Technology seems to be able to permeate just about any athletic sport despite none of them becoming popular or even directly using tech to see athletes or teams through. Yet, technology continues to enhance the experience for participants and fans alike. In football, goal-line technology has been a game changer, as it has in ice hockey, and being able to review video footage in cricket has led to a far more refined sport.
When it comes to skiing outside of the major competitions, it isn’t quite so clear where tech can be applied in such a game-changing way. Sure, you could put timer cameras between slalom posts, but it wouldn’t enhance the overall skiing practice for most who take the lifts up the mountains. Instead, what has truly been the most game-changing for the snow-laden sport is the humble smartphone.
Certainly not a technology novel to skiing, what with over 4.3 billion people having one in their pocket, but the ways in which a few mobile apps and some additional digital tools tied to smartphones can greatly enhance skiing is quite remarkable. For beginners these days, there are far more handy tools to get in on the action swiftly. So, to help those finding their feet on the slopes and in the blizzard of apps, here’s a look at top skiing tools to get.
What Makes Smartphones So Useful for Skiing?
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Smartphones are rather expensive, rarely insured, and don’t fare very well in the cold or wet. On the face of it, they’re one of the worst things to bring out for some skiing. In fact, landing on an awkwardly angled mobile in your pocket or top isn’t too fun, either. Still, their usefulness outweighs their downsides for several key aspects that can greatly impact your skiing.
The big two are mapping and weather tracking. All of our phones have weather apps or can access more accurate weather forecasts online. For mapping of your ski routes, you’ll need a much more specific download. For any app, though, you need to tap into what could be considered an overly mobile-optimised app. Looking at one, you can see large tiles for all of the options and the ability to swipe and scroll for the main stuff, rather than tap a menu.
For entertainment apps, this is key to being as convenient and appealing as possible to mobile users on the go. When you ski, you’re as on-the-go as you can get and likely with wet or cold fingers. You need a smooth app that’s very responsive and capable of having options big enough for misplaced or misread inputs. To help with this, it’s recommended that you also get some armour, a tether, and a way to keep your device warm for when you ski.
Ski Apps for Beginners to Download
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The first map that any beginner should download is the Ski & Snow Report from OnTheSnow. They’ve brought together all of the most trusted weather reports for ski resorts around the world, and the app allows its users to share snaps of the conditions and even tap into webcams set up. Plus, powder notifications can be turned on to keep you in the loop at all times.
With the weather sorted, it’s always best to map and track your skiing. For this, SkiMaps and FATMAP are hot favourites. SkiMaps lets you download maps to use in areas even when you can’t get any connection, while FATMAP utilises satellite imagery to give you 3D skiing maps. Plus, you get to tap into the GPS-powered navigation features to keep you on the path.
Finally, to help you improve at skiing itself, while you will be wanting to take lessons at the resort first, when you get some downtime and start trying it out on your own, you should turn to Carv. An app combined with insole sensors, it works as your digital coach, letting you know exactly how much pressure you’re putting down from each foot on your skis and recommending how to adjust.
It’s never been a better time to be a beginning skier thanks to the incredible apps that you can download to your smartphone right now.