Small gear & consumables
The parts and consumables a season uses up
26 categories of things that wear out, get burned and are bought again, judged the same way as the appliances: by what they change, and whether the cheaper option already does the job. A part only helps if it matches what you own exactly — a skin is cut to one ski and never to a size, a spare lens belongs to one frame family and not to a shape, and a ski crampon fits one binding system rather than being ordered from a photograph.
Browse by category
- Ski carry straps Two euros of webbing that holds a pair together 4
- Goggle lenses A second filter category, and whether it clips on 7
- Wrist guards A splint, and whether it goes under a glove 6
- Avalanche shovels An aluminium blade on a shaft that packs — not a car shovel 7
- Avalanche probes Length in centimetres, and how fast it assembles 7
- Climbing skins Cut to your ski, and glued or gecko-backed 6
- Ski crampons Width in millimetres, and it must match the binding 4
- Stomp pads Grip for the back foot, between the bindings 7
- Ski vises Three clamps, and whether it holds a snowboard too 7
- Glide wax The temperature band on the packet, and how it goes on 6
- Grip wax For the kick zone of a classic ski, and nothing else 3
- Scrapers and brushes Plexi thickness, and three bristles that do three jobs 6
- Ski bags Length, padding, and whether poles go in too 7
- Boot bags A helmet compartment, and straps that make it a rucksack 7
- Ski racks Pairs held, stated load, and whether it is a ski rack at all 7
- Ski gloves Waterproof membrane, insulation weight, and glove or mitten 7
- Ski socks One thin pair, merino, and padding only where it belongs 7
- Neck warmers Merino or fleece, and whether it fits under a helmet 7
- Hand warmers Rechargeable or disposable, and how long the heat lasts 7
- Skate guards Soaker, hard guard or wheels — three ways to cover a blade 7
- Ice grips Spike count, stainless steel, and a harness that stays on 7
- Ski locks Cable length, code or key, and what it will actually stop 7
- Snow brushes Length, a telescopic handle, and bristles that do not scratch 7
- Impact shorts Hip, tailbone and thigh pads, and whether they stay in place 7
- Ski tuning files Teeth per centimetre, a diamond grit, and a guide with an angle 6
- Waxing kits What is in the box, and whether the iron is the real one 7