Ski touring is the fastest-growing corner of skiing, and for good reason. You earn your turns, skip the lift lines, and find snow nobody else has reached. Getting started costs real money ($1,500–$3,000 for a solid kit), but the gear is purpose-built. Here's exactly what you need first, and what can wait.
By Colin B. · Published May 28, 2026 · Last reviewed June 20, 2026
Black Diamond Glidelite Mix Skins
— Mix-blend skins that climb any pitch and glide better than pure nylon. The practical default for most conditions.
Osprey Kamber 20
— A bomber day-touring pack with skin pocket and back-panel access. Carries a full kit without drama.
Budget total
$1500
Typical total
$2500
A practical beginner kit (skis, bindings, boots, skins, beacon, probe, shovel, pack) runs $1,500–$3,000. Renting skis, boots, and bindings for your first season while buying the non-rentable items (beacon, probe, shovel) is the smart money move.
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At a glance
Our top pick in each category
The fastest path through this guide — each best-starter pick by category.
Scroll for the budget and upgrade alternatives.
Rent before you buy skis, boots, and bindings. Most specialty touring shops offer multi-day AT rentals for $40–70/day. One weekend on a rented setup tells you more about what ski width and boot flex you want than any amount of spec-sheet reading.
Take an avalanche course before your first real backcountry tour. Not a YouTube primer; an AIARE Level 1 or equivalent with field practice. Book this before you buy anything except the beacon.
The beacon, probe, and shovel are the exception to the rent-first rule. Buy these on day one and own them. You practice rescue with your own beacon and your own muscle memory. Don't borrow this kit.
Every person in the touring party needs their own complete safety kit. 'My partner has a beacon' is how accidents become fatalities.
The gear
What you actually need
Touring Skis
Touring skis are built to climb and ski: two things that pull in opposite directions. Narrower skis (75–85mm underfoot) skin efficiently; wider skis (96–106mm) float in powder but you'll feel the weight going up. For most beginners, an 85–95mm waist is the sweet spot, versatile enough for the resort day after a tour and competent in a foot of powder. Demo before you buy. Most touring centers have multi-day AT ski rentals and it's worth using them.
Touring Skis — what's the difference?
A few common shapes, each making a different trade.
All-Mountain Touring (83–95mm)
The practical first ski. Skis the resort and handles any real tour.
Waist
83–95mm
Weight
~1,350–1,600g/ski
Best for
Mixed terrain, 4-season use
Best for Beginners and crossover tourers who still ski the resort
Tradeoff Less float in deep powder than wider options
Built for powder. Heavier skinning, better on big mountain descent.
Waist
96–106mm
Weight
~1,600–2,100g/ski
Best for
Deep snow, steep zones
Best for Dedicated powder chasers who accept the uphill penalty
Tradeoff Extra width is hard work on firm skintrack or icy traverses
Fast and Light (70–82mm)
Race-trim touring: ultralight, unforgiving. For experts who train for it.
Waist
70–82mm
Weight
~900–1,200g/ski
Best for
Ski mountaineering, fast touring
Best for Experienced tourers optimizing for vertical gain per hour
Tradeoff Barely adequate in powder; punishing on variable snow
Best starter
Blizzard
Zero G 95
$$$
★★★★★Our rating
The Zero G 95 handles both the climb and the descent without obvious compromises. At around 1,450g per ski, it's light enough for a proper skintrack and stiff enough to ski variable snow with confidence. The industry benchmark for all-around beginner touring skis.
What we like
At ~1,450g per ski, light enough for multi-hour skin tracks
95mm waist handles variable snow without being a powder pig
Industry-standard touring flex: not too flexy, not too stiff
What to know
Tech or hybrid binding required (adds cost if not already set up)
Too light for pure resort skiing: not great in bumps or hardpack ice
A heavier all-mountain ski that tours surprisingly well on mellow terrain. Not a touring-specific build, but the Bent 90 gets beginners on the skintrack without the full touring-ski investment. Spend the savings on boots.
