Zeal Optics bringing GPS, sensor-laden Transcend ski goggles to market
By Darren Murph 
posted February 13th 2010 8:37AM
posted February 13th 2010 8:37AM
[Thanks, Christopher]
posted February 13th 2010 8:37AM
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These could be a very useful tool for pro skiers/snowboarders, but I don't really see it catching on with the mainstream crowd. Very cool idea though.
Yeah, these are for the guys who can afford the chopper flights to the summit, I'm guessing.
@Smart People Play Tuba
I think they're great. And only $350? Awesome!
I wonder if I can preorder a pair?
@nachotech
I agree- this is one of the better goggle+tech combo's I've seen so far. Then again, the hud display might distract as much as it helps. If I were to get it, I'd appreciate a record function so I would have access to the sensory info on top of visuals so I can review at a later time.
@horchata
im not so sure about the HUD, from the video it seems that they just threw in a tiny monitor into the googles.
now if they actually had it projected onto the visor so u can see through it, thats gonna be a game changer.
all i can think of is the goggles in crysis. make this baby in red and next halloween ill be storming around in my nanosuit
Only way I think the pros will have these is if you give them to them. I've lost count of how many goggles I've destroyed over the years, and at $350.00+ a pop ouch. Heads up display is the last thing I want while dodging trees or hucking off a cliff in my opinion. My garmin gps/radio is all i need at the moment. Bet you will only see these on people with disposable incomes.
@nachotech
Ya right, I know lots of dude that would use this. Especially if you could have some entertainment during the ride up the mountain (movie, tv show, SNOWBOARD VIDEO!). Oh man. Add some communication ability, and even whole families would pick this up. Skiing/snowboarding isn't cheap, and people aren't afraid to throw down some cash for awesome gear.
I could dig these if they had the video recording features like Liquid Image Googles.
Interesting idea but I get the feeling there will be plenty of idiots who get hurt because they use it on the trail.
its cool.
Wow! It is an F-35 helmet display for glider pilots (and also for paragliders, hang gliders and general aviation)!
I can see these being very useful if they have a map of the ski resort as one of the options with a little "you are here" dot
Looks kinda cool. I think I'll get one of those.
The navigation could be better. I mean, you have those Quicksilver jackets with all the buttons on your sleeves and those are much more accessible than these on the side of your goggles.
And an integration with your cell phone via bluetooth shouldn't be that hard either. I mean, at least to see who's calling and things like that.
@silvestre The phone integration is coming soon according to the video.
I'd take a simpler version if they could make it a bit smaller. These things are huge.
Cold and batteries usually don't mix. How long can you really expect this thing to work?
@GadgetGeezer Here's hope that they're interchangeable.
But I've used my Omnia HD once to track my route with Nokia SportsTracker and one battery lasted for about 4-5 hours, although I think that this would degrade soon if used more often.
@GadgetGeezer I wonder if they make rechargeable photo lithium batteries? I used to feed them to my mini mag when I was in the Guard in Alaska. Flashlight worked just fine on the flight line at -40F.
the goggles, they do nothing!!
oh..wait....no, ok, they do now.
Pretty cool looking. I'd wear them anywhere! Just need to give them night vision.
@pvito Watch the video again, it was on the list of future features.
I figure, if it will have night vision, it means it will have some sort of digital camera integrated, right? Hopefully that means they'll integrate some kinda DVR functionality to it and make it like a helmet cam at the same time...
It looks to me like it projects the image on your retina instead of on the goggle's lens, which is nice, cause the image would be clearer, and depending on the projection technology (laser/OLED/LCD), the blacks could be transparent, and the other colors could be really vibrant, unlike if they were to project it on the lens, in which case, all the pixels would have the golden tint of the lens.
I could definitely see myself recording info as I skied, and reviewing the data on the chair lift. Currently, I calculate my speed in my head based on the number of chairs on the lift that go around before I get to the bottom, compared to the number of chairs on the lift, the distance to the top, and the time it takes the chairs to traverse that distance. I've calculated my speed to be approximately 70 MPH down a 6 mile slope. It would be interesting to see what how much human error was in that calculation using these goggles.
For back country stuff this is great. Nothing worse than hearing about a lost boarder or skier. But for crowded resorts it's just another distraction that is going to get its user, or more likely, someone else hurt. Enough with all of the electonic devices on the trails. Enjoy the day, and I don't know, talk to people. Maybe meet a girl?
use this same technology in cars for GPS and maybe caller ID and im sold....revolutionize the industry and keeps every ones eyes on the roads instead of dashboards and cell phones..
@neeko18 no because then passerbys would see the dirty pix you get in sexting :)
In my (long ) experience on alpine slopes the only people who buy this sort of things are those hoping that some gimmiks and a wad of cash can be a substitute for experience and training..
You won't belive how many of these well heeled , hyper accessorized , self styled mountaneers I had to carry downvalley.
Well this is an awesome concept but a horrible time to come out with the product.... Lets just hot the Sun cooperates!
They linked me to some promo video a bit ago, and they seemed pretty corny ... 'cause I was hoping for the screen to be the goggles themselves, not this tiny screen in the lower right you look down at. I wanted to feel like Master Chief ... is that so much to ask?
You know, a checkpoint indicator telling me where my friend is, or where the lodge is, or where the various ski lifts are, the reserve of water remaining in my Camelbak, time left until the lifts close ... all very pointless things, but come ON ... that would be so awesome. The company could probably spin off some paintball goggles with that kinda tech! But not what they are offering right now. Still, way to bring the product to market.
Like Plexus says, idiots will buy. And then there will be poorly equipped idiots like me who buy because something looks cool, not because I've convinced myself these things will enhance my performance.
Oh yeah, that's the video. Holy God, that's market-y. The guy trying to convince me I'm missing something when I ride has all the emotion of young Anakin Skywalker.
So cool!
I will buy those if they are Mac Compatible
Does it shoot lasers?
can't wait for the motorcycle ones
@raaaaaa I saw these and thought the exact same thing!
i really like the idea. this could be very useful for backcountry riding! and $350 would indeed not be too much at all considering that normal goggles already cost $100-$200.
i would worry about breaking/loosing them though, a little.
So why is it these guys can make goggles with HUD for $350 while the British military can't seem to get them for less than a couple million?
@kloan well, honestly, when's the last time you saw the British military do a backside 720 followed by a Five-O grind?
@morcheeba have you seen the stunts fighter pilots do?
i got the $$ wrong anyway.... $129 million per helmut. sure, there's a whole whackload of technology in those helmuts.. but even still...
damn i want one now. its like turning skiing into being a jet pilot =)
I have to admit, that shit is cool.
But at the end of the video... all those features... many would be hazardous. Who would text and ski at the same time? I smell a lawsuit.