5 Awesome Gadgets No Snowboarder Should Go Without

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5 Awesome Gadgets No Snowboarder Should Go Without

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Whether you prefer to visit ski resorts in the east or spend a day shredding mountains in the west, the season of winter sports is upon us, and no matter what your sport is, there are several gadgets you’ll want to bring on your next ski trip. If you’re a beginner snowboarder or spent the last season renting gear, a sick board, boots, and bindings are just a few of the items needed to get you dominating the slopes on those fresh pow days.

However, there are other things that can come in handy. For example, if you have a smartwatch, there are a few must-have snowboarding and ski apps to help you track your progress and keep an eye on the weather. Based on positive reviews, as well as personal experience with some of the products, here are five radical gadgets any snowboarder shouldn’t go without for an awesome day on the slopes. A more in-depth explanation can be found at the end of this article.

ActionGlow LED Snowboard Lighting System

Whether you’re at a resort that allows nighttime riding or shredding the mountain during a massive snowstorm, having lights on your board can be both fun and a safety feature. For $139, the ActionGlow LED Snowboard Lighting System comes with two 1-meter LED light strips, two waterproof power supplies, two LED fastener clips, and adhesive to attach the lights to your snowboard.

The cool feature of these lights is that it has a color change mode, so you can easily switch between seven colors using one button. It also has three different brightness levels. Additionally, they are low profile, so you don’t have to worry too much about them interfering with your toe or heel side positions. It’s also 100% waterproof at IP68 and comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

These lights come with a 4.8 rating on ActionGlow’s website. Many consumers love how vibrant the lights are, and the customer photos do the product justice. However, the biggest complaint from some reviewers is that the adhesive it comes with isn’t strong enough to hold the lights onto the board, so you may want to consider investing in a stronger waterproof glue. However, one user on Amazon hasn’t had a problem and even attached a video to their comment. They recommended cleaning the board thoroughly, making sure the board is room temperature for the adhesive, and taking your time putting the lights on. Another happy consumer recommended wrapping the box with electrical tape to help the battery stay warm.

SnoStrip Protective Snowboard Vehicle Mount

You don’t want to be that person who has their snowboard fall over, scratch up the car, and draw attention. Instead, protect your car and expensive gear with the SnoStrip Protective Snowboard Vehicle Mount. It’s an incredibly simple, innovative design that uses a strong magnet on the back to attach to any vehicle or metal surface. However, the magnet is covered in soft silicone to help protect the car. On the protruding side of the mount, there are multiple slots that can hold different types of skis. For snowboarders, there are two snowboard hooks for secure leaning.

The SnoStrip gadget received a 4.4 out of five-star rating from over 300 users and is a personal recommendation. Many times, ski resort parking lots are icy, and I’ve watched my snowboard scratch up the side of the truck before hitting the ground more times than I care to admit. This gadget not only protects the car but also shows off my board while cooking breakfast before first chair.

Furthermore, you could keep it attached to the car since the product has been tested at highway speeds — however, it’s very slim and takes a second to remove from the car, so I would suggest keeping it safely placed in your vehicle when you’re not using it. The biggest downside is that it is a bit pricey at $50, but with over 1,000 bought in the past month, it’s obvious that people are desperate to keep their vehicles scratch-free.

Garmin Instant 2: Solar and Tactical Edition

No matter what snowboarding experience level you’re at, having a watch to track data, elevation, speed, and even your health stats is beneficial. Garmin has several watches to choose from, but if you’re going to be outside all day, why not invest in one that is both durable and can charge itself? With a 4.5 score from over 2,400 users, the Garmin Instant 2: Solar and Tactical Edition technically has an unlimited battery because of its solar charging capabilities. It is also water-rated to 100 meters, so a bit of snow isn’t going to affect it.

The features of the Garmin Instinct 2 Series are vast. You can see your time and pace while zooming down the mountain along with elevation. There’s also a built-in barometer to monitor the weather and a compass to ensure you’re moving in the right direction. If you have service, you can connect your watch to your phone, as long as it’s compatible, and receive live notifications as well as buy coffee or snacks down in the lodge with contactless payment.

When paired, it can also keep track of your live location and has a built-in incident detector — just make sure you set it up before heading out. Most impressively for snowboarding, the watch can distinguish between ascending or defending a mountain, so you can hit start on your first run and leave it going all day. You can purchase this watch on Amazon for $450 — however, it’s discounted to $335 at the time of writing.

Surface AirTag Adhesive Mount

Every snowboarder knows that the sport is not a cheap one to get into — in fact, between gear and an annual pass, you’ll end up spending well over $2,000 in the first year. This is why it’s important to keep your gear safe. For snowboarders, whether it’s thievery or you mistakingly letting the board get away from you down the mountain and into the trees, you’ll want the tools to be able to find it again. With a 4.7 out of five-star rating from over 4,500 users and a personal recommendation, the Elevation Lab Surface AirTag Adhesive Mount is a cheap peace of mind, costing only $13. Be aware that the AirTag is not included, but costs only an additional $30 on Amazon.

This mount uses 3M adhesive and is low profile, so you’ll be able to place it on a flat surface on the snowboard without a problem. However, you’ll want to put it somewhere you’re less likely to overflex, so it doesn’t pop off while you’re shredding. Furthermore, even though AirTags aren’t waterproof, this mount is, so your tech will stay safe and useable while the AirTag’s battery lasts. Additionally, if you don’t use an iPhone, that’s not a problem. Android phones can still detect AirTags, or you can use another circular tracking device with the same dimensions.

TheraGun Mini Handheld Massage Gun

A massage gun is a wonderful luxury with any extreme sport, but most of the time, they’re not the easiest to transport. However, the TheraGun Mini Handheld Massage Gun is small enough to fit into a backpack, so you can take it all the way up to the top of the mountain for emergency massages for muscle cramps. Compared to its larger counterpart, it is 20% smaller and 30% lighter. It has a comfortable ergonomic grip, which means it’s designed to fit the natural grip of your hand, and three foam attachments for different types of massaging techniques. It also has three speeds and connects via Bluetooth to the Therabody app to show speed and force, creating a well-rounded massage session.

This massage gun comes with a 4.7 out of five-star rating from over 6,600 users. Many love the portability, and there’s nothing in the written reviews indicating that the size takes away from the massage power. However, there are mixed reviews on the battery life. Some state that it doesn’t last long enough, especially if they had the speed all the way up. Though, others were impressed by it, saying they got multiple uses before needing to recharge it. In terms of pressure, reviews went both ways as well. Unfortunately, what makes a massage gun good is relative, considering everyone has different needs. You can find this mini massage gun on Amazon for the list price of $200 — though, it is on sale for the holidays for $160.

How we chose these cool snowboarding gadgets

These awesome snowboarding gadgets were selected based on positive reviews and high ratings, as well as some personal experience with some of the products. We made sure to read through the comments and determine if there were any negative reviews that our readers should be aware of. For example, the snowboard LED lights had a few bad reviews on Amazon, but the positive ones tended to answer the questions or affirm potential user error of those negative comments.

Furthermore, we made sure the products we selected were relatively affordable for the item. Though the Garmin watch is expensive, with all the features it comes with, it can be considered a reasonable price, especially during a holiday sale. That said, everyone spends their days on the slopes differently, so we do recommend doing more research to ensure you are purchasing products that will benefit you.