By: evo | Last Updated: August 29th, 2023
Atmospheric rivers have you in a tizzy? Never fear, our 2024 Ski Gear Preview is here! And just like multiple feet of water-logged snow, next year’s gear is anything but boring. Eco-friendly materials, bold graphics, and even more touring options are hitting the market with fresh enthusiasm.
Brands continue to lean into eco-friendly constructions, with more products featuring recycled and sustainably sourced materials from the base to the core. (We're waiting patiently for the day when they stop wrapping skis in plastic all together.) BOA makes its transition from the snowboarding world with the introduction of BOA alpine ski boots. No more over-tightening those pesky toe buckles! For all you uphill fiends out there, the touring market just keeps growing. We’ve noticed a trend in new ultralight “freeride” bindings that pair minimalist tech fittings with durable materials and mechanisms for ease of use.
We’ve had the pleasure to get out on many of these products and can’t wait to share our thoughts. Make sure to check out our Field Tested Reviews if you’re hungry for more!
Blizzard launch into the 2023/2024 season with a full refresh of their men’s and women’s freeride collection. Rustler and Sheeva skis all receive a brand new construction called Fluxform, which is specially designed to overcome perceived shortcomings of the previous generation’s D.R.T. construction. Fluxform pushes the Titanal layer out to the edges, tapering towards the tip for easy float and turn initiation while maintaining consistent support and power at the tail. Look out for a smoother transition from camber to rocker, and an updated sidecut profile tuned for maximum versatility.
We had the opportunity to test the new skis on a bluebird day in Colorado, and came away impressed at the combination of speed, power, and agility. If you’re looking for a ski that feels every bit as planted as a Bonafide or Black Pearl but with a significantly more nimble and playful personality, the Rustlers / Sheevas should be perfect.
Among a sea of smaller changes, we’re stoked to see smaller breaks between sizes - 6 cm instead of 8 cm - and longer options for women, with the Sheeva line now available in a 180 cm.
Elsewhere, Blizzard update their frontside carving collection with new Trueblend Race Cores and an Active Carbon Armor laminate featuring recycled materials. Groomer zoomers rejoice!
Perhaps the biggest news out of Dalbello’s 2023/2024 lineup is the official retirement of their long standing Krypton/Chakra series, which is being replaced by their new Cabrio LV family. Although still built upon the same beloved 3-piece shell design, the Cabrio LV ski boots pick up where the Krypton and Chakra boots left off by catering to hard charging freeride skiers. Each boot in the Cabrio LV line comes with wrap-style liners and is headed up by the high-performance Cabrio LV 130, which has a 99mm last (vs the previously 98mm width) and is made from a new, fully recycled polyurethane shell material.
Another retirement story is announced for the more downhill-focused free touring Lupo boot series, which is being replaced by the new Cabrio LV Free line. Although they have a very similar form factor to the inbound-specific Cabrios, the Frees boast heel/toe tech inserts and a new ski-walk mechanism as well as a fixed, bi-injected tongue. The pinnacle Cabrio LV Free 130 Lite weighs 1780 grams thanks to its grilamid shell material, polyamide composite carbon cuff, and Pebax tongue. The Cabrio LV Free lineup also includes the new: Cabrio LV Free 130 3D Wrap Ski Boots, Cabrio LV Free 120 Ski Boots, and Cabrio LV Free 105 W Ski Boots.
Other key callouts for Dalbello’s new 2023/24 season include a company wide adoption of 99mm lasting for all their boots that were previously a 98mm last. Also noteworthy is the new Quantum Free alpine touring boot series for the burgeoning “free tour” crowd — consisting of the Quantum Free Pro (130 Flex - 1300 grams), Quantum Free (110 Flex - 1270 grams), and Quantum Free W (105 Flex - 1200 grams). Additionally, Dalbello is rolling out a revamped Il Moro collection for the freestyle crowd — including the signature Il Moro Pro GW Ski Boots. An overhauled Panterra women’s line and two new youth touring options — the lightweight, tech-insert equipped Quantum Junior Alpine Touring Boots and more entry-level J-Tour Boots round out the additions. Oh, and the Veloce Series gets new flexes as well, with a 110, 100, and 95 W being added.
