POWDER Gear Editor Max Ritter's Predictions for 2026

I can't predict the future, but I have opinions on what we're going to be seeing next year in the wide world of skiing. Here they are.

Ski Boot Innovation

Ski boots are as good as they've ever been, but it's no secret that there's plenty of room for improvement. Looking into my witchy crystal ball, I'm going to make a prediction that we're going to see some pretty big changes and major innovations in ski boot design coming down the pipe. I'm no boot designer, so I can't tell you exactly what it will be, but it's clear that brands have been thinking outside of the box over the past few years when it comes to designing boots that not only perform better, but are actually comfortable.



I think there's two major areas where big changes will happen, and I'm drawing that conclusion based on two observations I've made this and last season: the rise in popularity of hard-charging resort skiers turning to race boots (plug boots, if you will) for every day use, and the fact that hybrid/crossover boots have gotten good enough to warrant everyday use inbounds. Brands tend to listen to their customers and to industry trends as a whole, so I think we'll be seeing a lot more low-volume, extremely high performance boots (in more sizes) and walk-mode boots that actually shred.



Perhaps we'll finally get a big enough pool of walkable, shreddable boots that will make any foot shape happy? A boy can dream...

Carving Skis Will Make a Comeback

We are POWDER Magazine, so I'm not exactly that thrilled by this, but I won't deny that going fast and making high-angle turns on perfectly groomed snow is really fun. Our industry also goes in cycles, and I think we're about due for the return of sub-100mm waist width skis in greater use. I know, I know, they've always been the weapons of choice for East Coasters and Euros, but I think they're going to catch on in snowier locations as well.



When I talk about carving skis, I also don't necessarily mean über-stiff, World Cup-level race boards. I'm referring to everyperson hard-snow skis that are meant to be fun above all else and make edging and high-speed carving easy. Case in point? Models like DPS's new Pisteworks skis, or the revised Line Sakana.



I'm sure there's good things coming here.

Freeride is Alive and Well

Well this one is based somewhat in what I already know is coming down the pipeline from brands like Fischer, Armada, 4FRNT and the like. Freeride skiing, particularly the competition kind, is entering its golden age, backed by young athletes that continue to push the limits of the sport into the stratosphere.



In my eyes, this is where the fun is in skiing, and where gear designers have the most leeway to create products that don't speak to the masses. Instead, they're building skis that cater to the extremely unique needs and styles of boundary-pushing athletes. These skis are going to be weird, polarizing, and definitely not for everyone.



But here's the best part: even if we don't all like them, that outside-the-box thinking is how new things are discovered that bring ski design into the future. Remember when everyone made fun of Shane McConkey for skiing water skis? That's what I'm talking about.

The Backcountry "Boom" Is Over, But Innovation Continues

I hate to say it, but I think the most recent pandemic-induced backcountry ski touring boom has run its course. For those of us who were pissed about our favorite spots getting blown up, our secret lines getting tracked out, and trailheads getting busier than a Walmart parking lot on Black Friday, this might come as a welcome development.

I'm not saying it's going to massively less busy, but I do think the hype and novelty of earning your turns (especially for those who bought touring gear in 2021 only to find out that experiencing the freedom of the hills was extremely physically demanding and logistically complicated) has worn off. Talking to guide friends and industry insiders, there does seem to be some waning interest in venturing beyond the resort. Perhaps it's an economy thing?



That being said, I don't think the innovation train is stopping anytime soon. In fact, I think ski touring gear is about to be really, really good. I'm predicting that all the R&D from the last few years will finally have paid off with skis, boots, and bindings that are actually fun to ski. We went through the everything-needs-to-be-ultralight era, then swung back to the heavy-metal-freeride era, and now we're trending towards a Goldilocks zone where the uphill/downhill balance is no longer too skewed one direction. In terms of specifics, I'm going to say that we're going to see a hybrid binding that actually checks all the boxes (skiability, tourability, and low weight), we're going to see touring boots that aren't a pain in the ass to deal with (and also ski powerfully), and we're going to see further innovation in backcountry safety gear that will make traveling in the mountains far safer for skiers.

Big Tech and Skiing Are Now Inseparable

Skiing used to be a luddite's activity, but it's undeniable that the sport and big tech are now inseparable. Outside of hardgoods like skis, boots, and bindings, the biggest place I've observed growth and innovation is in the ski-adjacent tech space. There's got to be like 1000 different ski-related apps now, from activity tracking, to on-mountain safety, to communication and social sharing opportunities for when you want to pull your phone out on the chairlift. Heck, you can even load your ski pass onto your phone at resorts like Jackson Hole now, which is actually pretty neat.

As skiing becomes more and more mainstream (and popular among techies), I think we're going to see a lot more integration with our devices and our other gear. I don't exactly know what that's going to look like, but I'd speculate more performance-tracking, "how-to-ski-better" type stuff (look at Carv as an example), probably more powerful ticket payment systems (I think all our ski tickets are going to be on our phones in the next year or two) and touchless resort parking payment systems (hopefully more user-friendly than whatever is going on at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort's base area this season).

We're Going To Hit An Industry Tipping Point With Price

Skiing is as expensive as it's ever been, and I'm no economist, but there's no way that is going to be sustainable. With mega-resort ticket prices continuing to skyrocket, gear prices reaching astronomical highs due to tariffs and other factors, I'm predicting a crash in participation any day now. That, unfortunately, is no good for anyone.

Powder

This story was originally published December 31, 2025 at 5:17 AM.