Ski & Snowboard

Downhill skis can certainly be awkward to carry, but you know what? So can their poles! San Francisco startup Yardsale is out to change that, with customizable poles that cling together via integrated magnets.

Cyrusher has been going bonkers this year, releasing one electric power toy after another. With winter approaching, it's turned attention to what it calls the world's first electric snowboard. The 3,000-W Ripple can tear through snow at over 30 mph.

Over the years, we've heard about several skateboards that were claimed to handle like snowboards made for the street. The Finnish-designed Slede snowskate flips that concept around, by reportedly performing like a skateboard made for the snow.

Last year, Samaya impressed mountaineers and backpackers the world over with the ultralight Assaut 2 tent. Not two years later, it's back with the new Radical 1, an even lighter, smaller four-season tent that barely breaks half a kilogram.

Rope tows certainly make life easier if you're skiing at a groomed, established hill, but what if you're more into backcountry skiing? Well, that's where the Zoa PL1 comes in, as it's a portable rope tow that you set up yourself.

It was back in 2015 that we first heard about the Sno-Go Bike, a three-skied snow "bike" that let its rider carve into turns. Well, it's now in its fourth incarnation, which is claimed to be much lighter, nimbler and more secure than the original.

While some snowboarders do find traditional boot-binding systems to be overly-fiddly, simple step-in systems have drawbacks of their own. The Quick Step Binding system, however, reportedly combines the best features of both.

​If you've been downhill skiing even once, then you'll know how hard it can be to walk around in the rigid, unyielding ski boots. Swiss company Dahu is addressing that problem, with a two-part system that consists of a flexible inner liner boot and a hinged outer shell.

As a simplified snowboard that verges on skateboard territory, the Mundo Trailboard is a new kind of ride built to lighten the load when on foot in search of untouched powder, while still offering plenty of carving capability thanks to a heavily contoured shape. ​

​Whether you call them beanies, tuques or simply wool hats, a lot of downhill skiers wear the things instead of helmets, as they're so much more comfortable. Well, that's why the ANTI Ordinary A1 was created. It's usually soft and pliable, but hardens to protect the head upon impact.

One of the innovative young brands that really impressed during the recent ISPO Munich show, Advenate has several multipurpose tools for backcountry snow sports. The headliner is an avalanche shovel that includes a probe in its handle and a light, compact emergency shelter in its blade.

Although downhill skiing itself is a lot of fun, trying to walk around in the boots can be … challenging. It was with this limitation in mind that British skier and entrepreneur Rony Shirion designed Zuke, a permanent attachment that brings a curved sole to ski boots.

Remember when you were a kid playing outside and mom called out that it was time for lunch? You leapt up and fired on all cylinders to get home. Pro skier Filip Flisar recently took this concept to the next level, racing over snowy streets propelled by a jetpack.

​If you like listening to music while on the slopes, you can wear earbuds beneath your helmet, or you can get a helmet with built-in speakers. The former can be fiddly, however, while the latter doesn't let you hear your tunes once you take the helmet off. That's why Unit 1 created the Soundshield.

We've seen some interesting evolutions of established avalanche safety technologies over the years, but the latest product in the category brings more flash. Using pyrotechnics, the Resero XV system​ blows snowboard binding straps clean off at the pull of a wearable trigger.