Posts Tagged ‘ski’
Written by Brian O'Connor on 30 January 2012
A typical day of resort skiing along the Front Range in Colorado usually starts off with an early morning start, two hour drive, parking anywhere from a few feet from the base of the mountain to over a mile away and sometimes dressing in the car. The rush of getting to the slope sometimes means that your gear is strewed all over the car, which inevitably means that something will be left behind. At the 2012 SIA show in Denver, the Massachusetts company, Kulkea, is debuting a new backpack to help transport your all of your Alpine gear from the car to the slope in one backpack. The new Ski Trekker is designed to not only hold your boots, helmet and gloves, but also your skis.
The unique feature of the Ski Trekker is how balanced the pack is when loaded. The boots each fit in separate pockets, one on each side; while the skis slide down through the center of the pack. The skis are held in place by straps and a ski ‘boot’ similar to those seen in some automobiles. This ‘boot’ or sleeve keeps the skis from slamming the back of the legs while walking with a loaded pack. If the weather turns damps, a sleeve fits over the skis covering the top opening of the backpack.
It may seem that the ski sleeve design would make the loading of this pack difficult, but that is not the case. Stand the Ski Trekker on the ground, place the skis in the opening of the pack, lift the pack up around the skis and secure them in place. As easy as it sounds, the loading procedure is best demonstrated in the video. Video after the jump
Tags: backpack, Boot Trekker, Kulkea, ski, Ski Trekker
Posted in General, SIA, Snow Sports | No Comments »
Written by Les Shu on 06 January 2012
The Surefoot RX130 custom ski boot lists for $995.
Ever wonder why you can’t seem to ski properly when you’re on the slopes, that you can’t turn as tight or feel in control at all times? The answer may lie in the boots you’re wearing, according to Forbes contributor Larry Olmsted in an extensive piece he’s written on the subject of custom boots. Olmsted says that of all the ski equipment, the boots are what make the experience, not even the skis themselves. (We theorize ill-fitting boots could be a reason why beginner skiers have a hard time learning, too, but no boot will instantly make you a master skier.)
The reasons for buying a custom boot? Olmsted cites three advantages: improved skiing for more control and betters turns; more comfort for more runs, less soreness, and less fatigue; and warmth for better blood circulation. Despite his championing custom ski boots, he acknowledges the high price of $1,014 to $1,214 for a pair. But for avid skiers looking to conquer the mountain, a custom boot might be the weapon you need. Hit the link to read further about how custom boots are made and the benefits they offer.
[Via Forbes: Why You Need Custom Ski Boots - Now]
Tags: custom boots, ski, skiing
Posted in Equipment, Snow Sports | No Comments »
Written by Brian O'Connor on 26 December 2011
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is tough country. The winters are long, cold and over 200-inches of snow can fall in a year. Not only are the winters long, but the days are short at a mere eight hours. The area was heavily settled by immigrants from Nordic countries so it is no surprise that residents of the Upper Peninsula (Yoopers) have a great affection for winter sports. The website KewennawTrails.com is reporting that Michigan Tech is opening certain Nordic trails to snow bikes, those bikes that have tires wider than 3.5-inches and tire pressures of less than 10 psi. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: fat bike, Michigan Tech, Nordic, ski, snow bike
Posted in Cycling, General, Snow Sports | No Comments »
Written by Brian O'Connor on 21 December 2011
Setting sail on December 15th, the maiden voyage of the new British Iglucruise ship was promising to bring skiing to the Caribbean while sailing the open seas. Not water skiing, but a snow-like downhill skiing experience on a slope “situated on the top deck and…made with the innovative Perma-Snow all weather ski carpet and serviced by a button lift.” According to the itinerary, the cruise should now almost be complete. As many websites and blogs, including Yahoo, wrote of this new vacationing option for those wanting to cruise and ski , my curiosity was peaked and I too wanted to see photos and video of this new ship. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: cruise ship, Iglu, ski
Posted in concept, Snow Sports | No Comments »
Written by Matt Madsen on 25 November 2011
Base waxing supplies: Swix Base Cleaner, nylon brush, scraper and wax
As the snow begins to fall, it is time to get your skis or board ready for the season. Depending on the shape that you left them in will determine how much attention they’ll need. If you are lucky, a good wax is all you’ll need. If your edges are rusty, dull, or in rough shape, it is probably time to get them tuned up, which includes edge sharpening and possibly a base grind. You have two options – 1) take them to your local ski shop or 2) learn to do-it-yourself.
