When the the device is in one piece, you can control turns by shifting your weight, but when the sides are split up you're supposed to lift your feet and step around as if truly on stilts. Great, everything already look unstable and you want me to lift a foot without a nice soft pile of snow to fall face-first into?

Thankfully, neither Nissan nor the National Advanced Institute of Science and Technology appear to be in any rush to actually market this thing. [Plastic Pals via Engadget]

Location:
Northstar's Basque Room. Located adjacent to TC's Pub and directly across the walk way from Earthly Delights. For exact location please refer to Northstar's Village map [LINK] and search Basque or refer to the blue image on the map below.
For driving directions to Northstar-at-Tahoe please refer Northstar's site. [LINK]

When:
Saturday April 4th. Event room opens to the public at 8:30 am and closes at 4 pm.

The Price: $5

Transportation: We recommend you drive or carpool. The official Gizmodo carpool thread is here.

The Ticket and Housing Discounts: Huge Dealzmodo Lift tickets discounts at $57 (vs $79) for commenters; 30% off housing if you want to come the night before and have a drink with me in the village, or stay the following night at 10% off. (You'll have to call to RSVP for housing. Check out the options on Northstar's website. Northstar is providing 10% off lodging booked for Friday 4/3 or Saturday 4/4, and for Sunday 4/5 lodging is 30% off. Here's how to receive the discount:
Just call Northstar at 1.800.GO.NORTH (466.6784) and use our coupon code GI0404 when booking your reservation.

Lift Tickets:
All Snowmodo attendees are eligible for discounted Northstar lift tickets. To receive these discounts you must first pay the $5 attendance fee at our event room to receive a wristband. Once you have a wristband you will be able to purchase a discounted lift ticket form Northstar's Season Pass Office and Copper Lane Ticketing Office. Ticket information will be available at the event.

Raffle:
Upon paying the $5 attendance fee you will receive one raffle ticket, which will be valid for our event prize raffle held later in the day. More information regarding the raffle will be available at the event.
Once your attendance fee is paid you are eligible to buy more raffle tickets at $5 per additional ticket and there is no limit on the amount of tickets you can buy.

Product Demos:
The companies in attendance will be offering various product demos that you can take out on the mountain for testing. You will be required to leave some form of ID or Credit Card in return for a demoed product. More information regarding product demos will be available at the event.

Friday Night Drinks:
We have not yet decided on where or when we'll be sitting down for drinks on Friday night. We'll be announcing details on Friday, so please check back then.

Fun stuff anyone can do: Ski, Snowboard, Showshoe, take ski/board lessons for first timers, ice skate, tube/sledding, geocache scavenger hunt, cross country ski, borrow and test out gadgets, win prizes, drink beer, eat food, shop. Northstar has a huge village and every snow activity you can think of, except double flipping snowmobiles. We'll have more details on the fun stuff we're going to do together with the companies and gadgets, later.

Zune Party Details:
Where: TC's Pub in Northstar's Village. The pub is located right next our event room. For location details please refer to Northstar's site. [LINK]
When: Party starts at 3 pm with Morgan Page starting his set around 3:30 pm.
How To Get In: Only Snowmodo attendees who have Snowmodo wristbands will be allowed in. That means you'll have to stop by our event room at-least once during the day to pay the $5 admission fee and receive a wristband and raffle tickets.

To Do Before Coming: There's a few things we recommend to make your Snowmodo experience that much better.
• If you have an iPhone, download the Motion-x gps app, and you'll be able to track your travels, speed and other cool stuff which we'll be able to share with all our attendees.
• Check out the Official Snowmodo Soundtrack. [LINK] Giz's own musicphile Adrian Covert has compiled an Official Snowmodo Soundtrack filled with three different playlists of riding music. Most of these songs will be pre-loaded on the demo Zunes available at our event. So if you don't want to load up our playlists on your own player, stop by the Zune table at Snowmodo, grab a demo Zune and go hit the mountain.
• Subscribe to the snowmodo twitter feed so you can keep track of updates when you're on the mountain, like what lifts the Gizmodo guys are on, and when we're eating lunch. You know, updates.
Gadgets to Borrow and See Demos:
• Zune
• Ardica, maker of heated jackets.
• Lib-tech, makers of awesome snowboards.
• Nokia
• Vudu
• Smith Optics
• Go Pro Hero helmet/snowboard/bicycle/surfboard/racecar/whatever wide angle sports cameras
• Fullpower Motion X GPS
• Casio and their Slow Motion cameras
• Otterbox
• Griffin

