TEX means understanding one of the key ingredients behind the jackets, pants and gloves that keep modern freeskiing moving in real winter weather.

Brand overview and significance

K2 is one of skiing’s foundational manufacturers, born in Washington State in 1962 and long associated with pioneering fiberglass construction, playful shapes, and a culture that flows easily between racing heritage, freeride, and park. Today the brand designs from the Pacific Northwest with an innovation hub in Seattle, and fields a full ecosystem—skis across piste, all-mountain, freeride, freestyle, and touring; boots ranging from three-piece freestyle shells to BOA®-equipped all-mountain and hybrid-touring models; plus poles and skins. On Skipowd, our curated hub for K2 groups the brand’s stories, edits, and rider projects in one place for quick reference.

K2’s significance is breadth plus personality: it can carve with precision on hard snow, feel loose and energetic in the park, and stay composed at big-mountain speeds. The brand also helped organize product for women earlier than most—with a focused program in the late 1990s—and maintains a visible athlete roster across World Cup slopestyle, the Freeride World Tour, and film-driven freeride. For skiers who want modern shapes backed by a deep bench of engineering and rider input, K2 remains a first-call option.

Product lines and key technologies

K2’s freeride core is the Mindbender family, which uses two distinct constructions to tune feel and power: Titanal Y-Beam in the Ti variants for edge hold and high-speed stability, and Spectral Braid (variable-angle fiber layups) in the carbon-labeled models for a lighter, more maneuverable ride. The Reckoner series handles the playful, surf/skate side of resort freeride and backcountry booters; these skis lean on Carbon Boost Braid working with K2’s long-running Triaxial Braid to add pop without a harsh ride. For competition-grade freestyle, the Omen Team succeeds K2’s long-standing park benchmark with a durable sidewall, reinforced edges and bases, and a shape designed for predictable speed and takeoffs. On piste, the Disruption line focuses on carve precision and damping; Dark Matter Damping (a high-modulus carbon sandwich with a polymer damper) is strategically placed near the edges to reduce chatter and keep the edge quiet when the snow turns firm.

Touring is covered by the Wayback collection, which pairs low mass with downhill-first intent. Snowphobic topsheets shed buildup on the skintrack, while Titanal Touring laminates and rocker profiles keep performance intact when the fall line steepens. Boots span three main experiences: the FL3X three-piece shells (Revolve/Method) for progressive-flex freestyle feel; Mindbender hybrid boots with walk modes for freeride/touring crossover; and all-mountain platforms like Recon and BFC, many offered with the BOA® Fit System for micro-adjustable wrap and easier instep management—useful on cold mornings and long days. The overall message is consistent: pick your terrain and preferred feel, and there’s a K2 chassis tuned for that job.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

If you spend your time off-piste and want power with security, Mindbender Ti models deliver a planted platform that stays calm through cut-up snow and steep chalk. Lighter skiers or those who prefer a more agile feel often gravitate to the carbon-braided Mindbenders for quicker edge-to-edge moves and easier pivoting in trees. Resort freeriders who butter rollers, hunt wind lips, and bounce between park and pow will feel at home on Reckoner shapes, which favor a lively tail and easy release. Dedicated park riders will appreciate the Omen Team’s stable platform on jump lanes, along with materials and sidewall treatments that hold up to rail seasons and night-lap repetition.

On groomers, Disruption skis reward clean inputs with strong edge hold and a damp, confidence-building ride—helpful in early-morning corduroy, late-day hardpack, or when you’re working on higher-edge-angle carve drills. For long approaches and big days on skins, Wayback models keep weight down without feeling nervous on firm exits, so you can prioritize line choice instead of babying the ski. Boot selection mirrors this spread: choose a three-piece FL3X for presses and playful park riding, a Mindbender-style hybrid if you want a real walk mode for sidecountry gates and tours, or a Recon/BFC BOA® shell if all-day resort comfort and quick, even forefoot wrap are your priorities.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

K2’s team spans film and contest worlds, which is why you’ll see the brand equally in backcountry segments and at slope and big-air venues. Recent seasons have featured riders such as Sam Kuch in the film sphere and champions like Max Hitzig on big-mountain stages, plus strong freestyle representation from names including Maggie Voisin, Joss Christensen, and Colby Stevenson. The point isn’t a single podium; it’s a pipeline of feedback that loops quickly into shapes, layups, and durability choices. That ecosystem keeps K2 visible at the Freeride World Tour, in X Games windows, and in indie and marquee film projects—all of which helps the skis feel “vetted” before they hit public demo fleets.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

K2’s design and prototyping live in the Pacific Northwest, and the brand’s daily testing culture reflects that terrain: coastal storms, variable snowpacks, and quick switches from groomers to glades. You’ll spot K2 teams and friends lapping summer lanes on Mt. Hood, stacking mileage on early-season hardpack across the West, and filming through deep storm cycles in British Columbia. Whistler-side build quality and big-line speed reads have shaped many of the freeride design choices; the hub at Whistler-Blackcomb remains a reliable proving ground for mixed conditions and long days. Historically, the brand’s origin story traces to Washington state, and that Pacific Northwest DNA—damp, powerful, composed—still shows up in the skis’ personalities.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Under the topsheets, K2 combines wood cores with directional braids and metal laminates to tune energy and damping without pushing weight out of range for daily use. Spectral Braid adjusts fiber angle by zone to blend bite and looseness where you need each; Carbon Boost Braid adds snap along ski length for pop off features; and Titanal Y-Beam or I-Beam plates reinforce underfoot and into the edges for edge hold that doesn’t feel dead. Disruption’s Dark Matter Damping targets the chatter you notice most—right at the edge—so you can stay committed on scratchy mornings. Touring models pack in snow-shedding topsheets and Titanal Touring laminates to keep downhill performance intact despite low mass.

