Advertisement

What’s all that racket?

Share

JANSPORT AIR CISCO

Messenger-style shoulder bag contains a rounded, easy-access compartment designed for CD player use while on the go. Headphone wires snake through a nickel-size flap at the top of the pack. Two sizes, five color combinations. $50. (800) 426-9227, www.jansport.com

*

TRAVELER GUITAR ESCAPE

At just 29 inches and 3 3/4 pounds, the best travel-size guitar around packs an on-board headphone amp/pre-amp (headphones included), a quarter-inch amp jack and more. Incredibly rich sound, powered by a 9-volt battery. In steel-string and classical nylon-string versions. $500. (800) 476-1591, www.travelerguitar.com

*

H2OAUDIO SV i700

The long-awaited waterproof housing and speaker headset for the iRiver America iFP-700 series MP3 players began shipping Monday. Surfers, rafters, kayakers and other get-wet enthusiasts can load Andy Williams or Black Sabbath files into an MP3 player and mellow out or headbang without fear of burnout. Submersible to 10 feet. $100. (858) 623-0339, www.h2oaudio.com

Advertisement

*

BURTON SHIELD iPOD JACKET

Snowboarders drool over terrain parks and the Apple iPod (not included) that stashes in the shock-resistant interior chest pocket of this jacket and operates via a control pad embedded on the left sleeve. Useful and innovative, the waterproof ballistic-nylon fabric even tolerates the spin cycle of a Maytag. $380. (800) 881-3138, www.burton.com

*

HIGHGEAR TRAILAUDIO 512 MB

Few digital players attach as nimbly to a backpack or hydration pack as this unit; carabiner clip and Sharpie-marker size keep it close -- yet out of the way. Supports MP3, WMA and ADPCM formats, taps FM programming and delivers 12 hours of skip-free play on a AAA battery. $225. (888) 295-4949, www.highgear.com

*

NIKE ACG 3L COMMJACKET

This jacket’s internal wiring lets cold-weather trekkers, snowboarders and the like chatter away with their speed-dial buddies on a compatible cellphone or a Motorola two-way radio. A trio of embedded features -- press-to-talk button on a zipper flap, a speaker on the collar and a chin-level waterproof microphone -- team up for easy communication. Machine washable. $500. (800) 369-3949, www.nike.com/acg/

*

GIRO AUDIO SERIES FUSE

Once considered dweebish, winter head protection is getting hip: Comfy ear pads fitted with speakers and wired to a remote control can connect -- simultaneously -- to a music player and a compatible cellphone. Now you can catch a call on the ski lift while cranking out enough bass vibes to trigger an avalanche or dampen the drone of snowmobiles. $180. (800) 456-2355, www.giro.com

*

NIKE MP3 RUN

This 256mb player combines with a wireless sensor that attaches to a shoe. So you’re jogging and rocking when a female voice coos: “Time, 22 minutes; pace, 6 minutes and 34 seconds; distance, 2.9 miles.” Supports MP3 and WMA formats, plays up to six hours between charges. File managing software, headphones and armband included. $300. (800) 595-6453, www.nikerunning.com

*

OAKLEY THUMP

Mac- and PC-friendly digital player and speakers sit near the ears. Supports MP3, WAV, WMA and WMA with DRM formats, plays up to 120 songs for four to six hours between (unreplaceable) battery charges. Note: Thump doesn’t support songs purchased at Apple’s iTunes store. $395 to $495. (800) 969-2895, www.oakley.com

Advertisement

*

Cranking up the fun

Sometimes we want more than waves crashing, winds whistling or birds singing in our ears. We want tunes that psych us up and spur us on. Here’s a sampling of playlist selections from people who play on water and land:

TO SURF BREAKS BY

Suggestions from wave riders who were holed up on Oahu last month for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing events:

“I’m the Kinda”

by Peaches, for a “small, fun, rocky point.” (Malia Jones)

“Say Goodbye Hollywood”

by Eminem, for a “good, rippable beachbreak, when you just want to blow up and go nuts.” (Shane Dorian)

“Black”

by Pearl Jam, for “psyching up to surf [the big waves at] Waimea Bay.” (Brock Little)

“Two-headed Boy”

by Neutral Milk Hotel, for “surfing alone, and I like to surf alone.” (Chris Malloy)

“Bohemian Like You”

by the Dandy Warhols, for “inspiration for when the waves have a bit of size.” (Luke Stedman)

TO SNOWBOARD BY

Excerpt from tinymixtapes.com’s “Music for cruising down a mountain on your snowboard, looking at pristine white snow, and praying that you won’t break your neck” :

“To Hell We Ride”

by Lost Prophets

“Loco”

by 311

“Easier to Run”

by Linkin Park

“Pardon Me”

by Incubus

“Down”

by Social Burn

“About to Crash”

by Dream Theater

“Out of Control”

by Hoobastank

“The Price I Pay”

by Jane’s Addiction

“Hang ‘em High”

by My Chemical Romance

TO CANYONEER BY

From the Canyoneers, a.k.a. members of the Zion Canyoneering Coalition:

“Canyonero”

music and lyrics from “The Simpsons” (first aired Feb. 21, 1999) and sung by Hank Williams Jr.

Advertisement

“Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert”

by Pink Floyd

“Yours Is No Disgrace”

by Yes

“Cut Off My Right Arm”

[with apologies to slot canyon enthusiast Aron Ralston, who amputated his own arm to escape a boulder that had pinned him], by Johnny Copeland

“Here Comes the Flood”

by Peter Gabriel

“The Fall”

by Ministry

“Lateralus”

by Tool

Advertisement