 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey guys,
I’m currently designing an accessory for ski boots that will aid skiers with large calf muscles.
The product will help the user do up the upper buckles of the boot by acting as a ratchet/buckle extender.
The target market is aimed at beginners who use rental boots which cannot be easily adapted to suit them; the product could then be handed out at the rental store if the user needs it.
I have put in a URL to give you an idea of a simular product on the market produced by Nordica.
[url]http://www.edgeandwax.co.uk/4832/products/nordica_ski_boot_buckle_extension_single_.aspx
If you could comment on what you think, it would be much appreciated! 
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What is the point if a simple solution is on the market? Let us know what yours does that the one one you posted doesn't and we can give you feedbak.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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If it aint broke don't fix it, the Nordica Product (I think others make a similar extension) works I've used it although in my case the shop gave me mine for free, however being honest what made a huge difference for me was switching to the no longer made Rossignol Soft Ski Boots, the leather on these at the top of the boot gives a really good fit for my tree trunk legs.
The Nordica product is cheap to produce, easy to use and works
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm currently doing research to create a generic one that can fit most boots.
Also, I know that the buckles become loser during the day of skiing and while the user is on the piste it could become too lose and possibly fall from the buckle completly and be lost, if that happens then the boot wouldn't be done up and can effect their skiing performance.
So basically my idea was to create a new design were upon a clip can be added and/or a hook that can be atteched to the boot ect, to prevent the user from losing the extender; as I personally lose items that are this small.
Hope that clears things up a little. :S
I'm currently trying to create the product, so that it is cheaper than Nordica's version to produce using suitable manufacturing proceses and materials; for it then to become a promotional item for the rental companies.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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colmc001,
I have the opposite problem. Bloody great feet and comparatively slender calves. Can you do anything for me?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Having looked at the market, booster straps could be of some help for skiers with slender calves as it brings the shin to the front of the boot. I haven't looked into this fully, but it could be of some help.
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You are fixing a problem which most skiers don't have an issue with which has already been fixed. We have loads of problems that conventional,ski gear hasn't fixed, why not focus on that?
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Personally I haven't found any other problems with skiing other than the boots not being able to be done up.
What sort of other problems do people find with ski gear? :S
Please help a design student: having a bit of a mare  lol
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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colmc001, i think you are right to focus on the detail - what about looking at more products that can synchronise with the omnipresent smartphone almost every skiier has? A device that captures every crash by turning on the video when the decellerometer goes nuts, or even a simple bullet cam that attaches to your phone, etc etc etc forever. So far you've had one idea, it already exists, so find another. Some of my ideas probably already exist too. If you have specific skills tell us and we can try and tailor ideas around that instead of generic ideas.
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musher, Booster straps.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for all the advice guys, but after having a think and considering the time I have to complete this concept by; I'm going to stick my initial design of IMPROVING what is already on the market, as with obesity and weight gain on the rise throughout the world there will be a greater need for it. This also fits in with my design abilities, plus the brief asked specifically for no electronics to be involved.
Thanks for everything; it's given me some help
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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colmc001, OK, other ideas - something to assist small kids with carry heavy ski boots to the ski room with one hand. Boot carriers do exist, but they require fiddling with the wooden beads to fasten them under the boot buckes, and they tend not to carry the boots level. Or a holder that will fasten to a left sleeve of a kids jacket (or adults) to take an electronic lift pass when the jacket does not have a suitable sleeve pocket, but which WON'T fall off the arm when the coat is removed. Something that will clip to the edge of a childs skis to take the poles so a child can carry skis and poles without dropping either - if it holds the skis together in the process so much the better and it needs to be small enough to pocket when the ski group reaches the piste for the days skiing.
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Justa second, you do know that the nordica product isn't a ratchet, it doesn't make it easier to tighten your boots, just means that you can run the buckle looser. Why not invent a product that makes tightening up a buckle easier? Mrs monium occasionally asks me to tighten up her ankle buckle because she doesn't have the strenght in her fingers to tighten the boot up as much as she'd like. A simple tool with a slot cut into the end could provide all the leverage you need and more. Or perhaps replacement buckles with longer tabs to grab onto? Don't reinvent the wheel. That happens far to much already.
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You know it makes sense.
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Megamum, for the arm lift pass thing, what about an iron on pocket of the appropriate size? Probably easily designed and manufactured, no idea if you can iron on to the outside of most ski jackets but i suspect you could. I've used a number of glues which would stick to it, perhaps a self adhesive pocket instead of iron on.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The buckle power extender certainly exists - it's standard on another of Head boots costs f all I imagine and is very efficient
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Poster: A snowHead
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Megamum, sleeve pocket not essential, any pocket from shoulder to knee works fine for the lift pass, even if you bury it deep in side clothes. Ange.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, sleeve pocket not essential, any pocket from shoulder to knee works fine for the lift pass, even if you bury it deep in side clothes. Ange.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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flangesax, Hi Ange, then you've come across more sensitive pass scanners than I've found. Most seem to require the pass in rough sort of vicinity of the scanner, and lower on the body I felt was sometimes awkward for my own small children - at least in my experience, which is why I resorted to elasticated pouches on the upper sleeve when the jacket did not have a sleeve pocket. N.B. I have also managed to bury my pass even just below another credit card and had problems getting it to read without lifting it closer to the clothing surface so I think sensistivity may be a bit machine dependant, perhaps I've just been unlucky......
Monium, when looking for a solution I try to find something that won't damage the jackets possible second-hand value when outgrown, making iron or stick on solutions not the best solution for me.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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colmc001, It's not a big deal to drill another hole and re-rivet the clips in a location that allows a wider opening.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi Megamum, surely you didnt have probs with the ones here, they pick up the pass in my 3 year olds trouser pocket no worries, and even my 6 year old when he has put it on his right side, (admittedly he had to rotate his hips a bit but even so). Ange
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How about some device for carrying skis? I'm sure that's never been done before.
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Megamum...
We average about 50 days each per season, have 2 kids and have done 6 consecutive seasons with electronic passes accross Salzburgerland, Steirmarkt and Upper Austria.
Keep the pass in the left hand jacket or trouser pocket with no other clutter and any other electronics on your right.
I'm afraid this is more of the case of user error!...(not Ange)
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altis, There is a device for this, called a "shoulder". Your own or if you are lucky someone else's Works perfectly!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I think someone should make and sell padding for those bloody rotating turnstiles that always seem to be at exactly the correct height to bash just above my knee. As well as stopping my legs getting bashed it would also be an advertising/branding opportunity.
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To be honest, m8, there's a very simple way of doing this that I sometimes use. You get a piece of heavy duty, flexible braided wire, either tie a knot in it or join it with a wire clamp. thread it over the buckle loop so it does not fall off (the knot works quite nicely as a 'lock' here) then loop it over the relevant 'tooth' on the boot part of the buckle and close. Works quite well for mending buckles whilst in the back country as well which is how I 'discovered' it. It was a known piece of bodgery in the Army ski units back in the day, don't know if they still do it. It would have a little bit too much flex for racing purposes but for mere mortals it does the trick.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@colmc001, Whatever happened to this extender idea?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@snowbunnyredleg, probably fell on its ads like most ideas where there is already a solution, the inventor was trying to create a “new” product to do exactly what an existing product did but make it more generic, thing is the existing product was pretty generic already
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the product he was mimicking or making more generic is no longer in production.
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You know it makes sense.
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FAQ