On the responsibility side, K2 publishes sustainability commitments (materials choices, packaging changes, and energy steps) and has begun integrating natural-fiber reinforcements such as flax in select constructions where it improves tracking and suspension. The boots program adds practical longevity—heat-moldable liners and shells, serviceable hardware, and outsole standards that play nicely with modern bindings—so keeping gear alive for multiple seasons is simpler. While no ski is immortal, K2’s bias toward robust sidewalls, proven edge stock, and glovably repairable bits shows up clearly after a season of laps.

How to choose within the lineup

Match terrain first, then pick your feel. If you want a do-everything freeride tool for big resort days, start with Mindbender: choose the Ti build if you prioritize top-end stability and hard-snow grip, or the carbon-braided build if you want a slightly easier, more forgiving ride that still holds on edge. If your resort days mix side hits, trees, and park with surprise storms, try Reckoner at the width that fits your home mountain; you’ll gain a looser, more playful tail without losing all-mountain ability. If you live in the park or plan to stack jump and rail reps, Omen Team is the contest-capable chassis built to last through a season of impacts and edge work. For groomer carving and high-edge-angle practice, Disruption models offer the edge-quiet assurance that makes progress feel easier.

Tourers and sidecountry riders should look at Wayback widths that suit their snowpack: ~89–98 mm for long approaches and mixed conditions; wider for mid-winter powder zones. Boots follow the same logic: FL3X for freestyle flex and shock absorption; hybrid walk-mode boots when your days include gates and skins; BOA® wraps when fit precision and even pressure are the priority (especially for high-volume feet or tricky insteps). Finally, if you’re between sizes or constructions, demo in the conditions you ski most; K2’s shapes are sensitive to length choice, and one size up or down can change personality more than you expect.

Why riders care

Riders care about K2 because the skis feel sorted where it matters—edge hold when it’s firm, looseness when you want to smear or butter, and confidence when you point it. The brand backs that up with a real team presence, a Seattle-based design engine that prototypes quickly, and hard-won material choices that balance energy with composure. Whether your winter is groomers and drills, storm-day trees, park laps under lights, or dawn-to-dusk tours, K2 offers clear options that map to each use-case without mystery. Add a track record that runs from Washington-state fiberglass experiments to modern freeride and slopestyle podiums, and you get a label that’s earned its place in most skiers’ shortlists—and often on their feet.

Brand overview and significance

Marker is one of skiing’s defining binding makers, founded in 1952 by Bavarian engineer Hannes Marker and built around a single idea: reliable, predictable release that lets skiers push harder with confidence. From the first safety-release concepts to modern freeride and touring solutions, Marker has been at the center of how power is transmitted to the ski—and how that power lets go when it should. The brand’s heritage is German alpine engineering; its imprint is global, visible on World Cup courses, the Freeride World Tour, and in everyday resort lines across the world.

Modern Marker covers the spectrum: resort carvers and park skiers rely on the “Royal Family” of alpine bindings; freeriders and hybrid tourers choose convertible or tech-based systems; gram counters head for minimalist pin bindings; junior and rental fleets run dialed versions for lighter or progressing skiers. The through-line is consistent mechanics and elastic travel tuned for real snow, making Marker a benchmark for skiers who value both retention and a clean, timely release.

Product lines and key technologies

Royal Family (resort/alpine): Squire (lightweight, lower DIN), Griffon (the all-mountain workhorse), and Jester (higher DIN, metal-reinforced) are the bindings most skiers recognize on lifts and in park lanes. Shared DNA includes a gliding AFD (anti-friction device) under the toe for reliable lateral release, wide mounting patterns to spread forces, and toe/heel architectures tuned for elasticity: Triple Pivot Light/Elite toes and Hollow Linkage or Inter Pivot heels keep the ride solid yet progressive. These bindings accept modern boot soles (alpine and GripWalk) and are offered in brake widths to match common ski sizes.

Race: Xcomp and WC-focused platforms emphasize torsional stiffness, razor-quick power transfer, and controlled elasticity so edge hold doesn’t chatter away on injected surfaces. Plates and interfaces are designed to reduce vibration, drive strong pressure into the shovel, and keep the ski tracking through ruts at speed.

Hybrid freeride/touring: Duke PT is Marker's convertible solution for skiers who split days between lifts and skins. The toe transforms: in “Hike” mode, a lightweight tech toe engages pin inserts for efficient uphill travel; in “Ride” mode, the alpine toe locks down for full-resort performance. Underfoot frames and heel pieces borrow from the Royal Family feel, so downhill behavior is familiar.

Freeride touring: Kingpin blends a tech toe with a powerful downhill-oriented heel, aimed at riders who want real touring efficiency without giving up jump landings, straight-line composure, or tracked-snow bite. M-Werks editions trim weight with premium materials while preserving the stout underfoot feel that freeriders expect.

Fast-and-light touring: Alpinist targets minimal weight and clean ergonomics for long approaches and technical objectives. Adjustable vertical and lateral release, practical riser heights, and simple, secure crampon interfaces make it a dependable tool when efficiency matters as much as turn quality.

Junior & systems: Marker rounds out the line with junior DIN ranges, demo/rental systems, and integrated-binding skis. The focus is the same: predictable release values, durable hardware, and interfaces that keep the ski flex natural.

