We focus on ski touring in this equipment special. Iain and Al look at the best skis and ski boots for people wanting an ‘all-rounder’ set up or a dedicated lightweight touring set up, as well as discussing layers and the different bindings available.  

This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. They are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter. Alternatively, simply go to their website at ellis-brigham.com and you can buy online now.

What is ski touring? (5:30)

What are ‘skins’? (6:00)

How are the bindings different? (7:30)

Iain went ski touring in Morocco (9:30)

How important is weight? (11:00)

Al’s weight comparison example (11:45)

An equivalent touring ski would be 200-400g lighter per ski. In this case, we’ll use 300g per ski

A regular freeride binding would be around 1,000g per binding

An equivalent Kingpin is around 300g lighter per binding

A regular Alpine boot is around 2,000g per boot (in a 26.5MP)

An equivalent freeride touring boot can be 500g lighter per boot

 

For skis, binding and boots, a ‘lightweight’ set up could be 2.8kg lighter overall: equivalent to saving 14kg off your backpack

The Best ‘All Round’ Touring Skis – Salomon QST98 - £550 (18:30)

The Best ‘Lightweight’ Touring Skis – Atomic Backland 88 - £500 (20:30)

What is a Split Board? (23:45)

Buy your snowboard kit at The Snowboard Asylum

The Best ‘All Round’ Touring Boots – K2 Mindbender BOA - £625 (26:00)

The Best ‘All Round’ Lightweight’ Touring Boots - Scarpa Gea/Maestrale RS - £670 (29:00)

How important are layers? (32:00)

Listen to our ‘Best Ski Jackets of 2025’ episode (32:30)

Montane have a range of ski touring layers (34:15)

Iain uses Montane for his trail running races (35:00)

Al uses the Rab Mythic G down jacket - £450 (36:00)

How to use poles when ski touring (37:00)

What sort of gloves should you take? (39:30)

Helmets for ski touring (40:00)

Listen to our ‘Best Ski Helmets of 2025’ episode

Iain uses the Oakley Mod BC helmet (£220) 

Eric Button is the founder of the Zoa Portable lift(41:45)

Listen to Iain’s interview with Blair Aitken from British Backcountry Skiing (49:45)

The Wild Ski Weekend is at the Glenmore Lodge in March 2025 (50:30)

Iain used the Carv in Tignes (53:30)

Al recommends Nunchucks as a good option for audio while wearing a helmet (54:30)

Matt Brown works for Ellis Brigham in Aviemore

 

I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email [email protected] 

Episode 231 with John Yates Smith produced a lot of comment: 

Paul Bond: "Of all the topics that could be on the podcast, the choice of pellets for a shot gun wasn’t one I had on my bingo card!"

David Bell: “Hi Iain, I must say I enjoyed your interview with John so much , what a great character with a great life story to tell, and a refreshingly honest outlook. I was laughing along with you.”

Anthony Benson: “John you’re a legend! You taught me a lot about life working for you when I was 19 in Val and Corsica and also working for your brother Dick. They were the best years of my life and I remember the time the Corsicans tried to burn the Valinco down!”

Quin R: “Absolutely loved the podcast with John Yates-Smith.” 

 

David Lindsay: "Only just listened to the ski boot special. What an excellent podcast - Al really knows his stuff."

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We now have 243 episodes to catch up with. There is so much to listen to in our back catalog, just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you might not end up listening to every episode, but you’re bound to find something of interest to you. 

 

You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast