 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey Guys, I am a final year design student and currently doing a project on protective gear. I am looking into redesigning developing a new way in which the gear can be worn and used, I want to find some information about the kind of gear is most popularly used. The protective gear on the market currently are in skin tight option which protects the shoulders, back etc or the other option is a rucksack which has back protection in the back which can be pull in and out.
My current idea is a ski jacket idea in which you can slot/ clip areas of protection onto the jacket depending on what style of skiing/boarding you are doing that day. I know the skin tight suits are vey effective but do you really want to be wearing it all day when you might be on piste instead of off piste where their is less risk of injury? Just what to have a few ideas of what you guys think and whether it would be relivent to the type of skiing you do?
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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@HollandMax
1. I don't know anyone who uses back protectors etc, other than occasionally in the park (and even then only a couple of people genuinely pushing it).
2. Presumably the protection has to be close fitting, and securely fixed in position, to work. I can't imagine a plate flapping around in a loose jacket doing much other than being annoying.
I think a more interesting and potentially viable area to look into would be avalanche airbag systems in things other than backpacks, or finding a way to make the airbag take up less room in a pack.
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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 you are looking at the idea of jackets / pants having protection you can put in or take out, have a look at motorcycle gear, they have been doing it for years.
To be honest, I wear my gear all the time....helmet, back protector, crash pants, wrist guards, knee supports. I wouldn't think, because I'm staying on piste I won't bother. Also, riding an icy piste is probably where most riders pickup their worst injuries.
Good luck with your new ideas.
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How about looking at improving safety of the helmets, seems people wearing them still die from head injuries is there a design flaw?
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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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| capstone wrote: |
| How about looking at improving safety of the helmets, seems people wearing them still die from head injuries is there a design flaw? |
To the human skull? Good luck fixing that.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| capstone wrote: |
| How about looking at improving safety of the helmets, seems people wearing them still die from head injuries is there a design flaw? |
I don't think it's a design flaw, I think it's a case that nothing can ever make a dangerous pursuit 100% safe.
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Before you go designing a better mousetrap I suggest you try using existing mousetraps. Close fitting back protectors are barely noticeable to me.
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Built in protection works in a motor bike jacket because its fairly thick and tight fitting. I wouldn't want to ski in a thick and tight fitting jacket.
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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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| capstone wrote: |
| How about looking at improving safety of the helmets, seems people wearing them still die from head injuries is there a design flaw? |
Its been posted on here before that the test standard for helmets is a drop test from not very high, equating to a not very high speed impact. For a helmet to pass a 50 or 100 km impact test you would probably have to cover it in airbags. Now there's an idea...
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Here's an idea you can have for free. Current metal blade shovels sit in my pack generally being in the way a bit, crushing my ritter sport, that sort of thing.
Can you design a back protector I can wear under my outer jacket that is a shovel? Extra marks if you can get a simple and secure system for clipping the handle and probe to either side without being a hazard to me (no sticky inny bits) and if it is very quick to deploy (remember if I am using them in anger someone has quite a high risk of being dead)
In return for my idea if you make more than one I get one for free. x
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| HollandMax wrote: |
Hey Guys, I am a final year design student and currently doing a project on protective gear. I am looking into redesigning developing a new way in which the gear can be worn and used, I want to find some information about the kind of gear is most popularly used. The protective gear on the market currently are in skin tight option which protects the shoulders, back etc or the other option is a rucksack which has back protection in the back which can be pull in and out.
My current idea is a ski jacket idea in which you can slot/ clip areas of protection onto the jacket depending on what style of skiing/boarding you are doing that day. I know the skin tight suits are vey effective but do you really want to be wearing it all day when you might be on piste instead of off piste where their is less risk of injury? Just what to have a few ideas of what you guys think and whether it would be relivent to the type of skiing you do?
Thanks |
Sorry Max, someone beat you to it, more than 10 years ago - an american based company were making exactly what you describe, I even had a prototype, might still have the jacket somewhere.
The backpacks you describe are on the market today, have been so for 15 years!
