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Safety Gear for Backcountry Skiing

Never leave home without your avalanche gear unless you plan on sticking to low angle terrain. Move on rock and ice safely with crampons, ice axes, and harnesses. Don't forget your helmet!

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Need help choosing safety gear?

Check out our overview of safety gear to learn which crampons, ice axes, helmets, and avy gear makes the most sense for you.

Durable, lightweight, trustworthy. Think of the Mammut 240 Short as the "Sting" to your Bilbo Baggins. This trusty sidekick is made with high-quality aluminum and features an effective telescopic locking tension system. The drop-shaped tip adds to the probe’s efficacy in penetrating compressed snow. When you are up against a dense debris pile, these features give you the confidence..
$54.95
The Plume TS shovel has taken the ultralightweight Plume shovel and added a telescopic shaft making a good thing better. Like its predecessor, it is extremely lightweight, durable, and compact as the Plume but in the Plume TS, Arva has updated the shovel to incorporate even more surface area without adding weight. This creates a more efficient shovel without concerns for extra heft..
$84.95
The Aero Lite Ice Screw from Blue Ice is a welcomed addition to any ski mountaineer's rack. Designed in the heart of Chamonix, these screws are some of the lightest ice screws on the market. A 13cm Aero Lite is significantly lighter than its Petzl Laser Speed Light counterpart. How is that possible? Both the shaft and hanger have been forged out of aluminum while the crank implemen..
$84.95
Only Petzl could design an even slimmer, simpler yet truly well-crafted and elegant progress capture pulley in the wake of the famed Micro Traxion. Behold the Nano Traxion! This nifty piece of gear was seemingly created with weight-conscious ski mountaineers in mind by shaving off even more precious grams for an already extremely compact device. The Nano Traxion now provides users ..
$114.95
A beacon that talks to you? Yep! Well, technically the Ortovox Diract Voice is only a chatty Cathy during search mode. Nonetheless, as the world's first beacon featuring voice navigation, Ortovox built the Diract Voice with the intent to create an even more intuitive beacon. Imagine for a minute that you're in the beacon park taking the time to educate yourself. As the drill begins..
$449.95 $359.95
The Harfang Crampon from Blue Ice is one of the more innovative pointy accessories we've seen in recent memory. Featuring a three-part design, the Harfang is a highly packable crampon that rivals the likes of the Petzl Irvis Hybrid. With front points made from steel and the rest being made from aluminum, you're bound to notice the weight reduction AND increased security. Blue Ice h..
$179.95
Airbags, contrary to their name, are not made of air, and thus are not known to be the lightest of protective systems. This abundance of extra heft, therefore, has traditionally left many airbags out of the quivers of those seeking to put in the biggest vertical days. Thankfully, the good folks at Arva realized the need and created the Tour 25 UL. This airbag is light on weight but..
$729.95 $549.95
In recent years, ski mountaineers have been looking for that sweet-spot ice axe - one that is light and compact enough to bring along without much of a weight penalty but is able to confidently set a pick when things get spicy. The Akila is Blue Ice’s worthy entry into the, let’s call it, “swingable ultralight” category means it carries like a butterfly but swings like a bee. A Chr..
$169.95
It may look like a jump rope, but unlike the traditional schoolyard toy, BCA's ECT Cord has the ability to help keep you safe while playing in your mountain playground. After all, Extended Column Tests (ECT) aren't very helpful if you're digging them out with your ski poles. By using this ECT Cord, you can create consistent snow pits. With knots every 10 inches (25cm) and two alumi..
$31.95
Identifying snow crystals in snow pits can be a fun time. Identifying snow crystals in a pit with some wind, good luck. Fortunately, our friends at BCA made a new Magnifying Loupe with closed sides to help you nerd out in the ever-changing weather. This Loupe allows you to view snow crystals 15 times their actual size, which is an extra 50% more than its predecessor. If you're seri..
$29.95
If the unthinkable happens and someone in your party is buried in an avalanche, speed matters more than anything. The quicker someone is found and dug out, the more likely it is that they will survive to thank you with a cold beer later. Knowledge, training, and practice are quintessential to a fast rescue, but having the right equipment can't be understated when every second count..
