Wearable ski tech: 3 things to bring

The ubiquity of smartphones means that almost everyone these days is carrying powerful computing technology in their pocket. On the mountain this amounts to having a vertical feet tracking, trail mapping, video-taking device already at your disposal. When you’re planning to ski, I recommend bringing these four accessories so you can take the capabilities of your phone to the next level:

Touchscreen winter gloves

You do not have to make a trade-off between staying warm and using your phone. Gloves that can conduct your body’s electricity through it’s fibers mean your screen can react to your touch without actually exposing your skin.

The best touchscreen winter gloves according to review site, The Wirecutter, are the Glider Gloves. I’ve personally owned a pair of the Agloves for two seasons now and they work really well as an inner liner, hanging out outside at the base, or even during lunch.

Waterproof phone case

Falls happen, even to the best of us. While it’s never fun to yard sale, it’s even less fun to damage your phone in the process. I recommend you make sure your phone is in a case so you don’t shatter your screen; there are too many moving parts if you have a spill. Even better, you might consider investing in a waterproof case. Your phone will thank you the next time you end up inside a snowbank.

I’ve personally used a Pelican ProGear case on my iPhone 5 which includes a screen protector that has helped keep dust and snow away from my precious phone. I also know Otterbox has a great selection of cases dedicated to waterproofing and protecting your smartphone.

Battery pack

A full day of GPS tracking, checking your EpicMix stats, taking photos, recording videos, and keeping in touch with your friends might start to wear down your phone battery. Throwing a small battery pack and a charging cable in your backpack to charge up during lunch can ensure your phone will be on all the way through après.

The easiest solution is to bring your existing charger cable and buy a cheap USB battery pack from Monoprice. I’ve used this one for nearly a year and it’s worked out really well for both me and those that travel with me and want some extra juice. If you’re not feeling generous, you may consider just finding a battery pack case which doubles up as a charger and a protective layer for your phone.

Bonus: connected goggles

As technology gets smaller we’re finding a lot of cool new ways to pack computers into more spaces. With the I/O Recon from Smith – you can have all your information right in front of your eyes. Literally! The Recon Snow2, the next generation of GPS and Bluetooth heads-up display technology, is integrated into the unique I/O Recon frame design, maximizing field of view, helmet integration, and ease of lens change. Digital information coupled with interchangeability could not be any easier to experience.

There are also the Oakley Airwave goggles, which provide you with a heads-up display so you can see your current speed, change your tunes, or even see incoming callers, all within your goggles.

Stay tuned for more interesting wearable ski tech in the coming years…

– Devin Reams