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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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| Digger the dinosaur wrote: |
Here's an idea you can have for free. Current metal blade shovels sit in my pack generally being in the way a bit, crushing my ritter sport, that sort of thing.
Can you design a back protector I can wear under my outer jacket that is a shovel? Extra marks if you can get a simple and secure system for clipping the handle and probe to either side without being a hazard to me (no sticky inny bits) and if it is very quick to deploy (remember if I am using them in anger someone has quite a high risk of being dead)
In return for my idea if you make more than one I get one for free. x |
This is a brilliant idea!
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| 1. I don't know anyone who uses back protectors etc, other than occasionally in the park (and even then only a couple of people genuinely pushing it).... |
This.
Personally I'm not in the least concerned about bruising my bottom on a rail like a park rat is, or bruising my knees like a beginner. I'm in powder, that's why I'm there. You see the odd backpack which has some "spine protection" technology, but I doubt those were bought for that reason. Everyone rides with a pack anyway, and as someone pointed out there's a shovel there, but it's not intended for protection. I can't really see what the accident mechanism would be, in the back country, to need that sort of thing. There are no gap jumps, no rails, and if people are inverted it's over 3m of powder.
That's probably why I see almost no park gear out there (and I do see people getting changed, ha ha), except on the occasional park rat trying something different.
Even so, I'm not sure how it would work. They'd have one jacket, and they'd take bits out of it when they went on and off piste? And store the spare bits in their back pack? I suppose they'd buy the jacket and then take bits of it out to go to the pub, then lose them.
We've seen similar ideas for "integrated" jackets in regard to insulation. It's the opposite approach to "layering". I'm a big fan of layering.
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You know it makes sense.
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| flangesax wrote: |
| Digger the dinosaur wrote: |
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This is a brilliant idea! |
It would be nice to be able to put a kind of harness on in the morning, like putting transceiver on, then just forget it is there completely unless I need it, as long as I can literally whip my jacket off in the event of rescue and the gear is right there I can't see a downside. Good for those days I want to do lift served off piste (or even don't have a plan and just see what happens, but not carrying a load of extra gear) it avoids the gut wrenching horrible feeling when you decide that you are having a piste day and leave the pack at home, then see an epic untracked line from the first lift.
Also gets around the PITA liftie who insists I take my pack off even though it is tiny, if it is under my jacket and very low profile then no faff. Yet another barrier to carrying appropriate gear off piste for the minimalists too, so potential safety benefit for people who hate carrying a pack.
Plus if I am skiing on piste and get smashed by out of control maniac then my spine has a bit of protection from the metal shovel/protector thing. I don't expect that the serious backcountry guys will see a benefit, but I guess it avoids the problem of a pack full of other stuff with a shovel blade buried somewhere at the bottom in an emergency.
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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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| clarky999 wrote: |
@HollandMax
I think a more interesting and potentially viable area to look into would be avalanche airbag systems in things other than backpacks, or finding a way to make the airbag take up less room in a pack. |
The North Face have already started doing this.
https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/mens-powder-guide-abs-vest
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Poster: A snowHead
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@JamesN, Yeah I know about the vest, but it looks a little dumb. There's probably ways to incorporate it into a jacket (over the shoulders?).
In fact, aren't the FIS testing (automatically inflating) airbags for impact protection in race suits atm? Potential to include a manual trigger for avalanches?
Not suggesting it's a good idea in terms of an actual product on the market, but could be interesting form a product design perspective.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks guys ill take on your ideas and see what I can come up with.
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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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@Digger the dinosaur, "It would be nice to be able to put a kind of harness on in the morning, like putting transceiver on, then just forget it is there completely unless I need it".
Mammut already make the Alyeska GTX Pro 3L Realization Pants with a built in harness.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@JamesN, that reads as if the ABS is built into the vest. Which means you can't wear a ski jacket over it. Or else you'd look like the Incredible Hulk when it went off.
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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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I would understand an ABS vest to be worn like a ski patrol vest I.e. over your outer layer.
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@Dave of the Marmottes, that makes more sense, really.
I had an image of a ski jacket exploding off as the ABS deployed.
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