The Trip
We're just back from the SIGB Ski Test in Galtur, Austria where we spent a week smashing strudel, dancing in our ski boots and testing all the new women's specific skis for next winter.
Tough gig, we know.
Here are some of the highlights from a super memorable week spent ripping around the Austrian Alps:
The Team
We were invited to join the Snow Magazine Ski Test Team for this year's event, a colourful, fun and diverse bunch of photographers, ski instructors, marketing types, and gear editors from all over Europe.
The crew was made up of the following characters:
Rob 'Spy' Stewart
Scott 'Laandaaner' Hammond
Daniel 'Don't Mention Japan' Wildey
Bruce 'Phil/Pete' Pope
Cazz 'Shrinky' George
Sophie 'Pinky' Nicholson (aka ME)
The Skis
Over the course of 4 days 'Shrinky and Pinky' - as we were christened by the team from Black Diamond - were tasked with the arduous job of smashing out about 50 different pairs of female-specific skis. From piste bashers to freeride pounder hounds, from all-mountain players to park rats, we put the very latest in women's ski tech to the test on the slopes and side-country around Galtur.
With so many quality sticks to choose from, choosing between them was a tough yet extremely pleasurable task.
If you want to read the full reviews in all their glorious detail, well you'll just have to wait until Snow Magazine comes out later in the year.
In the meantime, here are a few of our highlights from this year's event.
It's worth mentioning that our boot of choice for this year's test was the Salomon QST 110W - a high performance, lightweight alpine boot with walk mode best suited to aggressive female skiers who like a stiff boot with fluid flex.
Our low key outerwear was provided by Peak Performance.
The Nitty Gritty
Fave Freeride Skis - Black Crows Atris Birdie
Fave Touring Skis – Dynafit Beast 98W
Fave All-Mountain Skis – Blizzard Sheeva 9
Fave Piste Skis – Rossignol Famous 6
Event Details
What: SIGB Ski Test
Location: Galtur, Austria
Duration: 5-9 March 2018
Goal: An industry event that offers key snowsports retailers, suppliers and media the opportunity to test next season's skis
Accommodation: 3* Hotel Galturerhof - Crystal Ski
Best Mountain Restaurant, Goulash & Coffee: Addis Abeba(r), Wirl