Platform features you’ll see across the range: Sole compatibility for alpine and GripWalk boots; a range of DIN offerings that correctly match skier weight/ability; wide, low-stack interfaces for leverage on today’s broader skis; and serviceable parts (AFDs, brakes, heel tracks) so a binding can live multiple seasons with proper care.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

If you’re a daily resort skier who mixes groomers, trees, bumps, and side hits, the Griffon sits in the sweet spot: ample elasticity for hard landings and afternoon chop, with crisp step-in and consistent release. Park and pipe skiers who need predictable take-off/landing behavior often choose Griffon or Jester for the stronger heel feel and durability; lighter riders gravitate to Squire for the same mechanics in a friendlier package. Big-mountain skiers who duck gates or tour for steeps will appreciate Duke PT’s downhill authority with real uphill function, while Kingpin caters to freeriders who prioritize a tech toe’s efficiency without accepting a nervous descent. When objectives demand long skin tracks and precise ski control at minimal weight, Alpinist is the logical move.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Marker’s credibility is earned on timing sheets and in film parts. World Cup racers lean on the race program’s edge fidelity and measured elasticity; freeride athletes trust Royal Family heels and toes to absorb hits without pre-release in rough landings. Across the Freeride World Tour and major film projects, you’ll see Marker under skiers who value retention at speed and a consistent, toe-side release when falls get complex. That visibility matters to everyday skiers because it compresses development cycles—feedback from contest venues and filming windows flows quickly into toe springs, heel kinematics, and AFD materials.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Marker’s roots are in the Bavarian Alps—founded in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and engineered with the kind of repeatable, variable conditions that the region delivers all winter. The brand’s European footprint keeps testing loops close to high-mileage venues in Austria, Germany, and Italy, from early-season glacier surfaces to mid-winter storm cycles and spring hardpack. In North America, teams and partner brands put mileage on Royal Family and touring platforms at big, mixed-snow resorts and on classic touring corridors, ensuring behavior translates across continents.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Marker bindings feel “sorted” because the mechanics are: gliding AFDs that stay smooth under pressure; toe designs with purposeful ramp and spring curves; heels that emphasize vertical elasticity and controlled return so skis track instead of chattering. Materials vary by intent—composites for weight savings in Squire, metal reinforcement and magnesium hardware in Jester and race platforms, carbon-enhanced parts in M-Werks editions—but the goal is the same: keep mass where it adds strength and longevity, trim it where it doesn’t.

Durability is as much layout as material. Wide heel tracks resist slop over time; protected AFDs reduce contamination; brake arms are shaped to avoid hang-ups on modern sidewalls. Proper mounting and periodic service (checking forward pressure, toe height/AFD contact, and brake alignment) extend life and preserve release accuracy. While details differ by region, a clear, published warranty and the availability of service parts signal the brand’s intent for long, multi-season use—a sustainability win that matters more than any single material swap.

How to choose within the lineup

1) Start with where you ski. Mostly lift-served? Pick from Squire (lighter riders or lower DIN) → Griffon (most advanced/all-mountain skiers) → Jester (heavier or more aggressive riders, higher DIN). Racing gates or carving hard on ice? Look at Xcomp and race plates for the highest edge fidelity.

2) Decide if you’ll tour. Want “real” resort performance and occasional skins? Duke PT converts between pin-toe touring and full alpine toes. Want tech-toe efficiency with strong downhill manners? Choose Kingpin (or its lighter M-Werks sibling). Counting grams or linking big traverses? Alpinist is the minimalist pick.

3) Match DIN honestly. Use weight, ability, and style to land in the correct DIN range. Higher is not “better”—it’s just stiffer. Properly set bindings release when they should and hold when they must. If in doubt, consult a shop and bring your boots so toe height/AFD and forward pressure can be set correctly.

4) Size your brakes right. Aim for a brake width that matches your ski waist or sits just a few millimeters wider; avoid arms that flare far beyond the edge (hang-ups) or sit narrower than the sidecut (drag/lockups).

5) Consider soles and standards. If you swap boots, choose models that accept both alpine and GripWalk soles. Confirm compatibility before mounting, especially for mixed touring/resort setups.

Why riders care

Bindings are the most invisible part of your setup—until they aren’t. Marker’s value is making retention and release feel predictable so you can focus on line choice, edge angles, and speed. From Squire to Jester, Duke PT to Kingpin and Alpinist, the catalog maps cleanly to how skiers actually ride: park laps, storm-day chop, spring chutes, and big traverses. Add a long history of engineering around real snow and a present-day athlete pipeline that keeps the mechanics honest, and you get a brand that earns trust on the chair, in the start gate, and halfway down a no-fall zone.

Brand overview and significance

Mountain Hardwear is an American technical outdoor brand built around the idea of “equipment-grade” apparel for the harshest environments. Founded in 1993 in California by a group of designers who left a more mainstream outdoor label, the company set out to build gear that would not compromise for mass-market trends. Within a decade, its bold logo and distinctive nut-tool emblem were showing up on high camps, storm-battered ridges and big faces across the world’s major ranges. Since 2003 Mountain Hardwear has been a subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear, but it continues to operate as a focused performance brand designing premium clothing and equipment for climbers, alpinists, ski mountaineers and serious backcountry skiers.

From the start, Mountain Hardwear differentiated itself with purpose-built expedition pieces. The Absolute Zero™ down suit, developed with high-altitude legend Ed Viesturs, and the Subzero™ down jacket family became fixtures on 8,000-metre peaks and polar missions, proving that the brand could deliver warmth, durability and weather protection at the highest level. Over time, that expertise filtered into ski-focused shells, insulated jackets, bibs and midlayers aimed at riders who treat resort boundaries as starting points rather than limits.