$109.95
The CAMP Corsa Leash is being released with its friends, the Corsa Race and Corsa Alpine ice axes. However, this leash is compatible with any axe of your choosing. It's lightweight, weighing in at only 25 grams, and it is extremely easy to adjust the wrist loops while also maintaining a firm position once adjusted. This leash is easy to use and comes in a sleek black color. Take so..
$27.95
The ARVA Spark 240 is the BMW Isetta of the probe world; it's compact, yet still incredibly functional. It may not turn heads in quite the same way, but it does have all the features and ease of use you want in a probe, and it comes in a more easily stowed package. With eight sections measuring 30cm each instead of the traditional six segments of 40cm, this probe will fit much more..
$64.95 From $44.95
The ARVA Rescue 300 probe is designed for professionals and backcountry enthusiasts who recreate in areas of the world with a consistently deeper snowpack. The 8 37.5cm long sections make it relatively packable despite the extra length when fully deployed. When it comes time to put this gear to use, the Rack Lock system allows for quick and efficient setup. The 13mm diameter shaft ..
$94.95
If you are in need of a super lightweight, skimo racing specific probe, look no further than the Arva Race 240. This probe weighs just 122g and, like the older Carbon Compact, has eight 30cm sections rather than six 40cm sections. Looking to be even more compact and lightweight? The Race 240 Probe can answer your call; one section can be removed if desired, saving some weight and l..
$109.95 From $79.95
Snap a cable on your Cramp-ins? Manage to lose a hook? Pick up a replacement or backup spare parts for your Dynafit Cramp-Ins here. Cramp-In Cable - The cable connecting the toe and heel pieces of the Cramp-In crampon. Sold individually. Cramp-In Hook - The metal hook at the front of the crampon that attaches to the front of the boot. Sold individually. Cramp-In Adapter fo..
From $19.95
A Skimo helmet that is certified for skiing - what a concept! This is Ski Trab's second dual certified helmet, proudly and appropriately named the Aero. Ski Trab utilizes their Hollow Core Technology to cool your head with two different front air-intakes that funnel air through 6 different channels - hence the name "Aero." The clean-cut design looks less like an 80's bike helmet an..
$164.95
It is an undeniable fact that more is just better. More vegetables, mo' money*, more fiber, etc… With the “more is better” attitude in mind, the folks at Mammut designed a ridiculously versatile climbing rope in the Bluesign certified 8.7mm Alpine Sender Dry Rope. This triple-certified rope can act as a single, double, or twin rope providing unmatched all-season capability for wher..
From $219.95
Professionals in the ski community have trusted Mammut for years due to their reputation for making the highest quality products that manage to be packed full of important features while still being quick and easy to use - the Barryvox S is no exception. Despite its simplistic design, the Barryvox S is packed full of useful features. One of the more handy and important features is ..
$549.95 $412.00
There are heavy axes, and there are light axes, and then there's the CAMP Corsa Race Ice Axe. The Corsa Race is a hyperlight, skimo-tailored axe that is specifically designed to eliminate extra weight. At 50 cm in length, the Corsa Race has managed to slim down by removing materials in the shaft, getting rid of the shaft plug and machining holes into the bottom of the handle. An ad..
$159.95
Crampons can be finicky little necessities, but they're extremely valuable allies when it comes to general mountaineering. Lucky for you, we have a very good recommendation that will fit just about any boot, even those of our splitboarding brethren. The CAMP XLC 490 Universal crampons are lightweight and 3D pressed to help maximize design strength. Keeping in mind your motivation f..
$169.95 $119.95
If you're anything like us here at Skimo Co you generally like things that are lightweight. Turns out CAMP likes lightweight equipment too! In that spirit they have put together a fully fleshed out, flyweight steel crampon with tons of features. The Skimo Pure Nanotech crampons are able to cut grams thanks to the Sandvik Nanoflex stainless steel frame material, which is 70% stronge..
$299.95
The Corsa Alpine Axe is what we would call a necessity when it comes to lightweight mountaineering. This axe is designed with technical mountain travel in mind; the Corsa Alpine is almost like holding a feather. Well, a very durable feather that's made of steel and aluminum. This lightweight axe features a machined grip for easy handling. It's sleek design helps keep extra clearanc..
$119.95
Whether you're a seasoned ski mountaineer or fresh out of your first AIARE course, it's always wise to have a plan for a day in the backcountry. Developed by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, the Backcountry Decision Making Guide is a tool that guides you through planning your trip, recording observations in the field, and debriefing the day's snowpack an..
