It was around 1999 when helmets became to skiing and snowboarding. First they were used by radical dudes skiing the backcountries, but in a couple of years ordinary skiers realized that it makes sense to wear a helmet. Nowadays only few people ski without a helmet, at least here in Europe. That is good, I like it. It really makes sense.

Back in 1999 I was skiing in Chamonix with a dozen of other enthusiastic Finnish skiers. We crawled the backcountries day after day and we went skiing only if there was fresh powder. Yep, 1999 was an incredible season. It was on those days when I used to listen to few great metal bands. I thought I could take my portable CD player and listen to those bands while skiing. A fabulous idea, I gotta do it! Next day I went skiing Plan D’Aguille which is on the right side of L’Aguille du Midi cabin lift. I went up there with guys and switched on my CD player. Good headbanging music started to flow into my ears.. I turned my skis down and started surfing on the half a meter fresh powder. Man, that skiing was great.. but something sucked! I went down to the forest and stopped. I realized that all I heard during the previous two minutes was the guitars and screaming in my ears. I realized this is not good. I love this music but I do not want to hear it up in the mountains. All I want to hear in mountains is the sound coming from my skis, boots, breath, other dudes, the nature.. It is a peaceful and beautiful place and metal music just does not fit in there. I rather listen to metal in afterski.

Ok, how about classical music? Would it have been a better choice? I do not believe so, because all you here is music. I am interested in hearing and observing the nature and my surroundings. I just do not want to hear any music up there. It was not a good experience. Never again.

That was me in 1999. I did not like it, but it does not mean that nobody likes it. There are lots of people who want to hear music while skiing or snowboarding. I know few guys, but they are not freeskiers. May be it is so that freeskiers are not much into hearing music while skiing, may be not. I am just guessing. If you are interested in listening to music while skiing, there is a new trend rising in the markets, audio helmets. Put on your helmet, switch on your iPod and start skiing. Audio helmets are just helmets including an integrated music player, such as iPod. The headphones of the player are embedded into the helmet which provides a great solution for those who want to hear music in slopes.

I have recommended these kind of helmets earlier as Christmas present and I think it would be a great present for certain type of skiers and snowboarders discovering the backcountries and slopes. I guess my 13 years old son would be very happy with it. He could listen to his favorite band, Greenday, while doing new-school tricks. I have not asked him yet, because it would be better for me to have the money saved first before I ask

Check out these few helmets I picked up in Amazon. If you get interested, you can easily order them from there. Below are six examples I found good and interesting.