Best Headphones For Snowboarding 2022
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Once you’ve got a hang of snowboarding, you’ll be wondering if tuning in to your favorite music could enhance your experience. Often, you’ll be wearing a crash helmet or a beanie, which means an over-ear headphone isn’t helpful on the slope.
You’ll want to be comfortable when navigating slope and that means you don’t want to get tangled with the wires on a headphone. Also, you don’t have the luxury of reaching into your pocket to fiddle with the phone, just for changing tracks.
Unlike in the comfort of your home, choosing the right headphone that for snowboarding is influenced by different factors.
Top Headphones For Snowboarding Compared
Choosing A Headphone For Snowboarding
Obviously, a headphone functions more than providing you a stream of music on the slope. Some people also use a headphone, or to be specific, an earbud, to block out the wind noise as they glide down with increased speed.
Safety, ease-of-use, and durability go a long way when choosing a snowboarding headphone.
Here are some of the important points that you’ll want to consider.
Compact And Portable
Unless you’re braving the mountain without a protective helmet or beanie, a typical over-ear headphone will have no place for snowboarding. Instead, you’ll want to get a headphone that’s compact and portable.
Preferably, you can sneak in the headphone comfortably under the headphone and barely feels its presence as you go snowboarding. This points to earbuds, in-ears or headphones that are designed to provide minimal obstruction to the user.
Some headphones are designed with snowboarding in mind. These headphones take the shape of flat-circular discs, which can be easily slipped into the helmet.
Sweat And Water Resistant
A headphone that makes the cut for snowboarding need to withstand the harsh environment of the mountain. Besides the extreme temperature, the headphone must be sweat or water resistance.
If you get sweaty when snowboarding, typical headphones tend to deteriorate in the long run when drenched in sweat. You don’t want the headphone driver to fail due to sweat or when dropped into the snow.
Wireless
Wired headphones, even with substantial cable length can be an obstacle during snowboarding. The wire can get in your way when you’re trying to seek balance when going down the slope. It’s unthinkable that you get distracted and fell off because you’re wearing a wired headphone.
For snowboarding, wireless is the keyword. With headphones of all shapes hopping on the Bluetooth bandwagon, it’s easy to get a wireless headphone.
Battery
When getting a wireless headphone, you’ll need to pay attention to the rated battery life. It’s frustrating if the headphone goes flat after a couple of hours in the mountain, particularly if you’re in the midst of snowboarding.
Bear in mind that the battery tends to drain faster in the freezing environment. The higher the battery lifetime, the longer it lasts in the mountain.
Microphone
Having a built-in microphone is useful as you can take calls without fishing your phone out of the pocket. Some modern wireless headphones and in-ears are built with miniature microphones with decent audio quality.
Voice-Assistant And Menu Control
Whether it’s Alexa or Google assistant, it helps to have such features on a snowboarding headphone. Voice assistant allows you to control your mobile phone without the hassle of getting it out.
Some headphones may not have voice assistant but are built-in with mechanical or touch buttons to allow simple control of making calls or music playback via Bluetooth.
7 Best Headphones For Snowboarding
1. Alta Wireless Bluetooth Helmet Drop-in Headphone
Key Features
- Helmet Drop-In
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Voice Assistant
- Up to 10 hours of playtime.
It’s hard to go wrong with the Alta Wireless Headphone, as it is the perfection by snowboarders who know what it’s like to have superior audio minus the hassle in the mountain.
It features a pair of 40 mm drivers and operates with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology. You can expect high-quality deep bass from the headphone as it plays your favorite track.
Battery lifetime is a major concern for snowboarding headphones. Built specifically for snowboarders, you can expect the Alta wireless headphone to last up to 10 hours of continuous usage. It’s obvious that this isn’t your typical headphone. The Alta wireless headphone is meant to fit into an audio-ready protective helmet and it does so with ease.
The headphone will have no issue of operating in the harsh environment of the mountains. It’s built with high-quality materials and is protected from sweat, water, and dust.
You’ll need more than great sound for a headphone optimized for snowboarders. The Alta wireless headphone features a couple of buttons on the left and one on the right of the earpiece to provide you access to your phone.
There’s no need to go through the tedious process of digging your phone in the pocket as you can take calls or navigate through your playlist with the buttons. Besides, the headphone is also built-in with supports for Siri and Google Voice with a microphone.