$29.95
Lightweight backcountry ski gear has been a revelation to many skiers, but new technologies in the school of fast-and-light have mostly stuck to the three main categories: skis, boots, and bindings. Recently, however, we've seen a surge in innovation in other pieces of ski-mountaineering kit, with an exciting new option coming in the form of a Vision. BD claims the Vision is their ..
$99.95 $74.95
Black Diamond held no punches when cutting weight for their LiteForge Screwgate Carabiner-- they even removed the unnecessary letters in 'light'. Do you know how serious you have to be about 'light is right' to change the spelling of a word? It's been spelled 'light' since Old English was a commonly spoken language. Those folks over at BD really aren't messing around. Of course, li..
$13.95
Unlike Icarus, when it comes to mountaineering you can never fly too high, and one way to hit those heights in a minimalist fashion is with Petzl's Fly harness. By removing all metal parts and traditional buckles from this design, Petzl has created an innovative harness in a lightweight package using its FUSEFRAME technology. The Fly harness has girth hitches at the leg loops and a..
$99.95 From $84.95
We've come a long way since the days when ski mountaineers used hip belays to keep their partners safe on steep pitches and lashed crossed curtain rods to their backs to catch crevasse falls. Nowadays, purpose-built harnesses for steep skiing and glacier traversing alike have reached a high level of sophistication. Petzl stepped back from the goals of their ultralight Altitude and ..
$69.95
If you are new to the backcountry ski scene you will immediately hear that safety comes first. You can cover all your safety needs in one move with the ARVA Evo5 Safety Snow Pack. Including the amazing Evo5 avy beacon, Spark 240 snow probe, and Access TS shovel, your touring partners can feel confident that you have everything you need to help them out should anything go awry. I..
$459.95 $399.95
When you need a little more "oomph" in the steeps, add some mass to your axe! Specially designed to fit the Sum'Tec, Gully, and most other Petzl ice axes, these pick weights are low profile and have a secure connection. The tapered shape lends itself to slotting nicely into cracks in rock, so they won't be in your way even on moderate mixed climbing terrain. Sold as a 65 gram set f..
$44.95
Everybody drops their keys, phone, or wallet on a near-daily basis (if not, you're probably from the same planet as Elon Musk). Usually, the consequences of this mistake go as far as muttering 'silly me' under your breath, bending over to pick up your dropped possessions, and continuing on with your day. However, you'll pay a steeper price (pun intended) than that if you drop your ..
$19.95
In the lifetime of an avalanche shovel, how many times will it be used to uncover a buried person? Hopefully, if you take the proper precautions and have a bit of good luck, never. Ideally, this shovel will be used for more mundane tasks, like digging your stuck car out of a snowbank, building a sick jump, or scooping the occasional doggie surprise. However, if misfortune (or poor ..
$89.95
As a general rule, outdoorsy folks love themselves some good accessory cord. It doesn't even matter if they don't have anything they need to tie together-- the mere thought of a nice coil of new cord will entice even the most ascetic. Petzl has been the purveyors of fine ropes and cordage for many years, and their accessory cords have been substituted for shoelaces, keychains, tent..
From $0.28
To reach those obscure peaks, the distant couloirs, and the reverently spoken-of far away glaciers, you'll need some rad gear. The folks down at Petzl have been churning out high-quality gear since before any of us here at Skimo Co snapped into our first infant-sized spandex race suits, and they have verifiably perfected the art of making truly rad gear. The astonishingly light Pet..
From $249.95
The species known as Anna's Hummingbird is a tiny bird indigenous to the Pacific coast of the United States, and measures only 4 inches long from beak to tail. These hummingbirds must remain light and small enough to maneuver the delicate aerial world that they inhabit, yet tough enough and fit enough to tirelessly seek out the pollen-laden flowers they need to survive. Just like o..
$189.95
Ski mountaineering can be risky business. Most routes are comprised of some combination of cracks, dihedrals, chutes, couloirs, or steep-but-not-quite-vertical rock faces that inevitably hold potentially day-ruining hard chunks and blocks. Water is routinely melted and refrozen as the temperatures change from day to night and back again, and this cycle is notorious for encouraging ..
