The Finest Backcountry Skis of 2023

Backcountry skiing helps you leave behind lift lines, crowds, and boundaries to interact with the mountains on an intimate level. With that freedom comes ongoing avalanche safety and backcountry education plus many choices about the gear that will get you there. Few other mountain sports require more performance and reliability out of gear than a remote backcountry ski tour.

The best backcountry skis are the ones that match your backcountry ski priorities and style. If you want to speed to the top, buy a ski that’s light. If you’re all about the downhill, prepare to pay a weight penalty on the ascent for freeride performance when you’re carving down the mountain.

As with any ski, buy a length that matches your ability and a width that matches the snow conditions. Hone in on what fits and what matters, visit your local ski shop, educate yourself on backcountry safety, and get ready for some serious fun.

As we continuously test backcountry skis, we bestow awards on the ones that stand out as favorites but that doesn’t make the others listed below any lesser models. Here is our latest roundup of the best backcountry skis.

To learn more, be sure to check out our comprehensive buyer’s guide, FAQ, and comparison chart below.

Otherwise, scroll through to see all of our recommended buys or jump to the category you’re looking for:

The Best Backcountry Skis of 2023

Best of the Rest

Backcountry Skis Comparison Chart

Why You Should Trust Us

Our GearJunkie gear testing team includes a range of skiers from intermediate to experts and professional guides who have spent decades exploring the backcountry and sidecountry across the United States — from the West to East Coast and around the Rocky Mountains.

Among our lead testers, Kaylee Walden is a mountain guide, avalanche educator, and writer based primarily in Southwest Colorado, where she backcountry skis from her front door. Walden spends upwards of 120 days per year on snow, guiding everything from sidecountry skiing in Colorado, to plane-accessed base camp ski expeditions in the Alaska Range and mountaineering ascents of Denali.

Another lead tester, industry veteran, and Vermont-based outdoor journalist Berne Broudy, who has been a writer for nearly 25 years, and is a former professional hiking and bike tour guide.

We’ve put these backcountry skis through the wringer. From glades to steeps, couloirs to low-angle meadows, powder to sastrugi, breakable crust to corn, the Rockies to the Alps and everything in between, we’ve tested these skis to help you make the decision of what to put beneath your feet this upcoming winter. Skis are like snowflakes: No two are the same, which makes finding the right ski both a daunting and exciting process.

These off-piste skis have joined us on sled-accessed high-alpine tube missions, uphill workout sprints, and remote hut tours. Our testers also travel around the U.S. and overseas — including the Italian and French Alps — hike in-bounds at ski resorts, and pursue skimo races.

While testing for the best backcountry skis, we assessed a range of factors including each design’s stiffness, maneuverability, and playfulness as well as the ski’s energy, damping, chatter, weight, shape, edge hold, and turn initiation. The size, width, base, and edge tune also influence how a ski performs. We considered what type of skier and conditions are best for each ski.

We tested skis in a range of snow conditions affected by ice-cold temperatures, blizzards, blustery wind, intense sun, rain, and (of course) powder. Really deep powder.

Beyond our field tests and personal experience, we considered the most popular, innovative, award-winning, and bestselling backcountry skis on the market as well as a broad range of price points and applications to serve a range of skiers.

Avalanche Safety Education

Seek out the proper avalanche safety education before you head into the backcountry. Head out with partners that share your risk tolerance and goals, and seek out experienced mentors. Be sure to carry the proper rescue equipment for each mission and know how to use it well.

Where to start: Sign up for courses that are accredited by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), American Avalanche Institute (AAI), or the American Avalanche Association (A3), which are several of the most credible, historic organizations in the United States that provide standardized backcountry education courses. It’s easiest to choose one organization to complete multiple courses with than to transfer as your education progresses.

The mountains are a beautiful and inherently dangerous place — the hazards of backcountry skiing should not be taken lightly.

Choosing the right skis is a small piece of a large, complex puzzle – as many of you already know, especially if you’ve been out there playing the game.

Backcountry Skis: A Buyer’s Guide

Let your daily goals inform the backcountry ski that you choose.

