I’ve heard it said that nostalgia is a powerful drug. I have to admit I indulge in it myself from time to time. Technology moves forward and most stuff we have today is better than it was thirty years ago. But it isn’t always more fun.
Take the Ski Tote for example. It’s just a cheap plastic clamshell device with a handle that makes it easier to carry a pair of skis and poles in one hand.
When I started skiing in the 80s, you saw Ski Totes everywhere. Like glacier glasses and CB jackets, they were just there. I didn’t have one — I could barely afford skis — but the people that did were proud of them. They had a real cool-kid vibe.
At some point, my brother-in-law gave me one he didn’t need and it got some use. They really did make carrying skis from the car to the lodge easy but as time passed they seemed to fade from the scene. I know mine stopped being used when I bought a new pair of skis and it didn’t fit around the new bindings.
From a practical point of view, a cheap ski bag was probably a better solution all along. You can use it to stash/carry other stuff in addition to skis and poles for one thing and you can sling it over your shoulder for another. You know what’s better than one-hand carry? No- hand carry, that’s what.
When I got old enough to feel nostalgic about skinny skis, I remembered the Ski Tote. Thinking about it put enough of a smile on my face that I plugged it into the Wayback Machine to see what I could find out. There isn’t a whole lot of information online.
I don’t know the Ski Tote’s birthdate but I’m pretty sure it was some time between 1965 and 1985. I found a patent record from 1983 but couldn’t tell if that was for the original or for a tweak to the design. The best source I found was a thread on another ski forum called Ski Talk. It proved to me that I wasn’t the only person who still loved the Ski Tote, but I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know. Someone did share some cool old magazine ads.
EBay turned out to be a great source. There are tons of Ski Totes still out there — some still in the original packaging — and many of their owners are more than willing to part with them. I also learned that Ski Totes came in at least three distinct varieties. Mine was the most common and widely embraced version but there was another simpler (earlier?) design and a later velcro® model that overcame the problem I encountered with newer bindings in the late nineties. The Velcro version lacked the charm of the plastic versions but I ordered a couple from EBay anyway. How could I not?
My wife dug my original Ski Tote out of the attic so now I have a total of five Ski Totes. This is less stupid than it sounds because I’ve been skiing my old K2 812s a couple times a year for the last decade or so and have picked up a few other pairs of skinny skis at garage sales so I actually use them.
The Velcro version works perfectly well on newer bindings of course, even though it never caught on like the originals. Danger Boy has been using one of them for the last two years and he appreciates their utility as much as his old man did back in the day.
It makes me wonder if there’s a business opportunity in this somewhere. EBay is flooded with Ski Totes in every color you could desire so an exact copy doesn’t seem like a good prospect but maybe some kind of bespoke Ski Tote recreated in Hickory wood or in stainless steel? I’ll have to think about that.
I had one. It definitely made carrying your skis and poles easier and having the lock was an added bonus.
You may recall my sighting in Colorado three years ago. No one had anything to say about my nice ski day; everyone wanted to talk about the totes.
I use the velcro version for my big water fishing rods. They work great.
Next Article “The Alsop Boot Tote.”
I had both but my boots would fall out if they were set down with a little to much momentum.
I remember those! Fun read ‘ski, hope you and Junior are doing great!
I loved my Ski Tote! Great read, as always!
This is gold! Still have mine
Really entertain us and show us your brightly colored one piece suits from the same time. Extra bonus points for the Salomon rear entry boots deep in the closet.
I miss the wild Day-Glo colors from the 80s…. had a pair of Fischer RCS classic skis with safety orange sidewalls. The classic tracks glowed from the color.
Nice article on an aspect of skiing history that I hadn’t given much thought to. Never had one or used one, but remember them well. Those K2 TRCs look very familiar though. As far as day trip utility for skiing, the Transpack boot bag wins my “best thing since sliced bread” award.
Had to have these at Vernon Valley or you may come back to an empty spot on the fence.
I LOVED mine!! I only rediscovered skiing recently and have been searching online for something like the Tote I had in the early ‘90s … this was so enlightening. Thank you!
I purchased one off of eBay for my son and I, however they do not fit over our new age skis.. the bindings are in the way.. bummer
I used to work for Ski Tote USA and Velcro USA. Their main office (only office and warehouse), was in Chatsworth Park/Northridge area.
It did become a household name among skiers! The locking carrying device was invented back in the early 70’s by three men, who’s names I wont mention. But they were best friends and of course avid skiers, among great handsome athletes. While in Aspen on a ski trip and after a long exhilarating day at the slopes, the three of them decided to walk over to a well known tavern for some well deserved alcoholic beverages… Naturally, skis and poles were awkward enough to ‘Tote” around and certainly were not allowed in the tavern. Most people would leave outside the tavern and if window seating upon request was was available, you would nab it! Well, needless to say, a few hours went by along with a few pitchers of beers and rounds of peppermint schnapps down the hatch, the men decided it was time to head back to their cabins and join their families for dinner. It was twilight outside by this time and low and behold when they went outside to gather their high dollar skis and poles, there weren’t any! Hence. . .The “SKI TOTE” was born!
That is an awesome story, Elin. Thanks very much for taking the time to share it. I can tell by all the comments that others remember ski totes with as much fondness (or maybe amusement) as I do.
Hi Brownski,
It’s actually Elin not Erin. It’s pronounced Ellen in English, I’m Swedish.
They were a great group of people to work with! Good to their employees and just a lot of fun to be around.
You know the saying. . .”Work hard, play hard!”, well we all did.
I’ll never forget when a group of us from work, 3-warehouse, 2-office employees and the receptionist had gone on a ski trip to Big Bear over the weekend, and ended up getting snowed in on Sunday night! So, when Monday came around we had to call into work. At first they thought we were joking, but then realized we were dead serious. They took it rather well! What else could they do right? But seriously, great group of people!