What we like
Works with existing alpine bindings: lower total cost to start
Proven all-mountain construction handles resort skiing equally well
Widely available for demo and rental: easy to try before committing
What to know
Heavy for serious skinning; you'll feel it past 500m gain
You'll eventually want a real touring ski as you progress
When technique has caught up with equipment, the Navis delivers confidence in steep, variable, and wind-affected snow. Wider than the Zero G with more float in deep snow and stiffer torsion for demanding descents.
What we like
100mm waist floats in deep snow most tourers eventually chase
Torsional stiffness handles steep couloir skiing and wind slab confidently
Black Crows construction quality holds up to serious use for years
What to know
Wider ski is harder to skin on icy, narrow skin tracks
Full touring setup runs $1,800+ skis-only at retail
AT bindings are more complex than alpine bindings and the choice genuinely matters. Frame bindings let any alpine boot click in, but they're heavy, and you'll feel every extra gram on long skin tracks. Tech bindings use a pin-toe system and are light and efficient, but require boots with tech inserts. Hybrid bindings like the Kingpin give you real DIN alpine-mode release on the way down and an efficient tech-pin walk mode on the way up. For most beginners, a hybrid is the practical answer.
Best starter
Marker
Kingpin 13
$$$
★★★★★Our rating
The Kingpin solved a real problem: a binding that walks like a tech binding but skis with genuine DIN certification in ski mode. For crossover tourers who still want resort-level retention on the descent, this is the binding that makes sense.
What we like
True DIN certification: real alpine-level retention in ski mode
Tech mode is efficient and light for the performance it provides
Works with any tech-insert AT boot (broad compatibility)
What to know
Heavier than pure tech bindings: noticeable on very long tours
Pricier than frame bindings: budget $450–550 installed
If you want to start touring on existing alpine boots, frame bindings are the bridge. The Ambition 12 is lighter than average for a frame binding and walks well enough for moderate terrain. Prioritize spending on boots and safety gear instead.
What we like
Works with any alpine or AT boot: no tech-insert requirement
Familiar DIN step-in for skiers converting directly from alpine
Lower price point than hybrid tech bindings: eases entry cost
What to know
400–600g heavier per binding than tech options, a real tour penalty
Walk mode is adequate but inefficient on extended skin tracks
The pure tech binding for tourers who've committed to the light-and-fast approach. Noticeably lighter than any hybrid binding and the fastest mode switch available. Requires tech-insert boots and confident ski technique. Not a beginner binding.
What we like
Among the lightest bindings available: under 350g per binding
Fastest heel-flat-to-ski-mode switch of any binding on the market
Built for serious mountain terrain; handles steep and off-piste well
What to know
Requires tech-insert boots: no alpine-boot compatibility
Release in a hard fall is less reliable than full DIN bindings
AT boots are the most personal piece of gear in your kit, and the most important to get right. They need to walk (articulating cuff, grippy Vibram sole) and ski (stiff enough to transfer power). The stiffer the flex, the better it skis; the softer, the more comfortable the uphill. Most beginner tourers land in the 100–120 flex range. Don't buy AT boots without trying them on first; a bad fit makes every tour miserable, and returns are painful once boots have been skied.
Best starter
Scarpa
Maestrale RS
$$$
★★★★★Our rating
The Maestrale RS is the most-recommended beginner AT boot among mountain guides and touring instructors. The 115-flex walks with real ankle articulation and skis harder than the flex number suggests. Compatible with tech, frame, and GripWalk bindings. Genuinely future-proof.
What we like
115-flex walks with real ankle articulation, so tours feel like tours, not slogs
Skis harder than the flex number suggests (surprises most beginners)
Compatible with tech, frame, and GripWalk bindings: future-proof
What to know
Fit runs narrow; try before buying if you have wide feet
At ~1,550g per boot, heavier than ultralight touring alternatives
A stiff, well-priced AT boot from a brand that gets fit right. The DYN GripWalk sole makes on/off lifts easier, and the 120 flex skis better than most beginners expect. Often available on end-of-season sale for meaningful savings.
What we like
GripWalk sole for easier walking at lift towers and parking lots
120 flex provides real power transfer for varied terrain
Frequently discounted end-of-season: excellent value if timed right
What to know
Stiff flex is demanding uphill; quads notice on 1,000m+ gain days
Heavier construction compared to purpose-built touring boots
When technique has caught up with equipment, the XTD 130 is where serious tourers land: nearly 400g lighter than equivalent alpine boots, 130 flex for maximum power transfer, and full tech-insert compatibility. Buy this when you're ready, not before.
