1. BACKCOUNTRY
Snowboard: Ride Slackcountry
Itching to sneak off the grid? The ultra-light Slackcountry features carbon stringers ¿to boost control and pop, and its powder-specific side cut and camber will have you cruising through waist-deep flakes like a guy who knows what he’s doing (base shown).
$700, ridesnowboards.com
Ski: Völkl Kuro
Don’t let the old-school styling fool you. With a fat five-inch-wide waist, vibration-damping carbon base, and a bit of reverse camber to boost maneuverability, these burly beasts blow through the white stuff à la Robert Downey Jr. before he got all clean.
$1,065, volkl.com
Ride cheap: Sugarbush, VT ¿Hop on the East’s only snow cat and hit the trails even before the lifts open.
$75, sugarbush.com
2. ALL-MOUNTAIN
Snowboard: Lib Tech Travis Rice C2 Power Banana
X Games gold medalist Mr. Rice has proved that he can ride anything. His new stick’s wavy edges and mix of reverse and regular cambers allow you to float over powder, yet carve through crud.
$539, lib-tech.com
Ski: K2 Kung Fujas
Sporting both a mini-rocker to the tip and tail to handle powder, plus a two-way taper and raised tail to ease switch carving, the Kung Fujas is a snow chameleon, making itself at home in any surroundings. If you own one pair of skis, make it these.
$700, k2skis.com
Ride cheap: TAHOE, NV ¿Crash—and ski—in nearby Reno’s Silver Legacy or Eldorado casino.
From $69/night, mtrose.com
3. PARK AND PIPE
Snowboard: Forum ¿Youngblood Chillydog
The Youngblood’s tip and tail rise high above the snow. That translates to smoother spins and slides on boxes and rails, more stomped landings, and fewer edge-catching, dignity-erasing face-plants.
$400, forumsnowboards.com
Ski: Salomon Dumont
The best thing about slope style star Simon Dumont’s signature skis? Toughness. A wide body, wood core, and polyethylene fibers between the center edges mean you can bounce through the park, land hard, even drop down stairs, and keep rolling.
$775, salomon.com
Ride cheap: Brighton, Utah ¿With progressive parks and night skiing, you can shred from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
$58, brightonresort.com