We're Heading To Grand Targhee This Week To Test 44 of Next Year's Skis

It is that point of the 12 months once more! Regardless of record-warm temperatures and traditionally low snowpack across the Mountain West this 12 months, Grand Targhee has one way or the other held on by the storm (or lack thereof). Good factor we’re heading there this week for the return of the legendary POWDER Week–there is a deep base on the bottom, glorious spring snowboarding, and a storm on the horizon with extra powder on faucet. For 2026, we’re bringing collectively a various crew of testers, our manufacturing crew, and POWDER employees to place 44 of subsequent 12 months’s skis by their paces.

How POWDER Week ski testing works:

In case you have not been following POWDER’s Gear Locker opinions, we take ski testing very significantly right here. All year long, myself and a crew of testers is getting intensive time on numerous skis, boots, bindings, attire, and equipment–however POWDER Week is the place the actual magic occurs. That is our probability to assemble a crew of ski testers (dream gig? sure!) from throughout the nation and collect in a single place (thanks, Targhee!) and dive deep into on-snow comparisons, get further time on gear we would need to be taught extra about, and shoot all of our gear video and picture content material for our Annual Gear Information.

For 2026, we have got 44 ski fashions from 12 producers on deck. These are damaged into 3 classes: all-mountain, freeride, and powder. We have additionally bought a particular spotlight class of all girls’s-specific gear inside these. For the primary few days, every tester will likely be assigned a smattering of skis, guaranteeing they get a number of hours of ski time per mannequin earlier than swapping out. Later within the week, testers will get an opportunity to spend extra time on fashions of their alternative.

We’re wanting ahead to six days on snow collectively, and are very grateful to have the ability to benefit from all the pieces Targhee has to supply: 2600 skiable acres, 500+ inches of snow, a 2270-foot vertical drop, a really excessive base elevation (7850 ft), and epic superior and knowledgeable terrain.

What skis will likely be at POWDER Week 2026?

We have got 44 skis dedicated to being examined at POWDER Week. You will have to attend till the autumn to see the precise fashions, however we are able to let you realize what manufacturers will likely be there. See under:

SalomonAtomicK2VölklNordicaArmadaDynastarRossignolStöckliEllisElanBlizzard



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