Tag: skiing

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Winter Sports

Don a WingJump and glide down a mountain with ease

Innovations in winter sports are few and far between, but when they happen they’re usually refreshing takes on a very established formula. Case in point: The WingJump, the result of an invigorating kitesurfing session inspiring a change in traditional skiing.

While it looks like a wingsuit, the WingJump is more designed to give skiers more control and stability through positioning. But its main draw lies in how it allows skiers to jump for longer distances and land more smoothly due to the way it was designed, offering the sensation of flying in full safety.

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Connected Objects Winter Sports

CARV’s a digital ski coach that lives in your ear

For those who haven’t done so before, the prospect of careening down a mountain while wearing skis isn’t exactly the most inviting idea. Eventually, given enough training, it can be less of a careening and more of a controlled, effortless glide. It just takes a lot of time to get to that point. What’s more, most of that time is spent in the dark about how effectively recommended techniques are being performed, prolonging meaningful improvement.

It’s obvious to see how much room there is to better both the process of learning to ski and, later, excelling at it. As the first wearable of its kind, the CARV is a connected ski device that acts as a digital coach. It’s made up of a less than one-millimeter thick smart insert and a clip-on tracker that work in any ski boot. Together they measure motion and pressure distribution to relay meaningful feedback through a user’s headphones in real-time.

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Connected Objects Winter Sports

Talk smack while shredding slopes in the Explore1 winter sport helmet

Trying to enjoy winter sports and effectively communicate on the mountain has always been a tough issue to solve. Over time, lots of screaming evolved into the use of walkie-talkies. Now, leaps in technology have enabled the creation of a product like the Explore1.

The stylish, radio-equipped Explore1 allows for an unlimited number of snowboarders and skiers to stay in direct contact with each other up to a range of three kilometers.

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Winter Sports

The SNOGO Bike lets you easily shred packets of snow

Skiing and snowboarding have steep learning curves, which explains why ski bikes are slowly gaining popularity throughout the world. Mixing the ease of a mountain bike with the grace of skis, there is a huge opportunity for this nascent winter sport segment to become something truly big.

First, though, it will need to evolve. Enter the the inventors of the SNOGO Bike, Obed Marrder and Chase Wagstaff. They claim to have done just that by upgrading the run-of-the-mill ski bike with a sturdy alloy build, interchangeable parts facilitated by a quick release system, and a patent-pending R.L.T.A.G. system that better helps riders stay stabilized at all times.

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Connected Objects Winter Sports

Shredz audio helmet kit lets you jam out on the mountain

Skiing and snowboarding are two activities that make winter bearable. There’s nothing like careening down a hill in a sea of white.

Now, you can listen to music or talk on the phone while on the mountain. Shredz is an audio kit for ski or snowboard helmets that affixes earbuds to the riders ears. It works with any helmet that comes with space for headphones already. Coming in either wireless Bluetooth or connected, Shredz is a great way to jam out or keep in touch with loved ones.

This Canadian product is great for habitual skiers and snowboarders. Some may argue that it may be dangerous to listen to music on the mountain, but for experienced riders, it’s probably okay. The only thing is that not everyone wears helmets, so it would be interesting to see if Shredz could develop a version that works well with toques or goggles. The Bluetooth enabled version of this Canadian product is going for $109 CAD (~$95 USD) for estimated delivery in March 2015. Shredz is hoping to raise $20,000 CAD (~$18,300 USD) on Kickstarter.

Categories
Winter Sports

Alpine Hawk will help find your skis or snowboard in the powder

Skiing and snowboarding equipment can be expensive, making the fact that so many are stolen every year a huge problem. Having experienced the misfortune of having their own equipment stolen, the people at AlpineTec have created the AlpineHawk: a small electronic device that attaches to either a snowboard or a pair of skis to prevent theft from ever happening.

Users of the AlpineHawk can arm the device with a companion app, making them feel safe if their equipment is left unattended. It does this by triggering a screeching 100 decibel alarm to go off as a deterrent and if the user is in Bluetooth range, they’ll receive a message alerting them to suspicious activity. A message won’t be sent if you’re not in Bluetooth range which, surprisingly enough, is not that useful. The device’s off-piste feature also allows you to find buried skis, which may convince some this is worth the trouble after all. The AlpineHawk’s polycarbonate shell protects from strong impacts and temperatures ranging from 100°C to -40C° and the entire unit weighs only 50g, so users need not fear an off-balance ride. Even so, the device’s life when subject to such rough conditions has to be tested more thoroughly before the claim can be made. An AlpineHawk is priced at kr250 (~$34) and is expected to be delivered in October of 2015. The campaign is looking for kr600,000 (~$80,600) in funding.

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Luggage and Bags Winter Sports

Ski Mule helps move your gear between SUV to slope

SkiMuleFor anyone who has ever been skiing, lugging around awkward poles and skis can cause trouble. Ski Mule offers a nifty bag designed to carry around multiple sets of skis and poles hands free with a strap to hold them in place. One Ski Mule goes for $51 on Kickstarter with no other reward tiers to choose from. Ski Mule’s creator, Joyce Amend, hopes to raise $3,550 in her 30- day campaign with an estimated delivery date of April 2014.

Categories
Winter Sports

FATblades provides skis a snowboarder could love

FATbladesThe long and bloody battle of skiing versus snowboarding is over. FATblades provides a nice middle ground for those not wanting to get too involved in the conflict. For a new snow sport, FATblades combines the comfort of snowboarding boots with the ease of skis. FATblades look like shorter, stubby skis but use the same binding method as snowboard boots do; they look perfect for those thrill seekers who are tired of uncomfortable ski boots as well as the awkward two-feet-one-board problem. FATblades has already surpassed its goal of $10,000. One pair of FATblades costs $395 CAD and are estimated to be delivered by April 2014… just in time for spring.