This Fall, we rounded up the award winning ski and snowboard gear of 2015.  We wanted to give our viewers one place to find all of 2015’s most highly praised gear.  We called it TOP GUN.  We’ve now gone through all the award winning gear we could find and we want to show the best award winning piece of gear from each category:  The Best of TOP GUN 2015.

Below you’ll find the best award winning gear from the following 9 categories:  Powder Skis, All-Mountain Skis, Women’s Skis, Ski Bindings, Ski Boots, Snowboards, Snowboard Boots, Goggles, and Ski Jackets.  (it’s only 9, shhhh…)

THE BEST OF TOP GUN 2015:

SKIING:  2015 Dynastar Cham 117

AWARD:  OnTheSnow.com Editors’ Choice Award

– OnTheSnow.com gave their Editors’ Choice Award to 5 powder skis this year, but the Dynastar Cham 117 got the highest rating of them all.

– Pick up a pair of Dynastar Cham 117s that evo.com:   2015 Dynastar Cham 117

• Lengths :  180, 190cm
• Turning Radius:  22m (190cm)
• Sidecut:  147-117-127mm

What OnTheSnow.com had to say about the 2015 Cham 117:

2015 Dynastar Cham 117 ski review. OnTheSnow tested this ski as part of its Powder Category. You’ve got two length choices for the Chamonix-inspired Cham 117: 180 cm or 190 cm. “I can’t believe how easy it is to carve a 117-mm-waisted long ski,” says Stoeger. Testers scored the Cham 117 high marks across the board, most notably for float and stability. The unique shape comes from a five-point sidecut that’s widest at the forebody, a long rockered tip and a narrow tapered tail. Its traditional construction includes Titanal, a lightweight wood core, vertical sidewalls and camber underfoot. “It feels as at home making big pow turns in a wide open bowl as it does charging the hardpack,” notes Gaudet. “The tip feels soft but offers great flotation,” says Bristow. “Surprisingly quick in tight trees and stable through week-old, cut-up snow.” – OnTheSnow.com

SKI:  2015 Atomic Ritual

AWARD:  Powder Magazine Skier’s Choice Award

– Powder Magazine doesn’t rank their awarded All-Mountain Skis.  We chose the Atomic Ritual from their 19 All-Mountain skis given the Skier’s Choice Award because we love this ski on a personal level and it’s our go to, everyday ski.  This thing even skis park great.

Pick up the Atomic Ritual at evo.com:  2015 Atomic Ritual

• Lengths :  174, 182, 190cm
• Turning Radius:  19 (182cm)
• Sidecut:  137.5 – 103 – 123.5mm

What Powder Magazine had to say about the 2015 Atomic Ritual:

Friends often ask me what ski does it all and doesn’t require skiing untracked at Mica Heli on the regular. For the second year in a row, I direct them to the wood-core Ritual, with 20 percent rocker in the tip, regular camber underfoot, and 15 percent rocker in the tail. A titanium “backbone” combined with stepdown sidewall construction answers the call for strength and rigidity. A bigger radius in the tip and smaller one in the tail allow for easier turn initiation on hardpack or off-piste. Meanwhile, the tail releases when coming out of another beauty turn on piste, crud, pow, or even bumps.  – Powder Magazine

SKI:  2015 Head Big Joy

AWARD:  Skiing Magazine’s Powder “Ski of the Year”

– Skiing Magazine’s Powder “Ski of the Year” award was given to the Head Big Joy.  Clean and simple, we like it.

• Lengths :  158, 168, 178cm
• Turning Radius:  17m (178cm)
• Sidecut:  149 – 110 – 132mm (168cm)

What Skiing Magazine had to say about the 2015 Head Big Joy:

Rejoice, ripping chicks. The Big Joy has arrived to meet your already strong skills and then take you to the next level of powder pleasure. “Finesse ‘em in the steeps or point ‘em in the open bowls”said one tester. “It’s solid underfoot without feeling heavy.” Graphene, a Space Agey material that’s incredibly light yet stiff, is the secret sauce in Head’s new Joy line. Every tester loved the Big Joy for its power, forgiveness, and maneuverability. In short, a worthy and rad Ski of the Year. – Skiing Magazine

SKI BINDING:  2015 Look Pivot

AWARD:  Powder Magazine Skier’s Choice Award

– Powder Magazine doesn’t rank their award winning Ski Bindings.  We chose the Pivot Look bindings of the 8 Skiers Choice ski bindings because so many of the die hard, ski all day everyday skiers we know ski these and ski these only.  

Pick up the Look Pivot at evo.com:  2015 Look Pivot Binding

• And Piece:
  180˚ Multi-Directional Toepiece – Consistent and reliable release in all directions
  Toe Lateral Elasticity – 45 mm

• Heel Piece:
  Pivot Heelpiece
  Heel Vertical Elasticity – 25 mm
  Superior Shock Absorption

What Powder Magazine had to say about the 2015 Look Pivot Binding:

If you want to stay attached to your skis even in cases of nuclear destruction, crank the Pivot to 18 DIN and you’re good to go. For the rest of us, a happy medium DIN on the Pivot will do just fine and here’s why: It’s made entirely of metal, owns the industry’s best elastic travel (40mm in the toe and 28mm in the heel), and offers seven points of contact on your boot (four in the heel, three in the toe). If you still manage to double eject with a nasty twist, the turntable heel rotates with your foot to ease the torque on the release. For a lighter setup, check out the Pivot 14. – Powder Magazine

SKI BOOTS:  2015 K2 PINNACLE 130

AWARD:  Backcountry Magazine Editors’ Choice Award

– Backcountry Magazine gave their Editors’ Choice Award to 6 ski boots this year.  Of those 6, the K2 Pinnacle is the strongest hybrid for both backcountry missions and in resort charging. 

