Impress Your Mates: The Ultimate Ski Goggles?
I love my ski gear and I know many of you do too. So I am currently putting together my top five favourites. But occaisionally I am notified of something new. So I did not want to delay publishing today’s article, that comes from Tamsin. She is a freelance writer and mother of two, and when she isn’t juggling her responsibilities you can generally find her on the European slopes or sipping cocktails in one of Switzerland’s ski hotels.
New Gear Influx
Of late, new ‘revolutionary’ ski gear is being released roughly once every 35 seconds, so it is difficult to get really excited about new ski equipment. There have been many recent advances in technology regarding both the materials used in the manufacturing of ski items, and the way in which the gear interacts with the human body. So we have seen that there is an almost constant outpouring of new and ever more hi-tech options for ski wear and accessories.
For those of us who are a little “burnt out” on the influx of new gadgets, there are still a few ski innovations worth getting excited over. Recent advances in goggle technology have managed to amp up the ski experience. And now, in the form of the Recon-Zeal Transcend Ski Goggles, we finally have something worthy of our jaded attention.
The Recon-Zeal Goggles
The Recon-Zeal goggles are almost ridiculously packed with features. Not only do they do what traditional goggles were meant to do, that is shield your eyes from glare, wind, and snow, they also place a wealth of information directly in front of you. The goggles have a built in GPS system and your runs can be recorded to the goggle’s memory and then downloaded to your computer. The download interfaces with Google maps and you can then follow your own run on the map display as it plays out. If you find yourself curious about how high you are or how fast you are going while you are out and about, the display can tell you that, too. It can also display the temperature and whether you did better on previous runs of the same course. In addition, there is a built-in clock, a stopwatch, and distance monitor.
All of this information is displayed via an LCD screen that sits in the bottom rim of the goggles. Rather than having the information swimming directly in front of you, the display appears to hang in the space just at the bottom of your goggles. It is an experience akin to viewing your dashboard display, and makes it possible to keep skiing without feeling like you have a static visual existence overlaying the real one hurtling by in front of you.
Unveiled officially at CES 2011 in January, the goggles had already gained a lot of attention from both ski pros and amateurs alike. Over the last half-year, reviews of the product have remained positive, with many skiers pointing to the positioning of the LCD display, the light weight (254g), and the durability of the goggles as major pluses.
Many have also pointed out that the equipment makes very little noise, and that the goggles fit comfortably under just about any helmet style. Motorcyclists have begun to use them as well, citing the GPS features as being the biggest draw. While they are nearly perfect, the goggles do have a few drawbacks. The controls for the goggles are located on the right hand side, which can be problematic if you are wearing them during a power sport that requires constant use of a throttle or gear shift, and at £450 they require some financial commitment.
I hear Bansko can offer quite cheap holidays — so this could free up cash for new gear — such as these goggles. However, it may be well worth it. Having important data right before your eyes, GPS, and the ability to analyze your own runs later, the Recon-Zeal Transcend Ski Goggles are hi-tech ski gadgets that are actually worthy of excitement.
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