Alex Quitiquit, senior hardgoods buyer at Backcountry, said, “The first thing a skier needs to do is determine what type of skiing you want to do with the skis you’re buying, which will help you wade through confusing attributes like rocker and turn radius, and find a pair to meet your needs.”

Backcountry skiers must decide if their biggest priority is the uphill, the downhill, or both. If you’re mostly after first tracks, look for something a bit wider to maximize float in powder. A heavier ski will also glide through variable snow and grip on the ice better, but it will likely be slower on the uphill.

If you’re all about fitness or ease on the uphill, a lightweight ski will help you move fast and rack up vertical gain while keeping your legs fresher, but it may not be as stable or fun on the descent. Just remember, you usually sacrifice a bit of uphill or downhill capability depending on your priorities. That said, there are certainly skis that are great “quiver killers.” We cover all of those options in this guide.

Ski Length

Once you know what’s important to you, figure out your ski length. The right ski length depends on your height, weight, and ability.

A 5’10″ 180-pound male should consider a length around 180 cm for a resort-focused freeride powder ski. If you’re a hard-charging expert, you may opt for a ski closer to 190 cm. If you’re a beginner/intermediate, you may opt for a ski in the 170 cm range.

For a newer skier, shorter skis are more fun and manageable because they’re more nimble and easier to turn. Some backcountry tree skiers also prefer shorter skis because they’re more nimble turning.

Waist Width

A ski for arcing groomer turns will have a waist of 80-90 mm. So, most backcountry skiers opt for something wider and more versatile.

Skis with 90-105 mm waist width will have good float in soft snow. They’re best for skiers who spend half their time on more consolidated snow and half their time in soft snow.

Choose a ski with a 105-120 mm waist for powder. If your standard conditions are 6-12 inches of fresh powder, alpine fat skis will give you maximum float.

Opt for a waist above 120, and you’re firmly into the big-mountain powder category for special days when you’ll be skiing 2 feet or more of fresh snow. “Over 120 waist is a dream-day quiver ski,” said Quitiquit. “Don’t expect to take it out all the time.”

Turn Radius

Then, it’s time to consider a ski’s other characteristics and how those match your preferences. A ski’s turn radius is based on the sidecut of a ski: the shape of the curve along either side of its length.

To some degree, all skis have an hourglass shape, but the radius of these curves has a crucial effect on steering, speed, and stability.

Skis that are much wider at the tip and tail than at the waist will have a shorter turning radius. A shorter turning radius is great for quick and nimble movements in the trees and moguls. Anything less than 16 m can be considered a short turning radius.

If you like to carve super-G turns, pick a turn radius over 20 m. If you like to make tight turns, look for a turn radius of 15 m or below. A shorter turn radius will be easier to ski if you’re a beginner or intermediate.

Quitiquit said that the sweet spot for a turn radius is 17-19 m.

Rocker and Camber

These describe the profile of the ski when you’re looking at it from the side. A fully rockered ski will have a shape like a banana and a surfy feel on the snow.

Add camber, which looks like a bow underfoot, and it gives the ski potential energy that you can engage when you pressure into a turn. A cambered ski will let you carve, and it will make quick turns.

Most all-mountain and backcountry skis use a blend of rocker and camber so skiers can have the best of both worlds. Rocker and camber together make a ski easier to turn. A ski with a rocker in the tip and tail won’t get hooked up in chunky snow or deep snow. The upturn allows the ski to float through powder and it offers a more playful, less aggressive feel.

Many skis have a rocker-camber-rocker profile, which makes them good carving and easy turning. Some also have a flat tail, which gives the ski a racier profile for carving longer and more powerful turns without washing out.

Materials

Quitiquit said, “Honing in on materials is the fun part of deciding which ski is your best ski.” Most skis have a wood core, usually beech, poplar, or aspen. Add metal to the construction, and the ski gains bite underfoot, which is key to carving in hardpacked and icy conditions, but it gets notably heavier.

Carbon, whether it’s used as a sheet or in strips called “stringers,” is stiff and light. In a lot of backcountry-focused skis, it’s used as a lighter alternative to metal with a less aggressive feel. Stiff and light carbon gives a ski grip and saves you energy, but it can be more chattery than metal in hard snow.