What we like
Nearly 400g lighter than equivalent alpine boots: real tour efficiency
130 flex drives a ski with authority in technical terrain
Full tech-insert compatibility works with any tech binding
What to know
130 flex is genuinely stiff; punishing for beginners without technique
High price ($700+): not justified until technique needs the stiffness
Climbing skins attach to the base of your skis with glue and let you walk uphill without sliding backward: the fundamental mechanic of ski touring. They need to grip on the way up and glide on the way down. Grip and glide pull in opposite directions: pure nylon grips in any condition; mohair glides better but slips in cold powder; a 65/35 nylon/mohair blend splits the difference and is the standard first choice for most North American conditions.
Best starter
Black Diamond
Glidelite Mix Skins
$$
★★★★★Our rating
The Glidelite Mix is the beginner consensus pick: the 65/35 nylon/mohair blend climbs reliably in cold powder and glides better than pure nylon on long flat approaches. Universal glue performs across temperature ranges without the fussiness of older formulas.
What we like
65/35 nylon/mohair blend grips cold powder and glides flat approaches
Universal glue reliable across -15°C to warm spring conditions
Works with most tip/tail attachment systems without modification
What to know
Glide degrades after ~30 skin days; re-glide every 1–2 seasons
Less glide than mohair-dominant skins on long flat valley approaches
Pomoca's racing heritage shows up in the Climb 2.0: the mohair-heavy blend glides noticeably better on long valley approaches and flat skin tracks. More expensive than BD, and the glue needs spring maintenance, but the uphill experience is a different league on distance tours.
What we like
Mohair-heavy blend glides noticeably better on flat valley approaches
Light per-skin weight: less drag on the uphill stride
STS glue system sticks reliably in cold temperatures
What to know
Premium price: roughly 40% more expensive than the BD Glidelite
Glue requires spring maintenance; delaminates in wet snow if neglected
Every touring party needs three things: a transceiver (beacon), a probe, and a shovel. That's not optional equipment; these tools are why teammates can find and dig out a buried companion. Buy all three at the same time. Buy new: don't inherit a decade-old beacon from someone's closet. And take an AIARE Level 1 avalanche course before your first real backcountry tour. The gear doesn't help if you've never practiced using it.
Best starter
Mammut
Barryvox S Avalanche Beacon
$$$
★★★★★Our rating
The Barryvox S has been the guide community's default for years because it works when you're panicking. Three-antenna search, real multiple-burial handling, and a display you can read through glove liners. There are cheaper beacons. There are none meaningfully better for beginners learning rescue.
What we like
Three-antenna search: fastest signal acquisition on the market
Proven multiple-burial algorithm used by mountain rescue teams
Large glove-friendly display readable in storm conditions
What to know
$400 price point: more expensive than budget beacon options
Advanced features add a learning curve compared to simpler models
If the Barryvox is out of budget, the Tracker S is the right call. BCA's signal-processing algorithm is proven, the interface is clean, and it's the beacon most beginners train on at avalanche courses. Upgrade to a three-antenna model when you move to serious terrain.
What we like
Trusted BCA algorithm: clear signal with minimal false positives
Clean interface makes learning at avalanche courses easier
Widely available at REI, Backcountry, and local ski shops
What to know
Less capable in complex multiple-burial scenarios than premium models
Older battery indicator design; check batteries before every tour
Every touring party needs a shovel and the Deploy 3 is the one professionals actually carry: the blade size, extendable T-handle ergonomics, and pack-down dimensions are well-calibrated for real rescue speed. It's $50. Buy it the same day as your beacon.
What we like
Extendable T-handle gives real leverage in consolidated avalanche debris
Blade size calibrated for rescue speed, not just powder stirring
Collapsible design fits any pack side pocket without bulk
What to know
Assembly under panic adds a beat compared to fixed-handle shovels
Blade too small for fast bulk snow clearing in very deep burials
A probe confirms burial depth and exact location before you start digging. The Quick Draw Carbon locks into a rigid pole in under three seconds with practice, and 240cm handles the vast majority of North American avalanche scenarios. Not optional.
