Preseason Ski Deals Are Already Live — Start With the Safety Gear

August is the cheapest month of the year to buy snow gear and the least appealing one to think about it. Last season's skis, boots, and avalanche equipment sit in warehouses that need the space by October, and the prices will not be this good again until next August.

The deals

1Best touring ski deal−22%

Black Crows Camox Freebird

A 97-millimeter touring ski that skis inbounds without apology, in last season's graphics for $200 less. Light enough for long days on the skin track and stiff enough that you are not scared of it on a firm traverse. It is on our test list for this winter, so no rating yet.

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Black Crows Camox Freebird

$700$900Ended Nov 3

This deal has ended.

2Buy this before the skis−15%

Mammut Barryvox S2

A current three-antenna transceiver with a wide search strip and an interface that stays legible when your hands are shaking. Beacons almost never go on sale, which is why a 15% cut on the newest model is the most useful line on this page. Budget for a practice session, not just the purchase.

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Mammut Barryvox S2

$509$600Ended Oct 22

This deal has ended.

3Best boot deal, with a caveat−29%

Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130

A 130-flex boot that tours acceptably and skis hard, at $250 off because the shell color changed. The caveat is that clearance boots are final sale at most shops: only buy a model you have already been fit for, because a boot that does not fit your foot is worth nothing at any discount.

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Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130

$600$850Ends Nov 19

Check price at evo· $600

4Cheapest non-negotiable on the list−20%

Ortovox Pro Alu III Shovel

A metal blade with an extendable shaft and a hoe mode, which is what you want when avalanche debris sets up like concrete. Plastic shovels shatter in exactly the conditions you bought one for. Twenty percent off makes this the least expensive item here and the one we would not go into the backcountry without.

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Ortovox Pro Alu III Shovel

$88$110Ended Oct 26

This deal has ended.

Safety gear first

If you are assembling a backcountry kit, spend here before you spend on skis. A current three-antenna transceiver, a metal shovel, and a 240-centimeter probe are the floor, and two of the three are discounted right now. Our avalanche safety guide covers what each piece has to do and why the cheap version is a bad trade.

Boots before skis, but only if you have been fit

Sizing a boot from a photo is how people end up with $600 of shelf decoration. Skis are far more forgiving — last year's construction under this year's topsheet is the same ski, and nobody on the skin track will know.

None of these are reviewed products yet; they are on our test list for the coming season. Prices were verified at publication.