Do you use powder cords?

[duboix]

I mean that long fabric bands which are attached to your skis and hidden somewhere under your pants... what are pros and cons and what kind of leg attachment is better, providing easy cord unwinding when your ski is off and then easily detaching from your legg to not to tear it off?

[H-man]

I have a pair and use them when neccessary. Only a couple of things I would say. Make sure that what ever system you use is easy to attach/detach from your skis, while keeping them up in your pants. If not, It can slow you down quite a bit gettign to the goods. Thay are very valuable in the deep stuff, and actually pretty funny. I have had the best time laughing at the ribbon trails with my friends after double ejections. It is kinda cool how they sometimes actually show the path in which you released. Oh yah, if you can find the good ones made out of a woven fabric and not just the ribbon ones, they will last a lot longer.

[glademaster]

I just bought a pair to use with my Spats so I decrease the chances of losing them in deep snow. They look to be pretty well thought out. Velcro to attach the strap to the ski brake and about 3 feet of blaze orange woven synthetic streamer. Hopefully I'll get a few chances to strap em on to the boards next week, then I can let ya know how they work.

[72Twenty]

My dad and I made some a long time ago, but I rarely use them any more. We used little clips that fit around the thinnest part of the ski brake. then about 10 inches up we put one side of a double stick-em velcro circle (about the size of a quarter) on the "ribbon" and stuck the corresponding sticky on the backs of our boots. This way you can stick the cord to your boot up under the cuff of your pants. Then tuck the excess up in there too. We made ours about 5 or 6 feet long. This was back when we were using them on straight skis that can really dive AND primarily at Targhee on really deep days. We used red. Now that I don't use Markers, I haven't felt I needed them as much

[bagtagley]

Caution tape.

[Lostinthetrees]

I mean that long fabric bands which are attached to your skis and hidden somewhere under your pants... what are pros and cons and what kind of leg attachment is better, providing easy cord unwinding when your ski is off and then easily detaching from your legg to not to tear it off?

Rarely break them out, but they are in my pack. I bought the woven kind and they are solid. I added a ring to the clip so I can quickly attach or detach them from rear binding. Stuff the tape(cord) on the inside of each leg. Stuff it loosely folded.

If the snow is almost up to my knees I get them out. I have spent too much time and dug too long a trench to locate my ski(s) on those epic pow days. I can find a lost ski within 3 - 5 minutes with them. Even when the tape (pow cord) is buried you swing your pole back and forth behind where you think the trail should be. Tape is caught by pole and there you recover lost good(s).

You could spend 40 minutes digging before finding your ski and then realize that the pow has been eaten up!!! Worse, u could never find the ski in the deep.
litt

[powpowpowderwheels]

Last winter at Alta I double ejected wearing those, and one of them got snagged on my boot buckle as they were pulling out of my pant leg. The ski slingshoted back at my head and bounced off my helmet. There is a nice dent in it where my heelpiece hit.

I need to find a way to avoid this, but otherwise they are super helpful in anything close to kneedeep or more.

[Spats]

I've used them off and on since I lost a G41 during an epic dump.

The regular 3-foot ones are useless -- they barely reach to the tail of the ski. I recommend 6-8 feet of either orange flagging tape or accessory cord (i.e. cheap, light rope) from the hardware store. Tuck under cuffs and ski.

It's best to attach them towards the outside edge, or your boots and skis knocking together will pull the cord out and leave loops trailing behind you.

[hucksquaw]

i think theyre more dangerous than they are helpful. if your skis come off in a fall theyre just gonna bounce around with you and possibly fuck you up more than the fall itself. check out powpow post^^^. ive never used 'em but i once used streamers and then realized they look really gay.. my solution = CRANK my binders down. since i used to race im used to my skis never coming off anyway.

[Alkasquawlik]

I think it's like minus 20,000 GNAR points if you get caught wearing pow cords.

[LaramieSkiBum]

i don't think you actually have to "wear" them to make them effective. I'm pretty sure ya'll aren't attaching them like a leash to your leg...

I just leave mine unstrung inside the gators of my ski pants. When my skis take off with out me, the cords just get strung out - there isn't nearly enough force to cause the ski to stay with me. Just leave enough slack in them so that the ski is well away before it starts tuggin.

BTW -- Use cheap yarn , the small diameter keeps the friction down and you can make them as long as you want.

[Spats]

I think it's like minus 20,000 GNAR points if you get caught wearing pow cords.

And it's like minus 400-700 dollars if you lose a ski and you're not sponsored.

No, you don't tie them to your leg. You just tuck them up in your cuffs and they string out behind the ski as it goes. Even if the entire length gets sucked under the snow, you're much more likely to snag your pole on it while you search.

I'd crank my bindings down, but I'd rather lose my ski than my ACL. Even in the no-fall zones in Las Lenas I forgot to crank up the DIN and ended up skiing them at 6.5.