Whether on the edge of the piste or in the "backcountry" - ski touring is trendy.
The right equipment is (almost) half the battle to ensure that you are safe on the road in the coming season.
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Stomping lonely through glistening snow towards the summit, accompanied by the mountain panorama and then a descent through untouched white - at least since the first Corona winter, ski touring has been one of the absolute trend sports.
But many winter sports enthusiasts also use the convenient option of climbing up close to the slopes and then carving down the prepared runs.
Whether piste or backcountry - both types of touring are only fun if you own the right clothing for touring and can feel safe with the right equipment with every step and every descent.
Read here how to best prepare and equip yourself.
Basic ski tour equipment for safe ascents along the slopes
What do you need for a safe off-piste ski tour?
Airbag backpacks: opportunities & risks
Safe on ski tours: equipment isn't everything - avoid these 9 mistakes
Basic ski tour equipment for safe ascents along the slopes
More and more ski tourers are using ski slopes for ascents throughout the Alps.
If the slopes are open, they usually offer enough good snow for the ascent, as well as avalanche safety and often an alpine pasture as a destination.
Ski touring on the slopes is also popular because you don't get cold while sitting in the lift and instead do something for your physical condition.
But ski tours on slopes also harbor risks that everyone should be well prepared for.
Well ventilated touring helmet
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The PETZL Meteor touring helmet is super light, well ventilated and makes a major contribution to safety in the event of a collision.
© Petzl
Order Petzl Meteor III
The greatest risk when climbing along busy slopes: rapid oncoming traffic!
In the worst case, there is a collision between fast descent athletes and slow, less manoeuvrable tourers on the ascent.
If you want to be on the safe side, wear a well-ventilated, ultra-light helmet like the Petzl Meteor III when you climb up.
You can wear a hat underneath when skiing, as the helmet itself does not insulate.
Protector backpack with safety features
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EVOC FR PRO with integrated back protector and handy ski holder.
© Evoc
Order the EVOC FR PRO
This daypack combines safety and practicality.
The integrated back protector provides protection in the event of falls or accidents with other skiers, and it also includes a ski and snowboard holder and a hydration system mount.
The integrated avalanche compartment offers quick access to avalanche equipment and an emergency plan.
Multifunctional tool for small repairs
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With this multitool specially developed for tourers, you are well equipped for all small repairs.
©Dakine
Order Dakine BC Tool
It's super annoying when the binding loosens halfway to the summit... A multifunctional tool is then of great help - even off-piste, for example when cycling.
This multitool is a tool specially developed for splitboard and ski tours with a variety of practical functions for small repairs.
Powerful headlamp with helmet holder
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Ledlenser H15R Core headlamp with 2500 lumens and a range of up to 250 m for safety in the dark.
© Ledlenser
Order the Ledlenser H15R Core headlamp
Sure, everyone knows that it gets dark early in winter.
But especially when you are out and about in nature on your own, unforeseeable circumstances such as a technical defect, in the worst case an accident or just a cozy evening in a hut can lead to you getting into the dark.
A strong, durable and reliable headlamp that can be pulled over the ski helmet brings light into the darkest winter night.
This LED model with rechargeable lithium battery creates 250 m visibility with 2500 lumens.
What do you need for a safe off-piste ski tour?
If you are looking for the powder snow of the white mountain world away from après-ski bars and lifts, sooner or later you will switch to ski tours in open terrain.
But here the risks are much higher than off the piste in the prepared terrain.
In addition to sports injuries when skiing downhill in deep snow, statistically speaking, being buried in an avalanche is the greatest risk of a ski tour.
That is why the basic equipment for ski tours has to be supplemented with some - possibly life-saving - equipment.
crampons
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Crampons in different colors from dynafit for safety off-piste.
©Amazon
Order dynafit crampons
Crampons can be mounted under the binding and prevent grip in hard or icy conditions.
The sharp spikes dig into the ground when you climb and offer more safety when crossing slopes and in steep terrain.
These dynafit models with 110 mm teeth offer reliable grip and weigh only 99 grams.
