Christy Sports – Backcountry Accessories
How to Choose Backcountry Accessories
More and more skiers and riders are leaving crowded resorts and heading into the backcountry to chase fresh tracks in fresh snow. As you prepare for your backcountry skiing trip, it’s important to know that you are equipped with the right tools and knowledge. There are several options for backcountry gear and accessories, so we’ve put together a guide to help you determine which ones are right for you.
Ski Touring Bindings
Purpose of touring bindings:
- Allow the heel to release for uphill travel, then lock down for downhill skiing.
- Enable efficient movement uphill or across flats when paired with touring boots and climbing skins.
Types of touring bindings:
Tech/Pin bindings (e.g., Dynafit Ridge):
- Extremely lightweight; ideal for backcountry-only use.
- Prioritize uphill efficiency and easy transitions.
- Sacrifice some downhill performance and safety features.
50/50 or Hybrid bindings (e.g., Salomon Shift, Marker Duke PT):
- Combine touring capability with traditional downhill performance.
- Heavier and more complex than tech bindings.
- Great for skiers wanting one setup for both resort and backcountry use.
Climbing Skins
- Essential for ascending uphill in the backcountry.
- Made from mohair, nylon, or blends for optimal grip and glide.
- Attach to ski bases using clips and adhesive.
- Allow skis to slide forward but prevent backward slipping.
- Available in generic sizes that can be trimmed to fit any ski.
- Some backcountry skis and splitboards come with precut, model-specific skins.
- Skin cutting services available at most Christy Sports locations.
Splitboards
- Designed for backcountry snowboarding.
- Split into two halves for uphill travel with climbing skins attached.
- Reassemble into a standard snowboard for downhill riding.
- Require splitboard-specific bindings that switch between climb and ride modes.
Backpacks
Essential for carrying gear, layers, food, and water.
Purpose-built ski packs offer:
- Avalanche gear compartments for quick access.
- Goggle pockets, ski-carry straps, and helmet carriers.
Choose a pack with enough capacity for your needs.
Airbag backpacks add safety in avalanche terrain by helping riders stay on top of debris. Airbags don’t guarantee survival but provide an extra layer of protection.
Avalanche Shovels
Avalanche shovel: essential gear for all winter backcountry travelers.
Made from lightweight aluminum and collapsible for easy packing.
Used for:
- Rescue situations (moving snow quickly).
- Digging snow pits to assess conditions.
- Building backcountry jumps for fun.
Blade size options:
- Larger blades: move more snow but are heavier and less packable.
- Smaller blades: lighter, more compact, and easier to handle—especially for smaller users.
Beacons
- Avalanche beacon: critical safety device for locating buried skiers or riders.
- All modern three-antenna beacons use the same frequency and are cross-compatible.
- Higher-end models offer extra features for professionals (e.g., patrollers, guides).
- All models include the essential send/receive function for rescue use.
- Most important: learn and practice how to use your beacon before heading into the backcountry.
- Take an avalanche safety course and regularly practice beacon searches.
LEARN MORE ABOUT BACKCOUNTRY SAFETY
Local avalanche centers are the best resource to accurately detect your local avalanche conditions. All the regions where we operate are served by local avalanche forecasting organizations. We recommend exploring their resources for the most up to date conditions and warnings for your location.
We highly encourage EVERYONE to seek the proper education, guidance, and gear before adventuring into the backcountry. If you have questions or need guidance, call your local store for more information.
LEARN MORE FROM THE COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER
LEARN MORE FROM THE UTAH AVALANCHE CENTER
LEARN MORE FROM THE NORTHWEST AVALANCHE CENTER
LEARN MORE FROM THE TAOS AVALANCHE CENTER
LEARN MORE FROM THE GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER
