Recon-Zeal’s Transcend Shows Us The Future of Goggles

We’ve had our eye on Canadian-based Recon Instruments for a while now, especially when they announced that they would collaborate with Zeal Optics to enter the winter sports goggle market with a revolutionary product estimated for the end of this year. We are absolutely blown away by what they have come up with. Not only does the Recon-Zeal Transcend goggle completely transform the reason we cover our eyes while we ride, it ushers in a completely new era in snowboarding technology.

Let’s get down to the facts.

Features

• World’s only fully-capable GPS goggle.
• Real-time speed, latitude/longitude, altitude, vertical distance traveled, total distance traveled feedback.
• Chronograph/stopwatch mode for timing runs, clock, and run counter.
• Temperature sensor
• Accelerometer
• Gyroscope
• 3-Dimensional lens
• USB-capable
• $399 for SPX version, $499 for SPPX

How does the goggle display all this info?

This is the part we love. The lens has a built-in micro-LCD display that sits right below your right eye (yes, serious black ops stuff). When you put the goggle on all the information is displayed in a user-friendly dashboard that appears to hang six-feet in front of you. Glove-friendly buttons on the outside of the lens help you navigate the full-color display and user menus. One menu will show you stuff like your current speed and altitude, another one will show you your fastest run alongside a few other stats, and somewhere along the way you can punch a button to drop a location marker you can view later on a map.

Transcend's Built-In Micro-LCD Display

The Lens

There are currently two models for this line of goggles. The Transcend SPPX is fitted with a polarized photochromic lens. That’s right, this lens will get darker or brighter adaptively depending on sunlight conditions. The brighter it is, the higher the rate of activation of the photochromic pigment and the darker the lens will get. In low-light situations the lens becomes much clearer as the pigment remains deactivated. The Transcend SPX comes fitted with your standard high-end polarized lens without all the fancy photochromic features.

Software

Recon Instruments developed a special program for this product that you comes with the goggles. Using the Recon HQ application, you can plug the goggle into your system and upload all your data. The software will pull-up actual maps of the resort you just rode, layout all your tracks on it, and give you all your stats. You can connect to the Recon Instruments website and share your info with an online community that’s becoming increasingly popular. Recon has also talked about the possibility of a software development community for more apps that can potentially be accessed directly from the goggles.

Recon HQ Application

This is one product we definitely cannot wait to get our hands on for the 2010-2011 riding season. Products like these can definitely help a rider get the most out of the relatively short-lived action on the slopes. Besides, who doesn’t want to feel like a commando while shredding some pow?

Check out the official product page here.

Buying Your First Snowboarding Jacket & Pants Guide

Even though I had no plans to purchase anything at this year’s Ski & Snowboard Show (the board I wanted was not going to be available at the show), I still went since attending the show has become the official unofficial kick off to the season (side note: I have goosebumps just thinking about what an awesome season this year is going to be!). I met up with a few friends, 3 of them being beginners. Long story short, I spent about 4 hours helping them pick out what they needed and man was it a lot of fun! More importantly, that experience made realize how hard of a time it is for a new rider buying his/her first snowboard and set of gear. Given how popular my ‘Buying Your First Snowboard: The Most Comprehensive Guide‘ article was, it made sense to write a similar article about buying your first snowboarding jacket and pants (this applies to both Men’s and Women’s gear).

Snowboarding Jacket

Finding a good jacket is essential. Not only do you want a jacket that will keep you warm and dry, you also want a jacket that will last a few seasons and can be worn in different weather conditions. Essentially, there are two types of jackets that you can consider:

