PlanetSKI Gear Review #3 Winter 2025/26

7th December 2025 | Alf Alderson - Gear & Equipment Editor

Last modified on January 14th, 2026

In our third gear review Alf Alderson tests Osprey and Deuter bags, Ski Jackets from Schöffel, Jöttnar & Helly Hansen a pair of POC merino tights and the Cardo packtalk coms device.

OSPREY MOUNTAIN BOUND BOOT PACK £100 – Osprey.com

It’s a common tip for ski travellers to take their ski boots as carry on luggage in case the airline ‘loses’ them when they go as hold luggage and Osprey’s Mountain Bound boot pack makes that all the more convenient, as well as looking pretty stylish too.

It’s made from durable, highly water-resistant NanoTough fabric, so it will take some hammer.

It has plenty of room in the main compartment for a pair of ski boots, whilst leaving enough space that you could even cram in a lightweight jacket or other useful carry-on too.

You can stash your helmet and goggles above the ski boots in a separate zipped compartment, which is really useful as ski helmets are always a pain to pack/carry.

There’s yet more storage space in a soft-lined top zippered compartment for stuff like phone, sunglasses and other small accessories, and there’s an internal zippered mesh pocket in the main compartment, that can be accessed by a side zip.

The pack is well-padded to protect all your gear, and there’s both a sturdy harness/hip belt along with padded grab handles for lugging it about.

Plus, I liked the extra little touch of a padded shoe-changing mat that’s also included for comfortably taking your boots off in the parking lot.

VERDICT: A really well-designed and good-looking boot pack that also has room to carry plenty of other travel essentials.

Osprey Mountain Bound Boot Pack £100 – Image © Osprey.com

DEUTER FREERIDER PRO 32+10 SKI TOURING PACK £190 – Deuter.com

The Deuter Freerider Pro is one of the best ski touring/ski packs we’ve used recently.

It offers loads of great design features including the ability to increase the capacity from 32-liters to 42-liters by extending the roll-top closure.

It is a little fiddly to access your kit through this, to be honest, but this is overcome by the use of a very easily accessible large zippered opening which also provides access to the main compartment.

Within the main compartment there’s a hydration sleeve, whilst all your avy gear can be carried in a separate compartment on the outside of the pack, and goggles, skins etc. go into a zippered top compartment with a divider, one side of which is fleece lined; there’s also a wet compartment for used skins and the like.

In addition, there’s a whole stack of external carrying options, including side and diagonal ski attachments, ski pole/rope/ ice axe/snowshoe attachments and a detachable mesh helmet holder/carrier; and if all that isn’t enough there are also small zippered compartments on each hip fin.

The pack’s fabric is snow and moisture resistant, and in use the combination of a flexible Delrin U-frame and ergonomic and well-padded shoulder straps and hip fins makes for a comfortable, stable carry.

VERDICT: An excellent, versatile and well-designed pack that works for everything from easy days out or extended multi-day tours.

Deuter Freerider Pro 32+10 Ski Touring Pack £190 – Image © Deuter.com

SCHÖFFEL SKUTA JACKET £599 EllisBrigham.com

If you’re mainly into resort skiing and prefer to wear an insulated jacket rather than a shell, the premium quality Schöffel Skuta is well worth checking out.

It combines high-performance weather-beating stretch outer fabrics with thermal-regulating insulation and engineered tailoring for a warm, comfortable fit whatever the conditions, and comes with all the features you’re likely to need.

The outer is constructed from Venturi four-way stretch fabric, which offers high levels of waterproof and breathable protection with great freedom of movement, while PrimaLoft Gold insulation provides guaranteed low-bulk warmth and the jacket’s full stretch lining along with 3D mesh spacers in the shoulders further enhance the fit; the Skuta also has fully taped seams and the jacket’s main fabric is recycled nylon.

The removable, insulated hood is helmet-compatible, below which mesh-backed pit zips help regulate your body temperature on warmer days.

There are five zippered outer pockets – two chest, two hand and a lift pass pocket on the left sleeve – and you also get an inner zippered security pocket and a mesh goggle pocket so if you prefer to ski without a daypack there’s plenty of space to store all your accessories.

The elements are kept at bay thanks to a stretch, zip-off powder skirt, warm, comfy wrist gaiters and fully adjustable hem, cuffs, neck and hood.

In short, the Skuta is a well-designed and engineered ski jacket with all the features you’re ever likely to need.

VERDICT: A top quality insulated ski jacket for resort/recreational skiers.

The Schöffel Skuta Ski jacket is available from Ellis Brigham here >>

Schöffel Skuta Jacket £599 – available from EllisBrigham.com – Image © Schoffel.com

CARDO PACKTALK OUTDOOR DUO SET £400 – EllisBrigham.com

The Cardo Packtalk Outdoor Duo allows you to communicate hands-free without the need for internet or mobile phone reception.

You don’t need to worry about being nailed by pesky roaming charges when you’re abroad and trying to stay in touch with your ski buddies both on and off the slopes.