Today, Mountain Hardwear’s outerwear is a familiar sight on storm days in North America and Europe: long-cut shells in lift lines, expedition parkas on bootpacks, technical bibs on sled-access missions. The brand supports a modern roster of freeride and backcountry athletes whose lines appear on skipowd.tv—riders who thread couloirs above Idaho, hammer Little Cottonwood storm cycles, or film segments in big-mountain hubs like Chamonix. For the skipowd.tv audience, Mountain Hardwear sits in the same conversation as other core “mountain-first” labels: less about fashion, more about trust when the forecast turns ugly.

Product lines and key technologies

Mountain Hardwear’s line is built around three main pillars relevant to skiers: shells, insulation and midlayers, with sleeping bags and tents extending the brand’s mountain credentials. Within shells, you will find everything from freeride-ready GORE-TEX bibs and jackets built for storm cycles to lighter, highly breathable tour-oriented pieces. Many of the flagship shells use three-layer waterproof-breathable fabrics with fully taped seams, helmet-compatible hoods, pit zips and pocket layouts designed to work with packs and harnesses.

On the insulation side, the brand runs a dual strategy of high-fill-power down and advanced synthetic fills. Expedition pieces and deep-winter belay parkas use responsibly sourced, high-loft down protected by down-proof, often recycled shell fabrics and box-wall baffle constructions to minimize cold spots. Synthetic lines deploy Mountain Hardwear’s own insulation concepts and partner technologies to deliver warmth that keeps performing in wet, heavy snow—important for riders who live in maritime climates or who sweat a lot on approaches. Classic names like the Subzero™ and Absolute Zero™ series sit at the extreme end of the range, while more versatile insulated jackets and pants are tuned for resort and backcountry use.

Midlayers and fleeces fill in the system with breathable, quick-drying pieces that stack cleanly under shells. From air-permeable grid fleeces to stretch-woven softshells and lightly insulated hybrid layers, these pieces are designed to move moisture away from the body without adding unnecessary bulk. Across categories, Mountain Hardwear focuses on mountain-specific details: harness-friendly hemlines, large chest pockets you can access while wearing a pack, glove-friendly zipper pulls, articulated patterning and fabrics stiff enough to handle ski edges and rock, but supple enough for comfortable skinning or booting.

For skiers building a complete kit, the practical takeaway is that Mountain Hardwear tends to think in systems. Shells, insulation and midlayers are designed to interlock, so you can wear a lean touring kit in spring and a full-blown fortress in midwinter without changing brands or fit philosophy.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

On snow, Mountain Hardwear’s “ride feel” comes down to stability, protection and a slightly more technical, structured cut. Jackets tend to be long enough to seal out blower powder and spindrift, with drop hems that keep harnesses and hip belts from pulling them up. Patterns are articulated so that you can reach for a high pole plant, swing an axe or tweak out a grab without the jacket fighting back, but the overall impression is still of gear that is built for serious weather rather than casual strolls.

Freeride and big-mountain skiers who spend many days each season in heavy snow, wind and spindrift—think storm laps at places like Steamboat or long traverses between gullies in Little Cottonwood—are the natural core audience. For these riders, hardshells with durable face fabrics, big hoods and robust zippers matter more than featherweight minimalism. Mountain Hardwear’s bibs and pants, often cut high in the torso with generous vents, are particularly attractive to skiers who end up wallowing in deep snow on the regular.

At the same time, the brand’s lighter shells and breathable midlayers work well for human-powered ski touring, volcano missions and spring couloir seasons where you spend more time moving uphill than riding lifts. These pieces trade a bit of the fortress feeling for reduced weight and improved moisture transport, making them a good match for skiers who rack up vert in the backcountry but still want a genuine safety margin when a squall rolls in on the ridge.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Mountain Hardwear’s athlete story began with high-altitude climbing—most famously with Ed Viesturs, who used and helped develop gear during his quest to climb all fourteen 8,000-metre peaks without supplemental oxygen. Over three decades the roster has expanded to include alpinists, big-wall climbers, ski mountaineers and freeride skiers. Modern ambassadors include backcountry and big-mountain riders who feature prominently in contemporary ski films and on the freeride competition circuit, and whose edits appear throughout the skipowd.tv catalog.

These athletes test gear on everything from guided Himalayan expeditions and technical faces in the Alps to deep-storm freeride zones in North America. Their feedback shapes how garments breathe on the skintrack, shed snow when wallowing in a couloir, and survive repeated contact with rock, ice and ski edges. For example, the expedition heritage behind the Absolute Zero™ suit translates directly into freeride parkas with reinforced shoulders and hoods designed to stay put in high winds, while insights from avalanche professionals influence pocket placement, beacon carry options and RECCO integration on select models.

Within the broader outdoor community, Mountain Hardwear’s reputation is that of a “serious mountain” brand: gear that may not chase the trendiest colours each season, but consistently delivers in bad weather. In recent years the company has also invested in a refreshed identity and storytelling aimed at younger, more diverse mountain communities—supporting film projects, creative collectives and clinics that highlight athletes and photographers who have historically been underrepresented in outdoor media. That mix of long-standing technical credibility and cultural evolution makes the brand increasingly visible in modern freeride and ski-touring circles.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Mountain Hardwear is based in Richmond, California, with design and product teams that look out toward the Sierra Nevada, Cascades and Rockies as natural test grounds. Classic objectives in these ranges—storm days at Tahoe, spring missions on Mount Shasta, mixed-conditions trips in the Pacific Northwest—have all influenced how the brand thinks about snow load, wet-weather performance and the need for gear that works as well in a windy parking lot as it does on a high ridge.