2. Outdoor Tech Chips 2.0 (With Walkie-Talkie App)
Key Features
- Helmet audio chip.
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 10 hours of playtime.
- Voice control with microphone.
The Outdoor Tech Chips 2.0 is yet another great headphone that slots in right into a protective helmet. It works with almost any notable brands on the market that has an audio slot. Engineered with a pair of 40mm drivers, the Chips 2.0 connects to your phone with Bluetooth. You can expect decent sound quality and sufficient volume during snowboarding.
You don’t have to worry about the headphone malfunction in the freezing mountain. It is made to withstand the extreme temperatures of up to -20 degrees Celcius. The Chips 2.0 is also sweat-resistant, making it ideal for snowboarding or other extreme winter sports.
When paired with the phone, you’re able to make calls or switch through the music without handling your phone. It has a couple of glove-friendly buttons that allow you basic controls of your phone.
With a built-in mic, the Chips 2.0 enables you to use voice command. Having access to Siri or Google Assistant when you’re busy navigating the slopes is pretty handy. You can also use the headphone as a walkie-talkie by using the free app from Outdoor Tech. It’s helpful to ensure the ease of communication between you and your friends.
The Chips 2.0 headphone ensures you don’t have to worry about the battery going flat as it has a rated 10 hours duration. It solves one of the most common problems most battery-powered headphones faced in freezing temperatures.
3. AfterShokz Titanium Wireless Bone Conduction Headphone
Key Features
- Bone conduction technology
- Bluetooth 4.1
- Up to 6 hours of battery life.
- Dual noise-canceling mics.
Some people prefer being alert of their surroundings when they’re snowboarding. In such cases, the AfterShokz Titanium is a perfect choice for a headphone. Instead of totally covering your ear, the AfterShokz Titanium uses bone conduction technology to transmit sound via your cheekbones. This means you’re still able to pick up ambiance noise in their original volume.
The AfterShokz Titanium is designed for outdoor activities. The headphone has a sleek design with a titanium wrap that goes around the back of your neck and hinges on your ear. It’s compact enough to go with a beanie or helmet for skateboarding.
Bone conduction headphones differ from typical headphones in terms of sound quality. AfterShokz is known to produce the best conduction headphones with superior audio and this Titanium is no exception.
The headphone is engineered to produce decent bass and above-average sound quality over a wide range of frequencies. You’ll find that there isn’t much sound leakage thanks to the brilliance in the headphone design.
Despite the compactness of the headphone, AfterShokz managed to sneak in a couple of noise-canceling mics that enable pleasant phone call quality. It’s built-in with buttons that let you take calls or control the playing audio.
You can expect the AfterShokz to last up to 6 hours. It’s also fairly durable thanks to its sweat-resistant material.
4. Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones
Key Features
- True wireless earphones.
- Up to 9 hours of playtime.
- Volume control and microphone.
- Class 1 Bluetooth connection.
If you own an iPhone and intend to go snowboarding with it, the Powerbeats Pro is a perfect companion. This Apple H1 chips-powered wireless earphone works exclusively on Apple products. Each of the earbuds is fitted with adjustable, secure-fit ear hooks that ensure you always stay comfortable when sliding down the slope. The earbuds will stay in place thanks to the ingenuity in the ear-tip design.
Despite its tiny size, the Powerbeats Pro packs a powerful punch in terms of features. The earbuds are linked to iPhones or other Apple devices with Class 1 Bluetooth connection. It provides you better range than conventional wireless headphones.
The earbuds are also fitted with noise-filtering microphones that allow distraction-free conversations when you take calls in the mountain. Each earbud has controls for playback that work independently with your phone.
As both earbuds maintain separate Bluetooth connection with your phone, you can just use one of it when snowboarding. One of the key features of the Powerbeats Pro is its impressive battery runtime of up to 9 hours. Along with its charging base, you can expect up to 24 hours of total usage. That’s more than sufficient for snowboarding.
Also, the Powerbeats Pro is designed for intensive work-outs. It is built to perform reliably even when exposed to sweat and water.
5. Skullcandy Method Wireless In-Ear Earbud
- Bluetooth wireless earbud.
- Flex-fit collar.
- 9 hours of battery life.
