Earlier this year, I went on a business trip with some colleagues, one of whom showed up at the airport on the way home totally ecstatic. She'd got a great deal on a pair of Skullcandy headphones, and sat in the lounge tearing apart the packaging, giddy to try them out. Then she put them on, and she was all but removed from everyone else for the rest of the trip as she rocked out with her near gear.
I hadn't heard of Skullcandy to that point, but dug around a bit and found out the company manufactured a pretty cool line of audio products and accessories aimed at the skate/surf/ski/snowboard crowd.
Well recently, I got my hands on a some pretty sweet Skullcandy Marc Frank Montoya 1GB headphones, and had a chance to check out the Skullcandy experience for myself.
Upon unpacking these headphones, one immediately gets the impression they arrived directly from Park City, where Montoya trains. Before even turning them on, it's obvious a lot of thought has gone into the question, "what would a snowboarder want in a set of headphones for riding?"
The Marc Frank Montoya model features a 1GB MP3 player that plugs directly into the headphone, so no cords are required; it also means songs can be browsed hands-free. But it's the litany of 'small things' that make these headphones great:
- A super-fuzzy custom toque is included, complete with hooks for the earphones ensures your head stays warm while you ride.
- There's artwork everywhere - even below the removable ear cushions (so you can clip them into your toque, of course).
- 1GB worth of space on the easy-to-use USB drive means space for hundreds of songs.
- A cord and adapter are included that let you use the MP3 player separate of the headphones.
- 10 hours of battery time means they'll last a full day on the hill.
- The phones feature a DJ-style 90-degree swivel.
The only downside, really, is the fact that I'm a helmet dude. These puppies aren't designed for my Bad Lieutenant helmet, so I'd have to ride helmet-free. I'm not sure I'm really ready to do that on a permanent basis, but I can't wait to take these on the hill this winter regardless. A lot of thought has been put into these haedphones, and it shows.
When I get 'em on the hill I'll follow up with another post on the experience.