• Snow Jacket: This is your traditional thick jacket that requires minimal layers to be worn underneath it. They can vary in thickness, but typically speaking, these jackets are thick and can keep you very warm. The warmest kind are made with Goose Down feathers. The advantages of this kind of jacket is in its ability to keep you very warm. The downside is, you are going to sweat your ass off if there’s any sun or if it’s not cold enough. Also, the warmer ones are usually pretty expensive. It’s a good option for those extremely cold conditions, but on not so cold days, you’re stuck with an overpriced jacket that’s going to make you uncomfortably hot.
• Shell: As the name would imply, this is a thin shell jacket that would be worn as the outer most layer. These wont keep you warm by themselves given their thin construction, but they are designed to keep you dry (water resistant) and block out as much wind as possible. The advantages of this kind of jacket is in its versatility. Worn as the outer most layer, all you need is a warm flees and thermal worn underneath to keep you warm, even under extremely cold conditions. I personally wear a shell jacket with a flees and a ‘stay dry’ thermal – this is what is known as a 3-Layer System. If you find that it’s an exceptionally cold day, all you need is a thick flees and you will stay warm. If it’s an exceptionally warm day, go for a normal flees and simply keep your shell jacket air vents open – you can even unzip the jacket if it’s too warm.

The Features of a Good Jacket:

• Windproof: Wind greatly affects the temperature within the snowboarding jacket, so you need a shell jacket that keeps as much wind as possible. Your body generates a lot of heat while you ride and you want to make sure that heat stays trapped underneath your shell jacket. I’m sure I don’t need to say this, but for clarity’s sake, if any of that cold wind makes it into your jacket, the heat your body generated is going to be lost. The easiest way to tell if a jacket is windproof to check whether the jacket is made with fully taped seams (basically every seam, regardless of whether it will come in contact with wind, is fully taped). You will want to avoid jackets with ‘critically’ taped seams. This basically means, only seams that are expected to be most in contact with wind are taped, while other seams will not be.
• Waterproof: It goes without saying, you need a jacket that is waterproof. Whether it’s rain, falling snow, or snow from the ground, the dryer your jacket, the warmer it will keep you (and the lighter it stays). The easiest way to figure out how water resistant a jacket will be is by checking its water resistance measure (how much water, measured in mm, can be suspended above the fabric before water seeps through). Mid-range jackets will have water resistance between 5,000 mm and 10,000 mm. You will want a jacket that is no less than 10,000 mm, but preferably 15,000 mm. Generally speaking, the highest measure is about 20,000 mm, but that’s overkill for snowboarders.
• Breathability: A good jacket should be able to resist liquid water while allowing water vapour to pass through. This basically allows the sweat generated by your body to evaporate and escape through the jacket. The easiest way to figure out a jacket’s breathability is by checking its breathability measure. Mid-range jackets will have breathability measures between 5,000 g and 10,000 g.  Anything between 5,000 g and 15,000 g is good, but obviously, the higher the better.
• Air Vents: Make sure you find a jacket with easily accessible (remember that you will have gloves on and nothing is worse than trying to fetch that tiny zipper grip) air vents. These will prove very useful if it’s a bit warm but not warm enough to justify unzipping the jacket or even using a thinner fleece. With these air vents, you can just open them up as much as you need to allow a little cool air to enter. These are usually located on the sides.
• Gore-Tex: You will undoubtedly come across products with Gore-Tex. Gore-Tex is basically a type of fabric that is extremely water proof, wind proof, and overall considered as a high grade type of material. Many different brands use Gore-Tex to ensure the buyer that they are buying something of excellent quality. While this may be true, Gore-Tex products are much more expensive and more the most part unnecessary, especially for beginners. Gore-Tex fabrics have the equivalent of 20,000-25,000 mm water proofing. You can read more about their technology here.

Snowboarding Pants

For the most part, pants are very similar to jackets as it relates to things to consider when buying one. You can purchase pants that have a built-in thermal layer to keep you warm, or you can buy ‘shell’ pants and wear a separate thermal layer underneath. I’ve tried both options, and personally I prefer the two-layer system for pants. One other thing I would point out is to avoid tight pants. When trying them out on the store, just keep in mind that you will want something loose so that you don’t feel restricted on the slopes.

The Features of a Good Pair of  Snowboarding Pants:

• Windproof: As with jackets, you need pants with fully taped seams.
• Waterproof: While with jackets you could get a way with 10,000 mm waterproofing, you will want nothing less than 15,000 mm for pants. Pants come in contact with the snow a lot more than your jacket (every time you sit to do your bindings) and nothing is worse than wet pants and boxers/thermals.
• Breathability: This is much of a concern for pants, so anything above 5,000 g is good enough.