Prizes in the raffle:
• Zune: Zune Players.
• AKG: AKG hooded sweaters. AKG earbuds and the demoed AKG headphones.
• Nokia: Three Nokia N96s.
• North Face: 10 Flyweight Rucksack packs. 10 Khumbu Jackets.
• OtterBox: Five OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 3G cases.
• Vudu: VUDU box.
• Ardica: Mountain Hardwear jacket with an Ardica Moshi system.
• Nixon: Headphones.
• Griffin: 25 AeroSport armband for Zune. 25 Streamline armband for iPhone. 20 AeroSport armband for iPod classic. 20 AeroSport armband for iPod nano.96 TuneBuds.
• GoPro: 2 GoPro Helmet HERO Wide camera kits.
• LibTech: Mystery Item.
• Casio: EXILIM EX-FH20 Camera.

P.S, here's a video shot on a RED camera from last year. I don't know who those people are, because none of us ride like this, but it was a great day.

P.P.S. This is a random sampling of a few people who showed up last year, and who weren't afraid to hike to the backside.

Zune is throwing an epic party for our Snowmodo event on Saturday April 4th at Northstar. They've lined up Grammy nominated Morgan Page to play some music and there will also be food and drinks available for all of our attendees. Zune has also made custom Snowmodo Zunes just for our event , which we'll be giving out as prizes in our raffle!

Zune Party Details
Where: TC's Pub in Northstar's Village. The pub is located right next our event room. For location details please refer to Northstar's site. [LINK]
When: Party starts at 3 pm with Morgan Page starting his set around 3:30 pm.
How To Get In: Only Snowmodo attendees who have Snowmodo wristbands will be allowed in. That means you'll have to stop by our event room at-least once during the day to pay the $5 admission fee and receive a wristband and raffle tickets.

On a music related note, Giz's own musicphile Adrian Covert has compiled an Official Snowmodo Soundtrack filled with three different playlists of riding music. Most of these songs will be pre-loaded on the demo Zunes available at our event. So if you don't want to load up our playlists on your own player, stop by the Zune table at Snowmodo, grab a demo Zune and go hit the mountain. I personally suggest Pheonix - 1901, need I say more...

Night Runs - Uptempo - Hip Hop

• Black Star - Respiration [amazon] [zune]
• Camp Lo - Luchini (This Is It) [amazon] [zune]
• Clipse - Keys Open Doors [amazon] [zune]
• Busy Signal - These Are The Days [amazon] [zune]
• Benga and Coki - Night [amazon] [zune]
• The Bug - Poison Dart [amazon] [zune]
• Souls of Mischief - 93 til Infinity [amazon] [zune]
• Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M. [amazon] [zune]
• Outkast - B.O.B. [amazon] [zune]
• The Knux - F!re [amazon] [zune]
• J Dilla - Two Can Win [amazon] [zune]
• The Cool Kids - One Two [amazon] [zune
• The Streets - Blinded By The Lights [amazon] [zune]
• Madvillain - America's Most Blunted [amazon] [zune]
• Cypress Hill - I ain't goin out like that [amazon] [zune]
• JayLib - Raw Shit [amazon] [zune] [zune]
• Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says [amazon] [zune
• El-P - Delorean [amazon] [zune
• Company Flow - Lune TNS [amazon] [zune
• Beastie Boys - Sabotage [amazon] [zune] [zune]
• Cannibal Ox - Iron Galaxy [amazon] {zune]
• Zion I - Critical [amazon] [zune]
• Dilated Peoples - Worst Comes to Worst [amazon] [zune]
• Talib Kweli - The Blast [amazon] [zune
• Ghostface Killah - Run [amazon] [zune

