I found them at the Outdoor Retailers Winter Market. It’s the largest show of its kind in the U.S., and it’s where manufacturers strut their stuff and retailers place orders for next year. The show is the launch pad for innovative products as well as redos of existing products. I was on the hunt for products that would appeal to senior[Read More…]
Action Camera Comes With Instant Editing. It’s good to have a rival—Macy’s has Gimbel’s, the Red Sox have the Yankees, Holmes has his match in Moriarty. Everyone gets much sharper with a decent competitor. And so it is with action cameras. The ubiquitous GoPro, the current market leader, has almost become a verb, as in “I GoPro-ed my last run, and I can’t[Read More…]
Don’t Schlep, Ship. My pal Jerry took his wife and two college-age girls on a ski trip from Boston to Vail a few winters ago. The trip involved a stopover in Chicago which, when his plane from Boston landed, was being covered in a blinding snowstorm. His connecting flight was cancelled. So, Jerry and family had to schlep all their[Read More…]
Okay. It’s too big for a stocking, but it doesn’t need wrapped. A cheap but practical gift is a jug of low temperature windshield washer fluid with de-icer. Look on the label for a temperature rating that is -25 or -30 or lower. A gallon jug costs less than $5. There are some days when a certain mix of temperature[Read More…]
Huffington Post Highlights SeniorsSkiing.com Co-Publisher’s Unusual Holiday Suggestions. Our very own co-publisher Jon Weisberg appears in HuffPost 50 with gift ideas for your very own senior skier. Jon’s suggestions range from renting a whole ski area for a day for $10,000 to a $9.95 boot horn. Click here for his Santa list.
Some Things To Consider Before You Buy. If you google “heated gloves”, you’ll find two dozen brands in all price ranges. And more brands are advertised in ski magazines. It seems that many companies have jumped into the heated glove market. To make matters confusing, the descriptions all sound alike. “Heated gloves that work well cost about $300 – $400”[Read More…]
When buying skis, choose a ski based on matching width and turn radius to the kind of snow you like. Hard snow: select a ski with a narrow waist – 76mm or narrower. Soft groomers (or general western front-of-mountain skiing): select a moderate waist – 75 to 85mm. Resort powder (with firm surface underneath): select a mid-fat waist – 85[Read More…]
Buy Stuff If You Can. The 2016 Gorsuch catalog just landed on our desk with a cover model wearing $4,487 worth of ski outerwear. Inside are pictures of parkas costing in the thousands and a four-way stretch insulated “ski jean” for $2,399. Choices for guys are pricey, but nothing like the trophy garments which, based on the Barbie-looking models, must be[Read More…]
Special Thanks to Roger Lohr, Editor and Publisher of XCSkiResorts.com for allowing us to post this article which first appeared on that site. About half of all snowshoers are women, who snowshoe to experience nature, to exercise with friends and family, for backcountry access, and to have outdoor fun throughout the winter. The various snowshoe companies have been catering to[Read More…]
A Good Idea For Apres-Ski Tailgating. When we picnic or party, we usually carry glass wine bottles like most people do. Well, the people at fiftyfifty have come up with a better way to transport wine. It’s a double-wall, vacuum-insulated stainless steel bottle that keeps wine at the perfect temperature—all day long. What’s unusual about the container is its[Read More…]
Some Lessons About How To Dress For Frigid. Last February, we spent a wonderful long weekend in Quebec, visiting the lovely city’s Winter Carnavale and skiing at some fabulous ski resorts (Mte. Ste. Anne, Le Massif de Charlevoix) and dining in a little village of Baie-Saint-Paul. Delightful. If you ever want a Euro-type ski experience close to home, Quebec is the[Read More…]
Coalition Snow Fills Women’s Needs For Quality Equipment. Last spring, we’ve were impressed by Coalition Snow’s CEO Jen Gurecki when she talked with our friend The Ski Diva about her line of ski and boards for women only. She recognized a niche market, defined a set of unique needs, and she put together products that are based on research. Now her challenge was getting[Read More…]
Who Knew Grip Strength Was A Diagnostic Measure of Aging? Over the past few ski seasons, I’ve noticed times when my wrists are weak, especially when rocking my poles. Arthritis? Age? Don’t know. A few days off slope or wearing an elastic wristband, and it goes away. Now I’m trying another approach. I have a little exercise device that looks like a[Read More…]