What we like
Deploys and locks rigid in under three seconds with practice
Carbon construction: lighter than aluminum at equal stiffness
240cm handles the vast majority of North American burial scenarios
What to know
Carbon sections crack if stepped on; store carefully in your pack
Practice deploying at home before relying on it in the field
A touring pack carries your skins, extra layers, safety gear, water, food, and survival kit. Day tour packs run 18–28L. Features that matter: a dedicated skin pocket (keeps wet skins away from dry layers), a back- or side-panel access system (so you're not unpacking everything in the snow), and a hip-belt geometry that works with ski pants and AT boot buckles. An airbag pack is worth considering from day one if your terrain includes real avalanche exposure; it's real risk reduction.
Best starter
Osprey
Kamber 20
$$
★★★★★Our rating
The Kamber 20 (men's) and Sopris 20 (women's) are the packs ski tourers actually buy: dedicated skin pocket keeps wet skins from soaking your layers, side-panel access means you're not digging for a shell in the snow, and the hip-belt geometry works with ski pants and AT boots.
What we like
Dedicated skin pocket keeps wet skins away from dry layers
Side-panel access: grab a layer without unpacking in the snow
Hip-belt geometry designed for ski pants and AT boot buckles
What to know
No airbag compatibility; upgrade path requires a new pack
Narrower shoulder straps; not ideal for broad-shouldered builds
An airbag pack is real risk reduction: a deployed airbag doesn't guarantee survival, but it meaningfully improves burial statistics in triggerable terrain. The Free 22 uses a compressed-air cartridge system that's TSA-compliant and refillable at most mountain shops.
What we like
Compressed-air system is TSA-compliant and refillable at mountain shops
Most people overthink the gear and underthink the avalanche education. Here's what the first season actually looks like: the skills that matter, the mistakes everyone makes, and when it starts clicking.
Ski touring has a way of converting people permanently. The resort skiers who try it once, find untracked snow in a quiet mountain drainage three hours from the nearest lift, and come back the following winter with a full kit. This is a story repeated thousands of times every season.
The sport is also more serious than it looks. The same terrain that produces that untracked powder produces avalanches. Knowing the difference, reading the snowpack, making good decisions under peer pressure on a cold morning: that’s the real skill the sport demands of you, and it takes a full season to begin building it.
This is what that first season actually looks like.
Before your first tour: take an avalanche course
This is not the thing most people want to hear first. They want to know about the gear, the skintrack technique, the gear again. But the single most valuable investment you make in your first season is an AIARE Level 1 avalanche course: two days of classroom and field time, $300–400, and available through most mountain schools and outdoor education organizations.
You need it before your first real backcountry tour, not after. Here’s why: the skills aren’t just knowing what to do when a slope releases. They’re about learning to read terrain: which aspects are loaded, which run-out zones are dangerous, what a high-danger day looks like on a specific snowpack. None of that clicks from YouTube. It clicks from standing on a slope with an instructor, digging a snow pit, and watching what the layers do.
After the course, check your regional avalanche center’s forecast every time you go out. Not sometimes. Every time.
The first skintrack: what to expect
Your first few hours on touring skis feel strange. You’re walking on skis. The skins grip the snow on the way up and let you slide forward but not backward. The heel of your binding is free, so your heel lifts with each step like a very large hiking boot. You lean forward slightly, keep the ski flat (don’t edge), and find a rhythm.
What surprises most beginners:
It’s aerobic. Even a mellow touring pace gets your heart rate up in a way that resort skiing doesn’t. Dress in fewer layers than you think; you’ll be drenched in sweat within fifteen minutes if you start too warmly. The rule of thumb is that you should feel slightly cold when you begin skinning. You’ll warm up fast.
Kick turns are the hard part. On steep sections where you need to reverse direction, you do a kick turn: plant your poles, swing one ski 180 degrees uphill, shift weight, swing the other. It feels unnatural and awkward for the first few sessions. On a narrow skintrack with exposure below you, it can be genuinely scary. Practice kick turns on flat terrain before you need them on a slope.