For the do-it-yourself type people out there, a few basic supplies and quick tutorial will get you ready. At The Garage, we recommend the book Alpine Ski Maintenance and Repair by Seth Massia. Another option, contact to your local shop to see if they offer any ski tuning classes, if they are anything like the staff at The Garage, they would happy to walk walk you through the basics of base waxing.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: base wax, Maintenance 101, ski, snowboard, The Garage, tuning
Posted in Equipment, General, Snow Sports | No Comments »
Written by Brian O'Connor on 07 October 2011
Named after Wyoming Highway 22, which travels over the 8,431-foot Teton Pass a favorite spot for backcountry skiers, TwentyTwo Designs is dedicated to producing some of the best telemark ski bindings in the world. Started in 2004 by two mechanical engineers, Chris Valiante and Collins Pringle, TwentyTwo Designs inherited the HammerHead binding design from Rainey Designs and continued to improve upon it along with creating their own bindings.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 22 Designs, Chris Valiante, Collins Pringle, ski, snow, telemark, TwentyTwo Designs
Posted in Equipment, Made in America, Made in the USA, Snow Sports | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 20 July 2011
While a lot of skiing is of course about the actual skis, the truth is that it is the boots that play a big role. Having ill fitting boots can result in bad form and accidents. But now Fisher Skis US is looking to make ski boots that fit like a glove.
The Fischer Vacuum Fit pretty much gives away how they accomplish this, setting a new standard in Alpine boots, making for the first ski footwear that has a 100 percent custom fit. The patented Fischer VACU-PLAST material provides for a completely anatomical fit of the entire boot. But yet it doesn’t take a massive amount of time or money to obtain this level of quality. Fittings can be in about 20 minutes, offering a reliable and stable result. The material inside can be reshaped up to five times ensuring that each customer gets a 100 percent perfect fit.
(Video after the jump)
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: boots, SIA, ski, Snowsports Industries America
Posted in Outdoors, SIA, Snow Sports | No Comments »
Written by KineticShift on 16 March 2011
While deep snow is reportedly good for business at ski resorts, there was a downside to it. The Kirkwood Mountain Resort reported the 500 inches of annual snowfall and high base elevation make for some of the deepest, driest powder conditions in the Sierra. This is good for skiing, but it can create a dangerous situation – namely avalanches.
This season the resort purchased a fleet of 42 Backcountry Access Float 30 avalanche airbags and Tracker 2 beacons for use by the ski patrol. These products actually improve the survival rates for those unfortunate enough to be caught in avalanche conditions. The technology is still in its infancy, and it is a physical, not electronic, weapon against the avalanche burials.
The concept of the Float 30 is simple: if caught in an avalanche, pull the t-grip and a 150-liter airbag deploys out of the backpack and essentially “floats” the skier, now with increased mass, to the top of the slough as smaller debris fills in underneath. This decreases odds of a full burial and response time of potential rescuers due to increased visibility. BCA reports that in 98% of the recorded Float 30 deployments, the avalanche victims survived. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: avalanche, Backcountry Access, Float 30, ski, Ski patrol, snow, Tracker 2
Posted in Equipment, Low Tech, Outdoors | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 16 February 2011
We’ve been hearing about a variety of new technologies that are meant to help athlete better survive crashes, and the latest is a wearable airbag from Dainese that has the approval of the International Ski Federation (FIS). This project is now in the early stages of testing, and it is based on similar technology that has been designed for motorcycle racing.
The system essentially combines an inflatable bag with multiple accelerometers, gyroscopes and GPS technology with 2GB of internal memory. It is deployed automatically in just 45 milliseconds when crash conditions are detected – and that according to reports is the key to the system. It needs to be able to tell the difference between a normal ski run and a potentially injury-inducing fall. Any sort of spill on the slopes could result in a land that is as soft as powdery snow.