Short Runs - Agressive - Rock

Cursive - Red Handed Slight of Hand [amazon] [zune]
• K-Os - Born to Run [amazon] []
• RJD2 - The Horror [amazon] [zune]
• M83 - America [amazon] [zune]
• Bloc Party - Banquet [amazon] [zune
• Birdy Nam Nam - Trans Boulogne Express [amazon] [zune]
• Phoenix - 1901 [amazon] [zune]
• Peter, Bjorn and John - Lay It Down [amazon] [zune]
• Wavves - Beach Demon [amazon] [zune]
• The Walkmen - The Rat [amazon] []
• Digitalism - Pogo [amazon] [zune]
• Studio - Self Service [amazon] []
• The Faint - In Concert [amazon] []
• Black Flag - Rise Above [amazon] [zune]
• Bad Brains - Sacred Love [amazon] [zune]
• Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun [amazon] [zune
• DFA 1979 - 1979 [zune]
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give it Away/Under The Bridge [amazon1 amazon 2] [zune]
• Nirvana - In Bloom [amazon] [zune]
• TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me [amazon] [zune

Longer Runs - Mellow - Electronic

• Skream - Summer Dreams [amazon] [zune
• Daft Punk - Voyager [amazon] [zune]
• Burial - Raver [amazon] [zune]
• CFCF - Arctic [amazon] [zune]
• Kanye West - Coldest Winter [amazon] [zune]
• Junior Boys - Double Shadow [amazon] [zune]
• Dan Deacon - Of the Mountains [amazon] [zune]
• LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great [amazon] [zune]
• Cut Copy - Out There on the Ice [amazon] [zune]
• M83 - Run into Flowers [amazon] [zune]
• Royksopp - Eple [amazon] [zune
• Animal Collective - My Girls [amazon] [zune]
• The Zombies - Beechwood Park [amazon] [zune
• Boards of Canada - Roygbiv [amazon] [zune
• Ellen Allien and Apparat - Way Out [amazon] [zune
• Black Moth Super Rainbow - Don't You Wanna Be in a Cult? [amazon] [zune]
• Zomby - U Are My Fantasy (Street Fighter II Theme Remix) [amazon] [zune]
• Booka Shade - Night Moves [amazon] [zune
• The Avalanches - Since I Met You [amazon]

For complete Snowmodo event details please head over to our Snowmodo Event Information post.

This may sound strange unbelievable to you, but it is real and it is true.

Snowmodo Event Information Below!

Location:
Northstar's Basque Room. Located adjacent to TC's Pub and directly across the walk way from Earthly Delights. For exact location please refer to Northstar's Village map [LINK] and search Basque or refer to the blue image on the map below.
For driving directions to Northstar-at-Tahoe please refer Northstar's site. [LINK]

When:
Saturday April 4th. Event room opens to the public at 8:30 am and closes at 4 pm.

Zune Party:
Party will start at 4pm, all information will be available at the event.

Instructions:
Upon arriving at Northstar, please head over to our event room to pay the $5 attendance fee. In return for your $5 you will receive a wristband and a raffle ticket. You're wristband will not only show you paid the attendance fee but will also grant you discounted lift tickets at Northstar's Season Pass Office and Copper Lane Ticketing Office.

Raffle:
Upon paying the $5 attendance fee you will receive one raffle ticket, which will be valid for our event prize raffle held later in the day. More information regarding the raffle will be available at the event.
Once your attendance fee is paid you are eligible to buy more raffle tickets at $5 per additional ticket and there is no limit on the amount of tickets you can buy.

Product Demos:
The companies in attendance will be offering various product demos that you can take out on the mountain for testing. You will be required to leave some form of ID or Credit Card in return for a demoed product. More information regarding product demos will be available at the event.

Lift Tickets:
All Snowmodo attendees are eligible for discounted Northstar lift tickets. To receive these discounts you must first pay the $5 attendance fee at our event room to receive a wristband. Once you have a wristband you will be able to purchase a discounted lift ticket form Northstar's Season Pass Office and Copper Lane Ticketing Office. Ticket information will be available at the event.

Friday Night Drinks:
We have not yet decided on where or when we'll be sitting down for drinks on Friday night. We'll be announcing details on Friday, so please check back then.

Appreciation for investment will return high yield, just sending fully insured money order to vacation residence in Gabon. I hope to hear from you in no distant time through the email address below.
jjsos@amerivas.tur.br

Thanks to all the companies that are participating in Snowmodo we are able to offer all this stuff, and then some, to our readers who attend.

