MP3 light
I used the smallest, lightest music player I could find, MobiBLU's Cube MP3 player, which is about the size of a Vegas dice. It makes the iPod Shuffle look downright large.
Volume and sound quality were outstanding; the music didn't get washed out by the rustling of my clothes and the swooshing of wind. Everything from bass-heavy techno music to light strains of Sufjan Stevens' banjo plucking came in crystal clear.
Moreover, it was the most comfort-able brain bucket of any breed I've ever put on my head. Giro is ahead of the pack by bounds here.
How can I shuttle all this gear safely around on the slopes? My pockets weren't big enough for everything, so I turned to a couple of outdoorsy backpacks.
Back to packs
Oakley Inc's US$150 hardshell backpack is a gem. Its structured, rugged exterior looks like something designed for an outer space movie starring Vin Diesel. The interior has padded compartments and safely held a laptop, assorted electronics accessories, notepads and lunch, with room to spare.
It did yeoman's work on the slopes and rode my back comfortably.
On the Net:
www.oakley.com
www.giro.com
www.polar.fi
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