Dainese Official Website
Tags: air bag, crashes, Dainese, GPS, ski, skiing
Posted in Equipment, Outdoors | No Comments »
Written by KineticShift on 02 February 2011
While much of the country is again trying to dig out from a major winter storm, the white stuff probably has the snow sport industry smiling. After all, if it is going to snow you might as well enjoy it. This week the shift has moved from the show floor halls at Snowsports Industries of America to the outdoor demo days, but we look back at the word from the show.
The buzz is that the slopes will feature skiers and riders clad in “svelte” high-tech gear of all sorts, including down sweaters, as well as faux fur and tight fitting outfits with bold colors. On the board there will likely be more rocking, as the major trend continues to be the rocker shapes, as well as a greater emphasis on all-terrain freestyle boards.
Snowboarding and skiing will likely take a cue from cycling, with helmets becoming a greater emphasis for safety. According to numbers from the show, the numbers of people wearing helmets has increased to a record high 57 percent. And as with other sports, the helmets are evoking a new sense of style, becoming fashion accessories rather than just protective gear. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: bamboo, Cycling, eco-friendly, green, helmets, SIA, ski, snowboard, Snowsports Industries America
Posted in Apparel, Equipment, Outdoors, SIA | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 31 January 2011
If you’re having a working vacation on the slopes, or just think you can do serious multitasking, the Recon ski goggles with Bluetooth might be for you. The company has added the wireless technology to its latest line of Transcend GPS-powered alpine goggles, and these can connect with a smartphone to access playlists, caller ID or even to read text messages.
The new goggles, which were shown last week at the SIA (Snowsports Industries of America) trade show in Denver, can also connect to a video camera, with the LCD screen within the eyewear lens acting as a viewfinder. These Transcend goggles further feature a navigation system with buddy-tracking and even integrated trail maps.
Pricing and availability haven’t been announced, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for these.
Recon Official Website
Tags: Bluetooth, goggles, GPS, LCD screen, Recon, ski, Transcend
Posted in Equipment, Exercise, Mobile Phone, Outdoors, SIA, Software | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 14 December 2010
Ski helmets are finally catching on, but like cycling helmets it is only slowly gaining momentum. No doubt many people feel that the white stuff is fluffy and soft and thus not so bad in a fall. The truth is that hard packed snow can be deadly, as can rocks, trees and other obstacles. All this makes a “brain bucket” all the more important to wear.
However, common sense – as in using what’s inside the helmet – can be a key to staying safe. This week The Wall Street Journal noted that shorter skis and helmets have reduced ski injuries, but added that the average number of people who die on the slopes in America has remained about the same. The other disturbing fact is those who are more likely to die are intermediate or advanced skiers, who are often wearing a helmet. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: brain bucket, Cycling, Helmet, ski, skiing, Wall Street Journal
Posted in Cycling, Equipment, Outdoors | No Comments »
Written by Peter Suciu on 13 December 2010
While mountain bikes can handle reasonable amounts the white stuff, usually deep snow means it is time to hit the rollers or exercise bike instead. Two wheels and thick packed snow just don’t mix. But the British Environmental Transport Association (ETA) might have an alternate solution with a special bike kit that utilizes a caterpillar track-driven snow bike.
BikeRadar.com reported that the bike, which was designed as a proof of concept device for the Cycle Show 2010 in London, actually found use following the recent snow fall in Britain last week. The concept converts any existing 26-inch mountain bike (hard tail or full suspension) into a snow bike by replacing the front wheel with a single ski and using a rubber track setup with the rear wheel. This solution allows the rider to retain the use of the gears and rear brake. Super villain and Bond girl not included.
[Via BikeRadar: Taking the ‘Bond bike’ for a spin in the snow]
Tags: BikeRadar.com, Bond Bike, Britain, Cycle Show 2010, Cycling, Environmental Transport Association, London, ski, snow, winter
Posted in concept, Cycling, Equipment, Outdoors | No Comments »