$179.95
Lighter means faster, right? In a skimo world where weight is the new measure of worth, the ARVA Evo5 Beacon is worth its weight in spandex. This light and compact beacon made by the French wizards over at ARVA, the Evo5 is a fully functional 3-antenna beacon with a range of 50m, and it fits in the palm of your hand (unless you have really, really small hands). With features like G..
$349.95 $299.95
Weighing in at under 100g, the Blue Ice Choucas Light harness is definitely light! At the same time, it’s also extremely practical. The ski mountaineering harness is robust, packs easily, and fits in your pocket. Leg loop clips let you take it on and off with your skis on. Winner of an Outdoor Industry Award for its innovative design, the Choucas Light is guaranteed to inspire you ..
$79.95
Rocketing through the atmosphere, Petzl's updated Meteor helmet seems to appear only as a brief flash of light whizzing past on the skin track. This is the first CE-certified "ski touring helmet", combining light weight protection and ventilation into one package. With the Meteor, Petzl has pioneered a cutting edge race helmet with side, front, and rear protection that will keep yo..
$94.95
We like simple gear because it’s easy to use with cold hands, in a daze of calorie-debt, or under the light of a headlamp. Petzl’s Reverso is a classic example of a simple piece of equipment that does its job and does it well. Capable of rappelling and belaying, the Reverso weighs only 57g. Deep V-shaped friction channels provide precise braking power on skinnier rope while also qu..
$39.95
If you’re looking to ascend a rope, Petzl’s got your back! The Ascension is an aptly named ascender that will quickly have you at the top looking for the fastest way down. With a wide, glove-friendly hand-slot and an ergonomically molded grip, you will not lose your grasp even on the coldest days. The toothed cam provides great grip and is self-cleaning to work with dirty or icy ro..
$87.95
Saws are great for all kinds of things (especially sawing!) and usually, it’s pretty tough to innovate on a design that’s worked for hundreds of years. Leave it to Backcountry Access to take sawing to the next level. The BCA Snow Saw is as easy to hide in a pack as it is to dig a respectable snow pit. The burly handle uses a two-prong design, with one prong having 14mm and 16mm ste..
$54.95
Sum’Tec is Petzl’s abbreviation for “somewhat technical.” Ok, not likely, but we are going to make the claim anyway and we’ll explain why. Light, and easily employed for daily use, its incredibly versatile design may be the ultimate axe for ski mountaineers. The 55cm length is perfectly suited for walking in the piolet-canne (cane) position or plunging the shaft up steep, firm s..
$209.95
Through continual refinement, minor tweaks, and small advancements, breakthroughs can happen. For Ortovox, this happened in the case of the Pro Lite Shovel. By starting with the highest quality materials, Ortovox has made no compromises in functional capacity. This remarkably light, compact, and packable shovel has a 6061 T6 aluminum blade that features subtle notches and ribs that..
$79.95
The Mammut Barryvox Package Light is a box of some of our favorite avalanche safety tools. It’s a convenient and cost-effect package for those just entering the backcountry or anyone looking to upgrade to the latest, greatest, and lightest. Inside the package you’ll find Mammut’s phenomenal Barryvox avalanche beacon, a leader among modern beacons for its 70m search range, fast s..
$489.95
Movement’s 3Tech Alpi is a racing and touring helmet that has alpine skiing, mountaineering, and biking certifications. Yes, triple certified for triple the pleasure! More surprising than being certified for basically any outdoor activity is how Movement made it so light and compact. With multiple sizes to choose from, it’s bound to fit comfortably and securely. The helmet is well-..
$244.95
A triple-certified helmet that fits well and looks good! The Movement 3Tech Alpi has alpine-skiing, mountaineering, and biking certifications to meet European and International safety standards. It’s even certified under the American body (ASTM). The only thing more surprising than having a helmet that is certified for basically any outdoor activity is how Movement achieved it all ..
$244.95
Crampons that are super light and fast to put on? We’re listening! Dynafit is introducing a novel new crampon system that makes sloppy toe-bail fits a thing of the past: the Cramp-In Crampon. If you are a lucky owner of a Dynafit boot that are compatible with this crampon (hint, if it doesn’t have a toe welt, it’s likely compatible...see note below), your luck is about to be double..
$299.95 $239.95

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