Avalanche transceiver (LVS device)
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Mammoth Barryvox S LVs device
©Amazon
Order the Mammut Barryvox S
In the avalanche transceiver test of the German Alpine Association, this professional device from the Swiss manufacturer Mammut performed particularly well.
Barryvox S scores with several individual setting options and animated displays in the search phases.
It is one of the three devices in the DAV test for which an analogue signal tone (e.g. in environments prone to interference) can be activated as an aid.
Airbag backpack rechargeable, travel friendly & with air chamber
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This ABS backpack has an automatic deflation function to create air space.
©Amazon
Order Black Diamond JetForce Pro 35
This ABS backpack uses JetForce technology and PIEPS technology.
The JetForce technology is rechargeable, works with air instead of gas cartridges and is therefore travel-friendly.
The airbag can be deployed multiple times and has an automatic deflation function to create air space under snow.
Airbag backpacks: opportunities & risks
So-called ABS backpacks are designed to use the buoyancy of an airbag in the event of an avalanche to allow the body to "float on top".
In theory and in many cases, this calculation can work out.
But nature is difficult to predict and depending on where in the avalanche the person is, even an ABS backpack can't help.
Especially when another slab of snow falls on the buried person after the first slide.
If you don't use a self-deploying ABS backpack, you have to be able to activate the trigger "while sleeping" even in extreme situations in order to inflate the airbag in good time.
D-handle avalanche shovel
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The Alugator Ride 3.0 Hoe offers the ideal balance of robust, ergonomically shaped D-handle and space-saving blade design
©Amazon
Order a mammoth avalanche shovel
When a person is buried, every minute counts.
An avalanche shovel is therefore an absolute must on a ski tour.
Very important: Always choose a model with a D-handle, which, in contrast to a T-handle, can be gripped firmly and securely even with thick gloves or mittens without slipping.
This Mammut model can be used as a 90° hoe and is made of extremely robust, hardened and anodised aluminium.
Probe for searching for buried subjects
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Ortovox Unisex 240 Aluminum PFA Probe.jpg
©Amazon
Ortovox unisex PFA probe
If the avalanche transceiver was able to locate the victim, a probe helps to determine their exact location.
This is essential to avoid wasting time digging in the wrong place!
When choosing an avalanche probe, the German Alpine Club (DAV) advises looking for a quick and reliable tension lock system and a thickness of over 1.1 cm and a length of 220 cm.
Safe on ski tours: equipment isn't everything - avoid these 9 mistakes
Save on equipment:
Safety equipment can save lives.
Never save at the wrong end here, be it in terms of costs or doing without completely because of space and weight.
Starting without a plan:
Topographic maps and tour reports, but also weather reports and snow conditions – all of this can be checked on the computer from home with little effort.
Please never start an unfamiliar tour “just like that”.
The altitude difference is by no means the only decisive factor when planning!
Ignore the weather forecast:
The weather report shows "actually okay", the avalanche report is critical, but not entirely hopeless?
Stay away from weather forecasts that are not reliable.
The opinion of hut keepers can also be worth its weight in gold here!
Just start driving:
the glistening field of snow on the slope that isn't quite as clean as it should be, just begging for a race?
No way!
Always talk to each other beforehand and ideally travel together.
Close your eyes and through:
Terrain formations have a purpose!
The motto "it's going to go wrong!" can really go wrong with hollows or gullies filled with snowdrift.
Don't listen to nature:
Nature often gives quite clear signals when the situation is critical.
So keep all your senses alert and watch out for suspicious cracks, dull thumps or cracks in the snowpack.
Securing pole position:
Of course it's tempting to be the first to whiz down the steep slope after a snowy spell or a serious snowstorm.
But it is precisely such supposedly "ideal" conditions that can pose the highest avalanche risk.
False sense of security:
avalanche transceivers, ABS backpacks, probes - even the best safety equipment and theoretical knowledge cannot prevent accidents.
Always stay alert, never get cocky, and don't blindly trust it.
Starting too late:
Especially in spring, when the sun is already strong enough to soften the top layers of snow, as a rule of thumb you should leave by 10 a.m. at the latest!