You can connect with between one and 15 other Cardo users via a Bluetooth unit that clips to your helmet and comprises of a discrete microphone plus good quality JBL headphones to ensure clear audio.

The unit also lets you listen to music from your phone and answer calls hands free, it has a range of up to 1km between two users and up to 5km when connecting a group, and a big plus, it can be operated with gloved hands.

Build quality is excellent and in use the unit is light and small enough that it doesn’t get in the way – in fact you’ll barely notice you’re wearing it once you get used to it being attached to your helmet.

Features include fast charging and a ten-hour battery life when fully charged.

The unit is fully waterproof and will operate in temperatures from -20˚C up to 55˚C.

I guess the Cardo is a bit of a ‘Marmite’ ski accessory – you’ll either love it or hate it – and there is, of course, the safety issues that are raised by users being removed from the surrounding environment if all they can hear as they ski is their mates chattering away or their music, but that notwithstanding it’s a neat, well-designed little gadget that will appeal massively to techy types.

VERDICT: An easy and convenient way of staying in touch with your ski buddies, listening to music and avoiding roaming charges.

The Cardo PackTalk Outdoor Duo Set (£400) is available from Ellis Brigham here >>>>

Cardo Packtalk Outdoor Duo Set £400 – available from EllisBrigham.com – Image © cardo.com

[PlanetSKI will be taking a set out to Canada to test this Winter. We’ll report back once we put it through its paces.]

JÖTTNAR FLOYEN HOODED SYNTHETIC INSULATED JACKET £289 – Jöttnar.com

It’s great to find a piece of ski gear that you can also use during the rest of the year, and for other activities.

Jöttnar’s Floyen jacket is just that, working as a cold weather mid-layer or a nice-looking standalone piece for warmer conditions.

Constructed from Pertex Quantum, a 50 denier quadruple rip-stop recycled nylon fabric with PFC-free durable water-repellent treatment.

It also has a 100g/m2 synthetic fill in the main body, sleeves, collar and side panels plus 80g/m2 synthetic fill in the hood, providing instant warmth when used as a mid-layer, whilst its light weight (430g) and easy packability mean you can quickly and readily stash it in your pack when not in use.

Features are fairly minimal and include the aforementioned close fitting under-helmet hood (not adjustable), stretch cuffs, anti-snag hem draw cords with glove compatible pulls, harness and rucksack compatible zippered, fleece-lined hand pockets and a zippered internal security pocket.

VERDICT: A top-quality, good-looking and versatile mid-layer/standalone garment.

Jöttnar Floyen Hooded Synthetic Insulated Jacket £289 – Image © Jöttnar.com

HELLY HANSEN RIDGE INFINITY SHELL JACKET 2.0 £700 HellyHansen.com

The Ridge Infinity Shell has been designed with input from pro skiers, and you can see that in the well-thought-out features (and lots of ‘em) that it has.

These include a fully seam-sealed, three-layer construction using HELLY TECH Professional and LIFA INFINITY fabrics to provide durable waterproofness and breathability, with a loose fit for easy layering.

Practical details include a helmet-adjustable hood and high collar with anti-chafe chin guard, pit zips, a detachable powder skirt, and multiple pockets including a large chest pocket to accommodate radios or larger phones and Helly’s insulated ‘Life Pocket’ to extend phone battery life in the cold along with a phone leash, plus RECCO reflectors for searchability.

It’s a great-looking, well-built piece of kit that will appeal to serious skiers for whom practicality is as important as price.

VERDICT: A rugged ski jacket that will endure some serious action, but at a premium price.

HELLY HANSEN RIDGE INFINITY SHELL PANTS £450 HellyHansen.com

Made from Helly’s renowned breathable and waterproof Lifa Infinity fabric with a PFC-free DWR finish, these lightweight, loose fit, articulated pants are ideal for more strenuous ski touring and backcountry skiing.

The high waistband is adjustable and also comes with large belt loops, below which are two large cargo pockets.

The right pocket is zippered and has an internal transceiver D ring, the left has a Velcro flap closure (note that the sample we were sent had no hand pockets, which may not suit everyone).

Zippered vents on the outer legs help you regulate your temperature on warmer days.

A generously-sized scuff pad protects the hems, whilst there’s a built-in Recco reflector on the right leg and, of course, internal snow gaiters – pretty much all you need (other than maybe hand pockets) on a great pair of lightweight, cool-looking shell pants.

VERDICT: A great option if you’re looking to move fast and light through the mountains.

POC MEN’S MERINO ¾ TIGHTS £90 – poc.com

Yes, 90 quid is a lot to pay for a pair of – ahem, tights – but this merino offering from POC is rather nice…

The tights offer ‘race-inspired features’ such as a dual layer of fabric over the front of the knees for extra warmth where it’s needed most, and four-way stretch ensuring they move with you through a complete range of motion.

Constructed from a Merino blend with over 80% wool, the tights provide effective thermal regulation and wick moisture away from your skin, and they’re sewn with as few seams as possible for maximum comfort against your body, even, apparently, under a tight-fitting race suit should you ever be required to don such a garment.