Ever get lost in a euphoric off-piste blaze of snow and emotion only to emerge truly lost somewhere on the mountain? Good, the NavJacket is for you. The GPS equipped jacket from O'Neill is the result of a partnership with MyGuide. The Gore-Tex jacket features integrated audio in the hood and a display in the sleeve which shows your speed, updated weather forecasts, and time and distance to après-ski. A "friend finder" function helps track your new "friends" long after the slobbering begins. All the important tech bits about communication, controls, and that flexible display (not to mention the price!) are still missing. No worries, it's not due for another 9 months as part of O'Neill's Fall/Winter 2008/2009 collection. 'Til then you'll have to rely upon your keen sense of gravity to get you to the bottom of the hill.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Just in case your iPod-equipped helmet, head-mounted camera and Bluetooth-enabled parka weren't enough to distract you from actually paying attention to your fear when looking down the mile-long slope ahead, how's about fiddling with the Satski rather than focusing on that pizza wedge? This handhald unit gives skiers, snowboarders and everyone else out there trying to make it down in one piece the ability to record position, altitude, speed and distance while on the mountain. Additionally, you'll find options that enable you to avoid black runs, plot a course, listen to MP3s and play a few games while riding the lift. Heck, there's even links to emergency contacts in case that halfpipe trip goes terribly wrong, and the built-in software lets users export data to Google Earth for future bragging purposes. Reportedly, this intriguing device will be priced at an almost unfathomable £1,500 ($3,087), but those strapped for cash can supposedly rent it for around £28 ($58) per day at participating resorts. Of course, it remains to be seen how well the touch panel responds to those ginormous gloves we all love to wear.

UPDATE: Seems that US-based snow bunnies can get this same type of functionality on their current Garmin / Magellan GPS -- and for a lot less cash, too.

[Via ShinyShiny]

If you always thought the inkjet approach to healing broken bones was too much of a stretch, you'll probably be interested in the plastic portable splint. Designed by Ching-Sui Kao, Geremi Durand, and Maxime Ducloux, the device is intended to be used by extreme sports participants (guess that includes Wii Sports?) that typically set records in either completion times or amount of damage done to their bodies, and can set your newly-broken limb into place right on the side of the mountain. By wrapping the limb with a set of flexible plastic strips, linking them up with Velcro, and finally applying a sodium citrate-based gel over top, a chemical reaction creates a rigid structure that forms a cast around the arm or leg. Of course, doctors can remove the material at the hospital and apply a more medically-approved rendition, but if you're looking for an easy way to excuse yourself from class or work without actually forging a doctor's note, here's your ticket.

Joining the growing array of wintry kit suited to help your day at the slopes be a bit more like you never left your AV center, the Camelbak Hellion SC delivers a hydration pack, gear compartments, and few electronics to boot. The brand best know for its wide variety of liquid-toting backpacks has teamed up with Skullcandy on its latest offering, and while the whole color / design scheme is a bit too flamboyant for our tastes, the spec list isn't half bad. Aside from all the random pockets for your keys, gloves, Cheetos, and deodorant, you'll find a 100-ounce sack to keep your Kool-Aid chilled as well as a battery-powered LINK system that pipes audio from any 3.5-millieter audio out jack into the integrated speakers. Sadly, there doesn't appear to be any Bluetooth connectivity or a way to dictate anything other than volume from the strap-mounted "soft touch panel," but boarders that don't already have DAP access on their helmet, coat, or beanie can snap this up right now for just under $250.

[Via Talk2MyShirt]

While you've got your H-Bomb to keep you nice and toasty while surfing through chilly waters, and the Airvantage vest to keep your chest warm while braving the bitter cold, even the most hardcore skiers will probably admit that their fingertips go numb just a few hours after they hit the slopes. Reusch's latest pair of high-end ski gloves looks to solve the chilly finger dilemma (sans USB power), as the new Solaris gloves pack iThermX heating technology, which was developed by Interactive Wear AG. Beneath the supple exterior is an electronics unit with a 16-bit microcontroller that "manages the intelligent power and temperature control and executes application-specific programmable heating algorithms," effectively turning up the heat whenever a user-selected temperature is reached. The heat is powered by two flat, lightweight Li-ion batteries, which can purportedly provide a hand-based oven for "around five hours" before needing to hit up the lodge for a quick recharge. There's even an onboard selector / LED indicator to switch from constant heat to "temperature-defined heating," and while we've no idea just how pricey these gloves will end up being, we're fairly sure any skier who has dealt with freezing fingers will do nearly anything to own them.

We know what you're thinking: extreme ski biking is cool now? Or alternatively, who the hell would get on one of these? Just take our advice, next time you find yourself off-piste, keep your eyes peeled for Ktrakers -- crazy people who've bought a universal attachment that replaces the wheels of a mountain bike with a track drive and an optional front ski. Apparently the Ktrak's insane appeal comes from its ability to let cyclists ride over previously inaccessible surfaces like snow and sand, as the company's videos demonstrate. Due for a production run in early 2007 (priced at a reasonable $400 for the track and $140 for the ski), the Ktrak is apparently very easy to install and ride, and adds only 5-pounds to the average mountain bike's weight. If you can manage to convince your brain that this thing actually exists, your biggest problem is going to be getting your hands on one before everyone else: to that end, you can reserve a kit for $300, as long as you get your pre-order out before January 1.

[Via Spluch]

While it's the dead of summer here in the States, it's probably snowing somewhere, and Burton has teamed up with Motorola to drop the feature-packed Audex Helmet to keep your skull intact while carving that powder. At the 2006 Burton New Zealand Open Snowboarding Championships, this Bluetooth-enabled brain protector was unveiled to give riders the ability to manage a cellphone and audio player without the hassle of wires. While the helmet looks fairly standard, it rocks detachable stereo headphones -- optimized to handle the wind and noise -- that avid boarders will likely appreciate. Integrated Bluetooth, a 3.5mm line-in jack, Bluetooth audio controls, and a built-in microphone round out the technology crammed inside the Audex. Riders can pair up their cellphone for hands-free operation, and although Burton would need a mighty windscreen on the mic if anyone expects to hear you while busting a 720, at least you can brag with ease when back on the lift. Thanks to the line-in port, users without Bluetooth-enabled DAPs are still taken care of, though you won't be able to utilize the glove-friendly volume / track selectors that control functionality in Bluetooth equipped units. Available in a myriad of colors, the headgear will be shipping this month, so if you're not already rocking the Audex jacket, or just want a snazzy way to protect your neck (and cranium), you can pick this up for around $250.