How To Guides

How to Layer for Skiing


As with skiing itself, choosing the right outfit for a day on the slopes comes with a learning curve. You need to find a system of clothing that works for you - with the "system" part emphasized. Because everyone is different, and weather conditions are never a certainty, it's important to develop a system of layers to help keep you warm and dry while allowing you to adapt to changing conditions. So, we'll start from the base up to your ski jacket and break down what goes into layering for skiing. Baselayers Sure, a waterproof ski jacket is important, but your base layer is also one of the most important parts of your kit. Since your base layers come into contact with your skin, they serve two major functions - comfort, and wicking moisture (sweat) away from your skin. Even though it's cold out, you're active while skiing and therefore sweating, and moisture means cold! Ski baselayers are typically thin wicking layers made from wool or synthetic materials. It's very important to avoid ...

Walk more: a resolution worth making


Over the last few weeks, you've probably eaten a plate or two of shortbread cookies, enjoyed a few too many glasses of wine, had far too many late nights, and even with all the running around that comes with the season, done more sitting than you'd care to admit. It's no wonder millions of Canadians are busying themselves once again, making resolutions that next year they'll take steps to be happier, healthier, and to do things a little differently. If you're among those "taking steps," you may in fact have stumbled onto the very resolution that can serve you best of all. In fact, if every Canadian resolved to take more steps every day, we'd be a happier, healthier nation, and we'd save a bundle on health care costs. Perhaps the best part is that walking more requires no special equipment, no expensive gym membership, and can be done almost anywhere – even the pool. Walkers control their own workouts: distance, speed and terrain are up to each individual. Because I'm always interested ...

Skiing: The Benefits of Family Snow Holidays


Snow holidays are great for families for a variety of reasons. From time to play and enjoy each other's company, to staying fit and healthy, family skiing is an opportunity for pleasure and health combined. Both adults and children can marvel at the wonder and beauty of ice-clad mountain ranges and snow topped peaks. They can zoom across a soft, white bed of snow with the wind in their hair and smiles on their faces. Add to this positive social aspects of vacationing as a family, and the opportunity to stay fit during the winter when everyone else is lumbering and snoozing by the fireside, and there's a winning combination to be had. Magical winter wonderlandIt's no wonder people associate snow with magic, mystery and beauty. Many ski resorts are the stuff of dreams, especially for families who live in busy cites and don't get to see wide-open spaces often. Skiing holidays offer far more than skiing to keep the entire family occupied. Even if a family member can't ski or doesn't wish t...

Ski Tracks, one of the essential ski apps for your smartphone


Available for Apple iOS and Android, Ski Tracks is a great app to have, to get the lowdown on all the stats of your latest ski outing, or adventure. Utilizing GPS tracking built in to your smart device, it will record your position, altitude, speed and much much more. Using it is simple, after you install the app, just open it up, and click START. The app will then record your GPS information as you go through your ski day. In the end, you will have access to a multitude of stats, not limited to: -How many runs you did. -How many vertical metres or feet you descended as well as ascended. -Your altitude, as well as maximum and minimum altitudes achieved. -The total distance travelled. -Maximum speed and average speed. -Average angle of the trails you skied. -Total time elapsed. What really sets it apart is reviewing all this information afterwards. Using a satellite image map, the app projects your path down the mountain onto the map, visually showing you where you went, as well as your...

How To Select the Right Ski Boots for you

In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinger of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the many choices of ski boots available, as well as the process of selecting the proper ski boot for you. How To Properly Fit and Size Ski Boots In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinger of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the process they use to fit a skier to a ski boot, thus ensuring comfort and maximum performance. How To Select the Right Ski Boots for you In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinger of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the many choices of ski boots available, as well as the process of selecting the proper ski boot for you. https://www.slopeedge.ca/content/how-to-select-the-right-ski-boots-for-you How To Choose the Right Skis and Bindings for you Downhill skiing is an exciting sport and a fun activity, but as with any sport it is important to choose the right equipment. Downhill skiing requires a different type of equipment than cross-country, s...

Behind the Scenes : How Snowmaking Works at Ski Resorts

We often take for granted the snow on the ground, but ski resorts are not in a position to do the same. Snow is essential to their operation and success. With the ever unpredictable weather received in winter, which includes thaws, rain and worse, ski resorts need to "weather-proof" their operation as much as possible. One way to accomplish this is through snowmaking.Snowmaking allows a mountain to offer great ski conditions from the beginning to the end of a season, stepping in when nature presents issues, or helping touch up the ski slopes.In this video, made in collaboration with Calabogie Peaks, we take you "Behind the Scenes" and discover how snowmaking is accomplished and how the impressive technology works, in this guided tour with the resort's President, Paul Murphy and Brian Bunch, Mountain Operations Manager.

