The 7 Best Gadgets for Ski Freaks

5 minute read

Skiing and snowboarding have both come a long way since the first time people strapped planks to their feet and went rocketing down the mountain. Every season there seems to be more advancements in gear, from the shaping and makeup of the skis and boards themselves, to the release of new bindings and other products.

But these snow accessories go above and beyond the powder, letting you get the most out of modern technology while conquering the slopes. And with a massive snowstorm barreling down on the east coast this week, there’s plenty of fresh powder to try out these new toys.

GoPro Hero 4

The action camera that single-handedly turned extreme sports into high-definition entertainment, GoPro’s latest version is one of the most advanced video gadgets going. Just a bit fatter than a matchbox, the $499 head-mounted shooter can capture 4K video and 12 megapixel resolution photos at a 30 frame per second burst.

Complete with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it’s able to upload your last run to the web before you even push off the chairlift for your next descent.

Celestron Elements Firecel+

Hustling to the mountain to make fresh tracks in the morning and staying until they shut the lifts down in the evening can make for a long day on the slopes. If your personal batteries don’t wear out, then your phone’s certainly will.

This $49 battery pack pulls triple duty, producing enough juice to charge roughly half an iPhone, making heat to keep your hands warm, and lighting up to help you find your way back to the car in the dark. Whether you ski or not, it’s a good device to keep on hand.

Suunto Ambit3 Peak GPS Sportwatch

There are few bigger hassles than trying to check the time when you’re on the mountain. Whether it’s pulling up your sleeve to get at your watch, or pulling out your phone and risk it falling in the snow, it’s not a good situation. The $500 Suunto Ambit3 Peak sport watch is the perfect thing to sling over your wrist, not only telling the time but connecting to a heart rate monitor and a family of smartphone apps that track your activity, map your location, count your burned calories and more. And the watch’s Movescount app also connects you to a community of other Suunto wearers, letting you compare your workouts and adventures.

See 11 of the Worst Winter Storms in U.S. History

Snow Removal
The Blizzard of 1888 (March 11-12, 1888) This late-in-the-season snowstorm devastated much of the East Coast, incapacitating New York City, Boston, Washington and Philadelphia with up to 50 inches of snow. Here, carts haul excess snow and ice from city streets for dumping in the East River in New York City.Buyenlarge/Getty Images
The Knickerbocker Storm, 1922
The Knickerbocker Storm (Jan. 27-28, 1922) This snowstorm lasted for two days and a accumulated a regional record of 28-inches of snow. And it got its name after the famous Knickerbocker Theater, whose roof collapsed under the weight of the snow, with Washingtonians still inside watching a film. The disaster claimed 98 lives and is still one of Washington's deadliest snow storms. Buyenlarge/Getty Images
Chicago, Great Snow Of 1967
The Great Midwest Blizzard (Jan. 26-27, 1967) This blizzard raged from the Ohio Valley down to New Mexico. It still holds Chicago's record for heaviest snow fall in 24 hours (23 inches) and resulted in the deaths of 76 people. Robert Abbott Sengstacke—Getty Images
Willie Sutton
The Post Christmas Storm of 1969 (Dec. 25-28, 1969) Up to 2-3 feet of snow accumulated in New England and upstate New York. Here, kids skate while their dog plays on the snow-covered ground at Argyle Pond in Babylon, New York, Dec. 25, 1969. Gordon Rynders—New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images
SODERSJERNA
The Blizzard of 1978 (Feb. 5-7 1978) Hurricane-force winds, up to 90mph, and snow totals of up to 3 feet defined this blizzard. Here, Roy Sodersjerna of Higham, Mass. suns himself on the hood of his car, which is stuck in the snow on Massachusetts Route 128 in Dedham, Mass. on Feb. 9, 1978.AP
Winter  Snow           New York
The Superstorm of 1993 (March 12-13, 1993) This storm caused nearly 300 deaths, with New York state recording over 40 inches of snow. Paul Hurschmann—AP
Huge tunnels dug out of the snow allow New Yorkers to get on
The Blizzard of 1996 (Jan. 6-9, 1996) The mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions received 2-3 feet of snow, with Philadelphia accumulating 30.7 inches - its highest snowfall record to date. Susan Watts—New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images
GERMAINE
The Blizzard of 2005 (Jan. 20-24, 2005) Snowfall blanketed the Northeast, with areas around Boston reporting 3-5 inches of snowfall per hour and totalling 43 inches. Here, Sam Germaine walks past the frozen entrance to his home in Hull, Mass. on Jan. 25, 2005. STEVEN SENNE—AP
US East Coast Begins To Dig Out After Large Blizzard
The Post-Christmas Storm of 2010 (Dec. 25-28, 2010) New York City received over 20 inches of snowfall. Here, a man digs out his car in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City on Dec. 27, 2010.Chris McGrath—Getty Images
Large Snow Storm Roars Through The Midwest
The Groundhog Day Blizzard (Feb. 1-2, 2011) Many cities throughout the midwest and Northeast received 1-2 feet of snow and some even declared states of emergency. Here, University of Iowa student Andrew Uhe uses a cookie sheet to sled down the hill behind Lincoln Elementary School in Iowa City on Feb. 2, 2011.Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images
APTOPIX Wintry Weather
Blizzard in Buffalo (Nov. 18-20, 2014) Over six feet of snow descended on Buffalo, N.Y. and its suburbs, paralyzing the area. Over 100 people were stranded and at least six people died. Derek Gee—The Buffalo News/AP

Beartek Snowsport Gloves

Gloves have long been an ever-improving element of ski technology, but the $120 Beartek Snowsports have the upper hand on every model that’s come before. With the ability to insert either a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi module into them, these moisture-resistant mitts double as a controller for your digital music player or GoPro camera. By pressing certain finger pads together, wearers can play, pause, record, fast-forward and rewind, all without pulling out their devices. It’s the most technologically advanced hand-cessory since the old Nintendo Power Glove — and that’s saying something.

Oakley Airwave 1.5 Snow Goggles

Take Google Glass, add Oakley lenses, and you’ve got the Airwave 1.5, smart snow goggles that look as good on the outside as they do on the inside. With a small heads-up-display on the bottom of the field of view that displays everything from speed, elevation, and jump analytics to music information, your friends’ locations, and messages relayed from your smartphone, this $649 eyepiece turns skiers into the borg of the berg. And its switch-lock lens swapping ability gives it the ability to shine in sun or fog.

ScotteVest Knowmatic Hoodie

While not technically a ski product, anyone who’s ever tackled a mountain while carrying phone, a camera, a pack of gum, some chapstick, hand warmers, and all the rest will love the 13-pocket spread of this hoodie. Made of micro fleece, it’s better suited for spring skiing than blizzard conditions, but the $105 sweatshirt does have a series of interior cord channels, allowing phones and cameras in their own pockets to plug into portable batteries in another pocket. Just be careful if you fall with all your gadgets strapped to you, because that could make for a heck of a yard sale.

Forcite Alpine

Not yet for sale, but definitely ready for ogling, the Forcite Alpine ski helmet is the ultimate in connected sports gear. With integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, it syncs to smartphones to pipe in music and phone calls to the wearer. Foglights built into the casing light the slopes, which is doubly important when the Forcite’s 1080p camera is capturing your descent down the mountain. Motion and impact sensors keep track of safety and activity, while GPS capabilities make sure you can keep track of the trails you’ve conquered. All powered by a battery that lasts between six and eight hours, this futuristic helmet will last as long as you can, if it’s ever released.

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