I've only ever lost a ski once in powder and it took 45 minutes hard graft to find it - I am now a little paranoid about losing a ski - the powder ribbons I've used in the past unravel and they are a pain to put on
Does anyone have any alternatives or should I just stop being paranoid and crack on?
I saw these being tested by skiester (who is now licensed distributor for Nederlands) on one if last years sH bashes and they are awesome. The link above is to her site but there maybe a UK Distributor or outlet.
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?
Try Loc8tor
I have this on my key ring for school, it's brilliant!
I ride a lot of back country powder and I've never seen anyone use any of those gadgets for years. The major heli/ cat operators stopped using ribbons or the equivalent in about 1989, just because it's not really worth it. Since then... well I've never ridden with anyone who lost a ski. As a snowboarder I've dug a lot of skis out for skiers. Obviously they're using the wrong gear in the first place, but their second error is usually to not look far enough up the slope - humans usually fall further than skis.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:
The major heli/ cat operators stopped using ribbons or the equivalent in about 1989, just because it's not really worth it
Yes, and they carry spare skis in the heli in case someone does lose a ski. It's a more special economic question for them - charging 11 guests for 1,000ft extra vertical more than outweighs the cost of a lost ski...
Whereas when Shep skied through a tree in January and we spent quite a long time finding his the economics were somewhat different.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
we spent quite a long time finding his
so would powder traces have helped? I struggle to understand the deep hostility on SHs to these inoffensive items.
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I am scarcely any kind of off-piste skier but lost a ski in an early season foray in Meribel in such poor vis that I hurtled over a small cliff at the side of the piste. Fortunately one of my companions (a ski-host doing some early season research) was more experienced than I and organised a sensible search, with some idea of where to look.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
These Recco type things, how do you get them to stay on the skis what with slush, rocks etc?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I have only once spent ages looking for a ski and that was 20-or-so years ago when I fell over more off piste. It had gone another 20 metres down-slope from me under the snow. I did use ribbons for a while but I never needed them to find my ski (and they kept being pulled out of my trousers by the snow and streaming behind me as I skied). I just don't worry now.
My only time heli-skiing a guy inmy group lost a ski which went off way down a canyon which there would have been no way to ski out of. The guide swapped skis with him and skied down on one ski (he was still faster than us!)
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.
pam w wrote:
Quote:
we spent quite a long time finding his
so would powder traces have helped? I struggle to understand the deep hostility on SHs to these inoffensive items.
In this case, no not at all. (Probably). Snow too light and deep for them to have reliably remained visible and even though we've done it uncountable times before, we were mostly looking in the wrong place. (It was quite a purler).
Having a reasonable idea of where to look is way more helpful than bits of tape, (that could also pre-release and be dangerous in and of themselves).
I have not idea why there's any hostility other than there seem better solutions (if I really was worried about my skls I'd dig out my old powder leashes for example).
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:
Snow too light and deep for them to have reliably remained visible
but still a bigger target? People say "I've never lost a ski so I don't need them" but they don't say "I've never been buried in an avalanche so I don't need a transceiver". Losing a ski in some situations would be very drastic - not everyone can do what that guide did and ski down on one. You probably need to tuck them in your knickers so they don't pre-release too easily.
Pam w "You probably need to tuck them in your knickers so they don't pre-release too easily" - I'm sure there is a joke in there somewhere but I shall refrain
thanks for all you comments - I think I may look at the leashes suggested by skimottaret - johnor
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?
spyderjon, I should have mentioned I also have the break away fuses installed on the dynafit leashes but your offering looks a better all round package, if only I had known !
"You probably need to tuck them in your knickers so they don't pre-release too easily" - I'm sure there is a joke in there somewhere but I shall refrain
It's no laughing matter Johnor - mine is most often tucked in my knickers and never pre-releases....
Quote:
I've dug a lot of skis out...Obviously they're using the wrong gear in the first place
Please explain philwig
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
mountainaddict wrote:
Quote:
"You probably need to tuck them in your knickers so they don't pre-release too easily" - I'm sure there is a joke in there somewhere but I shall refrain
It's no laughing matter Johnor - mine is most often tucked in my knickers and never pre-releases....
Quote:
I've dug a lot of skis out...Obviously they're using the wrong gear in the first place
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I've laughed at a lot of skiers when I've been riding a board in pow, I've laughed at a lot of boarders who've hit a pow filled depression. I have of course done both myself lots. Last time I lost a ski in pow I spent 45 minutes climbing up and digging for it only to find it in a tree well 20 ft below.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Most tourers, serious off piste skiers use leashes, I have only had touring bindings for the last twenty years or so, never been hit by the ski, and of course more importantly never lost a ski. I did buy a set of traces once but they seemed a bit of a nuisance. When I ski on piste, rare now, I take the leashes off sometimes, but usually just leave them on as I am quite likely to go off piste on a whim.
