13th January 2022
There’s so much ski tech out there nowadays - and we love it! Some tech and apps will genuinely help you ski or ride better; some is just for fun; and some will even strike up some ‘friendly’ competition with your mates. The following is a list of the apps that we’ll be downloading for this season.
FATMAP
What is it?
Super detailed, 3D maps that cover the backcountry all around the world for skiing, hiking and biking adventures.
Cool features?
Tonnes of pros and brands use FATMAP and they’ve added a social media element so you can follow friends, locals and athletes to get inspired. You can also use it offline which is pretty handy when you’re getting really remote.
We’re excited to use it for…
Planning out routes in advance with a little inspo from other people’s good-looking trips and understanding the terrain in advance to minimise any nasty surprises! You’ll also find us getting stuck into the FATMAP Journal; it’s full of cool stories, useful tips and adventure tales: about.fatmap.com/journal
Where to find it?
https://fatmap.com/ and on Google play (Android) or Apple (iOS) app stores.
Maprika
What is it?
Imagine if Find My Friends and FATMAP had a baby… and it was a bit less good-looking than FATMAP. Make sense? No? Basically it’s another map app.
Cool features?
The thing we love about Maprika is that you can see where everyone is on the mountain - little live icons of all your mates.
We’re excited to use it for…
Trying desperately to catch up with the crew or find people around the resort. Alternatively, I guess you could download Find My Friends…or Snapchat which has the same feature too come to think of it. Ok, basically, as long as everyone decides on the same app, we’ll be able to stick together!
Where to find it?
http://www.maprika.com/ and on Google play (Android) or Apple (iOS) app stores.
Ski Tracks
What is it?
The original ski/snowboard tracking app - it measures tonnes of stats about your day on the hill. You can get pretty nerdy - altitude, ski vertical etc - but also enjoy the good old stats like speed and distance covered.
Cool features?
We love that you don’t need data to use it (it runs off GPS) and it doesn’t drain your battery (although the cold will do that alone!).
We’re excited to use it for…
The end-of-the-day-debrief where we’ll be competitively comparing stats.
Where to find it?
https://www.corecoders.com/ski-tracks-app/ and on Google play (Android) or Apple (iOS) app stores.
White Risk
What is it?
White Risk call their app a “comprehensive portal for avalanche prevention”. You use it to learn loads about avalanches and avalanche conditions, test your knowledge and then to plan your trip safely.
Cool features?
Loooads of interactive stuff that is actually quite fun, really visual and helps you learn-by-doing (from the comfort of your sofa!).
We’re excited to use it for…
Brushing up pre-season and even doing the tests to work out where our avalanche knowledge is at and where we need to improve.
Where to find it?
https://whiterisk.ch/en/welcome and on Google play (Android) or Apple (iOS) app stores.
Snow Forecast
What is it?
Nothing glam here, it’s a weather forecast app.
Cool features?
Snow Forecast covers over 3000 ski resorts and is one of the most highly-regarded by the industry for accuracy.
We’re excited to use it for…
Not having to carry a backpack full of ‘just in case’ extra layers and accessories because iPhone weather says 85% chance of apocalypse.
Where to find it?
https://www.snow-forecast.com/ and on Google play (Android) or Apple (iOS) app stores.
Carv
What is it?
Not strictly just an app… but really cool and worth a mention. It’s made up of an insole that fits inside your boot, a gadget that sticks to the outside, and then an app that analyses your skiing in real time.
Cool features?
The whole thing is cool to be honest. It measures the pressure and motion of your body 20 times a second, giving you personalised audio tips as you ski along.
We’re excited to use it for…
A whole other way to learn or improve your skiing. We don’t think instructors are out of a job/being replaced by robots just yet… but we are intrigued!
Where to find it?
https://getcarv.com/products/carv and on Google play (Android) or Apple (iOS) app stores.