Dynastar returns with a largely unchanged lineup for the 2023/2024 winter season, that is with the exception of their new M-Cross and women's E-Cross series. Both the M-Cross skis and E-Cross skis are positioned as their all-mountain carving skis — bridging the gap between their 4x4 dedicated on-piste trenchers and their more versatile all-mountain M-Pros. Geared towards intermediate skiers who want reliable edgehold without the high demand of traditional race skis, the M-Cross line (which includes a 78mm waist, 82mm waist, and 88mm waist option) looks promising for frontside-oriented resort skiers.
On the touring side, Dynastar is also building out their M-Tour lineup with a new M-Tour 108 joining the likes of the M-Tour 90 and M-Tour 99.
Unchanged for this season are the popular freeride-oriented M-Free series as well as the more directional all-mountain freeride M-Pro skis.
We’re deeming 2024 the year of the Cody for Salomon. This season, Salomon introduce the QST Echo, or as followers of The Fifty have affectionately been referring to it, “The Cody Ski.” The QST Echo is everything you love about the QST 106 in a lightweight, touring-specific construction. And yes, Cody Townsend helped bring it to life. Featuring a lively karuba and poplar wood core, cork damplifiers at the tip and tail and basalt fibers throughout, this backcountry focused ski delivers a super stable ride while cutting critical grams for the uphill. The QST Echo is 106mm underfoot, borrowing the versatile shape of the QST 106 and Stella 106. Ski it in a few inches of fresh or strap it to your bag and head up a spring bootpack. Even better, the QST Echo debuts with a fully fleshed out unisex size range that everyone can enjoy, available in sizes from 157cm to 189cm.
The Salomon Stance, the QST’s stiffer, chargier cousin, also gets a construction update. The same Karuba and poplar wood core of the QST Echo is beefed up with a redesigned titanal frame and all mountain rocker profile. From the groomers to the glades, the Salomon Stance pushes through it all.
The new Salomon S/Pro SUPRA boot features a BOA on the lower cuff, replacing the front two buckles that many of us don’t even bother to ratchet down. It comes in higher performance traditional flex increments: 130, 120, and 110 on the men's side and 105 and 95 for women. We demoed the Salomon S/Pro 105 W on a cold day at Snowbasin. It charged like a proper aggressive women’s boot and the ease of using the BOA felt effortless, even with gloves and liners.
The BOA on the SUPRA spreads out pressure across the top of the foot, providing better wrapping over your instep to help eliminate common pressure points associated with buckles. In turn, you get a high performance response that’s easy to drive down the fall line. The boas are burlier than what you’d find on a snowboard boot or pair of biking shoes to help withstand the stress of skiing. The Salomon S/Pro SUPRA is marketed as an upgrade to your traditional four buckle boot in both performance and ease of use, with the added advantage of cutting a little weight.
On the binding front, you can say hello to the new MTN Summit Binding. The MTN Summit is designed for everyday lightweight touring, and features a slightly burlier construction than its close sibling the MTN Pure. The toe piece of the Summit is rated for a release range and comes in 12 and 14 din options, unlike the Pure which features 3 set din modes. The heel ramp increases stability and edge grip, while Salomon’s Autoflex system moves the binding with your ski, creating dynamic response on the snow suited to freeriding pursuits. Available in leash or brake options, the Salomon MTN Summit Binding is great for freeride skiers ready to cut weight and stay charging. Pair them with the QST Echo and maybe someday you’ll live like Cody Townesend.
The Strive Binding is now fully multi-norm (MN) compatible! Two versions of the 14 and 16 din binding will be available next year: Gripwalk and MNC. Choose the version that best suits your boot needs, their high performance and low profile reputation remains the same.
Otherwise, The QST line gets some psychedelic color updates as Salomon’s brand story evolves across their hardgoods line. You tell us: is the Shift 110 salmon or peach?