Author: femignarly

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. Skis in the mid-100s give me déjà vu. Lots of directional skis with a moderate flex and carbon laminates that clock in at 1700g. They’re accessible to progressing intermediates, but supportive enough for experts, and pretty versatile around the mountain in soft snow climates. The Elan … Continue reading Gear Review: Women’s Elan Ripstick 102 W Skis

It’s new gear season! This is the time of year where brands introduce their lineup for the ’22-’23 season, and the ski media talks about what new men’s products will be on the market next year. I am not a “get invited to gear shows” caliber of influencer, so I read all of the articles, … Continue reading Women’s Ski Gear Preview – 2023

Ski season is here in Western Washington, so it’s a good time to talk about backseat skiing. Whether you’re feeling rusty at the start of the season or planning out your goals for the year, finding good form works wonders for both. But before I dive in, a quick clarification. Form is optional. If you’re … Continue reading Backseat Skiing

Every year, I review topsheets. Are they an important aspect of a ski’s construction and performance? Absolutely not. But they mean a lot to me. I’ve worked in marketing and branding, and I know how design work focuses deeply on who the customer is and what the customer likes. It gives me a good sense … Continue reading Superficial Ski Reviews – 2022

I recently got a reader email asking my thoughts on stiff boots for women. It’s a topic that’s been discussed a million times, memed into oblivion, and yet, stiff boots are scarce on the shelves at most ski shops. What gives? Turns out, it’s a complex business problem. Some boot product line managers see the … Continue reading Why Don’t They Make Stiff Boots for Women?

The Sheeva 10 is my favorite ski I have never owned. I think the ski is an incredible one-quiver resort ski for the Pacific Northwest, and that they provide an ample runway for growth. But as someone who to test, collect, and turn over gear somewhat regularly, those qualities were deal breakers. But those are … Continue reading Gear Review: Women’s Blizzard Sheeva 10 Skis

Ladies and (a few upstanding) Gents, it has been 21 days since our last incident of wildly problematic marketing in the outdoor industry. Today’s clownery comes from Pit Viper. They posted a problematic reel that trivialized date rape and drugged drinks. They got a few comments about how their post was super rapey and they … Continue reading Pit Viper, Rape Jokes, and their Alt-Right Problem

A few weeks ago, my friend Kaelee posted a TikTok about shopping for ski pants. It went viral, and there are oodles of commenters asking, “why do they think we’re all rectangles?!” And I know the answer, so let’s get into it: As you probably know, sizing isn’t standardized. It’s frustrating as hell for customers, … Continue reading Why are women’s ski pants so tight in the butt, hips, and thighs?

At the end of the year, everyone hits this deep period of reflection. Media counts down the best songs and movies and recaps the major events of the past year. So I thought it would be a good time to do the same for the outdoor woman. At the end of 2021, how is she … Continue reading 2021 State of Outdoor Women

If you're new to reading ski reviews, you'll notice that the most in-depth reviews feature a ton of stats and measurements. From personal experience, I know it can be a little overwhelming, so I’ve put together a cheat sheet of the basics. For likely the first time ever, I'm keeping word count tight, but I'm … Continue reading Ski Construction Cheat Sheet