Beyond the western US, the brand’s apparel and equipment are routinely used on major international expeditions. Versions of the Absolute Zero™ suit and high-altitude parkas have been worn on Everest, in the Karakoram and across other 8,000-metre theatres, where failures are counted in frostbite and forced retreats rather than inconvenience. That trickle-down from expedition hardware to everyday freeride outerwear is a core part of the brand’s identity.

In the ski world, you will see Mountain Hardwear kits in many of the same places where skipowd.tv cameras are pointed: freeride venues in the Tetons and Wasatch, road-trip zones in interior British Columbia, and big-mountain training grounds in the Alps such as Breckenridge–style high-elevation resorts and the steeper couloir networks around Chamonix. For riders watching videos and then stepping into similar terrain, it is reassuring to know that the outerwear in those clips is built with those exact conditions in mind.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Mountain Hardwear builds its apparel with a “no-nonsense” construction approach honed on expeditions. Technical shells typically use three-layer waterproof-breathable laminates with robust face fabrics, full seam taping and reinforced zones at shoulders, cuffs and lower legs. Patterning is body-mapped, with articulated elbows and knees, gussets for unrestricted movement and carefully placed seams that avoid high-wear areas where pack straps or harnesses sit. Zippers, drawcords and snaps are chosen for glove-friendly operation and long-term reliability in freezing conditions.

Insulated pieces combine high-fill-power down or advanced synthetics with baffling schemes designed to balance warmth, compressibility and durability. Expedition parkas use box-wall or offset baffles to minimize cold spots, while lighter ski and touring jackets may rely on zoned insulation that increases warmth around the core while reducing bulk in sleeves and underarm areas. Many garments use durable water-repellent (DWR) finishes and lining materials that slide easily over midlayers, reducing friction when you are throwing jackets on or off during fast transitions.

On the sustainability front, Mountain Hardwear has been steadily increasing the share of recycled and bluesign-approved materials in its line, moving toward PFC-free water-repellency and refining its supply chain in step with parent company Columbia’s broader environmental commitments. The brand also engages directly with environmental and access-focused organizations, and has been recognized by initiatives such as Leave No Trace for its corporate support. Community programs like photo clinics and mentorship projects aim to open space for new voices in mountain storytelling, linking environmental responsibility with representation and culture rather than treating sustainability as a purely technical checkbox.

How to choose within the lineup

Choosing the right Mountain Hardwear setup starts by clarifying where you ski and how much time you spend earning your turns. If your winters are dominated by lift-served freeride laps, storm-day tree runs and sidecountry bootpacks, prioritize durable three-layer shells and bibs built with heavier face fabrics and strong reinforcement. Look for jackets with big, structured hoods, ample storage for gloves and snacks, and vents that you can operate on a windy chairlift. Pair them with insulated midlayers sized to fit comfortably underneath without bunching at the shoulders or hem.

If you spend a lot of time ski touring, you may want a lighter shell that still offers real storm protection but trims weight and bulk. Combine that with breathable fleeces or active-insulation midlayers that you can move in all day without constantly swapping pieces in and out of your pack. For riders chasing big objectives—multi-day traverses, spring couloir missions or high-altitude volcanoes—expedition-level parkas and heavier down midlayers become more relevant, especially for long, cold belays or nights in exposed camps.

Pay attention to fit and layering strategy. Mountain Hardwear garments tend to have a technical, slightly athletic cut: roomy enough for layers and movement, but not baggy in the way of pure park fashion. When in doubt between two sizes, consider the thickness of your preferred midlayers and whether you are more often skinning with the shell open or locked down in lift-accessed storm skiing. Finally, think in terms of systems rather than one-off pieces: a well-chosen shell, insulated jacket and midlayer from the same design language often perform better together than a random mix, especially in terms of hood compatibility, hem lengths and cuff designs.

Why riders care

Riders care about Mountain Hardwear because it brings expedition-level thinking to the everyday realities of skiing and riding. The same design discipline that put Absolute Zero™ suits on the world’s highest peaks shows up in freeride shells that simply do not flinch when the wind is howling across a ridge or when you are breaking trail chest-deep to a remote line. For skiers and snowboarders who treat winter as a full-time season rather than a handful of holiday days, that kind of reliability becomes less a luxury and more a baseline requirement.

For the skipowd.tv community, Mountain Hardwear represents a gear choice that lines up with the footage on screen: athletes and crews out in real weather, stacking days in the same kit, trusting that their outerwear will not be the weak link when a trip, a film segment or a big objective is on the line. It is a brand for riders who are more impressed by a jacket that survives years of storms than by one that perfectly matches this year’s lift-line aesthetic—and who understand that on truly good days, the best gear is the gear you forget you are wearing because it is doing its job so well.

Brand overview and significance

Red Bull is not a ski manufacturer—it is a global sports and media powerhouse whose fingerprints are everywhere modern freeskiing is progressing. From urban slopestyle through big-mountain showpieces, the brand has built formats, funded crews, amplified athletes, and staged some of the sport’s most recognizable events. Flagship properties such as Red Bull PlayStreets in Austria’s Bad Gastein (a city-center slopestyle through streets and rooftops), Red Bull Infinite Lines in Avoriaz (a creative all-mountain face contest), the backcountry-freestyle invitational Red Bull Linecatcher in Les Arcs, and legacy backcountry classic Red Bull Cold Rush in Revelstoke have shaped how skiers ride, film, and watch the sport. For a skipowd.tv audience, Red Bull matters because it turns ideas into venues and edits, underwrites athlete ambition, and packages ski culture for a worldwide stage without losing the on-snow feel that riders trust.