Want to see exactly what you could win, well here you go:

Zune: Zune Players.
AKG: AKG hooded sweaters. AKG earbuds and the demoed AKG headphones.
Nokia: Three Nokia N96s.
North Face: 10 Flyweight Rucksack packs. 10 Khumbu Jackets.
OtterBox: Five OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 3G cases.
Vudu: VUDU box.
Ardica: Mountain Hardwear jacket with an Ardica Moshi system.
Nixon: Headphones.
Griffin: 25 AeroSport armband for Zune. 25 Streamline armband for iPhone. 20 AeroSport armband for iPod classic. 20 AeroSport armband for iPod nano.96 TuneBuds.
GoPro: 2 GoPro Helmet HERO Wide camera kits.
LibTech: Mystery Item.
Casio: EXILIM EX-FH20 Camera.

For more information regarding our Snowmodo event you can check here. If you're planning on attending and haven't already illed out the RSVP form below, please do. Thanks!

Our Snowmodo Event on April 4th is packed with fun things to do, including the Zune party. But before the event starts on Saturday, the Giz crew and a few friends will be getting drinks somewhere in the Northstar Village Friday night. Since everyone is welcomed to come and we'll probably be out late both Friday and Saturday night, we've arranged discount lodging just for you guys.

Northstar is providing 10% off lodging booked for Friday 4/3 or Saturday 4/4, and for Sunday 4/5 lodging is 30% off. Here's how to receive the discount:

Just call Northstar at 1.800.GO.NORTH (466.6784) and use our coupon code GI0404 when booking your reservation.

Be sure to check back this week as we'll be posting Snowmodo updates and if you haven't already please filled out the RSVP form below. Thanks!

Our Snowmodo Event is really shaping up to be a top notch gathering. We've already lined up company attendance from Zune, Ardica, Lib-tech, Nokia, Vudo, Smith, Go Pro, Motion X, Casio, Otterbox, Giffin and next we'll be revealing a few extra companies which should truly make our Snowmodo event one you won't want to miss.

For more information regarding Snowmodo please see our original announcement here.

Be sure to check back next week as we'll be posting Snowmodo updates and if you haven't already please filled out the RSVP form below. Thanks!

The Price: $160

The Verdict: The wireless Audex system which controls your iPod works like any other iPod RF remote. There's an RF receiver dock adapter and a wireless remote for controls. The system is advertise to work with 3rd Gen iPods or newer and from our testing we found the iPod touch and iPhone can not properly be controlled.

The iPod is meant to be housed in a padded pouch inside the backpack which features a headphone extension cable that is rerouted through the backpack and down the right shoulder strap where a female headphone jack is provided. For the remote Burton has made a rubber housing located on the left should strap which makes the buttons accessible at all times. The wireless controller is removable and works as it should, providing the basic play/pause, skip forward/back, and volume up/down.

This backpack has some pretty impressive storage for its size and with only two large sections which incorporate many unique storage compartments allow for nice organization of your laptop, gadgets and small gear. When packed to the brim the bag can be a little bulky and stiff but the heavily padded back and shoulder straps allow for a somewhat comfortable fit. This backpack is not intended to be worn while snowboarding and frankly because of the shape and lack of an extra cross strap we wouldn't recommend it. It seems more fitting that the backpack be used around town or on short trips when you want to easily control your iPod's music and need to carry your laptop and other gear.
[Burton]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

Using the same logic that makes a pair of skis better at high-speeds than a snowboard, because the skis always have two edges gripping the snow during turns, Pyott's Twin Parabolic Ski concept basically provides each ski with an extra edge. By jointing two longer and narrower skis under each foot, the design allows for more grip at high-speeds since there are more applied edges griping the snow.