The pace matters more than the fitness. Skinning at a pace where you can hold a conversation is sustainable for hours. Skinning at a pace where you’re breathing hard is unsustainable for twenty minutes. Go slower than you think is correct. The mountain will still be there.
Most beginner tours climb 300–600m vertical over 3–5km. That’s two to three hours of skinning. For your first outing, pick a mellow, south-facing slope on a low-danger day, go with someone more experienced, and aim for half that distance.
Taking your skins off and skiing down
The transition from ascent to descent (skinning mode to ski mode) takes time to feel smooth. You’ll stop at a safe, flat spot near the top, pull your skins off (warm them under your jacket first in cold weather so the glue stays sticky), fold them sticky-side-to-sticky-side, stuff them in the dedicated pocket of your pack, and click your binding heels down into ski mode.
First-time transitioning skiers often:
Forget to click the heels down and wonder why the skis feel wrong
Drop a skin on a slope and watch it slide away
Overheat standing still after a sweaty climb, then get chilled in ski mode; have a mid-layer ready
The descent is where the sport pays off. Untracked snow, no lift lines, no other people. It’s also ungroomed, variable, and often harder to ski than you expect. The ski runs shorter than you’d like at first. The ratio of two hours up to fifteen minutes down can feel absurd until the fifteen minutes becomes extraordinary.
What you’re actually building in your first season
Avalanche awareness is the slow-building skill. After an AIARE Level 1, you know the framework. Over a season of checking daily forecasts, reading terrain, going out with more experienced partners, and starting to recognize danger signs (shooting cracks, whumpfing sounds, recent avalanche activity nearby), the framework starts to feel like intuition.
Skintrack efficiency improves quickly. After ten days of touring, the kick turn feels natural. After twenty, you’ll find your rhythm and stop thinking about your feet.
Route-finding comes slowly. Choosing the right line up a mountain (where the slope angle is reasonable, the terrain trap exposure is low, the aspect is less loaded) is judgment that builds over seasons, not weeks. This is why going out with guides and experienced partners in your first season matters more than your gear.
By the end of your first season, you’ll have:
A handful of routes you know well enough to lead yourself
A sense for your own fitness ceiling and how to pace within it
Opinions on what gear actually matters and what was marketing
The beginning of a mental model for avalanche terrain
You won’t be a backcountry skier yet. You’ll be someone who has done it enough to understand what it takes to become one, which is a different and more useful thing.
Common first-season mistakes
Ignoring the forecast. The avalanche forecast is not a suggestion. A considerable danger rating (3 of 5) kills experienced skiers every season. Know what you’re accepting before you leave the car.
Touring with people who push too hard. The social dynamics of ski touring are real; it’s easy to follow a more experienced group into terrain that’s above your decision-making level. Pick your partners carefully. It’s fine to say the slope looks wrong to you.
Buying everything at once. Rent skis, boots, and bindings for your first season. Your preferences will change dramatically after five tours, and the ski that fits your touring style at tour twenty is probably not the ski you’d have bought on day one.
Underpacking. The backcountry is not the resort. Extra layers, water, food, a basic first aid kit, and your emergency communication device (a satellite messenger like a Garmin inReach) should be in the pack every time. Weather changes fast at elevation.
What to do in your second season
By mid-first-season, you’ll know if touring is your sport. If it is:
Take an AIARE Level 2 course (more field time, more complex scenarios)
Find a touring partner who’s one or two seasons ahead of you and willing to mentor
Buy the gear that your first season told you you actually needed
The sport compounds. Each season’s decision-making experience builds on the last. The mountains don’t change; your ability to read them does.
Save your money
What you don't need yet
Beginners get pressured to buy a lot of stuff that doesn't help them play
better. Here's what we'd skip on day one.
Custom boot liners — Get your stock liners heat-molded at the shop on day one. Custom liners (Intuition, Palau) make sense after a full season when you know the fit problems you're solving.
Ski crampons — You'll eventually need them for icy morning starts and spring alpine tours, but not in your first season. Add them once you're skinning regularly.
A dedicated GPS device — Your phone with Gaia GPS (free tier) is genuinely sufficient to start. A dedicated GPS unit makes sense when you're doing multi-day or navigation-critical routes.
