The Gear You Need for 2015: OUTSIDE Winter Buyer's Guide #dadchat

You’ll be glad you waited to buy those new running shoes! From skiing and snowboarding to all-weather running, Outside knows the best gear for getting the most out of the winter sports season—and they have compiled them all in the 2015 Winter Buyer’s Guide. OUTSIDE experts spent a good chunk of last winter testing skis, snowboards, shoes, jackets and gadgets to take to the resort, trail or backcountry. Plus, they’ve selected seven products for their prestigious Gear of the Year award, as well as 90 Killer Value choices. With the most outstanding products, best deals and tips on great winter destinations, the OUTSIDE Winter Buyer’s Guide is the go-to for consumers this winter.

“We wanted to make OUTSIDE’s Winter Buyer’s Guide better than ever for its 20^th year,” said OUTSIDE Buyer’s Guide editor Sam Moulton. “The OUTSIDE gear testing team has been busy. Last winter, we put hundreds of products through the paces, wearing out jackets and shoes, overstuffing packs, and putting cameras and watches through the harshest conditions they could stand. We know we’ve delivered the best possible options to our readers with almost 300 picks for the guide, and seven very top performers receiving our coveted Gear of the Year award.”

OUTSIDE’s top-tested products for 2015 include:

JACKETS (pg. 40):

• The North Face Fuse Brigandine—Made from a single piece of fabric, the Brigandine is a marvel of engineering. It’s tough where it needs to be and light and breathable all around. Gear of the Year Winner. $499 at thenorthface.com.
• Patagonia Houdini—A Kleenex-thin running jacket that keeps out rain and storm-strength winds but still breathes well. $89 at patagonia.com.

GLOVES (pg. 113)

• Gordini Stash Lite Touch—Perfect for cold weather runs or cross country skiing, these lightweight gloves roll up into a pouch the size of a hacky-sack when not in use. $35 atgordini.com.

GOGGLES (pg. 52)

• Anon M2 Pollard Pro—The future of goggles is here, and it’s the Pollard Pro. The lens is attached with eight magnets, which makes swapping in a different tint unbelievably quick and easy. $240 at anonoptics.com.

TECH GADGETS (pg. 58):

• Cobra JumPack—Sure, this pocket-size charger can bring your dead phone or tablet back to life, but it can also jumpstart a car. $130 at cobra.com.
• Brunton HeatSync Vital—Slip the Vital heating vest under your jacket, press a button, and—voila!—you’re supremely toasty. $80 at brunton.com.

RUNNING SHOES (pg. 76):

• Salomon S-Lab Fellcross 3—An extremely nimble all-terrain warrior for efficient runners. Gear of the Year Winner. $170 at salomon.com.
• New Balance 110v2—This is a solid pick for efficient runners who want a good energy return, and comes at a killer price. Killer Value Pick. $90 at newbalance.com.

CAMERAS (pg. 64):

• Sony HDR-AS100V—A great action camera, this model is splash proof, can shoot slow-motion footage, and can be controlled remotely with a smartphone. $299 at sony.com.
• Olympus TG-3—This camera could go swimming in the ocean or get crushed by a 220-pound man and survive just fine, plus it shoots super precise footage. $350 atgetolympus.com.

SKIS (pg. 22):

• Atomic Vantage Ritual—The most versatile and fun ski we tested this year, the Ritual performs well in powder, crud and trees. Gear of the Year Winner. $800 at atomic.com.
• Head Venturi 95—The all-mountain Venturi can do it all, from squirreling around in trees to laying a mean carve on groomers. Killer Value Pick. $600 at head.com.

SNOWBOARDS (pg. 48):

• Venture Zelix— The Zelix is Venture’s most versatile board to date, and its build makes you ride faster and harder. Gear of the Year Winner. $595 at venturesnowboards.com.
• Burton Flight Attendant—This board is featherlight, and you can’t get better float than this on soft snow. $500 at burton.com.

HELMETS (pg. 38)

• Electric Mashman—With the Mashman, you get the best of both worlds: big-time protection and vintage, motorcycle-inspired style. $170 at electriccalifornia.com.

FAT BIKES (pg. 88)

• Norco Bigfoot—Biking through the snow on a bike with superfat, oversize tires, like the aptly-named Bigfoot, is as fun as it sounds. $1,345 at norco.com.

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