Zoa’s new portable ski lift is the size of a VHS tape and can theoretically tow you 2,600 feet up a run.
Do you like to run backcountry laps but don’t like skinning, shoeing, or post-holing back up the mountain between each one?
Instead, pack the 10-pound Zoa PL1 — and 1,000 feet of included parachute cord — and rig up a personal ski lift anywhere in the backcountry. If it works according to spec, the new gadget could profoundly change the game.
After 3 years of development, the PL1 launches in January 2022 on the strength of a crowdfunding campaign. According to the company, the final design resulted from “hundreds” of iterations and is currently in pre-production testing.
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Zoa Portable Ski Lift Details
Zoa says the personal ski lift can tow a person up to 2,600 feet on a single charge. The lithium-ion battery resists temperatures down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and swaps out without tools to enable more laps.
Developers Eric and Robert Button designed the rig to accept standard 550 paracord (as included). But the machine will reportedly also work with a variety of small-gauge lines.
If you’re on a long run, 550 cord might be your best bet. At 0.07 ounces per foot, the 1,000 feet of included line weighs under 4.5 pounds.
![personal ski lift zoa pl1 personal ski lift](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/01/Assembly_2021-May-11_06-27-04PM-000_CustomizedView2389257932.jpg)
- Step one: Skin, snowshoe, or hike the cord up to the top of the run.
- Step two: Tie it off to either the included snow picket anchor or a natural anchor like a rock.
- Step three: Ride, paying out your line on the way down.
- Step four: Rig the PL1 at the bottom, hit the “go” button, and glide back up.