Splitboard setup — Splitboarding is a distinct sport with its own gear ecosystem. Great choice if you snowboard, but it's a different build-from-scratch kit, not a crossover.
Touring-specific apparel — Your existing ski jacket and pants work fine for your first season. Dedicated touring softshells make sense when you're touring often enough to notice the difference in breathability.
First week
Your first seven days
A short, real plan to get from gear-on-doorstep to actually playing.
Book an AIARE Level 1 avalanche course before anything else. Avalanche education is the foundation of backcountry skiing and should happen before your first tour. · Action
Order your beacon, probe, and shovel: these you own and practice with. Start with the Mammut Barryvox S and Black Diamond Deploy 3 shovel + Quick Draw Carbon 240 probe. · Buy
Book a ski touring rental for your first weekend out. Most specialty shops rent full AT setups (skis, boots, bindings); use that to figure out your preferred ski width and boot flex before buying. · Action
Download Gaia GPS on your phone and load a beginner touring route in your area. Read the trail notes and check the terrain ratings. · Action
Gaia GPS · Best mapping app for backcountry navigation
Bookmark your regional avalanche center and check the forecast daily for two weeks before your first tour. Getting comfortable reading danger ratings before your life depends on it is the point. · Action
Find a touring partner with more experience than you. Do not go into the backcountry alone as a beginner. Most touring clubs and local shops run beginner group tours. · Action
FAQ
Common questions
How much does it cost to start ski touring?
A practical starter kit (skis, bindings, boots, skins, beacon, probe, shovel, and pack) runs $1,500–$3,000 new. You can cut that significantly by renting skis, boots, and bindings for your first season (most specialty touring shops offer multi-day AT rentals) and buying only the safety gear (beacon, probe, shovel) outright.
Can I use my regular alpine ski boots for touring?
Only with frame bindings. Frame bindings accept any alpine boot but add significant weight (400–600g per binding). You can start this way, but you'll quickly notice the uphill penalty. Most dedicated tourers move to tech-compatible AT boots within a season or two.
Do I really need to take an avalanche course?
Yes. Backcountry terrain carries real avalanche risk, and the beacon, probe, and shovel are only useful if you know how to use them under pressure with a buried teammate. An AIARE Level 1 course (typically two days, around $300–400) is the minimum. Take it before your first real tour, not after.
How fit do I need to be to start ski touring?
More fit than you think, but less than you fear. A comfortable beginner tour gains 300–600m of vertical over 3–5km. If you can hike steadily for 2–3 hours without stopping, you have enough fitness to start. Skinning is rhythmic and steady, not explosive; it rewards pacing over strength.
What level skier do I need to be before I start touring?
Solid intermediate and above: you need to ski blue and black runs comfortably in varied conditions before heading into the backcountry. The descent on a ski tour is real terrain: variable snow, no grooming, no ski patrol. If you're still working on parallel turns on groomed slopes, spend another season at the resort first.
What's the difference between ski touring and splitboarding?
Same basic idea (ascend on your own power, descend on your own terms): ski touring uses skis with climbing skins and AT bindings, while splitboarding uses a snowboard that splits into two ski-like halves for the uphill. The communities overlap but the gear is entirely separate.
American Avalanche Association — The standard-setting body for avalanche education in the US. Their course finder lists AIARE Level 1 programs by region. Your first stop before your first tour.
Avalanche.org — Links to every regional avalanche center in North America. Bookmark your local center and check the forecast before every single tour. This is not optional.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center — The most data-rich avalanche center in the country; their educational content and forecast archives are useful for anyone learning to read terrain, even outside Colorado.
The Mountaineers — Pacific Northwest-based outdoor education organization with excellent online and in-person courses for backcountry skiing, navigation, and mountaineering. Their book 'Backcountry Skiing' is a deep reference.
Earn Your Turns Podcast — Long-running backcountry skiing podcast covering terrain, technique, gear, and safety. One of the best audio resources for aspiring tourers.
Powder Magazine: Backcountry — The ski culture bible. The backcountry coverage skews expert, but it's useful for understanding terrain, gear evolution, and the culture of the sport.
r/backcountry — Active subreddit with gear advice, trip reports, and safety discussions. Skip the gear-brand wars; search the safety and technique threads for grounded advice.
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Best starter 
