The Black Diamond Impulse 98 Ti Ski comes matched with the Freeraider 14 SL Binding and Scarpa Gea RS Boot, a setup built to climb efficiently and still deliver on a steep descent. The Gea RS's 61 degrees of walk mode make long bootpacks feel manageable, while its very stiff flex harnesses power the moment the skin comes off. The ski's titanal layer and poplar core stay composed at speed, and the binding's freeride spacer keeps that power moving straight to the edge, so nothing about the approach costs anything on the way down. What Our Gearhead(R) Experts Are Saying:"I bootpacked a long approach without ever fighting the boot's range of motion, then dropped into a steep line and felt the stiff flex do exactly what it's built for. The climb and the descent never competed with each other."