Product lines and key technologies

Red Bull’s “products” for skiing are event concepts, athlete programs, and media platforms rather than hardgoods. The event slate spans urban slopestyle (PlayStreets), natural-feature freeride/freestyle (Infinite Lines), big-mountain/backcountry multi-day formats (Cold Rush), and past backcountry-slopestyle hybrids (Linecatcher). Each format solves a specific problem: bring skiing to city streets and viewers up close; unshackle pros from traditional rulebooks and let style/line choice decide; or move cameras and athletes into consequential snow and light where filmed freeride actually happens. Production lives across Red Bull TV and the brand’s digital ecosystem, where multi-angle, follow-cam, and broadcast-grade edits land quickly while the weather window is still part of the story.

The “tech” here is operational: course building in tight towns, avalanche-aware venue management on alpine faces, robust communications to thread start gates through wind and light, and editorial pipelines that turn a bluebird window into a cut viewers can watch that same week. It is also access: Red Bull’s Content Pool and event hubs make highlights and athlete assets globally available, which helps skiers, resorts, and brands extend the lifespan of a session beyond premiere night.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

Red Bull’s ski footprint speaks most directly to park, street, and freeride skiers who care about progression as a lived, visible process. If your winter revolves around jib lines, creative slopestyle, or hunting natural airs on storm-cleaned faces, these events and films mirror the way you actually ride. PlayStreets reads like rope-tow nights and rail gardens elevated to town-square scale. Infinite Lines rewards the big-mountain skier who can link freestyle moves on a natural canvas. Cold Rush is the dream week for backcountry crews: steep, deep, and filmed as if the viewer were on the ridge with the athletes. For the all-mountain skier who just loves watching clean technique and line design, Red Bull’s edits are a library of how approach speed, pop timing, and landing management look when the stakes are real.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Red Bull’s credibility in skiing is two-fold: consistent delivery of high-end events, and a deep roster of athletes whose results and parts define eras. The brand’s freeski output routinely features X Games and Olympic medalists alongside backcountry icons, and it partners with resorts and park programs that can support both creativity and safety. Across seasons, the PlayStreets course has wound through Bad Gastein’s center while Infinite Lines carved a contest face above Avoriaz; Linecatcher’s Les Arcs iterations were a touchstone of the early-2010s backcountry-freestyle blend, and Cold Rush in British Columbia set a template for multi-discipline freeride showcases. Reputation-wise, riders and organizers value that these projects prioritize athlete voice and on-snow truth—courses are judged by speed, sight-lines, and how naturally features ask for tricks, not by a logo’s size on a bib.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Red Bull’s ski calendar threads iconic European and North American hubs. In Austria, Bad Gastein’s historic town center hosts PlayStreets on a custom urban slopestyle track; local context and visitor guidance live on the region’s official site at Gastein. In France, Avoriaz’s pedestrian, clifftop village and Portes du Soleil terrain provide the amphitheater for Infinite Lines; resort information sits at Avoriaz. Les Arcs’ high alpine bowl and access to natural takeoffs framed Linecatcher; see skipowd.tv’s guide to Les Arcs for a rider’s context. In Canada, Revelstoke’s long pitches and storm cycles made Cold Rush believable; for trip planning and big-mountain background, start with Revelstoke BC. Beyond marquee stops, athlete filming and media happen wherever snow and light cooperate—Verbier’s steep itineraries and freeride pedigree are a frequent touchpoint (see Verbier), and Andorra’s park culture often anchors jib-forward shoots (see Andorra).

Construction, durability, and sustainability

In a media/events context, “construction” means building venues that ski well and film well, then leaving a clean footprint. Urban tracks like PlayStreets demand woodworking, scaffolding, snow transport, and municipal logistics that still ride like a real slopestyle; mountain-face events need route setting, snow safety, and closure plans aligned with resort ops. Durability shows up as formats that return over years and edits that age well because the skiing is genuine. Sustainability is practical: align shoots with lift-served access where possible, compress travel around event clusters, use existing resort infrastructure, and collaborate with local crews who know wind, snowpack, and neighborhood rhythm. Transparency varies by project, but the pattern is visible on the ground—small teams when feasible, tight weather windows, and an emphasis on quality over quantity so each day on snow counts.

How to choose within the lineup

Viewers and skiers: Use Red Bull’s event pages and Red Bull TV to study how elite riders solve features you’ll encounter at home—approach angles on urban-style rails, speed checks on natural hips, or line choices on wind-buffed faces. For park focus, start with PlayStreets recaps to see creative transfers and compact lines. For all-mountain inspiration, explore Infinite Lines highlights and listen for how riders talk about sight-lines and landings on a contest face. If you’re a backcountry skier, rewatch Cold Rush/Linecatcher features to read how snow quality and light windows drive decision-making.

Resorts and destinations: If you’re developing a freestyle identity, study how Avoriaz, Bad Gastein, Les Arcs, and Revelstoke collaborate on venue design and community experience. Urban-adjacent formats can energize town centers between peak weeks; mountain-face contests can spotlight terrain character and safety professionalism. The litmus test is whether locals would want to lap the setup after the cameras leave.

