Category: Snow Sports

Best and Worst of 2012

Another year is (almost) behind us. Here are look at the best and worst of 2012 in fitness and well-being.

Best of 2012 Spirit of Competition – The London Olympics
Best of 2012 Tech Trend in Fitness – Rugged/Wearable cameras
Best of 2012 Minimalism – Barefoot running trend
Best of 2012 Software – Fitness apps
Best of 2012 Sustainability -Recycling and Upcycling
Best of 2012 Equipment – Ultegra Di2 and Electronic Shifting
Best of 2012 Know When to Fold – Foldable skateboard
Best of 2012 Brain Buckets – Improved helmet technology

 

Worst of 2012 for Fair Play – Lance Armstrong Doping
Worst of 2012 in Sour Grapes – New York Times Magazine profile of Lolo Jones

 

Thank you for your support. KineticShift will see you in 2013!

 

Tactile Snowboard Trainer

A French researcher has designed a suit that can help newbies tackle the slopes on a snowboard. Daniel Spelmezan of the Université Paris-Sud developed a wearable assistant that can be used by snowboarders-in-training. This technology actually grew out of Spelmezan’s work in tactile instruction.

The haptic snowboarding system detects the rider’s weight distribution and utilizes vibrations in the suit to help teach the rider the correct posture to use when attempting a maneuver. The result is a real time coach that can correct a rider’s mistakes on the slopes.

[Via Ars Technica: Haptic snowboard teaches you the slopes]

SHOW Time – The Trade Shows Will Go On

The holiday season is far from over, but with the New Year less than a week away we begin to think about what it will bring. One thing for certain is a lot of products. January isn’t just the post-holiday season, it is also the season of winter trade shows. Next month these will keep us busy as KineticShift will be heading to the shows, including International CES (formerly the Consumer Electronics Show), SHOT Show, Outdoor Retailer Winter Market and the SIA Snow Show.

Be sure to check back all next month as we’ll be covering product announcements from all these and other trade shows!

International CES Official Website
SHOT Show Official Website
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Official Website
SIA Snow Show Official Website

Nutty Snowboarding Idea

Sustainable is a word that is thrown around a lot, and we’ve seen snowboards made out of some “interesting” materials, including bamboo. That fast-growing grass has also been used for bikes and even cycling apparel. But researchers from South Yorkshire have come up with a “nutty” idea that would utilize biocomposite materials in the construction of snowboards.

The team from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre has developed a snowboard made out of flax and bits of cashew nut husks.

While many aerospace and automotive sectors are increasingly using composite materials, which provide both low weight and strength, there is a downside. For one many of the carbon or glass fibers embedded in the epoxy resins are derived from petrochemicals. These are energy-intensive to manufacture, and are not biodegradable. Nor are those materials easily recyclable. Continue reading Nutty Snowboarding Idea

Ski Finder Gets Update

Back in March we reported on the Ski Retriever, a device that could help skiers find lost skis – a concept that sounded better than just waiting for the snow to melt. Now the company behind this system has updated it with the AKKA Ski Retriever, which is designed to help skiers find skis or even friends.

The device features a one-inch OLED display that can reportedly provide visual and audio cues that can pinpoint the gear under the white stuff. But the device can also be used to locate friends if they have a transmitter on their person. Not a bad way to keep track of younger skiers on the slopes. The system is still getting additional refinement via a Kickstarter package so maybe it will be here in time for next year’s ski holiday.

Video after the jump

Barefoot Winter Shoe

Time and tide wait for no man and when the snow falls you can either wait until spring or hit the treadmill to get in a run. Or you can add some layers and endure a run in a winter wonderland. But what if you prefer the barefoot running? That doesn’t seem to mix with ice and snow.

But Vibram FiveFingers still has your feet covered while offering that minimalist style with glove-like fitting shoes designed for the winter. The Lontra feature a multi-layer laminate upper with fully taped seams to provide insulation and water resistance, while the micro-pile fleece liner is soft against the skin. The neoprene heel cuff will keep out snow and debris as well. Continue reading Barefoot Winter Shoe

Outdoor Retail Show Preview: Abominable Snowshoes

Like Bigfoot the Yeti, also known as the Abominable Snowman, remains something illusive. More a myth than reality, but Louis Garneau has could allow winter trekkers to tackle the snow like a Yeti.

The company has introduced the Boa Closure System to its line of high-performance Yeti snowshoes in advance of next month’s Outdoor Demo and Outdoor Retail Show. Designed for the back country these lightweight snowshoes utilize the Contact Pro Harness System for on-the-fly adjustment and a secure fit. It might be just the thing for those who hike in search of mythical snowmen.

Louis Garneau Official Website

 

Electrifying Solar Powered Snowboard: Every Third Thursday

httpv://youtu.be/uUhWJzfUZQA

The sun shines brightly on this month’s episode of Every Third Thursday. Dave Lee and Signal Snowboards team up with Powerfilm Solar to create a solar-powered snowboard!

Snow-Making Goes High Tech

Last winter was a non-starter and while that meant a savings for communities in terms of snow removable, likely reduced delays in air travel and also made highways safer it wasn’t so good for the ski resorts. While it is still too early to tell if Mother Nature will return with a vengeance ski resorts aren’t taking chances. Manmade snow has been around for decades, but snow-making is reportedly going high tech.

The Los Angeles Times reported that many resorts are making the shift from diesel air compressors that require workers to monitor and are adopting computerized systems that use fiber-optic cables to do the monitoring while low-energy fans are shooting out the snow. Much of this can now be controlled by smartphones. Yes, there is an app for making snow it seems. Continue reading Snow-Making Goes High Tech

Ski Denmark… Indoors!

Winter comes to Denmark, but unlike its Scandinavian neighbors the country lacks serious places to ski. But now the Northern European nation is looking to take a page from Dubai’s playbook by building an indoor ski part.

Danish architecture firm CEBRA is working in collaboration with the travel company Danski to create an alpine style ski dome, and one that would be the largest in the world. It would offer more than 1.86 miles (3km) of indoor and outdoor slopes, plus a freestyle park, hotel, restaurant and everything else you might want at a ski slope. Video after the jump

The North Face Dome Tent

Some of the most amazing architecture in the world is based on the concept of the “dome,” which is a rather unnatural structure. However, until flat roof designs domes make better more efficient use of heat, as the Eskimos long ago discovered, and hence The North Face 2-Meter Dome takes advantage of this fact. The inside of this tent offers up 125 square feet, which can hold up to eight people. It features dual doors, two exterior windows and even a chimney vent. The Eskimos might just skip making igloos and head The North Face instead.

The North Face Official Website

Blow up Snow Shoes

Earlier this week we reported on the Bike Pants from Bulgarian based Any Exit. Apparently the former Communist Bloc country has taken its 20+ years of freedom very seriously as it has developed some impressively innovative ideas. In addition to pants with removable pockets designed for cyclists, the company has created the inflatable Small Foot snowshoes, which are designed for use in emergencies.

These have the appearance of life rafts on the foot when inflated, but can packed down quite small, so could be good for anyone who goes hiking and worries about snowing coming in. The creator reportedly came up with the designs while lost in the mountains in knee-deep snow. Let’s just hope he wasn’t wearing the Small Foot Bike Pants and had something more appropriate for the wilds. Video after the jump