Layering

As suggested above, the ideal set up to use different layers. For jackets, a 3-Layer system is best. As you may know, the ideal way of clothing for every activity is to use different layers. Generally, it is advisable to follow the Three layer system. The first layer is your base layer and consists of thermal/’stay dry’ underwear. The middle layer is generally a fleece or anything else that keeps you warm. And the outer most layer will be your shell jacket as described above. The advantage of the layer system is in its flexibility. Typically speaking, your shell jacket and base thermal layer don’t change much, but the middle layer will be more of a variable depending on the weather and temperature.

For pants, you can go with 1 layer, but make sure the built-in thermals are warm enough. However, I would recommend a Two-Layer system, to accommodate for extra warm or extra cold days. With a Two-Layer system, you can find a water and wind proof pair of pants as the outer layer. For the base layer, you will need a good pair of thermals. I have a set of two; a slightly thicker pair for those extremely cold days, and a normal pair for all the other days.

In case you’re curious, my set up consists of the following:

• Jacket: AK 2L Softshell Jacket, which I am VERY happy with (link goes to my official review).
• Fleece: AK Fleece, which is no longer available.
• Base Layer: HH Dry; this is more of a ‘stay dry’ base layer than a thermal (link goes to Helly Hansen’s product listing page)
• Pants: Ripzone Trilogy Pants (link goes to Ripzone’s pants listing page)
• Pants Thermals: Old school 100% cotton long johns.

In summary, I wanted to keep this as simple as possible so I didn’t go into too many other details. As long as you watch out for the above things (and make sure you get a set of gear with the above requirements), you will have yourself an excellent jacket and pair of pants. Brand, design, and features like pockets, etc… will depend on your preference and budget. Honestly, you don’t need to spend too much for a good jacket, but it won’t hurt to buy a high quality one from the beginning. Good jackets last 4-5 seasons (even more if you really want them to), so don’t skimp out too much. As for pants, they are typically less expensive, and you should be able to find an excellent option for no more than $200. Just make sure it has at least 15,000 mm water proofing!

As always, please feel free to leave your suggestions or questions in the comments section.

Helmets Reduce the Risk of Head Injuries by 35%

Some suggest that helmets may increase the risk of neck injury in a crash or fall, particularly in children because of their greater head to body ratio.

Skiing and snowboarding are popular winter activities. Did you know that head injuries account for up to 19% and neck injuries up to 4% of all injuries reported by snow patrols and emergency departments? Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and serious injury among skiers and snowboarders. I know a lot of riders don’t like helmets because they’re uncomfortable or they don’t look cool, but trust me, hospital beds are pretty uncomfortable and very uncool!

An analysis of 12 studies conducted in Europe, Asia, and North America, found that helmet use in recreational activities is beneficial. However, the authors were unable to determine the effect of the design, quality, or fit of the helmets.

“The use of helmets significantly protects against head injuries among skiers and snowboarders,” write Brent Hagel, Alberta Children’s Hospital, and coauthors. “Risks of head injury can be reduced by 35%…and between 2 and 5 of every 10 head injuries among helmet users could be prevented.”

I don’t need a study to tell me something so logical, but for those in denial or are on the fence about buying a helmet, I hope this is a good wake up call. Here’s a link to the scientific study on helmets and head injuries.

Automaton 2011 Sneak Preview

Automaton has gone through some major hardware revamping in an effort to make their 2010-2011 line up of award winning sticks even better. Now, not all revamping leads to better things but their goal is to create the world’s finest and most fun freestyle snowboards. Only time will tell but in the meantime, it’s been revealed that two new models for 2011 from Automaton, the Babble and the Manimal, have been added. With graphics and art by Alex Funderburk and Eve Duhamel, I’d keep my eyes peeled for these.

Ski and Snowboarding Goggles: Buying Guide

Ask and ye shall receive. Or something along those lines. I’ve gotten quite a few emails asking about ski and snowboarding goggles (say goggles 50 times…), what to get, what to look for, etc… So I put together this handy buying guide to help you find a good pair of snow goggles.

