 Poster: A snowHead
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There are hundreds of wintersports gadgets and other items that are supposedly indispensable to the modern skier/snowboarder, however, one has only so many pockets...
Apart from standard ski kit such as hat/helmet, gloves, goggles, sun glasses/creams, what gadgets or other items do you consider so indispensable that you will suffer their encumbrance whilst you ski?
E.g. camera, phone, walkie-talkie, multi-tool, b1izzard mask, edge tool, wax, hip flask, etc.
Perhaps divide items between those you'd take if you were skiing with a ruck sack vs without, e.g. avalanche/crevasse kit, water bottles, bivvy bag, etc.
More interestingly, have you come across an indispensable gadget or item, that you feel is still largely undiscovered?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For resort riding I always carry my leatherman, some cable ties in case of boot or binding failure and my phone, I might also stick a hat in to wear at lunchtime and my sunnies.
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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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Carry the same as @francium.
As for gadgets, have had plenty, now rarely carry anything... as a wise man once said - the best thing to carry is less.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Selfie stick.
Actually, wallet.
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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 always carry a bunch of cable ties too. I find them extremely versatile for repairs in boots, clothing, helmets, backpacks, camera mounts, luggage, replacement for luggage locks..
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ducktape!
I can't think of anything indispensable or undiscovered tbh. I pretty much always carry a compass, knife, climbing sling and carabiner though. A pulley is cheap, light and indispensable for crevasse rescue kit and vastly reduces friction in MA systems. Skin wax, 'cos if you need it you really need it!
I would like a watch with an altimeter, but $$$.
Bento boxes are really good if you want to take more interesting food than bread/cheese/dried sausage. No chance of them spilling open.
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20 euros and my car key.
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My drop-dead-gorgeous-wife, and vodka. Both totally indespensable! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@clarky999,
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I would like a watch with an altimeter, but $$$.
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They are very good and indespensible for mountaineering. To accomany mine I have some watch face polish to remove the inevitable scratches. I have some old surveying alimeters at work and they are a real hassle to use. They are bulky, heavy and so old they a calibrated in feet!
Surely the pulley is pretty useless without a rope
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| johnE wrote: |
Surely the pulley is pretty useless without a rope |
Haha yeah, of course! Point is you can build MA systems using crabs instead of pulleys, but the pulley quite drastically reduces friction/increases efficiency.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| skimastaaah wrote: |
| My drop-dead-gorgeous-wife, and vodka. Both totally indespensable! |
Ah, but if you had to choose between them?
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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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I am wondering if I've stumbled into the wrong forum. You guys actually carry much of this kit for regular skiing? OK, I know you need all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff for off-piste skiing, but .....
Altimeter? Why do you need to know? iPhone will tell you anyway.
Cable ties. Brilliant things and invaluable, but the chances of needing them urgently are slim and the impact of not having one with you is pretty minimal too. They do take up v little space so I'd stick some in the suitcase perhaps.
As a 100% piste skier all I take is:
Sunglasses
Suncream
Credit card and some cash
iPhone
Buff
Hip flask occasionally.
Never understood the need to carry spare gloves, water bottles, backpack or anything else.
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Probably way too much when off piste, as I tend to learn from my own and others experiences. So my kit list increases each year with some small item. Some nice to have toys, and others potential life savers.
For general skiing heated gloves and boot heaters have allowed me to largely ignore the prevailing temperature.
Proof of insurance (policy, EHIC, Fogg etc). Yes, I know there are many "it will never happen to me people".
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You know it makes sense.
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Lever for fastening buckles on ski boots. I don't have enough grip
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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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@foxtrotzulu, If I didn't carry water I'd spend half my skiing times in cafes, (I have found the soft pouches rather than bottles are good) other than that I pretty much agree with you except...
Wallet not just cards and cash (my travel wallet also contains ID, EHIC card and a piece of card with my insurance details on).
I've also just added a watch, I haven't worn a watch normally for 20+ years, I usually use my phone for the time but when skiing find the unglove, unzip jacket, unzip inner pocket, orientate phone, open case, turn on screen, close case, return to pocket, zip up x2, reglove process just too much faff.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ski Lock.
It won't stop a prepared thief, but helps deter an opportunist, especially if one swaps skis to give unmatched pairs. It also makes it easier to claim, if skis are stolen.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 24-03-16 20:14; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
I am wondering if I've stumbled into the wrong forum. You guys actually carry much of this kit for regular skiing? OK, I know you need all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff for off-piste skiing, but .....
Altimeter? Why do you need to know? iPhone will tell you anyway. |
Err, how high I am  Whether simply for navigation and tracking when touring, or for comparing slopes to the avalanche report (for example when it says things like "dry slabs may still be released by minimal additional loading above 2400m," or "wet snow and glide avalanches may threaten below 1800m).
I know this sort of stuff well enough in my home resorts anyway, but it would be nice for when skiing in new/bigger areas.
Not sure how much I'd trust a free iPhone app to be accurate. Admittedly my Sony Something is 3 or 4 years old, but it struggles enough to accurately place me in town with GPS, so can't imagine it'd be that good in the mountains. Maybe newer phones are better though?
