Is it better to be slow and steady or go fast and wear protection? By that of course, we’re philosophizing about how best to minimize your risk of injury while downhill skiing. Why, what were you thinking?
For those dual-planked carvers who feel the need for speed, you may want to consider donning French company In&motion’s award-winning new Smart Ski Airbag Vest. It could save your ass—or more specifically, your hips, spine and neck—in a high-speed fall.
When this comfortable, lightweight, tech-infused garment senses a loss of balance, it inflates in less than a tenth of a second to protect the vital areas of your torso. So before your body hits the ground, that impact is cushioned.
Of course, that’d be enough to warrant its “smart” moniker. But this vest goes a step beyond, collecting and analyzing data so as to better detect any future downhill incidents.
For now, this safety-minded apparel is only available to professional skiers. But once they put it through its paces, the company’s planning to make it available for us regular downhillers around the middle of this year. In the meantime, do your best to avoid any falling drones while bombing down the slopes.