Thanks to Arc’teryx you can ski BC powder in your lunch break – in London!

Don’t worry, editor at large Jonny is not having a Phil Collins mid-life crisis… He’s trying out Arc’teryx’s virtual reality ski experience

For me, there’s never enough ski time. And no matter how many days I eke out between work and family, I’m always left dreaming of… MORE!

But I think I may have just found the answer at the Arc’teryx store in Piccadilly. Or certainly something that might just become the answer.

Earlier this week, in the space of six minutes I was transported to backcountry British Columbia, skinning out onto the Howson Range all roped up, before ripping down a near-perfect chute, then feasting on après fondue thanks to the Canadian brand’s virtual reality hut.

It’s not perfect, with the Oculus Rift headset a little blurry at times, but it felt sufficiently real and involving that at one point I found myself turning my head sharply to avoid getting covered in snow, as a skier stopped just above me on a powdery face. Another time, sluff was the least of my worries as I was convinced a skier was going to take me out. So much so that I really did start shifting my weight to my right foot, trying to rapidly skate/ski away, only to remember I was sitting down… in a nice warm shop in central London.

For those like me who are not into gaming, or to be honest technology, the ability to swivel your head and enjoy a full 360° view is remarkable. And I came away thinking, yes, that was brief, and far from perfect (I’d like to experience some spines, or something really absurd that I know I could never ski) but crikey there is some potential.

In short, like Fall-Line’s very own Maggie Philbin (oh, Google it anyone under 30), I like to think I have tried on the future for size (plus various perfect 3L jackets while I was in-store) and deem it to be… GOOD!

You can do likewise in the Arc’teryx shop, and experience Hut Magic for free this month and into January.

About Arc’teryx’s Hut Magic virtual reality ski experience

Together Arc’teryx, Destination BC, and the Northern BC Tourism Association are sharing the magic of remote ski hut living and telling the story of what enables and inspires people to explore wild spaces through ‘Hut Magic’, a virtual reality (VR) storytelling experience from the Coast Mountains near Smithers in British Columbia, Canada.

“What’s incredible about Hut Magic is that you’re not just watching the action, you’re actually a character in the story,” says George Weetman, Director of Global Consumer Experience and Digital Commerce, Arc’teryx. “It completely embodies the essence of a ski hut experience.”

Hut Magic tells the personal tale of remote backcountry ski huts through premier alpine footage, and inspires you to get outside this winter and celebrate wild. It’s designed to instantly transport users to the Howson Range to experience glacier travel, epic powdered slopes, and soak in the ‘après ski’ surrounded by friends.