We test gear like real riders, not lab technicians. That means riding it in different conditions, over enough days and alongside enough other gear to know whether we'd actually recommend it.
What We Do
We ride boards, skis, boots, bindings and outerwear in all sorts of conditions. A board that feels amazing in soft snow can feel awful on hardpack. A boot that feels perfect in the shop can become torture after lunch. That's the sort of stuff we care about. It matters far more than a spec sheet.
Whenever we can, we compare products directly against gear we already know well. That might mean swapping boards halfway through the day, changing boots between runs or riding a new board back-to-back with one we've owned for years. Having something familiar to compare against tells you far more than riding one product on its own.
Who Tests It
The Snow Chasers team includes qualified snowboard instructors, qualified ski instructors and former snowboard shop technicians. Between us we've spent decades teaching, travelling and riding across Europe, North America, Japan and New Zealand.
We don't all ride the same way, and that's a good thing. One rider’s dream board can be another rider’s nightmare, so we compare notes where we can rather than pretending one opinion fits everyone.
How We Judge Gear
For snowboards and skis, we're looking at things like edge hold, stability, float, forgiveness, carving, pop, speed, confidence and how well it suits the rider it's meant for. For boots and bindings, fit, comfort, response, support, adjustability and durability matter more than fancy tech.
We do use ratings where they help, but we do not pretend scoring gear is perfectly objective. Snowboards, skis and boots are too personal for that. A stiff aggressive board is not “better” than a softer playful one unless it suits the rider. So our scores are based on real-world testing, comparison, rider feedback and whether we'd genuinely tell a friend to buy it.
What We Don’t Do
- We do not recommend gear just because a brand sent it to us.
- We do not rewrite press releases and call them reviews.
- We do not pretend one board, ski, boot or binding is best for everyone.
- We do not keep old recommendations unchanged if our opinion changes.
How Reviews Stay Honest
Some gear is bought by us. Some is loaned by brands. Either way, the opinion is ours. If something's good we'll say so. If it disappoints us, we'll say that too. If our opinion changes after another season on it, we'll update the review.
The goal is not to crown “the best” gear. It's to help you buy the right gear for how you actually ride.