I love data…. I am greedy for it….I constantly check weather and avalanche forecasts and I trawl social media all season for info on snow conditions. When I am on the hill I am forever ferreting about in the snow seeing what the snow pack is doing. So imagine my delight this winter when Santa brought me a ski pole mountable Pieps 30°PLUS XT and then I got a Slope Angle to play with…double the data…double the fun!
Both give you slope angle…. Pieps product is easier to use for this as it’s on your pole so can easily hit the button (even in big mitts) and lie it on the snow. As it’s attached to your pole there are no concerns about dropping it or leaving it behind. As the Slope Angel isn’t designed to be pole mountable you have to hold it against your pole on the snow. There is a handy wrist loop to minimise the chance of you leaving it behind.
When we hit the spring diurnal I want temperature and I want it regularly…. helps decide where to go and play. As the Slope Angel comes with a handy wrist loop I started keeping it in the top pocket of my jacket with the wrist loop through my chest strap and if I wanted to check the temperature I just took it out of my pocket and let it cool down before checking. I started doing this after dropping it several times as I had gloves on and was trying to get it out of my pocket past my rucksack straps. Although the button is small I was still able to switch it on with big mitts on. The Pieps one is attached to your pole so the temperature can be checked straight away.
Spring Diurnal…how hard was last nights freeze? The author checking it out.
I was worried that a season in and out of skis bags and cars would knock the Pieps one off my pole, scratch it, or damage it in some other way but I am pleased to say that it survived well and hasn’t become detached or damaged. As the Slope Angle lives in my pocket it is well cared for.
Which to choose….. both work well and are a reassuring bit of kit to have in situations where slope angle is critical to route choice. The Pieps 30°XT is RRP £65 and the Slope Angel is RRP £19 so if you are looking for data on a budget and don’t mind letting it cool before checking the temperature then you have yourself a bargain!
Jenny Munro