Overall the experimental concept seems like a significant way to make downhill racing faster and more dangerous on a pair of skis. The idea of using adjustable joints to make the set of blades under each foot flexible is pretty interesting, and I can't help but wonder if the same concept can be applies to a snowboard in some way. [Yanko Design via DVICE]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

Rescuers found the second lost person's body at the bottom of a +60 foot fall next to a stream. The lost snowboarders' friends kept in touch via twitter. It appears that while these skiers and snowboarders went off piste, none of them carried any sort of radio or satellite personal locator beacons, like the moderately priced SPOT. I mean, if you're in the back country, chances are your cellular reception isn't so great. The guy with the iPhone got off lucky being pretty close to a resort. Although the GPS function in any phone would work well in an open area to get someone reoriented. Either way, be safe during these storms, friends. [Scotsman, thisislondon]

Our second annual Snowmodo event is going to be an amazing amount of fun, so if you are anywhere near the Tahoe area we really suggested you stop by and take part in the festivities. Even if you aren't a skier or snowboarder, we still encourage you to join. Northstar has activities like ice skating, tubing, sledding, scavenger hunts, shopping, amazing food, even better bars and more. If the extra activities weren't enough, Zune will also be throwing a party just for our Snowmodo event complete with drinks, snacks and music.

Carpool:
For those of you who want to carpool, we would suggest that you turn the comment's section of this post into a carpool thread. For those who have space available in the car and are willing to give a ride to those who need it, please feel free to post a comment stating your availability. We're hoping you guys will be able to work this out amongst yourselves. So, good luck!

You guys basically have two options. We can either run a carpool system that you guys figure out amongst yourselves in the comments section or we help arrange for a private bus. Working out the carpool option is pretty easy but the bus is little tougher. For those who need a ride to the mountain for our Snowmodo event, please read each option's info and than choose which is best for you.

Also, if you're planning on attending and haven't already filled out an RSVP form please do so below. Thanks!

Carpool:
For those of you who want to carpool, we would suggest that you turn the comment's section of this post into a carpool thread. For those who have space available in the car and are willing to give a ride to those who need it, please feel free to post a comment stating your availability. We're hoping you guys will be able to work this out amongst yourselves. So, good luck!

You guys basically have two options. We can either run a carpool system that you guys figure out amongst yourselves in the comments section or we help arrange for a private bus. Working out the carpool option is pretty easy but the bus is little tougher. For those who need a ride to the mountain for our Snowmodo event, please read each option's info and than choose which is best for you.

Also, if you're planning on attending and haven't already filled out an RSVP form please do so below. Thanks!

I'm not a great boarder. I fall on my butt, knees, shoulders and arms, but the surf like feel and tiger-claw like grip of this board make me feel like I can ride much more aggressively without facing dire consequences. I've been able to much more easily charge through steep moguls, do slashes on steep sides of almost any gully, and carve deep and long enough to double grab the inside of the board on turns. Can't seem to pull it off on the old board. Maybe there's a magic feather effect going on here, or maybe its the tech.

Traditionally cambered snowboards bend the tip and tail downwards to help push the corners of a board down into the snow. Like a ski. Lib-tech's banana boards, taking a queue from rocker boards from the 80s, invert this curve, bending boards upwards at the ends.

This has several effects: It helps boards float a bit more in powder and over choppy snow, pivot the entire board between the feet for quick slash turns, make the ends less accidentally catchy, and precurving the board's ends in an arc that allow the board to carve well when you lean over enough. It gives the overall board a very free feeling, like a surfboard or park board with no edges, but let you carve when necessary when you put the board up on its side.

There are three minor disadvantages/catches: edge to edge for a quick turn is the same as on any traditional board, but going from carve to carve takes a bit more effort. Also, the rocker shape is good for keeping from diving in powder, but you're certainly not floating over it, either. (Lib sells a longer variant of this board with a shovel nose, and a narrow tail model called the Snow Mullet specifically for powder.) And when you are exhausted, since no edges press down on the snow when you're just standing there, it's hard to control unless you are charging. (Hey, those of us riding should be charging all the time anyhow, right?) The board always wants to move.

The bottom line is, rocker boards are super fun because you can take more risks on them, and they fly over lots of rough terrain. Every other board maker is going in on this revival of old 80s rocker shapes. But Lib tech boards like this one also have magne-traction, and so they can carve unbelievably well.

Regular snowboard edges are curved but smooth, like a samurai sword. Magne-traction boards have waves in them, basically turning the edges into steak knives. Here's how I'd explain the advantages to this. Imagine cutting a piece of ice with a butter knife, and then again with a steak knife. Steak knife does better, right? OK then! But here's another advantage the wavy edges have: smooth snowboard edges don't assume lateral movement. The kind of movement that happens when an edge of a board or ski slides out on ice. Take the same ice cube, and drag the butter knife across the ice and it should just move. The serrations on a steak knife serve to hold the edge in place, or regrip again after moving, very quickly.

