 Poster: A snowHead
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... on the telly. And the telly is right in front of your eyes.
Mark Frary and Sean Newsom review a selection of ski gadgets in this 2-minute video. Their very brief tips/brickbats include:
- walkie talkies
- hand warmers
- Cat Tracks (ski boot sole protectors)
- GPS
- Inflatable roofracks for skis
- ski boot (inners) drying packs
- £160 helmet cam
I thought that some of their tips were useful, and they avoided the obvious route of simply talking about the latest products (some of those featured have been around for about 20 years).
You may, of course, have other views. Anyone have specific knowledge/experience of any of the products shown?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have frequently used Cat Tracks in the past and found them good for avoiding slips as well as protecting the boot soles (when carrying skis for 10 mile treks, tips down of course). Bit fiddly to put on with cold hands. Now I use touring boots so don't have a need for them really.
Always have several GPS units about my person so I know where I am. Getting old is a pain 
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sean Newsom (Sunday Times) makes the point that Cat Tracks, by reducing wear and tear of boot soles, cut the risk of premature release from bindings. As I understand it, the benefit is the opposite:
With an ISO-spec boot sole (universal), a thinning of the front and back of the sole may make the boot wobble in the toe and heel units, but the risk of inadvertent release will be unaffected because this is controlled by the binding's contact with the side and upper surfaces of the sole. What Cat Tracks may achieve is a lower risk of dirt/roughness on the contact surface of the boot with the AFD (white teflon pad) of the toe unit - and therefore reduce the risk of the binding not releasing at all. However, I'd say that this benefit is marginal. I always kick my boot soles around in the snow before entering bindings, after walking in dirt, to ensure that there's no grit in the system.
I've never used Cat Tracks, and find that boot soles stand up to quite a lot of wear and tear, but I can see the advantage Yoda describes. How long do you find the Cat Tracks last, Yoda?
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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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"crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrzzzxsserrwwwaawassxxzzzzzz come in crzzzzzzzzzzzzccrzzsss where are crszzzzzzzzzzzzzzxxxsssss get off ze frequency". Yeah, they're great.
and why not get one of those big slippers that can take both feet at once?
David Goldsmith, for once you are probably right and Mr Newsome wrong. I'd rather wear my boots out.
yeah, I don't get these either.
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Inflatable roofracks
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great for inflatable cars.
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ski boot (inners) drying packs
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s'pose a neat idea and no plugs but don't boots dry out overnight anyway?
good fun but a nightmare to mount so that they don't wobble
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Swiller Sunday. I can see it now.
Actually I can't see it now.
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Hand warmers (the kind like teabags) are a good product which can make the difference between misery and comfort on a cold day, for people who suffer from cold hands. I usually have some on my person and gave some to a very sad and cold little girl in a restaurant last year. Her face, as they warmed up in her gloves, told the story. To liken them to big slippers which take both feet at once is just crass.
I use cat tracks to reduce the danger of slipping on icy pavements - yeah, they can be a pain to put on. But I know two people who broke their wrists that way.
Walkie talkies? As long as people don't expect them to work through a mountain they have their uses. They once saved my son a huge hike back up the hill to find his old mother, who he'd taken, on a snowboard, through some deep powder off piste which I just couldn't cope with. A quick call to tell him I was gonna toboggan back down to the piste and would see him at the lift, saved a lot of bother. Similarly, one day, when we all thought we were headed for the same restaurant in Les Contamines and ended up in two different ones. But they're a "nice to have", not essential.
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David Goldsmith, can't say that I kept a mileage record, but suffice to say I think it was reasonable for the price. These were the winter version of course, and as I am walking in ski boots all year round I guess they would wear out a bit faster than summer or M+S cat tracks 
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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 started using cat tracks after I got my Salomon Pro Model SC boots. These have smooth plastic soles (no rubber heel pads) and can be lethal when walking on hard packed snow or ice. Getting the cat tracks on and off can be a bit of a pain but not as much a pain as going @rse over t1t.
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a very sad and cold little girl
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I blame the parents. I was joking about the big slipper, honest. What the bloke on the telly should have said was that, if you are appropriately "gloved", you shouldn't need the tea bag.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cat tracks are great, and you quickly get the hang of putting them on. - I was very impressed by the sight of Tom Prochazka - the director of Whistler's Dave Murray camps - being able to slip his cat tracks onto his boots while standing on one foot, on an icy surface at Whistler base (Note: don't try this unless you're an ex- WC racer).
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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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if you are appropriately "gloved", you shouldn't need the tea bag.
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yes, usually. But some people just have very cold hands. It wasn't actually a very cold day, so she was probably one of them.
I have to sit down to put on my cat tracks - not being an ex WC racer. But it's nice to know it's not only daft old women wear them. 
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You know it makes sense.
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 I too have joined in the somewhat gaperific cat track brigade, due to Salomon Falcons. With the pound where it is I can't afford to buy lunch twice after going a-over-t with it on the tiled restaraunt floor. There a bit short for my comedy size 12s though.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
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if you are appropriately "gloved", you shouldn't need the tea bag.
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yes, usually. But some people just have very cold hands. It wasn't actually a very cold day, so she was probably one of them.
I have to sit down to put on my cat tracks - not being an ex WC racer. But it's nice to know it's not only daft old women wear them. |
I can do it without sitting down. But I do need somethnig to lean on.
They certainly make me feel a lot more secure walking in ski boots.
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Poster: A snowHead
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With the pound where it is I can't afford to buy lunch twice after going a-over-t with it on the tiled restaraunt floor.
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Cunners,  I did that in Tignes, some years ago. I was on my own, which made it worse when the entire restaurant came to a halt and nice people rushed over to pick me up. I bashed my elbow really hard - worst injury of the week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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FAQ
