GPS ski gadgets top accessory for winter season

Skiers and snowboarders are being offered GPS gadgets that record speeds and distances by their tour operators, as well as mapping out the day's route.

Tour operator Crystal Ski's impressive gadget promises to turn your mobile phone into a GPS tracking device, so holidaymakers can find out how fast and how far they ski with special software for their mobile.

The technology, called SportsDo, is the first GPS sports tracking system for mobile phones, and will also tell you where your friends are, on or off the mountain, as well as making it possible to broadcast your movements in real-time via SportsDo's web portal.

The GPS information, which includes graphs and charts of your performance, is can be accessed on your phone's display or listened to through earphones.

When booking Crystal Ski customers, will be given the option of buying SportsDo for their mobile phone (£30 or £95 for the blue tooth version) or renting a SportsDo tracker in resort (£15 per day).

Tour operator Total Ski is also offering a similar experience to its customers, using a different device to similar effect.

For £15 per day Total Ski offer a GPS armband 'Sumit', at six of French ski resorts. At the end of the day skiers and boarders will get a certificate with a mountain map of the day's route plus speeds and distance info.

For more information see www.crystalski.co.uk/sportsdo and www.skitotal.com