Quitiquit said that a lot of skiers don’t worry about turn radius and rocker profile once they’ve settled on length and width. For a lot of skiers, how the ski looks trumps some of the finer points of how it skis because the human body is adaptable, and you’ll find your rhythm once you’re on it.

While it’s important to understand what you’re getting, it’s also key to be stoked on your new skis. So, pick the one you’ll be proud of. Because as a Jackson Hole-based ski buyer once told us, “When you look good, you ski good.”

We go more into how the materials fit together in a ski below.

Parts of a Ski

High-quality backcountry skis are complex tools that pack lots of technology into a streamlined package. The physical construction of your skis will define your experience using them.

The parts of a ski that have the most significant effect on performance are the core, laminates, sidewalls, and base.

Core and Laminates

The core of a ski is the innermost material and partly determines a ski’s flex and shape. Most backcountry skis feature a wood core made from poplar, aspen, beech, or a combination.

Manufacturers tend to use thinner materials in areas where the ski should be able to flex and thicker materials where the ski needs to be rigid. Around the core, metal and carbon fiber laminates may be added to boost or reduce characteristics such as pop, rigidity, and dampness as needed.

Sidewalls

Sidewalls cover the outer edges of a ski. Generally, sidewalls are made from dense plastic that protects the sides of the precious core layers. In some skis, the top sheet layer may be extended to conceal the edge and serve as the sidewall.

Base

A ski’s base is the surface that comes in direct contact with the snow. There are two kinds of bases: extruded and sintered.

Generally, extruded bases are found on beginner skis due to their low maintenance requirements. Most backcountry skis feature sintered bases. Though this kind of base requires frequent waxing and general maintenance, they’re the best option for consistent long-term performance.

Boot and Binding Compatibility

In order to get the most out of your time in the backcountry, it’s important to carefully select boots and bindings that are a good match for your skis and skillset.

Backcountry Ski Boots

It’s crucial to match your boots to the performance profile of your skis. A soft and flimsy boot paired with a stiff and aggressive ski will diminish the performance potential of both.

Of the many individual pieces of gear in your touring kit, your boots will have the greatest impact on physical comfort. Like skis, touring boots come with strengths and weaknesses.

If you plan to prioritize downhill ability, you’ll likely want well-built and stiff boots that can handle high speed and hard-charging. As a result, downhill-oriented boots are often heavy and offer a limited range of motion while hiking uphill.

If you plan to prioritize uphill efficiency and comfort, you’ll want a relatively lightweight boot that feels dexterous and nimble while in walk mode.

Backcountry Ski Bindings

As for backcountry ski bindings, there are two basic types: tech bindings and frame bindings.

Tech Bindings

Tech bindings are lighter, more efficient, and generally considered to be the gold standard for backcountry skiing.

Very light skis will pair best with a tech binding, which is binding with pins that insert into tech fittings in an alpine touring boot.

The design has a release value but isn’t DIN-certified. And they don’t have as much elastic retention as a hybrid or alpine binding. So, if you hit a bump hard, they’re more likely to release.

While skinning uphill, tech bindings are as good as it gets. The only minor downside of tech bindings is that heavy in-bounds skiing on firm surfaces will wear them out quickly.

Don’t tackle an in-bounds mogul field in tech bindings.

Frame (Hybrid) Bindings

Frame bindings, also called hybrid bindings, are very much like traditional alpine ski bindings, except they’re mounted on a frame that releases at the heel for uphill travel. Compared to tech bindings, frame bindings are heavy, cumbersome, and less efficient while skinning.

However, if you plan to bounce back and forth between backcountry skiing and resort skiing or sidecountry laps, frame bindings may provide the best of both worlds.

A hybrid binding will ski more like an alpine binding. Hybrid bindings have an alpine heel and toe for descents. For ascending, they usually also have tech pins. They’ve heavier, and they’re DIN-certified for predictable release.

Frame bindings are also typically affordable.

Don’t Shy Away From Small Brands

“It’s cool to support the little guy. Every brand is making great skis, and some of the independent brands not only have a cool and interesting look but the construction that can compete with the biggest and best-known brands, which is why more and more people are buying them,” said Quitiquit.

FAQ