STEEP AND DEEP
When the snow won’t stop, neither should you. Gear made for chest-deep blower starts with fat skis and ends with the clothing that keeps you warm and comfy no matter the weather.
INSTINCT SKIS SEEKER
FROM $1,249
BEST FOR: B.C.-style pow skiing, whether at the resort or in the backcountry.
LENGTHS: 176, 183, 188, 193
DIMENSIONS: 147/115/134 @ 188
RADIUS: 18 @ 188
WEIGHT: 1.8 kg
OTHER MODELS: Various graphics options
The Seeker is a big, beefy ski—115 underfoot and nearly 15 cm wide at the tip—but when we picked it up it felt like our eyes were deceiving us. Even with a heavy demo binding on it, the Seeker felt and skied like a much lighter ski. Indeed, its 1.8-kg weight is on par with touring skis 10mm narrower and eight cm shorter. The Rossland, B.C. brand makes them with a secret sauce that includes four layers of criss-crossing carbon, Kevlar underfoot and nanotubes in the resin, as well as aspen, sitka spruce and oak wood. Add plenty of tip and tail rocker and a flat camber underfoot and this ski inspired confidence, even in tight spaces. Testers noted it was as comfortable going fast in the wide-open terrain as it was noodling through tight trees. It also had enough firm snow performance to get back to the lifts for another lap: “Very light and reactive on groomers,” said Mike Steip. Whether mounted for the resort or slackcountry laps, this is a ski for hunting out the last of the untracked. instinctskis.com