Snow tubes were always my downhill vessel of choice as a kid, but maybe that’s because I never got to know the coolness of products like the Avaluge Sled. Says szlea: “Popular Science in its January 2007 issue noted that this sled ‘zooms down hills at up to 60 mph. Only the runners’ stainless-steel inlays touch the ground, reducing friction and increasing speed.’” Moving that crazy-fast, the Avaluge somewhat recalls Clark Griswold’s makeshift sled National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation - only it’s about a million times slicker.

With the snow piling up higher and higher outside, it’s easy to go a bit mental from cabin fever when you’re trapped inside. Hopefully you’ve stocked up on a good supply of movies, books, hot cocoa, and … board games! But not just any board games, like Monopoly of Scrabble. Oh no, those are boring and will drive you crazy faster than the next weather report. These games go above and beyond the old school stuff, and are more fun than you can shake a stick at. Plus, they’ll help you forget that your house is currently buried under 47 feet of snow, require no electricity, and probably won’t melt at high temperatures. They also probably will stimulate your brain more than a mindless button-mashing video game will, but I’m not promising anything. if you learn something, you’re on your own.

Snatch - this word based game allows you to be extremely sneaky and steal your opponent’s words and use them for your own diabolical needs. It’s a tiny bit like Scrabble, but on steroids, and with a high-speed rocket attached to it. Mix things up as much as you can, and try to steal as many letters and words as possible. As a bonus, it comes in a really spiffy tube that carries the whole game, making it portable and fun, all in one.

Abalone -  No, it’s not a fish — instead it’s a extremely simple, yet very fun game using black and white marbles. Basically, you line up your marbles and use them to “push” your opponent’s marbles off of the playing grid. It’s based on Sumo wrestlers and their movements, but you won’t have to bulk up to play this. It’s also one of those games that you can leave lying around to make you look smart, like a chess set.

...continued: D'oh! Snow? Give Those Dice a Roll, It's Game Day!

I haven’t been sledding in about a thousand years. And even if I’d wanted to send myself soaring down some snow-covered hill while at home in New England last month, I would’ve been tragically out of luck - my little section of Massachusetts has accumulated a total of about a half-inch of snow all season long.

But if it does ever snow again, those in colder climates should consider upgrading from that drugstore-scored plastic sled to the Flexible Flyer Winter Heat Sled recommended by Jean. Equipped with braking steering handles, the sled helps you warm up while shooting down the hilly terrain at breakneck speed.

Plus, it just looks cooler, which must have something to do with that “ninja stealth” that Jean mentions in her shopcast.

Prepping for a British Association of Snowsport Instructors course in Argentina this summer, Len Holgate - a skiing blogger who posts about his adventures in the French Alps at MegeveSki.com - picked up a copy of Ron LeMaster’s book The Skier’s Edge. Intended to help readers better grasp the “interaction between the skis and the snow,” the book is geared toward advanced skiiers who want to gain complete mastery of technique. Calling The Skier’s Edge “fascinating for someone like me who’s a real technical geek at heart,” Len says:

“The book focuses on discussing the physics and bio-mechanics of skiing and, in particular, how what you do on the skis works with, or against (!), the natural behaviour of the ski due to its shape, stiffness, etc…There’s lots of talk on “initial steering angles” and how to take control of the radius and line that you ski rather than simply riding the skis natural radius. Some of it’s pretty obvious but lots of it is less so and much is the kind of information that would take a long time to work out through trial and error alone.”

Last winter, my little sister - who just so happens to be turning 15 today, making her 13 years my junior - started taking snowboarding lessons. When I told her I’d always wanted to learn to snowboard, she gave me a sorta funny stare, then said, “I’m not sure you’d be able to pick it up at your age. I mean, everyone who snowboards is waaaaaaay younger than you.” Which I still haven’t quite gotten over, but turns out she might’ve been onto something.

Over at Highly Obsessed (“a blog about snowboarding in Canada and beyond”), blogger Adam shares some National Ski Areas Association National Demographic Study findings indicating that “the American snowsports scene is getting younger.” A few key stats:

“The number of kids under 18 participating in skiing and snowboarding rising to 15.5 percent in 2005/06, up from 12.9 percent the previous season.

“The average age of snowsports participants dropped to 35.1.”

“Snowboard participation was up three percent after several years of ‘sluggish growth.’”

At Final Frontier, blogger Little Po - a backpacker/kayaker/alpine skier/climber who “promotes non-motorized activities” - has discovered a supercool and ski-perfect product via Snowbliss.com. The Psolar BX Balaclava, a windproof and waterproof mask, uses a “heat exchange module” that “warms up the cold air you inhale by forcing a phase change from vapor to liquid.” The module can raise air temperature from freezing to higher than 75 degrees, which - as Snowbliss points out - “means no frost and snot frozen to your mouth and nose.”

Skiiers and snowboarders in need of new gear should check out the just-launched LiquidBoardwear.com, says Skipressworld. The blog also recommends looking into the company’s sponsorship program, because after all, “the road to uber-rockstar, world traveling, champagne powder slashing, world class park destroying, movie and money making professional snow sliding athlete must start somewhere.”

At Afterbang, blogger Gavin Hope (a “snowboarder who’s also learning to skate – from scratch”) chronicles his boarding and skating life and loves - such as the snowboarding DVD Afterlame. Gavins dubs Afterlame “the DVD that most makes we want to ride,” raving that the DVD rules because “it perfectly communicates how much fun snowboarding is.” And of course, as with most skate and snowboarding DVDs and videos, there’s the bad-ass soundtrack. A selection of Afterlame’s crazy-good tracks:

“Keeping the Faith” - by De La Soul
“Symptom Finger” - by The Faint
“All I Need” - by Air
“Budge” - by Dinosaur Jr.
“Higher Ground” - by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Heartbeats” - by The Knife

“There are currently 192 different countries on planet earth. You may be surprised to hear the snow falls on at least 90 of them, from Tanzania to Taiwan, Israel to Ireland.”

We are surprised - and delighted to have discovered Snow Sphere magazine via a post at snowboarding blog Feel The Edge. Founded by former blogger The Funky Drummer, Snow Sphere “explores the world through the medium of snow.” Which means we get stories about everything from the Chinese freestyle snowboarding scene to exploring the Swiss backcountry to - most amazing of all - a blind snowboarder descending an ultra-daredevil peak in the Italian Alps to help benefit the Asian Earthquake Appeal charity.

Gizmag is your go to blog for the latest in gadget innovations… this is the place to discover premier implementations of new technologies, that you KNOW you will be seeing more of in the next decade or so… Here’s a taste of what they offer to get you started : The Yolk ski and snowboard helmet, “designed to overcome the unfashionable”, but instantaneously forms a rigid shell upon impact. GPS Golfing Device will tell you precisely how far you are from the green. Optibike is a high performance electric-human hybrid bicycle.