Why the walk from the car gets harder every season, and the simple fix

You know the feeling. Boots on, skis on your shoulder, poles in the other hand, and an icy car park between you and the lift.

The skiing itself? You have that down. It is everything around it that has started to wear on you. Most skiers accept it as part of getting older. They should not.

It is not the skiing that wears you down. It is the carrying.

Skis on one shoulder all week put the whole load on one side of your body. You do not notice it on the first morning. By the fourth, your back and your joints are keeping score.

One bundle, carried by the grip, with the weight close to your body.

The car park is the trickiest part of your day.

Ice, slush, ski boots and both hands full. There is nothing to steady yourself with, which is exactly when you lose your footing. Clipped together, your skis and poles become one solid staff you can lean on.

Your hands are working against you.

Cold fingers lose grip and feeling. Fiddling with buckles or wet Velcro means taking your gloves off, and then everything takes twice as long. CLIPSTIC clips on in about eight seconds with your gloves on.

Eight seconds, gloves on, and your hands stay warm. That is the whole trick.

Strap the skis, click in both poles, done. Gloves stay on.

Straps and bags never really solved it.

Velcro straps slip once they are wet and hold the skis but not the poles. Ski bags are bulky and there is nowhere to leave them. Neither one gives you a free hand, and a free hand is the whole point.

	CLIPSTIC	VELCRO STRAPS	SKI BAG
Holds skis and poles	Yes	Skis only	Skis only
Grips when wet	Yes	Slips	n/a
Leaves a hand free	Yes	Rarely	No
Fits in your pocket	Yes	Sometimes	No

The simple fix experienced skiers are using.

CLIPSTIC is a small clip, designed by a former ski racer and used by instructors every day, that turns your skis and poles into a single solid staff. Carry it by the grip, lean on it on icy ground, and pocket the clip at the lift.

And it keeps you going for more seasons.

That is the part skiers over 50 tell us about most. Easier carrying means less wear on the parts that decide how long you keep skiing. CLIPSTIC is a PSIA-AASI partner, and 300K+ skiers have made the switch.