Two Students at the Alpinmesse Innsbruck 2025

Two students from the 5th semester of the Bachelor’s program in Sports Engineering and Ergonomics, Leon Friedl and Andreas Schmid, visited the Alpinmesse 2025 in Innsbruck in November – one of the largest mountain sports fairs in Europe, where manufacturers, athletes, experts, and alpine organizations from all over Europe present the latest trends and technologies. The fair offers a wide range of activities from climbing and mountaineering to winter sports, trail running, and mountain biking, complemented by lectures, workshops, and testing opportunities—ideal for experiencing products firsthand and evaluating their ergonomics.

The two have summarized their impressions and the products and developments. This report also highlights the diverse range of possible applications for the study content:

A striking technical highlight: Scott presented the Addict RC Ultimate – consistently designed for lightweight construction and performance – as well as D3O back protectors, whose material feels soft but hardens on impact hardens on impact to absorb energy. At the Scott booth, we also took part in the Scott Challenge on a Zwift bike, which made the the integration of digital tools into sporting events.

In the ski touring sector, the First.Era and First.Era Ultra bindings from 5ive-Sports impressed with their low mass, compactness, and robust, simplified mechanism – an exciting approach for safe, efficient ascents and descents. In terms of alpine safety, the Deuter Alpride E2 avalanche airbag backpack stood out: a lightweight, electronic system with a simple loading function and compact design.

Climbing and safety technology was significantly advanced at Edelrid with PINCH and OHMEGA (safety and connecting elements) as well as the SAFE DESCENT PRO (controlled, heat-resistant abseiling) – a sign of the company’s strong investment in safety-related equipment. Unexpectedly inspiring: a heavy-duty drone from Drone-Passion with a load capacity of around 50 kg,
which demonstrates possible applications in logistics and alpine rescue scenarios.

In the trail running sector, X-Bionic presented the TerraSkin XOO/C with Vibram Megagrip and reactive carbon plate, noticeably designed for grip, stability, and energy return. Ergonomics you could touch were offered by Formthotics with customizable insoles made of closed-cell PE foam – for support and injury prevention in various  shoes. Sustainability was represented by Protect Our Winters (POW), with clear information on climate impacts and projects with winter sports brands.

The trade fair showed how material innovations, lightweight construction, and safety concepts increase performance and reduce risks – exactly the interfaces that our degree program teaches in a practical way.