Another ski contraption...

Yesterday, as I was talking to my brother in France, he mentioned that his 2 year old grand daughter would soon hit the slopes using a device I never heard of, called the Babysnow, a modified monoski equipped with a handlebar for a toddler to hang on, while the whole is guided by a parent or an instructor holding handles similar to that of a baby-carriage.

The individual who controls the toddler can then bank the board to the right or the left and make it carve a turn while the baby enjoys the ride and gets use to a motion similar to that of sliding on snow. On the way uphill, adult and toddler can either use a magic carpet or a Poma-lift, but riding a chairlift isn't an option. In addition to alpine skiing, this device could be used while cross-country skiing and walking on snow either by foot or with snow-shoes.

Invented by Eric Arnold, a French ski instructor, this unique product seems to lack the necessary funding, might have remained too close to its creator and doesn't have the marketing support it needs to optimize its distribution and its development. While the concept has some definite potential, it still seems overly complicated, and in addition to some clever marketing, it could also use a substantial amount R&D to make it more user-friendly and much more universal.