Story

In the Fall of 2015, I was a Junior in high school taking a class called Design Technology. The class challenges each student to go through the design process and come up with an invention. As a life-long skier, I decided to create something that made carrying skis more comfortable. 

 

In consumer research at Colorado Ski & Golf, over 90% of those surveyed said they experienced shoulder pain or discomfort while carrying their skis on their shoulder. I was curious as to why these people were not using existing solutions like slings. In their responses, I discovered that these devices restrict your range of motion (which leads to banging into other people or cars) and are too bulky.

​

So, I created a device that combines a traditional ski strap with a shoulder pad. The skis are still carried on your shoulder which is optimal for maneuverability and not running into things. The pad provides comfort and can be removed if you only want to use the strap portion (in storage, for example). The whole device can be stored in a pocket when you are skiing. It is ideal for the long walk to the lift or for hiking to side country terrain.

 

I ended up getting quite positive feedback, so when the class ended in the Summer of 2017 I did not just want to abandon the project. Over the course of the next year, I kept iterating, getting feedback, and improving the Shoulder Saver. The first product run began in August of 2018.

​

I intend to keep improving the Shoulder Saver, so please leave a review or send me feedback!