Snowsports

Snowboarders endure a lot of issues when compared to their skiing counterparts – these include twisting and contorting their ankles to fit on footrests designed for skiers, wearing useless leashes around their legs even though skis are more likely to pop off, and getting stuck on flat traverses that skiers push through with their poles. All those issues aren't getting solved in a day, but a group of French students is working on the last one. Their solution is called the Propul~Surf and it's designed to motor knuckle-draggers over flat ground and up hills.  Read More

Snowshoes can be quite stiff and uncomfortable to walk in, especially for the uninitiated. The qualities that make them good for walking on snow – a large surface surface area and rotating crampon – can make them rather gawky to use. French snowshoe manufacturer TSL Outdoor has a different vision for snowshoes. In an attempt to better connect the user with the terrain, the company has designed a new composite shoe called Symbioz that is much slimmer and more flexible than conventional designs.  Read More

Barreling down the slopes while enjoying some tunes holds plenty of appeal for a certain demographic and is certainly safer than cycling through busy city streets with headphones on. Since cramming a pair of headphones in between your noggin and a helmet is a recipe for discomfort, ski and snowboard helmet manufacturer POC has come up with a helmet that integrates a set of Beats by Dr. Dre headphones into the neck roll.  Read More

So far, the Northern Hemisphere's 2012-2013 ski season is off to a rather sluggish start, at least in the heart of American ski country. It looks like it could be another warm, dry year. That doesn't mean that the skiing has to be boring, however. These ski-centric gadgets will wring more enjoyment out of the big powder days that do come and provide a fun distraction when conditions are less than ideal.  Read More

Traditionally the domain of small children celebrating a snow day, sledding is slowly working its way up to a serious snow sport akin to skiing. About a month ago, we covered the US$3,000 Snolo Stealth-X carbon fiber sled, and now we have another high-tech sled built for serious downhillers. The Snowbull is an Austrian-designed sled that uses high-tech components for a sharp, fast ride.  Read More

Carbon fiber is the choice material for fast vehicles of all types - from track-only race cars, to stunning concept cars, to ultralight bicycles and, apparently, to snow sleds. The Snolo Stealth-X is a high-performance carbon fiber sled for powder hounds that want to get their snow thrills sitting down.  Read More

Night snowboarding usually equates to grueling pre-dawn slogs up backcountry routes or short, icy turns under stadium-like lights at small resorts. Nowness.com has put a new spin on those traditional forms of night riding. In this stunning piece of film, a unique LED suit is employed to turn the subject into a powder-slashing apparition.  Read More

Pretty much every ski manufacturer in the history of skiing has made skis for skiers. But not MTN Approach. The company, which launched a small beta batch of its unique skis this season, builds skis for snowboarders. The skis are designed to ascend (not descend) the mountain and fold up into a backpack-sized package for the ride down.  Read More

The problem with the interchangeable lens systems commonly used in ski goggles is that they're tedious to work with. You have to slowly tear the frame from the original lens, line the grooves of the replacement lens up just right and then snap it back together section by section. Not only is this the type of thing you might need to get a table in the cafeteria for, it's the type of thing that could haunt you all day if you inadvertently put the lens in cockeyed. The Anon M1 goggles make switchable lenses easier and more seamless than they've ever been. Magna-Tech is a simple design upgrade that lets you remove your original lenses and snap the new ones in place within seconds.  Read More