The slopes with a smartphone!

You no longer hesitate to take your mobile phone with you on the slopes, to stay in touch and be able to call for help in the event of an accident. But is your phone well protected? And have you thought about charging apps for winter sports on it?

There are many applications dedicated to winter sports. You can consult, for each station, the snow weather: sunshine, snowfall, last snowfall, avalanche risks. It is even possible to see live the state of the sky thanks to webcams installed in strategic corners.

Other applications offer an interactive map of the slopes. Gone are the days of paper leaflets that get damaged and torn when viewed, and which offer a 2D format poorly adapted to the mountain relief.

If you take the time to admire the scenery before you hit the slopes, an Android app like PeakLens or iOS app like Peak Visor will tell you the name and altitude of all the peaks around you simply by pointing at them with your smartphone.

 
On iPhone as on Android, the Ski Tracks application allows you to record your routes. You can then view them on Google Maps and share them with your friends at the end of the day. It also gives you access to numerous statistics: your maximum speed, the distance and altitude difference travelled, the total time spent skiing, the number of runs down and the maximum altitude reached. Please note that the application locates the ski lifts so as not to distort the statistics.

It is essential to protect your device against falls and humidity (snow, sweat). Effective protective covers are available on this site.

Moreover, when wearing gloves, it is not always easy to take your phone out of your pocket. In this case, why not keep it outside on your arm? There are armbands that allow you to keep an eye on your iPhone at all times.

Finally, if you need to take your tablet with you on the snow (especially if you use it for professional purposes), be aware that there are solutions to take it with you in a well-protected shoulder strap in an aiShell case! 

Useful links

- Recommanded applications

- Top 8 Ski apps by NY Times

- 10 Best Apps for Skiers and Snowboarders