11 replies to this topic

[skierdude9450]

I just saw the solution to kids falling through the safety bar. The Magnestick is simply an electromagnet charged similarly as a seat heater on chairlifts. The child wears a vest with a metal disc in the back and is stuck to the seat for the ride up. It seems to me a little excessive, but there's no way that a child is going to fall whether the bar is up or down. My only question however is what would happen during an evacuation.

More info: http://www.magnestic.../en/1/home.html

Images from Thomas of remontees-mecaniques.net and magnestick.net

 Magnestick 1.jpg (280.79K)
Number of downloads: 137
Vest with metal plate in the back

 Magnestick 2.jpg (51.67K)
Number of downloads: 176
Electromagnet on the chair

 Magnestick 3.jpg (65.27K)
Number of downloads: 179
Charging system

 Magnestick 4.jpg (37.39K)
Number of downloads: 136
In action

This post has been edited by skierdude9450: 17 January 2010 - 09:21 PM

[zeedotcom]

This seems like it would be very cost prohibitive, especially at resorts with many lifts/many chairs per lift/many seats per chair.

The demo pictures show only one seat having it, but I would think that you almost need to have them in each place (think a parent with 2 kids or an instructor with 2+ children).

Great concept though...if it could be applied at reasonable cost. Any idea on pricing?

[Kicking Horse]

I was a owner of a mountain i would be more then williung to install this on my lifts assuming the price per lift does not go above 15,000 dollars.

[skierdude9450]

Well on their website it says that it costs about 1-2% of the price of the lift, so for a detach quad you're loocking around $30,000-60,000. And I can't imagine that it would be any cheaper for a fixed lift especially if there are more chairs.

[Andoman]

I have two kids and when I provide a stopping force they seem to lean into it (hand, pulling on the back of a jacket, or whatever). I would think this would make the kids feel safe leaning forward looking off the chair and as soon as they visit a resort without this system they would pull a front flip off a chair. Just from casually observing the system and knowing what most kids would do.

[LiftTech]

Looks like a very nice time out device for the house too.

[Andoman]

LiftTech, on 19 January 2010 - 07:21 AM, said:

Looks like a very nice time out device for the house too.

+1 yeah I could put one of those on the chair in the corner

[vons]

Only neg I can see would be the issues with pacemakers noted in the website. Keeping OTC of the magnetic seat could be difficult.

[crazyskier91]

This give me visions of having to pry kids off the chair with a crow bar. I don't think that would actually happen, but it is an interesting mental picture.

[brad82]

They have these on most lifts in Les 3 Vallees (France)

Pretty cool system, the seat nearest the lift op hut has them on, and they load 1 kid on from the ESF (Ski School) line on at a time. I sat next to a kid with one of the vests on and he was leaning forward, seems to have pretty good grip on them! Its funny watching them offload, the op at the top gives them a good pull off the seat.

[Peter]

It's going in at Alpine Meadows this season on 2 beginner lifts.

[boardski]

It seems as if some type of harness with a strap with a caribeener attatched to the end of it would be much more cost effective and still provide the added safety. This is how the skiers using adaptive equipment at Winter Park were (and probably still are) secured to the chair. The caribeener is simply unclipped when the chair crosses the breakover tower or last tower and child is assisted off the chair. The estimated cost for a harness would be $40-$50 per harness. Another effective way to secure a child on a chair which I have done with my Daughter is to place a ski pole or poles accross the child's lap and interlock the bottom end of the pole underneath the armrest on the side of the chair. This provides extra protection and costs $0. Possibly some extra signage and instruction by the lift attendant might be a more cost effective alternative.

I can't picture an area with old lifts such as Riblets or Yans installed in the 60's or 70's retrofitting the chairs to have this. If an area installed this feature on certain lifts but not others, people may assume all lifts have this feature and be more carefree on lifts when they should be more carful and an accident may result. Definately interesting technology though.