Athletes and crews: Red Bull’s ecosystem rewards authored projects and credible on-snow execution. If you’re pitching, focus on ideas that translate to a venue people can ski, a cut people will replay, and a story that holds beyond a single drop. For logistics, think like a shaper: is the line safe at speed, can you film it cleanly, and does it fit the weather window you’re likely to get?

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Event pedigree aside, Red Bull’s athlete network is one reason its logo appears at the sport’s biggest moments. The roster touches slopestyle, big air, street, and freeride; many of the riders who headline X Games, World Cups, and film tours also star in Red Bull-backed specials and edits. That cross-pollination stabilizes the culture: contest athletes show their style beyond scores, while film riders step into structured formats without losing personality. For the public, that means a calendar where heavy clips, creative lines, and community jams are never far apart.

Why riders care

Because skiing advances when talent, terrain, and timing line up—and Red Bull is unusually effective at creating that alignment. The brand’s projects move the camera close without faking the ride, build courses that feel like the laps you want to take, and put skiers in positions where style and decision-making are visible. For park crews, that looks like rail gardens and transfers you can actually copy; for big-mountain skiers, it looks like line choices on faces that ride like your home range when a storm clears. For destinations, it’s a template for how to showcase character without turning the hill into a billboard. If your winter is measured in laps, lines, and the edits you queue up before first chair, Red Bull’s ski footprint is already part of your routine—and likely part of why the sport keeps finding new ways to be fun.

Brand overview and significance

Therm-ic is a specialist in heated and insulating gear for winter sports, best known among skiers and snowboarders for its heated insoles, socks, gloves and boot dryers. Born in the 1970s from the simple problem of frozen feet on ski days, the brand’s story begins with early experiments in heating ski boots and evolves into a complete ecosystem of portable warmth solutions. The company officially took shape in 1998, when its first heated insoles reached the market and quickly spread through ski shops and boot-fitting workshops.

From the beginning, Therm-ic positioned itself as an “ingredient” brand that works alongside major ski manufacturers and retailers rather than trying to compete with them. Its heating systems have been integrated into ski boots from big names and sold as add-ons through specialised bootfitters, giving the technology a strong presence wherever serious skiers gather. Over the years, the product range expanded from insoles to heated socks and gloves, insulating layers and compact boot dryers, all built around the same idea: keep extremities warm so riders can stay out longer and ski better.

Today, Therm-ic is part of the Sidas World group, a global player in foot comfort and bootfitting. The brand is based in Voiron in the French Alps, but its products are distributed widely, with dedicated sites and stores in markets such as Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Japan. Within the ski world, Therm-ic has carved out a clear niche: when riders talk about heated insoles or heated socks, Therm-ic is usually one of the first names mentioned, especially among guides, instructors and committed all-season skiers.

Product lines and key technologies

Therm-ic’s core business is portable heat for feet and hands. The flagship category is heated insoles, which combine thin heating elements with battery packs mounted on the outside of the boot or integrated into the insole system. These insoles are designed to slot into most ski boots and snowboard boots, either as flat kits that a bootfitter can customise or as full replacement footbeds pre-wired for heat. Alongside the classic heated models, the brand also offers insulating insoles that focus on thermal protection without electronics, giving a simpler option for riders who just need better baseline warmth.

Heated socks are the second major pillar. They use woven-in heating zones around the toes and forefoot, connected to compact batteries mounted at the top of the cuff. Different models target alpine skiing, touring and everyday winter use, with various thicknesses and blends to match performance-oriented boots or more relaxed fits. Heated gloves and mittens follow the same logic: strategically placed elements warm the fingers and backs of the hands, fed by rechargeable batteries with multiple power levels so users can balance heat output against runtime.

Beyond pure heating, Therm-ic also produces insulating clothing layers, neckwarmers, baselayers and a full range of dryers and warmers for boots, gloves and shoes. Many of the electronic products can be controlled by a dedicated smartphone application, allowing users to adjust levels and sometimes manage multiple devices from a single interface. Across the line, the emphasis is on targeted warmth, fine-tunable power settings and hardware that is compact enough to disappear into a normal ski-day setup.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

Therm-ic does not change the flex or sidecut of a ski, but it can transform how a day on snow feels. For resort skiers who regularly cut days short because of frozen toes, a pair of heated insoles or socks can extend comfortable riding time deep into cold, windy afternoons. Instead of constantly wiggling toes on the chairlift or heading indoors when the light gets good but the temperature drops, riders can keep attention on terrain, speed and line choice. That is especially important in all-mountain and freeride skiing, where precise foot pressure and balance matter on every turn.

For park and slopestyle skiers, the benefit is softer but still real. Athletes and film crews often spend long stretches standing still while features are shaped, cameras are set, or contest runs are delayed. Having reliable heat in boots and gloves keeps muscles more relaxed, reduces distraction and helps maintain confidence when it is finally time to drop. Coaches and instructors, who may spend more time waiting than skiing, often lean heavily on heated socks or gloves to stay functional through full days in the cold.

Backcountry and ski-touring users see Therm-ic gear as a risk-management and comfort tool. Long approaches, slow transitions and avalanche-safety work often mean gloved hands and booted feet are exposed while the rest of the body is generating less heat. Heated socks or gloves can help reduce the chilling effect of those pauses without forcing riders into overly bulky boots or mitts that would feel clumsy on the climb. For skiers with particularly sensitive circulation, targeted heating can be the difference between a multi-lap powder day and a single run followed by an early retreat.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Therm-ic is visible on the competitive scene both directly and indirectly. On the freeride side, the brand partners with major tours and supports a roster of athletes who tackle steep, technical venues in full winter conditions. In those settings, warm feet and hands are not a luxury but a safety factor: riders often wait long minutes on exposed starts before committing to high-stakes lines, and judges, guides and media crews share the same harsh elements. Having reliable heated gear in that environment is a quiet but important advantage.

