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The best headlamps
By Eve O'Neill This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here. After three years of continually testing headlamps, and adding 12 new models to our test pool, we still think the Black Diamond Spot is the best headlamp for most people. Nothing this affordable can burn brighter or longer—very important features if you plan on taking your headlamp into the outdoors.
Philips and O'Neill launch durable headphones -- shaka bra!
In what amounts to yet another co-branding marketing kerfuffle, Philips and O'Neill have teamed up on a foursome of so-called durable headphones. The Stretch headphones (pictured) are the toughest of the bunch, constructed from an ultra-durable, temperature-resistant, and awesome-sounding material called TR 55LX that boasts a surface hardness six times greater than the polycarbonate stuff found in most headphones. The Snug series boasts "bold graphics" and can fold flat, while the in-ear Covert buds brings an iPhone controller. Last, and apparently least, is the "stylish" Specked with tangle free cord. Amazing. All are said to have been tested by the "toughest O'Neill team riders." As proof, O'Neill is trotting out Jeremy Jones, Mark Mathews, and Ane Enderud to promote its new gear, presumably because they want to and not because they are contractually obligated under the terms of their respective high-paying sponsorships. Needless to say, these headphones aren't for you if you don't know who these people are or you lack the fragile hipster ego required to wear them. No prices were announced, but you can expect them to match the "premium" description when these arrive for retail in Europe and the US sometime this month. We did give Stretch a go for a quickie ears-on, and honestly, while the cloth cord was a nice touch and they do seem to be super rugged, we'd prefer that the team paid a bit more attention to the sound quality than the finish.%Gallery-101026%
O'Neill's GPS NavJacket with integrated display and audio
Ever get lost in a euphoric off-piste blaze of snow and emotion only to emerge truly lost somewhere on the mountain? Good, the NavJacket is for you. The GPS equipped jacket from O'Neill is the result of a partnership with MyGuide. The Gore-Tex jacket features integrated audio in the hood and a display in the sleeve which shows your speed, updated weather forecasts, and time and distance to après-ski. A "friend finder" function helps track your new "friends" long after the slobbering begins. All the important tech bits about communication, controls, and that flexible display (not to mention the price!) are still missing. No worries, it's not due for another 9 months as part of O'Neill's Fall/Winter 2008/2009 collection. 'Til then you'll have to rely upon your keen sense of gravity to get you to the bottom of the hill. [Via Pocket-lint]
O'Neill's H4 Campack ditches iPod, integrates camera and media player
Ok, ok, it was announced back in August but we're only just now planning our off-piste gear purchases. Meet the H4 Campack from O'Neill which bests the H3 launched last year with increased durability, better controls, an integrated media player, and a true video camera (not just a video extender). The included 2.4-inch, 240k color, media player boasts a paltry 512MB of internal memory augmented by a 2GB SD card. That allows for about 2 hours of 320 x 240 pixel @ 25fps recordings from the sub-megapixel CMOS camera which can be helmet or goggle mounted. A button panel on the shoulder strap controls the recordings which can be dumped back to the PC via the player's USB jack or SD card reader. Unlike the H3, however, O'Neill has ditch the iPod integration and Bluetooth module for cellphone linkage. In fact, there doesn't seem to be any way to playback audio through connected headphones -- the 3.5-mm jack is for the external button controller. Nor does it feature a solar charging panel like the H2. If you're still interested, it should pop for retail in Europe is €269 or about $398 sometime this month. Video demonstration with plenty of stick riding action after the break. [Via Highsnobiety, thanks David F.]
O'Neill's multimedia-ready H3 Campack
Forget purchasing an iPod-ready coat, Bluetooth-equipped helmet, and head-mountable webcam for your daredevil adventures on the slopes, as O'Neill has all three areas covered in one snazzy backpack. The H3 Campack sports all the weatherproof compartments and slick designs we expect to see on a rider's pack, but also rocks built-in sleeve controls for your DV cam, iPod, and Bluetooth phone. A proprietary module becomes a bantam liaison for your trio of gizmos, giving the integrated joystick full control over your camcorder's lens and / or playlist directions. The bag also touts the ability to keep your precious gadgetry safe and secure within the bag, while giving you full control over the functionality of each. If you're looking for an all-in-one method to record that Winter X-Games submission vid, and your control isn't hampered by juggling three gizmos while busting a backside tail grab, you can snag the H3 Campack now for £240 ($449). [Via AVING]