Also I'd prefer to be able to just glance at my wrist rather than stop and dig in my pocket for a phone. And as I don't have a watch at the moment anyway ('cos my phone tells me the time ), why not?
RE cable ties/ducktape etc, you can often botch a good enough repair on a broken binding to get someone off the hill without needing to call a helicopter (obviously this is only really applicable offpiste). The weight and cost penalty is minimal, so they can just sit in your back pack just in case. FWIW a couple of years ago a friend's (borrowed) dynafit binding broke, and we fixed it will enough on the hill for her to complete the ascent and descent without further issue.
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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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| Quote: |
Altimeter? Why do you need to know? iPhone will tell you anyway.
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OK you rarely need one when skiing on piste, but sometimes when you get a freezing level, like tomorrow it looks like the rain/snow level will be at 1800m. It would be nice to be over 1800m.
But the major use is when climbing or offpiste skiing
Guidebooks often give directions such at "turn south at 2780m" If you do not know how high you are then when do you turn south. I leant years ago never trust a GPS when the it ran flat. And as @clarky999, says - a quick glance at your watch is much asier than dragging a gps out of your pocket. The only major drawback is occaisionally I have confused the altitude with the time when skiing, mistaking 1730m for have past five in the afternoon.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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For a cruisy day piste skiing, lift pass, ehic and insurance details (which live permanently in my sleeve pocket). Cash. Emergency credit card (lives permanently in trousers pocket with a couple of teabag hand warmers). Tissues. Chewing gum (avoids need to keep drinking and consequently peeing).
Occasionally a phone.
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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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Cable ties, tape, cash, simple
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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My leki shot shots (filled of course)
Wallet
Cash
Insurance
Phone
Cable ties
Superglue
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Money, cards, insurance, sun cream/lipsalve, telephone, a small cable lock and Zardoz!
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Beer tokens and knowledge of where to exchange beer tokens
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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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It was so cold in Tignes in Jan, that my iPhone instantly shut down and locked me out as soon as I tried to use it. So much for that gadget! 
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Thu 24-03-16 20:03; edited 1 time in total
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| Lever for fastening buckles on ski boots. I don't have enough grip |
I can do all of my ski boot buckles up all by myself with the exception of one, and it is of course, the most important one. I didn't know such a thing existed. Hubby usually acts as my lever.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ashtray ( for butts instead of lobbing them off the chair lift )
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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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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| It was so cold in Tignes in Jan, that my iPhone instantly shut down and locked me out as soon as I tried to use it. So much for that gadget! |
I had the same problem for different reasons last time I was in Tignes (last April). My iPhone was sitting in the sun as I ate a picnic lunch and it stopped working with the message 'iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it.'
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| swiftoid wrote: |
| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| It was so cold in Tignes in Jan, that my iPhone instantly shut down and locked me out as soon as I tried to use it. So much for that gadget! |
I had the same problem for different reasons last time I was in Tignes (last April). My iPhone was sitting in the sun as I ate a picnic lunch and it stopped working with the message 'iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it.' |
Mine wasn't even helpful enough to give me a heads up....a simple, "fff me, I'm freezing" would have sufficed.
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You know it makes sense.
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Ashtray ( for butts instead of lobbing them off the chair lift )
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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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Bloody kindle
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hip flask occasionally.
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This
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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And before the inevitable...
'superglue' wont fix your ski, binding or other equipment failures, that what the cable ties are for.
The superglue is for sealing up minor cuts and injuries.
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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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Hip flask, lift pass, cash, credit card, glove liners for Mrs Gordyjh.
Off piste, same + transceiver, probe, shovel.
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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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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
Ski Lock.
It won't stop a prepared thief, but helps deter an opportunist, especially if one swaps skis to give unmatched pairs. It also makes it easier to claim, if skis are stolen. |
Ski somewhere more civilised.
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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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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| Lever for fastening buckles on ski boots. I don't have enough grip |
I can do all of my ski boot buckles up all by myself with the exception of one, and it is of course, the most important one. I didn't know such a thing existed. Hubby usually acts as my lever. |
I got it from the US...if i think on I'll post the link
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| telford_mike wrote: |
| Old Fartbag wrote: |
Ski Lock.
It won't stop a prepared thief, but helps deter an opportunist, especially if one swaps skis to give unmatched pairs. It also makes it easier to claim, if skis are stolen. |
Ski somewhere more civilised. |
Maybe you're right. I bought the lock after having skis stolen at L2A, as it made me a bit more paranoid.
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| Timberwolf wrote: |
| Ashtray ( for butts instead of lobbing them off the chair lift ) |
a few weeks ago in LA Plagne and 3V I was thrilled to see not a single person smoking anywhere on the mountain. 
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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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Infra red fog/whiteout penetrating goggles, forward heat ray for briefly converting ice to snow, gyroscopic stabilised backpack to maintain still upper body......
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skitoolcompany com
They ship to the UK. I got 2 and donated one to another SH
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FAQ