At the same time, the brand’s “Therm-ic Inside” program embeds its technology into ski boots from leading manufacturers. When a ski boot ships with integrated heating or with pre-installed wiring ready for compatible batteries, there is a good chance that Therm-ic has been working behind the scenes with the boot brand. This integration has helped build a reputation among retailers and bootfitters; many view Therm-ic as a default solution when a customer asks for heating systems that can be trusted season after season.

Among everyday skiers, the reputation is rooted in word of mouth. Riders who have tried cheaper generic systems and experienced failures in the cold often switch to more established names for their next setup. Stories of insoles lasting multiple seasons, batteries surviving long trips, or gloves providing consistent heat in icy lifts build the perception that Therm-ic is a “buy once, cry once” option. It is not the cheapest path to warm feet, but it is widely seen as one of the least risky.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Therm-ic’s heritage is tightly linked to the European Alps. The brand’s base in Voiron places it close to major French ski areas and within easy reach of the wider Alpine arc. This proximity to resorts, touring zones and professional mountain communities has shaped the company’s understanding of cold: the gear is designed with real chairlift queues, storm days and multi-hour tours in mind rather than only controlled lab conditions.

Over time, the brand has expanded far beyond its original home terrain. Dedicated sites and distribution in markets such as Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Japan show how Therm-ic has followed skiers into different snow climates—from dry continental cold to humid coastal storms and deep mid-winter powder. Export networks built up over decades mean that its products now appear in bootfitting rooms, rental shops and specialist retailers in dozens of countries.

For riders, this global reach matters because it ensures that Therm-ic gear is tested and refined across a variety of real-world scenarios. Heated socks that work in damp, heavy snow at low altitude still need to perform on clear, ultra-cold days high in the mountains. Feedback from guides, patrollers and resort staff helps the brand adjust details like insulation levels, cable routing and battery ergonomics so that products feel natural in use, whether you are lapping a local hill or travelling to bigger destinations.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Most Therm-ic products combine textile, electronic and battery design in relatively compact packages. Heated insoles rely on ultra-thin, flexible heating elements laminated into the footbed so they do not create pressure points inside a ski boot. Heated socks use carefully placed zones in the knit structure, protecting cables and contact points from wear while allowing the sock to stretch and fit like a normal performance model. Gloves and mittens hide elements in the back of the hand and along the fingers, with insulation and linings chosen to spread warmth evenly without excessive bulk.

Durability is supported by robust cabling, reinforced connection points and housings that protect electronics from snow, moisture and impacts. Many of the batteries and chargers are cross-compatible across multiple products in the line, which makes it easier for committed users to maintain and replace components over time rather than discarding entire systems. The brand also highlights multi-year guarantees on many items, underlining a commitment to long-term use rather than disposable seasonal gadgets.

On the sustainability side, heated products always involve trade-offs: there are batteries, electronic components and synthetic fabrics involved. Therm-ic’s approach focuses on making those products last as long as possible, providing spare parts and promoting proper drying and storage via its dryers and accessories. For skiers who already invest in well-fitted boots and durable outerwear, adding a heating system that can serve multiple seasons and be transferred between boots can be more resource-efficient than constantly replacing cheaper, short-lived alternatives.

How to choose within the lineup

Choosing Therm-ic products starts with identifying which part of your body most often cuts your day short. If the main problem is cold toes in otherwise comfortable boots, heated insoles or heated socks are the logical first step. Insoles tend to be more invisible once installed, especially when paired with a bootfitter’s custom work, while socks can be easier to move between different boots and also help outside of skiing for winter hikes or everyday use.

Riders who spend long, static periods in the cold—such as instructors, coaches, race parents or park builders—often gain a lot from pairing heated socks with heated gloves or mittens. Keeping both hands and feet warm makes a big difference when you are standing still watching others ski. If your typical days are more active, a single heated element (usually socks or gloves) is often enough; you can always add other pieces later if you find yourself craving more comfort.

Other decisions revolve around thickness, battery options and control. Performance-oriented alpine boots may work best with thinner socks and flatter insoles to preserve fit, while roomier boots can comfortably accept thicker, more cushioned models. Some batteries are controlled directly on the pack with simple buttons, while others link to a smartphone app for finer adjustment. Thinking about how tech-heavy you want your setup to be—and how long you typically stay out in one session—will help you choose the right balance between power, features and price.

Why riders care

At its core, Therm-ic exists to remove a very specific barrier to good skiing: the moment when cold feet or hands force you off the hill even though your legs and motivation still feel strong. By putting controllable heat exactly where it is needed, the brand helps skiers of all levels stay out longer, enjoy challenging weather and focus on progressing rather than just surviving the cold. That is true for beginners learning snowploughs on a windy beginner slope, for dedicated all-mountain riders chasing storm days, and for professionals whose work and passion both live on snow.

Riders care about Therm-ic because it blends technical innovation with very practical outcomes. A lightweight heating element and a compact battery may not look glamorous in a product photo, but on a minus-ten-degree day with gusty wind, they can make the difference between another lap and a reluctant download in discomfort. For viewers on skipowd.tv watching long storm segments, urban night shoots or deep freeride faces, Therm-ic is one of the quiet enabling technologies in the background—the reason the crew can keep filming, hiking and riding even when winter turns fully on. That combination of comfort, reliability and real mountain credibility is what has earned the brand its place in modern ski culture.