As winter continues its icy grip on the northern reaches of the planet, cabin fever
may cause some of us to rethink our policy of staying indoors until spring. If you
don’t live near the mountains, however, many of the winter outdoor activities
available to you might seem kind of ... tame. Some people buy snowmobiles,
although such vehicles require a truck or trailer for transportation, can be
expensive, and are generally “more machine” than a lot of people want.
Such individuals might instead be interested in the Skizee – a powered tread
that pushes skiers across the snow at speeds of up to 35 kph (22 mph).
At first glance, the Skizee might not seem all that different from the Mattracks powerboard, which is a similar-sized device that users stand on top of and ride
like a powered snowboard. Unlike with thepowerboard, however, Skizee users
stand on their own skis in front of the unit, letting it push them forward with a
bar that rests against their butt. Handles that extend forward from either side
of that bar allow users to balance themselves, and control the throttle.
It’s essentially the opposite of the idea behind the Boto – a small unmanned jet
boat that pulls water skiers, while they pilot it via tow handle-mounted controls.
02.jpg (59.11 KB. 353x528 - viewed 2 times.)The aluminum-bodied Skizee fits in the trunk of a car, which is facilitated by the
push bar’s ability to fold up against the main device. It’s powered by a 10.5
hp 4-stroke combustion engine, and features an electric start, along with a
power core for charging electronic items in the field. It has an estimated range
of 35-40 kilometers (22-25 miles) per one-US gallon (3.8 L) tank of gas,
depending on use.
If the thought of your local serene cross-country ski trails being invaded by
noisy-motored Skizees worries you, it’s hopefully something that’s not all that
likely to happen. Skizee inventor Jim Maidment and hisbusiness partner Tim Park
see their product being used more for taking users deep into the backcountry, essentially taking the place of a snowmobile. Should you want one, however,
you’re going to have to wait – Park informed us that they are in the final
stages of setting up manufacturing, and that “it will be still ashort time until the
general public can have one.”