Generally speaking, your choice of goggles is pretty straight forward. Regardless of your riding style, how low hanging your snow pants are, or how funky your head gear is, goggles are goggles. Things to watch out for in snow goggles are:

• Fit
• Frame Features
• Lens Features
• Lens Colors Explained
• Tips
• Recommended Brands

Fit

• Just like snowboarding boots, fit is very important. In fact, so important, brands have created ‘racial’ fit types for e.g. the ‘Asian Fit’.
• Make sure there are no uncomfortable pressure points from the goggle outline pressing against your face. Generally speaking, good quality goggles use better designed foam lining that eliminate these pressure points.
• Make sure there are no gaps between your skin and the goggle foam outline. Good goggles have air vents designed into them for a reason.
• If you wear a helmet, make sure you try on the ski/snowboarding goggles with your helmet on. I didn’t do this with my first goggle purchase and ended up with goggles too big to fit with my helmet on – money down the drain.
• Same goes for riders and skiers who need to wear prescription glasses under the goggles. Though, I highly recommend contact lenses or prescription snow goggles. It’s just so much more comfortable that way.

Frame Features

• Good goggles have well designed foam outline made from good quality foam (Yes, there’s good foam and there’s bad foam!) The test: 1. Press on the foam outline with your thumb, hold for 5-7 seconds, and release. If the foam reverts back to its original shape in 2-3 seconds, then that’s good foam. If your thumb’s outline doesn’t disappear quick enough, then that’s bad quality foam.
• Make sure your goggles have well designed and enough vents. These are foam covered air portals, to let air flow through the skiing goggle to keep them fog-free. Generally speaking, the more expensive a goggle is, the better their ventilation system is.

Lens Features

• Double lenses prevent fogging and create a thermal barrier to keep you warm.
• Cylindrical double lenses provide good optics for a reasonable price.
• Spherical double lenses provide superior optics and fog-free vision.
• Polycarbonate lens material is generally the most durable.
• Look for an anti-scratch/anti-fog coating on the lenses.
• Make sure the lenses provide 100% UV and blue light protection.

Note: Look at the packaging to tell which of the above the goggles have.

Lens Colors Explained

• Clear lenses are best for extremely stormy conditions or for riding at night.
• Lemon/yellow lenses are best for stormy conditions and overcast days since they increase contrast and brighten up the landscape.
• Vermillon/pink lenses increase contrast in most conditions. This lens with a silver mirror is ideal for most riding conditions.
• Citrus/orange lenses also increase contrast and are great for bright days. Choose an option with a mirror to get a darker lens for the brightest conditions.
• Purple lenses are good in low-light conditions such as overcast and snowy days, because they bring out shadows and contours in flat light.
• Modulator or photochromic lenses change from a light pink/orange to a dark pink/orange depending upon the light conditions. They are a very light, high-contrast color for stormy weather and dark enough for the brightest days.
• Polarized lenses can cut the glare that reflects from snow or ice.

Tips

• The better quality goggles are more expensive and a good pair will run you anywhere between $100-150. But it’s a good investment. You’ll just regret getting cheaper goggles, as you’ll just pay more in the long run having to replace them more frequently.
• If you do a lot of park riding, considering investing in a cheaper goggles so you don’t worry too much about them getting knocked around.
• Always store your goggles in their protective pouch.
• Clean the outside of your goggle lenses with fresh water and a soft cloth
• Never wipe the inside of your goggle lenses; it can damage the anti-fog coating. If you get snow/ice on the inside, shake them out, put them back on and keep riding. As you ride, the lenses will air-dry.
• To keep your goggles from fogging, keep them on your face. Removing them while waiting in line for example can cause them to fog up, but don’t worry about that too much if the line is too long.
• If you’re goggles do fog up, just keep them on, and ride. The ventilation system will clear them up in seconds.
• Goggles with replacement lenses provide the benefit of being able to replace damaged lenses without having to pay for a whole new goggle.

5 Recommended Snow Goggle Brands

• Spy Optic – www.spyoptic.com
• Anon (currently using) - www.anonoptics.com
• Oakley (currently using) – www.oakley.com
• Smith Optics – www.smithoptics.com
• Bolle – www.bolle.com