Two Queenstown businessmen have joined forces to give away high-vis vests to ski touring enthusiasts in the resort.
Modelling the vests being given away to Queenstown ski tourers are Russ Tilsley, Erik Bradshaw and Darryl Tatom.
Mr Tatom and Mr Tilsley came up with the idea on the spur of the moment during a meeting of ski tourers on May 25.
Under discussion were concerns expressed by Coronet Peak skifield operator NZSki that its snow grooming and snowmaking staff were having difficulty seeing ski tourers on the mountain during the hours of darkness.
Mr Tatom, owner of outdoor retail store Small Planet Sports, bought 50 of the vests.
They were then printed by Mr Tilsley, owner of apparel screen-printing business Fetch.
The vests are available at Small Planet to any Queenstown resident who goes ski-touring on the mountain.
The pair have already given away 50 vests and will continue doing so while there is demand.
Mr Tatom said some ski tourers liked to spend time on the mountain before going to work in the morning, often as early as 6am.
The organiser of the meeting, Erik Bradshaw, said the free vests were part of an effort by the ski touring community to improve their relationship with NZSki and show they took the company's health and safety concerns seriously.