- Inline microphone and volume control.
Blending style and practicality are what Skullcandy does best in this wireless earbud. Deviating from typical designs, the Skullcandy Method features a plastic band that rests on the collar of the users.
The flex fit band is connected to the earbuds with short wires. You’ll find that the earbuds extend a certain length into your ear canal to offer great sound isolation. It’s also built with microphones and controls that allow phone calls or tweaking the volumes of the music.
People who are uncomfortable with bulging headphones will find the lightweight and compact Skullcandy Method comfortable even with a protective helmet on. Specially designed for sports, the Skullcandy Method is sweat and water-resistant, thanks to its IPX4 rated design. Such robustness is what makes a headphone ideal for snowboarding.
On top of that, the earphone’s built-in battery is expected to last up to 9 hours before a recharge is needed. That’s ample time to tackle the slopes while listening to your favorite playlist. While an earbud could never triumph and over-ear in terms of bass, this model holds its own against competing earbuds. You can expect decent bass when playing music out of the Skullcandy Method.
6. Bose Soundsport Wireless Headphone
Key Features
- Bluetooth and NFC pairing.
- StayHere+ Sports ear tips.
- Up to 6 hours of continuous play.
- Connects to Bose active equalizer.
The Bose Soundsport features cutting-edge designs and tech that support rigorous sports activity. It’s also lightweight and compact to wear underneath a beanie or helmet. Both earphones are secured by a wire that loops behind your neck.
The convenience of using the Bose Soundsport extends to the setup process. By taking advantage of the NFC tag, you can pair the headphone by turning on the Bluetooth on your phone and bringing the headphone close to it.
With the specially-designed silicon tip, you’ll find the earphone secures itself comfortably even if you’re moving around rigorously. There’s no worrying about losing the earphone as you take on challenging slopes on the mountain. The StayHere+ Sport tips are replaceable when they’re worn out.
Also, the sweat-resistance design ensures that the earphone continues to function even when you’re drenched in sweat.
Besides the handy features, the Bose Soundsport offers impressive sound quality that makes listening to music while snowboarding a pleasant experience. You can be assured of balanced audio irrespective of volume and frequencies.
A single charge on the Bose Soundsport will last up to 6 hours of continuous use. You can extend the playtime by up to 18 hours with the Bose charging case. You can also take calls and adjust the volume of the music with the inline control at the cord.
7. Jabra Elite Active 65t Earbuds
Key Features
- True wireless earbuds.
- Up to 5 hours of use. (15 hours extended)
- Voice commands with Alexa support.
- Bluetooth 5.0 connection.
If the slightest length of wire irritates you, you’ll want to pick up the Jabra Elite Active 65t Earbud before hopping on the lift to the mountain. The true-wireless earbuds are designed to fit naturally in your ears.
Whether you’re wearing a helmet or beanie, you will barely notice its presence, except for the superior sound quality produced by the earbud. Jabra’s true wireless technology ensures that you’ll have stable audio with no interruptions whether you’re taking calls or listening to music.
If you need a deeper bass or more clarity in the treble, you can customize the equalizer built into the Jabra Sound+ app. The battery on the earbuds can last up to 5 hours, although the usage time can be prolonged to 15 hours with a charging case.
The earbuds are fitted with a physical button at the side and miniature microphones are embedded in the enclosure. Noise is greatly reduced by the 4-mic call technology making the Jabra Elite Active 65t ideal for snowboarding.
If you’re accustomed to using voice commands, the earbuds allow you to connect with Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. The Jabra Elite Active 65t is engineered for demanding sports. In other words, the earbuds are sweat-resistant and continue to produce quality audio when you’re sweating buckets.
Summary
There are no strict and hard rules on the types of headphones that go along with snowboarding. While it’s true that headphones like the Alta Wireless and Outdoor Tech Chip 2.0 fit right into a helmet, models like Shockz Titanium and Skullcandy Method can be used even when you’re off the slope.
Style and features are down to individual preference. As long as they are durable, robust and don’t get into your way when snowboarding, you’ve got yourself the right headphone.
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About Author
Kenny Lee
An electronics engineer of 10 years turned copywriter. Headphones have been my best companion whether it's coding or writing. It's as much about blocking off distractions and tuning in to great music. Also a passionate pianist.