The Zoa PL1 is a powerful tool for backcountry skiing that fits in your backpack. The patent pending rope tow system gets skiers and snowboarders more laps with less work.

The Zoa PL1 in the Snow

Making an ascent using the PL1

The PL1 saves you time on the way up, so you can earn your turns with interest!

CAD image of the PL1

Designed to let you spend more time skiing or riding and less time transitioning and climbing.

Vertical per charge will vary based on slope, snow, and other conditions. To get the most vertical optimal slopes are between 10-20°.

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Why Crowdfunding?

We’re offering pre-orders here on Indiegogo after a successful Kickstarter campaign in order to continue to make the PL1 available to customers.

Pre-orders will provide us with the data we need to make the right decisions for our initial production run and they will provide the funds we need to move forward with it.

Like Kickstarter, Indiegogo provides us with a platform to engage and collaborate with our backers. This is a new type of product for backcountry skiing and snowboarding and it’s important that its development is driven by the community.

Safety and Responsibility

The line for the PL1 is only anchored at the top, and the tension on the line during use is typically significantly less than the weight of the user. All this means that the line does not pose a significant risk to others on the mountain.

That said, running into a rope you didn’t expect isn’t fun even if it doesn’t trip or hurt you. For this reason it’s important that PL1 users always consider others on the mountain when choosing where and how to set up their line.

PL1 users also need to consider the environment they’re in. We’ve worked to make it easy to clean up your rope at the end of the day, and we expect our users to be respectful and leave-no-trace whenever they enter the backcountry.

Users must also consider where they are skiing or riding, and the rules and regulations governing those areas. Certain areas prohibit all forms of mechanized travel (human powered or otherwise) which would include use of the PL1.

The PL1 is not a lifting device and paracord is not climbing rope. The PL1 must never be used in situations where a rope or device failure could result in injury to you or others.

Risks and challenges

The PL1 uses component parts from numerous suppliers. Supply chain disruptions are common in the current market. While we are factoring extended lead times into our timeline, there is a risk of delays due to unforeseen circumstances. We currently have beta units being tested in the field. It’s possible that beta testing will prompt a necessary design change which could lead to production delays or a slight deviation from our listed specifications. During the last two years of development we’ve released updates on our progress and setbacks with the aim to be transparent about what we’re doing and what can expected from the product. As we take pre-orders and move to production we’re committed to keeping our backers informed of any design changes, production delays, or other setbacks, as well as our progress.

Learn about accountability on Kickstarter

Environmental commitments

Visit our Environmental Resources Center to learn how Kickstarter encourages sustainable practices.

Long-lasting design

The PL1 is made with high quality materials to withstand the wear and tear of backcountry travel.

Something else

The PL1 is designed with repairs and maintenance in mind. Almost all components can be replaced using a either a 2.5mm hex key or a pair of pliers.