CARV App and Ski Coach Review

This is my review of the CARV Digital Ski Coach. My name is Christine, and I’m a longtime skier who loves everything about the mountains and snow. I have years of experience on the slopes and have spent a lot of time using various products during my skiing career. 

CARV offers a unique and effective way to analyze your skiing technique by tracking your movements on the mountain. It’s not a product for every skier, but it does what it’s designed to do very well and can help you improve your skiing. 

This post will provide you with an in-depth look at the product and app to give you an understanding of it’s something you’ll find worthwhile on the slopes. 

Let’s get after it.

Quick Summary

Overall, I’d give it 4/5 in rating. This is an excellent product if you want to analyze your skiing technique and work towards improvements with real-time data.

Here’s a quick breakdown of my detailed review:

• Design (4.5/5) – Easily slips into your ski boots and works seamlessly with the corresponding app. 
• Ease of Use (4/5) – It takes a little effort to install the sensors into your boots. But once everything is set up, the sensors and app work together very well.
• Features (4/5) – The CARV app is full of features you can utilize to analyze and understand your skiing technique. You can keep things simple or go in-depth, opening up a world of possibilities. 
• Durability (4/5) – I haven’t used the sensors for an entire season yet, so it’s hard to know for sure how well they hold up. But they still seem brand new after a few days on the slopes. 
• Value (3.5/5) – This isn’t a cheap product, and it’s not a necessity either. But it’s worth exploring if you have some cash to spare and want to explore how you ski in a productive way. 

CARV Digital Ski Coach Overview

CARV Digital Ski Coach is a sweet product that aims to provide skiers with real-time data and feedback on their skiing. You can use this insight to analyze your technique and improve your skiing, which is good for all kinds of skiers. 

The product features sensors that sit underneath the liner of your ski boots and are attached to a battery pack that easily clips to the outside of your boots. This design works well to stay out of your way while skiing, and it’s barely noticeable with comfort and performance in mind. 

Another critical aspect of what CARV offers is the app that pairs with the physical product. This is where the coaching aspect of things comes into play. By collecting and then analyzing your data and movements on the mountain, the app helps you make improvements. 

CARV is an excellent option for skiers who want to improve their form and technique without taking ski lessons. It’s also great for anyone who loves having data at their disposal, which can be worth it without even considering improvements in your skiing. 

I’ll be honest and say that I was a little skeptical that I would enjoy using something that went inside my boots. I’m very particular about fit and performance. But the CARV sensors were barely noticeable and didn’t affect either of these factors in the slightest. 

Overall, I was very impressed with everything CARV offered. Looking at the feedback from the app, I was able to play around with some things on the mountain and think about some tweaks to my form. Even expert skiers can benefit from this type of insight.

I don’t think this product is for everyone, but it can benefit intermediate and above skiers looking to take advantage of modern technology on the mountain. Beginners might not really need all these details and can be better off with a lesson. 

The only real downside of CARV is the initial price. It’s not a cheap app and product. But if you have extra money and want digital coaching, it’s one of the best options you can find. I was pleasantly impressed with everything it offered.  

Detailed Review of CARV

CARV is a solid investment for skiers who want to track movements on the mountain or are looking for ways to improve form and technique. The app and sensors won’t make you a better skier on their own, but they can help point you in the right direction to make it happen. 

Design

CARV features two distinct aspects that help the product function. The physical side of things includes two sensors that fit inside your ski boots, accompanied by cords and battery packs to keep things functioning while skiing. 

The tech side of things features an in-depth app that is very well-designed and easy to use. The product’s creators did a solid job of keeping everything relatively straightforward while allowing you to take advantage of innovative tech. 

At first glance, I thought the footpads and cords would get in the way and affect how my boots fit – which is obviously not ideal. But once I got everything installed and plugged in, I really couldn’t notice a thing, and that was great. 

The battery packs are relatively small and add some profile to your boots, which might affect how your snow pants fit. I tend to wear baggier pants, so it wasn’t an issue but just keep that in mind if you wear tight-fitting pants. 

Ease of Use

CARV is also very easy to use and set up. You don’t need any special equipment or skills to get the product up and running, and things go smoothly even if you don’t have much experience with similar products or tech gear in general. 

You need to take your boot liners out of the shells to get started. Then you place the footpad/sensors directly on the bed of the shell and secure it in place with the included tape. Run the power cord up the side, secure it with tape, insert the liners, and you’re ready to go. 

You get detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do this when you open the product up. These are clear and easy to follow, and everything you need is included with the product. Pairing the sensors to the app is also super easy via Bluetooth connection. 

Using the app is also really straightforward. You’ll go through some initial setup, but once that’s in place, you don’t need to worry about much when skiing. The app will track everything and provide feedback, which you can look at after you’re done. 

Features

The entire CARV system features two sensors, two cords, and two battery packs. You’ll need to download the app on your phone, but there are iOS and Android versions for widespread compatibility. 

The app is also packed with features designed to help improve your skiing. A real-time audio feature functions like a coach in your ear while you ski. And the app is also able to tell you through data analysis what aspect of your skiing needs improvement. 

Signing up for a membership gives you access to many more features. This includes things like ski training workouts and other technique and gear tips that can help you out quite a bit. There are different tiers of membership to match your budget or needs. 

Overall, CARV has many features, and I didn’t run into any issues that left me wishing it offered more. The designers did a great job of thinking everything through and keep improving the product yearly.  

Durability 

I haven’t used CARV for an entire season, so I can’t fully attest to long-term durability. But from the days on the mountain I’ve already used the sensors and app, CARV is built to last and handle all types of skiing and ability levels. 

The sensors and cords stayed in place well, and I didn’t encounter any friction or rubbing that would lead to premature wear and tear. I am a little concerned that the battery packs might get damaged being on the outside of the boot, but time will tell. 

But even if the battery packs do get damaged due to wipeouts or the cold, they are easy to replace since they can clip right off the boots. CARV did a solid job of keeping this in mind, so I’m not concerned with much about durability. 

Value

Value is one of the only factors here that I rank CARV more on the average to the low side of things. This is a valuable product for people who want insight into their skiing or want a hands-on approach backed by data. 

But I still know that many skiers out there are more interested in getting a new pair of skis or boots than spending hundreds on a tech gadget. If money isn’t an issue, then CARV is highly recommended. If you’re on a budget, you don’t really need to spend money on this. 

That said, I do think that CARV provides solid value for its cost. You get a product that works as advertised and provides you with many extras you can take advantage of on and off the mountain. 

My Verdict

CARV Digital Ski Coach is a worthwhile product to explore for any skier looking to improve technique and form without ski lessons. It’s well-designed and comes with an app packed with very beneficial features. 

It’s not a cheap product, but that’s really my only negative remark about it. If you want to analyze your skiing in real-time and easily access related data, this is one of the best products available to help you do so.