7 Ideas On Snowboarding With Headphones

It’s all down to personal preference when it comes to snowboarding with headphones. Most love it, some hate it, others think it is downright dangerous. Signage has even been seen at some resorts enforcing no headphones.

Snowboarding With Headphones:

7 thoughts on the headphone debate to make an informed decision for the slopes

• There’s nothing better than the feeling of charging down the hill to your favourite songs. It can definitely hype you up to push your boundaries and try new things. Also, super fun trying to keep a rhythm and flow along with your favourite songs when you ride.

• It’s crucial to have your wits about you when riding on the slopes. Snowboarding with headphones and pumping music can be a distraction causing you to lose focus on your surroundings. It's hard to hear other mountain users around you, which can be a significant hazard, especially at busy holiday periods or weekends on the slopes. When riding in trees or on the slopes you may not hear someone calling out for help or trying to get your attention.

• Your ears are a crucial component in the bodies balancing system. The inner ear uses fluid and sensors to send signals to the brain to keep you balanced and aware of where your limbs are in space. Headphones crammed into your ears that are pumping music, with a hat pulled over them can affect your ability to balance on the board and feel comfortable in the air.

• Riding down the slope with wind blasting by your ears can cause you to crank the volume to overcome background noise. Over time this can lead to hearing loss. Damage to the ears can occur at 85 decibels, which is well below the maximum volume on most music players. Try to keep the volume at an acceptable level or turn down the maximum volume to save your ears. If you are on the chairlift and others can hear what song you're playing, it's way too loud!

• An important skill to develop in your riding is the ability to hear and anticipate snow conditions. With headphones in, it's hard to hear the switch between conditions like ice/hard pack and soft groomers. This can be a hazard as you could unexpectedly hit an ice patch and be caught out causing you to lose control.

• When snowboarding with friends it can be antisocial to have your earbuds in, especially on chairlift rides. Get social and embrace the conversation when out in nature. Without music, it can be extremely peaceful to enjoy all the sights and sounds the mountain has to offer.

• Strike a compromise by using one earphone. You should still be able to hear other mountain users around you and keep awareness. Be careful not to sneak up to maximum volume to try and compensate for just having one earphone.