Skiing For Fun

There are many ski accessories which can improve your experience in once you have the basic equipment. Skiers who ski in less traveled areas will find some of these accessories to be indispensible. All of these can be great gifts for the skier on your holiday list.

Watches

While not every skier needs a GPS system or a compass, every skier could use a good ski watch. Some of these even have GPs and other navigation tools, but even basic watches will have the ability to tell time and track your course time.

Ski watches are like other sports watches; they have built in timers and stop watches. Racers find these very useful. Other features which are included in some watches are altitude meters, heart rate monitors and speedometers. Ski watches of course need to be shock and water resistant.

GPS Devices

Global Positioning System devices important for those who enjoy backcountry skiing. These are good for navigation and essential if you need to be rescued. These are typically hand held devices and often include a compass and altimeter.

Compasses

If you do your skiing closer to home probably don’t need GPS, but a compass can still be very useful. In a storm, they can help you get oriented when you can’t see as well. There are old-fashioned compasses as well as electronic devices with a lot of functionality other than simply pointing out direction. Make sure that your compass is designed for cold weather.

First Aid Kits

Downhill skiing can be dangerous, so you should prepare yourself with a first aid kit. There are a lot of different kits out there, so there is no need to carry a complete kit with you. A basic kit with antibiotic ointment, pads and bandages work well – a more complete kit will also have flares, heaters and splints.

Ski Tuning Kits

Keeping your skis properly tuned is important to have the best skiing experience. You can have professionals tune your skis, but it’s better to learn to do it yourself. A tuning kit will let you sharpen your skis and remove the burrs which can slow you down. More sophisticated kits will let you refinish the bases and polish the edges of your skis as well. A good kit can help you keep your keys in top condition.

Waxing Kits

Waxing your skis to meet the snow conditions is a must. Each type of snow calls for a different level of waxing. A waxing kit will include various waxes and a waxing iron for easy application. There should also be a wax removal tool to get old wax off before putting on a new coat. Since avid skiers go through a lot of wax each year, wax or waxing kits make a great gift for skiers.

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