Tech Talk: Protecting Your Phone on the Mountain

No trip to the mountain is complete without that perfect selfie or video of you hitting the slopes. But if the temperatures are low, chances are your action camera or phone’s battery won’t even make it to the end of the day. Why does this happen? Because colder temperatures can easily affect the battery and smaller mechanical components inside your electronic device, easily draining the battery or worse, damaging it. While there are plenty of simple things you can do to protect your phone from the elements, like keeping it closer to your body or putting it on airplane mode to avoid usage, that still doesn’t do much to solve the basic problem. Luckily, plenty of brands are doing their part to create a seamless way to protect your device, with some options being built right into your ski jacket.

So, before you hit the slopes, look through some of these options to help protect your phone or electronics even on those single digit days.

The Life Pocket™ from Helly Hansen

Norwegian based Helly Hansen is no stranger to cold temperatures. Manufacturing some of the most popular ski gear around, they introduced the Life Pocket™ and Life Pocket+™ into many of their ski jackets starting in 2018.  Designed in collaboration with PrimaLoft®, these smartly designed pockets use a layer of insulation beneath the main outer fabric to keep your phone up to two times warmer. With the Life Pocket+™ they up that protection with an additional layer of Aerogel, which can help extend battery life up to three times.

Some of our top picks for Life Pocket™ equipped ski jackets include:

Helly Hansen Powderqueen 2.0 Insulated Ski Jacket for women

Helly Hansen Straightline LIFALOFT™ Insulated Ski Jacket for men

Snowboard Jackets Offer Tech Too!

Ski jacket manufacturers aren’t the only ones to innovate on the mountains. One example is Burton’s Therma-Pocket, which uses insulation to keep your phone protected from the cold temperatures. These pockets are often on the inside of the jacket to help keep devices protected from the elements, while also offering an easy way for you to thread your headphones through. A perfect example of this is the Burton AK GORE-TEX Cyclic Shell Snowboard Jacket.

Other brands that have added insulated pockets to their snowboard jacket lineup include 686 and Volcom, with others likely to come in the 2020 season.

Device Protection Outside the Jacket

While having these pockets built into your ski or snowboard jacket, there are other alternatives that give you that same protection without the restriction of being in your phone. Like the pocket design, these pouches are insulated and offer plenty of tech to keep your phone safe.

Phoozy Apollo Smartphone Pouch

Using NASA-inspired materials, the Phoozy Apollo II Smartphone Pouch creates a protective barrier around your phone that can help extend battery life by up to 3X. These small pouches can fit most phones, with an Apollo XL for larger options. Not only do they insulate the phone, but also, they protect it from moisture and overheating, so you can easily enjoy a day on the mountain without worrying about your device getting ruined.

Thermopoc Phone Pouch

Launched in Norway in 2017, the Thermopoc Phone Pouch is a down-filled pouch that insulates and protects your phone. It has an adjustable cinch cord to help seal in your phone and a carabiner clip so you can easily attach it to your jacket or gear. These phone pouches come in a variety of colors so you can always find the ideal option to fit your kit.

Enjoy the Perfect Selfie

No matter what option you choose, dying batteries will be a thing of the past. Whether you’re filming the perfect action shot, taking a selfie with friends, or simply want to ensure you always have a lifeline in case of an emergency, protecting your device’s battery life is more important than ever. At Peter Glenn Ski & Sports, we have a wide variety of options and are always here to help!