Ipods, mp3s....dangerous or delightful?

Heres a contoversial topic,

I have been skiing with an ipod for the last 4 years or so, not only does it help me get 'into the zone' when skiing the more challenging runs but its fantastic when cruising the mountain.
Whats everyones opinion of skiing to music? do you enjoy it youreself or do you consider it to be ignorant and an unnecessary risk to other skiiers as you might not be fully concentrating on the surroundings?

I am not saying that its the right way to enjoy skiing and i agree you shouldnt use of them on crowded pistes but for me i do find it makes me an even better skier

opinions please!

As you say, music can add a whole new dimension. Making turns to a beat is tempting.

Personnel music players are banned in many work enviroments for safety reasons. The only place that would really concern me is around lifts. Loading and unloading from a lift is an industrial type enviroment. It is essential to be able to hear a lift opperator, especially when things go wrong. I would not trust everyone to turn the music off at the lift.

On the mountain, you would not be able to hear someone shouting to pass on a cat track. I would not trust everyone to turn the music off on cat tracks. However the person passing from behind should never assume they've been heard, deaf people ski too.

I've heard people say they won't use one because they want to hear people comming from behind. Because I carve, I have actually been hit several times from behind. In no case could I have done anything to change events. Sometimes you may hear a bit of skid before impact, but it happens so fast there's nothing you can do.

The worse aspect of these walkman type devices is they kill conversation on the lift. I always feel embaressed that after you say something like "great weather" to your fellow passenger, they have to take off thier gloves, fumble for a switch and say pardon. You then feel obliged to say more, to justify thier efforts to hear you.

On balance, I think it would be reasonable to have signs "no music while loading lifts".


Trencher

Valid points about the danger on the lifts and the slopes guys. I've never worn an mp3 player on the mountain up until now, but am considering it this year now I've got an mp3 compatible helmet, so at least I'll be a bit safer when I hit something! :lol:

I figure that the long, boring chairlifts will be a good place to turn the volume up and get "in the zone". So has anybody got any good suggestions for tracks that can get me pumped up for some hard, extreme off-piste action?

Also, do skiers listen to the same music as boarders? I do both, but would some tracks work better for skiing than boarding? Tighter turns = quicker tempo?

Hmm, 21st century mountain awareness issues - bring em on!

graviteski wrote:Valid points about the danger on the lifts and the slopes guys. I've never worn an mp3 player on the mountain up until now, but am considering it this year now I've got an mp3 compatible helmet, so at least I'll be a bit safer when I hit something! :lol:

I figure that the long, boring chairlifts will be a good place to turn the volume up and get "in the zone". So has anybody got any good suggestions for tracks that can get me pumped up for some hard, extreme off-piste action?

Also, do skiers listen to the same music as boarders? I do both, but would some tracks work better for skiing than boarding? Tighter turns = quicker tempo?

Hmm, 21st century mountain awareness issues - bring em on!

I chat to my firends on the lifts and moan about how long they are. Would not want to ruin that annual exerience with music! :)

Personally, you can`t beat the sound of silence on a crisp cold morning, quiet slopes, when all you can hear are your edges carving off the morning snow...Why mess around with the most fab sound on the slopes!!!!Now that gets me stoked and ready to go!!

Not for or against tho really!

hello all im the new guy.

i went away boarding for the first time in march this year & took my ipod. it was immense. i think it also depends on the kind of music you are listening to. we went to pas and tackling a black for the first time was hard enough.. then some industrial beats kicked in and it was like being in a video game.

unbelievable

You cant beat a bit of metallica when taking on some hairy looking runs or some dance beats for keeping your rythm!

Yeah, I do listen to music when I go skiing. Some heavy Drum and Bass while gasing it down a black run... ideal. However, when you have some loonatic tearing up behind you and you can't hear him/her, your in some trouble! :lol: