High-Tech Ski Gear

How much of the powdery slopes you'll be seeing depends on where you live or where you get to travel this year. But whether you're in your armchair or on the moguls, there's always the dream of new gear. Here's some of the coolest ski gear this year, and it's way high tech.

The Belkin SportCommand for iPod is an armband that lets you wirelessly control your iPod even though it's tucked away in the warmest recesses of your jacket. Control play/pause, next/previous track, and volume up/down; plus it's water-resistant.

Oakley Thump is digital music eyewear. That's right—a high speed USB transfers music from your PC right to your glasses, where little earbuds hang off the frame. Eight hours of music to ski by. OK, so they're $500, but they're lightweight and have ultimate UV protection, too.

Marmot Ultimate Ski Glove is the one that the pros all swear by. Its combination of Gore-Tex, leather, and Primaloft or Thinsulate insulation does the trick. At $150, you don't want to be losing these in the lodge.

The POC Skull Comp Helmet comes from a Swedish company out to revolutionize the ski helmet. The POC Skull Comp has a "semi-hard shell," which means it won't bounce off the ground as much during a fall, and it's lighter, too. ($320)

Tecnica's Vento 8 UltraFit2 ski boot is designed to make it as comfortable walking around the lodge as it is schussing down the slopes. A special cuff alignment molds to the shape of the lower leg, and the soles are built to minimize fatigue.

The Garmin Rino 130 is a two-way radio with the kitchen sink included. It's got a built-in electronic compass, barometric sensor, weather receiver for seven NOAA weather channels, and 24MBs of internal memory. Plus it's a GPS system. The integration of GPS and radio makes this state of the art and a must for backcountry skiers. ($375)

Since I'm always the one sent to get the car from the parking lot, I love the Walk-ez Revolution. It attaches to the bottom of your boot, making walking in ski boots safer, faster, and less wearing to your boot. The company also makes a Ski-Shuttle that's like a rolling golf cart for your skis.

The Suunto S6 is a watch that boasts a mind-numbing array of features, including an altimeter, barometer, compass, weather alarm, and interval timer. It'll analyze your ski or snowboard performance with a built-in chronograph that looks at the degree of slope, maximum speed, and vertical drop for each run. And it's beautiful.

Smith Prodigy Turbo Fan are goggles with a quiet fan built in so there's never any fogging. The special lenses are optimized to do well in flat light. ($180)

Nordica Hot Rod Top Fuel ($1,000) represents the latest perfection in shaped ski design with wide tips and a tapered waist. The big side cut holds, especially on packed or crusty trails.

X-Socks Carving were developed to feel comfortable inside your ski boots while retaining heat and still letting you "feel" the slopes. A designated right and left sock are anatomically perfect, and an air conditioning channel keeps the temperature just right. Won't bind and cause blisters, either.