It's hard to express how much I enjoy this board, out of all the boards in my collection. Usually, I'd have to deal with compromises in terms of short and maneuverable boards and boards that can survive on powder, but somehow through shape and technology, it manages all to a certain degree without being dull. And the paint looks pretty killer, too. I'll be riding it at Snowmodo, for sure.

[Lib-Tech]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

Our second annual Snowmodo event is going to be an amazing amount of fun, so if you are anywhere near the Tahoe area we really suggested you stop by and take part in the festivities. Even if you aren't a skier or snowboarder, we still encourage you to join. Northstar has activities like ice skating, tubing, sledding, scavenger hunts, shopping, amazing food, even better bars and more. If the extra activities weren't enough, Zune will also be throwing a party just for our Snowmodo event complete with drinks, snacks and music.

For complete information regarding our April 4th Snowmodo meet up at Northstar at Tahoe please see our Snowmodo post.

Also, if you're planning on attending and haven't already filled out an RSVP form please do so below. Thanks!

The Price: $30

The Skinny: The molds don't work well with thin snow, but I bet wetter stuff is amazing. The range on the slingshot is about 30 feet, and fairly powerful and accurate as it can be considering a snowball will almost always arc. You have to aim up and lob the shot, which is kind of contrary to the gun-like form of the weapon. The rubber bands flex well even in cold weather.

The bottom line is that if you're facing off against any one with a half way decent arm, the average firepower on this piece is no match for a quick pack and toss from a human appendage. Nice try, though. Don't I look mean cradling such an armament?

[HammacherSchlemmer]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

Price: $30

The Lowdown: I'd never go riding without this multitool. The device is sturdy, and the screwdriver's been helpful countless times I'd want to adjust bindings quickly. The handle and spring loaded release for the tool are easily useful with gloves on, and lock at 90 and 180 degree positions for more screwing speed or power. The tape measure is a bit short at 22 inches, so not that great for measuring between the feet when setting wide stances. The entire thing is extremely durable, except the plastic lid for the bits, wrench and pipe. The pipe itself works really really well, as you can see from the photos above where it is being demonstrated, packed, with basis leaves and pencil shavings. The aforementioned plastic shield working as a built in wind shield during lift rides. (You'll still need a pipe lighter and not some cheap bic, though, on the mountain.) If I could redesign it, I'd lose the tape measure, and wrench and build in the lighter.

[Bakoda]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

(I am strictly speaking about electronic gadgets, although many pieces of camping and ski and snowboard gear also carry these attributes.)

1. Buttons are cute, but not when you're wearing mittens or gloves and can't press them. Designing them slightly taller or bigger helps a ton.

2. Bright colors help a gadget be seen when dropped in the snow. And they all get dropped in the snow, unless...

3. You provide (include in the box) straps and lanyards of all sorts. To be attached to backpacks, zipper loops, keychains, around the neck, etc. I've lost at least 1 sanyo waterproof camera, one casio rugged phone, one pentax in heavy surf, and one helmet cam that popped off its mount

4. Basic battery insulation: Batteries generate power less easily in the cold as temperature drops affect chemical reactions. The uniden walkie talkies I use power down after 20 minutes of use in 20 degrees of weather, although they are rated for hours and hours. A little insulation goes a long way.

5. Simplicity over feature richness: This also helps define the button situation. Fewer things to ice over, fewer things to break, fewer things to fiddle with when you're at the top of the lift and your friends are waiting for you to strap into your board and ride. I once had a motorola/burton jacket with bluetooth and an ipod connection. The ribbons (cables) were too short. Everytime I moved, it would unplug and I'd have to stop and plug it in, which put a serious dent in my day.

6. As related to the point above, winter gear needs to be rugged and water resistant. Not necessarily by design. The iPod shuffle is water resistant and rugged enough for me, considering its low price. A little snow won't hurt it, and the battery life goes on forever.

7. Low Profile: If if fits in a pocket and won't bruise you when you fall on it, all the better.

What do you guys think? Did I miss anything?

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).