What do you do when skiing?

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Going skiing next week, would love to take the gear up the mountains to get some great photos. However I worry about damage mainly from a spill on the slopes.

What do you skiers do? Is there a bag you use that is very protective? I have a Lowepro Vertex buts its too big.

Or do you accept its a non starter and make do witha compact or small bridge?

Be a shame to miss out on some great opportunities but I'd rather not have a bag full of bits at the end of the day!!
 
Hi,

I use a lowepro backpack and choose carefully when to take any gear up the mountain and then take it easy, not risking a fall etc - I've boarded for many years and if you've skied for some time you know how to take it a bit easy, avoid ice and anything too steep or with big drops, take loads of spare batteries at the temps will kill them, and let everything equalise to ambient temps before you use it to minimise condensation - basically take it easy, protect your kit and enjoy an easy day then go for it the next day.

N1
 
Went to Val D'Isere before Xmas with full kit in tow - only got it out to do some night shots and some stuff of the world cup downhill preperation. Too scared to take it out on the big hill, especially when I spent the whole week learning how to board of-piste. Also, managed to slam into a tree and smashed up my missus' Sony compact so that kind of put me off further.

Trying to persuade the missus to let me organise a solo trip where I can go do three or four days of dedicated photography instead of using up holiday time.

Well, onto the bag. I have a Kata DR456 that I carried said compact (it smashed while in my coat pocket, not the bag), a HDD video camera and loads of extra. I know Kata do some with big sections of armadillo-like padding along the front that is desgned to protect. Cheap as well - mine was £50 and takes a D200, grip, Siggy 70-200, two flashes and filters.
 
Firstly, I'm going to answer the title question without reading the main post.

"Ski... What else?!"

Haha. I'm so funny.

Okay, I've been skiing since I was 4, so I'm pretty bloody good (;)), and I just wacked everything in my regular Centon BP-500. Only took the camera out 2 out of 5 days, so thankfully on the days I did fall, I didn't have the camera. Good stuff!
 
I snowboard, so by the nature of it have a fair few falls. I use a DaKine Sequence which has lots of padding and has a rear opening, so when you put your bag down in the snow to get your camera out it isn't the side that will go next to your back that is getting wet/cold.

Make sure you have at least one day riding without your gear, it is quite liberating not having the 10Kg pack with you (powder is a lot easier too).

Another thing, if you aren't used to shooting in snowy conditions, over expose a bit so that the snow looks white, rather than 18% grey ;)
 
From my experince what most people do when skiing is stop randomly then wonder why snowboarders almost crash into you (we don't have quite the same repsonse time as you guys *** we only have 1 edge)

Similarly a lot of snowboarders chose the most stupid places to stop and sit down.

Main thing is don;t use your camera for the first couple of days until you get to know the mountain a bit and get to know the more popular routes and lines
 
Remember, the downhill skiier/boarder has the right of way. You have to be cautious of the person below you because you don't know what they could do.
So don't get annoyed at someone if they stop in front of you and you almost crash, because you shouldn't have been following so close to them!
 
I'm a snowboarder and take all my gear up with me in a regular back pack. I just mega pack it out with jumpers and hats! I've skiied too and if you fall on your skis the benefit is you fall on your side. So your bag is less likely to have a bump anyway! Last year I took a huge fall and broke my coccyx in half and fractured 2 vertebrae and my kit stayed completely in tact! I don't know how, but it did!!!
 
specialman said:
Craikeybaby, when we gonna get out to Tamworth? How's the old knee injury you had?
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I need to get on a board soon, not ridden since the summer, have just been given the OK to start sport again, so just building the strength up in my knee, so should be getting to Tamworth soon. Will give you a shout when I'm planning it!
 
Just got back from a job in the Alps today having spent two full days on my board with D3, 14-24 2.8, 24-70 2.8 and flash shooting both beginners and sponsored riders for a Chalet company... ouch!. My best advice is to watch your knees and back if riding hard with weight and make sure there is enough protection in the bag you are using to stop you from serious injury in the likely event of a good stack. A bag that provides you protection is much more important than one that protects your camera well. Apparently a lad broke his back in France last year having just wrapped his kit in a hoody and chucked it into a soft pack, could well be a urban myth but I could well see it happen.

I've got a Lowe-Pro Photo Trekker which is way too big for the mountain but did have the benefit of being brilliant protection. Of course I am an amazing snowboarder so never fall over ;) :D
 
DigitalRelish said:
Whatever you do, don't do this!
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Thought that was hilarious when i saw it – although I'm sure it's a bit scary if it happens to you.

Mind you, I see the photographer who took the shot has got into hot water with his employers as a result

Seems Vail resorts weren't too happy with one of its customers being 'ridiculed'. I'm sure a free lift pass would have sufficed - I doubt the guy would want someone to lose their job over it!!

Maybe the US lifties should check the safety bars are down properly in future....
 
I've been skiing for years but never take my slr on the slopes. I take a little Ixus digital camera which is more than sufficient and that way I enjoy the skiing and not worry about my camera instead.
 
Shadow said:
I've been skiing for years but never take my slr on the slopes. I take a little Ixus digital camera which is more than sufficient and that way I enjoy the skiing and not worry about my camera instead.
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I'm looking at one of those Canon G9/G10s for snapshots - RAW shooting, manual mode, good ISO range Sounds like a good package and they look cool too
 
Melted (they were crympaline-spelling :shrug::shrug:) the ar*e out of my first pair of long trousers on a dry slope in 1969/70:lol::lol::lol:. Never done it again since.
 
Here is what I take when I go Skiing,

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With these shots, I know they are not great but it was a learning curve,

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I did fall once with the full pack on and had no problems with equipment or injury.

As you can see from the back pack it very sturdy and the foam is excellent.

Exif is in place for the shots.
 
just packing my kit to take away at the moment, have to drive, because excess baggage can get a bit costly.



As for what I take up the hill, usually 2 bags, lighting bag and gear bag. They're about 15kg each I reckon.
 
gah, no idea dude, I kinda prefer a different one every time I use it. They both have some great features. The zoom pro is a fair bit bigger though, so I tend to use it for cameras and the sequence for the ranger/head.
It's nice to be able to take the block out of the sequence, but it's a pretty useless normal pack without it in.
If you want to take a laptop as airline hand luggage, the zoom fits it much better.

Other than that, there's not much in it, just little things.
 
Cheers matey. As you say, looking at the reviews and comments there are pros and cons for both. Although it pains me to look at Burton stuff, the Zoom looks good for carrying more gear but I'm still keen on the more compact design of the Dakine for general snowboarding.

Oooooo - decisions, decisions
 
Seriously check out the FStop gear, if you can get your hands on it! It beats the Dakine Sequence I have hands down!
 
I use my Dakine sequence backpack if I need a decent amount of gear up the hill (but I dont really like it). Problem is that its not great for balance (I am a telemark skier) so often I use a teensy wee 15 litre backpack and simply put my camera + 2 lenses in it wrapped in my spare clothes. I have crashed on it (blooming moguls!) and everything has still come out OK.
 
Craikey, had a look on the F-stop website last night and that Tilopa is a nice piece of kit for similar money to the Dakine and Burton. Is F-stop stuff only available from the U.S.? Can't find a european/UK shop?
 
I don't think it is available at all at the moment, they're having trouble with their factory in the Far East, I'll be getting a Tilopa as soon as they get them back in stock though.

If you want to borrow my sequence for your trip give me a shout.
 
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