Check out these great options for listening to music while skiing or snowboarding.
Exercise and music is one helluva drug. And if that form of exercise involves the pure feeling of going downhill fast, well you might have just struck adrenaline-junkie gold. As you might imagine, I love listening to music when I ski. It helps me get into my flow at the beginning of the day and it’s what keeps me going towards the end of the day when my legs feel like jello. Most of all, it just elevates the entire experience, helping me to achieve that ever-elusive flow state a little bit easier.
All that being said, listening to music massively reduces your ability to hear what’s going on around you on the slopes (no surprises there), so be careful, and if you’ve never done it before, maybe try it out on an unpopulated groomer before taking your tunes to more crowded runs. Here are my top picks when it comes to audio on the slopes.
Best Audio Solutions for Snowsports
Outdoor Tech Chips ($60-220)
AirPods 2nd Generation ($159)
SkullCandy Vert ($80)
Cardo Packtalk Ski ($250)
Chubby Buttons ($80)
What Matters for Listening to Music on the Slopes?
As incredible as rocking along to We Are The Champions as you crash through powder can be, there are plenty of factors to consider that can make or break the experience. First of all is the controls. Gloves and tiny headphone controls just don’t mix, and if you’re on the mountain with friends, it’s downright impossible to communicate with Freddie Mercury at full blast, so “set and forget” doesn’t really work either. A big criteria for me is headphone controls that work with gloves on. The second hurdle is the wired vs wireless conundrum. Wired headphones don’t die on you when exposed to cold and are much harder to lose than wireless headphones. However, it can be a massive pain trying to thread your headphone wires through multiple layers to the pocket your phone is living in. The third consideration is comfort. If you’re wearing a helmet (which you probably should be) you’ll want a pair of headphones that sit as flush as possible against your ears to minimize discomfort, a fact that rules out a lot of the wireless headphones on the market today.
Outdoor Tech Chips ($60-220)
Pros: Made for winter sports, solid sound and easy to use.
Cons: Don’t work without a helmet.
Outdoor Tech’s Chips are the gold standard when it comes to helmet audio. Available in true wireless, wireless and wired options, you’re able to rock these no matter where you stand on the wired/wireless debate. Sound is solid, as is battery life, and the controls are probably some of the easiest on this list.
True wireless
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Wireless
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Wired option
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AirPods Second Generation ($159)
Pros: Double tap controls are very easy to use with a helmet on.
Cons: Easy to lose.
AirPods are my go-to solution for music on the mountain. They are super comfortable with a helmet on, provide decent enough audio, and seamlessly transition from the mountain to any other sport I might choose. The second generation’s tap controls are the main reason why these guys made the list. Two quick slaps on the side of the helmet change tunes, play/pause, and control volume, but you only get two functions, one per pod (you choose). I go with play/pause on the left and fast forward on the right, and use the buttons on my phone to control volume from my pocket.
The main downside is that they’re easy to lose. If you forget you’ve got them in and take your helmet off while on the chairlift (as I did a couple years ago at Big Bear) you can kiss your pods goodbye. A great way to not have the above happen to you while skiing with AirPods, is making the nominal investment in a set of AirPod wings which help keep your AirPods where they’re supposed to be – your ears. Since purchasing I have yet to lose a pod (knock on wood).
AirPods Second Generation
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The Wings
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SkullCandy Vert ($80)
Pros: Multi-sport capacity, works with and without a helmet.
Cons: Button seems exposed/easy to damage strapped to the outside of your helmet.
The SkullCandy Vert is an interesting new blend of wired and wireless audio, seeking to bring the best of both worlds together in one action sports oriented package. The Vert consists of a large button that clips to your backpack or helmet, runs controls, and connects to your phone via bluetooth, and a pair of low-profile wired headphones connected to the button. The battery life is listed at 10 hours, enough for a full day on the slopes and in my experience, SkullCandy’s sound is solid given the price-point.
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Read the full review here.
Cardo Packtalk Ski ($250)
Pros: Great, ski-oriented audio solution.
Cons: Lots of extra tech you don’t need if only being used to listen to music.
The Cardo Systems Packtalk Ski is a whole lot more than just a music-listening solution, but they get high marks when it comes to audio. With good audio quality (on par with the AirPods but with better volume range), spades in comfort, all-day battery and supreme ease-of use, they’re one of the better audio solutions out there. They’re also a walkie-talkie that pairs up with other Cardo Packtalks for hands-free communication on the slopes. That being said, it takes two to tango, so unless you decide to grab a couple or more, the boom mike and antennae will be for looks only. And while you don’t need a helmet to make it work, it’s a whole lot easier to deal with if you do.
Buy here, and read the full review here.
Chubby Buttons ($80)
Pros: Great way to control your music while on the slopes or engaging in other action sports.
Cons: Headphones not included, pricey as just a controller.
Chubby Buttons is a company that decided to take a different approach to the snow sports and music conundrum, letting you use whatever headphones you want while focusing on tackling the problem of controlling your music. A futuristic-looking remote control straps to your arm and connects to your phone via bluetooth, with “chubby” buttons that let you control all aspects of your music with even the thickest of gloves on. And (almost surprisingly) the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. No gimmicks, these guys work as advertised.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZONEditor’s Note: For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.
