Snow sticking under ski boots, making it nearly impossible to clip into the skis – a familiar frustration for every cross-country skier. The usual solution? Balancing on one leg while scraping with the ski pole – inefficient, awkward, and time-consuming.
It was this problem that inspired two brothers from Trysil, Anders and Rolf Meeg, to develop SnOff – a simple yet innovative accessory that makes life easier for skiers of all ages. SnOff attaches to the ski and allows you to remove snow, ice, and debris with a single swipe.
Image: Anders Meeg, one of the founders of SnOff, proudly demonstrating the product during a ski trip at Eidsletta in Asker.
From Idea to Reality
"The challenge of snow under the boots is something most of us have just accepted as an annoying part of skiing," says Anders. "We wanted to do something about it.".
The brothers, both engineers, came up with the idea during a troublesome ski trip with multiple road crossings where the skis had to be removed and put back on repeatedly. The winter of 2023/24 was spent testing various designs and materials before they finally found a solution. They received advice and financial support from Innovation Norway and later contacted NewTracks to bring their idea to life.
NewTracks collaborates with everyone from entrepreneurs with big ideas to large industrial corporations, helping Norwegian businesses realize their visions – from sustainable technology projects to smart solutions for everyday challenges.
"It's the diversity of projects like this that makes our work so rewarding," says Julius Espedal, CEO and Founder of NewTracks. "We have extensive experience supporting entrepreneurs with strong ideas who need help bringing them to reality."
NewTracks assisted SnOff with everything from product design and prototyping to graphic design for packaging, production of the first prototype batch, and marketing.
"The assistance we’ve received from NewTracks on design and marketing has probably been just as important as the technical support with production. As engineers who are "a bit older", we’ve realized that our expertise falls short in these areas," Anders admits.
Image: A proud moment as Anders unboxed a SnOff from the very first production batch during a planning meeting at NewTracks in Asker.
Target Groups and Applications
SnOff can clean all types of ski boots, including mountain-ski boots (NNN-BC), and is designed for anyone who enjoys cross-country skiing. The brothers are casting a wide net initially to identify the groups it resonates with most.
"This is just as relevant for the older generation, who might struggle with balance, as it is for younger skiers who appreciate smart gadgets and want to get out on the trails quickly," says Rolf. "We’ve also seen great interest from ski schools, where instructors spend a lot of time cleaning snow from children’s boots."
A True Family Business from Trysil
SnOff is now ready for the market, with headquarters in Trysil and warehousing and customer support in Asker. The entire family is involved in the venture – Anders’ wife Bente and daughter-in-law Denise have played key roles in the startup.
Image: SnOff headquarters in Asker (also known as Anders’ basement).
The product has been available for pre-order since September, and the first batch arrived from China to Asker in November. Interest has been significant, even before major marketing campaigns have been launched.
"We know there will be plenty of SnOffs under the Christmas tree this year," says Rolf proudly.
Read more and order SnOff on www.snoff.no.
Image: Ven Zhang, Quality Expert at NewTracks China, may never have skied before, but now he knows exactly how to remove snow from ski boots when he visits Norway.
For more information, contact:
Anders Meeg, SnOff
+47 958 43 938
Julius Espedal, NewTracks julius@newtracks.no +47 900 44 104
Comments