Behind the Scenes : How Detachable Ski Lifts Work

In this video, Martin Rochon, Mountain Director at Station Mont Tremblant, takes us on a tour of the Duncan Express (Doppelmayr Quad Detachable Chairlift), explaining the major principals of how detachable ski lifts work, as well as the major systems. You will also see inside Tremblant's Express Gondola (Doppelmayr 8 Passenger Detachable Gondola).Lifts are very complex machines, stretching over vast distances and climbing mountains with ease. Detachable lifts posses the technology to allow a faster speed up the mountain, thanks to their capability of detaching from the cable at the base and summit of the lift. When detached inside the terminals, the chairs or gondola cabins are able to move through at a greatly reduced speed, making loading and unloading easy, safe and more comfortable. Returning to the cable, the lift assumes a speed that can be double that of a conventional lift. With the higher speeds, skiers and snowboarders are brought back to the summit in less time.

How To Choose the Right Skis and Bindings for you

Downhill skiing is an exciting sport and a fun activity, but as with any sport it is important to choose the right equipment. Downhill skiing requires a different type of equipment than cross-country, snowboarding and other wintertime activities. Newcomers to the sport are often daunted by the sheer number of choices available, but there are some guidelines available to make selecting the perfect skis a bit easier.What's Your Skiing StyleBefore you can choose the perfect downhill skis, you first need to evaluate your skiing style. What type of terrain are you most familiar with? Do you prefer the groomed runs and convenient lifts of Alpine skiing, or do you prefer the excitement of back country skiing? Do you love showing off your skills in so-called park-and-pipe ski areas – specially designed terrain parks complete with jumps and other challenging obstacles, or do you prefer the fun of freestyle skiing? How you answer these questions will have a big impact on the type of ski that is ...

How To Properly Fit and Size Ski Boots

In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinger of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the process they use to fit a skier to a ski boot, thus ensuring comfort and maximum performance. How To Select the Right Ski Boots for you In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinger of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the many choices of ski boots available, as well as the process of selecting the proper ski boot for you. https://www.slopeedge.ca/content/how-to-select-the-right-ski-boots-for-you How To Choose the Right Skis and Bindings for you Downhill skiing is an exciting sport and a fun activity, but as with any sport it is important to choose the right equipment. Downhill skiing requires a different type of equipment than cross-country, snowboarding and other wintertime activities. Newcomers to the sport are often daunted by the sheer number of choices available, but there are some guidelines available to make selecting the perfect skis a bit easier.What's Your Skiing Styl...

How to Tune your Skis at Home

Properly maintained skis are essential for maximum performance, and skier satisfaction. Expert Peter Kunstadt gives you a great tutorial on how to do this essential task on your own equipment, thus making sure you are always at your best on the slopes with properly tuned skis.

Advanced Ski Boot Customization

In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Erik Dinardo of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the many possibilities of customization available to make your ski boots fit any foot perfectly. Whether you need more room in a particular spot, avoid pinching, fixing cold feet, or correcting for bow leg or knock knees, ski boot experts can greatly improve your comfort and performance on the slopes by making your boots fit even better.  How To Select the Right Ski Boots for you In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinger of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the many choices of ski boots available, as well as the process of selecting the proper ski boot for you. How To Properly Fit and Size Ski Boots In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinger of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the process they use to fit a skier to a ski boot, thus ensuring comfort and maximum performance. How To Select the Right Ski Boots for you In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Krista Bellinge...

Ski Demo Days

In this video, Peter Kunstadt of Kunstadt Sports will explain the benefits of Ski Demo Days at the ski mountains. A ski demo day is the perfect way to demo and compare new skis in action on the slopes before making a purchase. With everything constant, a proper comparison can be made, removing things like changing ski conditions and how you may ski differently from one day to the next.

Snowboard and Binding Selection

Choosing the right type of snowboard and binding can be difficult. With so many options it can be confusing to decide which snowboard will suit your needs. Follow experts Peter Kunstadt and Mike Davey of Kunstadt Sports as they guide you through the many types and styles of snowboards and bindings available today. We encourage you to also view the accompanying video on snowboard boot selection by following the link below. Snowboard Boot Selection In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Mike Davey of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the many choices of snowboard boots available, as well as the process of selecting the proper boots for you. We encourage you to also view the accompanying video on snowboard and binding selection by following the link below. Snowboard and Binding Selection Choosing the right type of Snowboard and Bindings can be difficult. With so many options it can be confusing to decide which snowboard will suit your needs. Follow experts Peter Kunstadt a...

Snowboard Boot Selection

In this video, Peter Kunstadt and Mike Davey of Kunstadt Sports, will guide you through the many choices of snowboard boots available, as well as the process of selecting the proper boots for you.  We encourage you to also view the accompanying video on snowboard and binding selection by following the link below. Snowboard and Binding Selection Choosing the right type of Snowboard and Bindings can be difficult. With so many options it can be confusing to decide which snowboard will suit your needs. Follow experts Peter Kunstadt and Mike Davey of Kunstadt Sports as they guide you through the many types and styles of snowboards and bindings available today. https://www.slopeedge.ca/content/snowboard-and-binding-selection