– PIck up a pair of K2 Pinnacle 130 at evo.com:  2015 K2 Pinnacle Ski Boot

• Sizes :  25.5 – 30.5 (half sizes only)
• Flex:  130
• Last:  100mm
• Weight:  10lbs, 2ozs

What Backcountry Magazine had to say about the K2 Pinnacle 130 ski boot:

+ Tech-compatible alpine performance with a consistent flex.
– The powerstrap/fourth buckle got mixed reviews.
= K2’s breakout new boot has a great flex and skis well inbounds and on resort-based missions. – Backcountry Magazine

SNOWBOARD:  2015 Lib Tech Travis Rice

AWARD:  Snowboarder Magazine Best of the Test

– Snowboarder Magazine gave their Best of the Test Award to 5 men’s snowboards this year, but the Lib Tech Travis Rice board is designed and ridden by Travis Rice.  Enough said.

– PIck up a pair of Lib Tech Travis Rice board at evo.com:  2015 Lib Tech Travis Rice

• Flex: 5-7 (depending on size) – A versatile, medium-stiff flex designed to be aggressive yet playful, and great for all-mountain riding.
• Shape:  True Twin – A symmetrical shape for equally precise performance riding regular or switch.  Park/Jib Focused Blunt Tip – Sizes: 153, 155, 157.  Pow Specific Pointy Tip – Sizes 161.5, 164.5

What Snowboarder Magazine had to say about the Lib Tech Travis Rice:

“The Lib Travis Rice board has everything you can ask for from Lib Tech. It is C2BTX, which is a more aggressive rocker and camber story. It also comes in a blunt nose in the smaller sizes for the park and a pointed nose in the larger sizes for the backcountry. It’s aggressive enough for a more advanced rider but also because of the shape, it’s forgiving enough for an intermediate rider to cruise around on. Plus, T-Rice is one of the greatest snowboarders around.”  — Surfside Sports, Costa Mesa, CA

SNOWBOARD BOOTS:  2015 K2 Maysis

AWARD:  Snowboard Magazine’s Platinum Pick Award

– Snowboard Magazine gave its Platinum Pick Award to 6 snowboard boots this year, but the K2 Maysis is the least expensive men’s boot.

– Pick up a pair of the K2 Maysis snowboard boots at evo.com:  2015 K2 Maysis Snowboard Boots

• Ability Level: Advanced-Expert
• Flex Rating: Stiff

What Snowboard Magazine had to say about the 2015 K2 Maysis:

“Do you ever get that one area in your boot you just can’t seem to lock down? Just when you think you have it isolated and have given the ol’ Herculean tug at the lace, you realize you HAVE closed the gap but at the same time cut off all blood flow to the surrounding area. This is where Boa® tech comes in handy or, even better Dual Boa®. These nifty little wheels are a critical innovation in boot technology and have made customizable comfort as easy as turning a dial. Got Hobbit feet? Loosen thelower and crank the upper. Cankles got you down? Dial up the lower and let the upper breathe until that gout clears up. In addition, the Maysis forgoes stitches on the whole of the upper boot, eliminating the possibility of blowouts altogether. If you abide by the Boa®, as many of us do, you won’t do better than this.

For the rider who: is over laces, is over pressure points and is into fixing those problems.” – Snowboard Magazine

GOGGLE:  2015 Smith I/O 7 Goggle

AWARD:  Outside Magazine’s Gear of the Year

– Outside Magazine gave their Gear of Year Award to 10 goggles skis this year, but the Smith I/O 7 Goggles stand out from the rest as they have no rims at all.

– PIck up the Smith I/O 7 Goggles at evo.com:  2015 Smith I/O 7 Goggles

• Frame Size: Medium
• Lens Type: Spherical
• Quick Changing Lens System: Yes
• Helmet Compatible: Yes

What Outside Magazine had to say about the 2015 Smith I/O 7 Goggles:

Smith reinvented its standout model once again. The lens on the rimless I/O 7  is far easier to swap out—just lift and twist a single metal lever—and we also found that it fit better, fought fog more effectively, and somehow offered better optical clarity. The real kicker, especially for guys like me who trash at least one lens a season: it comes with a replacement. – Outside Magazine

SKI JACKET:  2015 Armada Stealth Jacket

AWARD:  Powder Magazine Skier’s Choice Award

– Powder Magazine doesn’t rank their awarded ski jackets.  We chose the 2015 Armada Stealth Jacket from their 18 ski jackets given the Skier’s Choice Award because it’s strong, clean, and simple  

Pick up the Armada Stealth Jacket  at evo.com:  2015 Armada Stealth Jacket

• Face Fabric:  75D Polyester micro-rip, 80D Nylon plain weave (Red colorway)
   
• Membrane:  GORE-TEX® Waterproof Breathable Membrane – 28,000mm / 20,000g
   
• Lining Material:  Bronze camo mesh

What Powder Magazine had to say about the 2015 Armada Stealth Jacket:

Clean lines, simple design, roomy (not baggy fit), the two-layer Stealth, featuring Gore-Tex, fits the bill for a versatile resort-oriented jacket.  Fixed hood, waterproof zips, roomy wrist gaiters.  Pit zips are short in length; zippers are hard to use while wearing gloves. – Powder Magazine