folding skis

*##$#*#$##$!$#$!!!

that's it! i'm tired of lugging around my skis in an oversized bag when i travel. it pains me (and those around me) when i have to use public transportation -- think of an annoying leaf-cutter ant.

when i get home i'm going to make a pair of folding skis -- you know, like a folding bike. just think: "carry-on design!" they might ski like a pair of scissors though ... ouch, my legs!

i welcome comments and warnings, but i will mostly likely ignore the latter .

so how do you travel with ski gear?

on another note, the weight limit on some airlines is tight. for example, Qantas air limits check-in luggage to 20kg (total weight) and carry-ons must be less than 7kg. that's not a whole lot. my down jacket alone is 7kg. the additional cost per kg is between $5-17. i just got nailed for over $100NZ. ouch.

so how do you travel with ski gear? 

i just got nailed for over $100NZ.  ouch.

Hmmmmm, where's the rental shop  ???

Thanks for the visual image of whirling around on public transportation with the larger that life ski bag  .

I've seen old wooden skis that were built with a joint in the middle. I can't remember where I saw them. I did a quick google search and it looks like there are multiple patents out there for folding ski designs. I didn't look at them hard enough to figure out what differentiates them. U.S. patent 6616170 is one of the more recent ones. You might get some good ideas there...

I just went shorter and fatter. It works! And the kick turns are more graceful too!

...hey Blitz'

I saw a "mountaineer woman" on SaintHellens...full crampon set up/Harness...no rope..and alone. She was on these funny little "Big Feet". Man could she turn them. I thought at the time that there would be now way I could squeeze my but cheeks for 4000'/for that long. She was like the energizer bunny...I could'nt shaker her. She wasn't doing much high marking but she was really turning these. swear they were no longer than small snow shoes with P-Tex on the bottom and some sort of Ramer looking binder......way out there...but she was "skiing".

Pin'

I would think a fold/hinge such that they went p-tex to p-tex would be better than other ways. Also maybe a couple of "baby hinges" on the bases such that they were continuous.
Sounds like a fun new project.
Kind of like "snow blades"/Big Feet without the risk of getting your a$$ beat on principle.
:->