Snow wonder: dig into this season's most invigorating, calorie-busting outdoor sports. Plus, discover winter's newest stylish and functional apparel and gear, with picks from the pros

Shape, Dec, 2004 by Amy Goldhammer, Lindsay Morris

downhill skiing

Calorie Burn*: 418

Fitness Factor Skiing downhill is not only excellent aerobic exercise, it also builds stamina while strengthening your buttocks, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and core.

Girl Gone Wild "Doing something I love every day for the sheer joy of it has improved my sense of self-worth. I've also lost weight and become stronger in every way."

--Ingrid Backstrom, 26, Squaw Valley, Calif.

Backstrom, a Seattle native, has won the 2003 Subaru U.S. National Freeskiing and the 2003 and 2004 Canadian Freeskiing championships.

She won't ski without ... her Tecnica "Diablo Magnesium" high-performance boots for comfort and stability ($775; tecnica usa.com). And you also won't catch her without her Giro "Nine.9" helmet ($110; giro.com), which offers a snug protective fit, but doesn't mess up her braids.

downhill skiing goodies

1. Tecnica "Diablo Flame" boot Extra height in the heel of this boot helps women overcome their natural tendency to lean backward ($595; tecnica usa.com). Pair it with Volkl "Supersport Gamma" skis for added control and stability ($910; volkl.com).

2. Boeri "Steez" helmet Just 16 ounces, this stylish hard-shell helmet features sealable vents and removable earflaps to help regulate airflow and exposure to wind chill. In eight colors, including arctic blue and wasabi ($120; boeriusa.com).

3. Patagonia women's "Powderkeg" pant A comfortable, lightweight, water-resistant and snagproof pant lined with smooth mesh, it comes in off-white or black ($225; 800-638-6464, patagonia.com).

*Calorie burn estimates are per hour based on a 145-pound woman.

snowboarding

Calorie Burn: 330

Fitness Factor A terrific total-body toner, snowboarding works your core, hamstrings, quads and calves as well as the muscles in your ankles and feet as you twist to steer your board downhill.

Girl Gone Wild "Being out there every day and working hard definitely has a serious impact on your body. I also love that there's always a challenge--new [skills] to learn and new places to ride."

--Anne Molin Kongsgaard, 26, Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

Since 1994, the Oslo, Norway, native has racked up championship honors that include third place in the 2003 Global X Games SuperPipe in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, and first-place slopestyle at Nippon Open 2000 in Japan.

She won't board without ... her Burton Troop board ($400; burton.com), which she helped the company design for free-style riding.

snowboarding goodies

1. Red by Burton "Hi-Fi" helmet Weighing in at only 13.76 ounces, this fused foam-and-hard-shell ventilated helmet has built-in earphones that plug into your portable music player ($150; burton.com).

2. K2 "Skyla" snowboard Narrower with added flex for a smooth ride, this board is ideal for female shredders. One percent of sales goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation ($330; k2snowboarding.com).

3. Marker "Laser" goggle Form-fitted for female faces, this hypoallergenic foam goggle features 100 percent UVA/UVB-protective lenses with fog-reducing ventilation ($85; markerusa.com).

4. Salomon "Kiana" boot has a self-molding machine-washable foam liner, easy-to-adjust lace eyelets and locks and a forgiving flex for tackling more-difficult turns ($220; www.salomonsnowboard.com).

snowshoeing

Calorie Burn: 557

Fitness Factor Trekking along winter paths in snowshoes, which distribute your weight evenly over the snow so you don't sink through, works the buttocks, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, core and abs--offering a more intense workout and calorie burn than you'd get on most warm-weather hikes.

Girl Gone Wild "Constantly adjusting to uneven surfaces and using my upper body to help me move through the snow has translated into a more defined waistline. My entire body is challenged."--Helen Cospolich, 27, Breckenridge, Colo.

A member of the U.S. National Snowshoe Team, Cospolich placed third in the 2004 National Snowshoe Championships and won the 2004 Vail Snowshoe Shuffle, North America's largest snowshoe race.

She won't snowshoe without ... her water-resistant Nike Air Teocalli shoes ($100; nike.com); they keep her toes warm and fit snugly into snowshoe bindings.

snowshoeing goodies

1. Hi-Tec "Igloo" hiking boot The seam-sealed upper and Thinsulate insulation on these waterproof suede winter hikers protect your feet in extreme temps--down to -40[degrees]F--with a contoured innersole and molded heel and footbed for added comfort in snowshoes ($80; hi-tec.com).

2. Outdoor Research "Flex-Tex" gaiters Slip these on like legwarmers, and their durable, water-resistant Spandura exterior will keep snow and road salt out of your shoes ($30; orgear.com).

3. Smith "Voodoo" sunglasses Sophisticated nylon frames and interchangeable 100 percent UVA/UVB-protective lenses--in rose-copper, sienna and yellow--make these ideal for year-round wear ($129; 800-459-4903).

4. Tubbs "Elevation" snowshoes These lightweight, 1.5-pound shoes sport secure aluminum-alloy frames. A percentage of the profits from Tubbs' women's snowshoes goes to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation ($239; tubbssnowshoes.com).