Wintertime gives loads of methods to benefit from the outside: downhill and cross-country snowboarding, snowshoeing on untouched terrain, or mountaineering by means of quiet forest. The one drawback is that every of those actions requires its personal specialised set of substances, and it’s usually heavy, not very low cost, and not possible to hold unexpectedly. However what if a single piece of kit may do all of it?
The Veverka brothers from the Czech Republic have been engaged on that query for a number of years, and their reply is the Combo Ski, a hybrid of quick skis and snowshoes with crampons, designed and manufactured in Prague.
Their aim was to create a compact and light-weight product that’s versatile sufficient to deal with rapidly altering terrain – from powdery slopes to icy trails. The important thing innovation is a removable binding system that lets you rapidly swap between the 2 choices relying on the terrain forward.
Combo Ski
One facet of the Combo Ski base options an EVA foam lugged sole and serrated chrome steel edges for traction, permitting it to carry out as a snowshoe. Some evaluations point out that they sink a bit extra in deep snow in comparison with full-size snowshoes, however that’s the compromise for the compact measurement: each measures 44.5 x 14.5 x 3.7 cm (17.5 x 5.7 x 1.46 in), making it simple to hold or connect to a backpack when not in use.
The opposite facet has a smooth-glide polymer base with chrome steel edges and a raised tip – identical to a normal pair of cross-country skis, however a lot shorter. It is claimed to nonetheless deal with quick downhills properly and supply a great glide on flat surfaces. With sufficient observe and a pair of poles (and a few confidence) you would possibly be capable of additionally skate ski on well-packed snow.
Combo Ski
The detachable plastic bindings are suitable with most winter boots in sizes 36 to 48. They sit on 4 swivel pins on the bottom, and clipping them on and off appears fairly fast – perhaps even a bit too fast and easy to make sure full stability, no less than at first look.
For the 2025/26 season, the brand new mannequin is 15% lighter than earlier variations. A pair weighs a bit over 2 kg (4.4 lb) and might assist as much as 120 kg (265 lb), in case you need to strive them on an extended journey with a completely loaded backpack.
Combo Ski
Like virtually some other hybrid product, the Combo Ski comes with trade-offs, so do not anticipate it to totally substitute conventional full-length skis and snowshoes. The producer doesn’t advocate utilizing the product on roads with sharp rocks, on lengthy downhills with recent powder deeper than 15 cm (5.9 in), and when the temperature drops under -30 ºC (-22 ºF).
So, it’s in all probability higher to go away the black-diamond downhill dash for one more day. However in case you are heading right into a not-too-crazy winter journey, not sure of what circumstances to anticipate, and in search of a “simply in case” backup plan, the Combo Ski is perhaps value a strive.
It is available in black or purple and prices €242 (about US$280). Adjustable poles can be found for an additional €65 ($76), and are promised to be good for correct downhill runs.
Combo Ski – Lyže, sněžnice a nesmeky v jednom
Supply: Combo Ski
