Ski Extender
Project active
Fall 2018 - Spring 2019
Problem:
Many skiers experience shin bang (repetitive pressure applied to the shin by the user's boot) due to ill-fitting gear which causes pain, decreased endurance, and decreased performance.
A sleeve with foam inserts to maximize pressure distribution while maintaining slim fit feel.
Solution:
Summary
Ski Extender is a neoprene sleeve that is worn on the user's shin throughout a day of skiing. It is worn to reduce shin bang (the painful repetitive pressure of the ski boot on the user's shin) that skiers experience. Ski Extender allows skiers, who either don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on perfectly-fitting boots or who want to just rent boots, to have the premium comfort fit that you would have with a properly fitted boot.
Current Progress
The Ski Extender team has designed and built two prototypes: a plastic insert and a neoprene sleeve with foam inserts. The plastic insert was not continued because the users did not find it comfortable to wear. The neoprene sleeve, however, was effective in reducing the pressure point from the boot that causes shin bang. We have created a single sleeve that fits one of the team members in order to test out at the mountain.
Future Goals
The next steps for Ski Extender would be to create a second sleeve for the other leg to test in the field. We would also then design different patterns for the foam inserts to further improve the pressure distribution in order to provide an even more comfortable day at the mountain.