Carv Digital Ski Coach 4+

I’ve never reviewed an app before but Carv is just so good I feel I should. Fantastic app which has helped me iron out and understand my skiing so much more. There’s so many features exercises and training, I’ve not even used all of the features and have already had 3 ski holidays in them! Even when just using passively (without audio), it is still really useful. It is even better if you can use headphones for real-time feedback it is even better.

So I’ve used the CARVs on two separate holidays this season. I’ve summarised the pros and cons below

Positives
Installation is pretty easy but if your boots are already tight you may struggle
They’re very easy to set up once installed
The app is easy to use
Battery life on the unit is good
Instructions while skiing are clear (see negatives)
Skiing data is useful.

Negatives
During a free ski session the app stops recording for no apparent reason
The clip on the CARV units is strong and holds in place however the casing is unable to take the force... both of mine have already cracked
The tutor gives clear instructions but lacks detail e.g. “skis are not parallel” but tutor doesn’t say of tips or tails are too close
The app lacks tips and techniques for improving performance, it’s just says what’s wrong and what you need to change without guidance on how to do it.
Support is poor, I’ve tried contacting the guys on several occasions and responses are very sporadic if at all
They’re a pretty expensive piece of kit

Overall
Potentially a great product... However, if you’re considering a purchase I’d hold off until they’ve been around a little longer to ironed out hardware, software and support issues.

I bought Carv last season, and it is fantastic - it genuinely helps my skiing and makes days out on the slopes generally more enjoyable! I particularly like the training modes, where the turn-by-turn feedback is fun (and also pretty addictive). I would definitely recommend more highly to the intermediate skier who wants to improve, but who doesn’t want to take lessons, or has found the feedback received via lessons too non-specific in the past.