Gee Whiz, Seniors, Here’s What’s Coming to a Store Near You!! Shoes whose laces tighten without your needing to bend down to tie them. Wireless heating insoles controlled with a smart phone app. A small device that communicates your whereabouts and whether or not you need help when there’s no cell service— nywhere on the globe. These are just a[Read More…]
It’s Like Christmas In August. The annual Outdoor Retailers Show is going on in Salt Lake City right now (August 5-8), and it showcases gear for all outdoor enthusiasts. It’s a sneak peek at brand new innovative products as well a upgrades in existing products. The massive trade show has more than 1,500 exhibitors from around the world. Some exhibitors[Read More…]
An Electric Bike Offers A Friendly Boost To New Knees and Hips We all remember “With a Little Help from My Friends” by The Beatles. My, how things have changed in the 48 years since its release, especially for those boomers who want to come back to the slopes after major surgery on hips and knees and rotator cuffs, among other[Read More…]
Why-Didn’t-We-Think-Of-This-Department: A Gear Toting Assistant You might say, it’s about time someone came up with the Ski Dolly (TM). After schlepping backpacks, boot bags, skis (bagged or loosely tied) from car to base lodge too, too many times, we celebrate the arrival of this good-idea product. Imagine: Your favorite ski area has a reserved area for senior skiers (yes, many[Read More…]
Contributor Steve Hines’ Explainer On Humane Goose Down Harvesting. If you ski or do any winter outdoor sport you probably have or have had a down jacket. Now is a good time to evaluate what you have and will need for next winter. If down is truly the answer, then you have to know there are choices between vendors who provide[Read More…]
Poling While Hiking Is An Exercise Multiplier Roger Lohr is co-founder and editor of XCSkiResorts.com and a noted writer on all the varieties of Nordic skiing. More than 10 million Europeans of all ages and fitness levels are Nordic Walking (also known as Ski Walking) with special Nordic Walking Poles. This new fitness activity turbo-charges the normal walking regimen burning as[Read More…]
Should We Have Ski Equipment Just For Seniors, Too? At the ski shows last fall, we heard rumblings in the ski industry about products for specific segments. Now, our friend and colleague The Ski Diva has tracked down and interviewed Jen Gureki, CEO and Founder of Coalition Snow, which manufactures skis for women. Her rationale for developing a ski for women[Read More…]
You’ll Always Have These Readers With You. Finally, you can read your cell phone, trail maps and restaurant menus with ease because you can always have these very cool reading glasses with you. And the case snaps onto your Smartphone for ready access. Now isn’t that novel! ThinOptics readers solve the problem that has plagued seniors since Smartphones were invented. The[Read More…]
Older people have messed up feet, says Steve Cohen philosophically. Cohen is CEO of Masterfit Enterprises, a company that specializes in training ski shop salespeople to fit boots properly. The company also tests boots, makes insoles and boot fit aids and runs America’s Best Bootfitters, an organization of top bootfitting shops. “Think how many miles senior feet have trod. They’re[Read More…]
Here’s Another Way To Enjoy Winter That Seniors Can Easily Get Into Snowshoeing, once a practical means of winter travel, is now a winter recreational activity. It provides many folks an outdoor winter alternative to skiing or X-C. In fact, most ski areas now offer snowshoeing as an option. If you like walking, you will enjoy getting out on snowshoes. Some[Read More…]
Cross country (XC) skiing is a terrific way to enjoy the great outdoors in winter. Is it great for older people that want to stay active? You betcha! From Roger Lohr, founder and editor at XCSkiResorts.com and prolific writer on cross country skiing The pleasures of XC skiing can be a wonderful change of pace for winter activities. Whether you seek[Read More…]
Taking The Pull Out Of Pulling On Boots. Every now and then I come across a product that makes a big difference in the comfort of older skiers. I’ll explain in a minute. I always boot-up in the parking lot. The difficulty of that process advances with age. Over the years, I’ve found that using boot warmers on the way[Read More…]
