Safety Tools You Need For FreeRide: Level 3 – Deep

Whether you want to stomp the steeps or experience the mountains away from the crowds, FreeRide is your ticket, but it comes at a price – you need the appropriate equipment. 

In this series, we step through the safety tools you’ll need to take on increasingly consequential FreeRide adventures. We’ve broken these into 4 levels – Access / Explore / Deep / Sensei – each article builds on the knowledge from the previous one.

In this article we focus on FreeRide in unpatrolled terrain, slightly further off the beaten track – outside of a resort area, where help is definitely not within easy reach.

Wherever or whenever you ride, we urge you to invest in the FreeRide Essentials and follow Lore #06: No TSP, No Party.

On Your Body

Whistle: These are known by a bunch of names – survival, emergency or safety whistle. Essentially this is a small but robust plastic whistle, usually orange in colour, designed to be loud even with a relatively small blow. TIP: Most snowsports specific backpacks come with a whistle integrated into the chest strap. 

Compass: These come in many forms, you don’t need anything super fancy, just something that reliably points north. TIP: Almost all smartphones have a magnetometer built in, but having a physical device as a backup makes sense as phone batteries tend to drain quickly in the cold. 

Inclinometer: There are loads of options, from high tech electronic gadgets to low tech stickers that fix to a ski pole. Anything that helps you understand slope angle, importantly knowing if you’re looking at something above or below 30 degrees. TIP: Your smartphone probably has you covered, but having a physical device as a backup makes sense as phone batteries tend to drain quickly in the cold.

Gaffer Tape: A small amount attached to your ski pole, boot or clothing may come in handy if you break or rip something that you are relying on. TIP: The genuine product is waterproof and will stay sticky for about a year. 

In Your Pack

Multi-tool / Knife: The options here are endless, something robust and uncomplicated is probably your best bet. TIP: Check that screwdriver attachments fit your binding adjusters and can work effectively within the space required. 

Additional Power: Spare batteries for your beacon, head torch or a mobile charging device. TIP: Several manufacturers offer rechargeable USB headtorches, so if you wanna do your bit for the environment and double up with a charging pack for your phone, happy days…

First Aid Kit: These come in all shapes and sizes, at a minimum we’d suggest they include the following;  adhesive plaster spool, small scissors, anti-inflammatory / pain medicine, butterfly closure strip, standard dressing, sterile wound compress, conforming bandage and blister plasters. TIP: In a pinch your plasters can also double up as repair tape.

Emergency / Rescue Blanket: These can be made of either foil or plastic. TIP: Can double as waterproof seating and if brightly coloured as an emergency signal.

Ski Straps / Bungee Cords: Depending on your pack type, these can help when stowing skis or poles when boot packing. TIP: They can also help with lashing kit together to make an emergency sledge.

In Your Head

Planning Skills: Creating a plan that includes a risk assessment will enhance your safety. TIP: You can further improve this by sharing it with someone outside of your group. That way they know to raise the alarm if you are not back in contact by the agreed time. 

Venturing further afield and wanna know more? Check out the next article in this series.

You may also wanna checkout our adventure checklists, read them online or print them out and stick them up somewhere.

What else do you carry and in what scenarios? Wanna add to this topic – let us know in the comments below or get more involved here.