The electric bike trend continues, and electric assisted bikes are being touted as a way to help make climbs easier for those on two wheels. Now a similar electrical concept is catching on for snowboards.
This is where the Propul~surf comes in. It basically takes the Archimedes design of a screw to create forward momentum. This concept was used for centuries to raise water and apparently it could help snowboarders get up a hill as well. We of course though that was what the ski lift was for! Video after the jump
While backcountry wool wear from Voormi’s fall 2013 line is made in America, we’d also like to point out that the wool was also sourced in America. Voormi worked with Rocky Mountain Highcountry Merino exclusively to source the wool for its line of Precision Blended baselayers and midlayers. 
While the look is reminiscent of Batman nemesis Bane – were the muscle bound hero going out in the winter – this is actually the ColdAvenger Balaclava. That too might sound like a super hero of sorts but in fact is a mask that can be used in true Arctic conditions.
From swords to plowshares used to be the old saying, but in the 21st century it could be from billboards to bags. We reported back in 
Around since 2009 Meier Handmade Skis makes – as the name suggests – handmade skis. The Colorado-based company also is looking to take what might otherwise be unusable and is finding a use for it. The company is now sourcing wood from pine trees that have succumbed to beetles.
Carrying skis and snowboards isn’t exactly something people enjoy doing, but unfortunately these items have to go where the snow is and often times there is still a hike from the cabin or car. The Function Ultralight Ski & Snowboard Carry System weighs in at just 84 grams but provides Mil-spec Nylon webbing, with Hypalon edge protection to make carrying the winter gear a whole lot easier.
Snowshoes can make it easy to walk in deep snow, but can also be stiff and uncomfortable. French snowshoe maker TSL Outdoor is looking to find a solution that provides the stability of snowshoes with some flexibility. The result is the Symbioz, which are slimmer and more flexible. These feature a series of spikes on the underside of the shoes to provide extra points of contact on uneven terrain, while the sidehill grip further bends with the contours of the terrain.