SkiPad Ski Carry

Kate Agathon

 

After a long day on the slopes, SkiPad  ski carry (MSRP $24.95) gives your tired shoulders a rest when you are slogging back to your car. 

 

Designed as one-size-fits-all so that everyone in your family can use it, the SkiPad’s gel construction absorbs bulky weight and creates a cushion on your shoulder when carrying skis.

SkiPad was conceptualized in 2014 by Mateski Innovations, Ltd. founder Nick Mateski. After a day spent skiing at Park City Mountain Resort, he found himself with sore shoulders from the hard pressure from carrying his skis.

Even shifting skis from one shoulder to another didn’t seem to make a difference in his discomfort. Hence, the idea for an accessory that acted as a pillowy buffer between shoulders and skis was planted.

When he shared the SkiPad origin story with me at Outdoor Retailer, I instantly understood the motivation behind it. Who hasn’t juggled poles and skis and felt the latter dig uncomfortably into your shoulders? Or shifted skis during the long walk back to the car (I’m thinking of you, A Basin)?

The SkiPad is easy to use: just wrap the velcro around your skis (or skis and poles together) with the gel pillow facing towards your shoulders, tighten, and go.

 

I recently used SkiPad taking the Summit Stage bus from Frisco to Copper Mountain. Walking a few blocks to the ski bus stop from the condo, and then across Center Village from the bus stop to the lifts.

The SkiPad kept my skis in place when I was walking and also vying to get on and off the packed ski bus that was a jumble of skis, snowboards, and poles. When I took my seat, I was confident that my skis wouldn’t slip and hit the head of the poor person sitting in front of me, or graze the leg of someone across the aisle, should they get knocked over. 

In the past, I’ve just used velcro ski straps affixed to the end of my skis. The straps kept them together, but they did rattle a bit when I walked. Using the SkiPad in the center of my skis prevented rattling and made walking around with skis less cumbersome.

The next day, my partner tried SkiPad. Heightwise, he’s got a good foot and a couple of inches on me, so I was eager to see if his experience was the same as mine.

It took him a bit longer to get the straps around his skis, but he eventually got them secured. He, too, used the SkiPad walking to and from the bus stop. 

He thought it was worthwhile for a person who regularly has to walk a long distance with their skis, or youth trying not to drop their skis when walking. 

For a minimalist (which he is) who doesn’t carry anything but essentials, the SkiPad is another item to worry about in jacket pockets. However, skiers who rent lockers or use a backpack will not find carrying the SkiPad around problematic at all. 

Final word? SkiPad was conceptualized by an on piste skier for on piste skiers during a ski situation to which most skiers can relate. It is a practical accessory most appropriate for skiers walking longer distances, or those who struggle carrying their equipment after a long day on the slopes.

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Kate Agathon

Dr. Of Stoke

Freelance writer, bicyclist, outdoor recreation enthusiast, social justice advocate, and mom to her furbaby, Utah the Adventure Dog.

 

A Colorado native, Kate considers the outdoors her mother ship. She brings her passion for bicycling, the environment, and issues of diversity to her writing. Her primary outdoor recreation activities are mountain biking, fat biking, snowshoeing, camping, peak bagging Colorado’s 14ers, road cycling, and Nordic skiing. After suffering two major knee injuries within four years, Kate hopes to return to alpine skiing next season.

 

Kate earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Colorado State University and later an MSEd and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University. In addition to her education, Kate’s background serving on the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and experience working for non-profits and bicycle sales well position her to bring depth and understanding to the complex changes currently taking place in the outdoor recreation industry.

We also heard she has a (slight) obsession for blue heelers.