Backcountry skiing opens a world of winter exploration. From experiencing familiar, close-to-home terrain in a new way to dropping into steep, wild lines well above treeline, the term “backcountry” encompasses all kinds of adventures. Defined by self-sufficiency, backcountry skiing is any kind of skiing where you travel through natural terrain (i.e., not at a resort) powered by your own efforts (i.e., skinning uphill rather than riding a chairlift). The equipment required for this activity has evolved over many years, becoming lighter, more streamlined, and easier to use.

The biggest thing that separates backcountry skiing from downhill skiing is the boots and bindings required to easily swap between ascending and descending. But this article is about skis, not bindings or boots, and we’re going to talk about the nuances that define our current line of backcountry skis and how to settle on the best one for your needs. Below are a few questions to help guide your initial search for your next pair of planks.

WHAT TERRAIN DO YOU PLAN TO SKI?

It’s important to know what type of skiing you’ll be doing in your new skis. Are these your daily drivers for quick dawn patrol laps before work? Or are you planning a multi-day trip that involves many miles of skinning per day? Maybe you’re into big lines and need something that can rally steep couloirs. Your ski of choice should match the terrain.

A daily driver ski for Teton pass laps in the or trips up the Canyon can be a little on the heavier side, since you’re probably not spending all day out. You might want something fun and floaty for those powder days, like the Helio Carbon 108. For big lines and steep skiing, you’ll want something that is nimble, yet able to hold an edge in steep terrain like the Impluse Ti 98 or the Helio Carbon 95. If you’re looking for one ski to do it all—a quiver-killer—your best bet is a midwidth ski like the Helio Carbon 102.

WHAT IS YOUR SKI STYLE?

Are you into opening it up and ripping big turns? Or are you more commonly found in the trees where tight maneuvering is more important? This will dictate the length and composition of your new skis. A longer ski will generally be more challenging to turn, making it more ideal for big, open terrain and wide turns. A shorter ski length will be easier to maneuver in couloirs and dense trees. A ski with a short turn radius will make quicker turns on edge, while a ski with a long turn radius will make longer turns on edge.

Skis with a longer radius will feel more stable and composed at high speeds, whereas those with a shorter radius can start to feel a bit squirrely. The Helio Carbon 102 and 108s are our longest radius skis, while the Impulse Ti’s are on the shorter side. That said, thanks to their Titanal sheet and full ABS sidewalls, the Impulse Tis in both widths can hold an edge at high speeds and handle choppy conditions with ease.

WHAT KIND OF SNOW DO YOU PLAN TO SKI?

If you’ve spent time skiing in the backcountry, you’ll know that you don’t always get to choose what type of snow you’re going to ski. Ideally, we’d all be slashing pow every time we go out, but that’s just not realistic. Some regions get more snow than others, though, and some skiers will want a fully dedicated powder ski for deep days. Rockered skis that are wide underfoot float in deep snow and are ridiculously fun during a storm cycle. For this style, go for the Helio Carbon 108. If you’re into corn skiing or big lines in spring, the Helio Carbon 88 is a good choice. For a versatile ski that can do it all, the Helio Carbon 102 or the Impulse Ti 104 is the
ticket.

A FEW USEFUL DEFINITIONS

SIDECUT AND RADIUS

Sidecut is the curve created from the widest point on the tip of the ski to the widest point on the tail. This curve determines the radius of the ski. Skis with a short radius (12-15m) are suited for carving, medium radius skis (15-18m) are the most versatile for all-mountain skiing, and long radius (18-20+) are best for powder skiing and ripping wide turns in the big mountains.

CAMBER

Camber is the arc that the ski makes when lying flat. If you pay attention to this, you’ll see that the section of the ski underfoot naturally bends away from the ground and is flattened when weighted to come into contact with the snow and stabilize the turn.

ROCKER

Rocker is the visual opposite of camber, where the ski will turn up at the tip and tail. An extremely rockered ski makes for a floaty, surfy turning style and is especially fun in powder and deep snow.

TITANAL

You’ll notice that some of our skis, the Impulse Ti 98 and 104, are built with a “Titanal sheet” for added stiffness and stability. Titanal is an aluminum alloy often used to dampen the feel of a ski and improve stability. Because this means adding metal to the ski, you end up compromising weight.

CARBON

Carbon is also used to add stability, as it functions like metal, but is much lighter than Titanal. Skis with carbon layups, like the Helio Carbon series, combine carbon with a wood core to make them a little smoother and more playful.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Jackson is a writer and editor based in the Sierra Nevada. She loves granite and being in the mountains, and has spent most of her adult life obsessed with rock climbing in all of its forms.