The Orange Bubble Express at Park City in Utah was the first heated chairlift in the United States. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Megan Michelson, Outside

If you ski in Kitzbühel, Austria, this winter, you’ll be treated to a chairlift ride like no other. The new Brunn eight-seat lift, which opened in December in the Pengelstein region, offers heated seats that are slip-proof and ergonomically designed with high-end leather upholstery. Each chair also comes with a clear plastic storm-proof shield and a locking safety bar.

Austrian lift manufacturer Leitner Ropeways built the chair over a ten-month period and brought in engineers from the automobile industry for their expertise in seat design. The seats’ leather and foam also come from the automotive world.

“The goal was to combine high-quality materials, an ergonomic design, and cutting-edge technology,” Leitner spokesperson Daniela Innerhofer told Outside. “The impetus was to offer even more comfortable chairs combined with premium design and, of course, to create something innovative.”

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