Skier Invents Rear-View Ski Pole Attachment

The YouTube channel Unnecessary Inventions explains that "it works like an oversized ski basket that attached to any pole." 

Any pole? This looks like a sturdy all-mountain pole. How about ultra-light touring poles? We all know how important packing heavy, random equipment is to backcountry skiers. 

But this is a new-fangled invention. It's far out. Perhaps there's something here. After all, powder skis were seen as crazy when they first came out, until they became almost ubiquitous on the slopes. 

I have so many questions. Number one: is it heavy? 

Number two: are you worried about what would happen if you crash? You can't look two ways at once. When skiing, looking forward is typically the priority. 

Number two: does this work in deep snow? I could see this thing struggling through Sierra Cement in the trees. Talk about getting stuck in a tree well, now it's your pole to be worried about!

But good ideas are never appreciated in their time. How about the positive applications here: going across a traverse, you can see if there's a line behind you or if it's safe to stop and rest (although, it's really never advised to stop on a traverse). 

Running a train on a feature is a lot more fun when you can see your friends moves behind you. 

And... cool photo ops, maybe? A film made solely looking through mirrors of people skiing and spraying pow to cover them up could be an artsy, hipster-type hit. 

A segment looking back into a couloir from the perspective of Cody Townsend would be pretty sweet from this thing. 

The ball's in his court now.