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Philwigs a snowboarder - hence reference to using the wrong kit when losing a ski. The clue's in his statement that he "rides."
On that topic, if skiers ski why don't boarders board? Maybe it doesn't sound cool enough...
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:
Turn your DIN up
A bust cruciate in the middle of nowhere? Look on the bright side! You won't have to fork out for new skis - only €5000 for the heli evacuation ....
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Bergmeister wrote:
Philwigs a snowboarder - hence reference to using the wrong kit when losing a ski. The clue's in his statement that he "rides."
Correct. Digging skis out is way more fun if you're on a board. I consider it a fair trade for making skiers break trail when it's flat.
--
Heli-economics: that's not actually how it works with most operators these days. Irrespective, I've still never ridden with anyone who lost a ski we couldn't find. Cats tend to carry spare snowboards as well as skis, but not because people lose them. I'll check the actual loss rate and report back if it's significantly different from what I've personally seen.
I'm not at all "hostile" to "ribbons", they just don't seem much use in the stuff I ride, hence my advice to just crack on.
Leashes are a different deal. For heli/ cat use you'd be discouraged from using anything that fastens your gear (skis or board) to you. The risk/benefit balance of those could well be different for other usage - you have to consider what your risk is and how you can deal with it.
Bergmeister wrote:
On that topic, if skiers ski why don't boarders board? Maybe it doesn't sound cool enough...
We do, although you don't "board" down a slope, you rip it or ride it...
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.
philwig, Nice read, thanks
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Guys - thanks a lot for the info here it is much appreciated - having thought about it now I think that in the worse case scenario having ski's attached would not be the best idea. I only realised last year that you shouldn't have your hand through your ski pole straps if using an airbag as they may restrict your ability to pull the cord.
Also I'm not sure whether the electronic ones could interfere with transceivers - thanks Johnor
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Johnor wrote:
I've only ever lost a ski once in powder and it took 45 minutes hard graft to find it - I am now a little paranoid about losing a ski - the powder ribbons I've used in the past unravel and they are a pain to put on
Does anyone have any alternatives or should I just stop being paranoid and crack on?
If you know what to do when a ski poops off in powder the tracers aren't required.
PJSki, wouldn't help in the circumstances described by snowball:
Quote:
I have only once spent ages looking for a ski and that was 20-or-so years ago when I fell over more off piste. It had gone another 20 metres down-slope from me under the snow...
My only time heli-skiing a guy inmy group lost a ski which went off way down a canyon
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Pedantica wrote:
PJSki, wouldn't help in the circumstances described by snowball:
Quote:
I have only once spent ages looking for a ski and that was 20-or-so years ago when I fell over more off piste. It had gone another 20 metres down-slope from me under the snow...
My only time heli-skiing a guy inmy group lost a ski which went off way down a canyon
Nor would a 2m tracer. A leash could have helped but may also cause injury.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
PJSki wrote:
If you know what to do when a ski poops off in powder the tracers aren't required.
No such thing as a guarantee that sensible searching will easily find a lost ski. Having an idea about the ways in which a ski could behave if it poops off in deep snow will certainly reduce the amount of time that you spend searching, but skis can do unusual things and don't always follow the 'rules'.
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?
nevis1003 wrote:
Most tourers, serious off piste skiers use leashes
Nor would a 2m tracer. A leash could have helped but may also cause injury.
Yes, I see that.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rob@rar wrote:
PJSki wrote:
If you know what to do when a ski poops off in powder the tracers aren't required.
No such thing as a guarantee that sensible searching will easily find a lost ski. Having an idea about the ways in which a ski could behave if it poops off in deep snow will certainly reduce the amount of time that you spend searching, but skis can do unusual things and don't always follow the 'rules'.
Yes, they can disappear along with their tracers and also smack into their owners when tethered.
Could a recco type thing be fitted to skis. Or would that be confusing when searching for someone after avalanche. Perhaps you could get it to produce a different tone on your transceiver. Not sure if that is possible. I think the general principles explained above will find the ski in all but a few circumstances.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
There are a couple of transceiver like devices mentioned up thread. They operate on a different frequency though.
After all it is free
After all it is free
PJSki wrote:
rob@rar wrote:
PJSki wrote:
If you know what to do when a ski poops off in powder the tracers aren't required.
No such thing as a guarantee that sensible searching will easily find a lost ski. Having an idea about the ways in which a ski could behave if it poops off in deep snow will certainly reduce the amount of time that you spend searching, but skis can do unusual things and don't always follow the 'rules'.
Yes, they can disappear along with their tracers and also smack into their owners when tethered.
indeed, and slide down the slope out of range of electronic finders. But mostly you just find them without too much drama, brush the snow off your goggles and get on with having fun.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Apart from my first time off piste when I took an hour to find a ski I have never looked for more than a few minutes. Usually not difficult if use common sense.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Serriadh wrote:
nevis1003 wrote:
Most tourers, serious off piste skiers use leashes
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
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